With the mayor and the villager finally went on their way, the two finally began their tour throughout the entire the village, with Aina acting as a tour guide to Christa, the ever so energetic and lively big sister leads the way. First to their destination is the most crowded and active area of the village, where the place is full with the same people and children Christa saw not too long ago.
The moment Aina gets into the line of sight of the kids, the group of children quickly gathered around Aina, needless to say, she is popular to kids. Perhaps it's because of her cheerful, friendly and a little childish personality she shares with them.
After a little bit of getting sidetracked because of Aina getting busy with the kids and forgets her sibling, the two continued and went to the next area where food stalls are lined up, such as freshly baked bread shop and other cooked food stalls where one could eat and enjoy the food outside while bathing in the heat of the sun and the gentle breeze of the wind.
Stands filled with a variety of freshly harvested fruits and vegetables. Firm and crispy lettuces, sweet potatoes, all kinds of carrot that have grown quite nicely in size, broccolis, eggplants and other vegetables.
Yellow mangoes that are incredibly sweet and delicious, and the green ones that are eaten mostly with certain kinds of relishes and is quite popular to the villagers, bananas that are firm and big, oranges, grape fruits, apples and more of delicious fruits as well.
They are also selling meats that came from hunting around the forest near the village, like the vampire boar meat that are finely sliced into different meaty parts. But for an unknown reason, the best seller of the vampire boar is its blood. Different kinds of seafood that came from a town is quite popular as well.
"This place is almost the same as the market place in the capital. They're selling quite a number of food." Christa said as she stopped in front of a stand where fresh lettuce were being sold. She bought two pieces of fresh, round lettuces.
As she did, Aina responded to her and said, "The mayor considered that going to the nearest town or capital every time the villagers buys things a hassle. Because of that and with the population steadily growing in our village, the mayor decided to trade and buy things in one go."
Christa and Aina looked at each other as she continues to speak. "With that, not only the villagers won't be inconvenienced by traveling far places anymore, the store owners will earn profits and also the mayor who spends the village's money to help pay other expenses that will benefit the village."
"Eh..." Christa turned her eyes towards the round lettuces. Shortly after, she extends her hand to Aina holding one of the lettuces. "Here."
"Ah, thank you." Aina gladly accepted Christa's offer, taking the lettuce out of Christa's grasp with both her hands. And with her hand that is finally free from holding one of the two round lettuces, Christa gently pulls a piece of of the ball of green leaves. She takes her time to take a big bite from the fresh piece of lettuce.
"It's not just fresh and crispy, it's also sweet and delicious." Christa were astonished, praising the vegetable with its great taste.
"You're right, I guess I'll use these for my dinner tonight." Aina responded, and the round lettuce seemed to have passed her tongue's approval.
"Cooking, huh...?" Christa suddenly talked about cooking out of nowhere. Hearing so made Aina wanted to ask her if she is able to cook.
She then responded with a resounding no and said, "No, my teacher takes care of things like cooking so I can focus on mastering my sword skill back in the forest."
"Forest?"
"Yes, the "Forest of No Return," the home of countless monsters and animals."
"Eh..." It took her a few moments for Aina to realize what Christa told her. "Huh?! That forest?! You guys have been living there since? Isn't that dangerous?"
Christa then tries to defend the forest and told Aina that it wasn't as dangerous as they think. But Aina seems to believe the danger of the territory of the monsters.
"That forest isn't just a home of many dangerous monsters and animals. The Forest of No Return is called that because there was a giant monster that is living there. And that monster is believed to have come from some kind of a portal that connects our land to theirs. And those who have crossed that path could not return to our land and they were stuck in the other side for the rest of their lives.
A bridge that connects the land to another. A giant monster that is living in the forest. With what Aina said, Christa realizes who she was talking about, the giant boa - Titania.
"I don't know anything about other people going inside that path and never returning home but, I know a giant boa that lives there."
"Eh, you know a giant snake living there?"
"Yeah, I call her Titania, she's my friend. She's quite big but she was still young and she said she was still growing." Christa casually revealed a giant monster as her friend with an innocent smile and expression printed on her face. "She also gave me ride to get here not long ago."
Aina was left speechless with shock and terror, learning that the girl she calls her as her little sister knows a giant monster that could literally kill anyone if it pleases. What's more, she calls it with a name and it also gave Christa a ride to get to the village not too long ago.
