We started walking through the forest, with Lisha leading the way with her sword, followed by Maria and me walking side by side.
“In the forest with no landmarks, I’ve heard stories about people going in circles. Are we alright?” Lisha inquired from the front.
“We should be fine. I have a compass, so we won’t get lost,” I reassured.
We were heading north, unsure of what lay ahead, but it seemed better than what Maria had suggested about going south.
“How long until your magic recovers enough for you to fly?” Lisha asked.
“Without using any magic, it would take a few hours. But considering the need for water, heat spells, probably half a day. If you can manage, then a few hours.” I explained.
“Impossible,” I and Maria both declared.
Unfortunately, we were nobles bred in luxury. We couldn’t endure such hardships. Furthermore, both Lisha and Maria were in tattered clothes. Without heat spells, surviving the night would be challenging.
“Lisha, if you find any animals, make sure to kill them. We need food,” I instructed.
“If we find an animal, is there anyone here who can cook it?” Lisha inquired.
Being nobles, neither of us had that skill.
“We can just roast it. Even if we get sick, Maria can heal us,” I suggested.
“It’s been quite an eventful two days,” Maria noted.
“It’s an adventure. A valuable experience,” Lisha remarked.
If I had remained on the throne, I would have never encountered such trials. Not that I particularly wanted to.
“We have a goblin ahead! Retreat!” Lisha ordered, prompting Maria and me to step back.
Lisha swiftly attacked the goblin, effortlessly cutting it in half.
“No one can surpass the beauty of the incomparable Princess Lisha,” she boasted once again, possibly a catchphrase of hers.
“Princess Lisha, you are truly amazing,” Maria praised.
“I have confidence in my sword skills,” Lisha replied.
Her sword indeed was impressive. The prowess of a duchess in swordsmanship was a mystery, but undeniably remarkable.
“Lisha, you may look cool and impressive, but don’t exhaust yourself. If you collapse, it’s all over,” I cautioned.
“I understand. Maria, don’t heal needlessly. Conserve your magic,” Lisha replied.
Honestly, Lisha, leading the way, was snagging on branches and accumulating scratches. Her dress was in a sorry state.
“Alright,” Maria responded, looking concerned, but we were all in a sorry state. We needed to leave the forest soon and find a town.
As we continued walking, the surroundings gradually darkened.
“It’s probably not safe to travel at night, right?” Maria voiced her concern.
“We could use light magic, but resting might be wiser from a magic conservation standpoint. Nighttime brings its own dangers with nocturnal monsters,” I reasoned.
I hoped there were none, but the prospect of encountering zombies or formidable nocturnal foes was indeed frightening.
“Let’s find a place to rest.”
“Um, about dinner…?” Maria timidly asked.
“If we don’t find food before finding a place to sleep, we’ll have to skip it,” I replied.
“Oh no… that’s a terrible diet…” Maria lamented.
None of us desired this situation, but we didn’t have any other options.
As we continued walking, all we encountered were goblins. Frankly, goblins weren’t appetizing. Could we even eat them?
“I’m getting hungry…”
“Me too.”
Walking on an empty stomach was quite challenging.
“…How about a wolf for dinner?” Lisha suggested as we complained.
Before we could respond, a wolf appeared before Lisha, teeth bared, blocking our path.
“It’s a wolf!” Maria cried out, seeking shelter behind me.
“Take it down in one strike. Do not let it escape,” I commanded.
“Got it. This incomparable—” Lisha began, only to be interrupted as the wolf leaped at her. Without hesitation, Lisha pierced the wolf with her sword, swiftly ending the encounter.
“All right! Dinner time!” Lisha declared, pulling out her sword from the defeated wolf, grabbing its tail, and dragging it along as we continued forward.
“What a resilient person she is!”
“Indeed,” Maria agreed.
That was the image of the Duchess heiress who would become the future queen.
Maria and I followed the strong and incomparable Lisha, as we continued walking, the surroundings growing darker.
“It’s getting to our limits… Let’s make camp soon,” I suggested.
“This place here has a cave,” Lisha pointed out as we looked at the rocky hill, indeed spotting a cavern.
“Perfect. Let’s make that our resting spot then,” I declared.
We reached the cave, gathered deadwood, created a fire with my fire magic, and settled down.
“We’re exhausted…”
“It’s been quite a journey…”
“Yeah…”
We took a moment to relax around the campfire.
“By the way, how do we eat this wolf? None of us can cook, right?” Maria asked, looking at the wolf nearby.
“Let’s just cut it up, put it on a stick, and roast it,” I suggested.
“That seems to be the only option,” Maria acknowledged.
Since we didn’t know any other method…
“I can’t do that.”
“I wasn’t counting on it.”
Honestly, neither was I.
“I’ll do it. Lisha, lend me your sword,” I requested, or rather, demanded it back.
“Here. This sword is truly impressive,” Lisha remarked, handing me the sword.
“Well, it is the royal family’s treasure sword,” I replied while cutting up the wolf.
“Using such a treasure sword as a kitchen knife…” Maria commented.
There was no other option, so I continued to butcher the wolf, skewering the meat on a stick and passing it to Lisha. She took the meat and began roasting it over the fire.
“There won’t be any seasoning, right?” Maria inquired.
“Of course not. How about eating it with some of those nearby herbs? It might turn into herb-roasted meat,” I suggested.
“I don’t know which ones are herbs… I’m useless. I’m sorry for being so clueless. Even though I’m a country girl, I don’t know anything,” Maria said dejectedly, looking down.
Despite being a girl from the countryside surrounded by nature, it was understandable that a noble lady like Maria wouldn’t be familiar with such things.
“What are you saying? You’re the one who will be most useful. If anyone gets sick, you’ll heal them,” I reassured her.
I had never eaten wolf meat before. Could we even eat it?
“I’ll cast Cure before we sleep. That way, we shouldn’t get sick,” Maria suggested.
Thank goodness for Maria. If it were just Lisha and me, we might have gotten food poisoning and died.
“Hey, does this look cooked to you?” Lisha showed me the roasted meat.
“I’m not sure… Let’s cook it thoroughly just in case. Without seasoning, let’s focus on satisfying our hunger rather than enjoying the taste,” I suggested.
“That’s a good point,” Lisha agreed as she continued to roast the meat.
“Truly a resilient prince and duchess heiress…”
