Chapter 4

4. Growth

“It’s so stuffy.”

Feeling like a heavy stone was pressing on his chest, Ars tossed and turned before finally sitting up. Sleep was impossible.

It had been ten days since he’d come to the Herba barony to receive the help of Baron’s daughter, Riventitia. Today was the first time he’d spent a whole day with all of his control devices removed. Was this what it felt like to have wings?

It was the first true freedom he had ever known. Every moment without the pain of his power and the restraints felt like honey.

But at night he still had no choice but to wear them. Thanks to Rivi stabilizing him with her ability, he only needed the minimum—two devices—but even that was many times more exhausting than usual.

“I have to sleep. We’re supposed to go to the greenhouse tomorrow.”

His mind kept chanting that he needed to head for dreamland, but his body wouldn’t listen. Ars hugged his pillow and gazed out the window at the silent world covered in white snow. The mansion was utterly quiet this late at night.

Maybe some cold air will help. He opened the window and leaned out. That’s when he noticed the bright light shining in the room next door.

“Did she leave the light on to sleep?”

That was Rivi’s room. Stepping back in, he checked the clock; it wasn’t even midnight yet. Ars pulled the blanket around his shoulders, hugged his pillow with one arm, and crept out into the hall. He carefully opened the large door and found Rivi fast asleep, half-kicked out of her blankets with the lights blazing.

“Let there be darkness.”

He pressed his hand to the transparent panel on the wall and murmured the command. The round globe on the ceiling gradually darkened to black.

“Mmm… Ars?”

But as the room suddenly dimmed, Rivi cracked open sleepy eyes.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.”

“Did you come to turn off the light?”

“Yeah.”

“Why aren’t you asleep yet? You have to get plenty of rest so you can get up tomorrow. Is it because it hurts?”

The question hit right on target. Ars couldn’t answer; he just buried his face in his pillow.

“Come here. Let’s sleep together.”

“Is that okay?”

“You need lots of sleep if you want to grow big and strong. You even brought your pillow.”

When Rivi patted the empty space beside her, Ars climbed in as if spellbound.

The big bed was wide enough for several people, so there was plenty of room. When Rivi’s hand brushed his cheek, the heavy pain melted away like snow.

“You’re still wearing your earring. Where else?”

“Anklet.”

“That must be uncomfortable. If we’re holding hands, do you really need the anklet too?”

“The earring might fall out, so I have to wear at least two. It’d be a disaster if the bed broke.”

“Mm, true. Our hands might come apart while we sleep. Maybe we should tie them with a ribbon.”

“I won’t let go. Ever.”

Even at his age, he understood on instinct that he could never let go of his lifeline. In just a few days, Ars had learned how to stay close to Rivi with as little inconvenience to her as possible.

Beneath the thick blankets, the two whispered to each other until they drifted off to dreamland.

◇ ◆ ◇

Ugh, so bright. Must be morning already.

Even with my eyes closed, I could tell the room had filled with light as the sun shone on my face. Forcing my eyelids—heavy as lead—to open, I found Ars sleeping soundly beside me, his breathing soft and even.

He was clutching my left hand tightly with both of his own, like a baby angel in a painting. Really, the only thing missing was a pair of wings.

I gently patted the blanket over him, and he smiled sleepily at the touch. Carefully, I slipped my left hand free and climbed down from the bed. Let’s see—I’d woken up a full thirty minutes earlier than usual.

Strangely, I felt more energetic than ever this morning. Even with less sleep, I was bursting with strength. It wasn’t like anyone had cast a recovery spell on me, either. How odd.

After quickly washing up and changing, I stepped back out to find Rector and Euden standing in my room, both looking completely startled.

“Coming into a lady’s room without permission? I’ll overlook it this time since I know why, but if you do it again, you’ll get a Herba-style punishment.”

“My apologies. Ars wasn’t in his room…”

“I’m pretty sure you two were sleeping separately last night. When did he sneak in?”

“In the middle of the night. He couldn’t sleep because he was in pain, so he came to hold my hand. By the way, why aren’t you apologizing?”

“Forgive me, my most gracious, adorable, and magnificent Riventitia! Please pardon your worthless brother!”

