Chapter 15: Travelling

V1 Chapter 14: Travelling

 

While Jake was leaving the town, the current status of the Dark Faction felt eerily quiet. This made the nerves of the members of the Light Faction tense up and uncomfortable.

Well, Balek Town's scale was on the smaller side in the whole Ethunesian Kingdom for the Light Faction, the land here was only ruled by a Baron, and the only selling point for this city by itself was its close distance to Ishara, making this town act as a pseudo Satellite city. 

So naturally, the higher-ups of the Kingdom weren't too keen on wasting time on a city of such little significance. 

But things looked different in Dark Faction right now. They were deliberately pressuring the Balek town to fall in their control for god knows what. 

Although Baron Robert Balek was distressed by this, he couldn't really complain about the matter of his city falling out of his hands to the higher-ups either. If he did, he would lose all the respect and trust of the Kingdom and be branded as a useless person who couldn't even stop some rag-tag bandits. 

And now, too, Robert Balek couldn't really figure out the plan of the Dark Faction, it felt like they had majorly outplayed him in some way, but he couldn't figure out how. 

Nobody knew what the next move of the Dark Faction would be, and that was the main reason Baron Robert panicked and sent more of his troops with Jake's entourage. 

The town was calm as usual; Balek town was one of the most peaceful places in the whole Kingdom. By the scale of this world, this town was nothing more than a big village where all the people knew or at least heard of each other.

Jake's entourage was passing in the empty, windy fields with almost no traffic. Their first destination was the town of Ishara, where they had to stock up on supplies for the rest of their journey.

Naturally, their travel needed more stops than just at Ishara, but this was the only stop they would have for a while because they had to cross Hedil's Forest and Scorch Mountain Pass to reach the next plausible stop. 

Hedil's Forest was as mysterious as this new world, having magical beasts that can control and attack with magical elements and other unexplained creatures and phenomena; this truly shows how much there is left to discover in this new world. 

- -

 

[Jake's POV]

 

My carriage was moving in a fixed, monotonous way. Feeling bored, I was gazing up at the sky, which contained not a spec of clouds as far as I could see. (Truly a calming sight.)

The stillness of the sky and brisk breeze hitting my face were calming my anxiety about parting with my family. Although my consciousness was of an adult, I couldn't really control the instinctual reaction all beings have after separating from their kin. 

Deep down inside, I was trying to think through this situation logically as I always have. (I don't have anyone else but me to support myself, I should be as vigilant as I possibly can)

The feeling of bad premonition hadn't left my subconscious brain; it was as if I knew something wasn't right; I was trying to find that 'thing.'

I took a small gaze inside my carriage upon two beauties that were sitting with me; one was Anna, who was sitting across me with a blank face, and Emily, who was sitting beside me, uncomfortably close. (Will these guys betray me?)

One reason for my instincts ringing alarm could be because I didn't trust my surroundings yet, and it could just be me being paranoid. (No, there is no way I should trust my surroundings, I just met them)

But looking at the childish Emily who was trying so hard to be an 'Elder Sister' to me, it was hard to think that she had some hidden agenda against me. (Are they really in the clear, then what is the feeling I am getting)

I feel like after I have awakened my Magic, I awakened some form of sixth sense, too, something that gives me a gut feeling about everything. (Should I trust this feeling?)

I had a lot of questions with nobody to answer (after all, I can't ask these people if they were here to betray me)

Getting these dark thoughts out of my mind, I continued gazing at the sky. (Not sure what to make of the bad premonition)

Some time passed, and we arrived at Ishara. This was my second visit there, and the town was exactly the same as I saw that day.

Filled with people, lots of peddlers, and carriages. 

"Do you also want to buy something?" I looked over to Anna, who asked me this question

"No, I already bought everything I needed" I politely declined her offer

"Are you sure? We will not stop anywhere until after Hedil's Forest."

"Yes, I am sure." 

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"Neee~ Neee~ Jake-chan, come with me, let's tour the market," Emily said with a cutesy voice. "Your elder sister will buy you anything you'd like." 

"No, Miss Emily, I won't trouble you right now" (What is this overly affectionate behavior, we have just met like 3 hours ago!!)

"What is this formality, Jake-chan? Call me Elder Sis." 

"Wha~, But~" I smiled awkwardly at Emily, who was stubbornly insisting on me calling her Elder Sister.

"No ifs and buts, call me!" 

"Okay, e-elder sister" I went awkward and red-faced after saying that (Damn it, why this feels so humiliating)

“Kyaaa!!! Jake-kun is sooo cuteeee!!!”

Sometimes having a consciousness of an adult hurts. (Sigh~)

I saw Anna instructing the party to buy the supplies. Two of the men were loading the bought goods in the second carriage.

There was another girl at our party; I hadn't even noticed her till now. She had boyish looks with no breasts, making her look like a young male. 

Apparently, her name was Ari, and she was the silent type. (We have a one-san type girl, a chivalrous knight, and a kuudere, wow) 

This journey became a lot more hectic. 

We stocked our supplies and prepared for departure once again. Our next camping location will be just before entering Hedil's Forest. 

Apparently, there is an informal camping station where many merchants who do not want to cross the Forest at night stay there and then move in the morning. 

We set off to the location mentioned earlier, namely Point Edil, where the Forest starts. 

As we came closer to the Forest, the moisture in the air exponentially increased, giving the air a misty smell. There was a hint of an after-rain smell too. 

(The smell of nature is so relaxing!)

In a few moments, the smell started permeating the whole surroundings, and it became more intense, so much so that it started getting suffocating. I think Anna noticed this; she placed a hand on my soldier and said

"The smell contains magic, so try to flow the magic in your system; it will be beneficial for you."

I nodded and followed her instruction, and soon I felt the pressure build up in my chest loosening as an abundance of Magic entered from my surroundings into my body. (Isn't this too beneficial for me? And theoretically, I could ascend levels faster with this?)

"Why is the surroundings like this, Miss Anna?" I asked Anna, trying to probe out more information from her

"This is because this area is a 'high magic concentration zone,' a place where the pressure of Magic is very high, and you feel discomfort due to low magic pressure in your body."

"Oh, so can this be used in training?" I asked her directly

"Yes, it can be, but it is dangerous to train in these harsh conditions; one overstep will lead you to become crippled for the rest of your lives." 

I just nodded my head at her words, but internally I was conflicted (but I just absorbed all of the surrounding Magic in my core…) 

"Jake-kun, do you know that this Hedil's Forest is possibly one of the oldest forests in the entire continent" Emily popped her head into our conversation like a kid

"Woah, really?" 

"Yes, the records of Hedil's Forest even predate the Great Ethunesian Kingdom; many ancient scriptures have been found about this forest, describing this forest that surrounds the Scorch Mountain range and creates a buffer zone," Anna also chimed in with some factual information.

"Buffer zone? For what?" I asked, genuinely surprised

"I didn't think you'll get the meaning of buffer zone; cover me surprised. Well, the Hedil's Forest acts as a buffer zone with Scorch Mountain Peak, where it is said that the Scorch Dragon resides."

"Oh… wait, THE WHAT!?" (I think I heard something wrong)

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