Starting Point

Through the forest gap, the watchtower of Windrose City is already faintly visible.

The mammoth group stopped at the edge of the forest.

After unloading his burden, the lead male mammoth alerted the family members to follow the group with a long roar.

Soon, the mammoth family disappeared into the forest.

"Wife, brother, sister, son, and daughter...

make up a truly thriving family."Stellaris lamented, sidling up to the forest.

"Apparently, he forgot to say goodbye." Winnie quickened her pace to catch up with the old druid.

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed that wild mammoths would be at the beck and call of anyone, let alone that Stellaris had summoned them to his side for everyone to ride by simply blowing away a handful of soil.

As things stood, she was even more curious about the man who had blazed the trail through the rocky hulk of Sharon Peak.

So it's the animals that are leading the way for you? I've bred mammoths, and shouldn't the leader of a mammoth group be a female? "

"That day, you were writing letters from the soil and had the wind sprite as a messenger again.

Am I right?"

Who the hell opened up that path? That doesn't look like magic."

The barrage of questions overwhelmed Stellaris.

He stopped to focus on the visitor, but didn't know where to begin.

Winnie hesitated for a moment, then said, "Can I follow you to learn magic?" I know the basics of magic.

I would make a good apprentice."

Stellaris did not answer, but walked toward an aged ridge cedar.

The flotsam dangling from the branches of this ancient tree resembled a curtain.

Several large tubercles were piled up at the roots, as if each one was pregnant with life.

She is not bad, she can be called smart.

Just a bit grumpy and lacking in patience..."hei murmured as he stroked the tree trunk."What did you say?" He pressed his side ear to a hole in the tree, as if someone inside responded to his earlier complaint.

After some more muttering that no one could hear, Stellaris finally turned back around and nodded to Winnie, "You can be my apprentice, but you'll have to come to me in Misty Forest." Old Drew lifted the curtain, "Remember what I said? Let all things natural lead the way for you."

As the curtain fell, the old druid disappeared into the forest, leaving Winnie frozen in place.

Suddenly, there was a rustle between the curtains: "Look at my memory." I should have answered your previous question.

We are not casting spells, but are using magic as a language to communicate with nature.

Druids are nature's messengers and servants, interdependent with nature.

This is our first lesson.

----------

Hidden spikes in the bushes, moss-covered shack roofs, fires burning in the ground pits.

The outline of this camp in a low valley is so vague that passersby can easily overlook its existence.

"Even if Leddy wakes up, we can't take her back to town." Her face is ashen, and even if she falls asleep, she will scare people.

If word of this gets out, people will think all of us turned into monsters on our way to explore Sharon's Peak.

It would put us at risk.

Keane sat aside, preparing the noose.

"I totally agree." After checking Leddy's pulse and breathing, Sela ruffled her companion's eyelids.

The pair of pupils had dilated in order to adjust to the darkness.

She then flipped her companion's upper lip.

The canine teeth located in the upper jaw were growing.

"Everything is as I had hoped." Sela was relieved."I think Leddy's body has adapted to my blood." I think she'll wake up some night."

Keane nodded and picked up the rope."Winnie's close to her feet." I'll go pick her up and set the tripwire nearby."

----------

The moon was already sinking towards the ridge.

A wolf's howl woke Winnie from her sleep, and she grabbed her spear and rushed out of the shack before she could shiver.

Keane remained lying there with his shield on his pillow."There's no need to panic.

They don't mean to come any closer."

Winnie couldn't get back to sleep.

She looked worriedly at the fire pit and said, "Exploring Sharon Peak, we lost a dozen good men." Exploring Talia Summit is even tougher.

With just the four of us, there's a good chance we won't make it back."

In a puff of smoke, the bat hanging from the treetops took on human form.

I've thought about it.

You should go back to town."We'll take care of Leddy," Sela suggested.

The misunderstood Winnie was very angry."I was just worried about the danger of the journey, but never thought of running away from the battle, let alone dragging anyone's feet!"

Don't take my good intentions for granted.

This journey may not be fruitful.

Even if we find the dragon, who's to say it won't roast us for a snack? If that's the case, you'll only enrich its table." Sela was reprimanded without mercy.

"For us, dragons are so powerful that the archmages cannot create visions to describe such creatures." The mere words in those records are not necessarily true." Keane touched the list that was hidden in his clothes and silently repeated the warning he had heard, "I must not die before they do." He closed his eyes and left the pre-dawn vigilance to the other two.

A light rain disrupted the sun's journey.

The sudden rise of the stream carried the chill of the high ground through the forest.

It brought back memories of those nights when several people relied on each other.

After freshening up, Winnie coiled the golden braid around her neck, seemingly announcing to those around her that she was ready for the challenge.

She then picked up her shield and picked up a spear to use as a walking stick, saying, "Since you do not plan to return to the old house, I will send supplies periodically." Seeing Sela also pick up her walking bag, she was somewhat repulsed."I don't need protection." Leddy needs you more."