“I like that answer. Your sins are forgiven.”

Well, since he was quick to repent, I decided to be generous today.

Oh, and for reference, a Herba-style punishment meant throwing the offender outside into a pile of snow in nothing but their indoor clothes. The worse the crime, the more times and the longer they had to roll around in it.

If you did something really unforgivable, you’d get tied up and hung upside down from a tree halfway up the Chepan Mountains. But from what I knew, no one had been punished that severely since Mother became the baroness.

When I spread my arms, my brother scooped me right up. He handed sleeping Ars over to Euden, and the two of us went out into the hall.

“It’s still a while before breakfast. Want to hang out in my room?”

“Sure. But why are you even awake this early? You’re usually like a hibernating bear in winter and won’t come out of bed.”

“Euden woke me up. He wanted to check if Ars was in your room.”

“What about Elodie?”

Elodie usually managed access to my room since I was the baron’s daughter.

It wasn’t an accident the Pretium ducal house had picked a female attendant to send along. It was all for situations like this.

“She went to the greenhouse to pick vegetables. Talk about terrible timing. What a pain.”

Bit of bad luck this morning. Rector’s own bed still had the blankets wrapped up in a mess, like he’d rolled right out.

“But why did Ars’s condition suddenly get worse? Yesterday he seemed healthier than ever since coming here.”

“I think taking all the control devices off and then putting them back on was too much for him.”

“Ugh, so it was like completely releasing the pressure and then clamping it down all at once. No wonder there was backlash. Watching him, it’s obvious he has terrifying talent. If we hadn’t brought him to our territory where there are no prying eyes, someone would have figured it out eventually.”

His face turned really serious then. He looked deeply troubled.

“Rector, how long does Ars have to keep hiding his power?”

“Who knows. At least until the crown prince is confirmed. The most important thing right now is getting him safely to adulthood.”

“It’s so complicated.”

“And he can’t stay in our territory forever. Honestly, if we cared only about efficiency, we’d let him live with all the control devices off. But if he can’t even sleep at night like that, we have to reconsider.”

“He can sleep just fine if he’s holding my hand.”

“You can’t do that every single night.”

“But you and I shared a room until you left to be a mercenary.”

“That’s because we didn’t have a nursemaid. Mother and Father were busy. They couldn’t risk leaving you alone in case something happened.”

Honestly, Ars was in even less shape to be left alone at night than I had been as a toddler.

Last night he’d tried so hard to sleep on his own before finally giving up and coming to me. Not that I had any right to scold him for it; I’d fallen asleep with the lights on, and he must have seen them.

“Rector, do you want Ars to get healthy quickly so he can go back to Pretium?”

“Of course. Rivi, Ars is a good kid, but our family isn’t exactly powerful. It’s useful for us to stay friendly with the Pretium ducal house because we’re in the north. But getting entangled with the imperial family? That’s dangerous.”

The worst-case scenario, at least in Rector’s mind, was me having to go to Pretium myself. Our family wouldn’t be able to look after me there. That was part of why we brought Ars here instead.

Honestly, he was doing much better since arriving in Herba. He’d put on weight, and even grown a little taller.

But if he didn’t hit our goal for the year, I’d probably have to go to Pretium next time. The ducal heir couldn’t stay forever in some remote territory. It wasn’t like when the Duchess had been an imperial princess herself; Ars’s situation was different.

He was the only direct heir of the ducal house. There was a limit to how long they’d let him recover away from home.

For my own sake—and for my family’s—I needed to make sure things worked out while he was here in Herba. Which meant there was only one real answer. I’d have to hold his hand and sleep with him at night.

But my stubborn brother would never listen to me about that. I’d need to talk to Mother and Father instead.

◇ ◆ ◇

“If it’s not uncomfortable for either of you, let’s try it this way for a while. At least we won’t need to replace the bed.”

My parents gave permission surprisingly easily. Ars was small as a doll, and since we were both still young, they figured it would be fine. The fact that I used an adult-sized bed already also helped settle the matter.

“Come to think of it, all the beds in Herba Manor seem huge.”

“We don’t make child-sized beds here. Once you’re old enough to sleep alone, you just use a big bed.”

“Why’s that?”

