The Golden Lion!

Leon squinted, peering beyond the thug blocking his path. "Golden Lion?" The nickname had caught him off guard. Yet, instead of the fearsome warrior the title conjured in his mind, a young girl, no taller than 1.5 meters, strolled toward them. She wore a simple corseted long skirt, and her golden blonde hair was tied neatly into a ponytail. Her light green eyes, sharp and bright, stood out against her delicate frame.

Leon tilted his head, intrigued. How could someone so petite and adorable command such a reputation? She certainly seemed more "cute" than "ferocious." Yet, the local thugs, who had been harassing him and his companions moments ago, suddenly broke into a cold sweat as the girl approached. They parted instinctively, stepping out of her way as if her presence alone was enough to disarm them.

The girl stopped in front of the largest of the thugs, Boris, whose grim expression now seemed a bit less confident. She crossed her arms, her expression stern. "I heard you lot were stirring up trouble again," she said, her voice laced with irritation. "Swords out, threatening strangers? Is that how we greet visitors in this village now?"

Her tone sharpened as she finished, and with a swift flick of her wrist, the wooden stick in her hand snapped against her palm. Her slender fingers tightened around it as if ready for a fight. The crack of the wood sent a shiver through the group. Leon noticed how the other thugs stiffened at the sound. They quickly sheathed their blades, their guilty glances darting around nervously.

"Olivia, you've got it wrong!" one of the ruffians stammered. "We just saw these strangers acting suspiciously by the river and thought we should check them out. You know the militia's been conscripted by the Baron. We're just looking out for the village."

A few of the others jumped in, nodding vigorously. "Yeah, that's right! We were just being careful!"

Boris, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke, though his voice lacked its earlier menace. "That's the truth, Olivia. Are you really going to take the side of these outsiders? What if they're spies for the Kantadar people?"

Olivia narrowed her eyes, clearly not buying the story. She knew Boris and his cronies too well. They were far more interested in intimidation than in the village's safety. But instead of snapping back, she exhaled slowly, keeping her temper in check. She turned her attention to the three strangers now standing by the riverbank, surrounded but no longer threatened by the local thugs.

With a polite smile, Olivia addressed them. "Pardon the intrusion, strangers. If I may ask, where do you come from? You don't appear to be merchants from around here. Our village, as you might have noticed, is a quiet and remote place. We don't see many travelers passing through."

Leon, watching her closely, saw her words begin to ease the tension. The girl, despite her fierce reputation, had a way of speaking that was measured and reasonable. She wasn't like the rest of the village; her speech had an air of sophistication, as if she could have been the daughter of a noble family rather than a simple villager.

"We are no spies, young lady," Leon replied, his tone calm but firm. "We're just passing through, fleeing from the war. One of my companions only went into the village to buy supplies; clothing, food. We've kept our distance, bathing here by the river, not causing any trouble. Unless there's some local rule against that?"

The ruffians fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable with how easily Olivia had defused their attempt at intimidation. Even Boris, still clutching his dagger, seemed to hesitate. Sensing that the worst was behind them, Leon sheathed his own sword and gestured to his companions, Brandon and Liam, to lower their guard. They complied, though with some reluctance.

Olivia studied them for a moment, her gaze flickering between Leon and the thugs. The tension hung in the air, but it was clear now that no fight was going to break out, not with Olivia here. Even the Golden Lion herself, for all her fierce reputation, seemed to prefer diplomacy over violence.

"I see," she said at last, her voice softening. "Selva village may be remote, but we're not without our own troubles. War has made people nervous, sometimes too quick to judge. I apologize for their behavior." She shot a look at Boris, who avoided her gaze.

Leon nodded in acknowledgment, relaxing slightly. The village was not what he had expected, but Olivia, this "Golden Lion" had surprised him even more. Her presence had turned a volatile situation into something manageable, and her authority over these thugs was evident, even if it wasn't born of physical intimidation. Perhaps the true strength of the "Golden Lion" wasn't in brute force, but in her ability to command respect, something much rarer and far more dangerous than any weapon.

