前のエピソード――Chapter 7: The Ways of the Hunter

[Flip]

"Raksha"

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"Raksha, I'm talking to you." Pam's voice persisted slightly irritated. Raksha wanted to be left alone at the moment, but she couldn't ignore her mother just like that. It's annoying when you're called when you're trying to concentrate hard on something but it's not like her mother Pam knows that thought Raksha.

[Flip]

"Hold on Mom, I'm just about done." Raksha muttered.

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"Raksha, I'm talking to you now. Look at me if you can you hear me" Asked Raksha's mother Pam a bit more impatient at her daughter blatant lax attitude. Raksha had heard her just fine and so she gave her a vague response, but she was just very much engrossed in the reading material Richard had gone over that last three days with her. she had been trying to recall all that he had taught her to make sure she doesn't forget any of it. she couldn't wait for the day she could read and write human language and be able to obtain all that knowledge and culture just beyond her fingertips. Humans have made all of that knowledge for themselves and to acquire it. Raksha needed to get out of this village once and for all. just the thought of leaving the village filled her with vigor at the endless possibilities laid before her if she left.

That was Raksha's current and biggest wish as she grew up Raksha also outgrew the village at the same time. the monotonous way of life of the Village of Heim wasn't the life she wanted for herself, not anymore. Humans don't live as long as her race does, yet they build so complicated works of art in their kingdoms so much that they have so much culture and styles of writing that she couldn't but feel that they're all wasting away into nothingness by her kind not looking to obtain any of it. That never making it to her hands filled Raksha with more dread than to end up like her fellow villagers, reach the end of her life in a corner of the world not having really lived her life. the world is massive in comparison and had so much more to offer than some measly forest and a life of hunting small game and surviving winter year by year for the rest of her life.

Others could live oblivious to this fact but definitely not her, she couldn't allow it. this is why she would religiously commit to memory the visage of those books she treasured so much into her memory, so that she wouldn't just become numb to the meaningless way of living her village lived and that she remembered that she had the potential to be someone who fully lives out her life. because of this, as it was her ritual, Raksha kept flipping pages every day.

[Flip]

"I can hear you just fine mother. I'm just reviewing what I've learned with Richard for the past three days so far. I want to one day be able to read and write, I will be the next head of the village and I think it's necessary for both our people to be in the same state of mind so that this village can grow mom". I spoke. Honestly, I really didn't care for this village, all the stories that I had heard from Richard did nothing more than spur my sense of adventure for the world. I can't allow myself to waste away in a village where nothing ever happens. I want to see the world.

[Flip]

"You look a bit anxious there Raksha, are you okay?" asked Pam finally getting enough of her daughter's attention as she walked into Raksha's bedroom, one that Raksha shared with Richard these past couple of days. Pam was wearing white robes that only highlighted her already silver fur at the evening of the day. Pam had come to surveil her daughter in regard to Richard imminent departure from the village in the upcoming days. now that he was being run haggard by both her wife and eldest daughter. Now was the best time to prod about in her youngest child mind and judge her stability. the obsessive way Raksha had attached herself to Richard wasn't normal. Pam had previously concluded that Raksha was a bit worldly just like she was and wanted to know about the outside world which she didn't mind much given that she was the same on her younger days. normally Pam would use her connections with merchants to be well informed about the world, all while being the head of the village.

Raksha intensifying obsession was in a different league entirely though. Raksha was always into her books but when Richard came into the village, the gluttonous thirst for knowledge grew without stopping which Pam thought of it as benign at first. However, that assessment has changed now that Raksha did nothing more than review what Richard had both told them regarding his world and heard from his readings of the books she treasured. Raksha was now able to somewhat separate what the books were about and knew what they were now. she was giddy throughout the day knowing full well that she would know something new when he came back from his training.

This development stumped Pam and didn't know what to do. She had allowed a unknown factor into the village and her own home. This fact had changed her daughter in ways she didn't know, and it isn't as if Richard did something bad here. he merely awoke a trait that had been sleeping inside Raksha for a while now and now that she had a chance to pounce into what she desired it was unknown if she would let go. Pam knew she wouldn't let go though, Pam was just like her when she was younger and knew well that if the roles were reversed, she herself would have done the same.

Pam had seen the thirst for knowledge that Raksha displayed and seen it as a positive quality at first, taking everything into account now it seems that she had been wrong and wonder how about and fixing it. what she thought was a drive meant that the youngest was more fit to lead the village turned into questions now. Shima had been chosen because her older daughter took after Rhea a lot more and was a bit of a hot head who didn't listen to anything other than fighting. If Shima served under Raksha then they would both learn traits off each other and be better leaders in ways that Rhea and Pam herself had to learn on their own to maintain the survival of the village. That had been the plan when Raksha was born and had shown intellectual prowess, the thirst for knowledge she displayed only further cemented the idea.

