Beauty & The Beast Forest?

Thud! Slitch! Awoooo~! And as Nevin bashed the Wind Wolf's head to the left side of its body with his Heavy Mace, I slid to Nevin's left side, and pierced the Wind Wolf in its neck with my slender Rapier, killing it.

 Clap Clap Clap! As I flicked the blood off of my sword, I heard the two women quietly clapping for the two of us. At our feet, lay four 1st Circle Wind Wolf bodies.

 As I pulled out my processing kit, Rebeca came to my side and said.

 "Honestly, if I didn't know better, I would think you were a 1st Circle Swift Knight already, Sam. I know my brother's strengths, but seeing your two's teamwork lets me know you're good. I think it is sad now that you cannot become a Knight afterall."

 As I cut into the Wolf's chest, to get to its heart for the core, I rolled my eyes at her failed flirting, and mentioned that guy George.

 "Well, a 1st Circle is not as good as a 5th circle, right?"

 I could not see her face pout, but I could hear it in her deep voice, as she said.

 "All the girls at Rosecrans have admiration for George Lion... It is not like I was his girlfriend... Are you really that jealous, Sam?"

 I cut open the heart, pulled out a clear stone attached to the inside of the heart lining, the size of an Earth's US quarter, and put it into a special bag, then I lied...

 "Well, I was thinking about not becoming a Magic User, what do you think? I might even fail to become one, you know? Then would you still be so eager to watch my rise?"

 As I went to the second Wolf to remove its core, Nevin pretended to not hear us, and then skinned the Wolf I had already processed. Rebeca, not an airhead, understood my question.

 "I do not think you are willing to not advance as either a Knight or Magic User, and I believe you're more talented than even me. I know it looks bad about how I treated you lately, right?"

 As I roughly took out the second core, I nodded and went to the third one, and said.

 "If I said I did not feel that way a bit, I would be lying to you, Rebeca. I have never even thought of love or dating anyone... And I knew you admired that guy for two years, so my heart feels uncomfortable..."

 Rebeca behind me was smiling at me, while I worked, and she said,

 "I have known you all of your life, so I know how you are feeling, but do you know why I have been hot and heavy pursuing you lately?"

 Finishing the third Wolf, I started on the last one, and I shook my head no to her question.

 "Well, I have always thought you were a cute kid and friend to my Brother, so I did not consider you seriously, because our families are close, but... When I found out you would be going to my school with all those women, I panicked. When I thought you would only go to a guys' Knight school, I knew I did not have to rush you..."

 Then I felt Rebeca's nails scratch my scalp gently, while she spoke.

 "Sam, I am not asking you to make any decision now, but I want you to know that I am seriously waiting for you. I do not want some random girl to catch your attention, and you did not know how I felt about you. As for you becoming a Magic Core wielder... That is just a nice thing, but it is full of pain and troubles for your future. That is why I wish you could have been a Swift Knight. Sigh..."

 After I got the last core, I started to take the Wolf apart like Nevin is doing... I felt this strange feeling in my spine, like this is some Dating Sim game, and the main Heroine is confessing, and I wish I had dialogue boxes showing up like in those System Novels, or the tingle could be Rebeca's fingernails?!

 As I worked, I tried to be honest with her, and ask my burning questions.

 "If I was jealous, just a bit, why did you decide to stop following the Lion around?"

 Ignoring the blood and guts of the Wolf, Rebeca kneeled next to me and said.

 "I will tell you a secret only you and I know... I was only nice to George Lion, so he would be my Knight on group missions for our Academy tasks. I really do not like his pompous personality, the kind of guy who thinks he is the best in the whole world... After all, my Sam proved that even with Lion's talent as a Knight, he can only shine your boots when you grow. A woman knows how to pick a man, you know?"

 As I finished the body processing, I looked into Rebeca's green eyes and nodded to her words. As I was looking, I saw that Milly was flirting with my blockhead friend, and I said to Rebeca.

 "Do you think he knows she likes him?"

 "Nope, my Brother is very dense with his Earth attribute, it affects his brain, haha."

 As Rebeca and I were moments from confessing more feelings, it was ruined by the sounds of rapid feet approaching our group... I wiped my hands, and grabbed my Rapier, while Nevin was no slouch and equipped his gear...

 Rebeca stood and cast [Shadow Shield] to protect herself and Milly. A Tower Shield sized mass of darkness formed and floated in front of herself.

 Nevin took his Vanguard role well, and planted his own Tower Shield, as we waited for the intruders...

 Thud Thud Thud! A loud sound of heavy-footsteps were heard as a Demonic Beast came into view, with a woman chasing it, shooting Elemental Bolts at it, while it was fleeing from its injuries...

 The beast was a... Large 2nd Circle Demonic Moose, and its glowing red eyes fixed on Nevin, and aimed for its target in blind anger.

 Milly, deciding it is time to be serious, casts her Summoner ability, [Buff Summons] and commands Ave.

 "Ave, defeat it for me."

 Milly went from adorable Loli, to battlefield commander in no time, and as her spell finished, Ave, seemed to glow with more wind on its body, as it flew to hit the back of the Demonic Moose.

