In the morning, the sun is bright, and the sunlight is warm and not harsh.
The birds keep chirping, and the breeze is cool. The leaves of the plants are covered from the dew drops.
Only if those birds were not scavengers it would have been perfect.
*Rustle*
The entrance of the tent opened and a beautiful girl with red long hair exited outside of it.
"Uh, Ellen, Good morning. By the way, have you seen Leon?."
"Morning" Ellen glimpsed at Edger once, before replying with a half-awake voice. "Who knows, don't worry he would probably be fine."
"Of course, he would be. But the thing is we are getting late. Today is the last day of our mission, let's just finish this as soon as possible and get out of this hell."
"Uh... Where is she? The Goddess?"
Edger pointed at the branch of a tree nearby. "She is just sitting there idly, I asked her about him but she didn't reply anything. Better not disturb her. "
"... Ok." Ellen nodded.
Then, she walked her way towards the tree nearby.
Natsuki had closed her eyes and was leaning on one of its branches. It was unsure whether she was meditating or sleeping.
"Hello?" Ellen tried calling her out but it didn't help.
She roamed around casually, arranging her words. [How to address her now? Natsuki or Goddess Natsuki... Ahh, so much trouble, whatever.]
Ultimately, she shook her head tired and sighed.
"Hey, Miss Natsuki have you seen Leon."
"... Don't know." Natsuki opened her eyes slightly and glanced at Ellen once before closing it again.
Ellen wrinkled her brows and frowned. [WTF she means by don't know, yesterday she was like a little girl. How did she get transformed today.]
As she was lost in her thoughts, a hand-stretched on behind her back. "Hey, Ellen are you coming?."
"Do not disturb me," Ellen said disgruntled.
"Umm...ok, but just to inform you we are getting late." I glanced at her once before moving back.
Natsuki jumped down from the tree and followed him.
Ellen stared at their distant back as a realisation hit her. "Wait! Leon." She hurriedly rushed forward to catch up with them.
"Where were you till now."
I looked back a bit startled. What's wrong with her? Don't tell me this loli has done something.
I peeked at Natsuki to make sure she isn't playing any tricks.
"Don't stare at me. I have done nothing." Natsuki told bluntly.
Regardless, I examined her with my powers once again to make sure... Nothing seems wrong.
I shrugged in my mind and shook my head in regret. Even after living for millennia, there are things you can't understand.
"It's nothing, was just strolling around, let's go." I pulled Ellen by her hand without giving her time to complain.
Time to get out of here, after this I have to go and explore the Imperial Institute. The Cursed forest wasn't much interesting. However, I found a hidden barrier around the inner regions of the Cursed Forest. The vegetation inside of it was completely different from the outer region. There was no dark miasma only white mist. It was covered with several trees and plants, some of which have their leaves glowing with different colours.
I have already seen those plants in my previous world but never in this world. A lot is left in this world to explore.
If I have time, I will visit there sometime later. Let's find something worth the time in the Academy first. No more forest for the time being.
I noticed Austin standing still near Arthur. Hmm...The trip here wasn't that worthless.
The only problem is he is lacking formal training. Need to be properly trained and will have to convince Arthur as well, don't think it's gonna be a big deal. If it doesn't work out, can just hypnotise him anyway.
As for what I want to do with Austin, still haven't exactly thought. Having an extra hand should be beneficial. I can use him as bait.
Yesterday's night, I scanned the whole forest but was unable to find any signs of the evolved beast. Possibly it was just a rumour.
It is also a good thing, our current lineup isn't good enough to face a pseudo-god level beast. They would just end up getting traumatized by it.
"Yo everyone, we aren't late right." I greeted Edger and others who were discussing today's plan.
"Nah, just started, .. Everyone, today is the last and most dangerous day of our assignment from the guild. Today we will venture into the middle parts of the Cursed Forest."
Edger took a deep breath before continuing. "There it doesn't matter what happens. First protect yourself, from there everyone is going to work individually and as ridiculous as it may sound that is the only way to survive inside. Safeguard yourself first then think about protecting others.".
" The last time I got inside, more than half of our party died. Sometimes it is just not possible to save everyone..." He sighed.
"I hope history doesn't repeat itself."
"Let us continue, here on starts the real journey inside a Hell. I repeat it doesn't matter what happens inside do no go in the Inner part of the Forest, nobody has ever stepped out of that alive."
"Not even a Pseudo-God." Arthur warned.
"Don't look at me like this, I am not an idiot to go blindly into the deeper regions." I brushed him off casually.
I have gone there but with my eyes open, Hehe.
Why we aren't counting Natsuki in our attacks force? She is a God and she will presumably not even care if all of us die inside. We can't just leave the fate of the whole team on her mood and originally it was our mission, not her.
"Well, that's good." Arthur nodded in satisfaction.
"Ok then let's get going".
...
"Shit!"
"It's close!"
