"Hrrrr"
It's cold.
Really cold.
My body shivered as it touched the cold water of the waterfall. Of course, I wasn't stupid enough to jump into it; I just poured water on myself with a makeshift bucket.
'That deal was really.'
I was really tempted to take the offer from the strange woman; I was desperate to cross this forest as quickly as possible, but it didn't mean my reasons were gone.
That's one of the reasons I sent her away when Julie shouted my name. Besides, even if I do take her as my guide, I can kill her anytime.
"I should think it takes."
Lifting my head to look at the setting sun, I decided to take up her offer. She can get her revenge, while I can get out of this forest with Julie.
*
After washing myself, we decided that we needed to make a fire to keep ourselves warm. Of course, we could use our mana to keep us away from the cold, but Julie said it would drain our reserve, making us not mobile enough in case of an emergency.
I mean, what does she even mean by emergency?
I was killing monsters left and right that came toward us without Julie's knowledge. But then again, it's not like I can show her I have some hidden superpower, so I just followed her lead and collected dry branches.
"I guess this should be enough."
I said, looking at the branches in my embrace. I strode back to the waterfall, finding Julie making a round foundation with rocks for the campfire.
Wait.
As I neared her, I sensed something strange.
Why is her cloth so clean? And where is the wood for the fire?
Looking at myself, then back to Julie to double-check, but nothing…
Her clothes were still clean, while there was no trace of wood. Then… I saw her inject mana into her ring, and the woods dropped to the ground near her.
'Son of a—'
"Oh, you are back, Liam."
"Yes, I am back."
I looked at her, feeling jealous while lamenting my luck. 'If I had taken that money from the auction house.'
Well, nothing could have been done, so I just walked toward her, putting the wood near the campfire.
"Oh, not like that; make it like a triangle."
"Like this?"
"Yes, now put the thin ones at the bottom."
"Okay."
She really was clueless as to how to make a campfire. 'I guess you wouldn't have this kind of knowledge when you live in luxury.'
"Now let's light it."
"Okay."
Snap!
Snapping my fingers, a spark was generated over the dry branches. It slowly spread until the wood was devoured by fire.
"Wow, you really are amazing, Liam."
"It is nothing." I shrugged my shoulder and gestured for her to come and sit.
Looking at the blazing fire before me, I felt a sense of nostalgia wash over me.
'I used to do this a lot at the orphanage.'
"But how did you know about it?"
"Oh, about making the campfire?"
"Yes, I just read about it in a book."
It was clearly a lie.
"Really?"
She looked at me with a spark in her eyes, seeing that I just couldn't…
Fuck stop.
Don't look at me like that.
It is making me feel bad for lying.
"…Yes."
Dammit!
I said it.
After that, the conversation shifted to my hobbies, what I do, where I found Alina, and blah blah. But then…
She looked at me with a wry smile.
"Do you think they will be able to find us?"
"…"
I didn't say anything because I didn't know. I didn't even know if we were even in the Gorgon Empire, so I stayed silent.
Seeing my silence, Julie lifted her, looking at the beautiful night sky, "Let's go and rest." Suggesting we should go to sleep.
"You go first while keeping watch."
"No, I will—
"I will do it. Just go to sleep." I looked at her with a solemn expression; she stared at me before sighing and relenting.
"Sigh… Fine, then I will go first."
I watched as she spread some clothes on the ground near the campfire; lying down, she used a log of wood as a pillow, and then finally she draped a large cloth over herself as a blanket.
She closed her eyes, and her breathing slowly softened. I looked at the fire, its soft radiance illuminating the surroundings, casting shadows.
A figure emerged from the shadows. Her skin was purple, with flowing red hair resembling hot lava, the voluptuous curves of her body so perfect as if they were sculpted, and the green dress over her gave a sight that not many men could resist.
She walked toward me with a playful smile, tugging on her glossy red lips.
"So, what do you think about my offer~"
I looked at her for a few seconds, then shifted my eyes to the raging fire before I parted my lips. "I will take it."
*
The next day
Yawn~
I let out a big yawn, rubbing my eyes.
"You should have awakened me."
"No, it is okay."
We started walking right after we ate our breakfast.
"By the way, when did you get that parrot?"
Julie asked me as I looked at the parrot over my shoulder. My mind reeled back to last night.
"I will take it."
"Oh my, I didn't expect you to be this quick~"
"Anyways, how will you guide me? I don't think you can just show up like that."
I say while nudging my chin over her.
"Oh, you don't have to worry~"
After saying that, gods know how, but she turned into a parrot. Now she was resting on my shoulder as we were walking, pecking at my neck whenever we took a wrong path.
"Oh, I got this last night when you were asleep."
Well, I couldn't tell her that the parrot was a woman who loved to suck your vitality and turned into this, showing us the way out of the forest.
I shook my head while looking at the parrot.
Just how the hell did she transform?
Fuck! It is giving me headaches just thinking about it.
A strange woman transformed into a parrot, a boy who has delusions of being a hero in the shadows, and a normal duke's daughter started their journey to get out of the forest. But will they get out of the forest?
***
Somewhere within the Continent of Pembrok.
A woman with white hair looked down on an opulent city below. It had big spires, the street was bustling, and people walked with a carefree attitude. The rising sun shines over it, making the city look like a painting.
She watched the scenery below with a wry smile on her lips. Her hands clenched the railing tightly as she parted her lips.
"How long until it all comes crashing down?"
Turning around, she strode to the lonely room where only a desk with a chair waited for her.
"Haa…"
"Would it have been different if they hadn't shown up?"
She paused, staring at her hands for a good minute, her expression melancholic. She opened her mouth but a lump formed at her throat making it difficult for her to form the sentence
"… Brother, where are you?"
"…"
She asked with much struggle, her voice reverberating in the lonely room for a second before vanishing forever, just like her sister.
"I… miss you."