Thirteen hours after Mikahil's departure.
Now, six days of travel by foot away from the capital of the Human Kingdom, Mikahil found himself staring directly at a fruit resembling an apple, but with a blue skin.
'After having Kileana's mana forcibly infused into my body, it was tripled, which made me realize that not all stats will be tied to your level... But using something that's actually listed as an ability requires an absurd control, something I don't have yet,' Mikahil thought, observing a piece of the fruit completely crushed, juice running through his fingers while the other part of the fruit clung to the tree.
Mikahil let out a sigh. 'It would have been better to have copied the teleportation magic, gaining it directly. It just made it harder to use it.'
Mikahil froze his own right hand, causing the ice to shatter immediately, taking with it the remnants of the squashed fruit. At the same time, it left his hand clean as if nothing had happened.
'As easy as breathing... The power system of this world is so simple, yet so complex at the same time. It's tying my brain in knots,' Mikahil took three steps forward, leaping upwards to grab an intact fruit.
'Guess I better keep walking. The monsters in this area are all gray wolves, and they seem to be afraid of my presence...' Mikahil took a bite of the fruit, glancing around briefly, sensing the presence of a familiar individual.
'So, she followed me here after all. I thought she gave up when her presence disappeared hours ago.' Mikahil sat down on the ground, finishing his fruit.
'What should I do? She doesn't seem to want to be discovered, but the fact that she followed along was quite obvious,' Mikahil stood up, brushing off his pants. 'I better let her do what she wants. I won't spoil this.'
Mikahil started stretching. 'System, show me the best route to exit the forest.'
[Just go straight ahead. With your ice ability, you can cross the lake by freezing the water surface.]
Below this system message, a map of the entire forest appeared with a red line going from Mikahil's current position to the forest exit. Alongside that, Mikahil saw a small red dot with the name ' Praia. ' She was hidden in a tree diagonally from him, precisely sixteen meters and forty centimeters away.
'What will you do when you run out of trees, Praia?' Mikahil smiled, placing his hands on his legs, preparing to run.
'What is he thinking of doing?' Praia thought.
Mikahil took a deep breath and then sighed, looking at the screen of the system in front of him. "There's no such thing as a perfect obstacle."
Smiling, he dashed forward. Mikahil's powerful strides propelled him through the dense vegetation of the forest. The ground beneath him seemed to blur as he raced across the uneven terrain. Leaves rustled in his wake as he advanced.
As he continued to run, the distant sound of water grew louder, signaling the approaching lake. Mikahil's anticipation rose; his strategy was simple yet effective. Upon reaching the lake's edge, he didn't slow down. Instead, he activated his Sovereign of Ice ability, channeling it through his feet as he made contact with the water's surface.
A frosty layer spread rapidly across the lake, freezing it. Mikahil's steps created a crystalline path as he sprinted across the ice, the frozen surface offering an efficient shortcut. The forest's edge was now in sight, and his heart raced with excitement. If he had to circumvent the lake, it would cost him a day's travel, but simply crossing it would take less than an hour.
After passing thirty-nine minutes with the wind rushing past him, tousling his hair and carrying the forest's scent, Mikahil's legs pushed him forward. The trees began to thin as he approached the forest's exit, and the edge of the vast green field that separated him from meeting the Lazy Queen beckoned him. With a final burst of speed, he emerged from the trees and entered the open field.
Breathing heavily, Mikahil slowed his pace, stopping just beyond the tree line. He looked at the frozen lake, his icy path gleaming in the sunlight. He couldn't help but smile; the execution of his plan had been flawless. "I really am a genius," Mikahil ran his hand through his hair, lifting it into the air.
As his breathing steadied, he turned his attention to the forest's edge, where he hoped Praia would appear. With his heart still racing from the run, he sprawled on the ground with a curious look, waiting for Praia's action. Her agility was greater than his, so it was impossible for her not to achieve the same feat, especially now that he had already paved the ice path to the exit.
A chilly mist would emerge from the forest, and the silhouette of a girl would emerge within the mist, with the mist extending and reaching Mikahil. Praia passed by his side, thinking she was unnoticed, until she heard Mikahil speak, "We're not in the snowy area for that to happen, Praia. Where are you going that I can't see you?"
Praia's body froze, and the mist disappeared as she looked at Mikahil.
"Where are you going, Miss? Can I know?" Mikahil said as he stood up.
"It's not that, Mikahil. I-I just wanted to protect you, that's all. And if you found out, you might want to send me back to the village," Praia continued speaking, her eyes darting back and forth. "And I don't want to be separated from you again. You know, I've already been apart for so long. Just when we became one, I don't want to be separated again."
Mikahil reached in front of Praia, patting her head. At this moment, she looked at Mikahil and asked, "Aren't you angry?"
"Huh? Why would I be? I only asked a question, after all. If you wanted to come with me from the start, you could have just asked. Besides, you can't lie," Mikahil wrapped his arm around Praia's neck. "So let's keep going. We still have a few days of travel ahead."
'He really cares about me. Was I an idiot? It's obvious he wouldn't want to be far from me. Hehehe,' what Praia heard was twisted to suit her own delight.
While this was happening in the capital of the Human Kingdom, inside the castle at the heart of the city, a woman with golden eyes and blue hair with white tips was yawning as she lay on her side in her throne. Her back was supported by one armrest, and her legs rested on the other. In her hands, she held what seemed to be a Rubik's Cube. "Is this an ancient artifact? I thought it would be more exciting, but it's so dull."