The Disturbance in the Sea of Trees
Brother Chris’s school friends arrived in the territorial capital at noon today. However, since they had lunch at a restaurant in the city before coming to the mansion, we only met them during the afternoon tea time. Aside from introducing myself, I mostly listened to Brother Chris and his friends talk.
As Brother Chris mentioned, they knew about Atre and had brought permission letters from their families to enter the Sea of Trees. However, they were unaware of Ripka and Bianca, so they were quite surprised when I introduced them. This only made them even more eager to visit the Sea of Trees, and after appealing to Father, it was decided that we would go the day after tomorrow. Brother Gerald and I would also be accompanying them.
We reached the usual clearing in the Sea of Trees without any trouble and took a break.
"As I said before, those three contract beasts are so well-behaved and adorable." One of the friends remarked.
"Jarette, I think they understand that everyone here is friendly and has good intentions." Brother Chris responded.
"I’ve seen them hunt magic beasts and capture Cocotte alive. The precision with which they target vital spots for maximum efficiency is incredible. It’s been really educational."
"Even though we know about the different characteristics of each territory, experiencing them firsthand is a whole different level. I’m really glad we insisted on coming." Said Young master Maxwell and Young master Rainhall.
Chi-wee, Chi-wee, Chi-wee. Two large birds, bigger than hawks, were circling high in the sky.
Ripka reacted to their calls.
"Chirp-chirp!"
"Ripka, are those your parents?" Brother Gerald asked.
I turned to Atre, who was lying beside me, and asked him to translate. With a reluctant sigh, Atre got up lazily and began conversing with the two birds, presumed to be Ripka’s parents, Fiamma.
Atre relayed that they were asking for help to rescue someone. The location was deep inside the forest, making a day trip difficult. However, they promised to provide strong escorts, so the chances of being attacked by magic beasts were low. I conveyed this to everyone.
"They’re Ripka’s parents, so I think we can trust them. I suggest we split into two groups—one returning to inform Father and the other heading deeper into the forest." I proposed.
"Let Rainhall and the others return. I’ll go with you. I have a feeling this is something important concerning the Sea of Trees." Brother Chris decided.
"No, let us come along as well. It’s rare to have such a strong escort and the opportunity to explore deep into the Sea of Trees without much danger. We can’t afford to pass this up." Young master Rainhall insisted passionately. I hadn’t expected him to be so intense—he even confidently claimed the escorts were strong.
In the end, five people took the captured Cocotte and returned to report to Father, while Brother Chris and all of his school friends decided to accompany us.
When I asked about food, I was told that there was a small fortress midway where seasonings were stored.
So, we’ll be hunting magic beasts along the way for food.
"From here on, we’ll be leaving the shallows, so we’re more likely to encounter C and D-rank magic beasts. Stay alert.” Warned Captain Kyle.
Something swiftly crossed in front of us, and tension instantly filled the air.
Three Vendavals were sitting ahead of us.
"Meow," Bianca meowed at them.
Could it be that our escorts are Bianca’s family?
The others seemed to think the same and asked Atre to translate. Brother Chris and Bianca couldn’t communicate directly yet, but they had a vague understanding of each other.
Since we were moving as a group, they wanted confirmation.
As expected, Bianca’s family would be guiding us as our escorts. Her parents and three siblings—though one was missing, having gone ahead to clear out any threats.
When we mentioned wanting to hunt for food, they responded that they would take care of it, so we should hurry.
With both Fiamma and the Vedavals showing urgency, it was clear that something serious was happening.
We followed the path they led us on at a fast pace.
At the small fortress in the middle of the journey, we gathered some seasonings and left a message for another unit stationed there before continuing.
"Young master Reinhardt, the terrain is getting rough. It’s still manageable, but if it gets too difficult, please speak up sooner rather than later. Also, the Vedavals are truly impressive. We’ve made it this far without being attacked, even though we’re already in the mid-level area of the forest.” Commented Knight Meyer, who had somehow become my personal escort.
Perhaps overhearing him, Captain Kyle responded immediately,
"That may be true, but things won’t be so easy beyond this point. Stay on guard."
Not long after, the sounds of battle reached our ears, and everyone drew their swords. However, no magic beasts approached.
Three scouts went ahead to investigate while the rest of us took a break, remaining vigilant of our surroundings.
We had been walking continuously through rough terrain for two hours since leaving the mid-level fortress, so the rest was a relief—likely a considerate gesture towards Brother Chris’s friends and me.
After a while, the scouts returned with wry smiles.
By the time they arrived, Bianca’s family and Ripka’s family had already defeated five Minotaurs.
A single Minotaur was a C-rank threat. In a pack, they were considered B-rank. Their meat, similar to high-quality beef, was a prized delicacy.
Apparently, the families had urged them to quickly store the meat, so they had put it away in a magic bag before returning.
Ah, so that’s our dinner tonight.
When I asked Atre to confirm, he said we were only about an hour away from our destination.
Wanting to reach it before nightfall, we hurried onward.
What do you think about this chapter?
