Chapter 83: Chapter 83 - The White Hunter ( Part 1 )
Three months had passed.
Three months after the world forget about the girl named Jennie Queens.
The morning sun shone over vast fields, coloring the greenish hills in shades of gold. A narrow dirt road stretched towards the endless horizon, going across the forests, rivers, and mountain ranges touching the clouds.
One traveler moved along this road.
She wore a white hooded cloak hiding her silvery hair. She was wearing simple leather armor to protect herself from the wild nature, while the regular longsword was hanging from her waist.
Nobody could guess that under this humble scabbard there is the Excalibur, the Divine Sword of Kings.
Jennie raised the hood over her head, when a cool breeze swept over the vast field.
"...What a beautiful day."
The familiar voice of Excalibur echoed in her thoughts.
"You have been saying that every morning in a month."
Jennie smiled.
"Yes, because every morning is beautiful."
"And how fast you adapted."
Jennie looked at the endless horizon.
"I had to."
"Otherwise, if I would keep looking behind..."
"...I won’t ever be able to move forward."
There were a pause.
Neither of them said something.
The silence has stopped to become painful for Jennie.
It became comfortable.
This road is called the Frontier Road.
Unlike to the well-developed highways of the Kingdom of Seraiya, this ancient trading road connects dozens of independent towns, merchant cities, and forgotten villages scattered across the entire continent.
Every day is full of new people.
Caravan of dwarves’ merchants passed here, having overloaded wagons with high-quality weapons and tools.
Ahead there were a group of beastfolk hunters carrying the hide of a huge horned boar.
The old elf was sitting under the tree, selling charms handmade to protect from evil spirits.
Children of different races were chasing each other in a roadside market, laughing as if the monsters weren’t existent there.
Jennie was watching them quietly.
"The world..."
"...is much larger than I thought."
"A thousand years ago, you didn’t have time to enjoy it," Excalibur replied.
She nodded.
"Yes, back then every journey ended in another battle."
"But now..."
She smiled softly.
"I can see the thing I was protecting."
By noon, Jennie came to a bustling crossroads.
The travelers gathered around the food stalls while the merchants noisily shouted about their products.
Fresh bread.
Roasted meat.
Strange exotic fruits coming from the southern kingdoms.
Colorful fabrics coming from far away deserts.
Jennie’s stomach growled.
She laughed awkwardly.
"I guess that heroes still feel hunger."
She bought a piece of bread and a bowl of vegetable soup and settled down under a huge oak tree.
While she quietly eats her meal, she saw that old merchant is struggling near her.
One of his wagon wheels fell down, and his cart is tilted now.
Boxes of apples are spread on the road.
Several travelers pass by.
None of them helps.
Jennie sighed.
"...I can’t ignore that."
She got up and approached him.
"Excuse me."
The old man looked at her, sweat on his forehead.
"Oh..."
"I am sorry, young lady."
"I didn’t want to obstruct the road."
Jennie smiled.
"May I help?"
The merchant blinked.
"Will you?"
She simply nodded.
Without a single word, Jennie rolled up her sleeves.
Wheel has been cutted through the middle.
For most people, it was necessary to have a blacksmith.
Jennie carefully examined it.
"Hmm..."
"There is enough wood around here."
Within a few minutes she disappeared in the nearby forest.
Coming back, she brought the solid branch on her shoulder.
The merchant stared.
"You cut that already?"
Jennie smiled innocently.
"It was quite easy."
Using the small knife, she skilfully shaped the wood into a replacement support and fixed the damaged wheel using the rope from the wagon.
In less than a half an hour...
Wagon was standing straight again.
The merchant slowly pushed it.
The wheel turned perfectly.
"...It was fixed."
He looked at Jennie with amazement.
"Young lady..."
"You work like a true craftsman."
Jennie scratched her cheek.
"My father taught me a little."
Arthur’s smiling face appeared in her memories.
Warmth of pain appeared in her heart.
The merchant reached into his pocket.
"Please."
"Let me at least pay you."
Jennie immediately refused.
"No."
"You’ve already paid me."
He looked surprised.
"I did?"
She smiled.
"By seeing you smiling is enough."
Before the merchant could say anything more...
Jennie started to leave.
"Wait!"
He rushed to follow her.
"I haven’t even know your name!"
Jennie stopped for a second.
Without turning back, she answered,
"...Raven."
