'Ok.' Staring at the…at Zelda, I let out a small quiet sigh. 'Like hell! First 2B, then Bazett and now this?!' Letting out another sigh, I address the elephant in the…forest. "My apologies, If I had gotten here sooner…then maybe I could've saved them."

"N-No, if anything it was my fault for bringing them here…" She turns away in sadness and shame, tears already threatening to come out. "I'm sorry, but c-could you give m-"

"Yes, of course. Take your time." I guess even she has to grieve, despite not being real. Taking this chance to expand my shadow army, I cast shadow extraction on the dead wolgarms successfully 37 times. "In my shadow, now."

Looking back at Zelda, I find her still grieving. Clicking my tongue in annoyance, I open the shop and buy a shovel for a couple copper. I start the annoyingly arduous digging. 'I have to make 6 holes? I should have just brought Elsa with me.' Despite my complaints, I finished the digging In less than an hour.

"Thank you, Ren-san." She thanks, bowing her head at me.

New Relationship has formed!

Zelda - 10/100

I brush off her thanks, opting to just bury the bodies instead. "I'm merely giving them a proper death, leaving them here to the animals doesn't sit right with me." Placing the last one into their grave, I start dumping the dirt back in. "May you pass on peacefully." Giving them a short prayer, I bow my head in respect. 'I let them die…but they're not real, right?'

Turning the now less emotional elf, I address her once more. "Will you be alright?"

"Huh?" I seemed to have snapped her out of her thoughts, as she turned to me with a confused look. 'Did she not hear me?' Realization seems to dawn on her as she finally answers. "I-I…Uh, yes. I'll be fine, thank you."

Chapter 5

"Ano…Ren-san?" I look toward my new traveling companion as she calls for me.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Well, if you don't mind my asking, can you tell me how you're here? The last human to have ever visited us was the Sage, and that was 400 years ago." The Sage? I remember reading about him, he was one of the 3 heroes. "Wait…You're not the Sage, are you?"

I snort at her outlandish assumption, quickly shooting it down. "I'm not, I just happened to find this place." She seems shocked at being wrong, but quickly drops it. "Hey Zelda, does the word 'Hyrule' mean anything to you?"

"Well, of course it does! We are in Hyrule, after all." Figures.

Looking up to the sky, expecting to see the sun or clouds, all that is up there is a roof. I was quite literally inside the tree. "And, who created this place?"

She seems to giggle at something…

"Fufufu…"

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I listen to what she has to say. "It was created by the Sage…at least that's what the stories say." So the Sage had otherworldly knowledge…was he like me?

"You didn't see it happen yourself?"

She pouts at my statement, offended by what it meant. "I'll have you know that I'm still young, I'm only 117 years old." That's still more than 6 times my age. Hold on, she's that old and she still lost against such weak Mabeasts?!

"I guess as an elf that's still pretty young, but you really should take advantage of your extensive life."

Her pout only seems to deepen even further. "And, what is that supposed to mean? Are you calling me weak?"

'Observe.'

Name: Zelda

Level: 83

Title: ???

HP: 11700/11700

MP: 8525/8525

STR: 59

AGI: 38

END: 32

INT: 120

WIS: 117

'Most of these numbers don't add up…Maybe it's because she's an elf?' Looking back at her, I look her over before I can say anything. "No, not weak. Inexperienced is probably the correct word."

"Hmph!" 'How very mature of you.' We continue walking towards…where are we going again?

Soon enough something comes into sight, a village surrounded by walls. Once we're at the gate, Zelda waves a signal toward the guard on the wall. The gate opens enough for the both of us to enter. "Awfully secure, are there usually attacks?"

"This can hardly be called secure…but it works against the Mabeasts. Ever since they started showing up more, we've had to resort to such tactics." Showing up more? That doesn't sound suspicious at all.

"Zelda? You're back so quickly, did something happen?" An older elf shows up, if I had to guess the village elder.