Once back in town, your father will surely want to hear your earlier stories first.

As the future heir, you have a greater responsibility than you think.

Therefore, I intend to prepare the supplies myself.

As for here, Keane knows what to do." Sela explained politely.

Winnie sighed, "I know you're avoiding the obvious." Oh, this proud-hearted lord's daughter is going to venture out on her own again."Let's hope her recklessness doesn't get her into trouble.

She paraphrased Sela's thoughts with confidence.

"As a lord, you have proven yourself brave.

Next, it's time to test your wisdom." Sela walked towards the edge of the camp, "How to appease the loved ones of those killed in action and how to distribute the spoils of war...

we can discuss these on the way."

"Ugh.

You sound like my dead mom when you talk like that." Winnie grumbled and followed, quickly turning back.

She pulled out the leafy gem and handed it to Keane, saying, "You might need this." I call it the "Leaf of All Colors".

It is indeed very spiritual.

I believe Pereito has transformed the Mage Tower into a library.

I will check the books to see if there is another way to cure Leddy."

----------

Keane had to keep himself busy to fight the sleepiness.

He burned the bandages stained with Leddy's blood and collected burning ash to spread around the camp."Hopefully, the smell of burning will keep them away." Then, clutching his weapon, he lay down at the entrance to the shack.

Keane realized that he had been asleep for a long time and drew his dagger in a hurry.

Leddy's originally three-dimensional face collapsed, and his lips were white and dry and cracked."Am I...

am I dead?" She was breathless, unable to open her eyes firmly.

Keane clutched the blade and cut his palm, letting the blood run down his palm into the water bag."No, we're safe." He said, bringing the water bag to his companion's mouth, "Drink some water."

Leddy slowly swallowed a few mouthfuls of the diluted blood and soon couldn't stop himself from gulping it down."As delicious as honey wine." Feeling the fresh power flowing throughout her body, she couldn't help but hum a little tune, "Drink the honey wine and fight again."

The melody belonged to "Heir of the North Wind", which Keane knew by heart, so he read out the following lyrics: "Where the iron rain has passed, the enemy has fallen."

Leddy's face gradually improved and his skin recharged."Where are the others?"

They're all fine."Winnie went back to town to resume her duties, and Sela went to find supplies."

Leddy clenched his fingers, "I hate this powerlessness." Suddenly, the female warrior froze, unconsciously staring at her companion's face."Are you bleeding?" She swallowed hard.

Keane looked at the bandaged hand, where no blood was seeping, "Where?"

Leddy gestured at his face and neck."I must have been blinded to actually see your face bleeding, and your neck."

Keane then realizes that Leddy is not blurry-eyed but is observing the outside world with vampire vision.

His own blood was flowing through his veins, which was exactly what his companion had overheard.

He felt the need to tell his companion the truth, but did not know how to speak."Leddy." Your body has changed a bit, but you are still you."

"Change? What's that mean? " Seeing that his companion was still bleeding, Leddy frowned, "Are you really okay?"

"Yes," I wasn't hurt.

Thanks to you, you blocked that arrow for me."

Leddy nodded his head, "Yes, I remember." Then, I thought I might have died." She thought back, unintentionally touching the teeth marks left on her neck, "But it seems someone didn't want me to have peace, even after death."

Keane pointed down at his companion's wound, "That poisoned arrow was deadly enough." Sela cleared the toxin in her way.

But we still need to lift the curse from you."

"A curse?" Leddy winced at the sight of his wound.

There was no further bleeding there, but the wound hadn't dried up either.

Black veins ran around the wound in all directions.

The gruesome state made her unable to look any further."What? Sela's way? "

Keane finally got tired of the clouds and mountains, and he just couldn't make it sound as pleasant as Sela did."Leddy, Sela is a vampire." She injected you with her blood and turned you into a vampire.

So that we could

Leddy breathed heavily, "What! "You guys! She braced herself as a tearing pain came from her wound.

"I'm sorry, we didn't get your permission." Sela, who wasn't as good at calming people down as Sela, had to hold Leddy's shoulders, "We just wanted you to live.

You don't deserve to be there."

"I'd rather die than live with this ugly wound!" Leddy leaned in and shouted, hoping that the Temple of the Spirits would immediately appear to free her from this painful shell."You've turned me into---" the pain interrupted her again.

"Monster?" Sela appeared outside the shack with her supplies, a few sweat marks on her face.

After standing still for a moment, she was driven toward the fire by a chill brought on by a night breeze.

She sat down and set about preparing her meal.

"Leddy," Keane said, lowering his voice.

Sela is not a monster."Monsters don't share their lives with you.

With that, he walked toward the fire.

In a moment of distraction, Sela's pocket knife cuts her finger.