“You need wood to make furniture, right? But the only big trees in our territory grow in the Chepan Mountains.”

“So it’s hard to cut them down and carry them back from the mountains.”

“Yeah. And the really strong, furniture-grade trees don’t even grow near the edge. You have to go at least to the middle slopes. Our territory can’t afford to send weak woodcutters. Most Chepan lumberjacks are fourth-circle mages or higher.”

Because lumber was so precious, people in our domain tried to make furniture that would last as long as possible. Our family wasn’t any different; the big dining table and chairs in the hall had been passed down for generations.

It got boring just playing around inside the manor, so I brought Ars to the greenhouse. It was warm in there, so we could take off our coats and run around freely.

“It’s way bigger than the one at the ducal estate. Do you use magic to keep it warm?”

“We did carve magic circles, but mostly it’s heated by hot spring water. The pipes run through the greenhouse to keep it warm.”

“Bet it gets really hot in summer.”

“We don’t bother growing anything in there then, so we just leave it empty. The fields are off-limits though, so let’s play over there instead.”

There was an empty patch of dirt where new seedlings would go soon; for now, it was our playground. Ars had said he wanted to learn archery, so I brought my bow, arrows, and a target from home.

“Let’s start from this distance since it’s your first time. These aren’t practice arrows, so be careful. The tips can cut your fingers.”

The arrowheads were sharper than knife blades. Ars followed my instructions and eagerly let them fly—thwip, thwip—totally excited.

“Two hit the red! Try aiming a little closer to the center.”

“So you have to hit it exactly in the middle? That’s hard.”

“It’s even tougher in real hunts. The animals or monsters move, and if they smell you, they’ll bolt. You have to aim from way farther away.”

“Oh, so if you don’t hit a vital spot, they’ll just run off with the arrow in them?”

“Exactly!”

“Do you think I can catch even one rabbit while I’m here in Herba?”

“Don’t worry. If you practice enough, you will.”

No one becomes an expert on the first try. Ars kept shooting until he’d emptied the whole quiver, then sat down hard on the ground, panting with exhaustion.

“Oh dear, Ars. If you get your clothes too dirty, Elodie’s going to scold me.”

Euden, who’d been watching us the whole time, lifted Ars right up and plopped him onto a wooden box.

“Ars, can you shoot any more?”

“Yeah. The more I do it, the better I get.”

“Good. I’ll pull the arrows out while you rest.”

They were embedded deeper than I’d expected, maybe because we’d been shooting from up close. Oof, this might take some muscle. I tugged at one, planning to use magic if it didn’t come out—but to my surprise, it slid out easily.

Huh? That was weird. I hadn’t even pulled that hard. Suspicious, I called my brother over.

“Hey, Rector. Don’t do anything special—just try pulling out an arrow.”

“Like this?”

Pluck, pluck. The wooden target was clear in seconds. He’d definitely used arm strength, so the arrows really had been stuck in there properly.

“Hand me a dagger.”

“Going to show off your knife-throwing too? Here you go.”

I had a feeling I’d gotten a lot stronger. I told my brother to stand back, then threw the dagger at the target with all my might.

◇ ◆ ◇

“Gah!”

The solid wooden target split clean in two. I flexed the hand that had thrown the dagger. I really did get stronger! Rector, who was just as shocked, rushed over to me.

“You didn’t use magic just now, right?”

“Nope.”

“Let’s head back to the manor for now.”

“What about the target? I don’t think we can fix it even if we tried.”

“We’ll have to chop it up for firewood. Wasteful, but there’s no helping it.”

The moment the target cracked in half, Ars and Euden both looked completely startled. We quickly tidied up the greenhouse and headed home.

“At this point, you’re basically on par with a knight using mana to strengthen their body.”

After returning to the manor and running some quick tests, everyone agreed on one thing: my strength had become absurd. I could lift Ars as if he were made of feathers.

It wasn’t like I’d drunk some legendary elixir overnight or achieved sudden enlightenment in magic or martial arts. Everyone huddled together trying to figure out the cause.

“Based on the magical scan, Lady Rivi’s life force is extremely high right now. She’s practically the picture of perfect health.”

