Chapter 206: The Campsite Deep in the Forest
“Hey, Lappy! Don’t do something that would make others misunderstand!”
“It’s Leo’s fault for not realizing. You should learn from big brother.”
Leo, who had been on guard for a possible enemy attack, scolded Lappy for causing an unnecessary alarm. However, Lappy, far from apologizing, defiantly argued that it was Leo’s fault for not recognizing that it was her.
Unlike Hilda and Chris, whom Lappy was meeting for the first time, Leo should have been well aware of his comrade Lappy. In fact, Antares had recognized Lappy’s antics from the beginning. It was obvious that Leo’s failure to recognize one of his comrades was due to his own immaturity.
“Gnnnnuh…”
“This time, it’s Lappy’s fault. Even for a prank, it was too malicious. You knew we had guests, didn’t you? That’s dangerous for everyone.”
“Mmm… I’m sorry.”
“Are you apologizing to me?”
“Sorry for the trouble.”
While Leo was unable to retort and trembled with frustration, Antares grabbed Lappy, who was still perched on his shoulders from the scruff of her neck, and gently lowered her to the ground. He then knelt on one knee to meet Lappy’s gaze and began to counsel her; the way he spoke was both kind and firm, reminiscent of a strict yet caring father.
Following this, Lappy seemed to show remorse and apologized sincerely. Initially, she directed her apology to Antares, but after his next words, she turned towards Hilda and the others and bowed her head. Her actions were so cute that both Hilda and Chris could only smile bitterly in response.
As for Lieselotte, she had been watching Lappy with a smile from beginning to end. Apparently, she had taken a liking to Lappy at first sight.
“We’ve got another scary one added to the mix. Are all your companions like this?”
“Calling her scary! That’s rude to a girl, Hilda.”
From Hilda’s point of view, Lappy was nothing but a being who darted through the forest at high speed, completely bewildering them. Moreover, even when she simply stood still naturally, there seemed to be no opening to take advantage of.
This lack of weakness was comparable to Antares. If it were a barehanded fight, Lappy would be stronger than even Leo. Hilda and Chris were not deceived by her cute appearance.
“Miss Lappy, I want to become friends with you.”
“Sure, that’s fine.”
When Lieselotte expressed her desire to be friends, Lappy nodded and then trotted over to sit beside her. However, Lieselotte then wrapped her arm around Lappy’s waist and lifted her onto her lap.
Lappy showed no resistance and simply let it happen. For the two female guards, it was as if the young lady was holding a wild beast on her lap, but Lieselotte herself was smiling brightly.
“Miss Lappy, you are so cute.”
“Really? I’m happy.”
“Is this a hair ornament? It’s blue and beautiful.”
“Hmm, you’re observant.”
“My name is Lieselotte. Please call me Liese.”
“Okay. Liese is a friend.”
Despite having been exhausted, Lieselotte seemed to have her fatigue blown away as she interacted with Lappy. The tiredness in her face had completely vanished as she quickly warmed up to Lappy.
Regardless of the circumstances, since her fatigue had gone away, it was time to leave. Hilda exchanged glances with Chris and then spoke to Antares, suggesting it was time to depart.
“I don’t know where your base is, but I’d like to arrive before nightfall.”
“That should be fine. We will definitely reach it during the day.”
Then, with Lappy added to their group, they began walking through the forest once again. Their pace was noticeably faster than before; this change was thanks to Lappy’s presence.
Antares carried the large boar, while Leo shouldered Weiss. Hilda and Chris carried backpacks containing only the most essential valuables and necessities. This meant there was no one available to attentively care for Lieselotte.
“Let’s go.”
“Kyaa! Haha, that startled me!”
“Ugh…”
However, Lappy was completely free. Even in places with difficult footing where Lieselotte couldn’t manage to climb or descend, they could easily leap over with Lappy’s help.
At the moment, the two were holding hands, nimbly crossing a rocky area with unstable footing that they would have normally avoided. Although one misstep could lead to a serious injury, Lappy’s movements were so agile that they didn’t cause any worry to those watching.
Not only Antares, who was like a father to Lappy but both Hilda and Chris were smiling as they watched the affectionate pair. Although Lieselotte possessed a strong spirit, it was inevitable that she experienced stress during their journey. Her newfound bond with Lappy was proving to be a positive outlet for her.
Only Leo was looking enviously at Lappy. He too wished to engage more with Lieselotte, but as he was carrying the white horse, Weiss, he couldn’t risk any dangerous moves. Thus, he continued to walk quietly.
As they delved deeper into the forest, the densely growing trees made it darker, even though it was daytime. However, Hilda and her companions noticed a bright spot amidst the gloom. Guided by this light, Antares led them to a campsite nestled in the forest.
The campsite was dotted with several tents and even more tree stumps. The fresh cuts on the stumps indicated that Antares and his group had been the ones felling the trees. These stumps were used as seats, and nearby, tables made from the felled timber were placed. The site wasn’t particularly spacious, but it seemed surprisingly comfortable.
“Hey? Good work, boss!”
“We heard the story from Mr. Mika and the others.”
At the entrance of the campsite, two men were standing guard. Both were armed but wore no armor. While their presence at the entrance suggested they were sentries, they appeared somewhat unreliable at first glance.
Yet Hilda and Chris quickly discerned that even these two were skilled warriors. They felt that they could probably win a one-on-one fight against them, but the presence of such powerful individuals as a matter of course was intriguing. Who really were these people? The pair couldn’t help but wonder.
