Chapter 205: Into the Depths of the Forest
The man who introduced himself as Antares wielded twin swords to clear away shrubs, creating a path just wide enough for the carriage. This makeshift trail was at a perfect distance, hidden from view from the main road, but never deep in the forest.
Once Hilda and Chris had removed the injured horse from the carriage, Antares led the carriage further down the path. He attempted to camouflage it with fallen leaves and branches, but Hilda stopped him.
“Wait a moment. I don’t want the carriage to get too dirty.”
“What should we do then?”
“Like this.”
Hilda stood next to a thick tree near the carriage, and as she gestured, the tree began to creak and change shape. It wasn’t just one tree; soon, multiple trees intertwined, forming a basket-like enclosure around the carriage.
“That’s amazing. A spiritual art to manipulate trees? I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I’m not skilled enough to be praised. I can’t use it in a chaotic battle as I am still in training.”
“Is that so?”
Antares looked surprised as he touched the wooden cage. The bark retained its original hardness, neither brittle nor cracked, just as when the trees were straight. He seemed to ponder whether this spiritual art, which could freely transform trees, might be sufficiently effective as an aid in combat. His eyes seemed to say so.
Hilda wasn’t lying. Currently, she couldn’t use her spiritual art to control trees in the midst of a fierce battle. This was evident since she hadn’t used it during their fight with the bandits.
However, to say that this trees spiritual art is completely useless in battle would be incorrect. There are many ways to use it, such as transforming trees into barricades or discreetly inserting plants into the gaps of an enemy’s fortress to cause internal collapse, with some ingenuity.
Hilda intentionally avoided revealing her hand to Antares and his companions. Being in the position of a guard, she couldn’t afford to let her guard down around outsiders.
“So, where is this place where your companions are?”
“I’ll lead you there. Follow me.”
“Wait. Isn’t it difficult to have Weiss walk through this forest?”
It was Chris who stopped Antares as he was about to lead the way. The Weiss she spoke of was the name of the horse that had been pulling the carriage. Weiss, with fragments of a shattered sword embedded in it, found it difficult even to walk.
Although the bleeding had been stopped, forcing the horse to walk might reopen its wounds. This was Chris’s concern.
“There’s no need for the horse to walk. Leo.”
“Alrighty. Here we go.”
“Hihiin!?”
“Oh my!”
When Antares called for Leo, he quickly slid under Weiss and with a swift movement, hoisted him up over his shoulders. Hilda and Chris, who were aware since the battle of Leo’s extraordinary strength, far beyond that of a normal child, showed no surprise at his feat.
However, Lieselotte, who hadn’t witnessed the battle and now saw Weiss being easily lifted, couldn’t help but be amazed by Leo’s strength. On the other hand, Weiss, who was abruptly lifted off the ground, nearly panicked at the sudden change.
However, Leo had Weiss’s limbs securely immobilized, rendering any struggle futile. Realizing that resistance was pointless, the horse eventually ceased its efforts and calmed down.
“Sir Leo is very strong!”
“S-Sir Leo!? Well~, I mean… not really…”
Meanwhile, Lieselotte sincerely praised Leo’s strength. Though she was just offering a simple compliment, Leo, unaccustomed to such praise from a refined young lady, was visibly elated. He grinned foolishly and was unable to hide his pleasure.
It’s not surprising that a simple boy like Leo would blush when complimented by a beautiful girl like Lieselotte. However, he might have been letting his guard down too much. Antares looked on with a mix of amazement and dismay, while Hilda watched him with a disapproving eye, not keen on anyone showing romantic interest towards her young lady.
Surprisingly, only Chris watched the two with a fond smile. Though she was older than Leo and Lieselotte, she had only recently reached adulthood, making her the closest in age to them. This might have made it easier for her to empathize with their interactions.
The group continued their journey through the forest at a slow pace. This seemingly leisurely walk was quite strenuous for Lieselotte, who lacked the physical training of the others. She panted heavily and her face started showing clear signs of fatigue.
“Are you okay, young lady?”
“Hah… hah… Y-yes, I’m fine.”
Lieselotte bravely responded with a smile to Chris’s inquiry, but it was obvious to everyone that she was pushing herself too hard. Chris and Hilda exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
“Maybe we should take a break? I’m getting tired too.”
“Understood. Let’s rest for a while.”
Hilda, realizing that Lieselotte could not be pushed any further, suggested that they take a break. Her suggestion was accepted by Antares, who then guided the group to a spot where a fallen tree could be used as a makeshift seat.