But now, Things weren't looking so rosy and colorful anymore. She had sensed her attachment that was akin to the kind a toddler had for their parents when they went out of sight. Raksha thirst for knowledge had morphed into something else entirely and Pam wanted to end it as soon as possible before her daughter tried something funny and possibly put the village in danger. the last thing Pam wants is a mage attack by the humans. the males seemed to be quite valuable for the humans in ways Pam's species didn't know and although she felt things that she didn't understand for the being that is so different from what she knows, but her instincts that she had honed told her that any relationship with the boy wouldn't lead to any good. she hadn't forgotten how emotionally wrecked Rhea had ended up all those years ago in a conflict over a man, that was something Pam had no desire to experience or her daughters for that matter. this of course also applied to the entirety of the village as well.

As such Pam couldn't count the days enough for the day of the boy's departure however getting Raksha to accept it was the problem. Pam had decided to let his specie deal with him instead, as head of the village her task is to keep the villagers alive and well. her duty was to keep her daughters fit to be the next leaders of the village of Heim. Pam tightened her fist and prepared herself for what she was about to do.

[Flip]

"This is an interesting concept", Muttered Raksha pointing at a commodity like a wig on those books she was holding on to. this was going to be tough thought Pam.

[Flip]

Raksha enthusiastically kept flipping pages, but she was aware Pam had been talking to her, but even knowing that her mother had been calling her for a while; Raksha made very little attempt to look away from her books, but she finally feeling her mother change in mood slowly came to a halt.

Pam knew that Richard had been taken away by both Rhea and Shima on their continuous effort to educate Richard in matters of survival. Pam didn't much care at all, but she did wonder if Richard would be alright since she knew what her family was like in regard to training but ultimately wondered just how severe Raksha's attachment to the human was as she recalled his leaving in a couple of days, with that in mind, the way Raksha is currently behaving as she flips pages alone in her room makes her anxiety peak. both hers and Raksha's in his absence.

The way Raksha had kept flipping pages very much attached to the book Richard had read to her alarmed Pam further, this had been a thing for the past couple of days. Raksha would pick from different books in her collection and have Richard read to her information she didn't know before to which with sparkles on her eyes, Raksha would just nod her head along as if to absorb as much as she could.

Raksha had been flipping page after page of the books Richard had read for her already almost religiously and for her part, she was growing impatient at Richards absence since his initial visit to the village, Ever since his stay begun at their home, he has served the role of a audio book narrator to Raksha's benefit and delight as someone who hungered for the human culture and way of life as someone who genuinely wanted to leave the village of Heim. although Richard could understand the language in which books she treasures had been written in, he claimed he could not teach the language. Richard explained that words spoken, written in any form just sounded like his language and although he could read, could not write and was not capable of teaching the language most prevalent in the Nozfalt Kingdom by the humans.

"I'm just a little anxious Mom" Finally confessed Raksha pausing her selection of things. she had been going through the books that hadn't been read to her and wanted Richard to read to her today, taking off her eyes off one of the books she treasured so much Raksha looked up and glanced at her mother only to notice a pensive stare on her mother that gave Raksha a bad vibe that startled her a little. "I can't wait for Richard to read me the other books Mom. Human culture is so different, isn't it? It's filled with weird costumes and etiquette but perhaps learning these things can bridge our communities, right? " Asked Raksha as she marveled at the newfound knowledge she'd obtained but she seemed to be selling Richard's existence as beneficial to the village as well even if Raksha wasn't fully aware of what she was doing, Raksha forced Richard to teach her in hopes of making friends with other species like she has always wanted as she excitedly pointed at the large number of dresses in her book firmly gripped on her hands.

"I wonder if I would be good looking in one of these gaudy dresses here, but I do wonder why Richard looked so pale. He did say men wore them in Nozfalt Kingdom, but I don't see anything wrong in the illustrations. He said men didn't wear those where he came from though" said Raksha with a small chuckle recalling the way Richard squirm as he found out things were kind of outrageous in the human kingdom.

"Dresses huh?" Pam pondered but couldn't really thing about such trivialities when she saw how her daughter was acting, it was almost as if Raksha had gotten obsessed with Richard. Was her daughter in love? Pam had some information in regard to males due to her information network and from what Richard had told her. Still, It felt like something unknown to her as it's not the dynamic she knows, or her predecessors knew.

The sparkle of curiosity has never once left the eyes of Raksha ever since she was born thought Pam as she watched her daughter with a serious expression on her eyes. "Raksha, you realize that Richard...That boy is leaving us, right? You're the next head of this village and you'll probably not meet again". these cold words brought a stop to the delusions that were ongoing in Raksha's mind and caused her to grip her book even tighter causing her knuckles to turn white, her complexion a little pale at the blunt manner her mother had given her a reality check.

Raksha didn't realize she had gotten up and shouted at her mother. "I-I know t-that!" she said in a broken voice. "I don't have to take over immediately though mother. I want to travel with Richard when he leaves. If I am to become a leader, shouldn't I be worldly then? I should be able to go with him" Raksha declared having gotten off her bed and stared her mother down in defiance.