"Escape from the war? Judging by your accent, you're not from around here, certainly not Orlando, right?" Olivia blinked, curiosity lighting up her green eyes as she tilted her head toward Leon.

Leon nodded. "We're Serrians," he replied, his voice calm but direct. There was no point in hiding their origin; the Northern Kingdom and Serria had a friendly relationship. No secrets here.

"The Kingdom of Serria?" Olivia's eyebrows shot up, her surprise evident. "That's far from here," she murmured, her interest piqued. "But all the eastern roads are blocked... how did you make it past the lands of King Kronia?"

Leon hesitated for a brief moment. He wasn't even sure where this 'King Kronia' ruled, and he had no desire to spin more stories that could trip him up later. Instead, he gestured toward the distant forest in the south. "We didn't come from the East," he explained honestly. "The Kantardars started a war, and we were captured. We were held in enemy territory for a time, but when an opportunity arose, we escaped. We fled through the big forest and eventually made it here."

Olivia blinked, clearly taken aback. Her gaze followed Leon's hand toward the thick, shadowy line of trees in the distance, her lips parting slightly as if struggling to comprehend what he'd just said.

"Ha! Did you hear that?" One of the village thugs sneered, breaking the brief silence. "This kid's full of it."

Boris, who had been silent for a while, grinned smugly. "You heard him, Olivia," he said, his voice dripping with triumph. "He says they passed through the Nightmare Forest."

The surrounding ruffians snickered, their mockery growing louder. Leon could feel their suspicion growing stronger by the second. Boris, clearly emboldened by this supposed flaw in Leon's story, crossed his arms, certain he had exposed a lie. "No one crosses that cursed forest," Boris continued, his tone smug. "These three must be runaway slaves from the Grey Fir Valley. Serrians, really? That's just a clever cover-up."

Leon's frown deepened as the thugs' laughter echoed around him. Telling the truth seemed to have made things worse, not better. He realized what was happening. The Nightmare Forest; of course. Every region had its legends, and it seemed the people here were no exception. That dark stretch of woods was likely feared for its curses or dangers, which made Leon's claim sound impossible to them. If it weren't for Miss Lola's help, he mused, we never would've made it out alive either. It made sense that the villagers were skeptical. Few, if any, ever emerged from such a perilous place.

Still, he wasn't going to complicate matters by weaving more lies. It was too easy to trip over them. "Believe what you will, but this is the truth. We passed through the forest from Mamor County in Kantardar territory."

As he spoke, Leon reached into his waist bag and pulled out a silver coin stamped with Kantardar symbols, holding it up so Olivia could see. "This is all I have for proof," he said, his voice steady. "A few Kantardar coins. Whether you believe me or not is up to you, Miss Olivia."

Before Olivia could respond, Boris jumped in, his voice rising. "Aha! Kantardar coins!" He smirked triumphantly. "Now you're showing your true colors. You're spies, plain and simple. And you're still trying to claim you're not working for them?"

Leon's jaw clenched, but he kept his temper in check. He could see that Boris didn't care about the truth. The thug just wanted an excuse to provoke trouble and take the situation into his own hands.

Olivia remained quiet, her expression thoughtful as she examined the coin in Leon's hand. After a long pause, she spoke, her voice calm but cautious. "I have to admit, your story sounds... unlikely. In Kossos County, I've never heard of anyone surviving a journey through the Nightmare Forest. But I won't rush to judge you either." She met Leon's eyes. "How long do you intend to stay in Selva?"

Boris sputtered in disbelief. "You can't seriously be believing this kid's nonsense!" His face flushed with anger, but Olivia ignored him, her attention still focused on Leon.

Leon didn't bother acknowledging Boris's outburst. Instead, he pointed to his ragged, travel-worn clothes, which were still damp from their recent river bath. "We've just come out of the forest," he said simply. "We're tired, hungry, and injured. Even these clothes were bought in your village not long ago. All we're looking for is a place to rest from the wind and rain."

He shrugged slightly, his tone remaining even. "Of course, if outsiders really aren't welcome here, we'll leave after a short rest. We don't mean any harm and have no wish to cause trouble." His eyes met Olivia's, hoping she could see the sincerity in his words.

