Venturing Into the Forest with Old Sven

Today is the day I've been waiting for. I woke up early and got ready for my first-ever hunting trip in the Forest with Old Sven. I was eager to learn how to properly lay traps and track animals in the Forest.

Back on Earth, I was never an adventurous type and spent most of my time behind a computer, so I never had the chance to do anything like go hunting or camping in the woods.

The morning was beautiful, the air was fresh, and the sun was just starting to rise. I made my way to the edge of the forest, where Old Sven was waiting for me. He looked grumpier than usual, which was saying something.

"Good morning, mister," I said, trying to be polite.

"Ey, lad, where were ya lazing about?" "We need to start early," he replied.

"Well, it is early, isn't it?"

"Early is when I say it's early. Now listen to me; ya will stick close to me and not leave ma sight in there, and ya won't go running alone. Is that clear?"

I nodded my head and followed after him.

As we entered the forest, I once again marveled at its natural beauty. The forests here are really something else. We moved slowly and carefully, and Old Sven showed me how to prepare and plant traps for rabbits.

Apparently, rabbits were abundant at the edge of the village and were easy to catch since they usually went to the fields for food.

I watched closely as Old Sven showed me how to set up the traps and committed everything to memory. Learning about traps would be very useful since the rabbits have been avoiding me lately for some reason.

We then moved deeper into the forest, and Old Sven showed me how to spot animal tracks and how to follow them. We found that a deer had passed through here recently and decided to go after it.

We moved for hours along the edges of the forest, completing a half circle around the village. It seemed that the animals were also scared to go deep into the forest where the monsters lived.

In the end, we lost the track and never found the deer. However, it was an amazing experience watching Old Sven move quickly and silently between the trees. His eyes were constantly scanning for any signs of tracks, and it was clear that he was an expert in his field.

We emerged from the forest shortly after midday, and I was exhausted but exhilarated by the experience.

"I'm quite surprised; ya weren't too shabby in there, lad," Old Sven said, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "It was like ya were going there for years."

I chuckled at his words: "Haha! You must be imagining things. This was definitely my first time."

"Ya must work on yer feet and learn how tae move silently; ya were stomping like a drunken soldier, but overall ya would make a great hunter!" Old Sven replied.

I nodded, acknowledging his advice. "Well, my parents would never allow me to work as a hunter since it is too dangerous of a job, but I'm grateful if I can support my family with some meat."

"Ye're a good lad for thinking about yer family like that," Old Sven said with a nod of approval.

But in truth, I had other motives too. Besides my master plan of getting to the city, I was doing this mostly for myself. Being forced to eat tasteless ertiber mush almost every day was a crime against humanity, but of course, I wasn't about to tell Old Sven that.

So, with a smile on my face, I nodded and bid him farewell before heading back home. I spent the rest of the spring going into the forest and honing my hunting skills.

My steps became more silent, and I learned how to lay traps. Though I still struggled with identifying animal tracks, I was determined to master the craft.

One day, I managed to hunt a rabbit. I laid the trap exactly as Old Sven had taught me, and when we returned the next day, there was a rabbit caught in it. Old Sven was kind enough to let me keep the rabbit, even though I had caught it with his trap.

"Prey always belongs tae the one who hunts it," he said, with a twinkle in his eye.

With a sense of accomplishment, I happily brought the rabbit back to my father, who was equally excited about the prospect of more meat on the table. I preserved the hide for sale when I went to the city, but for now, my family and I will enjoy a delicious meal together.

As I sat by the fire, watching the flames dance in the hearth, I felt a sense of contentment wash over me. It wasn't just about the meat, but also about the knowledge that I could take care of myself and my family. And with each day that passed, I felt myself getting closer to achieving my dream of leaving this village and exploring the world beyond.

While this was going on, I was also trying to figure out how to approach the Vogt and ask him if he would take me with him to the city.

But all my planning would be put on its head one day when Myra told me, "Darian, my father wants to meet you and has invited you for dinner tonight."

"Uhh, What? "Why does he want to meet me?"

"I don't know, but I was telling him that you help with my studies, and I guess he got interested in you."

