Thraum Forest

Barok woke up early the next morning, changed into a set of coarse linen clothes that seemed to have been worn by others before. Although he was young, he was robust, and the clothes fit him well enough. Pushing open the door, he made his way to the servants' kitchen!

The castle was not the only place with orc servants. Orcs were present in most human cities, given their strength and physique, once tamed, they were suitable slaves for various tasks. Not to mention the nobles, even some wealthy merchants kept orc slaves, which became somewhat of a trend. However, the greatest demand for orcs was in the bloody and brutal arenas, where they were mere disposable commodities!

Baron Milo had three orc slaves, lean in stature with dark gray fur, and their faces were not as handsome as those from Barok's tribe. Moreover, two sharp teeth protruded from their mouths, giving them a somewhat ferocious appearance. They had heard about Barok but had only met him for the first time. Surprisingly, Barok discovered that there was a hierarchy among orcs as well, as the three orcs seemed to come to the kitchen for food as well. Upon seeing Barok, they immediately surrounded him, bowing respectfully.

"Greetings, brother from the Frostwolf Clan, please accept the greetings of Borg, Bon, and Bona from the Blackstone and Savage Boar tribes," the three orcs greeted.

After more than a year, Barok finally met his kind again. He hurriedly returned the greeting, but his heart was moved. He had heard from Norman, the shaman, that the tribes on the gravel wasteland might have migrated from the distant north. At that time, they seemed to belong to a glorious, powerful, and noble orc tribe, the Frostwolf Clan. But because of the passage of time, the tribe became weaker and weaker, and with limited orc intelligence, few besides the shamans learned writing, leaving no records. Therefore, over time, they even forgot their own tribe's name.

Just like Norman, whose name was Norman Mantis, if he really was from the Frostwolf Clan, then his full name should be Norman Mantis Frostwolf! And Barok was even more pitiful, not even knowing the name of his own tribe.

"We are from the Orc Tribe in the Wild Boar Hills, the three of us are brothers. Because the tribe is poor and unable to support so many people, they sold us to humans. Fortunately, we met the kind Sir Milo here, where we not only eat well but also are not randomly beaten or scolded. We've heard that many of our brothers sold elsewhere haven't had it so good," one of the orcs, who looked similar to the others, said. He then looked curiously at Barok, unable to contain his curiosity, and asked, "Brother Barok, you come from the noble Frostwolf Clan, and we are in the southwest of the Northern Grasslands, separated by a long journey and several human kingdoms. Why did you become Sir Milo's slave?"

Orcs were indeed straightforward, asking such inevitably embarrassing and sad questions right after meeting for the first time. Barok didn't want to mention the sorrow of his tribe and just brushed it off. At this moment, a stout woman walked out of the kitchen, carrying a huge wooden basin filled with steaming wheat porridge, followed by another basin of hot black bread. Although her expression was fierce, she didn't use harsh words, saying, "Time for breakfast!"

Regardless of gender or race, the servants gathered around, each carrying their own basin of food. Seeing Barok empty-handed, the woman turned back to the kitchen and brought him a bowl of porridge. Barok smiled and said, "Thank you, kind lady!"

None of the servants had ever spoken to her in such a respectful and friendly tone, and it seemed that the word "lady" had a great effect. Barok found his bowl of porridge to be especially thick, and the piece of black bread he received even had a slice of pickled meat in it, making him shake his head with a smile.

After hastily finishing breakfast, Steward Gagehill came to find Barok. "Barok, come with me. The masters are about to set off, and this time you'll be the maid to Miss Sera. Listen to her arrangements, understand?" Before leaving, the steward, who couldn't accompany them due to his duty at home, felt somewhat uneasy and specially reminded him.

Barok nodded and followed him to the small square in the center of the castle. By now, many people and horses had gathered there. Baron Milo and his daughter Sera, followed by ten warriors in light beige leather armor, were there. Julian and his son Kyle, followed by twenty warriors in dark red armor, stood behind them. Two of them wore particularly splendid armor, presumably the two intermediate qi warriors. Surrounded in the center was a very young woman, dignified, beautiful, and extraordinary, wearing a robe embroidered with the family crest, adorned with intricate ornaments. If not for Sera's charming innocence, she would have been overshadowed. This was Lady Celine, a mage from the prestigious Padia Academy in the capital, and also a noble countess.

Seeing that Sera did bring the orc slave with her, Kyle not only showed a mocking expression, but even Julian looked displeased, feeling that he had lost face in front of Lady Celine!

"Is everyone here? Baron Milo and Lord Julian, can we set off now?" Lady Celine seemed unconcerned, instead showing curiosity as she glanced at Barok a few times, secretly thinking that it was quite impressive for an orc slave from the remote countryside to be called the Frostwolf Clan. She wondered if she could ask Baron Milo for him, as having an orc slave from the Frostwolf Clan would be quite prestigious in the capital.

"Lady Celine, we can set off at any time," both Milo and Julian said together. Lady Celine nodded, "Thank you both for your trouble. Celine will remember this."

Both of them said they couldn't dare to be thanked, and both felt somewhat pleased. If this trip went smoothly, the matter of their children entering the Royal Capital Advanced Academy would be almost certain!