"No, you won't. that's not going to happen Raksha" Pam said unfazed at her daughter's agitation. "You're to remain in this village under my tutelage and then become head of the village and that's final." Pam looked her on the eyes, got up and left for the door before stopping one last time. "Rhea should have told you already what awaits us with the humans and what they did to us twenty years ago, what they did to young Cobalt. This boy is from elsewhere and he isn't what you should be expecting from the humans. Enjoy his stay while you can, learn from those books you like so much and ask your questions, but he won't be staying for long now. Richard will leave and be out of our village soon, looking at you and your behavior, the sooner the better. He's a danger that can't be afforded to be discovered by the humans" having left those words behind Pam left the room and went into hers.

Shellshocked, Raksha was left standing still, absentmindedly thinking of everything and nothing at the same time. Her dreams were to meet people and learn things that weren't available to the village. She's never truly wanted to be the head of the Heim Village, but she just played along when it came up from either of her mothers. however things had to change, the appearance of Richard in the forest had been a sign of the heavens for her.

That's right she thought. Maybe she should just up and leave, it wouldn't matter anyway since she may be the next head of the village, but it would be a long while until she took that position. from what she knew it seemed that her race lived much longer than the humans did, but they also aged slower than they did. It would be foolish to her to just allow Richard to up and leave her behind and forget about the village that had saved his life. Shouldn't Richard be thankful to them? to her? IF Raksha hadn't been there Richard would have either been killed by her family or ignored and left to die alone in that forest.

Raksha very presence is what saved Richard's life anyway, it only makes sense that she is allowed to travel around with him. If men are so rare as her mother Pam said, then it means that Raksha would be extra protected since being at Richards side surely would give her more privileges, as someone who has gotten so close to him that they actually share a room for the past couple of days it doesn't cross her mind that she wouldn't be treated better as a friend in human society if she had met a woman instead of Richard. with this much it was a clear sign that Richard's appearance was the will of the heavens towards the Village of Heim and by extension her, the future leader.

She knew that Cobalt had died by the onslaught of mages twenty years ago but thinking over the story it's very apparent thar getting a man naked somehow pissed off the humans like that man at that time was somehow mistreated or something. All she has to do is not get him naked in front of them and then surely, she would be welcomed in and learned more about the human's way of life. IF males are special existences in human society, then the existence of Richard was like the ultimate spell for winning at life, All he had to do was vouch for her and all the problems would be solved.

[Smack]

Raksha smacks her cheeks to hype herself up and proceeds to go outside and perhaps mount a escape together with Richard if she meets him on her way out. As she heads towards the doors Raksha can feel a bit of agitation spreading through her chest, but she decides to ignore it. having made up her mind Raksha sneaks out of her house through the door instead of the window, since doing the latter would be a confession of what she plans to do outright and would be utterly stopped.

"I can't fail here. I will not be stranded in this village for the rest of my life" Raksha told herself once last time before heading towards the door.

-Raksha's POV

(I've made my way outside. I think I should head towards the storage house where the rations are store and take some for the trip. If I wait until the seven days are over, I'll surely lose my shot.) I thought to myself trying to celebrate every small step I took towards freedom. Once outside the cabin being very careful not to alert my mother. The village isn't as lively as it is in the daytime. There are about four or five of them outside still coming back from doing laundry from our nearest river.

(I can't let them be suspicious.) I begin walking with my head down with my robes completely hiding my silver hair, as much as I love my hair it is a detriment for covert operations in this village. The nosy villagers will question me wherever I go even if it's for small talk. The villagers aren't bad people but they're very starved for any Entertaiment, as I am the next head of the village many want to introduce their daughters to me and perhaps take a wife and make a child in the future via the sacred tree, but I have other plans. ever since I met Richard in the depths of the forest, I can't forget his body or his chest. I don't fancy the women as much as I thought I would before I met him.

It's not something I think about, but I always wondered with the way Mother Rhea and Pam act with each other growing up, I wondered If I would meet someone, I wanted to have children with and I couldn't see it.

The village girls are good girls, I don't think there is nothing wrong with them, but they don't have my interest the way my mothers are interested in each other. I can tell that Shima feels the same way, the way she looks at Richard sometimes makes even my hairs stand on end. I don't know how Richard deals with her lustful gaze all the time whenever he is at our home. when I saw Shima get atop Richards torse and hold him down something inside me went blank. I started to see Shima differently and the inner me tells me that I must not let her get ahead of herself.

(I met Richard first. No one else is more deserving than me to be with him) thinking such things I can't help but feel a bit nostalgic as I go around the village. this might be my last time here and depending of circumstances, I will leave and never come back. However things can be looking up, the images of the castles and houses the humans live in look so fanciful and amazing. I wonder If I'll ever be able to live there one day. do the thing called shopping I saw in those books and those weirds costumes like festivals where there is so much food in the towns. It's so much livelier than here, I can't help but feel bad for my mother stuck in the same loop. they wake up, assess the village, hunt or make purchases from travelling merchants and sometimes hold training drills for the defense of the village. this life is some kind of punishment game and no one on the village realizes that they're wasting their lives aways in such repetitive trifling things.

