Watching the girl from above, I expected that she would meet someone in the forest; from her behavior it was noticeable that she was listening to something and carefully examining the forest.
Turning my gaze back to the city, which did not remind me of the camp in which Keirin remained. I had the impression that I was observing a simple city and its inhabitants.
While looking around the city, I came across strange figures reminiscent of children. Frowning, I carefully tried to examine these figures; they were shorter than the other residents of the village and their behavior was reminiscent of a child's; they were in a hurry somewhere in a group.
Did they have children? But for some reason, judging by their behavior, it didn't seem to me that they were scared or looking for an opportunity to escape.
The figures disappeared into one of the streets, turning their gaze back to the girl who was walking through the forest, I thought what was best to do.
Looking around and not seeing anyone rushing towards the girl, I ordered the wyvern to go down a little further from the girl.
I didn't want her to have unnecessary suspicions; when I found myself on the ground and feeling the same pain that I had experienced before from riding the wyvern, I sighed.
Glancing at the wyvern, I gave it the order to rise into the air and watch me, and headed towards where the girl was.
Unlike her, I did not listen to the forest and did not try to walk carefully. After walking through the forest for some time, I began to hear her steps, she tried to move carefully and quietly, but her steps and directions were not hidden from my hearing.
Moving loudly in her direction, I thought about what to tell her and, if possible, find out more about the inhabitants of the city in which, as I understood, she either lived or visited often.
I heard her stop, most likely she heard my steps towards her. When the last obstacle remained, I began to feel a sense of excitement.
Trying to calm down, I walked out in front of the girl I was watching from above. In contrast to the view from above, I saw her height, she was quite tall, her short hair and wary green eyes looking at me gave her an unusual beauty. She had a beautiful face, looking lower I saw a spear that was looking at me.
It was made of simple wood and the tip reminded me of the attached tip of a knife. I saw the spears of the knights of the Krei Empire and they looked more impressive, which could pierce through the enemy.
This same spear reminded me more of a village spear that was supposed to intimidate and not be used as a weapon.
Hearing her voice, which was wary from her behavior, I saw that she did not expect to see anyone in the forest.
While deciding what to tell her in response to her question, I came up with the idea of introducing myself as a wanderer.
I had doubts that she would believe me if I told her that I was a student of the academy. Hearing that I was a wanderer, it was noticeable how she relaxed slightly, but still did not let go of the spear.
I tried to answer the following questions that she asked truthfully and looking at her reaction, which changed when I said that anyone who raises a weapon is ready to accept his death.
I saw that she began to try to find an opportunity to hide, but I did nothing. She was scared and attempts to calm her led to the fact that either she attacked me or ran away and they would find out about me in the capital of the Avels.
Trying to calm her down with my answers, it was clear that she was gradually in doubt. When she asked about my name, I didn't know what to answer.
I didn't want anyone to know because of my name that I came here when I had a mission to the bandit camp. Her name was Lualia and she did not remind me of the robbers I had seen. If the same residents live in the city, then who are they?
Having changed her real name and told her, she extended her hand to me, not understanding why I could only extend my hand and agree to help her in the hunt.
It was not clear to me who exactly she was hunting and why, after shaking hands, she moved away and walked further without turning to me.
Either she was sure that I would not stab her in the back or hoped that I would not take such a chance.
Looking around and listening to the forest, I followed the girl, at some moments she stopped and bent down looking at the bushes and the ground. She didn't tell me what I needed to do, so I could only watch what Lualia did.
We moved further and further from the capital of the Avels, sometimes I heard monsters or animals in the distance that inhabited the forest.
- Who are you hunting and why Lualia? - I asked the girl at one point when she was looking at a tree on which claw marks were visible.
Hearing my voice, I noticed how the girl shuddered and then relaxed, after our meeting we walked the entire way in silence.
I wanted to observe the girl and what she was looking for, while Lualia was absorbed in searching for traces.
- On monsters or animals of the forest to feed the inhabitants where I live. I am a hunter and my job is to bring prey so that the cooks can cook the meat, the skinners can remove the skin and give it to the tanner who will make clothes for the residents. - The girl said, continuing to carefully examine the claw marks on the tree.
Frowning and pondering the words of Lualia, who stood up and followed the tracks that only she could see.
I tried to look closely at the place where she was looking, but I didn't see anything. Does this mean that they are not robbers who hunted when there were no caravans?
Casting glances at Lualia, I wanted to ask more about the place where she lived, but I also didn't want to reveal that I saw other hunters when I was in the sky.
- How did you end up in the forest? Were you born here or did you get lost and the residents found you? - I asked in a quiet voice as I followed her.
She stopped and her heavy sigh was heard, turning to me, I saw from her face and eyes that my question brought her unpleasant memories.
I wanted to say that there was no need to tell if it was painful for her to talk about it, but I didn't have time.
She began to tell how she lived with her parents in one of the villages that bordered the forest and how one day the guards of the local baron arrived and killed her father and mother and burned the house.
Lualia hardly remembered how she ended up in the forest and did not know how lucky she was that a hunter who was returning to the city came across her and saved her from the clutches of the monster.
From her voice I felt how painful it was for her to remember this part of her life. I remembered the diary of the baron's son, which was in my storage room.
I didn't have the opportunity to read it completely and learn more about the baron's family; I had a feeling that I would run into the baron of these lands when I returned to the city.
