Chapter 17
“That’s an even more grotesque sight.”
The scene resembled a slaughterhouse more than an engagent party, with pig heads and goat heads hanging in view. Despite the unsettling atmosphere, Violetta dismissed Lanken’s worries.
“And, you know, I think Lanken’s very concerned about . He doesn’t believe a delicate flower like myself could possibly hunt a beast.”
“Do you rember when you almost got killed while looking for that giant crocodile?”
“I don’t dwell on the past. Don’t get hung up on what’s over and done.”
“Please, learn from the past!”
“I’m only looking to the future, walking the glorious path laid before ! I’ll capture a mighty beast to prove my worth!”
“Violetta, are you planning to hunt by yourself?”
Beside Violetta, as she cleared twigs and brush, Iola’s eyes widened. Violetta flashed her a sweet smile.
“Of course!”
She hadn’t exactly thought that far, but now it would be her goal.
“I knew you were passionate and determined, but I didn’t expect you’d roll up your sleeves and go hunting yourself.”
“Did you think I’d only stand back and give orders?”
“Well, I admit, I did have that assumption, given your attire.”
Violetta was dressed in a high-waisted, long skirt. It wasn’t voluminous, but it flowed lightly, reaching about a hand’s width above her ankles.
With every stride, her teal skirt fluttered in the air.
“And you’re wearing that short cape, which doesn’t seem particularly practical.”
“It’s the latest fashion. The tis will catch up with .”
Her dark cape, purely for style, barely reached her chest.
“Not to ntion, those high heels.”
Violetta tapped her 5-centiter heels on the mountain slope. They might have been uncomfortable for so, but Violetta, accustod to high heels, walked the slope as if it were level ground.
“They’re comfortable once you get used to them. This is just my everyday wear.”
“Is that so? Why do you choose high heels for everyday wear?”
Even without heels, Violetta was about half a hand taller than the average woman. When she added heels, her eye level was on par with most n.
In heels, she stood eye-to-eye with both Iola and Lanken. Violetta raised a hand to her brow, as if scanning the distant horizon, and laughed.
“It’s stylish.”
Looking down on others was a delight she enjoyed. Violetta liked her height.
“And it gives
a broader view.”
Once you’re used to them, high heels are no problem. Iola nodded thoughtfully as she observed Violetta’s shoes.
“So even high heels beco comfortable in ti. But honestly, that’s all secondary... it’s that you’re without any weapon.”
“…”
She had indeed forgotten. Embarrassed by Iola’s straightforward remark, Violetta kept her gaze forward.
Lanken and Iola each carried a sword, while Violetta had co empty-handed, leaving her large luggage at the inn.
“And you don’t have any tools to set up traps, either.”
“Well… anything in the mountains can be used as a tool, right?”
Admitting she’d forgotten wasn’t an option now.
Fortunately, Iola was soone who would humor even flimsy excuses.
“You’re right. Besides, as a mage, you don’t need any tools. Being unard isn’t a problem, and I overlooked that.”
“Oh, that’s right. I know magic. I was trained for two whole years by a distinguished mage!”
“Of course. That explains your confidence. What kind of magic can you use, and to what extent?”
“I know a bit of light and wind magic. My teacher always said they’d never had a student like
before. They told
I have potential.”
Having found her escape route, Violetta proudly puffed up.
While Violetta prattled on, moving effortlessly through the mountain terrain without a weapon, Lanken remained silent. He neither mocked her boasts nor stopped her plans.
Through long experience, he knew how these things usually went. Words would never change Violetta’s mind; only outcos would.
Like a fla, Violetta would only relent once she’d burned out. Only when she nearly got bitten by the crocodile did she realize she’d ‘understood the monster’s nature’ and backed down. She needed a mont like that.
In short, if today’s hunt failed, she’d likely say, “I’ll improve and seize my next opportunity!” and head back ho. If anyone were injured during the hunt, she’d certainly leave.