Richard's reactions to those image books were entertaining though. (I think he called them Magazines) that's a name I've never in my life heard about but apparently, they were a thing on his world. I asked if they were identical, but he said the paper wasn't as good and that the art wasn't drawn like the ones in this world. That's an amazing world he must come from, apparently there are equals number of men and women back in his world. He didn't fully tell me how is it that they make babies back there but I'm sure he told Mother Pam and Rhea, it must have been quite the ritual. I've never seen Mother Rhea the toughest woman in the village go beet red like that and the aloof and cool beauty mother Pam lost her composure. She gains information from travelling merchants and what not, if the information that Richard gave them was that shocking then surely Mother Pam herself didn't know.

"Richard is amazing for knowing things that even my mother's don't know" I spoke out loud, As I kept walking, I finally made it to the storage house at the back side of the village. we can't just store our food where it could easily be stolen after all. I know I'm also stealing some, but I live here and we're only taking for two people, it's no outsiders leaving our village to starve on winter. having made it to the storehouse I look around and most of the villagers have gone inside their homes. I pump both my fist inside my black robes, just like Mother Rhea I also have some black robes and they're handy in order not to stand out. I never thought that my pretty silver hair would be this detrimental but it's better at sun set because my hair would reflect sunlight a little too much, so I have no choice but to flee into the night.

having made it to the storehouse fully immersed in my thoughts I took look around and made sure that most of the villagers have gone inside their homes to avoid being found before I made my getaway. the last thing I wanted was some nosy villager coming here and say their hello, being so friendly has its drawbacks I thought.

[Clack]

(Damn these noisy locks. That damn travelling merchant could have sold less noisy locks for crying out loud, what if people needed to hide in the storage house and they were found because of the racket these things make.) I was fuming inside the storehouse, Let's see, I got one sack that can carry up to fifty pounds per sack, that should be enough for us to carry both dried meats. I know where to find wild vegetables out in the forest, the same goes for mushrooms and fruit so I don't think we'll need them but taking some fruit might be necessary if we can't get energy in case we are chased or something.

I take a good look at my sack and check for holes once again. I don't want to be the idiots that littered all of her food across the forest so that some animal or worse a monster comes at us at night. I should also take the preservative herbs mother pam told me about, apparently, they hide the smell of food very well lessening the chances at being followed by other animals or monsters out in the open.

"What are you doing?" asked a cheery voice from behind me.

"!"

I hurriedly turned around and see Silvia, just leaning in the wall with a amused grin on her face. "What are you doing here Silvia? Where did you come from?" I asked hurriedly, I needed to turn this crime scene around and make it look like she was the one in the wrong. I can't let her tell on me to my mothers, both of them are clearly demons when it comes to punishments. I can't even fathom what will mother Rhea do to me if she finds out, Mother Pam is worse. She's into psychological mind games, I can already see her staring me down and perhaps taking all of my books.

(I can't lose here. I've come a long way, If I can knock her out before he leaves to tell on me then it won't matter if she says anything later.) I thought, the books don't mean anything if I make it to the human kingdom the source of all my curiosities. The books and Magazines as Richard call it are nothing more than a window to human society.

"Have you told anyone I'm here?" I asked warily as I looked around the storage for a makeshift weapon. I must get her to talk to me and let her guard down, then I strike her down I thought. "Why, so you could strike me down?" teased Silvia, like me she was also wearing a black robe, almost as if she had seen through me even though I only thought of my escape today. Has she also been eyeing Richard too? such thoughts only raised the alert in my mind.

"Don't be stupid. I won't strike you down, we are like family and as a village we lookout for each other." I said with the best smile I could muster but I could feel my temple twitch a little bit at the copper haired woman nonchalant attitude, as if to say that even if I planned such thing, she wasn't all that worried which honestly pissed me off. "Hoh! Sisters, aren't we? That's right! we are like sisters, we grew up together, right?" said Silvia as she came walking towards me with leisure to spare as if she knew that I couldn't do anything to her, which pissed me off a little once again. "So as sisters, how about we share this Richard fellow? you're planning to run away, aren't you? I can't see it written all over your face" she teased with an all-knowing smirk.

"We should take that man for ourselves, right? We are like sisters after all. Oh, the things you missed Raksha If only you knew what I've seen." said Silvia reminiscing of something she was thinking back to. She licked her lip and lightly bit into it in almost a trance. "I want that man and I know you want him too right Raksha".

Silvia said such statement with a voice full of joy and confidence, there was something she knew but why was she going about men if the only people that should know is our family. Demi humans don't have males so even if you say man or men, it's a empty word if there is nothing to compare it to, I thought. To those who haven't chatted with Richard and discussed his world, such a word should be nothing more than noise.

Silvia in the other hand brought herself closer to my ear from behind me after having made her way around and whispered "Have you ever seen that Richard fellow naked? He's a man, right? You should be interested too" smiled Silvia with some lust hidden in her pupils, there was desire written in them I have never seen. "A man? What are you talking about since a while ago?" I feigned innocence and got away from her. "You've been talking with a lot of assumptions from the start, haven't you?" I said trying to bluff Silvia.

