"Mifumi-sama, Felin."
"We're on it. Felin-chan."
"I'm moving after you, Mifumi-sama!"
"Water-Magic... Water-Sphere..."
...BOOM!...
After I asked them, Mifumi-sama cast the same Water-Sphere skill to intercept the Flame-Arrow. After both Magic cancel each other, Felin moves in to intercept the Goblin coming from the left side.
"Mana-Flow... Body-Enhance..."
She enhances her strength and speed using Mana-Flow then charges straight to the Goblin.
Using the dagger in her right hand, she parried the Goblin's blade and used her knife in her left hand to slash its neck. After defeating the first Goblin, Felin throws her dagger at the remaining Goblin aiming for its head. The Goblin unable to block the dagger was pierced in the head.
After seeing Mifumi-sama and Felin help Ms. Karna, Mr. Renxa suddenly dashes inside the forest leaving the remaining Goblins to Mr. Slain. He probably wants to take down that hiding monster all by himself.
With the help of Ms. Karna who is now casting offensive-skill, Mr. Slain was able to defeat the remaining Goblins.
A few minutes after that, Mr. Renxa who was looking super pissed, finally came out of the forest while dragging the corpse of a monster which is a Rank-3 Hobgoblin-Mage.
He approaches our group then drops the corpse of the monster in front of us and starts blabbering his nonsense complaints.
"I told you that I don't need your help, even with that Hobgoblin-Mage I can crush those monsters by myself!"
Don't get angry just because you failed to notice the presence of that Hobgoblin-Mage. Besides...
"What you said is for the old timer not to help you. And we didn't help you or your group, we only prevent a situation where we would slow down our travel speed to accommodate an injured member."
I answered him by simply twisting the meaning of what he said before and what the objective of our actions is.
"Big words coming from you who didn't even do anything!"
But somehow, he got more mad at me after I said my reason.
"It's the Vanguard's fault for letting those Goblins reach the Rearguard so don't turn your frustrations to Vier-chan."
Mifumi-sama stepped in front of me and defended me from Mr. Renxa's remark.
"You think you can say everything because you're the town's lord's daughter? Then guess what, I came from a Noble Marquis Rank. Your weak family's lowly Noble Baron Rank can't come up to us..."
As renxa tries to move closer to me and Mifumi-sama while blabbering his nonsense against Mifumi-sama's family, Felin steps in between us and renxa.
"Huh?... And why are you standing between us, you Beast!"
"Don't come any closer to Mifumi-sama and Vier, mister!"
Okay, that is it. This guy really needs to have a beating or two.
"Don't think your Beastkin Bloodline will mean something to a Marquis like me..."
"I will consider your next insult as an act of hostility against us, so you better choose your next word wisely Mr. Marquis."
I move in front of Felin as I say that threat. If this guy said one more insult about Felin and Mifumi-sama or her family then forget about this quest, this guy will go down paralyzed and poisoned why crippling on the ground.
"Think you can do anything against me you, powerless brat?"
"Hey! Renxa that's enough. It's our fault that Karna almost got injured."
"It's her fault for being useless and weak."
Luckily for him, his friend stepped in front of him to stop whatever he was planning to do then the DryadGuardian came and broke the argument between our groups.
Fred-san ordered both of our groups to get inside our respective carriages so that we could calm ourselves.
"That guy is just the worst, even if he came from a Marquis family it means nothing as long as he is acting as an adventurer."
"Mhm! Let's beat the guy who said bad things to Vier and Mifumi-sama."
Mifumi-sama is angry about that guy renxa and Felin is angry as well but unlike Mifumi-sama whose anger can be seen on her face, Felin is simply in her usual self. However, I can see in her eyes that she is very serious about beating that renxa.
"He also insults you Felin-chan. Grrr!... remembering what he said makes me want to burn his head to a crisp. Maybe we should beat him up after this quest."
Now it's not only Felin but also Mifumi-sama. Sheesh...
"Calm down Felin, Mifumi-sama. Both of you are saying dangerous things."
"You're the one who's clearly threatening him earlier, Vier-chan."
"Let's beat him together, Vier!"
"It's true that I didn't do anything earlier. He can say mean things to me but I will be mad if he keeps insulting both of you."
"I feel the same too."
"Me too."
Both of them said the same thing as I said. Of course, no one would just watch and do nothing if someone insults their best friends in front of them.
"If you use your Mana-Tech and fought with us earlier then he won't be able to say that you're powerless, Vier-chan."
"Mhm! Vier's Mana-Techs are amazing and cool."
"About that, I think it would be troublesome if they saw my Mana-Tech. I also got this odd feeling I'm getting from them, so until this quest is done I'm only using my old Crossbow and my Dagger unless the situation requires me to use my Mana-Tech."
"Odd feeling? What do you mean by that Vier-chan?"
I'm also confused about that odd feeling so I can't really explain it to Mifumi-sama.
"I'm not sure either Mifumi-sama. Also, don't show them that you have the Attributes for four Elements. I'm not sure but it might also be troublesome if they know that too."
"Okay, I will listen to your advice. Since they saw me use Water-Magic I better stay using that."
"For Felin, don't use your Sub-Spirit Magic unless it's necessary, okay?"
"Okay, I understand Vier."
"Wait Vier-chan. They can still see the four Monster-Cores gems decorating my Sorceress-Staff. I don't think I can hide my Attributes from them."
"Well... Just keep on using Water-Magic Mifumi-sama."
