Unfortunately for , Seraph was too burnt out to do anything and we just spent the whole night cuddling. But it was still better than sleeping alone.
"Young master, here is what I could find please accept this gift."
The viscount knelt before as he presented an old parchnt. His stupid son wasn’t with him, it seems he had done as instructed.
"What is it?"
I gestured for Luna to take it as I took a sip of my rose tea. This was one of the few things I had carried with , it reminded of mother.
"It’s a map?"
Luna said uncertainly as she peered more keenly at the brown old parchnt. It was half torn at the sides.
"It’s the troll forest map, you should be entering it in a day or two right?"
The viscount asked while hopefully looking at .
"And how do you know that?"
I questioned.
The man squird on his knees and avoided my gaze..
"Only those who are going to the troll forest pass by our city most of the ti and I heard one of your drivers talk about it," he noticed what he had said and paled," I didn’t an to eavesdrop young master i was just passing by."
I nodded.
"And what’s the use of this map, i also have the very sa map."
I said casually.
"No, that is the new one but this one marks the place trolls appear frequently so that you can avoid them, eting trolls during your travel isn’t the best thing."
The viscount tried to butter up. I did believe him. Seeing the map, it really was different and showed different routes that we were not familiar with.
"I suppose this will prove helpful. Can you tell how many people have this map?"
I asked curiously. The map seed too old.
"Ooh, no this is our family treasure. My family specialised in hunting trolls for generations and they would add every new detail to the map. As you can see the inks are aging differently. "
I nodded but glanced at his overweight body with contempt. He noticed my gaze and avoided my eyes by faking a cough.
"My brother is the one who hunts trolls."
He mumbled against his fist.
’Figures’
"You can go now, but if I hear any complaints about your son I’ll kill him."
What this stupid viscount didn’t know was that Jeneviv had permanently destroyed his bloodline when he kicked the man.
He was basically useless. It really was the best punishnt since the man will live knowing he couldn’t function. That was worse than a re death sentence.
"Thank you! Thank you young master, I will never forget your kindness. "
He bowed repeatedly almost hitting his head on the floor a couple of tis.
"Just leave and if the map isn’t real, I will hunt your whole generation down."
He paled even more but he nodded and hurriedly stood up.
"You won’t be disappointed. "
He scurried away faster than a mouse after saying his last thanks.
"We should get going or we’ll be late."
Donovan said as he stood up and stretched himself. He walked out of the inn while carrying a flask filled with whatever root beer he could get his hands on.
"Let’s not waste any more ti."
The others nodded and everyone filed out of the inn. The innkeeper stood by the door and bowed before waving.
I turned around to see Nixie vigorously waving back. It was clear she had just learnt that and whoever had taught her that was among the other girls.
"Nixie, you only have to do it once and you’re done. You’re doing too much."
Jeneviv said in frustration while running her hands vigorously through her hair.
They were dragging her into the carriage as she continued waving until it was shut.
Nixie was observing and trying to understand the land people’s cultures as she had hoped.
"Lucian."
Seraph’s voice got my attention and I got into the carriage. The mont I was seated she moved and sat next to placing her legs up on the opposite seat.
"Won’t you feel squeezed if we both sit here?"
I asked her. She rubbed her face against my neck.
"No, I want to be near you."
I nodded and opened my book as the carriage started to move.
"Okay suit yourself but don’t co complaining to ."
"I will and you’ll listen."
I shrugged.
The noise reduced as we left the bustling city and entered the forest. It was annoying that every ti we left a city we had to go through a forest wether small or large.
Most of the ti forests acted like border lines.
"Dream forest."
Seraph said softly as she looked at the forest.
"It’s because of those colourful tree isn’t it?"
I asked while looking at the occasionally multi colored tree barks that stood out against the dark brown of the others.
"Yes, but they’re pretty useless. You rember mother bought you a toy made from the colored tree?"
Seraph asked with a fond smile gracing her face.
"How can , you took it the next day and broke it. I was two."
I lifted two fingers and waved them in front of her eyes. She pouted at being called out and slapped my fingers away.
"It was beautiful, you can’t bla . "
She shot back.
"Why do they even call this place Dream forest it looks ordinary to ."
I asked. Dream forest was a small forest and it would only take two sand glasses to fully cross it.
"It’s nothing special really. The only redeeming quality it has is the lack of beasts, people rarely get attacked on this road."
Seraph whispered as though she was telling a horror. It was bizarre for a forest to have no beasts but it wasn’t sothing unique.
"I think we’ll be changing that since we’re surrounded. "
I said to Seraph who also nodded.
"I was wondering when they were going to attack. They’ve been following us the mont we left the inn."
Seraph said and sat up straight, her lethargy gone.
All the carriages ca to a stop. The forest was quiet, too quiet. Wind occasionally blew across the road raising a small sheet of sand and spilling it into the forest.
The tension in the air was visible as we both waited to see who would attack first but nothing happened. Our stalkers seed to be indecisive, so I made one for them.
’Ice’
The familiar white spell larger in size ford outside the Carriage window.
Icicles of different sizes shot into the forest and the sound of them hitting tal echoed in the quiet forest.
"Ooh, they’re skilled."
They had countered my attack. This just made my blood boil. Maybe I could fight longer this ti.
"There are ten on each side. "
Seraph said as she followed out of the carriage.
"They really sent a whole squad. The more the rrier. "
Balls of fire the size of a human head shot out consistently from the forest burning everything on their way as they left a trail of flas heading directly for our last carriage.
"Oh no you don’t. "
Nixie’s voice ca before a jet of water t the oncoming firewalls.
Fire and water t with a loud sizzling sound and steam ford before the mist started to spread.
"They were aiming for the food."
Luna said. She was standing next to at so point.
"You want to fight?"
I turned to her.
"Yes, but young master’s safety cos first."
"Just go, flush those cowards out of the forest."
Our attackers seed determined to stay in the forest cover.
Luna nodded and summoned her sword, she dived into the right side of the forest slicing through anything that stood in her way.
Donovan who had been sitting in the driver’s seat shot to the left side. He was even worse, he cut through trees while laughing.
He was clearly toying with them since most of them were hidden on top of trees.
"Your subordinates are..... unique."
Seraph who was watching Donovan’s display tried to complint but I could see the hesitation in her.
She was used to elegance, even the duchy knights maintained a good image during fights.
"This is the best way to let them loosen their emotions."
I answered her.
I turned to see that only Jeneviv had remained back among the other girls.
"Don’t you want to fight?"
I asked her. She shook her head.
"I’m waiting for the bodies, from their attacks they must be strong."
She said excitedly.
"Don’t forget their souls."
I reminded. She didn’t respond but I could see that her attention had already been taken away.
"It seems that one has sneaked from Donovan’s side."
I mumbledto myself.
I turned around and kicked to my right. My foot t a body, followed by a groan and the sound of feet dragging on the ground.
"Invisibility clock. For an assassin, you sure ca prepared."
I said to the man who gradually started to beco visible after I broke the spell.
"They really ant it when they say you’re strong."
The assassin said in a casual tone a small chuckle escaping him. He was tall, taller than but what stood out was his unbelievably thin body despite looking healthy.
I guess he needed to be as light as possible.
"I’ll take that as a complint. "
"You’re funny," he paused and drew two daggers," for a dead man of course. "
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