“We all ate the same food here in the manor, so we can rule that out. And there’s no significant change in mana reserves. That really only leaves one possibility.”

“Her ability. It has to be the effect of the nullification power.”

My ability didn’t just protect my own body in a passive way. More precisely, it converted what it absorbed into life force.

If you compared Ars’s power with no limiters on, it was basically an ocean. I’d gotten used to taking in something like a lake’s worth, but suddenly the entire ocean had come rushing in—and all that accumulated life force overflowed. It wasn’t just my arms that were stronger; I could run faster and falling didn’t even hurt much anymore.

“Why didn’t we realize this before?”

“Life force doesn’t show up to the naked eye unless you specifically test for it with magic. It’s natural we wouldn’t know.”

Once Hesila finished her explanation, I stepped out of the scanning circle and slumped onto the sofa. I wasn’t tired physically, but I felt mentally wrung out.

“At this rate, I could go into the Chepan Mountains with Ars by myself. Right, Rector?”

“You could carry him on your back all the way to the middle slopes, sure. But the ducal house would throw a fit, so if you’re going up there, I’m coming too.”

I knew that much. I’d only been joking anyway.

Originally I’d planned to take Ars hunting once he got a little more used to archery, but now that I was this much stronger, maybe I could move up the schedule.

We decided to try going rabbit hunting on the next clear day. The best practice is always the real thing.

◇ ◆ ◇

“Ars, you all dressed?”

“Yeah.”

“Your shoes feel okay? Good—let’s head out.”

For hunting, you had to dress so you could move easily. Today I was wearing pants instead of a skirt, with a short outer coat layered thickly for winter. Ars didn’t really have any clothes suited for hunting, so I’d rummaged in the storeroom and found a few things I used to wear as a kid.

“There’s so much you need for this. Most of the clothes you brought from the ducal estate are too flimsy for outdoors. We’ll have to do plenty of hunting so you can get your own leather clothes and gear. Weapons too.”

“Gear?”

“A canteen, a sheath for a dagger, a belt. A sturdier bag. Borrowing stuff all the time is annoying, so you should have your own.”

“Can’t we just pay someone to make them?”

“It’s cheaper if you bring them your own leather.”

Plus it was winter—hunting was hard this time of year, so you couldn’t just burn through all the stored hides. A few rabbits wouldn’t be enough to get everything he needed. Guess we’ll have to work hard.

I packed enough food for at least three or four meals. When heading up the Chepan Mountains, you always prepared for the worst. With novices coming along this time, I had to be extra careful.

We used magic to fly to the start of the mountain path and began walking from there.

“It’s still pretty flat here.”

“Just a little further and the hills start. Once we’re over those rocks, something—an animal or a monster—will show up for sure.”

The creatures in the Chepan range weren’t afraid of humans. That made them extra dangerous. To them, we were just weird, soft things without horns, fur, or sharp teeth.

“Ars. If you get tired, say so right away. Taking breaks at the right time is important.”

“We only just started walking! I’m fine. But Rivi, what’s that under the tree over there?”

“Poisonous mushrooms. Can’t even use those for medicine. Even animals won’t eat them and insects don’t land on them.”

That’s exactly why they sat there untouched, looking pristine. I warned Ars firmly not to touch anything colorful and pretty out here.

As we moved deeper into the woods, stepping over big rocks, I started to sense the presence of animals. Hiding behind a thick tree, we crept forward. A rabbit emerged into view.

“Why is it so big?”

Without making a sound, Euden mouthed the question to Rector.

“It’s a giant rabbit. That’s a big-species variant.”

While the adults talked, I kept an eye on Ars as he quietly took aim. His arrow flew powerfully and struck the giant rabbit right in the neck.

“Oh—it’s running away!”

Good shot, but giant rabbits were tough. One arrow wasn’t enough to drop it. Ars froze in surprise, so I quickly grabbed a fist-sized rock I’d noticed earlier and hurled it. It flew straight and smacked the rabbit square on the head.

With a shriek, it toppled over with a heavy thud.

Nice! A successful hunt!

“That rabbit’s bigger than a calf. We can eat it, right?”

“Yup. The meat’s delicious. The fur’s super soft, too—top quality. Giant rabbits have tough hide that’s good for making other things, not just clothes.”

