Chapter 24 : Vonnear Forest : Outer

They walked out the guild and stepped aside as some adventurers that were still going in and out. They stretched as they felt relieved and extremely excited.

"Hey look at this." Raymond showed his hands.

Lilian and Roth took a look and his hands were shaking.

"I can't stop." He started to laugh.

"That's why I wanted to go gathering first. If you're like this, then I pity the F ranked monsters that we were going to be assigned to subjugate." Roth joked as he snickered a little.

"Well, I think it's a good thing right. Let me help you stop it." Lilian went over and clasped Raymond's hands.

'Nice!' Roth applauded the proactive action of Lilian in his mind.

Raymond though, jerked his hands out of Lilian's hands and started walking.

"I think it's good now. Let's go." He strode forward with his ears starting to red.

"Good, good. Just little shoves like that." Roth whispered in Lilian's ear like a devil tempting a lost sheep.

"Okay." She looked happy as things were progressing with Raymond since Roth offered his cooperation to help.

"Hey, let's go!" Raymond shouted as he was already a few paces forward when he realized that his friends were still in front of the guild.

The two jogged to catch up to him.

"What were you talking about?" Raymond curios to know why they were held up.

"Nothing much… but this." Roth took out a map from his storage ring diverting Raymond's attention.

"Got it in the manor library, never checked it properly though." Roth smiled.

"Well prepared as always!" Lilian slapped his back.

"Lemme see." Raymond wanted to reach the map, but Roth denied him.

"Later, when we get there." Roth smiled mischievously.

"Why show it now then?" Raymond started a banter.

They were exchanging verbal jabs at each other while Lilian was laughing, poking in from time to time.

They soon reached the gate of the town. The guards saw them and immediately saluted, as they were the proud sons and daughter of the people they respect. And sometime in the future, they will be the ones to lead the town.

"Where do you want to go?" One of the guards asked in accordance to his job.

"Outer forest." Raymond replied.

"So you're starting today…. Do you have the proper kit with you?" The guard checked for their safety.

Raymond was confused to what that means and looked at Roth.

"Yes, we have a distress signal, tents, emergency potions, and so on." He replied instead.

"Good! Then off you go. Be careful." He let them pass and waved as they walked through the gate.

"Oh and Roth, did you choose to be an archer?!" Another guard shouted as he forgot to ask.

"Nope, got Cleric." Roth responded as he waved.

The two guards that were manning the gate dropped their spears in shock.

"Pfftt. Haha! Did you see their reaction?!" Lilian started to laugh while prancing around her friends.

The two joined the laughter whe she started to laugh/

"What's wrong with Cleric?" Roth feigned ignorance.

"Nothing is wrong, but you." Raymond started again.

They walked until they reached the designated entrance of the Vonnear Forest.

Roth took out the map again and passed it on to Raymond.

"Here you go leader." Roth was proud that they were going for their start as an adventurer.

Raymond shook with excitement when he heard 'leader' and took the map.

He opened it and an overview of the outer Vonnear Forest was drawn.

"Detailed, it shows the landmarks, usual monster sightings and usual locations of herbs." Roth showed off.

"This will make things way easier." Raymond raised his thumb to him.

"So, what's the plan leader?" Lilian happily closed in to Raymond face.

Raymond, shy from Lilian's distance as he could smell her sweet scent, was stunned for a moment.

"Umm..We- we…" He stammered.

"Why don't we go in first and survey the area?" Seeing this, Roth decided to help his friend.

"Yes!" Raymond immediately agreed as he was too shy with the very close contact.

"Ok" Lilian agreed and looked at Roth.

He slightly put up his hand to gesture to wait a bit and Lilian gave a nod.

They walked inside and all they saw was the massive expanse of trees that encapsulated every corner of their eyes. The trees were lush and vibrant. The ambient noises were composed of different kinds of creatures from bugs to birds accompanied by the gentle whistles of the wind while it brushes the leaves and it creates a symphony, a symphony of nature.

They all felt like this was a new word, they were used to the rustle and bustle in the town that this experience marked their love for adventure.

