Dark Fantasy Normalized

“Are you awake?”
“?”

Lisir thought he was, but perhaps he was still dreaming.
That was the first impression that crossed his mind as he woke.

After all, the scene before him was nothing short of surreal.

Whoosh.
The curtains were drawn open with vigor.

Morning sunlight poured through the window, illuminating the maid who had opened the curtains.
Her silver hair, tinged with a soft pink hue, glistened in the sunlight, making it shine even more brilliantly.

And that smile.

“Good morning!”

It was a cheerful smile, as if it sought to fill the entire room with boundless energy.

“Ah, good morning!”

Lisir, caught up in the infectious energy, reflexively responded.
And with great enthusiasm!

“Who… who are you?”

The most pressing question only surfaced after he had spoken.

A cheerful maid ushering in the morning?
Even Lisir, who had encountered countless fantastical sights since leaving his family, had yet to conquer this domain of fantasy.

“Hmm?”

The maid tilted her head slightly, her eyes curving into a gentle smile.

“What kind of joke is this? If it’s one from you, my lord, it must be a very amusing one—but I’m sorry. It seems I lack the wit to understand. If you don’t mind, could you explain it to me?”

Her friendly smile radiated warmth, and her eyes sparkled with curiosity, as if genuinely intrigued by the “joke.”

Lisir thought to himself, If every woman in the world reacted to failed jokes this way, there wouldn’t be any more ‘wounded men’ left to worry about.

Almost disarmed by her positivity, Lisir barely managed to steady himself and replied,
“I was just saying that your appearance has changed so much that I didn’t recognize you for a moment, Tia.”

Even as he said it, Lisir wasn’t entirely sure.

Tia, the Dark Elf slave.
The last time he had seen her, she was an unstable figure, worn down by years of slavery, showing signs of emotional desolation.

“Does it seem strange?”

If there had been even the slightest hint of pretense in her current demeanor, Lisir might have agreed.
It would have seemed strange—like she was forcing herself to repay him for the kindness he’d shown her (rescuing her brother, promising her freedom).

• “Pamon, instead of this, why don’t you go into the city and rent a room?”
• “I’d rather stay here, listening to the chirping of insects, than rest in some human space.”

• “But, but~ I want to have lots of stories to share when I reunite with Lisir someday~”