(Keon)
I can't believe Arlene went through something like that. It still lingers in my mind.
If I ever saw those guys, I would definitely kill them. For sure.
Wait, what am I talking about? Haa… it's not my business anyways.
I barely know her, she should solve that herself-
SNAP!-
The trap I made failed, allowing the food to escape free.
Something like this isn't fit for a swordsman.
A herd of deer was heading toward me. My chance!
I unsheathed my sword. One slice and I'll be good!
I missed. The momentum of the force I had been preparing, backfired on me, sending me into the ground.
The herd moved even faster, hearing the noise of me dropping to the ground.
"Dinner! Don't run! Please!" I cried.
I'm a swordsman, not a hunter.
But I have to hunt, or else we'll get hungry.
Wait. Why don't I just try fishing?
I ran over to the nearest pond. The same one I used to dampen my ripped-up shirt. But I'm no fisherman. How the hell am I supposed to fish it?
Ah. I'll just stab them when they get by.
I moved my sword closer and closer to the water.
Huh?
I couldn't stop shaking. An impending sense of doom. The water started to shake violently.
It jumped out of the water. The largest carp I had ever seen. It's scales were glorious, rainbow-colored. The forest floor wasn't well-lighted, but the carp helped that. It glowed.
This is definitely... a significant thing, right? It's so... beautiful.
But, I am pretty hungry.
A piercing thrust. It cut straight through the carp.
The carp struggled a bit until it stopped squirming and wiggling. Its glow faded.
"This is gonna be good!" I smiled, slowly pulling the carp off. It was huge, I had to carry it with two hands.
I wonder if Arlene would like this. Just in case, I'll make sure to remove the bones.
I made my way back to the place where we had been staying. Arlene was still asleep. But it was time for me to set up.
I threw some sticks onto the floor. It continues to dull my blade, but I hit some rocks on it to create a spark. After a few tries, the sticks ignited.
Without a flame-related cast, I feel like a caveman.
But it's okay! I'm a swordsman!
I placed a metal bowl over the fire, then slapped the already cut-up carp into the bowl. It sizzled.
I rubbed my hands together, already imagining how I would eat it.
After 20 minutes of cooking, it was finally done. No seasoning, but it looked good.
Arlene must've woken up to the smell.
"You're awake?" I asked.
"No."
"Seems like you're personality has developed in such a short time."
"I just feel really annoyed for some reason."
"A headache?"
"Yeah."
"Well, come get some carp. It'll regain your energy."
She crawled over to the fire. A wooden bowl was already prepared, with the fish inside.
"There's no bones?" she asked.
"No."
"I was taught that all fishes had bones, though."
"This fish so happened to have no bones."
"Really?"
"Yup."
She turned her head to me. I looked to the side, trying to avoid her gaze.
"You're lying."
"Maybe I cut off a few pieces. So what?"
"There's no bone in here, though."
"Okay, I picked it all out."
"There's 150 bones, and you took it all out?"
"It's not that complicated. How'd you know the exact moment?"
"I know a lot of knowledge."
"Not a lot of words, though."
The conversation ended. It was a shame, though. I wanted to talk to her longer, but my attitude ended it. Though, my pride is far too strong for me to restart it.
"Y'know, I was the greatest healer over there."
"You fainted after healing a minor injury."
"That's because I'm rusty. Just wait and see. Healers shouldn't be looked down upon!" she stood up from her seat, proudly. But she quickly fell.
I caught her.
"Maybe once you eat more, you'll gain your energy back."
She looked up at me, a little angry. I felt that it would've been better if I had just let her drop onto the floor.
"Maybe. Now, put me down."
"Okay."
I dropped her. She fell onto the ground. Now I feel satisfied.
"We'll be leaving soon, alright?" I said.
"To where?" she asked.
"I've seen a few newspapers around this place. Something called Granal? It's the capital city of Gonteno."
"Then we'll head off soon!"