"Elder…We were ambushed by a large amount of Wolgarm, and if it wasn't for Ren here, I would have died as well." She explains, a sad frown appearing on her face.

"I see…" He takes a few seconds to recompose himself, before addressing me. "And you are the one who saved Zelda?...A human?!" He yells out, once he notices my lack of pointed ears, among other things.

Hushed whispers start to sound out from the now gathering crowd. "Will my race be an issue?" I make the annoyance clear in my voice.

"N-No, of course not. It's just been so long since we have last seen a human! We are very honored to meet you." They all greet me with a bow. 'There goes my preconceived perception of elves, proud and haughty my ass.'

Letting out a long sigh, my annoyance is quickly replaced by a slightly more jovial mood. "Well…I guess it is very nice to meet you all. I'm Ren Fujimura, but you can just call me Ren."

Zelda's Home

"Thank you for the food." Finally, a delicious homemade meal, not one of those prepackaged meals. Ahh…It almost makes me miss the Astrea maid's cooking.

I continue stuffing myself until I notice a pair of eyes on me. Zelda's Mother, to be exact. A brown haired beauty dressed in what most would say is suitable for a housewife. Her dress was not too different from Zelda's own outfit in terms of design, and the apron she wore above it only seemed to make her seem more beautiful. (AN: I forgot to mention but Zelda is in her BotW outfit.)

"Is something the matter, miss?" I ask as respectfully as possible.

"I approve." Huh? What the hell is that supposed to mean?

"Mother!" Zelda yells out in embarrassment from beside me.

"You can call me Mother if you'd like." She says playfully. 'Hold on…is she trying to hitch me with her daughter?!'

"Mother! I can't believe you!" Zelda storms off in embarrassment…yeesh.

"She's quite the handful, isn't she?" She says as her playfulness disappears. "Zelda was very sheltered as a child, but recently she has grown bold and quite fearless. And as her mother I fear for her safety, that is why I am formally asking you to protect her."

So she wanted to discuss this with me? "Why me?"

"I've seen the way she looks at you, she admires you and your strength. You've left quite the impression on her, and I fear she will do something reckless…"

"Should you, as a mother, really be saying that?"

She grimaces at my words, but doesn't necessarily refute them. "I know…A parent should always have faith in their child, but as a parent, I can't help but worry." She stands up and walks until she's beside me, getting on her knees, she gets in the dogeza position. "That is why as her mother, I am humbly begging you to protect my daughter."

"Haa…Fine, just stand up. There really was no need for all of that, I would have said yes anyways." I look away from the sight in embarrassment, finding my empty plate more interesting. 'I needed a guide anyways.'

"Really?…Thank you so much!" I am suddenly attacked by Zelda's Mother in the form of a hug. What makes it even worse is the position she suddenly put me in. My face is currently in the valley between 2 mountains.

After what feels like a lifetime, she finally lets go of me. 'My face is flushed red, and I can feel my heart beating at a pace it shouldn't be.' She seems to notice my current state, but doesn't apologize, instead… "Oops…"

'She knows exactly what she did!' Excusing myself, I go to look for Zelda.

"If you are looking for Zelda, she should be in the backyard, behind the tree." Her mother says as I leave the dining room.

Exiting their modest home from the back, I approach the sole tree in their backyard. "What did she offer you?" I hear her ask from above me, on the tree.

"Nothing, I didn't give her the chance to." I reply, not bothering to look up.

"Then why accept the offer? There's nothing in it for you."

"...Wow, you're right. I really should start thinking things through." My little joke gets a giggle out of her. "But…if I had to tell you why I accepted her offer, I'd say it's because we're friends."

"Friends?"

"Yeah, friends…at least, I'd like to say we are." I say, a genuine smile appearing on my face.

"...I've never had friends before." 'Then what were those companions to her? Just allies?' I keep my thoughts as just that, thoughts.

