Walking through the path between the beautiful grasslands as the stream of the dazzling sun gives light to the vicinity, Christa had begun to start her journey towards the capital city of the Reilaea Kingdom. With every step she makes, her crimson red eyes adorned the beautiful sight of the grasslands. A few moments after enjoying her walk, Christa remembered her conversation with Angelika earlier in the morning.
It was the dawn before sunset, but both Angelika and Christa are fully awake. Over time, Angelika and Christa have been packing their things for their separate journey. It didn't take long before they finish packing their stuff.
"That should be enough for my journey."
Angelika spoke as she stared at Christa who was busy wearing the clothes that Angelika made.
"Oh! It looks surprisingly fit, Christa!"
"Is it really?"
Christa moved as she tries to look at the clothes she currently wears - A dark red hooded tunic, black leggings, and a brown sole leather boots.
"Yeah! I used the design of the normal female swordsman clothing to fit on you. Now you should be able to at least blend with the townspeople from the two towns you have to pass through."
"This doesn't really look like a normal female swordsman clothing to me." Christa frowned.
'You really resemble your Father and Mother, Christa.'
Angelika thought to herself. Then, she raised her arm in mid-air as a pouch that contains a considerable amount of gold appeared in her palm.
"Woah! That's a huge amount of gold, Aunt Angelika!"
Christa spoke as her eyes widened in amazement for the incredible amount of gold that makes a sound every time each coin rubs each other inside.
"This much should help you get by for days. Make sure to use it wisely, okay?"
Angelika proceeds to give Christa the pouch. After grabbing the gold bag, Christa tried to pull it out of Angelika's palm. She did not expect the weight of the bag and so she almost let go of her grip and the pouch almost fell on the ground. Luckily, Christa grasped the pouch tight and was able to hold it.
"Speaking of these tons of golds, where did you get this from? You rarely get requests and you never take jobs in the near villages. Are you secretly stealing from people and hid all of it to use them for later?"
Christa seemed to be confused about where Angelika gets all the money, and so she started interrogating her.
"Don't worry, I may have done it in my younger days but I've turned a new leaf."
Angelika seemed to respond to Christa confidently.
"It's just one of my special abilities. But I don't use it often because it might ruin the economy of the world. With my ability, there's no need for me to bother stealing from people anymore."
She shrugged with her triumphant smug at the same time. It's as if she's trying to act like a teenager.
"Eh... you can do something like this, huh? I guess I'll take it."
A drawstring bag that contains spare clothes, healing potions that Angelika gave her, the wooden sword that she always uses, and the gold pouch that Angelika gave her, too. Christa got all the things she needed for her journey.
Meanwhile, Angelika noticed the wooden sword, it was the sword that Christa and Angelika made together. Ever since then, Christa had been using it since the start of her training. Every time it breaks, Christa would always come running to Angelika to restore it back to normal. Now that they are about to part ways, It occurred to Angelika that she had to do something for the sword that accompanied Christa for ten years.
"Christa, can you give me that wooden sword for a bit?"
"Huh, why? Don't tell me you're going to throw this away?"
Christa slightly backed away, holding the sword with her grip.
"I'm not throwing it away, idiot. Just give it to me!"
With a slight doubt, Christa handed her wooden sword to Angelika. Angelika took the sword and holds it with both her hands horizontally. Then, a light appeared with her hands and gradually enveloped the sword. After a few seconds, the light in Angelika's hands has disappeared while the light that covered the whole sword disappeared almost the same time. It's as if the wooden sword sucked the light out of Angelika's hands.
With that, she gave back the sword to Christa.
"Aunt Angelika, what did you do?"
Christa proceeds to take the sword off of Angelika's grip.
"Well, I know you've grown fond of that thing. And now that I'm going away, you wouldn't be able to restore it back if you ever break it. So I thought I should do something to make it stronger and durable. You can consider this as my parting gift."
"Aunt Angelika... Thank you, I'll cherish this sword for the rest of my life! And for the past ten years of taking care of me and training me endlessly, thank you!"
Christa bowed her head as to give thanks to Angelika. Angelika then proceeds to pat Christa's head. Rubbing it slowly and gently, it made Christa feel happy with Angelika's touch.
"Raise your head, idiot. When did you learn how to say sweet things like that, it almost made me cry!"
Angelika actually cried. But she held her tears with her magic. What a skillful Spell Caster.
In the meantime, the sun was slowly coming out of hiding and started giving light to the land.
"Ah, the sun is up!"
Angelika spoke.
Christa then raised her head back up.
"It really is..."
Angelika summoned her staff and she used it to touch the stuff she packed. Then, the bag slowly faded as it goes inside the staff.
"Christa, with your journey, there are bound to be challenges that you will face. Some might be easy and some might be a little hard for you to handle."
Both of them looked at each other.
"But, those challenges will also be your instrument to become stronger. That's why always remember, fight, struggle, lose, learn, overcome, win, and have fun as you create your own path and make history!"
"Yes!"
Back at the present. A few hours have passed since then and it was already the afternoon, Christa continued on her way towards the Reilaea Kingdom. And on her way, not far from the horizon, she was finally able to see the Carmila Town, one of the two and the second town she has to pass through to get to the Kingdom.
"There it is!"
Without wasting any second standing idly, Christa followed the path and immediately went to the town. Soon after, Christa reached the town checkpoint. The town guards who are in the checkpoint noticed Christa as she walks closer and closer to the checkpoint.
