Chapter 41

The night had descended upon the forest, its shadows creeping up the trees, casting eerie silhouettes around the campfire where Andrew and I sat. The crackling flames danced and flickered, casting a warm orange glow on our faces. The sounds of nocturnal creatures filled the air, from the hooting of owls to the chirping of crickets.

Andrew was sharpening his sword with rhythmic strokes, the sound echoing in the stillness of the night. On the other hand, I was scribbling in my notebook, jotting down every little detail I had observed on our journey. I had been observing the smallest insects to the larger ones, fascinated by the mana they held.

"Even the tiniest insects have mana that can be consumed," I murmured, lost in thought. "They retain most of their raw mana when cooked, unlike larger animals that lose a significant portion."

Picking up a roasted insect, I contemplated using it as a source of nutrition to gradually enhance my mana reserves. But perhaps there was a better source waiting to be discovered.

Just then, I noticed movement nearby, and I used my scan to investigate. "There are 15 people near us, two women and the rest are men. They seem to be just passing through, so let them be. Unless they come towards us or halt near us, we should avoid engaging with them," I said to Andrew, not wanting to attract any trouble.

He nodded in agreement, already preparing himself in case of any untoward event. "You want me to investigate, Master Lucas?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, there's no need. It's best to avoid unnecessary conflict. Let's just enjoy our night in peace." Taking another bite of the roasted insect, I settled back into my thoughts, content in the stillness of the forest around us.

But our peace was short-lived. Three men made their way towards us, prompting me to signal Andrew to intercept them. He returned shortly with the men in tow. "Master Lucas, they have requested to camp alongside us," he reported.

My eyebrows furrowed. "Alongside us? But there are 15 of them. There's no need for them to camp with us."

The man in the middle stepped forward and spoke. "There's a certain issue. This forest is home to a nature spirit, so our young lady decided that if all of us joined forces, we would have a better chance of survival if the spirit decided to act against us or if a powerful animal were to appear."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the mention of a nature spirit. These creatures were uncommon and usually left humans alone unless provoked. "A nature spirit shouldn't focus on us. Why would it attack you guys? Are you planning to harm the forest? And why would she want us to join? We're just two men compared to your 13."

The man let out a chuckle, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Isn't it obvious? You guys are currently unbothered by any animals in this forest. That alone is a testament to your strength. Having someone like you could stop the number of animals that keep attacking us," he explained. I had been releasing a bit of my aura every once in a while to keep any animal from attacking us, but it seemed like our presence alone was enough to deter them.

After a moment of consideration, I reluctantly agreed to let them join us. The faces of the men lit up with excitement as they quickly left to inform their master. I turned to Andrew and instructed him to keep an eye on them. "Their camp seems weak. If they turn on us, I alone will be able to handle them," he assured me.

As the men departed, I couldn't help but wonder about their true intentions. It was clear that their excuse was a lie, and they were hoping to use us for their own gain. I could sense the nervousness in their smiles and the sweat on their palms, and it was likely that one of them had offended the nature spirit and hoped that we could help them.

"This could be a nice experiment," I thought to myself, my curiosity piqued by the nature spirit's sentience. Would it simply seek revenge, or could it be reasoned with? I wondered about its history, whether it could be killed and reborn, or even triggered into existence. After all, it was made from nature itself.

As I pondered this, a group of 15 approached us, led by a carriage. A maid in her 20s and a little girl with curly brown hair and normal brown eyes, who appeared to be around thirteen, stepped out of the carriage with a retinue of knights. They all looked exhausted and pale, with some missing limbs or fingers.

"Who are you, lady?" I asked the girl.

"I am Lady Cecily, daughter of Baron Joan Fitzroy," she replied, bowing deeply.

"Hmm, well, I am Lucas de Clare, son of Count George and disciple of Lady Calliope," I responded, with a hint of pride in my voice. The knights' faces immediately brightened at the mention of Lady Calliope, and the lady and the maid both seemed relieved.

I looked over at the injured knights and put on a face of sympathy. "What could have happened to such great knights to reduce them to this?" I asked.

Lady Cecily quickly responded, "We were entering the forest when some animals attacked us. We killed them, cut down some trees, and started a fire. Then the nature spirit appeared. It seemed that one of our knights was practicing his swordsmanship on the trees and animals, which angered the spirit. It killed him instantly and began following us. We entered with 30 people, but now we are reduced to this number," she said, her expression showing pure sadness.

As I looked up, my eyes widened in awe. There it was - the nature spirit. Towering above us at a staggering 50 meters, it was a massive creature. Its wooden teeth protruded from its open mouth, and its horns were made of intertwining branches and vines. It had six glowing eyes, each one fixed on us with an intense gaze.

The spirit was covered in dense foliage, which made it almost impossible to distinguish it from the surrounding forest. Every inch of its body was covered in verdant vines, leaves, and moss, making it seem like it was a part of the forest itself. <Image in paragraph>