Watching the inky blue blood stain the potato, she cast it into the darkness of the trees in exasperation."We still need to rest for a while." Leddy needs time to adapt, just like you did in the beginning." In a puff of smoke, she flew into the tree canopy as a bat.

Curled up in her shack, Leddy was caught up in the past.

A voice whispered in her ear about the moralistic people she had seen.

There is another figure who takes care of others' ailments.

She gets excited when a ewe gives birth and anxious when a she-bear has a difficult birth.

....

After a long time, Leddy braced himself and walked out of the shack.

----------

In the clearing, Leddy swung his sword and cut through the branch Sela had thrown.

The force of the strike made the warrior woman's wound vaguely painful, but she had no intention of stopping.

I feel like my tongue is getting fussy.

I can't experience the pleasure of eating, except for gnawing on the halves of raw meat steak.

Is it because of the blood and water left in there? " Leddy got ready again.

"In my opinion, whether human, vampire, or any other species, bloodlust is in their nature." Either they are killing the aliens, or they are killing their own kind.

I would love to exclude myself, but often I can't help myself." Sela tossed a few branches in quick succession.

Leddy's sword danced in the air."Every time I saw that crow, it always opened its wings to protect its table, as if I would snatch the liver from its plate."

After the branches were depleted, Sela took out her short sword to block Leddy's attack.

Sometimes that bird will think of itself as the master.

It would hide trophies in our bags.

like shiny rocks and brightly colored feathers.

It even collected my tweezers and underwear fasteners.

At first I thought that Keane had made them."

"Sounds like it likes shiny things." Leddy stepped aside and the moment she picked up her shield, she felt overwhelmed."Ugh, the wound keeps holding me back and I can't even defend myself."

Sela took her companion's shield and said, "Let us protect you for the rest of the day."

"err—"

Keane walked into camp and unloaded a sack from his back and handed it to Leddy, saying, "Here, you'll need a piece of defense."

"Oh? The lord's bounty? " Sela teased.

"It's a gift." Keane said, seriously.

Leddy opened the sack, "This snowy white fur, it comes from Snow Ape!" She unfolded the fur.

It was both leather armor and a thick coat.

It was knee-length, and the main body was made of Snow Ape's fur.

The inner layer of fur was trimmed and softened for warmth.

The outer layer of fur is woven and hardened to protect against damage.

A hard leather armor piece is sewn into the sandwich.

There is a wide hood on top.

Sela took some animal hair from the leather armor and put it on the fire.

After a long time, the animal's fur burned up, and the air wafted a hint of medicine."Well, flame retardant treatment.

I should have expected you to ask me for ice cap mushrooms for this."

"Yes, Sela," Keane responded."As you might expect, the warriors got into an argument over the distribution of the pelts." Because if the pelts were divided equally, each man would get a portion that would only make one sleeve.

Winnie gave them an extra option.

The one who gave up the pelts would get a sheep."

Leddy put on the gauntlets and stroked the knee-length skirt, "What a masterpiece! "Just put on the shin guards, arm guards, and helmet again and they will protect the whole body." She swung her weapon and moved her body."I never thought that with Snow Ape's huge body, its fur is so light.

It can definitely handle the bitter cold of Talia Peak."

"You can even wear it to a future celebration." Sela groomed her companion's fur, "It would definitely make the lord's wives of the city green with envy."

"But this is a piece of armor after all." Sooner or later, it will turn red in battle." Leddy confessed.

"Don't agonize over that." Sela points aside to the moss, saying, "People hate its presence in the room, but it's actually the perfect cleaner." It washes away blood stains."

"Horror manifested." Leddy sighed.

Keane and Sela looked at each other and shook their heads, "Who?"

"Like Killian (the Wissane world's god of martial arts and war) and Varola (the Wissane world's goddess of agriculture and earth), Horry is a deity, a capable craftsman, yet unknown to most." Leddy explained.

"Perhaps I have heard of him by another name, Tartori.

He is the god of craftsmanship and trade, specializing in creation and invention, and also likes to count gold coins.

Many believe him to be a grumpy dwarf." Sela turns to Keane and asks, "Who taught you to make leather?"

"Of course it's you and Farrond."

Well, I just used to provide softening and stiffening techniques.

What about the blacksmith? I've never seen him tending leather."

After a sigh, Keane handed Sela a piece of leather and said, "I found this drawing on the wooden wall of the blacksmith's house." I was collecting iron at the time.

I found it after taking down a metal hanger.

I had almost forgotten it existed until the day I was looking for the sketch in my bag."

Sela opened the drawing, which depicted a set of leather making processes.

In the corner of the drawing, the "F" and "C" are held together by two half-rings."It looks like a wedding gift." There is no 'M' here, which means it doesn't belong to Mirei, so it's unlikely that the 'F' is Farrond himself, perhaps his father's father.

As for 'C', it could be his mother.

Hopefully we'll get a chance to give it to the blacksmith's family."