"Everyone, pay attention to your surroundings for any movement! He could be near us without us knowing it..."
Fwoosh
"ARGH!"
Swoosh!
Boom
Sound of explosions and crashes were heard from a distance as we managed to strike a blow at the demon beast.
"Huff....huffff....just how many of them are here," Noir complained, trying to catch his breath.
"It's the 19th demigod level beast we encountered. We are only half the way inside the middle levels." Lux told tired.
"Aren't these just bunch of insects." Natsuki was watching the scene indifferently. For one of the strongest gods in history, these were no more than the insects.
"..."
I sighed. Girl, you should see time and place before speaking. Someone teach her basic communication skills.
"Look who is talking and how many beasts have you killed till now... Zero." Ellen whined with a deadpan face.
In the whole team, only Ellen is the one who can converse normally with Natsuki. As for others they are restrained around her because of her identity as a Goddess.
"That's not my work to do." Natsuki didn't even look back and said calmly.
"So why don't you go and do your work, isn't handling God level beasts God's work and here we are cleaning your mess."
"Oh, about that, I have already completed it."
"..." "..."
"...Wait What!!" Noir screamed.
Silence, completely quiet. Everyone stopped in their tracks and glared at the Loli goddess for an explanation.
The sounds of winds rustling was clearly audible. Yet Natsuki was standing unconcerned as if she said nothing abnormal.
I shook my head tired.
.... Sigh, I take back what I said about her not being a troublesome God.
"Can you explain?" I stopped in front of her and gazed down with a serious expression.
"What? About that big pig, I already disposed of it three days ago. Isn't that the reason I was here." Natsuki said indifferently and pulled out a small bottle. A tiny yellow smoke could be seen glowing inside of it.
It was the soul of the near-god level beast.
Natsuki was initially here just to take care of the beast. But after discovering Leon's presence, she stopped and followed him stealthily. He was exhibiting the same signs of energy that she was searching for days. A few days ago a large thunder strike struck the ground and from then she is busy finding the source of it. Finally, she found a clue how can she miss it.
I fell silent. As much as I want to scream at her, I will have to restrain myself for now.
"... I don't think you are dumb enough to not realize that we were here searching for the Cursed beast. At least you could have told us earlier, It would have saved us a lot of work."
I am one hundred per cent sure she did it purposefully.
"Oh, about that you guys never asked me." She said in a nonchalant manner.
"...."
I shook my head disappointed, not on her but on myself, how can I assume a God to be obedient.
"Sigh, Good" I gave her thumbs up on her absurd reply.
Although finally, I knew what she was doing here, it is not every day you can encounter a God in a place like this.
Lux asked exhausted. "What are we doing now?"
"What else? Going back or do you want to live here."
"NO WAY."
"So we come here for nothing." Noir said dissatisfied.
"It is not every day you can get an experience inside the Cursed forest rather you should feel fortunate that we do not have to deal with a God-level beast ourselves."
Noir shuddered thinking of the earlier power level displayed by me.
"Right, it is actually a good thing, hell yeah...I am spending my entire next week off." He screamed excited. "Madam Ana I am coming."
Ana is the owner of the biggest brothel in the Imperial Capital of Arcadia. She is famous throughout the Silveria for the quality of her girls. Just give the right price and she can arrange any girl of your preference whether it is married or virgin doesn't matter. [ Authors Note: Silveria is the name of the World. ]
I sighed and whispered. "How can I be so naive to assume, there exists a God which isn't troublesome."
Time to get out of here.
...
*Crackle*
The sizzling of the roaring blaze sounded as dying branches and twigs gasped for their last breaths before tumbling into the ashes…
The campfire was surrounded by all of us except for Natsuki. She keeps disappearing and appearing. We treat her as a Ghost.
We are camping outside the Cursed Forest currently.
Everyone was completely exhausted from the continuous travelling for nearly a whole week, so it was mutually decided we will take a break outside first then move to our respective destinations.
"Hereafter, everyone will be going their own way, nobody knows when we will meet again, but isn't that life."
"The journey till here was enjo-"
"Can you shut the fuck up Mr poet..." Arthur interrupted Edger holding a large glass of ale.
"Ahem, Gentlemen's and... women's, Today's the last day we will be together like this, previous few days with everyone was an unforgettable experience for every one of us. We didn't get to face the god-beast but no worries. A wide life is waiting ahead of us."
""Cheers""
Cup clanking noise, echoes.
We spent another few hours drinking, not every day you can have a gathering of so many high-rank adventures, although our task didn't go as planned, but isn't that life...
...Never goes according to plan.
"You guys enjoy. I should go to bed now, I have to leave early morning tomorrow. Cya." Ellen bid her farewell and left.
""Later""
"She is gone, what about Austin," Lux asked.
Arthur answered back. "Don't worry about him, he is probably asleep till now."
Austin does not want to drink so he left early.
"Good, now shall we discuss some important matters"