“Next time I want to catch one by myself. You helped this time.”

“Got it.”

Letting him build confidence was important. He needed to learn to do things on his own if he was going to grow up able to handle life even a little better. Rector once told me that exact thing.

◇ ◆ ◇

Carrying the rabbit around would be way too awkward, so first I buried it under fallen leaves and snow and cast a concealment spell over it.

If you didn’t use magic to hide it, the smell of blood would draw in all the local predators and they’d run off with it in no time. After all the trouble Ars and I went through to catch it, letting those beasts have it would be a real waste.

That’s why properly hiding your catch was just as important as bringing it down in the first place.

“I’m thirsty.”

“Drink some water. And have a piece of chocolate too.”

Ars gulped down a few mouthfuls from the canteen, then unwrapped a small chocolate and popped it into his mouth. His plump little cheeks moved as he chewed.

Ah, he’s so cute. Ars is just ridiculously cute.

Maybe we got too good a catch right at the start, because even after a long walk there wasn’t much else moving around. It was like everything had gone off to hibernate.

But honestly, even if we didn’t find more game, there was still a mountain of stuff I wanted to teach Ars, so it wasn’t a waste.

“You should never walk around the mountains empty-handed. Even plants have some way of defending themselves. See this vine? It’s got thorns all along the stem.

If you don’t wear gloves, you’ll get cut. But even though it’s winter, the stem is green.

That’s because it’s First Snow Vine. It’s one of the plants that grow through the winter. Let’s see… judging by the leaf size, the berries should be ripe.”

“I’ll pick them. Sir Euden, could you keep watch?”

“Yes!”

Rector gave the ground a light kick and soared upward, springing nimbly from branch to branch until he reached the top of the tree and cut the ripe berries free with his dagger. He lowered them in a fine-mesh net, floating gently on magic to land softly and quietly.

“They’re called First Snow Vine because they flower right around the first snowfall. The berries are delicious. Birds and wyverns both love them, so it’s rare to find any in perfect condition like these.”

“Do you just peel them and eat them?”

“Yeah, but not out here. They’re really juicy—you have to cut them over a big dish so you don’t make a mess.”

“They smell so sweet. But it’s weird, I feel like I’ve smelled this before even though I’ve never seen the fruit.”

“You probably ate jam made from them. Snow Jam.”

“Oh! The stuff you dip biscuits in!”

Snow Jam was a luxury treat that cost over ten gold a jar. The recipe itself was simple: mash the First Snow berries, add golden maple syrup, and reduce it over heat until thick.

The cost all came from how hard the ingredients were to get.

First Snow berries were already a tough find, but golden maple syrup was even worse—it oozed out so slowly you might as well watch moss grow. You had to cut shallow scores into the tree bark and collect the sap as it trickled out over the entire winter. Even then you were lucky to get a single bucketful.

Plus goblins were obsessed with it, constantly trying to steal it. You had to post guards day and night to keep them away.

“It’s one of the specialties of the north, but our territory doesn’t have enough people to sell golden maple syrup. We just manage to harvest enough for ourselves.”

“How do you stop the goblin thieves?”

“Traps and magic. It only works because we’re guarding just a few trees. Big plantations can’t do it that way.”

We hadn’t seen any deer or mountain goats, so I figured since we’d come this far anyway, we might as well collect some syrup before heading back. Luckily, the golden maple grove was only a few steps away from where we were.

◇ ◆ ◇

People who’d only heard the name golden maple but never actually seen one usually assumed the leaves were gold. But the leaves were the same red you could find on any maple tree; it was the trunk that gleamed golden.

“The sweetness in the air is incredible. I’ve visited golden maple groves several times, but I’ve never smelled syrup this strong.”

“That’s because the groves near the villages were planted from seed. This place grew naturally, so the scent is completely different.”

“Rivi, there’s no snow here. It’s much warmer than over there.”

“See that huge maple over there? There’s a hot spring behind it. That’s why the snow doesn’t pile up much, and what does fall melts fast. Let’s collect the syrup, then have lunch.”

We’d been trekking around so long that the sun had climbed all the way up and was hanging right above the treetops. It was time to eat.

