His senses were the first to awaken.
Bona felt as though he was lying on a bed that was not particularly soft, with a few leaves scattered over it.
The air carried the fresh fragrance of leaves and flowers, along with the scent of earth and stone after rain.
Only then did his ears begin to register the sounds around him: the noisy chatter of birds at dawn and the chirping of insects.
He heard footsteps approaching, the creaking that only a large creature could make on a wooden floor.
When the sound stopped beside him, whoever it was seemed to pick something up.
The next instant, Bona sprang up like a stone from a slingshot and seized the other person's throat, accompanied by the clatter of something spilling and a terrified cry.
The scene before his eyes began to change, sharpening from a blur.
Only then did Bona see what he had pinned beneath him.
She had beautiful golden hair, blue eyes, and skin as white as milk and as smooth as honey.
And, of course, a terrified expression.
He had her throat in a death grip. The tremendous pressure had turned her face red, and her frail hands struggled helplessly to pry his iron arms away.
Bona's mind raced. He felt as though he had forgotten a great many things.
His gaze settled on her long, slender ears.
This kind of creature... was called an elf, wasn't it?
He noticed the overturned medicine pot, finally realized that he might have misunderstood something, and released her.
The elf scrambled up, clutching her throat and gasping for breath. She huddled into a frightened ball and stared fearfully at Bona.
Bona looked at her. He had never seen anyone so beautiful.
He looked around. This seemed to be a small wooden