"Oh, a person in red... a girl to be precise."
"Hey."
Christa spoke to the guards. Then the guard asked her.
"A young traveler, eh?"
"Well, I just started today. I'm going to the Reilaea Kingdom."
"Reilaea Kingdom, huh?"
"Yes. But the sun will set soon so I'm gonna have to stay in the town for tonight."
"I see. if you go and went straight inside the town, you should be able to get to the nearest Inn."
The guard points Christa the way.
"They have rooms and they serve food for adventurers."
"I see, that's a big help! Thank you!"
'Looks like the people here are nice.'
"But, this is a bad time for you to come here."
The other guard suddenly spoke. Asking for a reason what he meant, the guard responded to Christa.
"Well, there are rumors about a large group of bandits planning to invade the town. If that is true, and with our current numbers, we might not be able to defend the town."
"And because of the appearance of a mysterious monster that took the lives of some of the Spell Casters in our town, our force has shrunken even further. But, the Lord has requested aid from the Reilaea Kingdom and the reinforcements should arrive by night."
The other guard followed. Christa who was quietly listening responded.
"I see..."
'A mysterious monster, huh? I need to find it and see if it's stronger than the ones in the forest.'
Christa thought to herself as she seemed to have found a possibly strong monster to make a good target.
"Then I'll be careful, I'm gonna go in, thank you!"
Christa had entered the Carmila Town, as she walked through the main path, a considerable number of houses were clustered in a row. Some are made of bricks and others are of fine wood. Soon, she reached the Inn that the guard pointed her into.
"This must be it."
A loud sound of people laughing and talking could be heard inside.
Without hesitation, Christa opened the door and went in. She then walked straight to the counter and calmly asked the innkeeper.
"Welcome!"
the innkeeper and his co-worker spoke at the same time.
"Uh... I'm looking for a place to stay for tonight."
"I see, we have vacant rooms on the second floor."
"How much is one night, then?"
"That would be 10 silvers, including bath and food."
Christa took a gold coin out of the pouch and then placed it on the desk.
"I don't have silver coins in me, would this be enough?"
"A gold, huh...? here's your change."
The innkeeper gave Christa 90 silver coins.
'My gold coin turned into 90 silver coins...'
"Do you want to get your food now?"
"Yeah, please."
"Alright, it should be done in a moment, please sit there and relax."
The Innkeeper then went inside to start cooking. In the meantime, Christa puts the silver coins inside the pouch. And then suddenly... One of the drunk men slammed the desk beside her as the drunk man sits on the side. He then looks at Christa's face, but she doesn't seem to care at all.
"Oh, what a fine, pretty young lady you are."
'I feel trouble...'
The drunk man spoke in a playful tone as the other drunk men followed suit.
"Oh, you never see a cute young miss like her every day."
"Your clothes sure looks fine, too. It perfectly matches that crimson red eyes you have."
Just then, they noticed Christa holding a white cloth covering her wooden sword.
"Oh, a sword, are you an adventurer?"
Then, one of them took the sheath off and revealed her sword, making Christa frown.
"A wooden sword? So that's why it's so light."
"Give it back."
Christa spoke in an underlying tone. But the man doesn't seem to want to do it. Then, the group began to pick on her.
"Give it back? Why? You're not gonna beat anything with just this right?"
"She's probably just using to act like she's fighting someone."
"That's right. A young girl fighting using only a wooden sword? What a joke. Hahahaha!"
"Give it back."
Christa spoke once again, but this time her voice sounds like she's getting irritated. Then...
"Why do you want it so bad? You can just buy a real one. But if you really want it back..."
The man pointed to the bag where she put her coin pouch. Now it's clear what the men true intention was.
"We saw that pouch full of money that you put inside that bag. If you lend us at least just a bit, I'll give it back to you."
The people inside who are casually eating inside the inn stared quietly at the red hooded girl who is unfortunate to be picked by thugs. One of the workers of the Inn tried to talk to Christa, but she gestured the girl to stay back.
"Give it back."
Christa spoke for the third time with the same words.
"Didn't you hear me? I said if you le- Guaah!!"
"What?!"
Christa was through with the man and others picking on her. And so, with her left elbow, Christa hit the man in her gut hard enough to send him flying from the door, and out of the Inn
"Didn't you hear me? I said give it back!"
When Christa turned around, she found the guy outside lying on the road unconscious.
"Ah, I thought I held it back all the way."
"You!!"
The other drunk men tried to attack Christa all at the same time. However, they stopped moving after they saw Christa's eyes full of bloodlust. Not just them, everyone inside the Inn was shivering in fear as they look at Christa brimming with malicious aura.
"Get out of here!"
"Y...Yes!"
The group ran awkwardly and disappeared out of the crowd who witnessed such a horrifying sight. The guy who got knocked down quickly followed them. Then, the owner who brought Christa's food noticed the broken door.
"Ah, it got destroyed again. Stupid thugs."
Christa then apologized for the mess she and the thugs did. Then, she proceeded to pay the owner for the damaged door.
After doing so, she began to eat the food served to her as if nothing happened. The other customers also went back to their thing and everything went back to normal. After eating, she took a bath and went to the room she rented to take a rest.
"Those guys are pretty useless... I heard from the Innkeeper about the mysterious monster. Apparently, it appears in the middle of the night and preys on people who were likely outside and taking a walk. I guess I should take some sleep for now so I can catch it tonight."