I poured the sweet syrup into a sturdy container, sealed the lid tight, and packed it in my bag. The people back in the territory would be happy.

“It seems dangerous to sit on the ground to eat.”

“It is. Usually, people climb a tree to eat safely. But there’s a cabin in this grove, so we can use that.”

“A cabin?”

“Strictly speaking, it’s an emergency shelter.”

Seeing their puzzled faces, my brother stepped in to explain in detail.

Before I was born, our parents had racked their brains trying to pay off the family debts. One of their ideas had been to produce golden maple syrup—a prized northern specialty—right here in our territory and sell it.

But the problem was, the maple groves were deep inside the Chepan Range. Collecting the syrup itself was easy—you just had to score the bark—but guarding it was nearly impossible. After countless battles trying to fend off the monsters and beasts drawn by the scent, our parents and the people of the domain had finally raised their hands in surrender, tears in their eyes.

The only thing left behind in the grove was the cabin where the lookouts had stayed. Now, it was used as a shelter where hunters and gatherers could rest if they got tired.

“This way.”

The cabin had been built near the hot spring so water could be drawn easily. Though it looked simple, made of brick and timber, it was reinforced with plenty of magic to keep it sturdy and clean.

“Wow, it’s impressive. Two rooms, even. A kitchen and a bath, too! I never thought I’d see such a nice house this deep in the Chepan Range.”

“They built it so people could stay here around the clock to guard the syrup comfortably.”

The only downside was that most of the budget had gone into protective enchantments to keep the place from getting smashed, so heating had to be done the old-fashioned way—with wood.

We lit the stove and the hearth, then warmed the lunches we’d brought and brewed some hot tea to set out for lunch.

◇ ◆ ◇

“The water’s really hot! Rivi, is this from the hot spring?”

“Yep. Ars, come on, hurry before the food gets cold.”

Ars had gone to the bathroom to wash up and even ended up splashing his face. I’d already washed before opening the lunch containers. This was a luxury you could only enjoy in this part of the Chepan Range; anywhere else, you’d just end up caked in dirt and leaves looking like a total ragamuffin.

There was a hearty soup packed with ingredients, plus soft bread that we’d grilled until warm. The first snow berries we’d picked earlier had been peeled and neatly sliced by my brother. Each of us got two roasted eggs, and the salad would wilt if we didn’t finish it now, so best to polish it off right away.

We’d walked so much that everyone was starving. No one even spoke at first; we just grabbed our forks and dug in. It was only once the food was halfway gone that anyone managed a comment.

“Dipping the bread in syrup makes it so delicious.”

“I was ready for bland rations, but this feels like a feast in the middle of the mountains.”

Neither Euden nor Ars had ever once complained about food. They were the type who quietly ate whatever you gave them.

Euden was used to rough food and sleeping outdoors, given his training as a knight, but he actually came from a very prestigious house. The Euden Count family was one of the top three powers in the North. The current Count Euden was the Grand Duke’s most trusted aide and spent more time in Pretium than in his own territory.

Ars’s bodyguard, Sir Mines Euden, was the Count’s eldest son and heir to the family. He also had a younger brother who was a knight.

After finishing our meal, we washed all the lunch boxes, plates, and cups thoroughly. Everything here had to be left exactly as it was found for the next person who might use it.

Once I was sure my pack was ready and that I hadn’t forgotten anything, I slung it over my shoulder. That’s when my brother, who’d been on lookout duty, suddenly burst back into the cabin in a rush.

“Rivi, don’t go outside right now. Monsters.”

“How many?”

“A lot. Over ten. Thankfully no trolls—but there’s a chieftain orc with them.”

A chieftain orc? That was unusual. They typically stayed in their villages to guard them. There wasn’t supposed to be an orc settlement anywhere near the golden maple grove. Had a new one cropped up?

The cabin was designed for scouting, so you could climb a narrow staircase by the kitchen and open the window to get a good view outside. I quickly scrambled up the stairs, Ars following right behind me.

“Ars, I’m going to open the window. From now on, no loud noises. Even though there’s an invisibility enchantment, a chieftain orc has much sharper senses than normal ones.”

“Okay.”