"Don't play with me". rebuffed Silvia a little annoyed. "I know what he is, I am the eyes and ears of Lady Pam, your mother. Did you really think she would just up and leave you alone?" said Silvia with a meaningful glance at my robes and at the sack I had in my left hand. "I know all about these so-called men too you know. I hear stories all the time how human women throw themselves at them and eat them up." said Silvia licking her lips.

"Mother knows what I'm doing?!" I shouted slightly. (If she knows then all is lost), and I could feel the blood drain not only my face but from my limbs as well and I even thought I lost sensation on my hand that was gripping the sack i had been intending to fill with food. It's as if i had nothing there. Seeing me like this Silvia scoffed "What are you on about? I just told you I am her eyes and ears, If I'm with you then clearly, she doesn't know what you're doing right now until I go back".

"Sighs" I can feel my heart beating wildly. Silvia's statement almost gave me a heart attack. knowing that mother doesn't know yet gave me a little hope for my plan. hearing her say this calmed me down by a lot, not to say that it wasn't her which almost caused my death. " So, mother doesn't know yet then?" I asked to make sure of what Silvia had just said. "Of course not, if I intended to get you into trouble, I wouldn't have called to you" Silvia smirked and told me so as a matter of course, she took a good look at the sack and looked around the storage house of the village. deep in thought she stood there for a couple of seconds before looking back at me as if she had come to a realization about something.

Silvia having turned her sights back t0 me said, "If you're planning to go to the human kingdom with Richard, how do you intend to make a living?" she had a nasty personality, but she could be a little analytical sometimes. Silvia wiped the smirk off her face and continued "I've done my research you know, and men are very valuable to human society but what about you? why should they let you in?". Silvia's air about her had changed and I could tell. The nasty and intrusive personality was gone, the Silvia facing me now was one that genuinely wanted to know what I was thinking.

Silvia spotted and grabbed some nearby barrels and dragged them across the room then used them as seats for both of us. Having placed the barrels at an appropriate distance from me she once again looked me in the eyes and continued. "What was your plan really? Do you know anyone in the nearby kingdom that I don't know about?" Silvia asked in a tone devoid of any playfulness she had shown until now and she faced me in earnest, her eyes glowed sinisterly but faced me head on. "You're the next head of the village and naturally I am sure that Lady Pam and Lady Rhea have drilled into you what that entails right? regardless of what you think you're going to do; a plan must always be afoot to accomplish what you want otherwise you're just a fool chasing after empty dreams!" Silvia spat out in disgust.

"I am planning to leave with Richard. It's clear to me that he's my ticket to see the world outside this village". I made my case as I tried to carefully spin my words so that she wouldn't just rat me out as a fool. Silvia tilted her head and asked, "Your ticket out the village? why do you want to get out Raksha?". Silvia straightened out her back and continued "I mean it's obvious you're making out of this place but why now?" she asked.

"I want to get out because I don't want to rely on knowledge of hearsay. Even If I am the next head of the village, it won't be a thing till more than a few years from now. Mother Pam is cunning, healthy and full of spirit. In the time that it would take her to decline and pass the role onto me, I could very well be learning out there becoming a better leader don't you think so Silvia?" I said looking at her straight in the eyes.

I of course had no intention of looking back or coming back at this graveyard where dreams come to die. However, Silvia didn't know that, and I needed to get out of here. I wanted to see the world and perhaps join a adventuring party somewhere and perhaps Richard and I could become a couple. Richard is obviously strong since he can put up and decent fight with both Shima and Mother Rhea. If you really work for mother pam then you must be aware of the fight that took place". I said in a confident tone. (I'm going to manage if that's the last thing I do. I won't back down in front of this woman. What's her deal, she was all in the action and now she's acting like my mother).

"Hoh! That's sound nice. Certainly, it is as you say, and you could be learning out in world. It's not as if I don't know what you are feeling after all. As the eyes and ears of Lady Pam I know a lot of things that most villagers don't know. I too want to spread my wings somewhere out in the world and make a fortune myself. " Said Silvia with a sparkle in her eye.

"Then-" Silvia shut me down immediately "However I don't think now is the time for that. You don't know at what time Richard is coming back. even if you have a point there, there is no way you could know what Richard wants. He'll come back very tired after being used and abused by Lady Rhea and Shima. there is no way in hell he'll just take your word for it and leave, especially if he doesn't know who to rely on once he gets into the Nozfalt Kingdom." finished Silvia.

"I thought that men were special in human society" I countered. "You fool, you think just because men are special there then all women are going to approach him with great intentions. He could be sold somewhere like a prized product to some other kingdom." Silvia was red with anger but was managing and kept her voice down. "I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted him but there is something called time, place and occasion and now isn't the time for us to leave Raksha."

She got up and proceeded to the doorway before stopping. "You're better off leaving him leave. Once he settles down in the human kingdom we make contact. I got a few connections with some travelling merchants that can deliver messages for us".