"Just a traveler."
And started walking further the Frontier Road.
The old merchant watched her white cloak till it disappears behind the hill.
"...Raven..."
He quietly repeated this name.
"I will remember that."
At the evening the clouds appeared above.
Light rain has started to fall.
Jennie found shelter beneath the ruins of the stone watchtower overlooking the road.
She collected several branches and lit the campfire.
Crackling flames were pushing back the darkness.
Jennie quietly heated a kettle with water.
Soon she felt a familiar smell.
Tea.
Despite everything...
She still finished every day with tea.
She smiled faintly while holding a warm cup.
"...Lilia would surely say that I brewed it too strong."
For some moments...
Silence of pain has settled over the campfire.
Excalibur spoke softly.
"You miss them."
Jennie looked at the flickering flames.
"Yes, every day."
"But..."
She raised her eyes to the starry sky.
"I don’t regret my choice."
"They are alive."
"They are happy."
"It’s enough."
The holy sword was silent.
Deep in her heart...
Excalibur knew that Jennie lied, but only a little bit.
She doesn’t regret that she saved them.
But she will always miss them.
The loneliness will never disappear completely.
Jennie drank the last sip of the tea and looked at the endless number of stars.
Beyond the mountains...
Beyond the rivers...
Beyond the endless forests...
Six Divine Swords are waiting for her.
Some are hidden.
Some are sealed.
Some are already hunted by the remaining Demon Generals.
She put a gentle hand on the hilt of the Excalibur.
"One day..."
"We will find them all."
Golden glow of the Excalibur was flickering softly.
"Together."
Jennie smiled.
"Together."
The campfire quietly burnt under the starry sky.
Away from the kingdoms.
Away from the glory.
Away from the name of Leonis.
New legend has taken the first steps.
Not legend of the Sword King.
But legend of the mysterious traveler in white cloak...
A hunter named Raven.
The following morning came to the Frontier Road shrouded in fog.
Jennie put out the embers of her campfire and placed a small backpack on her shoulder.
Unlike those in the kingdom, she didn’t carry any extra stuff anymore.
Some sets of clothes.
Provisions for traveling.
Medical herbs.
Tea set protected in fabric wrapping.
And, under an ordinary sheath...
Excalibur.
Jennie stretched as sunlight appeared over the faraway mountains.
"So..."
"To where today?"
Jennie asked her sword.
"North."
Jennie arched an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"I can sense dense mana several days away."
"The source of the mana is unknown."
"It could be another Divine Sword..."
"...Or something absolutely different."
Jennie’s expression turned to seriousness.
"In case the source is one of the Seven..."
"We should definitely check it."
She tightened her white cloak and started going north.
The road became less smoothed.
The road for merchants and travelers turned into steep paths along high pines.
Several hours later Jennie saw a weathered wooden signpost.
Visguy Village
318 people live here
Visitors welcome
The inscription on the sign faded due to years of rains and snowfalls.
Jennie smiled.
"It looks nice."
As she stepped into the village...
She understood that something wasn’t right.
The streets were almost deserted.
Several shops were closed despite the late morning.
The blacksmith hammered the single sword rather then completing big orders.
There were no children playing outside.
Adults spoke in low voices if the topic was connected to the forest close to the village.
Even the air seemed to be full of some heaviness.
Jennie went quietly to the village square.
There was a small wooden building in the middle of the square.
There was an emblem above the entrance.
A sword of silver color crossing two wings.
Hunter Guild.
In there...
The building was almost empty.
Only three hunters sat at the table.
One had a broken arm in the splint.
Another walked with a limp.
The third just stared silently at his not touched drink.
Behind the desk sat a young receptionist looking exhausted.
She tried to smile as Jennie approached.
"Welcome to the Visguy Hunter Guild."
"How may I help you?"
Jennie politely bowed.
"I would like to receive quest today for hunters."
The receptionist blinked.
"You?"
Jennie nodded.
"Yes."
The woman quickly found the registration form.
"Name?"
"...Raven."
"Age?"
"Fifteen."
"Occupation?"
"Hunter."
The receptionist awkwardly smiled.
"Well..."
"Hopeful soon."
Jennie couldn’t resist to smile.
The woman quickly finished writing.
"Preferred weapon?"
"Sword."
"Magic affinity?"
Jennie paused.
"...None."
