-Break--After a little investigation-Sitting down, I say, “Knowing Orb, he would have loved to explore here, but he wouldn’t do that if he wasn’t prepared, especially if Iancu was with him.”“So wouldn’t he have used advent to build an ice tower to the hole?”“He has already used Advent today, so I doubt he could use it again; that would mean they would have to hide somewhere until the day was over, and they will wait till tomorrow to leave.”Rubbing her hands against her head, Maple says, “Doesn’t that mean we just made this more troublesome for them?”“Yes, that’s why we are going to stay here until tomorrow morning, then when Orb and Iancu arrive, we will go. Or at least that’s how I would like for it to go, but after scouring the area around us, we haven’t found them, despite finding quite a few hiding places.”“Orb wouldn’t miss such spots, so that would mean they left this area to go somewhere else. They could have gone adventuring in the area, but that is unlikely for Orb, esp

-Break-Φ On the back of the rhinoceros beetle, he and his brother run me and Suzuka through the trees at incredible speed. He says, “Sorry again for attacking you.”“It is fine, as long as you get our friend healed,” I say, turning my head to the right.On the back of the stag beetle, Suzuka is holding Orb with her only tail left, and on her face is a look of excitement. “You really can move fast!”With a tone indicating pride, he says, “I am the fastest man in the entirety of the beastkin, don’t underestimate me!”Looking at her, I say, “I thought bugs freaked you out.”With a look of disbelief, Suzuka says, “He isn’t a bug, he is a person, you really are rude.”“DON’ T PRETEND LIKE YOU’RE HIGH-MINDED NOW. It was due to your freaking out that we almost died when we fell!”With a disapproving look, she says, “Bringing up such ancient history, what a displeasing man you are!”“You really are insane,” I say, tired.She hits me, so I hit her back, and this continues until Orb groans, whi

As I walk towards the giant door, fear starts to fill my heart. I shake after each step, sweat trickles down my face, and my breathing becomes heavy; it feels like I am a baby facing down a wonderbeast.There are many people in this room who could kill me as I am currently, and there is nothing I can do about it, yet they are all bowing in the face of the monster I am walking towards. The fear is so much, so intense that I stop walking and start to panic.I could die right now, my life could truly come to an end, my father, Orb, no one can save me. I will have accomplished nothing in my life; all I will have done is cause pain to others.But worse than that, if I were to die right now, what would change for anybody? Willow and Orb will cry, but they will both swallow their sadness like they have done in the past for everyone’s benefit. Buloke will become the leader of the village, and even Suzuka will definitely make more friends, and even my master will find more students.What have I

Turning his head away from me, Dillion says, “I don’t need to learn how to fight from a girl.”Iancu on the floor starts to laugh at me, so I knock him in the head with my tail, and then say, “My dad taught me how to deal with such a situation.”Getting in front of Dillion, I kneel down, then using my fist, I punch the ground and cave it in, causing Dillion to fall on his butt.As he is shaking on the ground, I ask again, “So would you like to be trained by me?”Bowing, Dillion says, “YES!”“Is that how you refer to your master!?”“I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN FROM YOU, MASTER.”Turning to face Iancu, I say, “Leave, because I can’t share my secrets with one who is not my student.”Getting up, he says, “Alright, it is not like I want to learn anything from you anyway.”Φ As I move to go away, I am grabbed by Dillion, who says, “Please don’t leave me only with her, I am scared.”“Sorry, but as she said, I can’t stay.”“Then join our training.”“Sounds like a pai-.”Before I can finish, Dillion

Location: Abais CastleΦ Entering another set of giant doors, I see a ridiculously large table in front of us, a circular one, covered in vines.And sitting at the top of this table is one of the ministers we met yesterday, Cultúir.With a pleasant smile, she says, “How wonderful it is to see you accept my invitation.”It was an invite? It felt more like they were telling us we had to go here.Composing myself and getting on my tippy toes, I say, “It is a pleasure to be here as well.”As Cultúir is about to say something, Willow looks at me strangely and says, “Where did this Maple come from?”Proudly, I say, “Certain forms of training have been passed down so the village chief could deal with outsiders well.”“How enthralling.”“Don’t say such things about me,” I say, hitting Willow repeatedly but lightly in the chest.Suddenly, the maid behind us coughs, and then we stare back at Cultúir, who looks less than pleased at us ignoring her.“It must be fun to be young and in love.”“You d