(Why did this insufferable guy have to come along?)
Angry, the girl walked a few steps behind the two men accompanying her to fetch firewood. Meanwhile, Siegfried and Yalahar talked about what had happened.
According to the conversation between the two, Yalahar was in love, but didn't have the courage to declare himself. Now he is depressed because his childhood love got married.
Yalahar, like Siegfried, is one of the orphanage administrators. Although also an adventurer, he works actively in the local church, helping priests with healing magic.
"My singularity isn't for combat. So I had to become an expert in escape skills. I've already beaten many people stronger than me. Without your singularity, I could take you in melee, King."
"Oh, really? Not even in your dreams."
The two seemed relaxed and provoked each other.
After a few meters, they began to observe if there were damaged fences.
"These fences are good. I checked most of them earlier, so we can go straight to the cabin. Ah, yes, back to the subject, I told you before. She didn't like you and already had a boyfriend. Why didn't you get involved with one of those ladies from the temple?"
"You understand nothing about love, my King. When we love, we don't forget. But well, I enjoyed myself as much as I could, it's just that the temple ladies are very cold. And you? You must be popular with girls, no?"
"Ah, I wish. I don't leave here much, only for work. So I don't have much contact with women. Even so, I'm not necessarily the type of man who is successful with them."
"Oh, come on. Don't be modest, King. I bet there are a bunch of girls in love with you in secret."
After Yalahar said this, both laughed. Then, someone unexpectedly continued the subject.
"Well, I think you are... like, pretty cool... and handsome", affirmed Lucretia, looking away.
"See. Someone has a crush on you."
Said Yalahar, patting Siegfried on the shoulder.
"Stop it, Yalahar. She didn't mean it in that sense."
"That's right I meant that he is cool like a brother", followed up Lucretia, speaking without taking a breath.
Siegfried smiled, touching her shoulder and squeezing it a little.
"I also see you as a little sister. Actually, you are all like my family."
For some reason, the girl's heart beat more intensely with those words and her ears burned like never before. The blush on her cheeks was visible and the heat radiating gave her a good sensation.
She couldn't maintain eye contact.
Walking a little further, they arrived at the place where the firewood was stored. A small cabin, a few hundred meters into the forest.
Inside, there were several stocks of firewood that had been cut in summer and spring, stored and covered by a cloth to protect them from humidity. There was also a kind of colored stone inside, which glowed, emitting heat.
"What is that?", asked the girl, curious.
"Never seen a mana stone?"
Yalahar retorted with another question.
"I have, but never of this color. Usually, I see some white ones at the Academy. But a red one like this I've never seen."
"Elemental mana stones vary in color according to the element and are a little different from common mana stones. Common ones are single-use or need to be recharged by someone from time to time. They serve more for daily use, although this one is being used for that too", saying this, Siegfried removed a necklace he was wearing. "Look, this here is a common one I use for lighting."
Raising the stone, it began to emit a bright glow sufficient to illuminate the whole place. Then he continued to speak.
"The elemental ones generate their own aura cycle, feeding back the power contained in it, keeping its activation constant. In the case of this one, it is a fire elemental stone and we are using it to keep the ambient temperature always the same. Thus keeping the wood intact and ready for use even in winter."
"Wow, you really are full of knowledge that no one cares about."
"Ah Yalahar, go to hell, this is important to know. You never know when you'll need to tell the difference between artifacts or how to identify one."
(Knowing these things might actually be useless)
Lucretia thought. However, something came to her mind.
"But Sieg, if this stone emits heat and leaves this place toasty, why cut firewood instead of putting one of these inside the house?"
Siegfried thought for a few moments before answering.
"Well, this type of stone emits mana. Even if it's little, it's enough to attract some predators. That would put you all in danger, so it's better to leave it here. Aside from the chance of someone getting burned trying to pick it up with their hands."
"Hmmm. But if you can't pick it up with your hands, how did you bring it here?"
Siegfried approached the elemental mana stone and, contradicting what he said, picked it up with his hand. The moment he did that, it lost its glow and the place became freezing, like the outside.
"There are some ways to annul mana. One of them is using your own to protect your hand. If your aura, which is the layer of mana covering the body, is more powerful than the stone's mana, it will annul the effect and you can pick it up without fear."
After saying this, he put the stone back in place, emitting heat again.
Lucretia widened her eyes involuntarily.
"Wow, this should be taught at the Academy."
"Well, I'll tell you the story of a wolf I heard in my childhood. Once upon a time, there was a wolf named Heinz. Heinz was a member of a very important pack, The Black Wolves. Everyone was exactly the same. One day, Heinz learned to use his paws to dig holes and hunt rabbits that no other black wolf could. When one of his colleagues saw him hunting rabbits, he reported him to the wolf council. His father fought with him and said: 'You embarrass us. The Black Wolves have hunted the same way for generations. We bite and tear the prey, we don't dig holes. There is no room for stupid ideas. Look at your paws. Their nails are trimmed and full of dirt and blood. You will destroy our legacy, so stop it.' Heinz found himself alone and abandoned, even surrounded by family. He then decided to run away from home."
(What's the point of knowing that?), though Lucretia.
"As expected of the King of Useless Knowledge. What the hell does that have to do with what she asked?"
"Yeah, yeah. Like, I kind of didn't get it."
Siegfried looked thoughtful and apparently confused by their response. He then said:
"Ah, I didn't think it was that enigmatic. In short, don't expect them to teach anything beyond the basics. Well, let's get the firewood then."
The other two nodded and began to collect the firewood. They separated an amount they could carry.
During the removal, Lucretia saw a reflection of herself coming from a broken mirror. She involuntarily said:
"Wow, I hate mirrors."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know very well, but I don't like looking at them. At my reflection, you know? It feels like it is, like, looking back at me, watching me, whatever. That that isn't the real me."
Lucretia appeared to be quite bothered by the mirror. Siegfried then covered it with a cloth that was there. Yalahar commented:
"There is a legend about a magic artifact, a dimensional mirror. It looks like a common mirror, but it is like a portal, linking two worlds. It's just a legend and…"
"Could you stop talking about that?"
Siegfried interrupted Yalahar's speech when he saw Lucretia uncomfortable.