Chapter 10

The day had stretched into night, with Xain's weary footsteps echoing through the depths of the seemingly endless forest. As darkness blanketed the surroundings, his frustration found a voice. "How much forest is out here?" he exclaimed, the fatigue evident in his tone. Beside him, Zee's calm voice provided some solace. "I think we'll be out by tomorrow morning, so we can rest if you want." Glancing at his companions, Xain couldn't help but notice their seemingly endless energy, a stark contrast to his own weary state.

Inside his mind, Ercale's voice taunted, *Wow, you have zero stamina.* Annoyed by the comment, Xain retorted, *I fought an orc, and then you took control of 'my' body, fighting even more. Meanwhile, I've been on the move all day!* The circumstances had taken a toll on Xain, pushing him beyond his accustomed limits, especially considering he had never engaged in such prolonged travel before.

Larkin shouldered the travel pack, stocked with extra supplies provided by Tores and Malvin. "Yeah, we should set up camp here for the night. It's not safe to travel in the dark," Malvin suggested, and Xain enthusiastically nodded in agreement. "Looks like we're camping, then," Zee chimed in, her excitement evident in her voice.

**Sometime later**

After a short while, Larkin took charge of setting up the camp, it seemed that whenever Xain and Zee attempted to help, their efforts only made things worse. He expertly pitched two tents: one for himself and another for Xain.

Meanwhile, Zee exhibited her forest elf affinity by choosing to sleep in the trees, a decision that made sense given her nature. *I suppose that makes sense, considering she's a forest elf,* Xain mused silently as he observed Zee nimbly ascending a tree like a squirrel. *She's so cute,* he thought with a smile as he watched her find her perch.

Ercale's voice resounded in Xain's mind once again. *It's intriguing how they accepted our fabricated story about your magical abilities,* Ercale remarked. Xain mirrored the sentiment, replying mentally, *Of course, it's the logical explanation, right? How else would I have magic?* He recalled how he had masterfully delivered the tale Ercale had guided him through, fully convincing Zee and Larkin of his newfound magical prowess.

Ercale's explanation echoed within Xain's mind. *Well, there were alternative falsehoods available, such as claiming you used Ritual Magic. However, that would have spawned a host of complications,* Ercale elucidated.

Xain's brow furrowed, his perplexity evident. *Wait, I thought you said I couldn't use magic,* he expressed his confusion. Ercale responded with a sigh, *I said you don't possess mana. That doesn't preclude you from utilizing certain magical methods.* Xain's confusion deepened, prompting Ercale to elaborate further. *You can still harness Ritual Magic, Rune Magic, and... well, we never really came up with a proper term for the last one—Word Magic, maybe?* Ercale's words left Xain blinking in surprise.

Xain's excitement was palpable as he inquired, *So, can you teach me these forms of magic?* His hopes, however, were swiftly dashed as Ercale's response echoed in his mind, *Nope.* Startled by this blunt refusal, Xain stumbled momentarily, before pressing on with his questions, *Why not?* Ercale's explanation followed, *Ritual Magic demands an intricate understanding, and even the slightest misstep can lead to catastrophic consequences. As for Rune Magic, it's an esoteric discipline known to only a select few. And unless you fancy learning a language that might just make you bleed from every orifice, you'd best forget about Word Magic—let's call it that for now.* With a sense of resignation, Xain's dreams of wielding magic seemed to evaporate, yet again, reflecting the recurring theme of his life.

From the branches above, Zee's voice piped up, "Why do you look so down?" Xain gazed up at her with a wry smile, his tone laced with a touch of bitterness, "Oh, nothing much, just my grand hopes and dreams dashed to pieces." He chuckled hollowly, his laughter lacking any true mirth, while Zee regarded him with a puzzled tilt of her head.

Larkin's voice playfully chimed from behind Xain as he draped an arm over his shoulder, "If they were your dreams, I'm not sure they were ever that lofty, Mr. Aspiring Thief, yet to even snatch a mere thousand." His laughter rang through the air as Xain pivoted to face him, a twitch forming in his eye. "Guess who's going to bed hungry tonight?" Xain threatened, Larkin's laughter came to an abrupt halt.

In a theatrical gesture, Larkin dropped to his knees, clasping his hands in mock supplication, "Oh, kind sir, spare this senile old man from his grave mistakes, and bestow upon him the mercy of a cooked meal!" Zee, watching the scene, couldn't help but stifle her laughter. As Xain closed his eyes, contemplating, he finally relented, "Fine, you're forgiven."

The sound of a stifled laugh echoed in Xain's mind. He immediately seized the opportunity to tease, asking, *Did you just chuckle?* Ercale's response was swift and defensive, *No, I did not! Get your ears checked, ape! You're starting to hear things.* Despite Ercale's attempts to brush it off, Xain couldn't help but save this amusing interaction in his mental archive. With a grin, he headed towards the campfire to prepare their meal.

With his cooking skills put to good use once again, he started preparing a meal for himself and Larkin, as he had been doing since the week they had been together. Both Zee and Larkin seemed to lack culinary prowess, and Zee herself only ate fruit. *Must be a forest elf thing,* Xain mused, and Ercale promptly chimed in with confirmation, *It is,* affirming that Zee's fruit-based diet was indeed a common trait among her kind.

**Couple minutes later**

With a sense of accomplishment, Xain presented the two wooden bowls filled with his meticulously crafted stew. The steam rising from the bowls carried the inviting scent of forest herbs and a hint of sweetness, blending seamlessly with the night air. The stew itself was a masterpiece, boasting marbled venison chunks that rested atop a bed of carefully preserved vegetables, all swimming in a shimmering, flavorful broth. The warm glow of the stew seemed to enhance the starlit ambiance of the night. Xain couldn't help but admire his own culinary creation, giving himself a mental pat on the back for producing such high-quality fare that could even make nobility envious, or so he convinced himself.

Larkin's eyes lit up as he took hold of his bowl, drawing in a deep breath to savor the mouthwatering aroma of the stew. "Well, I'll be damned. This stew smells downright amazing! You've got a real talent for turning even the simplest ingredients into a top-notch meal," he exclaimed, his enthusiasm evident as he picked up a wooden spoon and eagerly delved into the dish. *Ever thought about opening your own restaurant? With skills like these, you'd give any chef a run for their money,* Ercale's voice added, further inflating Xain's confidence in his cooking prowess.

Zee gracefully descended from her tree, a few apples in hand, and settled down with them. Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at the stew. "This looks so pretty!" she exclaimed, her appreciation for the dish clearly evident. Xain's previous thoughts about shattered dreams were momentarily overshadowed by the delight his cooking had brought, kind of.

As they savored the meal, Zee retrieved the map and laid it out. With a tone of uncertainty, she questioned Larkin, "Are you really certain that we should head to Aeruna?"