The five of us took a break and set up camp out in the Gesian Fields. I sat against a tree and looked at the map, placing markers on the map then yawned. Esta walked up to me and held a bowl of soup to me.
I looked up at her and smiled. "Thank you." I said then made the map disappear into magic particles then took the bowl of soup.
Esta giggled and skipped back over to the table and fixed herself a bowl of soup.
I snapped my fingers and made apples and carrots appear in front of the horses so they could eat as well. Blitz neighed and began to happily eat. I smiled and enjoyed my soup.
"So how far are we from Yggdrasil?" Freya asked.
"Only a few hours. Once we reach there we can talk to a fellow princess who's the direct descendant of the Goddess of Botany, Yggril." Serafina said as she had her hand on her cheek and stirred her soup.
"Is there anything wrong with the soup?" Esta asked.
"Hm? It's alright...just not my taste. I only eat the best meals, I'm not one for this...three star meals." Serafina said and cleared her throat.
"Well sorry, Princess...but this is what we got. As an adventurer we can't complain." Gideon said and drank his soup.
"Mmm...Hey, Leader!" Serafina said, addressing me.
"Yeah?" I looked at her.
"Do you want my soup? I can't finish it. I'll just wait until we get to the forest to eat." Serafina said.
"No. Just eat it..or drink it. Your energy reserves depends on consuming food and liquids good for your body." I said then finished my soup and set the bowl next to me. I summoned my map and looked at it.
"But...it's...just bleh.." Serafina complained and looked in the bowl.
"If you don't want it, pour it out." Freya said.
Serafina immediately poured her soup on the ground.
"Ack! You didn't even hesitate!" Freya said. "I spent like an hour making that, you ungrateful prick! We didn't have to feed you!"
"If you call this food, I feel sorry for your kind." Serafina said then placed her bowl back on the table.
"Huuuh..?! The hell do you mean by 'Your kind'?" Freya glared.
"The country folk as you all would call it. Royal Princesses have their needs and standards. We can't settle for anything less." Serafina scoffed.
"Then how about you cook then!" Freya pointed her spoon at Serafina.
"Oh trust me, I would if we had some good ingredients around! We are in the middle of nowhere and fought off 50 skeletons! I'd almost rather eat the bones of the skeletons.." Serafina sighed and her stomach growled.
"Your stomach is growling! Stop being ungrateful and just eat!" Freya groaned.
"Yeah, it's honestly not bad!" Esta smiled.
"Leader! I demand something more nourishing!" Serafina demanded.
"I'm not your babysitter. If you want food other than what's provided, go hunt for it." I said.
"You too?!" Serafina looked at me.
"You made it clear on the road that we are only temporarily teamed up. I'm not gonna provide for the ungrateful." I said then made the map disappear then snapped my finger and an apple appeared in front of her. "Eat that and let that be the reason."
Serafina picked up the apple and looked at it then scoffed and took a bite out of it. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I guess this'll do."
"Man we let the spoiled brat on the team? We could've done this alone just us four." Gideon said.
"We need her help. She's the only one we know who knows the Princesses of the Sacred Crests of Earth." I said then stretched.
"At least someone knows my value." Serafina said.
Freya glared at Serafina then stood up and clapped her hands then the table and everything on the table disappeared. "I'm clocking out."
"Welp, little cousin is upset. Time to see if I can make her not mad." Gideon said.
"We only packed two tents? Huh." Esta said.
"You and Serafina can have the tent. I'll sleep outside. Someone has to keep watch just in case." I said then crossed my arms and looked at the sky.
"Are you sure?" Esta asked.
"Yeah, go ahead and take the tent." I smiled.
"Alright, if you need us just yell." Esta smiled and stood up.
Serafina got up as well and the two entered the other tent. "Stay on your side alright?"
"Okay." Esta nodded.
I stayed outside and listened to the conversing crickets. It was...a peaceful night. The other horses were laying down and had fallen asleep. Blitz and I stayed up and looked at the sky. "You know...Sometimes I think about my biological father. Shira and I were maybe around six or seven when he died protecting us. I always wondered what he was protecting us from."
Blitz whinnied silently and snorted.