It was definitely not feasible to hunt magical beasts in the Thraum Forest by carriage. The people in this world were all physically fit; even women could ride horses. So the thirty warriors, Lady Celine, Milo, Julian, Sera, Kyle, and Barok all rode horses!

Barok had never ridden a horse before, and this was even his first time being so close to one in this world. Placing his hand on the back of the unfamiliar and somewhat restless horse, it immediately calmed down. Then, Barok mounted the horse, starting with a slow trot, then gradually picking up speed until he was galloping, seemingly becoming one with the horse, quickly catching up to the already distant group. This left those who had expected to see a spectacle, like Julian's group, astounded! They wouldn't know that Barok's other identity was a quasi-shaman. Known as the one closest to animals and nature among the orcs. It was not difficult at all to gain the favor of a tamed horse!

Only Lady Celine's expression changed slightly, harboring some doubts about Barok's identity. Orcs had been extremely oppressed by humans, and now only the most powerful warriors could obtain mounts, with few opportunities for ordinary orcs to ride. Seeing the orc youth's skilled riding, it was indeed not simple, but upon careful consideration, there had been no recent reports of any kingdoms engaging in warfare with the Frostwolf Clan of the Northern Grasslands, nor had there been news of any tribal chieftain's child being captured! She would have to ask about it sometime.

Lady Celine had a special purpose for coming to the Thraum Forest this time. She was here to capture a first-level water-type magical beast, the Green Arrow Squirrel. This squirrel wasn't high in rank and didn't have any special abilities, but it was very small and cute, and apart from spitting out a water arrow to knock down nuts from trees, it posed no threat. As a result, it had become the favorite pet of many noble ladies in the past.

But with the widespread capture of Green Arrow Squirrels and their somewhat harsh living environment, they had almost become extinct. Now, it seemed that only the Thraum Forest still had traces of Green Arrow Squirrels. Thinking of the poor little fellow in her family, even if it was to fulfill its final wish, Lady Celine was determined to capture as many Green Arrow Squirrels as possible.

They traveled on horseback for several hours, already able to see the distant mountains and dense trees, which was the Thraum Forest. Relative to the endless ancient forests, the Thraum was not large, and its area was even smaller than that of the gravel wasteland. However, this forest was no less dangerous than the gravel wasteland. It was home to magical beasts, especially those towering peaks where people usually wouldn't venture, as most high-level magical beasts liked to claim a large territory and overlook their 'territory' from high up.

"Now dismount, it's impossible to ride horses in the forest. Everyone, don't stray too far and stay close to the group," as the landlord, Milo naturally took command. Leaving two warriors from the Liqueur City to guard the horses, the rest of them entered the forest on foot. Even though they were dressed in new hunting attire and carried small decorative bows and arrows, Sera, with her heroic demeanor, was still excited, as if they weren't here to hunt magical beasts but for an outing!

"Green Arrow Squirrels only live on Tarma Red Pine trees. From what I know, there is a patch of Red Pine forest to the west of the Thraum Forest. Why don't we go there first to search?" Milo asked for Lady Celine's opinion. Lady Celine nodded, and they proceeded through the tall trees, heading westward.

"Perhaps we should send out scouts to explore. After all, this is where magical beasts roam, so it's better to be cautious," the obese Kyle was somewhat timid. It was his first time entering such a gloomy and silent place, and he couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine. After walking for over an hour, the forest grew darker, and he couldn't help but speak up.

"Don't worry, this is just the edge of the Thraum Forest, there won't be any major dangers. Do you think there are fat ducks everywhere?" Sera retorted disdainfully, and the so-called fat duck was obviously a reference to Kyle being too fat, walking with a swaying gait that resembled a duck.

"Is there anything wrong with being cautious?" Kyle retorted, then turned to see Barok clearing branches and paving the way for the girl in front of him. He couldn't help but say, "Moreover, don't you have a 'very experienced hunter' by your side? Why not let this orc enter the mountains to take a look? If he's lucky, he might catch a Green Arrow Squirrel on the way, saving Lady Celine a lot of time."

"Barok used to be a farmer; he only knows how to farm. When did I ever say he was a hunter?" Sera obviously had learned about Barok in advance, knowing about the time he spent with Maximo, so she defended herself.

Unexpectedly, Barok spoke up, "Of course, Miss Sera, please allow me. I can go ahead and take a look. After traveling for so long, you also need to rest." He simultaneously looked at Milo, seeking the lord's opinion.

Milo, who was always concerned about his daughter, naturally agreed, and said to Lady Celine, "Let Barok go ahead to scout, and let's rest for a while."

Although Lady Celine was eager, she didn't have the impulse to catch the Green Arrow Squirrel all at once. She nodded, and the warriors surrounded their masters in the middle for protection, then began to rest on the ground.

Barok gestured to Milo, then leaped onto a tree branch, then to another tree, and with a few ups and downs, his figure disappeared into the jungle. Not only were Milo and the others surprised by his agility, but even Lady Celine was astonished, becoming more certain of her speculation... this young orc was definitely the child of a chieftain from the Frostwolf Clan!