"Alright, sure, tell him I will be there."

I then ran back home to quickly wash and put on my best clothes so that I would make a good first impression. My parents were equally surprised that he invited me. It is not often that someone from the village gets to dine with Vogt and his family.

Although we are all commoners from the perspective of the nobles, the Vogt, as an administrator of the village who collects taxes, holds the highest authority here and enjoys high respect from everyone. He also comes from a well-respected family of administrators and is quite rich, which puts him in a higher class than everyone else here.

As the time for dinner came closer, I made my way to the Vogts' house to find out why he had taken an interest in me.

I was escorted to the dining hall by one of the servants, and everyone was already seated around a big wooden table.

I walked into the hall with a mix of excitement and nervousness. As I approached the table, I could see the curious eyes of everyone focused on me.

The Vogt himself was sitting at the head of the table. He was a middle-aged man with long hair the color of straw and a well-trimmed beard. I had seen him around the village before, but never this close. He was studying me intently, his blue eyes piercing and cold.

Next to him sat a beautiful woman with the same fiery red hair and green eyes as Myra, his wife. She gave me a slight nod of acknowledgment before losing interest in me and looking away. Myra, on the other hand, greeted me cheerfully with a wave and a big smile.

"Ah, so you are the Gorn's youngest son!" The Vogt greeted me, his voice low and measured. "Good evening, sir," I replied. "Good evening, my lady. I'm Darian, and I'm honored by your invitation."

I gave a slight bow, as my father had taught me to do when meeting someone of higher status.

The Vogt seemed pleased with my manners. "Good, good. Now come sit with us."

I took a seat next to Myra, and dinner was served. I was curious about the type of food that would be served in a rich family like this one, but it wasn't any better than what we had at our uncle's house in the city.

Don't get me wrong; it was great, but not the opulent feast I had imagined. It made sense, though. There wasn't much choice when it came to food variety in the village, and I wasn't important enough to warrant a feast.

As we ate, the Vogt asked me about my studies with Myra. "So I heard you are helping Myra with studying, is it true?" he inquired.

"Yes, sir," I replied. "I help her sometimes when she is stuck at something."

"I was very surprised," the Vogt continued. "Myra is constantly talking about you, and recently her progress has been much better thanks to you."

I felt a sense of pride in my chest. "Thank you, sir."

The Vogt continued his questioning. "But tell me, why do you want to learn to read? It will be useless to you in any job around here."

I hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm not sure if I should tell you this since I haven't talked about it yet with my father, but I'd like to follow my brother Konrad and find an apprenticeship in the city. I figured that knowing how to read will give me an advantage over other apprentices there."

The Vogt chuckled. "Haha! You are an interesting kid. Everyone else is running around the village playing, but you are already making plans for the future. It seems that this village is too small for you, which kind of makes sense. Your father's family actually comes from the city, so it's not so surprising you find life here quite boring."

"Thank you, sir," I replied. "I actually quite like it here, but I feel like there is no future for me here. If you don't mind, I have a question of my own."

"Sure, ask me," the Vogt said.

"Old Sven is currently teaching me how to hunt, and I already managed to hunt a rabbit on my own."

"I wanted to ask you if I could accompany you on your trip to the city to sell my hide."

"But you are going to the city with your father to the autumn market, no?" the Vogt asked. "Why not wait till then?"

"Well," I replied, "I also miss my brother Konrad, and I'd like to spend more time with him."

"Hmm, family is important, fine. If your father agrees, I don't mind taking you with me since you already went there, know the road, and also have family there where you can spend the night."

"Thank you, sir."

"But you should know that the city is a dangerous and unforgiving place. If you're not careful, you could end up like so many others: lost, penniless, and alone. Are you willing to take that risk?"

I nodded, feeling a sense of determination coursing through me. "Yes, sir. I'm willing to take whatever risks are necessary to achieve my dreams."

The Vogt smiled then, a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Very well, Darian, it's settled then."

We finished the dinner, and I excused myself since it was already getting quite late and ran home, the conversation with the Vogt echoing in my mind.