About my sorcery combat training, I finally upgraded my training field to a forest.
Behind the Allerick Empire best academy, there existed a huge forest. Apparently, it is a forest where a good numbers of monsters reside. It is a wonder why an academy is built near a forest where monsters frequent.
In any case, I will be practicing my sorcery combat skills in the forest. The guards will be with me all the time of course. Mother will never let me out without guards beside me.
The astrologer girl is following me as well.
This girl has somehow stays with me every day. There is hardly a time when she is not with me.
"This is the first time I will be going to a forest"
She said while looking out the scenery from the window sill of the carriage.
I also look at the passing scenery.
I don't want to get used to her presence…
Pursing my lips, I distract myself with the weather outside.
The weather is exceptionally clear and pleasant today.
The first monster that I encounter is an exploding toad.
This kind of monster is wicked, they relish in immolating other by self sacrificing and exploding. Exploding toad have a high rate of fertility, their population is in large quantity. The exploding toad before me looks at me with a wicked grin. Intending to caused me the greatest of harm by exploding and self sacrificing themselves.
There are around ten of them in total, all jumps towards me at once. They will explode at a range when it can harm me the most. But, such thing will not happen. I en cast them inside a sphere like barrier just before they explode.
The after math of the explosion does not pose harm to anyone.
Even if the explosion is so strong that the sphere barrier shook, it will not break. With my purity in ether as well as my high efficiency in incantation, there is no way a mere bunch of ugly exploding toad would impose a problem to me.
I took care of the exploding toad relatively well.
My guards, maids and the astrologer girl walk ahead after I deal with the exploding toad.
There are various monsters which we encounter in times interval.
After engaging in various fights we take a short rest.
Two of the guards venture around hunting for a meal.
Our carriage and horses was stationed at the entrance of the forest and we proceed to walk on foot. There actually is a storage bag where we store rations to eat but some of the guards professed on wanting to let me taste game meat.
"It is most gratifying eating some game meat when hunting in a forest" They said.
I let them be.
The guards came back with two hare and pheasant they caught from who knows where.
I just label it as hare and pheasant but actually, the animals are much bigger and their appearance alters in some kind of way from the animals I've known in my previous life.
Mina skilfully skinned the games that was caught and started roasting on the fire. She sprinkled and adds condiment which in turn gave the meat a burst of mouth-watering fragrance.
"Mina, you are very skilful"
I praised.
Mina smiles a bit shyly and said "My brother is a chef so I learn two or three things from him"
Something clicks on my head when Mina said her brother is a chef. I look thoughtfully at her.
"Is Chef Lunox your brother?"
"Yes" Mina said while smiling gently.
Every time Mina brought a meal, she will ask my opinion on how the meal was, I will praise it every time in which Mina would always say 'Chef Lunox would be happy to hear that'.
I haven't thought of much when she mention that and just thought that Mina and chef Lunox who I have never seen before must have a good relationship.
Turns out, they were brother and sister.
"Young miss, how is the taste of the animal that we caught?"
One of my guards came forward and asked me, his other companion looks eagerly towards me from behind him.
"Good"
All the guard eyes lit up as if receiving a reward.
I look at them one by one in which they gave me a warm smile. I try to give them a friendly smile in return but my faced that hardly show expression when in front of others refuse to corporate with me still.
Hah…
It must be because of my psychological state which makes me not want to maintain a social friendly smile that I cannot sum up a smile.
It's exhausting having that kind of fake smile to deals with society as well as social life.
I should not force myself.
I hope the guards can understand my heart-felt gratitude even though I am not smiling at them.
"We caught the big fat one to make sure that young miss can have the best meat"
He puffs his chest out as if he has done something amazing.
"Thank you for the hard work"
"Hehe…"
The guards laugh foolishly while scratching his head.
The guards that follow me whenever I went out as well as accompany me on my sorcery training in the manor have been really friendly to me…
Rustle-
There was a sound of footstep that came towards us.
The people that make the noise came forward and show themselves soon.
It was a numbers of guards in armour and on the centre of it was a boy around my body age.
My guards who a moment ago have that goofy smile was standing in front and around me, their facial expression serious and vigilant.
Their weapon was already drawn as soon as the rustling and footstep noise was heard.
The boy who was the master of the people that came towards us look at my guards who stood vigilantly and protectively around me, his gaze lingers on the insignia of the Volitient Ducal before his gaze finally landed on me.
"You must be the infamous daughter of Volitient Duchess who was hidden deeply"
A wind blew a bit around us.
My hair which have not been cut since birth sway, the naughty ones itching my face. I'm going to cut it one of these days.
I pull up my longs sleeves that roll down again somehow, tucking my hair behind my ear I look at the boy who speak to me.
I nonchalantly reply.
"Oh…"
I turn towards Lina and suggest "Let's go somewhere else"
Lina nods her head in which I turn around to leave.
"Haven't the young miss of the Volitient Duke not learn basic etiquette?"
A voice laced with deride spoke when I turn around to go somewhere else and not here.
I am not interested in having a debate with a young kid, umm… not when Mina is with me. She will make fun of me again.
I continue to walk forward and not look back.
My people as if rubbing off of my temperament also silently follow me.