Chapter 1: Light chasing flies

In a faraway land on the edge of the map. There is a small town living in peace called Rum village.

The lifestyle in this village is simple and fun. Kids are always playing around while parents and adults are working hard for their bright future. Life in this village is mundane and peaceful.

My name is Laura and I'm 12 years old. I don't have a hobby or anything, but I like learning new things. My favorite thing to do is to eat. Even though that’s a fact. My body is not growing or getting fatter for some reason.

When I have free time, I usually help on the farm to harvest some potatoes. The village produces its own crops on this wide farm. Most of the people living in this village are helping on the farm.

"This is the last basket."

The girl with blue hair who is carrying a basket of potatoes towards the cart is my friend named Mayu.

She's an orphan and is usually seen working on the farm. She is kind and a dreamer. I also play with her a lot. She's like a big sister to me.

I do have lots of respect and admiration for her. Despite being young, she was able to do many things.

Mayu whipped her sweat using her face towel and said:

" Pew! That's good for today. The only thing left to do is to sell this potato to the market."

A grooving noise was heard from my tummy. Mayu noticed my tummy and turned her gaze toward me.

I was so embarrassed and jumped into the thick bushes to hide my tomato-red face.

I’m so embarrassed. I’m already 12 years old but my tummy sure makes lots of noise.

"Hmmm... Do you think I didn't see you... Laura..."

After Mayu says those words, she jumps into the bushes and starts to tickle me.

"Mayu stop! Stop! Pwehehehehehe~"

"That's not enough. I see Laura more embarrassed to face is to-face more."

Mayu started to tickle me intensely, making me tear in laughter.

"It's my turn now."

I saw an opening in Mayu and started to make payback.

"Laura Laura hehehehe... Stop it hehehehe..."

After fooling with each other. Mayu and I lay down in the thick moss under a tree with a happy expression. We chased our breaths and looked toward the drifting clouds in the sky.

"It's been a while since I played with you, Laura."

"Yep, I'm quite busy at school and forgot to have some fun. The sky is so clear today. I don’t have any homework to do.”

I said.

While looking up at the sky, I suddenly remembered something. Making me make my body rise immediately. Mayu was then puzzled by my sudden movement and sitting.

"What is it suddenly standing like that?"

"I just remembered something... Wait, I just need to get it from the cart."

I ran toward the card and got a basket.

"Ta~da! It's my mother's special sandwich lunch."

Mayu's eyes started to glimmer.

"Luna-san makes lunch for us. Ummh~ I can't wait to try it… Can I have it now?"

"Of course... not."

"Huh?! But Luna-san makes that lunch for us right. Why am I not getting my part?"

Mayu started to have a sad expression. She likes the food my mother makes. Also, the sandwich is one of her favorite foods. I guess it’s enough for the teasing.

I made a grin and said:

"I'm just joking. Of course, you can have it."

With those words, her face brightens up and a broad smile is seen on her face. She always gets my two cheeks and starts pulling them.

“Teasing me again? Laura?”

“Sowwy~ I’m Sowwy…”

We opened the basket containing sandwiches, two glasses of milk, and two slices of cheese. With an excited expression on our faces, Mayu and I took our portion and started munching down the sandwich.

"This sandwich is really good."

"Mann... Umm.."

My mouth was so full my words were impossible to understand.

Mayu gets a glass of milk and gives it to me.

"Chow down your sandwich properly and empty your mouth before speaking."

I take and drink my bottle of milk to clear my mouth.

"It's delicious. I love the ham in Mama's sandwich. It's so tender and juicy."

I said as I looked at the filling used inside the sandwich.

Mayu looked toward her sandwich and said:

"Well, I like the vegetable and dressing Luna-san used. I would like to know the recipe for this dressing from her."

"Then you should just ask Mama to teach you how to make the sandwich then.”

"Eh? Well, I always give your mother trouble preparing lunch for me every time. I feel shameful asking her favors."

"Ummm... But I think it's really good to know its recipe. I have been reading a  book before about adventurers around the world. They said that adventurers need to know how to cook their food… Someday I know that we'll be going out of this village and traveling the world together. Together let's uncover wonderful and unexplored places. The world is vast and full of mysteries to uncover.”

I said with a sweet tone.

Mayu finished her sandwich and drank her milk.

"That reminds me of something. I found a book in the church and started reading it."

Mayu presented me with an old book.

"What is it? What is it?"

