At first glance, the forest… seemed normal.
However, as Irise took another look around, she realized it was anything but normal. The trees reached impossible heights, with branches and leaves spreading out across the sky, as if trying to shield the earth beneath it from the blazing sun. Ravens swept through the air, leaving trails of deep black feathers gently falling from the balmy sky.
Rabbits crept almost maliciously through the tall stalks of grass. And, somehow, the young woman could sense there was slimes nearby.
Then it occurred to her.
Irise was supposed to be dead right now.
Wait, where exactly am I right now? Am I dead? Or. . . something else? She thought with a panic. She attempted to rise from her leafy bed, but a sharp stabbing sensation shot through her right leg, and Irise remembered that she'd been hit by a truck a few minutes ago. Okay, stay calm, she thought to herself, trying to ease her distress.
You're just hallucinating. You're probably dying right now, and definitely not in an alarmingly large forest. Though, the longer the young woman was there, the less she believed the statement to be true. Now, how to get up?
Eventually, to her relief, Irise found a long, sturdy stick. Perhaps, she thought, she could walk around until she found help.
With a grunt of pain, Irise stood from her place with the help of the stick. She made a decision right then and there. If she truly was somehow in another world, then she'd try to live the life she never could; a life of adventure and happiness!
…But, first, she'd have to make it out alive from this forest. Irise couldn't explain it, but she felt the presence of another human being nearby. Though it was a struggle, she hobbled hurriedly in the direction of the presence.
Sure enough, a male human stood right in front of Irise; to her surprise, with concern. "Are you alright? You shouldn't be out here alone—oh, you seem to be hurt quite badly! Here, let me help," he offered gently, letting her lay an arm on his shoulder.
The man wasn't bulky, and looked to be around Irise's age, but he was tall. The young woman could guess he was about 5'10" or so. He was.. so kind to her, and yet they'd only just met.
"Sorry if this seems a little weird, considering I'm a stranger to you and all. I noticed you have really strong mana sense. Is that how you found me?" He asked with a soft smile.
Mana sense… is that what it's called? Irise reflected briefly, before giving the man a nod of her head. "Say, what's your name? Oh, wait, it would be rude of me not to introduce myself first. I'm Eori," he—Eori—chimed softly.
Irise quite liked this young man already. "My name is Irise. And, it's fine, really! Say.. is there a village nearby? You could probably tell I need a little help," she asked with a glance around, as if a village would just pop up out of thin air at any second.
"Oh, there's one just around the bend. We could go now."
This was it. The start of Irise's new life.
And so, they set off to the village, with the young woman eagerly awaiting what's in store for her next.