"Growing up, I didn't have many either." At least I don't think I did… "Either way, I'll try to be a good first friend."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes, I promise." I hear her drop from the tree behind me, she stops me as I go to turn around, with a hug that is.

The Next Day

"I thought you said we were friends!" I hear Zelda complain from behind me.

"Of course we are." I say as we continue to run.

"Then why…are you making me…do this?!" She says in between breaths.

"Because friends don't let other friends stay weak!" I say, keeping my breathing steady.

"But you said…I was inexperienced!" She looks like she's about to collapse.

"Alright, stop." Handing her a flask of water, I respond to her earlier statement. "Yes, you are inexperienced in many things, and that makes you weak. You have a lot of untapped potential and talent, but by doing nothing you're letting yourself stay weak." My words seem to light the fire beneath her.

"Alright, let's go!" She says excitedly.

"Good answer! Once more!" If only she knew we still had 8 km, and I still have 18 km.

…

"Alright! 100 push-ups!" I yell as we arrive at her backyard.

"Eh?! We're not done?!"

…

"We're finally done…" She says as she lays on her back.

"Good job! Already getting in position for the 100 sit-ups! Now, 1!"

"Nooo!"

…

"We're done, right? Right?" She says as she grabs onto me in desperation.

"Give me 100 Squats!" She doesn't respond, instead choosing to silently cry during her squats.

…

"...What's next?" I hear Zelda ask from beside me.

"Next is…rest." I hear her let out a soft sigh as she collapses onto the ground. Picking her up in a bridal carry, I smile proudly as she rests peacefully. "You did good today, I'm proud of you."

One Week Later

Waking up to the sound of someone entering the room. I find myself locking eyes with my only human shadow. "So, you're back."

"Yes, My Liege. I bring ne-"

"I don't believe I gave you permission to speak. Here, give me a detailed report on this." Throwing a notebook and pen at her, I choose to watch Zelda sleep as I wait. I still can't believe her mother is making me sleep in the same room as her, I was fine with just the living room floor.

I feel a hand on my shoulder after a few minutes, smacking it away, I snatch the notebook out of her hand with Ruler's Authority.

On my exploration I came across a few caves filled with Mabeasts, along with patrols of Mabeasts all throughout the forest.

I also came across 3 different villages in ruins, no survivors. There aren't any signs of forced entry, so possibly infiltrated or a being capable of flight?

Love Elsa

'Is she an idiot? I know who she is. But…this isn't good, if there really is a traitor, then who could it be?' Letting out a sigh, I give Elsa an order. "Go around the village, and observe everyone. Don't get caught."

She soon disappears, leaving me alone in the silence. But I wasn't alone.

"Ren? Who was that?"

To Be Continued …

Wow…I am actually proud of this chapter, could you believe it if I told you I made this in 1 day? I like where this story is going, so this may be the story I focus on the most.

To those who think Zelda isn't acting like she usually does in the games, then you'd be correct. Why? Well this Zelda wasn't born and raised as a princess, also she's in the world of Re:Zero so that too.

Kind of like Chapter 3 where there was barely any system moments, but that's fine.

Also I retract my statement of the Elves being "NPCs", who knows? They just might be real…

Ren shows that he's not that much of an asshole…only for him to reconfirm how much of an asshole he truly is. Man, this guy really needs a therapist, or a really greedy witch. Foreshadowing? Who knows?

Also…Someone seems to have gotten into the dungeon, I wonder who it could be…

Ren's AP was 95 in the last chapter, now it's 175.

Now inventory, since status hasn't changed

Inventory

Gospel x 1

Random Loot Box x 16

Status Recovery x 15

Kukri Knives x 2

Holy Dragon Coins/HDC x 14

Gold Coins x 99

Silver Coins x 97

Copper Coins x 38

Things I forgot were in his inventory

Echidna's Book of Magic x 1

Insignia x 1

Shovel x 1

Water Flask x 1

I think that's everything…LMK if I'm missing anything.

Buh-Bye!