May 3, 1432 (day)
Right now, Raphael was rushing around his room, packing supplies for the night "stroll" through Velheimort Forest with Erin.
— Bandages... maybe a few potions... — he muttered to himself, carefully placing everything into his spatial ring.
The memory of Erin's reaction to his plan brought a slight smile to the boy's face. Her shock had been so overwhelming that she'd tried everything to convince him to abandon the idea, begging him not to go into the forest. The funniest part was that she pleaded for both of them to stay behind, rather than just leaving her out of it.
"She's really cute," Raphael thought, recalling her pleading eyes.
Maybe it was the trauma from losing Erin in his past life, or perhaps just a new perspective on her as a child, but he found himself feeling oddly amused whenever she reacted like that to his decisions.
Of course, he hadn't originally planned to take a four-year-old girl into a dangerous forest. Velheimort was home to all kinds of monsters: spiders, snakes, orcs, and even trolls. There were even rumors that a griffin had been spotted there. In his past life, Raphael and Erin, both seasoned warriors, had explored this forest, but even then, it had been a tough journey.
This time, Raphael only intended to venture a few kilometers in.
"That should be enough for now," he thought, checking his bag once again. If anything unexpected happened, he could always grab Erin and run.
— Let's hope it all goes smoothly, — Raphael muttered quietly.
For him, this wasn't just about adventure. The forest held important resources, like unique berries that could accelerate mana circulation. This was crucial for his development, as well as Erin's.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
— Come in, — Raphael said calmly.
The door opened, and Aurora stepped in. She was dressed in simple casual clothes: a light shirt and shorts that accentuated her figure, particularly her shapely hips. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, signaling her intention to spend the day without any formal duties.
Aurora slowly approached the bed and sat down, crossing her legs. Her gaze was focused, though slightly tired.
— So, little brother, what's your latest scheme this time? — she asked with a light smirk.
Raphael felt a slight pang of embarrassment. He was fully aware that in the past few weeks, he had often turned to her for help. Aurora always assisted him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was treating her like his personal protector.
— Sorry to trouble you again, sister, — he replied with some awkwardness in his voice. — But I really need your help.
Hearing this, Aurora smiled softly.
— It's fine. I did tell you to come to me if you needed anything. So, what is it this time? — she asked, tilting her head slightly.
— Tonight, Erin and I are going to Velheimort Forest, — Raphael said calmly.
Aurora's eyes widened in surprise.
— What? — her voice suddenly turned sharp. — Are you out of your mind? Why are you going there?!
Her anger was justified. Velheimort was no place for children, not even those of the Earhart family. One wrong move, and they could die. And now her little brother wanted to take a four-year-old girl with him?
Which meant he'd have to protect not just himself but another child as well.
— Sister, we're not going far, just a couple of kilometers, — Raphael tried to reassure her.
— Even half a kilometer could be deadly for kids! You're playing with fire! — Aurora snapped.
Raphael saw her anger, but it only made him smile a little. It was nice to know his sister cared so much about him.
— Why are you smiling?! Do you even realize what you're asking me to help with?! — she continued.
— Calm down, sister, — Raphael tried to speak more gently. — You know I'm still no match for Teo or Mia. I need to grow quickly and gain experience.
Aurora fell silent, trying to process his words. She knew he was right, but she still couldn't accept such a risky plan.
— There are berries in the forest that can speed up mana circulation, — Raphael continued. — They'll help both me and Erin develop faster.
— Is that true? — Aurora looked at her brother in surprise.
In reality, no one except Raphael knew about these berries. He had stumbled upon them by chance in his previous life. The berries were unique to Velheimort, but their importance lay in how they were used.
— We'll gather them quickly and come back. Then I'll teach you, Erin, and Alice how to use them properly, — Raphael assured her.
Aurora hesitated. She wasn't interested in the berries for her own growth, but the thought of them helping Raphael develop faster made her soften a bit.
— And besides, we probably won't run into anything dangerous. At worst, we'll see a couple of goblins, and I can handle them, — Raphael added with a smile.
Aurora sighed, realizing he wouldn't back down.
— Fine... What exactly do you need from me? — she asked in a resigned tone.
A satisfied smile appeared on Raphael's face.
— Nothing much. Could you get me a rapier from the vault and cover for us when we leave? — he asked with an innocent look.
Aurora stared at him blankly, barely resisting the urge to smack him.