"So, what do I do?" I asked frustrated. "You wait till he comes back, then when it's time to leave you tell him about your intentions with him. He looks fond of you so he would probably contact us anyway. He doesn't look like the ungrateful kind that would forget those who save his life Raksha. Now leave that sack alone and let's go back. Got it?". Saying her piece Silvia put her hood back on and left the storehouse yelling "I won't tell Lady Pam a thing but get out already otherwise we'll both lose".

I stood there motionless alone in the warehouse where the sunset was almost set. It's pitch black in here; I got no choice but to listen to Silvia since she's right. I can't mindlessly force someone to leave at a time they'd be tired and even more leave without a plan, that said I do want to do some adventuring to make money and travel the world. I just know there is a whole lot that I don't know about in other countries and city states.

"I won't let her get ahead of me though." saying so I made my way out and close the warehouse after hiding the empty sack that would surely come in handy once we really left. I put on my hood once again making sure I covered my silver hair completely in order to slip through the very few villagers left under the setting sun and made sure no one saw me come out of the storage house. under the cover of the night, shrugging I made my way home back to my dear mother.

---Paula POV

[Slash]

[Stomp]

[Slash]

Shit, Shit, Shit, Shit. I can't believe we are in this situation now of all times. I should have ignored the guild's request for this forest recognizance quest. It's above our capabilities as D Rank adventurers and I knew the money was too good to be true. there isn't a person in the Nosfalt Kingdom that would so much as spend a whole of twelve gold coins per person to investigate disturbances in the forest. I should have known something was fishy since thinking about critically it's pure nonsense. a normal person can live an entire three months with just one gold coin if they spend it right.

No matter how many of these things I slash up there is no end in sight. We're in serious deep shit now. Laura it's doing her best but it's hard even when we are a party of four. Monica and Olga are doing their best to hold back the horde of these monsters, but the former was too small to keep up! the number of rabbits coming our way is just too many, things weren't looking up for Olga either as her magic wasn't limitless.

[Suffos]

Chanted Olga calmly. The way she just handles this rampage of monsters with a calm and collected face it's hardcore. we're seriously lucky we have an Elf in our party. Her spell it's seriously horrible though. no matter how many times I see it, it never stops horrifying me. To forcefully ripped the air out of living things lungs is the things of nightmares. You go Olga even if you are sixty years old but look like me in age. Darn elves don't play fair, if only we also lived long then perhaps, we could have more time to find a partner and settle down and not just the damn nobility. I thought of such things clenching my jaw in frustration at our current state of affairs, we were an ordinary sight in society, a bunch of single ladies that would probably die alone.

Ah but that money would have come in handy at the brothel in the Kingdom's city of Pastoris. I heard they got the most beautiful men and this time they got boys my age there I've heard. maybe I could have just purchased one of them cuties and married off instead of ending up an old spinster like Laura there. Goddam giant fortress of a woman, she's on her early thirties and never tried spending money o a brothel. doesn't she realize how good this kingdom has it that they have a brothel of men. It's outstanding that her defense is that she doesn't want to pay for sex and companionship.

Wake up and smell the old age, Laura. I keep fighting and slashing these darn hell spawns with my twin blades and for once I'm grateful of being the one who uses small weapons since i would be struggling far more if I had a bigger weapon. That said looking at the brutish way Laura fought just inwardly made me scream at her in my mind the shortcomings of her way of thinking. You're not getting younger Laura and you're definitely not an Elf like Olga here, and you will probably die a darn virgin girl. Boys are rare and you're never going to get laid with the way they're hogged by the dam nobility. she can't seriously think that some guy will just drop from the heaven's and marry her now, can she? If we survive here, I'm most definitely taking her to the brothels.

If only Laura was more honest with herself and wasn't a total gullible idiot in the sense of chivalry. That's hard to do if there aren't many men around to be chivalrous to you damn idiot! wake up and live a little.

[Crush]

[Sqeeeeeek]

Laura just crushed that rabbit with her broadsword, damn that ogre of a woman! Wait where is Monica? I take a lot around as I slash my way into looking for her, where is she damn it. I can feel the blood drain from my body, and I can't find our resident mascot. She may be the same age as me but she's so small that if it wasn't for her surprising brute strength, I wouldn't have added her to the party. She's a mere 153cm in height after all and her twin tail hairdo doesn't give her any favors. I honestly don't know why a thief needs that kind of brute strengths she has, She's as strong as Laura.

I keep slashing my way around trying to do my part for our survival and notice Olga has crouched down and is trying to heal Monica. Oh no! She's paralyzed.

"Ugh" I noticed Olga holding her heel with a pale expression on her face. It can't be could it, I could feel my pulse quicken and my heartbeat was almost beating out of my chest. I was scared but regardless I had to ask so that I could give out the order of retreat, I can see Laura is looking back constantly as she smushes the rabbits to paste with her massive strength. At the height of 195cm she was faring far better than our smaller party member were who were much faster than Laura was.