Antares laid the boar beside the fallen tree, while Leo carefully lowered Weiss to the ground. Almost simultaneously, Weiss lay down there, and Lieselotte, whose steps were unsteady, sat down on the fallen tree. Perhaps unable to see her in discomfort, Hilda took out a cup and a water bottle from her backpack and poured water for Lieselotte.
“Hah… hah… thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Chris, can you refill this?”
“Understood.”
Receiving the empty bottle from Hilda, Chris began to fill it with water created through her spiritual arts. The fact that she was good at water-based spiritual arts and did not need to secure drinking water greatly reduced the difficulty of their journey.
Though her thirst was quenched, Lieselotte’s fatigue was not so easily relieved. She sat on the fallen tree, taking deep breaths to regain her composure. Meanwhile, Leo and Antares were gathering plants around the fallen tree.
“Are you gathering wild vegetables? I’ll help.”
“Much appreciated.”
“Weiss is in your care, and until she fully recovers, the young lady will be too. We should at least gather our own food.”
“Then, I will help as well.”
Hilda and Chris joined in, and the four of them began gathering edible plants around the fallen tree. Lieselotte seemed eager to help but was too tired to distinguish between edible and inedible plants. Hence, all she could do was look at them sadly from her spot, knowing that even if she joined, she would be a hindrance.
Leo caught a glimpse of Lieselotte’s disheartened expression so he sought to brighten the mood by finding a topic of conversation. He decided to ask about something that had been on his mind since they began their gathering.
“Hey, Miss Chris. Why do you keep wearing those huge gauntlets while gathering? Wouldn’t it be easier to do it with bare hands?”
His question pertained to why Chris continued to wear her large gauntlets. While everyone else was in light attire, her arms were heavily armored, which could be understood as part of her unique combat style.
However, for delicate tasks like the one they were doing, the bulky gauntlets seemed more of a hindrance. Why she chose not to remove them was a mystery that Leo had been pondering for a while.
Leo had posed his question out of simple curiosity, yet Chris responded with a troubled smile. Hilda and Lieselotte also appeared uneasy, as if they knew the reason behind Chris’s choice. Observing their reactions, Leo realized something was amiss; he was not so insensitive as to miss the undercurrents of their discomfort.
“Umm… Ouch!?”
“Sorry for the indiscreet question. You don’t have to answer.”
Antares delivered a light knock on Leo’s head before bowing to Chris in apology. He understood that everyone has a thing or two they’d prefer to keep private. Although Leo didn’t know, he should apologize since he had unintentionally crossed a line.
Instead of brightening the mood, Leo’s attempt had made the atmosphere even more awkward. He hung his head in disappointment but quickly turned serious and looked behind them. He was looking in the deeper direction of the forest, from which he sensed the presence of something approaching.
The group had made their way deep into the forest, deep enough to potentially encroach upon the territory of ferocious wildlife. It wouldn’t be surprising if they had ventured into the hunting grounds of such beasts. Being on guard would have been the prudent course of action.
Hilda and Chris seemed to have noticed it too, as they glared in the same direction with their hands on the hilts of their swords. As the presence rapidly approached, it began to circle the fallen tree where the group was resting.
Were they being intimidated or provoked? Just as the three of them considered taking the initiative, Antares, who had been the only one continuing to gather without concern, let out a deep sigh.
“Your mischief has gone too far, Lappy.”
“Mmm, you caught me.”
No sooner had a girl’s voice, which was devoid of inflection, been heard than the circling presence shot out with the speed of an arrow. It was a girl, even younger and smaller than Leo, who rushed towards Antares with great momentum. With seamless motion, she climbed onto his shoulder, positioning herself for a piggyback ride.
Although he had a girl strapped to his shoulders now Antares remained undisturbed and continued his foraging for plants. Once he had gathered a sufficient amount of wild greens and mushrooms, he stood up as if nothing unusual had happened.
The girl seemed to be content with her elevated viewpoint. Although she showed little change in expression, her joy was somehow conveyed through her vibrant atmosphere.
“Sorry to startle you. This is Lappy, one of our companions.”
“I’m Lappy.”
“So it is Miss Lappy, huh? Pleased to meet you.”
As the girl named Lappy waved from atop Antares’ shoulders, Lieselotte smiled and waved back. The sudden shift from tension to this lighthearted interaction left the three others taken aback.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l