I carefully pushed open the thick wooden shutter just enough for us to peek out.

Oh, this was bad. Looked like they’d all decided to come on a big field trip. Just from here, I could count twelve or thirteen orcs.

And the huge one languidly washing its face in the hot spring was definitely the chieftain orc. The bone-adorned necklace around its neck confirmed it.

The other orcs were busy scraping bark off the maples and licking up the sap.

They’d come for snacks, apparently. I even spotted young orcs and females, which meant this was probably the chieftain’s entire family.

After taking it all in, I quietly shut the window.

“Whew.”

Ars let out a relieved sigh right next to me. He must have been really tense.

◇ ◆ ◇

“If it weren’t for the chieftain orc, this number would be manageable for me alone.”

Sir Euden, who had been watching the orcs through the window, muttered with a worried expression.

“If it were just the two of us, maybe. But since we have to protect both Rivi and Prince Ars, it’s a big burden. Let’s wait for now. If it doesn’t get better, we can spend the night here before moving on.”

“If the sun sets, does that mean we can’t move at all?”

“If I carry Rivi on my back, just the two of us can move. But since Sir Euden and Prince Ars aren’t used to the mountains, the four of us can’t travel together.”

“Hmm. Better to choose the safe route. There’s that saying: the more urgent the matter, the more you should take the long way.”

After my brother’s explanation, Sir Euden agreed that waiting in the cabin was best.

The chieftain orc was strong enough to face a troll and not lose. Since winter made food scarce, the orcs wouldn’t leave the forest until they’d eaten enough. To conserve our stamina, I let Ars rest comfortably.

“Ars, are you scared?”

“I guess since I only saw them inside the house, they’re not as scary as I thought. Orcs are kind of like people, huh? That one’s holding a baby tight.”

“Orcs like sweets too. Especially the young ones—they chew on maple branches as a snack. It’s like cookies for us.”

“So if their parents tell them to go home, won’t the kids just cling to the tree and refuse?”

Honestly, young orcs probably throw tantrums a lot. But their mothers would spank their backsides, so eventually they’d cry and obey. The Chepan Mountains are full of animals and monsters stronger than orcs.

After about an hour of hanging out in the cabin, the orcs started preparing to return to their village. The chieftain, holding a stone spear, took the lead. As I was watching the orc family casually walking through the trees, the ground suddenly shook with heavy thudding.

“Trolls! Two of them!”

Sir Euden, looking the other way, shouted sharply. Towering over the golden maple trees, the massive trolls licked their lips and charged toward the young orcs.

“Ugh!”

Ars quickly covered his mouth with his hands, swallowing a scream.

Trolls were terrifying not just because of their size but because they moved with surprising agility. Their regeneration meant shallow sword cuts didn’t kill them, and their stamina made hunting difficult.

However, their hides were tough and their blood valuable for alchemical materials, so a successful troll hunt brought good income. Our people actually preferred hunting trolls over orcs.

Thankfully, the baby orcs survived thanks to the chieftain orc defending them. The terrified mother orc let out a sharp cry and grabbed her kids one by one, sprinting away at full speed.

Orcs tended to be slow runners because of their bellies, but when danger struck, they pushed past their limits. They were surprisingly fast.

Two trolls and the chieftain orc, along with three orcs presumed to be his sons, engaged in a brutal battle. If these were ordinary orcs, the fight would have ended quickly, but the chieftain could handle one troll alone.

Their strengths were so evenly matched that the fight dragged on without a clear winner.

“Brother, if we leave this be, they’ll be fighting until sunset, won’t they?”

“Two trolls and four orcs. If one troll or the chieftain orc falls, then it’s manageable.”

“Even better if both go down.”

Before I could finish speaking, the chieftain orc hurled his spear at one troll’s head. The spear struck the eye, and the troll screamed in agony before collapsing to the ground.

◇ ◆ ◇

“Ars got a bag and a belt.”

Rivi clapped her hands, her bright smile dazzling. Maybe it was because the person beside her was so steadfast, but the fear Ars had felt earlier—facing a terrifying monster for the first time—melted away completely.

When one of their comrades fell, the trolls fighting the orc sons quickly sensed they were losing and turned their backs, fleeing the golden maple forest.