Raphael's request was far from simple. He was essentially asking her to steal a family sword from the vault and cover for him and Erin as they snuck out at night, ensuring Lucius wouldn't notice their absence.
— Fine, but I have conditions, — she said firmly.
— Huh? Conditions? — Raphael asked, surprised.
A smile slowly crept across Aurora's face.
— First, you'll participate in the Initiation Tournament in five years.
"Well, that's easy. I was planning on it anyway," Raphael thought.
— Alright, what's the second condition?
— Starting tomorrow, you'll train with me in aura control after your cadet training.
The room fell silent. Raphael and Aurora stared at each other, neither saying a word.
— What? — he asked.
— You'll train with me, — Aurora repeated.
— After cadet training? — Raphael clarified, trying to process what he had just heard.
— Exactly.
— After training where I push myself to exhaustion?
— Yes.
— After which I can barely stand, and all I want to do is lie in bed for a week without moving?
— Absolutely.
Brother and sister stared at each other in silence once more.
— Sister, be honest. Did someone send you to kill me?
— I have no idea what you're talking about, — Aurora replied innocently.
Unable to hold it in, Raphael let out a loud sigh. Aurora, meanwhile, stood up from the bed and, in a rare display of playfulness, skipped toward the door.
— I'll bring the sword later tonight. Rest up, little brother, — Aurora said with a smile before leaving.
The door clicked shut, leaving Raphael standing there with an empty expression, staring after her.
— Shit... — was all he could say.
***
Later that night
Raphael, clutching the rapier his sister had brought him, waited by the side wall of the cadets' dormitory for Erin. She was supposed to arrive any minute.
He checked his gear one more time. He wore a dark cloak, a mask, and an all-black outfit: boots, trousers, a hooded shirt — looking every bit like a thief out of a storybook.
Finally, a soft rustle nearby caught his attention. Erin emerged from the bushes, dressed almost identically to him.
— I'm here, Master, — she whispered.
— I see. Let's go, — Raphael replied, already moving forward.
— But... maybe we shouldn't... — Erin began, eyeing the dark forest ahead with obvious apprehension.
— No! — Raphael whispered sharply, his eyes blazing with determination. — I've sacrificed too much for this. Let's go already!
His heart clenched as he remembered the harsh conditions his sister had laid out for him.
— Alright, — Erin reluctantly agreed and followed him.
***
Half an hour later, they reached the entrance to Velheimort Forest. Raphael decided to go over the plan again.
— Listen carefully. We're only going in two kilometers. We get what we need and head back. If we run into anything too dangerous, we retreat immediately. Got it?
— Yes, — Erin nodded.
— Good. Let's go.
They moved forward in silence.
Raphael felt a hint of nostalgia as memories of patrolling this forest with Erin in their past lives washed over him. They used to dine in the woods, eating meals Erin had cooked. The thought even stirred a slight hunger in him.
Raphael pulled out two lollipops from his pocket, popped one into his mouth, and handed the other to Erin.
— Huh? — she looked at him in surprise.
— Take it. Lollipops help stave off hunger and don't distract you during combat.
— Got it, — Erin whispered, taking the candy.
They continued deeper into the forest. After traveling about a kilometer, strange noises echoed through the quiet — the sound of something lurking nearby.
— Master, what's that? — Erin asked nervously.
— Probably goblins, — Raphael said calmly.
— Goblins?! — Panic flickered across Erin's face.
Raphael chuckled softly and patted her head.
"She may have been a fearless knight in our past life, but right now, she's still just a child," Raphael thought.
— See that light over there? — Raphael pointed into the distance. — That's probably their camp. They're having dinner right now.
Erin squinted and noticed a faint flicker of firelight about three hundred meters away.
— But why are they so close to the castle?
Logically, there shouldn't be any goblins this close. The area surrounding Castle Earhart was heavily patrolled, and any monsters in this region were supposed to be exterminated.
"Well, can't blame her for not knowing," Raphael mused.
— Goblins are nomadic creatures. They probably weren't here during the day. By morning, they'll have moved deeper into the forest.
— I see... What should we do? Should we go around them? — Erin asked cautiously.
— No.
— What? — Erin couldn't believe her ears.
— We came here to train, didn't we? Let's take them out quietly and see what loot they have.
A satisfied, almost greedy smile crept onto Raphael's face. Erin shivered as she realized what kind of adventure Raphael had dragged her into.