"Guess you don't know either huh." I smiled and looked at Blitz. I reached up and pet his neck then heard Esta silently exiting her tent. I looked at her and watched her crawl towards me.
She bumped her head on a chair and squeaked. She hurried over next to me and sat beside me. "Hey.." she whispered and giggled.
"Hey. What's up?" I asked.
"Lady Serafina...she snores and I'm just really excited to be on a journey~ I...I always dream of doing this and just...can't believe it's happening." Esta smiled.
"Yeah...I hear ya." I smiled and looked at the sky.
Esta looked at the sky as well. There was silence and the only sound being heard was the soft rustling of the trees and the nighttime insects chirping. Esta smiled and got in a more comfortable position. "You know, the day we met was like...a dream. I watched you fight those skeletons and was awestruck. Then...watching you through the exams then your fight with Gideon...You're a pretty awesome guy. Even hanging out with you was a blast."
"Yeah?" I smiled and looked at her.
"Yeah..." Esta looked at me with a smile. "You know, not a lot of people like my personality since I'm kinda clumsy."
"Kinda?" I teased and chuckled.
"Shut up." Esta playfully bumped my shoulder. I chuckled and she giggled. "But yeah...I'm grateful for you and Freya for being my friends despite my flaws."
"C'mon, we're friends and we all have flaws." I smiled.
"You don't seem to have any. You're like perfect." Esta said.
I blushed slightly as she said that. Esta blushed as well and panicked.
"W-Wait..! I-I didn't mean it l-like that..! I meant you're just like...I don't know. Just...a guy who can do anything perfectly." Esta said, looking at the ground and brushed her hair behind her ear.
"Trust me, I'm not perfect at all. I may not have shown any flaws, but...I am flawed." I smiled and looked at the sky.
Esta looked at me and decided to lay her head on my shoulder. I looked at her. "I hope you don't mind this.."
"I don't. If it's comfortable for you, but all means." I smiled.
She smiled back and closed her eyes. "At least you don't snore."
I chuckled and let her have her head on my shoulder then watched her drift to sleep. I looked at Blitz and noticed he was laying down as well and fell sleep. I closed my eyes and went to sleep as well.
「In My Dream.....」
"Shiryo...I'm sorry. Heh...this is where we have to split apart.." Fujo said weakly and coughed blood.
"Fujo..! Don't say this! We can get you to a hospital or something just don't give up and don't close your eyes!" I said with tears in my eyes. "Please Fujo..! What am I supposed to tell Mom, Dad, Grandma, Shira? I already lost Grandpa! I can't lose you too!"
Fujo gently poked my forehead and looked into my eyes with his dying eyes. "Sorry lil bro...I love you.."
I watched his hand fall and the life in his eyes fully disappear. "Fujo! Fujo!! FUJO!"
「End of Dream....」
I woke up and gasped then noticed tears rolling down my eyes then wiped my eyes. "Dammit...why can't I get that memory out of my head..?"
I looked over at Esta and noticed she was still asleep. She looked so happy in her sleep and it cheered me up. I heard someone exiting the tent and looked at them. It was Freya who had a terrible case of bed head. She looked at me and Esta then her eyes widened.
"Shiryo! What's the meaning of this?!" Freya pointed at me.
"Ehhhh...? It's too early to be blowing things out of proportion." I said.
"Out of propor- You're clearly sleeping with Esta! I'm right in proportion! Who knew you were such a dog?" Freya said in a damsel in distress voice.
"The fuck?" I said and rose an eyebrow.
"Ugh..!" Serafina groaned and sat up. She crawled out of her tent then looked at Freya. "Can you shut the fuck up? I'm trying to get my beauty sleep!"
"Wha-" Freya looked at Serafina. "Fuck your beauty sleep! Can you see I'm having a conversation with Shiryo?!"
"And can you see how many fucks I give? Shut up!" Serafina said.
Esta woke up to the sound of Freya and Serafina bickering and hissing at each other. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Good morning..."
"Man..." Gideon groaned and sat up. "This is not how I wanted to wake up."
Yep, this team obviously had some loose screws, but I promise you all we aren't going to be like this all the time, well maybe the women will bicker often but they will soon come to an understanding...eventually... hopefully.
"Alright, alright. That's enough." I said.