"Ehh? Would that be enough?"
"Hmmm... Probably?"
"Sheesh. You're not sure either, Vier-chan."
After Zen-san buried the bodies of the Goblins using his Ground-Magic, we continued our travel headed to Neem village.
We didn't bother getting their Monster-Cores since any Monster-Cores that would come from humanoid monsters like Goblins have passive-skills that were harmful to Humans and Half-Race.
While we're traveling Mr. Nach is back again from bothering me.
"You said something cool earlier kid "...I will consider your next insult as an act of hostility... so you better choose your next word wisely..." I'm impressed, kid."
"It sounds like those lines from Kumiko-sensie's stories. Do you perhaps know about her, Vier-chan?"
"Ehh?... Ummm..."
This is an unexpected question from Nymh-san.
Kumiko-sensei is the pen name that I'm using in publishing the stories that I see in my dreams of Memory-Fragment. But I can't say anything about it.
"Well, the reproduction of her stories is handled by the WoodPrint Company in our town. But no one knows if she lives here so..."
"It's not good to tell lies, Vier-chan."
Nymh-san looked at me with a serious expression as she told me not to lie.
"I'm sorry Nymh-san, Kumiko-sensei's identity is protected by the Adventurers Guild and the Greendale Baron House so we can't tell you."
I bow my head and apologize to Nymh-san. Even though, I can't still tell her the truth.
What I said is not a lie. It's true the Adventurers Guild and the Greendale Baron House which is Mifumi-sama's family are protecting and hiding my identity as a Dream-Holder.
"Stop teasing the kid, Nymh. We already know that the Guild and the Baron House are keeping Kumiko-sensei's identity a secret."
"Ehh?... Nymh-san?"
I raise my head and look at Nymh-san. It is unlike her to tease others so I'm really confused why she did that.
"I'm sorry for teasing you, Vier-chan. I'm just expecting to meet her when I first arrive at Green-Dale town."
Nymh-san gave her apology as she kept patting my head.
"Do you also read her stories, Nymh-san?"
"Her stories are always interesting to read Mifumi-chan and I honestly love the story of the Immortal Witch."
"You mean The Immortal Witch's Journey? I love that story too, Nymh-san."
After knowing that they both love the same story, Mifumi-sama moves from her seat and sits beside Nymh-san so they can talk about the story they both love.
"I think the more popular CaptainHero from the collection of 2nd-World Heroes is a better story."
"Mhm! The CaptainHero is super cool."
Mr. Nach voices his opinion about Kumiko-sensei's work and Felin agrees with him. Of course, Felin would like the story about the CaptainHero which is more full of action. Also, I had no idea that Mr. Nach was reading my stories as well.
"You won't be able to appreciate the beauty of the story of The Immortal Witch's Journey, Nach. Never in the span of your life."
"That's right, so please don't imitate Mr. Nach, Felin-chan."
"I'm sorry, Nymh."
"Okay, Mifumi-sama."
I understand both Nymh-san and Mifumi-sama's feelings about that story.
The story of the Immortal Witch first appeared in my dreams after the day Mifumi-sama understood what it means to be a Half-Elf. The day that her Grandfather passed away.
She cried nonstop after realizing that she had more lifespan than her family and friends and that they would be gone before her, leaving her alone in this world. That realization is quite hard for a child to deal with by herself.
So the next day, I wrote the first part of that story and gave it to her, hoping that it would comfort and ease her worries.
Honestly, The Immortal Witch's story starts with a rather sad beginning.
The Immortal Witch cried as she watched the funeral of one of her friends. Realizing her mistake that she should have spent more time with her friends, she went on a journey to find the place where she could meet them again, a place where the spirits of the dead and the living could meet each other.
But on that journey, she was able to remember the adventure that she and her old friends had in their past journey, she was able to meet new friends and people that she would love and care for, and she realized that even after her friends were gone she was never really left alone.
"...Beyond the end of one's journey lies the beginning of another..."
"...And it is my greatest gift to witness and remember all of their stories..."
"Sob!... sob!... Nymh-san, I know you would understand my feelings... sob!... sob!"
"Of course, Mifumi-chan."
Nymh-san pats Mifumi-sama on the head as Mifumi-sama starts to cry.
"Calm down, Mifumi-sama. We're on a quest, so please control your emotions."
"Don't cry, Mifumi-sama."
While Felin and I are consoling Mifumi-sama, something inside my heart reminds me of a certain memory.
The day that I gave the first part of the story of the Immortal Witch to Mifumi-sama was also the day that I made my promise to her.
The emotions of the Immortal Witch that flow to me while I'm inside of that dream didn't only make me feel all of her sadness and regrets, it didn't only flood my eyes with tears and break my heart.
It also set something inside my heart, something that would always stay there and won't disappear, something that would always make me feel afraid every time I would remember that dream.
Afraid that in the future Mifumi-sama as well as Felin will watch the same scene after I'm gone.
Afraid that they might feel the same sadness and regrets as the Immortal Witch and I felt in that dream.
Afraid that their eyes will be flooded with tears and their heart will be broken as well.
So that day l made my promise.
I told them that we would have an adventure like the Immortal Witch and her friends.
An adventure that is even greater than those stories that I see in my dreams.
An adventure that will be so great that it will be told for more than thousands of years.
So that even after I'm gone they won't be alone in remembering my story, our story.
So that we will always be together as long as anyone remembers our story.
"So please stop crying Mifumi-sama."