Having made up my mind I went ahead and asked why! I dreaded asking her as we fought for our lives in this god forsaken forest but maybe Olga was now Paralyzed.

"What's wrong Olga?" I asked her while fending these creatures off of her. then I noticed there was indeed a dead rabbit nearby Olga's leg, her heel to exact which now made more sense. As an Elf Olga refused to use normal footwear used by us humans that covered our entire foot, Elven footwear looked more like sandals to me which were a hazard in my view. Now that fear has come to pass, damn it! things are going south way too quick. I keep trying to hold them off but although the quantity of Lightning Rabbits is going down, We're not fast enough. I almost want to give a big kiss to Laura for holding on as long as she did give her size of 195cm in height.

"Laura they're not moving. Both Monica and Olga have been paralyzed by these infernal creatures". I shouted with all of my strength. This was bad. If we don't leave now, we're all going to die for sure in this forest, the sun is setting, and I can't let that happen.

"Paula we must go now!" Replied Laura. She was pale and was now sweating cold with slight tremors in her hands. she too knew that if we moved now was the time to do it if we didn't want to die. Laura kept soldiering through even if she was dead tired and I was too but damn I'm going to take her to a brothel for sure once we make it out of here. Wiping tears off the corners of my eyes I too went to annihilate as many of these damn rabbits as we could so we could flee into town. If only I could take the "Transport Crystal" Olga was hiding on her elven bag, all throughout this fight she wouldn't let us use it. I get it! it's worth about forty gold coins and it can't be found anywhere but in ruins but being stingy with that item is going to get us killed.

"Olga let me use that Crystal now! You and Monica are paralyzed and can't move. Let us use it, an expensive item is worthless if we don't have our lives damn it". I tried my best. why is she making that hard expression! hurry up you dumb elf! I can't help but clench my jaws tight as I fight the countless rabbits that only now starting to go down. There must be about maybe twenty left.

We can do this! We can fight these things off. We should have a bit of antidote somewhere in her bag, right? Monica is a worry wart and wouldn't go anywhere unprepared but why didn't she use her antidote sooner. She herself didn't use it on Monica, just what is she thinking playing with our lives like this. I was furious but I could somewhat understand her since Olga had her magic and normally using the potions were more of a last-last ditch effort in the case of emergency which clearly meant now.

"I'm going to take them. You can't get mad at me later Olga!" I shouted at her fighting the few rabbits that survived around us. This is bad, Laura is on one knee exhaling. I guess swinging that giant broadsword like some giant club eats your stamina like there is no tomorrow. Come on! where is it. I take the bag from the paralyzed Olga, but she doesn't make any hostile gestures. she's surrendered to the fact that the crystal and potions will be used. "It shouldn't have taken us this long to use these things Olga and you know that right?" I said looking at her in the eyes. Let's see, dried fruit, some dried meat.

Oh, here it is! Finally, I struck gold. I find a gem the size of a strawberry which gives a pale green hue of light. I'm so happy, we're getting out of here now how I activate this thing.

"Hey Olga, how do you use this thing" I ask with slight tremors in my hands, but she just slightly shook and closed her eyes. Damn Elf! You think everyone is used to this kind of relics in the world. naturally I don't know how to use them.

"Hah, Hah, Hah, hurry up and use it already Paula. I'm not sure we've seen the last of them. It's nighttime already and the sun it's all but gone now look around you. I can't barely see your face now." spoke Laura a bit gruff but she had a point. "Look Laura I don't know how to use the damn thing so If you have any idea onto what to do I'm all ears! No offense Olga" I had to tell her off, but I wasn't making fun of Olga and her ears, I wanted to make sure she understood. Olga could be quite particular about any words or euphemism that highlighted her elven features for some reason.

Olga just shook a bit and didn't do much. "Paula maybe you should give the antidote to both of them instead of wasting time. She knows what to do with the gem after all." Did Laura just make sense? Wait did she just facepalmed me? that's my role damn it.

[Thud]

Laura and I quickly turn around and we see two sets of glowing yellow tusks. I felt the blood drain from my face once again and Laura was lethargic since a while ago. She had no energy left to fight, Monica and Olga are paralyzed. Damn it! is this our end. I slowly closed my eyes in resignation at our trample! Please God! Let it end quickly, I wasn't able to hold those beautiful boys even in death.

In my next life I can only hope I can live peacefully with a beautiful man who pampers me with his delicate hands. thinking so Idropped to my knees giving up.

[Snooort]

The Boars are now preparing to kill us. I can't look. "Wait! Paula! We can't die this way! We fought way too hard for this to be our end". Laura attempts to get up but one of the boars take that as a challenge and begins charging at her.

[Rumble]

No, I will not let it end! Thinking so I got up and decide to help out my ogre of a friend that's built like a mountain. "Here it comes! Laura try crushing that one's skull and I will go for the eyes of the other one!" I yelled rising my fighting spirit. the boars are coming to us with terrifying force. "We will not die here!" Laura and I shouted with all I we had.

