Chapter 2

The First Journey to the Sea of Trees
The next morning, in front of the mansion, it was the three of us brothers, each with three attendants, and ten knight guards—a total of sixteen people moving together for today. A red-haired knight guard stepped forward in front of us.

"I am Kyle Haverlight, Captain of the Third Squadron, and I will be leading this team today. The person to my left is Vice Captain Frederic Hunt. We are ready to depart, so if it is agreeable, we would like to begin our journey."

"We are ready as well. Captain Haverlight, we’re counting on you today."

Brother Chris answered on behalf of us. We headed for the Sea of Trees on horseback.

Though I usually ride by myself during lessons, since this was my first long journey, I rode together with Knight Meyer. Rock Meyer, aside from being my riding instructor, was someone I felt at ease with.

Traveling on horseback, unlike in a carriage, was slightly chilly due to the season, but refreshing. I couldn’t suppress my excitement at seeing the Sea of Trees for the first time. After about two hours of riding, we arrived at the garrison at the edge of the forest.

The garrison, being the entrance to the Sea of Trees, had walls about three stories high. The walls were three meters thick, allowing knights to monitor and attack from above. The structure was double-walled, with the space between the walls utilized as vegetable and tuber fields.

Passing through the gate of the second wall, we entered what could be called a village. There were barracks, an Adventurers’ Guild, a dining hall, inns, a blacksmith shop, and other facilities. It was said to be equipped to sustain life even during a prolonged magic beast outbreak. Knight Meyer explained this to me while we were still on horseback. As I looked around curiously, we arrived at the barracks. The horses were left there, and after a short rest, we would enter the Sea of Trees.

"Hardt, are you okay from the journey?"

"Brother Chris, I’m fine. We weren’t riding all day, after all."

"You may want to look around the fortress, but remember, we’ll be walking the entire time in the forest, so rest properly now."

"Thank you, Brother Gerald. I’ll make sure to rest so I can keep up with everyone."

Captain Haverlight approached us.

"Young master Chrisford, Young Master Gerald, Young master Reinhardt, I plan to enter the Sea of Trees in an hour. Though we will have breaks, meals will consist only of rations or fruits, so please have a light meal in the barracks dining hall beforehand."

"Understood, Captain Haverlight. We’ll have a light meal now. Should we gather at this spot in an hour?"

"Yes, please return to this location. And feel free to call me Kyle; 'Haverlight' is rather formal."

"Understood, Captain Kyle. Gerald, Hardt, let’s head to the dining hall."

Brother Chris began walking toward the barracks, and the five of us, including Georges and the other attendants, followed him.

An hour later, Kyle called out to us, "Is everyone assembled?"

"Young master Reinhardt, this magic bag contains a small knife, potions, rations, fruits, and water. The water is mainly for emergencies in case you get separated from the group, as we will provide additional water during breaks. Knight Meyer and Knight Wilson will be accompanying you, so please stay close to them at all times."

"I understand, Captain Kyle. Meyer, Wilson, I’m counting on you today."

"”Certainly.”"

"Let’s proceed into the Sea of Trees."

Exiting through a different gate than before, the Sea of Trees spread out before us. After about ten minutes of walking, we reached the forest's entrance.

Sunlight filtered through the trees, and the path was wide and easy to walk on. It made sense that my participation was permitted. After walking for about thirty minutes, Captain Kyle suddenly stopped.

"There’s a presence ahead. Stay vigilant."

The knights and my brothers drew their swords. Georges and I retreated behind Meyer and Wilson. Before long, five Silver Wolves appeared.

"Why are Silver Wolves here? They’re not supposed to be in shallow areas. While they’re manageable for us, Young master Reinhardt, please don’t move.” Meyer advised.

The battle was over within five minutes. Both Brother Chris and Brother Gerald each took down one wolf.

"If it were just about killing them, we could do it instantly, but Silver Wolf pelts are highly valuable and sell for a good price. Damaging the pelts decreases their value, so it’s best to aim for the legs or head. Hardt, you should study which parts of magic beasts are valuable. However, it’s unusual for Silver Wolves to be in this shallow area. Typically, you’d encounter Horned Rabbits or Cocottes here.” Brother Gerald explained.

I see—our family profits from the materials of magic beasts. Hiring knights and purchasing weapons costs money, so maximizing the value of the materials we sell is important.

Silver Wolves have luxurious silver fur that is highly sought after, but their meat is tough and not tasty. Even so, the meat isn’t wasted—it’s processed into something like dog food and used as feed for livestock or pets. While a single Silver Wolf is ranked E, they usually move in packs of five to ten, making their group rank D.

Horned Rabbits are rabbit-like magic beasts about the size of medium dogs, with horns on their heads. They are ranked F. Though they resemble large rabbits, they are aggressive; their horns can cause painful wounds, and their body slams can break bones. However, their meat is delicious, and in winter, their white fur is highly prized for scarves, gloves, hair accessories, and small bags. From spring to autumn, their fur turns brown, reducing its value.

Cocottes are also magic beasts about the size of medium dogs, resembling chickens, and are also ranked F. They are fast and can inflict painful pecks and kicks. The name "Cocotte" comes from the sound they make, which resembles their name.

Cocottes provide meat and eggs. To obtain eggs, a hen must be domesticated, which can only be achieved by trapping them or capturing them alive during encounters. Roosters are killed immediately for their meat, while hens cease their attacks once they recognize someone as strong. Hence, they are subdued without injuring them. Specialized personnel for Cocotte domestication are stationed in various regions. Since eggs are always in demand, and hens stop laying eggs after five or six years, there is a constant need for live capture requests.

Although Horned Rabbits and Cocottes are weak by forest standards, their high reproductive rates ensure their numbers remain stable despite frequent hunts, making them beneficial to humans.

The slain Silver Wolves were placed in a time-stopping magic bag. A water magic-wielding knight quickly drained the blood, while a wind magic-wielding knight dispersed the scent to prevent other magic beasts from being drawn to it. Speed was crucial to avoid attracting more beasts.

After resuming our journey, we encountered another group of eight Silver Wolves fifteen minutes later.
"What on earth is happening?" I heard Brother Chris mutter. However, the immediate priority was to deal with the Silver Wolves before us.

"Young master Reinhardt, there is an advanced variant among this group of Silver Wolves. The battle will take longer, so please remain vigilant.” Meyer whispered to me.