 BOOM slide~! With the power of passive [Toughness], Nevin braced for impact, and surprisingly only was pushed back 10 feet by the massive Demonic Beast.

 Pootchie~! And as soon as the two stopped the bullrush, I ran to the back hind leg, and pierced its inner thigh, trying to hit a softer area lacking armor. I only scored a shallow thrust though.

 But I frowned, seeing the wounds on this Beast, because it was stabbed by something like a Lance or Spear, and the magic the woman with long white hair is shooting, seems to be Gravity Magic?

 And as the woman in a battle Mage Dress shot another Gravity Bolt into the Demonic Moose, I yelled to Rebeca.

 "She is not alone, help kill it for us, Beck..."

 Bash Thump! Both Nevin and the Air Elemental landed hits on it...

 Rebeca seeing my face, and the eyes of "not-caring" on the approaching woman's face, Rebeca didn't hold back, and cast 5th Circle [Devouring Darkness] at the Beast...

 And from the side I was not standing on, a 30 foot diameter black globe of cold force, shredded the Demonic Moose!

 "Graaaaaah~!"

 Making it scream as it was literally ripped to shreds, by her strongest attack spell, it just died like that, and the woman arrived on the scene.

 I pulled Nevin back from the bloody messed up Demonic Beast body, and moved back to Rebeca and Milly, being very weary of the woman, who looks like she is not afraid.

 The white haired beauty looked right at me, and said softly, but with confidence.

 "This was my Beast..."

 "Take it, it is all yours Miss. We are leaving, good day..."

 As I was walking away with my group who were confused why I was not claiming the kill, the woman calling herself Miss Ann, looked speechless for not trying to hagle.

 And just as I expected, he came...

 Whoosh~! Using the Nerve-trained Swift ability of [Fleet Movement] to arrive at the white haired woman's side, with his Spear pointed outwards in an intimidating manner, to show off.

 George Lion seeing us already leaving with his partner stupefied, he called out with this busted script.

 "Rebeca Glen, long time no see?! Fancy bumping into you all the way south in the Beast Forest?"

 Now that I can see him clearly, I remember what I know of this guy... George Lion, a 3rd year in Royal Knight Academy. He is also 20 years old, 5' feet 11'' inches, with blonde hair and blue eyes. His strength is like Rebeca, at 5th Circle, Electricity Swift Knight. he is a pretty boy wearing light chainshirt armor, and wielding a dazzling Short Spear.

 To my surprise, Rebeca took my arm into her large and soft breasts, and turned us to face Lion. She said with a smile.

 "Well, I came to camp with my Sam here, so goodbye Mr. Lion, enjoy your date."

 Daaaamn~ Buuuurn~! I can tell that Rebeca is doing all this to show there is nothing with Lion, and to prove who she wants to show affection, but why is that white-haired woman glaring at George? And the answer came next.

 "Cough, No, I am only escorting Miss Ann for her training before her entrance to Rosecrans in a week. I am only lending her aid, nothing more..."

 I nodd to Nevin's next words he whispered...

 "She is so scary, she even made the 5th Circle nervous, let's scram, Sam!"

 And without any fanfare, I pulled the happy Rebeca and nervous Nevin along, while Milly was just happy to watch Nevin do whatever, and fight in a Manley style.

 And awkwardly, Rebeca is not letting go of my arm, sigh... I have never been held like this by a woman in this life...

-

 Watching our figures leave without any intention of communicating, the woman said unhappily.

 "His character is weak, he did not hesitate to forfeit on the Beast body, what a coward."

 George, who was shocked that one of his female followers dropped him like a bad habit, shrugged and said to the white haired noble lady.

 "Well, you did not intend to give it to them anyway, and he probably guessed it based on your setup. Sam Roland might be weak, but he seems to have a strong gut-feeling for traps. He ignored your looks and was alone. Hey! Don't get mad, I am only analyzing the situation truthfully. But I do not understand why the proud Rebeca is hanging on to him?!"

 The woman pointed to the body and said.

 "It is a trashy 2nd Circle Core, if you want to take it, I am going back... I will see that jerk next week..."

 Stomp Stomp! George watched the lady stomping her feet angrily, and he shook his head, and said quietly.

 "Somehow, I am glad her father turned down my request for her hand in marriage, I would have been miserable, what a temperamental woman... Oh, I best get the core, hehe."

-

 Later that night, four people shared a tent, and both girls took the inside spots in their sleeping bags, and I was put next to Rebeca.

 I turned my head and saw Rebeca looking into my eyes, and in the dark, I could tell she was smiling, so I whispered.

 "Why are you not sleeping?"

 I heard her quietly ask as she put her face near my ear...

 "Let me hold your hand, so I can sleep peacefully?"

 I hear both Milly and Nevin keeping watch outside by the fire, and I give up... I put my hand near Rebeca, and she pulled my hand into her bedroll, holding it to her chest, and she said quietly.

 "Good night Sam... zzz..."

 Feeling the back of my hand pressed against her collarbone, I realized that she is cruel, because now my mind is thinking about her.

 As I finally drifted to sleep, I could have sworn the back of my hand was kissed by soft lips...