The receptionist stamped the paper.
"So , You are now an F-Rank Hunter Registered on Seraiya . And you have F-Rank badge too."
Jennie forged that badge herself as to start doing quests on hunter guilds
Jennie took her small bronze badge.
"Welcome to the guild."
Jennie took the badge with two hands.
"Thank you."
One of the older hunters looked at her and started laughing.
"We accept children now?"
The second hunter started laughing.
"Give her mushroom gathering quest."
"At least mushrooms don’t bite."
The receptionist sighed.
"Ignore them."
"They are harmless."
The third hunter quickly protested.
"I am extremely dangerous."
The receptionist folded her arms.
"You cried when slime attacked your face."
Everything fell silent in the room.
Jennie covered her mouth, trying not to smile.
The second hunter started to laugh first.
"I told you she will remember that forever!"
The ashamed hunter covered his face with hands.
"It was only one time!"
Jennie smiled.
Probably, hunter guilds are similar everywhere.
The receptionist put several quest forms on the desk.
"As an F-Rank Hunter..."
"You may do those quests."
Jennie looked through the forms.
• Gather Healing Herbs
• Collect Moon Mushrooms
• Eliminate Forest Slimes
Those quests were simple.
Jennie nodded.
"I want to do all of those quests."
The receptionist blinked.
"All of them?"
"They are nearby."
"It will save your time."
The woman smiled.
"Very well."
"Just be careful."
The forest close to Visguy Village was pretty.
The sunlight filtered through the ancient trees.
The birds sang peacefully above.
Jennie quietly collected the herbs singing a tune.
"This reminds me of when Mom send me to collect vegetables."
Excalibur quietly laughed.
"Except vegetables rarely tried to eat you."
As if answering her...
The slime dropped from the branch.
Splosh!
It landed on Jennie’s hood.
Jennie stopped walking.
Silence.
The slime happily bounced.
"..."
"...Really?"
She carefully removed it from her head.
"I am not food."
The slime wobbled apologetically.
Jennie sighed.
With one flick of her finger...
The slime dissipated into blue harmless particles.
"A terrible battle."
"Please don’t laugh at me."
Within an hour...
Jennie fulfilled all the assigned quests.
The basket was full of herbs and mushrooms.
All the slimes were destroyed.
Jennie smiled happily.
"This wasn’t so hard."
Suddenly...
The voice of Excalibur turned into serious tone.
"Jennie."
She immediately understood the reason for that.
"What is it?"
"Three kilometers east."
"A very powerful mana signature."
Jennie’s smile faded.
"Is this a Monster?"
"A-Rank."
Jennie quietly put the basket down.
"This is too close to the village."
Without any hesitations...
She started running.
The deep forest was scratched by the claw marks.
Several trees were broken.
There were no birds at all.
Jennie saw the clearing.
In there...
The huge Crimson Fang Bear stood above the carcass of a dead deer.
About four meters tall.
It’s fur was bright red with mana.
It’s claws were longer than the swords.
Jennie frowned.
"This is an A-Rank monster..."
"It shouldn’t be close to the beginners’ village."
The bear sensed her presence.
ROAR!
The loud roar shaken the entire forest.
Jennie slowly put her hand on the hilt of her disguised sword.
"There is nobody around."
"Good."
The bear rushed towards her.
Cracks appeared on the ground due to it’s weight.
Jennie closed her eyes.
One breath.
One step.
The world seemed to go in slow motion.
The bear swiped with his claws.
Jennie moved.
There was a single flash of white across the clearing.
Silence.
The bear froze.
Several seconds...
Passed in silence.
Then...
The line appeared on it’s body.
It’s huge body fell to pieces with the roar and crashed to the ground.
Jennie silently sheathed her sword.
"...Too slow."
She looked at the monster with worry rather than satisfaction.
"This wasn’t normal."
"Why an A-Rank monster close to civilians?"
Excalibur quietly said.
"Somebody drives the monsters from their territories."
Jennie looked to the northern mountains.
The intuition whispered.
Somewhere behind those mountains...
Something had awoken.
She picked up her basket.
"For now..."
"The villagers come first."
Without collecting any trophies...
Without reporting what she had done...
She quietly started returning to Visguy Village.
Behind her...
The body of the A-Rank monster was left as proof that somewhere in the world...
A mysterious White Hunter started writing the new legend.