Freya and Serafina stopped bickering and scoffed then turned away from one another. We all decided to get ready to head back on the pathway to Yggdrasil Woods. Once we got ready, we got on our horses and headed off.
In a few short hours, we finally made it to Yggdrasil Woods. We entered a village and noticed the inhabitants of the village. Elves, Dryads, Dwarves, Pixies, and Fairies lived in the Yggdrasil Woods and all of them wore clothing made from the plants and the earth element.
"Wow. This place is actually beautiful." Freya said.
"Hey!" Takame waved at us from a pond.
I looked at the pond and got off Blitz's back and walked over to Takame and smiled. "Hey, how long have you been here?"
"Maybe about a day now. The forest is so beautiful, but I have to warn you this strange man was here a minute ago and I got a bad vibe from him. He really scared the Elven and the Fairy people." Takame said.
"Strange man? What did he look like?" Serafina asked.
"Who's she?" Takame asked.
"I'm Princess Serafina, now tell me what the man looked like!" Serafina said.
"O-Okay..!" Takame flinched a bit. "He was this tall scary guy with long black hair and he wore like a gray cloak! He had a Crest as well on his forehead. The villagers can confirm also. He came to see Queen Titania, I assume it was to get permission to obtain the Crest of Botany, but she refused him and he left."
"Hm...It sounds like him, but I doubt be would leave so easily. Leader! What do you suggest we do?" Serafina asked.
"I would suggest we stick around the Yggdrasil Woods. A man like him doesn't sound like the type to leave until he gets what he wants. We should first see Queen Titania then figure out our next course of action." I said.
"Sounds good." Serafina said.
"I can take you to her castle. It's not far from the village." Takame said.
"That's fine by us." I nodded.
Takame emerged from the water and her clothes turned back to normal. Takame led us to the castle of Yggdrasil Woods. I looked around and noticed multiple statues of Elves and Fairies who've all served the Goddess of Botany and the royal family of Yggdrasil Woods. I looked up and noticed a giant tree. We finally made it to the castle after traversing a few tunnels and passing through a few guards.
The guards led us inside and we followed them to the throne room. We walked inside and looked at Titania on the throne. She was a woman with long blonde hair, emerald green eyes, and pointy ears. She wore an emerald green tiara, pink and teal negligee with pink panties, teal colored boot, and pink arm sleeves. She sat very lady like and looked at us. Her pink fairy wings fluttered lightly.
"Lady Titania, I have with me some of my friends and the Princess of Gesia." Takame said.
"Oh? Lady Sera is with you?" Titania said then tilted her head and noticed her.
"The one and only." Serafina said then walked forward. "I'm aware King Icas came through here asking for the Crest of Botany."
"Yes. That man is full of pure malice. I refuse to trust a man like him with power like that..!" Titania said then looked at me. "Who are your friends?"
"Oh these guys? They're my bodyguards." Serafina said.
"HA! As if!" Freya scoffed.
"Lady Titania if you will. My name is Shiryo Ragnarok and I am the leader of this ragtag team named Team Divinity. My allies are Gideon, Freya, Esta, and Takame. We've come to help protect the Crest of the Yggdrasil Woods." I said.
"Ragnarok..? You're the son of the famous Shidao Ragnarok?" Titania asked.
"You know my father?" I asked.
"My mom did, he was a very good man to us. He saved our home and even saved Yggril from certain doom." Titania smiled. "It is sad to hear he has left the land of the living, but I'm sure he's in Paradise as we speak."
"Huh." I said then crossed my arms. My father was also affiliated with Yggdrasil Woods. There was so much I didn't know about my dad. "Anyways, would you like us to do anything for you while we are here?"
"Uhm...Oh! My sister Princess Rosenea went out deep into Yggdrasil Woods two days ago and she hasn't come back. I need help finding her and I fear going alone and getting lost like she probably did. She's a Dryad, so she's easy to spot. She's more connected to Yggril than I am and that's why she's so important. Without her the forest will be out of balance and if she dies, a piece of the forest dies with her making us more susceptible to enemy attacks." Titania said.
"I mean we got time on our hands. We can help find her." I said.
"Oh thank you! I'll reward you all greatly when we find her and bring her back!" Titania smiled gratefully. "Let's go find my sister!~"