Leaving the Forest (2)

From the very beginning, Drogo would approach every large tree he saw to inspect it, but as they walked for a while, he became more discerning. Drogo was sure that his method was effective because all the signs pointed in the same direction. Elaine, on the other hand, perhaps because of the long journey or perhaps because the atmosphere of the forest didn't make her happy, was not as active as before and followed quietly by Drogo's side.

"Damn King's Forest, it's really big."

They didn't know how long had passed, nor how far they had walked. Feeling the approaching darkness and the still thick and gloomy mist around them, Drogo stopped in his tracks. Looking up, he frowned and scanned his surroundings as he spoke.

"It's getting dark, we can't continue walking. Let's rest for the night in that place and continue in the morning."

The forest at night was undoubtedly dangerous, and the King's Forest at night was even more dangerous. Avoiding this risk was absolutely necessary. And where Drogo's gaze pointed was the campsite he had chosen.

It was a huge black rock that looked like a small mountain standing there. And below the giant rock was a rare flat space. The flat ground was suitable for camping, the giant rock could provide shelter from the wind and rain, and the front had a good view. In Drogo's view, this was already the best choice for camping.

"Okay."

Elaine agreed, her small face somewhat pale, her nose covered with tiny beads of sweat, obviously tired.

Watching the little girl sit down weakly under the giant rock, Drogo quietly smiled.

"It's really hard for her... From being almost sacrificed by Matthew in the beginning, to meeting him and rushing on the road, it can be imagined how painful it was. But the little girl didn't show any of the princess-like behavior that Drogo had expected, and never heard a single complaint from her. And only now did she unconsciously show that almost-limiting exhaustion..."

At this moment, Drogo had a faint sense of admiration for Elaine, the little princess of the fox clan. And he himself did not realize that he was able to adapt so quickly after experiencing such strange and even terrifying things before, besides the fact that he had a fire inside him, a rebellious and never-say-die attitude, and the other important reason was precisely the existence of Elaine.

Every young and hot-blooded man is born with the mentality to protect the weak, especially women. And this little girl in particular. In front of Elaine, Drogo cannot afford to back down no matter what.

Strangely enough, despite the long journey, Drogo does not feel tired or exhausted. This is something he couldn't have imagined before. The only explanation he can think of is the magical inheritance he received from Matthew. After receiving the inheritance, his body went through some changes, becoming stronger and more energetic.

"Do we need to start a fire?"

After some thought, Drogo decides to light a fire. Although he is not sure if the beasts in this world fear or are attracted to fire, the little girl shivering next to him needs the warmth of the flame.

Boom--

The forest of kings is very strange, with dense fog everywhere, but it is exceptionally dry. The dry twigs and fallen leaves easily ignite and the fire quickly rises.

"Uh... this thing is not really for starting a fire."

Seeing a pile of branches almost burned to ashes in an instant, Drogo quickly adds more fuel to maintain the fire.

"Kiki..."

The little girl's unique crisp laughter comes, and Drogo sees Elaine pointing at his face with her delicate fingers.

"Your face looks like a panda, kiki..."

"A panda?"

Drogo's mind conjures up an image of a black-and-white, cute animal...

"This is a panda! What a magical place."

Drogo quickly grabs the only two pieces of cloth around his neck, his specially made tie, and wipes his face with it. It is easy to imagine that when the small fireball exploded just now, the dark dust that was darker than the sky in this forest must have gotten all over his face.

"How do you feel now, is it warmer?"

"Um... very warm."

The little girl is still holding back her laughter, apparently Drogo's haphazard wiping did not have much effect. Perhaps, it even made him look more like a panda than before.

"Hehe, that's good..."

Under the flickering firelight, Elaine's face became increasingly rosy, and Drogo was in the same state. Previously, as he ran naked for a long time, he was too eager to get out of the King's Forest to pay much attention to his state. But now, facing such a large bonfire, his bareness was too awkward.

"So... where do you live?" Drogo asked.

"In the Silverwing Forest..."

"Your father is the king of the fox tribe, right?"

"Yes..."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Elaine's cute face immediately turned overly rosy, and Drogo wished he could slap himself in the face. What nonsense had he asked in this awkward situation?

But then, Elaine lowered her head slightly, and her two adorable ears swayed from left to right and right to left in front of Drogo's eyes, trembling...

"No."

"Uh, okay... that's good."

Drogo didn't even know what he was saying. The firelight flickered, pushing away the surrounding darkness, then quickly dimming again. Drogo instinctively grabbed a nearby branch, and Elaine did the same on the other side.

Snap!

Like an electric spark, their fingers touched. Drogo was stunned, while Elaine quickly withdrew her arm and buried her face even lower.

"Um... Drogo, can you tell me your story? Where is your home, and how did you happen to come here to save me? It's like... it's like... it's the guidance of the fox god, and that legend..."

Elaine's last words were whispered so softly that even though Drogo's hearing had greatly improved after receiving magical inheritance, he couldn't hear clearly. He only heard Elaine ask about his origins and how he appeared so coincidentally. In fact, Drogo had already thought about this question before Elaine asked it. He hesitated whether to tell Elaine about his experiences.

"Hehe, my past is better left untold..."

Drogo still couldn't speak. He didn't want to think about his past experiences or what happened later. His silence annoyed the little girl, and just as she was about to ask him more questions, Drogo's face suddenly changed.

"Not good, danger!"

The sudden sense of crisis caused Drogo to instinctively jump up, quickly turn around, and completely block Elaine in front of him. These actions were completed in an instant, completely a subconscious reaction, as if it was an instinct formed over hundreds of years of facing different crises. It wasn't until now that Drogo had the opportunity to look up.

Just at this moment, in front of Drogo, at the limit of the illuminated area, a huge head that resembled a wolf and a pig appeared.

"This is - a monster?"

Behind Drogo, Elaine's voice trembled with surprise and fear, entering Drogo's ears.

"Poison Arrow Iron Armored Beast, a fourth-tier monster..."