- Please accept my condolences, I didn't know what happened to you. Would you like to take revenge on these guards? - I turned to the girl after she fell silent.
There was a quiet laugh from her side, shaking her head, the girl continued to walk forward and sometimes look back at me.
- How do you think I, a girl from a poor village, could take revenge on one of the baron's guards? - The girl asked me, squeezing the spear she was holding in her hand.
Thinking about how to answer her question, I understood that in her case, an attempt to take revenge most likely cost her life and the chance of revenge was insignificant.
- I don't know, but sitting in this forest you continue to live through the death of your parents. If you were still a child then, now you are an adult and can act. - Thinking over my words, I answered her looking into her eyes.
I saw how she narrowed her eyes at my words and wanted to say something, but I heard a noise coming from a distance from us.
Trying to listen to the source of the noise, I heard the sound of a battle, not between representatives of races, but between the monsters of this forest.
The girl quickly walked towards the noise and left our conversation unfinished. Following her, the battle between the animals became louder and the ground conveyed how they fought. The closer we came, the more the girl began to walk slower and bend down.
If before I heard her steps clearly, now I had difficulty catching the sounds of her steps. Thanks to the fact that we were in the forest, we had the opportunity to hide from the views of those who were fighting and see who was fighting.
I only had knowledge of the monsters that the professor spoke about at the academy, but the girl knew more than the professor and by her look she knew who was fighting.
Squatting down near one of the trees and looking through the bushes, it was clear from her gloomy face that she didn't like what she saw.
Crouching next to her and looking in the same direction as Lualia, I saw who was fighting in the forest.
Both monsters were covered in blood, it was difficult to understand which of them suffered more in the battle; they stood opposite each other. Both monsters had huge horns that extended from their heads, the color of the horns was different; one was golden in color, the other was black.
The color of their bodies was also different; one was golden, the other was black. The fur was rough and both of them had wounds on their bodies from the opponent's horns, they were high and when they started attacking each other again, the muscles that tensed during the blows were visible.
When one of the monsters lowered its head, I saw how another monster tried to hit with its front paws, which looked like hooves, but the one who lowered his head managed to put on his horns and the blow from the hoof was taken by the horns.
I didn't recognize the monsters in front of us, I had hope that Lualia would clarify who was in front of us. Turning her gaze to her, she did not take her eyes off the monsters; touching her shoulder, I felt her shudder and turn her gaze to me.
I saw in her eyes that the girl was unhappy, but in the situation in which we now found ourselves there was no time to observe.
Beckoning me with her hand, Lualia began to step back, nodding to her, I followed her. Having moved away from the fighting monsters, I saw that the girl was thinking about something and frowning, glancing at me.
Finding herself next to one of the trees, she stopped and sat down on the ground and began to apply some kind of ointment to her body and spear.
The smell of the ointment began to spread and I felt it; my nose began to itch from this smell.
- What are you doing and what kind of monsters are they fighting? I have nothing about them. - I said in a quiet voice and tried to move away so that the smell of the ointment would not reach me, thereby attracting the attention of the girl who had finished applying the ointment to herself and the spear.
Seeing my behavior, the girl chuckled, putting the ointment down next to her, she looked at me and then at the ointment.
From her look, I understood what she was hinting at, but I wanted her to say what she had in mind.
- They are not monsters, but animals, we call them giokhs, most of the time giokhs do not fight and are easy to kill. They live in their own territories and rarely try to violate the boundaries where other males live. Something happened in the forest and one of the Giohi entered the territory of another, most likely for the sake of a female who is now mating time. - The girl answered; at some moments she fell silent and it was clear from her cheeks that she was embarrassed.
Listening to her words, I understood that most likely the reason for the behavior of one of the males was most likely caused by my battle with the wyvern. I didn't have the desire to tell her my suspicions; I didn't know how she would react to my words.
- The ointment allows us to get close to monsters and animals; it removes our odors and allows us to get close to our hunting targets and kill them before they notice us. - The girl continued to speak, grinning even more, looking at me and then at the ointment.
I understood what she meant, sighed and sat down next to the ointment, I began to rub my face and hands as the girl had done before me.
I fought the urges of my body to empty it, but the girl, observing my behavior, began to laugh at me.
Having finished spreading the ointment, I tried to breathe through my mouth, afraid that if I started breathing through my nose, I would not be able to resist the desire to move away and relieve my stomach.
- Well, unlike many, you resisted your urges. Rikua, are you a magician or a warrior? - The girl asked, putting the ointment back and looking at me carefully.
I had a desire to say that I was a warrior, but remembering that my sword was broken and my shield was badly damaged from the battle with the wyvern, I could only admit that I was a magician.
- I am a magician, I have attack magic, but it can harm allies, so it is better if we fight separately. - I answered Lualia's question.
I saw how the girl carefully looked at my face in search of the fact that I was lying, after a few seconds she nodded, not finding that I was trying to deceive her.
- You're not lying, that means we'll each take an opponent, I'll take the golden giohi, you'll take the black one. Beware not only of horns but also of hooves, they can pierce good armor and be careful if you want to get to the capital of the Avels. - The girl turned to me in a serious voice, rising from the ground.
Listening to her warning, I hoped that I would not have to call upon the tormentors; I had no desire to show them to her like the wyvern.
Rising and following her, we headed towards the sounds that were coming louder. I decided that I would reveal my magic of darkness in the form of a sword; I had doubts that she or the residents of the city knew something about my magic.