I was so excited and sat beside Mayu. She then opens the book and tells me the stories within it.

"You seem very interested in this book… This book is about Emily the traveler. The wonderful meetings she had and the wonderful things she did. Sometimes bad things happen and sometimes good things happen. This is a story about a wandering adventurer traveling around the world.”

My eyes started to start with the things that I was seeing. The book contains wonderful illustrations and detailed words about that place.

“All of the places in this story are based on real-life.”

"Wow, what is this place? I never saw this place in any book in the school library."

"Look at this. It's a starry forest."

"The tree's got blue leaves shaped like a star? What is this cute tiny creature with wings?”

"Let me see... Ummm, It's said that it's a fairy."

I suddenly became more impressed with the thing that I was seeing. To know that fairies exist is a wonderful thing.

"Fairies like in those fairy tales. I wonder if I can see one."

"Of course, you can see one. Look at this book, which says that the fairies are located near this miraculous garden."

We furthermore explore the content of the book until we're satisfied. I learned a lot of things today from Mayu.

"Laura, I want to tell you something."

Said Mayu in a serious tone while looking at the bright blue sky.

I turned my glance toward her.

"I'm planning on traveling tomorrow morning to see if the content of this book is real."

"But your still young and what if a monster attacked you? More importantly, those places seem very far."

"Don't worry about me… I'm pretty sure I can handle it. Look at this map."

I took a look at the map Mayu's talking about and saw our village. According to the map, The Starry forest is located near the west of our town.

"It's the village of Rum and the border. I can arrive at Starry forest after walking straight west. I wanted to prove if this book is real. I’m not the kind of person that will believe something without seeing with my very own eyes."

I never knew that there was something beyond the borders of the map. I'm told that the border beyond is just a vast ocean.

"Are you coming with me?"

Mayu invited me.

Mayu is such a mischievous girl. I have a feeling that it will lead to something troublesome. But another way, it’s fun seeing those and proving them with my own eyes.

"Well, I don't know. Mama might get worried about me traveling beyond the border."

"It's okay, we're going to return after we have a peek at the things beyond the border."

Mayu's smile tempts me.

"I guess I have no choice… We're just going to have a peek at it and go home."

"Yeah, I am going to protect you too while we're on the way toward the border."

"Really?"

"Yup I promise."

"Then let's see each other tomorrow morning."

I said.

And then, we said goodbye and got ready for tomorrow morning.

While I'm sleeping in my bed. I got a bad dream. There are too many flames and people are screaming in chaos and fear.

I wake up in my bed with tears in my eyes. Bad emotions flow on my body and I don’t feel quite right.

Turning my eye’s on the clock. It's around 3:00 AM the sun is still not rising. It’s still chilly cold outside and the moon and stars are shining bright above the dark sky.

I heard a knock on the window in my room. I get up from my bed and take a look outside. I then saw Mayu with a shovel in her hand.

"Laura comes here, we're living the town right now."

Said Mayu in a whispering sound.

Since I promised that I will go with her, I started to prepare myself and take a basket containing our breakfast before living the house.

Before I left the house. I look at my mother's face who is still fast asleep. I feel a bit guilty not telling her about living early in the morning.

“I'm sorry mother, I can't tell you about this. But I promise to become careful on my way.”

I said with low toned voice. I sneak out of the house and run toward Mayu.

"Laura faster or else the gatekeeper will notice us."

"The gatekeeper does its job 24 hours, right? How do we cross the gate without permission from the chief?"

"It's just easy Laura."

Look like Mayu got a plan to cross the gate. She drags me to the side of the wall. The village is surrounded by tall stone walls to protect the people from the monsters outside. Most of the monsters living around our town are weak monsters and not very harmful.

Mayu get’s a rope with a hook on its end. She throws it to the other side of the wall. She tests the rope durability by pulling it hard.

"This will do...”

“Is this fine? What if the gatekeeper saw us?”

“Don’t worry they are fast asleep at this time. Also, we’re climbing the wall far from the stationed guards. There is no way of them finding out that we leave the town.”

It’s my first time climbing such height. I’m not confident enough with the strength of my arms.

Can I really climb this high wall on my own?

"That sounds scary. Maybe, I’m not going anymore.”

"Are you going to go back after getting here? Don't worry Laura, I’ll assist you."

She’s right, I don’t want to grow up being such a coward. Experience is a way to learning new things. I need to steel myself.

