I was completely lost in a dark forest. Moonlight permeated through the treetops, illuminating patches of the forest around me like spotlights in the darkness. I walked slowly between the trees, holding my breath, trying not to disturb the silence as I noticed restless shadows running haphazardly through the corners of the forest. Occasionally, some of these shadows crossed the illuminated spots, allowing me a brief glimpse of green and distorted contours. Each time I spotted a shadow, it was closer than before, with malicious smiles on their faces, laughing raucously, and I couldn't determine the origin of the sounds. Panic was taking over me, and I stepped back until my back hit the rough trunk of a tree. From the shadows, the small green creatures revealed themselves, forming a semicircle around me. Then, one of the goblins, holding a long sword broken in half, took a step forward. With its calm and threatening expression, it advanced, brandishing the sword towards me.
I abruptly sat up in my bed and almost screamed. It was a nightmare... I stayed seated for a few more seconds, trying to compose myself, and when I finally gathered the courage, I got up and went to the window. The memories of the goblins' malicious smiles still sent shivers down my spine, even though it was just a dream. The sun had not yet risen, but the early birds' singing announced that dawn was approaching. I guess it doesn't make sense to try to go back to sleep now... What should I do while I wait?
As I pondered my next steps, I felt a twinge of pain in my legs. Ugh, walking on uneven terrain amid tree roots for almost a whole day really isn't for everyone; my legs were quite sore. I sat back on the bed and began massaging my muscles, then proceeded to do a series of stretches in an attempt to alleviate the pain.
After a few minutes of stretching, my eyes fell on the book my mother left for me to study while she was away. I didn't have time to study last night, so I need to catch up. I lit a candle on the bedside table and started reading. The candlelight was intensified by the enchantment on the candlestick, fueled by a small magic stone containing fire mana, providing enough light for me to read the book comfortably while lying face down on the bed.
My legs still hurt a bit... maybe I can try stretching while reading the book? Timidly, I extended my legs to the side, doing a straddle split while still lying face down on the bed. Wow, I still can't believe that in such a short time of training with Ayako, I would be able to progress so much, and I no longer feel any discomfort in this position.
When we arrived yesterday, we were all covered in dirt, goblin blood, and who knows what else, except Hiroshi and Ayako, who got so little dirty that it didn't even look like we had plunged into the middle of a muddy forest for a whole day. Well... I guess even in that, experience and years of practice can be a big deal. Hiroshi went straight to the guild to complete the mission, and Ayako and I went straight for a bath. The poor Yuki had to wait for a long time, still all dirty, while Ayako insisted on joining me in the bath. I ended having to let her scrub every corner of my body, and she even took a long time washing my hair, always with a pure bliss expression on her face.
When we finally got out, Yuki rushed in to wash up, apparently unable to bear all that dirt any longer. Afterward, Ayako taught me how to wash our clothes using magic water stones, or, in my case, water magic, which proved to be very convenient. One of the laws of magic is that mana cannot create anything permanently, and that includes water generated by mana manipulation, whether by a mage or a magic stone, causing all the created water to disperse back into mana and spread throughout the environment after a while.
There are ways to work around this, such as using water mana to gather water from the atmosphere, the ground, or even extracting water from the plants around you. The latter method is a bit sad because all the plants around you wither and die, so I'm not a big fan of it. But, in the end, using magic to wash clothes is very convenient because after a few seconds, they are completely dry, which comes in handy when you intend to lead the life of an adventurer.
The day finally began to dawn, and I started hearing noises from people waking up on the other rooms. Soon, it was time for breakfast. Everything seemed normal until Ayako, with a serious expression on her face and an unfolded letter in her hands, called us for a conversation.
***
[Yuki's POV]
Ayako: "Sit down."
The aroma of breakfast still tempted my hunger, but that quickly became less important when I noticed the seriousness on her face. Kaimmy sat beside me, and Hiroshi went to Ayako's back, lowering his head to discreetly read the letter still in her hands. His expression didn't take long to become as serious as Ayako's, making me swallow hard.
Ayako: "Yuki, do you remember that when you told us about your parents' situation, I said I would send some letters?"
The mention of my parents sent shivers down my spine even more, and I couldn't contain the anxiety in my voice.
Yuki: "Yes, I remember... Did something happen to them?"