Even Violetta knew that if she couldn’t capture a large beast, slaying a dragon was out of the question.
Violetta was absurd but not entirely out of touch with reality.
“So, what are you going after?”
“They said the largest predator on this mountain is the great-horned ox, right? It’s tiny compared to a dragon, but it’ll make a suitable test for my skills.”
“Right.”
Thus, Lanken stayed quiet. If they ended up going ho, he saw no point in stopping her brief escapade and enjoynt.
If they failed today, they’d be back just in ti for the engagent party. That would solve everything.
“Are you finally going to join
on this with a happy heart? Wonderful. Let’s prepare for our hunt. I’ll go flush out the great-horned ox.”
“Wait, really?”
“Yes. I’ll lure it out, and the two of you can jump down from the trees and take it down.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“Of course. I don’t have a weapon. It would’ve been nice to have a bow, but there’s no point in blaming our lack of preparation. The ox should co charging through this path in the afternoon, so let’s wait here.”
“That’s a risky choice.”
“It’s fine. Violetta can handle herself,” Lanken reassured, patting Iola’s shoulder. Iola blinked her clear green eyes.
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes.”
“Understood. If Lanken, who has watched over Violetta, says so, I’ll trust you both entirely.”
“Yes.”
In truth, he hadn’t thought it through.
As the outco neared, Lanken beca calr. He was certain they’d be heading ho soon.
After all, Violetta couldn’t possibly take down a beast.
It was sothing they all needed to consider, each in their own way.
Violetta, Lanken, and even Iola—all three harbored the sa thought.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Screaming, Violetta sprinted through the forest. As she’d predicted, her high heels didn’t hinder her running in the slightest. She dashed down the mountain path as if barefoot, leaping over rocks and bushes, glancing behind her.
“There are so many of them! Why are there so many?!”
However, the number of great-horned oxen was the issue. A herd of ten oxen was thundering toward her.
“Great-horned oxen usually travel in herds!”
Perched in a tall tree, Iola shouted down at Violetta’s head as she fled.
“You should have told
sooner!”
“That’s why I tried to warn you!”
But the timing for warnings always seed too late.
Only after climbing the mountain did they notice the lack of weapons and proper attire. Only after being chased by the herd did they ntion that great-horned oxen were herd animals.
Violetta ran with all her might. Thankfully, the dense trees and rocks hindered the oxen’s path, keeping her just barely out of reach.
“Of course, with my superb skills, I could handle a hundred of these oxen, but please try stopping
in more detail next ti!”
The plan had crumbled from the start. If there had only been one ox, they could have lured it between the trees where Iola and Lanken were positioned, allowing them to jump down and strike its back.
But ten great-horned oxen were far beyond the three of them.
Each ox, with its massive horns, was larger than a wagon and weighed as much as four grown n combined. Even a single hit from those horns could result in serious injuries.
“In that case, let
add sothing else! Ordinary swords won’t cut through an ox’s hide! They’re usually hunted with bows or spears!”
“You should’ve told
that earlier too!”
“You said you knew magic, so I assud you had a plan… Actually, use your magic!”
“Magic? What magic! She’s hopeless at magic!”
Across the way, Lanken anxiously looked down at Violetta from another tree.
Being chased by ten oxen was more than just a failed hunt—it was a life-threatening situation. If he’d foreseen this, he would have watched her more closely.
While he’d hoped she would fail, he hadn’t wanted her to get hurt.
“You did say you have potential!”
“Yes, but my potential is so deeply buried that it might only bloom in the next life!”
Her teacher hadn’t denied her potential but had told her it was so latent that it wouldn’t be of use in this life.
The exact phrasing had been, “There’s no hope in this life. Study it in the next.”
“Not incorrect, then! But… forget it. I’ll lure them instead.”
Finally, a sense of urgency appeared on Iola’s usually composed face. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Iola gripped her sword tightly.
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