"Oh no you won't!"???

What that as man's voice? Laura and I were shocked by what we saw next. Monica and Olga were both trembling and wanting to raise their sights to see it but since they were paralyzed, they couldn't see anything but the ground.

[Crash]

[Squeeeall

A black shadow came flying from the trees and delivered a powerful drop kick into the head of one boar that was coming towards me. The boars neck made and noise it shouldn't normally do by itself and now was crashed into the ground. Blood! there is blood coming out of the eyes and ears of the boar! Just how strong is this man. that's not the image of a man I romance every night to sleep!

No calm down. even if this shadow is a man, it doesn't take away from the beautiful boys I know and love. that pale skin and frail body will not stop existing, I bet you my entire fortune that such a man before us is probably an ugly specimen abandoned for being too ugly. not to mention his height is too tall for a man, he looks to be at least 180cm, but men are usually about 160cm at the tallest. In other words, this potential man is a exception by various metrics, I know I said he could be ugly but.

"I wonder if he's hot and has lovers?" I blurted out loud to which I could feel hostility from both Monica and Olga. "C-calm down guys I'm not trying to steal ahead okay!" I said flustered but only Laura was transfixed on the image of that fighting shadow. Laura didn't even react to what I said regarding that same man she is watching so religiously.

No, no I shake my head at the idea. there is no way this can be a man. Laura has her mouth agape stunned by what she saw as even her would need more than a couple of dozens of coincidences to pull something merely similar to what that shadow did. "You alright girl!" He shouted in our direction as he faced and didn't break eye contact with the boar that was charging towards Laura. there is no way a frail man can deliver such a kick! there is no way. just look at the way (he) is facing that other boar so fearlessly.

Laura is stupefied. I guess she would be since she is a Chivalrous woman. such a thing would turn her whole ideology on its head. even I cannot pick up my jaw off the floor as the shadow is almost dancing as he avoids the thrusts of the tusks and tackles by the boar. He's looking for something, but I can't tell what it is. Laura and basically all of us are spellbound to his image fighting like a war god with these C rank creatures. Just taking one of these down it's thirty silver coins, that's without adding what the meat is worth and the material you can harvest of the corpse of a Monster Boar.

"Now you're mine!" screamed the Shadow atop the remaining boar who had been tired out. the shadow was unyielding to the boar as it tried over and over again to shake him off and to crush him under its weight but to no avail. The shadow then holding steady above the spine of the gigantic boar drove a longsword into the spine of the boar where the neck and skull connect. the effect was immediate as leg per leg collapsed under its own weight till all four of his legs had collapsed and forced the boar's stomach to touch the dirt of the forest.

[Squeeeeal]

The monster boar roared one last time weakly yet a bit defiantly before breathing its last in the forest ground with a last resonating rumble that shook us even from a distance. that boar was gigantic, maybe 200cm tall in four legs alone. At last, the monsters were no more, Laura and I traded looks with one another wondering what to do if he attacked us but if he wanted us dead, he wouldn't have interfered in the first place.

The shadow dismounted and pulled down his hood which didn't help much since his hair was jet black. I couldn't see his eyes, but he was certainly a man.

"You girls, okay? Anyone injured? asked the boy, he was a boy since he was to be around my age. "Y-Yeah, W-we're fine, we just have to give the a-antidote to my party member!" I said my voice cracking since this guy was quite the looker, I could see that Laura had ceased operating with a glance and for some reason was staring at him while kneeling down.

"Is your friend, okay?" The shadow gestured towards Laura with his chin as he was a little freaked out. "Y-yeah S-she's fine! W-we are good! just my friend here is a little tired you see. I came behind Luara and gave her a smack to get her to come to her senses. Laura just upped and rapidly stood up in a panic and kneeled once again on one leg and asked. "Boy! Are you God?" so came the stupidest sentence I've ever heard from the time I've known Laura. She was always gruff and collected and now she's looking at the boy with the eyes of a zealot.

"Ngn"

both Monica and Olga protested trying to introduce themselves but couldn't since they were stuck looking down towards the ground. they hadn't even been able to lay eyes on the boy and given the response of Laura the most chivalrous and serious one of us in the group it seems that they had collectively decided that this boy was worth his weight in gold.

The boy was taken aback by the shaking and twitching girls laid at our feet and Olga was still kneeling as in a prayer. The boy looked freaked out and answered "No I'm not God but I'm called Richard, Richard Monroe! he said, and he gave a funny bow with one hand in his chest but then I noticed. Richard had violet eyes, purple eyes and it fitted the description of the missing child of the Kingdom of Nosfalt, Long ago the Queen of Nosfalt had her only son taken from her when she had given birth. She had looked around turning villages into scraps and turning entire cities upside down in an attempt to find him.

That's when I blurted out "Your highness?". Then it was as if everything froze and even the twitching Olga and Monica stopped at once and Laura seemed to have stopped breathing entirely.

"Huuuuh?" came the funny noise from Richard's mouth as he looked at me with a stupefied face. Needless to say, that I probably fucked up.