With the orcs’ slow pace, they couldn’t chase after the fleeing trolls. Although they won, the chieftain orc had his left arm broken and bore several injuries. So instead of chasing, the orcs just shouted sharp threats.

“Looks like the trolls and orcs are just freebies now. Let’s finish this quickly and get down the mountain.”

Sir Euden grinned, his hand on the sword hilt. But just as he was about to head out, Rector stopped him at the door, deep in thought.

“The chieftain orc’s hurt, and the sons are exhausted. How about having Prince Ars join the fight?”

“With this many? Isn’t that too dangerous?”

“Not with weapons—using his ability.”

At Rector’s words, Ars instinctively clenched his fists. Rivi, holding one of his hands, looked at him with wide, round eyes.

“I can hardly control it. I might hurt not just the orcs but our allies too.”

“Sir Euden and I can cover ourselves. Rivi’s ability will activate, so she’ll be safe.”

What Rector said was true. Ars bit his lower lip lightly.

Attack-type abilities required mastering control as soon as possible; losing control wasn’t just dangerous for oneself but for others too. Since it was impossible to train secretly in Pretium, Ars had come all the way to Herba deliberately.

Yet now that he was about to use it, fear gripped him. He hadn’t used his ability even once since arriving at Herba.

Unable to control his anxious heart, tears welled up in Ars’s eyes. Just as they were about to fall, Rivi quietly wrapped him in a tight embrace.

“You said the orcs aren’t scary earlier.”

“My own power is scarier than monsters.”

“It’s yours, though. It’s inside you, so if you’re scared, it’ll run wild. You’re the owner—you have to grab the reins tightly.”

“I know, but it won’t obey. Once it slips away, I can’t catch it.”

“I’m here now, so just try. I won’t get hurt—I’ll grab your hand right away. Or do you want to try attacking while being carried?”

No way. No matter that he was smaller than his peers, Ars wanted to attack with a cool stance. And no matter how strong Rivi had gotten, running around carrying someone in front of monsters was too much.

“I’m not going to run. I’ll fly. If there are many orcs, flying with magic is much safer. It’s easier to attack from above.”

“Still, I think Rector should carry you.”

Sir Euden gently ruffled Ars’s hair, understanding his feelings perfectly.

The orcs were battered and exhausted, so they needed to finish this quickly. After a quick discussion, the group quietly exited through the back door of the cabin. Ars nestled into Rector’s arms as they soared into the sky.

◇ ◆ ◇

“Kkuiik, kkwiek!”

The orcs suddenly flinched, startled by the figure that abruptly rose. Even the chieftain orc, who had been sitting down to recover his strength, hastily struggled to stand. Ars took a deep breath and gathered the power of wind in his right hand.

When using Shatter, the attacked object crumbles like sand, so its destructive power is actually much higher. But since Rector was holding him from behind, the risk of Rector getting hurt increased equally.

Ars quickly threw a blade-shaped gust of wind aimed at the orcs’ heads. Knowing a strike to the head meant death, the orcs dodged behind trees. However, the sharp wind sliced through the trees and struck the orc hiding behind them.

“Ars, the chieftain orc’s hide is as valuable as a troll’s!”

Hearing Rivi’s warning from behind, Ars reshaped the wind into a simple round mass and threw it straight at the chieftain orc.

Kkweeek!

The chieftain, slowed by his injured arm, tried to move desperately but failed to escape the attack’s range. The massive shadow flew forcefully all the way to a rock far behind. The chieftain orc collided with the rock and fell forward, his breath cut off.

“We… did it.”

Rector, looking down at Ars with relief, finally relaxed. Ars was better than expected; practicing archery and Rivi absorbing power daily had clearly helped a lot.

Back on the ground, Rivi threw her arms around them both.

“Ars, you really did well!”

Those who accomplish great things deserve praise. Open with her emotions, Rivi rubbed Ars’s cheeks with her palms and even planted a quick kiss on one of them. Ars’s pale face instantly flushed bright red.

One giant rabbit, four orcs, one troll.

Though they hadn’t caught the troll exactly, Ars and Rivi’s winter hunt was undeniably a huge success.