The West Forest Incident (Part 1)

David is smiling wickedly and pulls Anne and Darla outside to the street.

"David, what are you doing?"

"What is our main purpose for going here?" Asked David.

"To study?" Said Anne and Darla at the same time.

"Yes! But why here? That's because of Wismushroom, right?"

"Well, yes, but as you can see, we aren't even able to even touch the bloody thing. Did you see the crowd in there?!" Said Darla.

"Alright, what if tell you that we can use Wismushroom without going inside the capital's main library?"

Anne and Darla share a glance. While they are both intrigued by David's word, they also feel something's wrong with it. Although both of them just hesitate to tell David.

Darla squinted her eyes and asked the boy, "David, what are you thinking?"

"Wismushroom is a cultivated plant. In the capital, there is only three successful cultivation of Wismushroom, but there are other places where Wismushroom is abundant."

Anne is getting nervous. She knows what exactly David's plan is. "David, do not tell me. You're thinking of going to the forest and using the wild Wismushroom."

"Yes! That is exactly what I thought! Good one, Anne!"

"No! David, there's a reason we need to cultivate the plant. The reason is that of how dangerous to go to the forest, alone."

"But we are not alone, right? There are three of us, a huntsman, magi, and a healer." Said David enthusiastically.

"David, we are not a certified civil service right now! Are you crazy?!"

"Yes, maybe a little bit, but Darla, we need this. The written exams will be held for six hours with just a one-hour break. We are going to be mentally exhausted!"

Anne and Darla ponder at David's excuse, both of the girls could see the value of using the Wismushroom, but does the value of learning below the Wismushroom will be more beneficial than the harm that can be done to them by going to a dangerous forest?

Anne massaged her forehead, trying her best to think about every possibility to avoid the three of them going to the forest. She couldn't see a way out. "David, let me think about this for a day."

Darla raised her hand. "Yeah, me too."

David holds his breath and blows it in an instant, "Alright, I need to set provision for us, anyway. Please think about the benefits, alright?"

Anne and Darla nodded their head. To ease the tension, Anne invites them to have some fun time at the marketplace on B street. They have some ice cream in the marketplace, and for Anne, it is very delicious ice cream, reminded her of the old world ice cream.

They have a light conversation about how they are passionate about becoming a civil servant, and how lucky they are as the recipient of the silver pass. The silver pass recipient is the individual who is being rewarded for their merits. Unlike the bronze pass recipient, where every civilian could get the pass after they complete the necessary documents.

Anne feels so blessed to have the silver pass because, without it, she could never take the civil exams.

"My mother and fathers were over the moon!" Darla reminisces about the day she got the silver pass. "Theo, my second father, cried like a baby. It was hilarious."

Anne chuckles, hearing Darla's story. "Really?! Oh wow, I would love to see your family, Darla."

"The important question, however, is what merit you have done to get that silver pass." Asked David, with a wicked smile on his face.

Darla then leans back in her chair and smiles at David, "I save a horse from a monster."

"What? that's it?! You save one freaking horse and you got the silver pass?!"

"Yes, because I save The GoldenSpire."

"The majesty's favorite horse?!" Shouted David and Anne at the same time.

Everyone knows about The GoldenSpire, a rare golden horse that accompanies the emperor to vanquish the evil forces, twenty-five years ago, the same year when the first prince, now the crown prince, has born. Animals and people in the new world have more age span than animals and people in the old world, The GoldenSpire is going to have his thirty-five birthday in a month, and there will be a festivity in the capital.

"Then, how about you, Anne, what is your merit?" Asked Darla, while scooping her Chockyberry ice cream.

Anne cleared her throat, and bashfully smile at them, "I… Safe a noble, and tending his wound."

Her friends were squealing. Darla put her ice cream cup, and shouted at Anne, "Tell me, was he handsome?"

"Uhm… Probably… Yes… Yes, he is."

The two of them cheer so loudly that even the server needs to calm them down, Anne feels a bit shy to admit about Henry's look, and to be fair, the other three are just as handsome as he is.

After a while, Anne and Darla know looking at David, trying to ask about his merit, while the latter just avoided them by saying they will know about it, after the first exam. Although Anne feels something is odd about David, she tried to ignore her intuition, for now. After two hours, they went back to the dorm, and that night, Anne saw the beautiful moon from her room window, with Chikara's hanging out beside her. When she gets ready to go to bed, Anne already has her decision.

At dusk, David, Darla, and Anne are sitting in the lobby, discussing the best path to go to the possible place of the Wismushroom. Jeff, the dorm patron, is shaking his head.

"The three of you shouldn't go into the forest. It is a full moon tonight, magica will be everywhere, including in the forest."

David smiles at Jeff, trying hard to convince their dorm patron, "It will be fine. I got my non-magica tent to protect us from the element."

"Well, just be careful, okay?"

"We will Jeff, don't worry." Anne warmly smiles at Jeff, and how she appreciates his concern over the three of them.

After much consideration, and a belly full of food, they begin their adventure into the forest, in the capital's west. It takes two hours to go to the entrance of the forest, and another two hours to reach the probable location of the Wismushroom. With a bag full of provisions and camping gear, they thought there will be no danger that will come their way.