Aina started shivering just by imagining what would have happen if the giant monster decided to go to the village and eat everyone living here. "G-giant... Snake..." She was also stammering as she spoke.
Christa noticed her trembling and her face that looks like she's ill. And so she tried to ask Aina and said, "Hey, are you okay? You look pale."
"Yes... I-I'm okay." Aina responded in a rather low voice, still frightened to what she imagines.
Seeing an unsual behavior makes Christa confused, but she knows that Aina started acting like that when she mentioned Titania. She thought, perhaps Aina wants to meet the giant snake and also wanted to experience riding her.
Wanting to know the answer, she approach Aina and curiously ask her. "Hey, do you perhaps want to meet Titania and get to ride her?"
Aina hastily waves her hands left and right while also shaking her head in decline to Christa's question. "No! I'm okay, I'm okay! I'd like to stay here and live longer!"
"Huh? What are you talking about it?" Christa tilted her head in confusion.
"Nothing important! Let's just continue going around the village!" Aina quickly turned Christa's body forward and pushes her from behind, they then continue their tour throughout the village. And their talk about Titania was forgotten.
Soon after, the two exploring the village reached its end, on their way, Christa saw a crowd of people holding a sword each, gathered around with the mayor on the center, seemingly talking to everyone about something.
"That's a lot of people gathered..." Christa stopped as she speaks. Aina did the same and responded. "It must be because of the vampire boar hunting that will happen later tonight.
"Ah, I heard the mayor talked about it as she goes away not too long ago..." Christa then began to ask the reason why they are going for the hunt at night. "...but what's the reason of hunting vampire boars at night? What's with a vampire boar actually?"
Aina then answered and said, "Vampire boars despite having a size almost as big as a bear is hard to find during the day since they were nocturnal monsters. Those boars are also attacking like a pack, if one finds their territory and disturbs them, they will not hesitate to attack and kill anyone all at once."
Aina continues to speak as Christa quietly listens to her. "But at night, those boars goes out individually to find food, those creatures camouflage themselves in the dark with their pitch black fur, that's why they can sneak and leap on their prey confidently."
"Eh? But simply using a torch that only lights a little won't help them find one, and even of they did, it'll simply run away after seeing a lot of torches holding up by a lot of people. It might even get to kill one of them before they could pin it down."
"That is if they are going to use torches."
"Huh?" Christa seems puzzled to Aina's words. Aina then pointed the sky as she responded to the girl.
"Tonight, the moon will be up in the sky, giving enough light to see in the woods, and a way to spot monsters who are hiding in the dark. What's more, if the moon lights up the vampire boar's eyes, it will start glowing red like a blood that a vampire drinks. That is enough to spot one and take them down."
"I see... The moon, huh." Christa continues to watch over the crowd and the mayor gathered around. At the same time, Aina was looking at the girl's eyes. Then, she talked to Christa once again and said, "Speaking of eyes, yours are also red. Although it seemed to be like... a little bit dark or something. Just a little, a tiny bit dark."
"My eye, huh?" Christa spoke as she turned her face towards Aina.
"In any case, yours seems to be quite unique unlike others. I don't know how to explain it though." Aina then started taking a step forward, passing behind Christa who seems to be curious about what makes her eyes seems to be unique like the girl said.
"My eyes are unique? How?"
Aina called Christa as she tells her that she can stay in her house for the day.
"Christa, let's go. You can stay in my house for today and have a dinner."
"Huh? Are you sure?"
"Of course! I wouldn't let my little sister sleep outside, it's dangerous. Especially if you go sleep in that Forest."
Christa then began thinking, 'If I go back, even if I'm flying, it'll take more than a day to go back to the capital. And it's going to be dark soon, I could go sleep back in the forest but..."
Christa turned her crimson red eyes towards Aina. Their eyes met, and Aina then asks her. "What? Wait... Why aren't you answering? Don't you want to stay with me?"
'That expression that looks like someone was about to leave her alone for eternity... Fine, I'll stay here for tonight.'
After reaching an answer to her whether she'll be spending the night in the forest or to Aina's, she went and tells Aina that she'll be in her's for tonight.
"Alright, I'll be in your care for tonight."
With what Christa said, Aina finally cheers up, she sprinted towards Christa and grabbed her by the hand, pulling her as they both head towards Aina's home.