Hua Mi couldn't see what was approaching through the swarm of bees, but she could feel the bees' heightened agitation, indicating a perceived threat.
"I can't just abandon the beehive... Besides, if there's any real danger, I can immediately open a wormhole and escape back to Earth," she thought.
With this in mind, Hua Mi calmed herself, nocked an arrow, half-drawn on her bowstring, and slowly approached the entrance. She used her toe to gently push the door open and peered outside.
On the expanse of white moonlit flower fields, 30 swarms of worker bees took flight, forming a dense and intimidating mass that surrounded some uninvited guests.
Although each solitary earth bee was small, when combined, the 30 swarms constituted a significant force, casting a shadow over the intruders.
Hua Mi could only catch glimpses of a few diminutive figures amid the bee swarm.
Surprisingly, she didn't sense any immediate danger. Hua Mi directed the bees to create an opening, focused her gaze, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Pixies?"
As soon as she saw these little creatures, the term "Pixies" immediately sprang to her mind. They looked like carefully crafted dolls with pointed ears, about the size of her palm, dressed in garments made of natural elements such as leaves and petals. They also had delicate, translucent butterfly wings that glistened in the sunlight.
Their appearance perfectly matched the traditional image of fairies held by Earthlings.
Hua Mi noticed that these beings didn't seem to have any ill intent, and more importantly, they didn't appear to be a threat. She released her control over the bee swarm, causing them to stop their defensive formation and line up on both sides, resembling a well-trained army on guard duty.
The seven "Pixies" saw the bees suddenly aligning in a disciplined formation and were initially puzzled. However, when they noticed Hua Mi approaching with her compound bow, they immediately became wary again.
It was evident that these humanoid creatures were behind the scenes. The ferocious little flying insects were merely their henchmen.
The one in front had fiery red hair, and she shielded her little sisters while brandishing a vine staff not much thicker than a toothpick. Her face contorted fiercely as she faced Hua Mi.
But when you're tiny and weak, your threats can come across as cute.
Hua Mi didn't pay it much mind and observed them quietly.
She noticed that each of them had a small wooden barrel strapped to their arms, indicating that they were collecting something.
"Are they here to gather nectar?" she wondered.
From what she could tell, there were no bees in this world, but nectar, a delicious and energy-rich product, would undoubtedly attract other creatures. Otherwise, it would mean an ecological vacuum.
These little beings might make their living by collecting nectar. This time, they were unlucky to be caught in a crossfire when they were unable to harvest it.
In terms of appearance, it was quite challenging to distinguish between these seven Pixies. However, their hair colors were all different, roughly corresponding to the seven basic colors of the natural world: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
The one with blue hair, on the other hand, had a swollen face that resembled a pig's head, having been stung several times.
At this moment, she was surrounded by her little companions, cradling her swollen face and shedding tears, her eyes glistening.
They were the indigenous inhabitants of the Black Forest, and it was evident that they possessed intelligence and could communicate. Hua Mi didn't want to engage in conflict with them unless it was absolutely necessary.
Building a positive relationship would be the ideal outcome, as it could greatly assist her in exploring the Black Forest and locating nectar-rich flowers.
"Hello," Hua Mi greeted in the local language with a smile. "Is there anything you need?"
The red-haired Pixie hesitated for a moment upon hearing Hua Mi's words but quickly regained a stern expression. "Don't try to deceive us, alchemist. We won't be fooled!"
Her voice was melodious and full of grace.
"However, why did she call me an alchemist? Does she think I'm the previous owner of this cottage?" Hua Mi wondered.
It seemed like these Pixies might know something about the previous owner of the cottage, but their vision was clearly not great if they were making such mistakes.
Hua Mi spoke in the unfamiliar language, saying, "It's a misunderstanding. You trespassed into my flower field, and my bees mistook you for enemies, so they defended themselves."
"We were just trying to collect nectar!" the red-haired Pixie retorted with annoyance, waving her staff, leaving a glistening mark in the air. "While you were away, we've been taking care of this flower field. You're the intruder here!"
"So, even though these flowers grow outside your house, they're being nurtured by us," added the orange-haired Pixie timidly, standing behind the red-haired one.
It made sense that, besides the easy-to-maintain Moon Dream Flowers, the Pixies' care contributed to the growth of this vast flower field.
In this light, Hua Mi was in the wrong.
Hua Mi pondered for a moment and asked, "What do you collect nectar for?"
"To eat, of course," the yellow-haired Pixie responded matter-of-factly.
Saying this, she reached out towards a few Moon Dream Flowers beside her, elegantly swiping her hand. With a sparkling and twinkling effect, several streams of nectar fluid flew out of the flowers, merging into a swirling mass in the air.
"Just like this..."
Before she could finish her sentence, the purple-haired Pixie suddenly reached over and swallowed the cluster of nectar with a contented expression. The yellow-haired Pixie stood with her hands on her hips, looking at her little companion with a mix of exasperation and annoyance.
"Now, you're hoarding our nectar and having these vicious insects attack us!" the red-haired Pixie's temper seemed to be a bit fiery as she clenched her fists in anger.
"They only attack when they sense a threat, and they've paid with their lives," Hua Mi pointed out, gesturing towards the ground.
"Why is it like this..." the blue-haired Pixie, who had been stung repeatedly, saw the lifeless bodies of the worker bees and went from teary-eyed to openly weeping.
The other six Pixies also displayed sorrowful expressions.
"They have a kind nature and can be cooperative," Hua Mi firmly decided. She cleared her throat and said, "This is all a misunderstanding. It was a tragedy caused by our lack of understanding of each other, not your fault."
Upon hearing her words, the Pixies' sadness seemed to ease slightly.
Hua Mi changed the subject, saying, "However, your act of collecting nectar is indeed a wasteful endeavor. Forgive me for being straightforward, but you don't truly understand the value of nectar."
What? The Pixies couldn't simply let that comment slide. It was like saying people from the Gourmet Empire didn't understand cuisine – it was unacceptable.
The purple-haired Pixie flew to the front and protested, "We're experts in nectar. We know everything about the best nectars for each season!"
"Yeah, you say we don't understand nectar, but do you?" another Pixie chimed in.
"Tell us!" they demanded.
Facing this group of spirited cuties, Hua Mi didn't directly refute their claims. Instead, she smiled and introduced, "These little guys are called bees. They can collect nectar and process it into honey, which is even sweeter, more delicious, and more nutritious than nectar. If you don't believe me, once this batch of honey is ready, I can invite you to taste it."
The red-haired Pixie retorted, "Don't make jokes! These vicious insects are clearly just feeding. You want to find an excuse to claim this flower field for yourself, cunning alchemist!"
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