"This… this feels really good!" Raymond hugged his friends in utter excitement.

Lilian was taken aback by this and was frozen still.

Roth saw this and slapped her elbow to move.

Lilian looked at Roth and nodded, and she slowly wrapped he arms around them with slight hesitation.

Roth extended his arms for the hug and pushed them both even closer.

"You're right, feels really good!" Roth exclaimed as he was looking at the two.

The two, just noticing what happened suddenly looked at the ground red faced.

Roth let go as the two might burst in overheat.

"Whooo. That was a nice hug, we should do that more." Roth said to Raymond as he was nudging him with his elbow.

"Yeah." Raymond was still dazed.

"So, where do we go and search first?" Roth continued.

"Umm you choose first, I'll check my storage ring for some items." Raymond gave the map as an excuse to calm his mind.

Roth shrugged and glanced at Lilian, she was the same.

'What I am going to do with you both?!' He thought as he tried to concentrate on the map.

The map showed the location of the landmarks on the outer forest and the route towards the inner forest.

Roth took a seat and analyzed the proper way to pursue their endeavor.

'The forest is huge, splitting up would be a fatal mistake. But if we tread to the closest lake, I could leave them there while I use 'that' excuse.' He closed the map and stood.

"Okay, I think it would be better if we head west from here, there is a lake nearby. We can search for the Pilaf Herbs on the way. Is that good?" He asked his party.

"Yeah. That's fine." Still muddled, Raymond just let out a quick affirmation.

Lilian nodded.

"Let's go then, Leader you lead the way." Roth urged Raymond to go first.

Raymond silently complied and started to walk.

'I think I forced them too much, now it's quite awkward.' Roth reflected on his actions.

He nudged Lilian who was walking beside him.

"Hey, start being attentive." He whispered.

"Yeah, but you helped too much at the time. I wasn't ready." She complained with her voice down.

"I just realized, sorry about that. Anyway, be ready." He said.

Lilian's eyes cleared as she nodded.

They walked towards the west and there were a bunch of Pilaf Herbs along the way. There were too much, they already finished their quota not even half way towards the lake.

The lake was clear, you could see fish swimming in the water. It was a refreshing view after all of just trees and plants.

"Well, that's an F rank quest for you." Lilian complained as they sat under a tree next to the lake.

"See, that's why I wanted a subjugation quest." Raymond argued back his proposition.

'They are back to normal, thankfully.' Roth was grateful that his plan could be hatched.

"Nope, this way we can actually see our surroundings first. For example, if we hunted a monster, we would be running around in circles in this dense forest. Now, at least we could prepare our mentality and physicality once we go and start the subjugations."

They both listened closely.

"Strategy, we don't have one. We are capable individually, but we always fought against each other, and never together." Roth was laying out their first detriment.

Roth looked at their reaction and it was bad, they just realized it now. He took a branch and crouched in front of them.

"Let us start the first, Dusk strategy meeting." Roth announced.

"Yes!" The two said at the same time happily with Roth calling it the first meeting.

"Then…Leader, you thoughts?" He passed the branch to Raymond.

Raymond quickly took the branch and grinned.

"I'll be at the front, and both of you will support from the back." He drew stick figures on the ground.

There was silence as Roth and Lilian was waiting for more follow up details.

'Agh! this simple fool!' Roth wanted to tear his hair out of the simple nature of Raymond.

"Yeah, that's the basic." He broke the silence.

"What about if we were tasked to eliminate small enemies?" Roth, trying his best to elicit ideas from Raymond.

"Ah, then we change!" Lilian suddenly took the branch and moved Roth towards the front.

"Since Roth can fight, despite being a cleric, he can be an additional frontline in order for the small enemies not get to me or escape." She said her idea.

"That's right!" Raymond agreed as he rubbed his chin.

"What about if they were wolves, decently sized but speedy?" Raymond asked to Lilian.

'Good, good.' Roth was elated at this progress, they were now talking seriously.

"Ok, guys continue this. Imma go take a leak real quick." Roth stood up and went away.

The two engrossed in their discussion just let out a nod of confirmation as they continued their strategy talks.