Mayu started to climb the gate first then when she's on the top. Mayu offered her hands to help me climbing up.

"Okay, Laura let's go jump to another side."

"Jump? We might break our legs if we do that."

"We’re landing on this moss. There’s no way we break our bones from that... I know let's just jump together at the same time."

"That's no different, we're still jumping from the top of the gate feels scary.”

"Geez, you're such a baby Laura. I guess I will do the plan b…"

Mayu gets the rope from the other side to the other side of the stone wall. "... We can now get down manually. It’s less scary this way right?”

“Yep.”

Mayu and I started going down from the top of the gate when the rope accidentally break.

In the end, Mayu and I fall from the top of the gate. I’m not seriously injured. Honestly, I don’t feel pain at all. Then I noticed that Mayu is below my body. Seems like Mayu became the cushion on my landing.

“Are you okay Mayu?!”

“I’m fine… Also, get up already.”

I stood up and helped Mayu stand up. She is a bit out of balance standing and it makes me worried. But she is is no ordinary in few moments she is back and it feels like nothing happened.

"Thank you, Laura."

"Thanks, goodness the basket is not damaged when we fall."

Mayu started to look to the basket with me and asked:

"What's inside this basket?"

"It's our breakfast I made last night. It's my special breakfast sandwich it also got a chicken on it."

"I would love to try it later... Laura duck down. We need to sneak our way. Out in the guard's vision."

“I thought their fast asleep.”

“Seems like they heard the sound we made when we fall from the wall. We go to be careful and sneak out.

Mayu and I duck down and hide through the thick bushes.

The guards started to investigate the with a torch in his hand. The guards look around but they never saw any of our trails behind.

"I'm quite sure I hear a slamming noise from here... I guess it's just my imagination.”

“We’re not having a healthy sleep. Let’s go back to the station and sleep.”

The guards said and goes back to their positions and take a nap.

Looks like the town is in danger if the guards are very careless like them. I’m a bit disappointed with them. Still, I’m happy that Mayu and I are not caught in the action. I can imagine the punishment if we’re found out.

Mayu and I take a deep breath from nervousness.

"That was close, but I kinda feel bad for the guard who works hard to observe the surrounding while other sleeping."

I said with sympathy.

"Some guards are hard-working and some aren’t. I can’t blame them at all. If they wanted to sleep during their shift. The morning breeze is very nice and cozy.”

Mayu said.

From her backpack, she gets a small lamp and lights it up. Mayu checks the direction using a compass.

Now that I notice it. Mayu did come prepared and have all the necessary items for this journey. She truly is a reliable big sister model.

Meanwhile, All I bring is these chicken sandwiches.

"Let’s go and walk straight to the west to reach the border. Beyond the border is the starry forest… I can’t wait to see it.”

I follow Mayu’s footsteps. She fearlessly walked to the dark path ahead of us.

I always admire Mayu's brave act and clever moves. I wish I was like her in the future.

For now, making chicken sandwiches is the only thing that I can do here, But I know someday I will learn.

"Laura, what are you smiling about?"

"Don't mind me, I'm just a little excited about the things we will see beyond the border."

"I see, I think I feel the same way. I can't wait to see the world beyond the border too."

We keep on walking straight west and get tired. We sat down under the giant root of the tree we never seen before. Unfortunately, the tree seems to be cut down. Just looking at the giant trunk. We know that the tree is really tall in the time it's still living.

Staring at it I wonder what kind of thing was able to cut down a tree this big. The one who cut this tree might not be a human at all. Even a human swings its sword for a very long time to cut this tree. They will never be able to make this clean flawless cut.

I give up thinking about it.

We take a rest and eat our breakfast.

I started to feel embarrassed for seeing someone eat my cooking for the first time, but Mayu seemed to be delighted with the sandwich I made and it makes me very happy.

After eating, the sandwich Mayu gets the book from her bag and looks for the map.

"I knew it, look Laura over here. This cut big tree here must be this big tree."

I take a look at the map and notice that we're really near to the border.

"With a little walk, we will arrive at the border. I wish I met a fairy."

I said with glimmering eyes.

"Well, that's not impossible when we arrive there."

The sun started to rise and the two of us continue our adventure.

Following the map, we got too many unfamiliar paths and trails. Until we reach a gate with thorns enveloped on it. It’s creepy looking and sinister. The gate seemed to be very old and started to decay.