Ayako: "No, it's not that. But the situation might be a bit more complicated than we thought..."
Hiroshi: "Can I take a look at this?" receiving the letter from her hands, he began to read it, still with the same serious expression on his face. "I see... this is... somewhat unexpected. I didn't think things would take this path. Well, where to begin..." After a few seconds of contemplation, he continued. "Yuki, Kaimmy, this is a serious matter. Whatever you hear here, you must keep it a secret no matter what, understood?"
Unable to exactly grasp what they were talking about, I looked around in confusion, locking eyes with Kaimmy, who seemed as confused and frightened as I was.
Ayako: "Hiroshi, you're scaring them."
Hiroshi: "There's no help for it; we need to make sure they understand how serious this matter is. So, what about it?"
Realizing he was addressing us and expecting a response, my brain started to fry as I tried to come up with an answer.
Yuki: "I-I... understand, I won't tell anyone."
He then turned to Kaimmy, who simply nodded in agreement, still wearing a puzzled expression.
Hiroshi: "Very well, in our years as adventurers, we made various contacts with people from various parts of the world. And some of them... were quite important individuals. We have a certain connection among the nobility, and apparently, the situation there is grim."
Ayako: "In summary, the nobles have split into two factions. The noble who is keeping your parents captive belongs to the more powerful faction. On the surface, they are supporters of the current king, and thus enjoy many privileges and benefits that other nobles don't. But beneath the surface... there are suspicions that the vast majority of them are involved in shady business. Your parents are a perfect example of the kind of thing they've been practicing. And worst of all... it seems like all of this is being done with the king's support."
Hiroshi: "At least, that's what our contact told us. One of the candidates to inherit the throne is the leader of the other faction, who wants to uphold the kingdom's honor and put an end to these practices, but he's constantly under attack by the other nobles. Their current situation is so precarious that there's practically no chance of getting their help to save your parents."
Yuki: "So... does that mean...?"
Ayako: "Take it easy, lad. It means we'll have to wait. It's not like they're going to sit idly by; they have a big play planned to turn the tables, they intend to make a..."
Hiroshi: "Ahem. Ayako, they don't need to know that for now. 3 to 5 years. That's the time they asked us to wait. There are many pieces that need to be moved to the right places on the board before they can make their move, and that will take time... And some of those pieces are Ayako and me..."
Yuki: "..."
Ayako: "Yuki, what were your living conditions like there? Did you have enough food, a place to sleep...? I mean... how do I put this... do you think... they can hold on until then? Look, I'm sorry, but I'm going to be as straightforward as possible. Do you think they'll survive all this time?"
While I was still stunned, processing all the information I was receiving, Hiroshi knelt in front of me, bringing his eyes to the same level as mine and changed his tone to a slightly gentler one.
Hiroshi: "Yuki, we made you a promise. We would help your parents even if it means we have to go ourselves alone for it. However, we are very few, and our limit would be helping only your family. If you think they can't wait... then let's go as soon as possible. But once that is done, it will alarm them... and if we wait... we could help not only your family but all the others who are in the same situation. You told us there were more people there, right? Not to mention that there must be many other nobles doing things even worse than this."
The feeling of a small, gentle hand on my shoulders was what snapped me out of my trance. Kaimmy was there, staring intensely at me with teary eyes, trying her best to silently calm me down. I took a few deep breaths, organizing my thoughts, and finally found the courage to speak.
Yuki: "We had enough food just to not go hungry... we lived in a tiny house and were locked inside at night. We had to sleep all together with almost no space to move. Yes, the conditions were very bad... but I don't think they will die just because of that. I think... we should wait."
Hiroshi: "Great. I'm relieved to hear that. Kid, if you need to talk about anything, or if you change your mind, come to me. I'll stop whatever I'm doing to listen to you."
Ayako: "Mm-hmm! Remember, we're here for you, and we won't let anything happen to your parents. I managed to convince some friends to send someone to check on your parents' conditions from time to time, and then, if we find something wrong, we'll take action!"
The hand resting on my shoulder suddenly closed in a reassuring grip, and when I turned to look, Kaimmy was staring at the ground with flushed cheeks, apparently, that's her way of showing support. I then lowered my head and said:
Yuki: "Th-Thank you, really. I'll do my best not to be a burden and slow you down when the day comes!"