“Hey, hey, bringing such beauties with you, boss? You’re full of surprises!”
“You’re back? We were worried since you were later than expected.”
As they stepped into the campsite, another two men approached them. One was a burly man with blond hair and a rugged but handsome face, marred only by his intimidating gaze. However, his lively laughter and playful teasing of Antares contrasted with his fearsome look, lending him an oddly charming quality.
The moment they saw him, Hilda and Chris experienced a strange sense of déjà vu. It seemed Liselotte felt the same way, as all three of them tilted their heads in wonder.
The other man was of average height and build and was slender in appearance. Next to the blond man, he seemed short and even somewhat gaunt. However, he was no less imposing in his presence. This was because he was as beautiful as Chris.
His silver hair and blue eyes gave him a mystical appearance, and his somewhat shadowy aura was likely to enchant many women. Like Chris, he possessed a beauty so striking that he would need to hide his face in town to avoid inconvenience.
“Tigar, this is your son’s catch. Please pass it on to Mika and the others.”
“Sure thing! Ooh, a one-shot with an arrow! You’ve improved your archery skills, Leo! That’s my boy!”
“Heheh! It was no big deal!”
Ignoring the teasing of the blond burly Tigar, Antares casually tossed the boar he had been carrying. The act of throwing the enormous boar, and the ease with which it was caught, displayed tremendous physical strength. There was no sign of them using any fighting spirit either; this was purely their natural physical power.
And the mystery of the déjà vu the trio of new women felt was solved. Tigar was Leo’s father. Although their attention had initially been drawn to his fierce eyes, upon closer inspection, it was clear their facial features were similar. Hilda thought to herself; thankfully, the similarity didn’t extend to their eyes.
“Zald, take Leo and go to Sharl.”
“For the horse’s treatment, right? Understood.”
“Alriiight. Um, does anyone want to come along if you’re worried?”
Leo, who was praised by his father, couldn’t hide his childlike delight. However, when it came time to take care of the women’s white horse, Weiss, he calmly asked Hilda and the others.
During their time together, Leo felt he had warmed up to the group, though not to the same extent as with Lappy and Liselotte. However, entrusting him with their treasured horse, Weiss, was a different matter altogether. The earnest Leo made sure to inquire about this beforehand.
“Then I’ll accompany you. Chris.”
“Leave the young lady in my care.”
Hilda, who had planned to offer her help if Leo hadn’t asked, quickly decided to join in treating Weiss. This would mean leaving Liselotte out of her sight, but she knew Chris would protect her with her life.
Meanwhile, Liselotte was surrounded by even smaller children than Lappy. Liselotte looked happy, but Hilda couldn’t help but harbor more questions. Why were there so many children mixed in with a group of strong warriors hidden away from the battlefield? The mystery only deepened.
“What a pretty big sister!”
“Ufufu, thank you. Please call me Liese… Oh?”
While smiling and playing with the small children, Liselotte noticed a gaze on her from a distance. The source of the gaze was a group of three youngsters, around the same age as Leo. Once they realized Liselotte had noticed them, they quickly scurried away to somewhere else.
Liselotte could only watch in wonder as the youngsters scampered away. But she soon became fully engrossed in entertaining the children before her, quickly pushing thoughts of the three out of her mind.
“Then I’ll take this guy over there. I’ll make sure to prepare dinner for our guests too.”
“Alright, that would be great. And, while you’re at it, take this as well.”
“Sure thing, boss. You just relax and keep the beauties company!”
With a hearty “Gahahaha”, Tigar took a basket filled with wild vegetables and mushrooms from Antares and headed deeper into the camp. Antares sat down on a nearby stump and then gestured for Chris to join him.
Chris didn’t refuse and settled onto a stump. Once she was seated, Antares retrieved a small drawstring pouch from his pocket and extended it toward her.
“This scent… is it fragrant wood? And of a high quality?”
“Seems so. It’s said to hasten recovery from fatigue. You should give it to your young lady later.”
“Is it really okay? It seems like a valuable item…”
The contents of the drawstring pouch Antares handed over were pieces of natural aromatic wood. Chris, who was often in contact with luxury goods as Liselotte’s guard, recognized it as an exceptionally high-quality and expensive variety of fragrant wood. Such items were not typically handed out so freely.
Antares himself seemed to be aware of this fact, but he scratched his head in a troubled manner. After scanning the surroundings to ensure no specific individual was around, he whispered to Chris, lowering his voice. “I don’t like this scent,” he began.
“A comrade gave it to me out of kindness… But the fragrance is too strong. Instead of relieving fatigue, it causes my nose and head to ache… It’s rather counterproductive, isn’t it?”
“Hehe, that’s right.”
“Please, take it as a favor to help me out.”
“Understood. But… It might sound rude; you’re surprisingly delicate, aren’t you?”
“Surprisingly, you say. Anyone would notice how delicate I look.”
“Yes, perhaps… Hehe.”
Chris couldn’t help but laugh at Antares, who shrugged his shoulders in a playful manner. Perhaps, realizing his approachable side, she felt relieved compared to the distant impression she had of him before.
Both of them were aware of their own conversational shortcomings. However, they found themselves engaging in a natural and seamless conversation, quite unexpectedly. As they were engaged in their lighthearted chat, they didn’t realize how time had flown, and it was already nearing evening.
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