“Looks like we reached the border.”

“A gate?”

“We should go and find out what’s behind this gate.”

Mayu easily broke the lock on the gate and then we started walking beyond the border.

I started to fill the chill to the creepy forest beyond the gate and started clinging to Mayu.

"Mayu Mayu let's go home, this forest is giving me chill. I don't like going in here."

"Don't worry Laura. If a monster appeared I'm going to pounce it using this shovel. I promised to protect you at all cost."

Mayu makes me feel at ease by patting my head.

Doing that I feel a little braver and the chill started to go away for some reason.

"Look Laura there is a passage over there."

We saw a path of light and started following it.

Beyond the creepy forest, we saw a wonderful tree with star-shaped leaves. The leaves are so beautiful and some unidentified butterfly-like creature is flying around it.

Seeing that a big smile on our face appeared.

"It’s real! This we reached the starry forest! Emily’s adventure is real. I knew the book is telling the truth. Beyond the border, we will find many wonderful things."

Mayu’s happiness was seen on her face and action. She is jumping in joy.

This is my first time seeing this star-shaped leaf in this mysterious tree and it looks amazing.

"World sure is wonderful! Seem’s like we made the first step on our dream."

I said cheerfully.

That’s what I thought while being swallowed to the beauty I’m seeing in front of my eyes.

Turning my glance on Mayu. She was in hurried with a desperate expression on her face. I was confused at that moment.

And then...

"Laura! Duck!"

In a split second the cheerful expression on our faces started to crumble away.

With Mayu's warning, I'm able to dodge the scythe of death.

Behind me, a monster appeared.

Mayu immediately came to protect me. She uses her shovel and pointed it at the monster-like she was holding a sword.

"Mayu…. W-What is that thing?"

I said as I look at the terrifying monster face

He got pointy horns and a hundred eyes in his face. He's holding a giant black sword.

What's this I can't move my legs? My legs started to shake and tears started to fall from my eyes.

Mayu seemed to be acting brave but in reality, her hand is shaking in fear. She barely holding the shovel in her hand.

Why is this happening? I'm supposed to meet fairies here right? Why a monster appeared suddenly?

"Don't come closer! Don't come closer or else I will attack you with my shovel."

Said Mayu to the monster.

The monster charged toward us. Mayu uses her shovel to defend herself.

"It’s so heavy.”

Mayu said then step backward.

Using her shovel Mayu distracts the monster by splashing dirt toward its face.

I whose unable to move is noticed by the monster then attacks me with its claws. I thought I was a goner, but opening my eye’s I saw Mayu sacrifice herself and take the attack.

Mayu receives a scratch on her left arm.

Seeing Mayu protecting me make me came back to my sense and stand up.

"Take this monster."

I threw the basket I'm holding to the monster to buy time then.

With a little time, Mayu and I take the chance to run away. The monster recovered and chase us but before it gets us, we had already made it through the gate.

While running away. I noticed the dripping blood from Mayu's left arm.

"Are you okay Mayu?"

"Don't worry this is just a shallow wound. It will heal eventually."

Mayu said the smile.

Even still she said those words and smiled. I know that it hurts a lot.

We arrived at the village before the sun truly shines and immediately go to the farm. Under the big tree where we used to play and eat. I was treating Mayu's wound.

"Ouch! Alcohol really hurts."

"Just bares it, it will remove the bacteria and prevent infection."

I said and cover her hand with a bandage.

Mayu look at her arm and said:

"It didn't hurt anymore thank you, Laura."

"It's okay, no need to thank me. To be honest I'm the one who should thank you. If you didn't warn me earlier. I might lose my head from the monster. Thank you, Mayu for saving me."

Mayu pat my head and said:

"Raise your head… I just fulfill my promise and I don't want my precious friend to die in front of me."

"Me too, I don't want to lose you."

Mayu's face started blushing and averted her eye’s away from me.

"Stop saying words like that. It making uneasy."

"You're so cute when you blushing."

Mayu lay down to the thick moss and look up in the blue sky.

"I'm not blushing. Forget it, Laura... Going there is not a waste. It's a shame that we didn't explore further, but It's good to know that everything in this book is real. The big starry tree in the middle of the creepy garden is the proof of it."

"You're right It's really a shame, but maybe next time when we are stronger we will take an adventure toward that unknown land."

I said and lay down beside Mayu.

Mayu smiles and replies.

"Yeah."