Chapter 97: Farewell for now

As we arrived near the forest, the sound of a loud yell broke through the quiet.

"Boss!"

Turning back, I saw Gorn, the villagers, and everyone I had grown close to over the past months gathered at the edge of the village. Some looked sad, some worried, and... hold on, was that happiness? Nia? Jia? What were those two planning?

Should I be worried about Tink and Gorn?

"Boss! Stay safe out there!" Tink yelled, waving both hands enthusiastically.

"Boss! Come back soon!" Gorn added, his tone tinged with a mix of concern and pride.

"Don't get hurt out there, Runt!" Kron—Scarface—shouted with a gruff voice, though the smirk on his face betrayed his fondness.

Kiril grinned and added, "Sis, bring back delicious food for us, okay?"

Fen's voice rang out above the rest. "Titan! Keep Aria and the others from doing stupid things!"

Hey! I'm a responsible adult! Well… most of the time.

I glanced back at the group, my chest tightening. Despite the teasing, their concern was genuine, and I knew I'd miss them. The village had become more than just a safe haven—it was home. And leaving home, even temporarily, wasn't easy.

"Don't worry!" I called out, raising a hand in reassurance. "We'll be back before you know it. Try not to burn the place down while we're gone!"

That's right. Family, they were my family in this world. So I'll do my best, wait for me guys!

---

An hour after stepping into the forest, I groaned.

"Why?" I muttered under my breath, pinching the bridge of my nose.

Because Dos—brilliant, ever-helpful Dos—had thought it would be a fantastic idea to take a shortcut.

"This way is faster, Boss!" she had said with so much confidence.

Now, here we were, stuck in a patch of dense undergrowth. The "shortcut" was less of a path and more of a maze of tangled vines, thick roots, and thorny bushes.

"Dos," I began, my tone dangerously calm. "Explain to me why we're wading through this instead of the nice, clear path Leah marked on the map."

Dos shifted nervously, avoiding eye contact. "Well… it looked like a shortcut on the map..."

I sighed, waving for everyone to stop. Titan stood silently nearby, probably judging me for trusting Dos in the first place. Mika, perched on Titan's shoulders, looked down at the mess of foliage with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"At least it's not boring!" Mika chirped.

"Not boring? We're practically wrestling with plants!" Tres snapped, yanking her leg free from a particularly stubborn vine.

"Focus, everyone," Leah said, her voice sharp. She unfolded the map, tracing our location. "We're not too far off course. If we backtrack a bit and veer left, we can rejoin the main path."

"Good. Let's do that," I said, glaring at Dos.

"Sorry, Boss..." Dos mumbled, looking genuinely remorseful.

After some grumbling and a bit of struggling, we managed to find our way back to the main path. The difference was like night and day—the main trail was clear, the ground even, and the sunlight filtered through the canopy in golden streaks.

"This is much better," Quatro sighed, stretching her arms.

"Agreed," I said, glancing at the map in Leah's hands. "How far until our first checkpoint?"

"About two more hours at this pace," Leah replied.

Mika yawned dramatically from Titan's shoulders. "Two hours? That's forever!"

"You'll survive," I said, rolling my eyes. "Think of it as an adventure."

"An adventure where we walk forever," Mika grumbled, slumping against Titan's helmet.

We hadn't been on the trail for long when a rustling noise caught my attention. My hand instinctively went to the hilt of my weapon, and Leah signaled for everyone to stop.

"Something's out there," she whispered, her ears twitching.

The rustling grew louder, and then—without warning—a small, fluffy creature burst out of the bushes.

It was... a rabbit?

No, not just any rabbit. This thing was massive, nearly up to my waist, with fur that shimmered faintly like moonlight.

"A Moonlit Hare," Leah muttered, her tone both awed and cautious.

"Is it dangerous?" I asked, keeping my weapon ready.

"Not usually, but they're incredibly rare. Seeing one is supposed to be a sign of good luck," Leah explained.

The hare stared at us for a moment, its eyes glowing faintly. Then, with a flick of its ears, it bounded away, disappearing into the forest.

"Well," Serena said, breaking the silence. "That was... something."

"Does this mean we're lucky now?" Mika asked, her voice hopeful.

"Let's hope so," I said, though a part of me couldn't shake the feeling that the hare's appearance was more than just a coincidence.

By the time the sun began to set, we had reached a suitable clearing to set up camp. Titan helped gather firewood while Uno and Quatro set up the tents. Mika, of course, was busy trying to sneak snacks from the supply bags.

As the fire crackled and the stars began to dot the sky, we all gathered around, the day's exhaustion starting to set in.

"I still can't believe we're really doing this," Tres said, poking at the fire with a stick.

"Me neither," I admitted, leaning back against my pack. "But we've come too far to turn back now."

Leah nodded, her expression thoughtful. "The kingdom is counting on us, even if they don't know it yet."

"And their food is counting on me to try it," I added, earning a few chuckles.

Serena smirked. "You really are motivated by your stomach, aren't you?"

"Hey, everyone needs a goal," I said, shrugging.

As the firelight danced around us, I felt a strange mix of excitement and uncertainty. The forest stretched on ahead, full of unknowns, if it were before I would be uneasy, but now...

Well, I guess we'd just have to wait and see~（￣～￣）