The woman sitting farthest from Ash barely seemed interested in talking, offering only a brief nod. However, the woman beside him appeared quite enthusiastic.
She smiled brightly and said, "Oh, hello there! Nice to meet you! My name's Vanessa, what's yours?"
The other woman, Athena, furrowed her brow beneath her hood but remained silent. At least the princess didn't mention her surname, Athena thought, or this entire trip would've been over before it even started.
Ash noticed the woman's excitement and, judging by her voice, she seemed to be around his age or close to it. To pass the time, he decided to strike up a conversation.
"My name's Ash. Are you two headed to Grumhald as well?" he asked.
At the mention of Grumhald, Vanessa's excitement seemed to intensify. "Yes! I've always wanted to see the Orc Warriors! My mom used to tell me stories about them. What about you? What are you going there for?"
Ash raised an eyebrow. "You're going to see the orcs? From what I've heard, they're not exactly well-liked around here." He looked at her, puzzled.
A bead of sweat trickled down Athena's back. 'This girl is already spilling everything! Too chatty!'
Before Vanessa could accidentally reveal something, like her mother's identity as an elf, Athena quickly intervened. "Her mother was a human who lived near Grumhald and was once saved by them."
Ash nodded in understanding. "Ah, I see. That's good."
Vanessa, realizing she almost said something she shouldn't have, blushed under her hood. Her straightforward nature often got her into trouble, but it was just who she was.
Before she could respond, Ash spoke up again. "I actually want to see the orc warriors too. I've heard they're incredibly strong, and I'm hoping to be trained by them—to become a warrior myself," he said with a confident smile.
When Vanessa heard Ash's words and looked at his frail muscles, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Ptff, you want to be a warrior? Aren't you too weak for that?"
Ash looked at her, his smile hadn't diminished the slightest. "It's true, I may be weak now, but that's exactly why I want to go there—to get stronger. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I only awakened a couple of days ago, and my trait is an F-rank... probably the most useless one there is!"
Vanessa laughed again at his self-deprecating words about being weak, but she found it strangely admirable. She had never met someone quite so interesting.
Due to her position, most people tended to be overly cautious with their words around her, but Ash spoke freely, without the usual reverence or fear. She wasn't sure if he would act the same if he knew she was the princess, but for now, she chose not to let it bother her.
And despite his worn-out clothes and clear poverty—evidenced by the wood-cutting axe he wielded instead of a real weapon—he remained determined to find a way to grow stronger.
Vanessa couldn't fully relate to his struggles. She had awakened just a month ago with an SSS-rank trait, and her body was already quite strong. Although she focused on healing and didn't have much combat ability, she had already reached the Inferior rank.
Yet, seeing Ash's determination to improve despite his hardships filled her with a quiet admiration for this unknown boy.
She stopped laughing, straightened her face, and talked with him. "All right, I believe you'll be a very strong warrior! I also want to grow stronger to fight alongside the admirable orc warriors. I promise that I'll be the strongest healer in the world!"
Ash was baffled by her words, but went with the flow and smiled at her. "OK! Then I can't fall behind, right? I promise to be the strongest warrior in the world!"
Ash extended his hand to Vanessa and continued, "That's a promise, and we'll be each other's witnesses."
Vanessa looked at his outstretched hand, puzzled. "Uh? What's the hand for?"
Ash realized that this custom might not be familiar to her, so he explained, "It's a handshake, a custom from my hometown. When two people who trust each other make an agreement, they shake hands to seal the deal." He paused for a moment, then added, "It's also a way for friends to greet each other."
Realization dawned on Vanessa, and with a smile, she extended her hand to Ash's. "So, we're friends now, right?"
Ash couldn't help but chuckle at how quickly she had jumped to calling him a friend, especially since they had only just met. But he thought it was just her straightforward personality—something he actually appreciated. He liked genuine people.
"Definitely!" he replied with a grin.
Vanessa felt a surge of happiness inside. She had just left the castle and already made her first real friend, without relying on her status as a princess. Her adventure had only just begun, yet it was already proving to be a rewarding experience.
"So, my new friend, where are you from?" Vanessa asked, noticing his unusual clothes and gear. "You can't possibly be from here." She pointed to Ash's backpack with curiosity.
"I'm from Earth," Ash replied. "I came to Agan to train. My original plan was to work as a mercenary, but after hearing about the orcs, I decided to try my luck with them instead."
Vanessa raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Ah, so you're from another world. I've heard about humans from Earth, but this is the first time I've met one. You don't seem that different from us," she said, her gaze drifting over Ash's body, sizing him up with curiosity.
Ash felt a bit uncomfortable under Vanessa's gaze but decided not to comment. Instead, they continued chatting and learning more about each other, the conversation flowing easily.
Meanwhile, Athena, always on edge, couldn't help but nervously watch as Vanessa bonded with her 'new friend,' worried that she might accidentally reveal something they shouldn't. Thankfully, Vanessa's straightforwardness didn't lead to any mishaps, and before long, the trio was on their way, embarking on the long journey through Agan toward Grumhald.