Chapter 12: (12/12)

Cade immediately casted [Summon Angel Warrior] spell and asked the female Angel to help her locate Sofia’s group. After three minutes, the Angel came back to inform Cade that Sofia’s group was located approximately four miles ahead and they appeared to be fine. However, they have eleven people total in the group, not ten people like Cade had mentioned. The Angel then explained to Cade that one of them appeared to be a warrior because he had dual swords holstered on his back. Cade sighed in relief hearing that news and continued walking toward Sofia’s group direction.

Sofia saw the Angel Warrior earlier and knew Professor Lawson was looking for her group. She guided the group back toward the direction she came from to meet up with Cade. Before she left, Sofia turned toward the warrior and said, “Thank you for your escort, Sergeant Sandwise. But our professor is looking for us, we will be heading back now.”

“Ms. Verardi, you can just call me Chas. I will escort you back safely to your professor.”

Sergeant Chas Sandwise, twenty-six years old, ninth-tier warrior, commands two hundred warriors in the North Army from the Commonwealth of Krorg. He heard about the magical forest near Redkeep city being overcrowded and decided to go hunt some magical creatures on his off days to help citizens of Redkeep city while hoping to obtain some Elemental Magical Stones to sell for money. Sofia’s group wandered into him when Chas was killing a pack of twelve Wind Wolves by himself. After speaking with Sofia, Chas volunteered to escort her group in exploring the magical forest since her father is his general, Jandar Verardi. Sofia refused to have Chas escorted her at first but after Chas repeatedly requested, she allowed him to do so.

Ana Roxley whispered into Calley Astorio’s ear, “Should we tell that Chas guy that Sofia already had a boyfriend?”

“It's… not really our problem. Sofia can tell him if she wants to.”

“I thought it was a coincidence at first that we wandered into him while he was killing the twelve Wind Wolves. But after I carefully think about it, it’s kinda weird.”

“How so?”

“Chas happened to be serving in the same Army that Sofia’s father is. And somehow he went hunting in the same direction that she went to. Do you think it’s odd?”

“You are thinking too much. It could have been just a coincidence.”

“He refused to leave and continued to offer the help that we clearly don’t need.”

“Let it go, Ana. It’s not our problem. He didn’t cause any harm to us, just let it go and stop thinking too much.”

Chas kept finding new topics to communicate with Sofia. He asked, “Ms. Verardi, how long does your group plan on hunting in this magical forest?”

“Sgt. Sandwise, we don’t know yet. The Principal planned this hunting event and our professor was assigned to oversee us. If there is any danger that can cause serious risks to us, the hunting event will have to be stopped.”

“Again, just call me Chas. I will protect you and your group. Those foul beasts won’t be able to cause any harm toward you.”

“Thanks, Chas. But I don’t think it is necessary. This hunting event was created to help us gain experience from real battles.”

“No problem. I won’t act until you ask for my assistance.”

Sofia was annoyed by Chas continuously offering his assistance to her group when she doesn’t need it. However, Sofia understood the reason why Chas could have had to do it. Because Chas is a Sergeant who served under her father. If something happens to her in this hunting event, her father could punish Chas for failure to protect her. If he wasn’t here, then it would be a different story. But since Chas is here, he kinda has to assist her.

That was what Sofia thought, but it’s completely wrong. Sofia is a Student Mage, her safety has nothing to do with the Army Sergeant from Commonwealth of Krorg. Chas was hunting on his off days, he had no duty to protect or assist Sofia in any way. Chas learned about the Mages’ Academy of Nosh had created a hunting event and after finding out Sofia was going to be one of the group leaders, he asked to use his vacation hours for some time off. Sofia’s group didn’t wander into Chas by coincidence when he was killing the twelve Wind Wolves. Chas set it up to make Sofia witness how heroic and mighty he currently is.

Sofia’s group met up with Cade on their way back. Cade smiled at Chas and politely asked him to f**k off in a professional way. Because Cade is here, Chas had no other reason to assist Sofia’s group anymore. Cade’s Angel Warrior is equally strong compared to a ninth-tier warrior, Chas couldn’t hold a candle to her. Even so, Chas shamelessly continued to offer his assistance despite no one needed him here. Together with Professor Lawson, Sofia’s group walked back to the camp and met with Kain’s group and Arthur’s group.

Because Chas continued to follow Sofia around like a little dog, Sofia eventually did something stupid when she saw Kain was walking next to Jaane. Sofia held Chas’s hand with the intent of making Kain jealous. Too bad though, Kain smiled and nodded at her then he continued to walk past them toward Professor Lawson’s location to report about which magical creatures his group encountered today and gave her a Magical Thunder Stone that his group collected after slaying more than sixty-five Thunder Snakes. Sofia was disappointed and released Chas’s hand immediately after Kain walked past them. Chas was not stupid, he understood what Sofia just did. He will use it to improve his chance of being with Sofia since it looks like Kain didn’t have any feelings for Sofia anymore. Sofia is currently heartbroken and vulnerable, it will be much easier for Chas to court her. Chas continued to shamelessly stay in the camp with Professor Lawson and Student Mages that night regardless of how many times Cade politely asked him to leave. Chas brought out his personal tent and set it up next to Sofia’s tent notwithstanding everyone looked at him with angry eyes.

After the dinner was over, Sofia had the first watch just like she did last night while other Student Mages and Professor Lawson went to sleep. Chas didn’t sleep and stayed to chat with Sofia during her first watch. Five minutes before the first watch was over, Sofia told Chas that she needed to go take care of a personal matter and asked Chas to stay to finish the first watch for her. Chas thought Sofia needed to pee and he immediately agreed to stay to finish the first watch.

Five minutes later, Kain walked out of his tent to release Sofia from the duty night watch so she can go to sleep while he guards the second watch. Kain saw Chas but didn’t see Sofia nearby, he asked, “Warrior, where did Sofia go?”

“None of your business.”

“Uhm, f**k off then.”

After politely advised Chas to leave, Kain sat down to start guarding the second watch. He waited for another ten minutes but Sofia didn’t come back. Chas was still there waiting for Sofia to come back, Kain asked him again, “Dick’s head, where did Sofia go?”

“Didn’t I tell you already? It’s none of your business.”

Kain casted [Conjure Skeleton Warrior] spells ten times and commanded them to surround Chas. Kain asked again, “Last time, where did Sofia go?”

“Do you think those Skeleton Warriors could stand against me? I am a ninth-tier warrior. You are just a Student Mage, you have no right to cast magic spells against an Army Sergeant such as I.”

“Army Sergeant huh? Look carefully into my eyes and let me know if I look like I give a f**k?” Kain waves his hand to give the command for his Skeleton Warriors to attack Chas.

Because of Kain’s current level, his Skeleton Warriors are on par with sixth-tier warriors. However, compared to a ninth-tier warrior, ten Skeletons couldn’t last more than two minutes. Just when Chas finished killing the tenth Skeleton and attempted to attack Kain immediately after that to teach him a lesson, an Ice Gargoyle casted [Freeze] on him to put him in a frozen state then swung its Ice Scythe to cut Chas’s head off. End of Volume 1.