There was a brief moment of silence. The thugs still looked ready to pounce at any given excuse, but Olivia seemed to weigh the situation carefully. In the distance, the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting a faint golden hue over the village, making Leon wonder just how much longer they could keep this conversation going before things escalated.

The ball was in Olivia's court now. Would she trust their word, or would they be forced to find shelter elsewhere?

Leon stood in silence, his anger cooling now that the immediate threat had passed. Although he was more than capable of dealing with the village thugs, he had no desire to provoke a bigger problem. The last thing he needed was to draw the attention of the local lord, who might easily mistake them for spies from an enemy nation. That could spiral into a much bigger headache, one they could ill afford.

"Enough!" Boris bellowed, his patience snapping as he realized both Leon and Olivia had been ignoring him. His face flushed with rage, and he brandished his dagger, jabbing it in Leon's direction. "I've had enough of your nonsense. You've got two choices: hand over your sword and leave this village, or I'll drag you to the lord myself. Make up your mind!"

Leon raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. He didn't even bother responding to Boris's threats. Engaging further with this thug felt like a waste of breath.

Olivia, however, had a different reaction. Her gaze flicked toward the sword at Leon's waist, and something clicked in her mind. She narrowed her eyes as she turned back to Boris, her voice cold and sharp. "I get it now."

She stepped forward, her expression hardening. "Put down the sword, Boris."

"What?" Boris's laugh was harsh and mocking, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "You're protecting these suspicious outsiders? You must be out of your mind!"

Olivia's voice cut through the air like ice. "Suspicious outsiders?" She scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. "Isn't it obvious what you're really after? It's not about where they come from. You want his sword."

The thugs shuffled nervously, instinctively backing away from the escalating confrontation. They could sense the tension and knew Boris was stepping into dangerous territory.

Boris's face twisted in anger. He pointed his dagger toward Olivia, though his bravado now seemed more bluster than real confidence. "You little bitch," he spat. "Don't think for a second that I won't kill you."

His threat lingered for less than a heartbeat.

Before Boris could finish his sentence, the sharp whistling of wood cutting through the air filled the silence. Olivia's wooden stick struck with lightning speed, landing squarely on Boris's hand.

The thud of impact echoed, and even Leon, standing nearby, flinched at the sound. It was a solid, vicious strike.

"AHHHH!" Boris screamed, his face contorting in pain. He clutched his injured hand, the dagger clattering uselessly to the ground. Tears welled up in his eyes as he staggered back, cradling his throbbing fingers.

Olivia's expression remained cool and detached as she stared him down. "I'll let you off easy this time, Boris. Your last injury hasn't even healed yet. Now take your sword and leave." Her voice was steady but carried a chilling authority that made even the toughest of men hesitate.

She didn't raise her voice, but the icy edge in her tone cut through the thugs' false bravado. They exchanged nervous glances, shrinking back, no one daring to challenge her any further. Within seconds, they were retreating, scattering like rats.

Boris limped away, humiliated, clutching his hand to his chest as if it had been shattered. The once-loud rabble disappeared into the distance, leaving the riverbank eerily quiet in their wake.

Leon watched them go, a newfound respect settling over him. Now he understood why they called her the "Golden Lion." When Olivia got angry, she wasn't just fierce, she was commanding, untouchable, like a lioness guarding her territory.

And despite her petite frame, Leon couldn't help but feel that she could easily hold her own against any man who dared challenge her. Her speed was remarkable. He hadn't even seen the stick move, let alone strike. It had been so quick, so precise. As someone who had trained in swordsmanship in his previous life, he couldn't help but admire the skill she'd just displayed. Even Liam, the most seasoned fighter among his companions, didn't have such swift and controlled technique.

He wondered briefly what Olivia could do with a steel sword instead of a wooden stick. Could she move just as fast, just as deadly?

His thoughts were interrupted as Olivia turned back to him, her stern demeanor softening. "Sorry about that," she said with a sigh, her shoulders relaxing as the tension eased. "I didn't mean to make such a scene. I hope I didn't embarrass you." There was a touch of helplessness in her eyes, as though this sort of confrontation was all too common for her.