Chapter 8: The First Hunt (Revised)

Chapter 8: The First Hunt (Revised)

Lady Juliana, we should be getting back to the estate.

A middle-aged man with dark blonde hair dotted with strands of white, and a robust bearing spoke in a deep voice. He wore a dignified set of steel armor, and carried a long sword on his hip. Five other men dressed in similar armor stood near him.

Uncle Delvian, just a few more things and we can go home. A pure and graceful looking young girl with dark blonde hair and blue eyes, who looked to be about fifteen years of age responded to the man. She wore a dark blue dress, with gold bracelets and a sapphire jeweled necklace. Such accessories were the most recognizable sign of her noble background.

As you wish young lady. Delvian said with a warm smile.

The lady he referred to was obviously his niece and the youngest daughter of the Fairfax family, one of the top five noble families in the kingdom. The Fairfax family were known for their immense influence, they had ties with merchants, court officials, generals, knights, blacksmiths, architects, mages, and alchemists. Delvian Fairfax was the fourth born son and instead of getting into political or economic matters he chose to train in the sword. That being so, he and a few of the men under his service would often escort Juliana whenever she wanted to go around the capital.

Juliana led her uncle all over the commercial district as he helplessly followed, instructing the servants to carry the items she purchased. Eventually even the knights following her had to carry a few bags. To bystanders such a scene was common, Grenalda was the capital of Gren and the center of commerce, many young noble ladies liked to purchase expensive items.

Lady Juliana, Id suggest we rest a little. There is still time until evening. Delvian said. He had long since taken notice of the servants signs of fatigue.

Ah, youre right uncle. Juliana agreed. She had begun to feel a little tired even though she had nothing to carry.

The group stopped to rest in a small plaza, which had a few well crafted tables and chairs. Juliana and Delvian stopped to sit at a table, the knights took a separate table and the servants didnt sit at all, but they got to place the bags down and rest. Many food stands were placed around the plaza, but the quality couldnt compare to more expensive delicacies nobles often enjoyed.

As Juliana and her Uncle talked, she noticed a handsome youth with black hair and bright yellow eyes dressed in black staring at her with a dumbstruck expression.

How would I know where the Great Forest is anyway? Ira grumbled.

He spent a considerable amount of time asking for directions for to the Great Forest. Some people gave vague directions, some people laughed at him, and some made rude comments about his intelligence. After a few more inquiries he gathered enough information to surmise the Great Forest wasnt too far from the Capital.

Grenalda, the Capital of the Grenitian Kingdom, was the largest city in the Grenitian Kingdom, located south of the five other large cities which made up the territory of the Grenitian Kingdom, around a days walk from the capital was the entrance to the Great Forest. The Great Forest stretched hundreds of miles southwards, although the resources were plentiful in the forest it wasnt suitable for humans, there were many attempts to create human strongholds, ultimately it wasnt a fruitful expedition as many human footholds were raided by monsters or forest dwelling creatures before they could be properly fortified and established. Since then the Great Forest had long since been accepted as land only accessible by the Elves.

Just when Ira set out to leave he stopped in his tracks. In front of his eyes was something thoroughly enticing. Ira blanked out for a few seconds and began walking forward with heavy steps. He was thoroughly entranced by what lay in front of him, and couldnt help but walk forward.

.

Uncle Delvian, do you know him? Juliana asked in a curious tone.

No, it appears to be another love struck suitor of yours, Lady Juliana. Delvian with a voice filled with annoyance.

Many young nobles would seek out Juliana for courtship, one reason being her pure and graceful appearance, she was even said to be among the most beautiful young ladies in the Capital. Another reason was because her powerful family, the Fairfax family name carried weight and even the Kingdom had to show some consideration when dealing with them.

Uncle Delvian, you shouldnt joke so much. Ill send him on his way like the others. Juliana gave a gentle smile while looking at the dazed youth walking in her direction. It was none other than Ira, he continued walking until he was a few feet away from Juliana and then...

Young sir, you shouldnt-Juliana could only trail off as Ira walked past her.

Yes, Ira didnt even seem to realize she existed and walked directly to a food stall. The small unassuming stall which sold pastries, and was maintained by a wrinkled old man. The yellow eyed youth walked past Juliana and straight to the old man.

What is this?

Ira asked the old man eyeing a basket of pastries. Upon closer inspection the stall only sold one thing, a bun with powdered sugar on it. Honestly speaking, this type of treat didnt warrant a stall in the commercial district, it was a very common and inexpensive pastry to make, and it was neither eye catching nor was it especially appetizing.

Its a sweet bun. The old man answered quickly in a dry voice, his incredibly aged and wrinkled face made it appear as if his eyes were closed and his cheeks were unable to move.

How much? Ira asked as he eyed the pastries.New novel chapters are published on

One Gre. The old man replied immediately.

Ill take the all of them...with the baskets too. Ira said as he fished money out from his pocket.

No. The old man huffed out stubbornly.

Ira paused before he looked at the old man, Why not? he asked curiously.

One per customer. The old man replied in a tone that indicated an unwillingness to negotiate.

Ira turned and looked around. There was no one else at this stall but him, a few feet away and seated at a table was a group of knights and a young girl, but no one else gave this stall a second look.

But Im the only customer. Ira complained.

One. Per. Customer. The old man replied again.

How about this, Ill give you one thousand gre for all four baskets. Ira pulled more money out and stuck his hand out towards the old man.

One per customer. The old man responded, his tone indicated he was angry but his wrinkly face didnt show any change of expression.

Ok, two thousand. Is that ok? Ira asked.

Fine. The old man hurriedly snatched the money from Ira and handed over one basket at a time.

Thanks. Ira said before storing three away the first three baskets and carrying the last by hand. The old man closed his stall and hobbled away without a word. Ira turned to walk away, but as he passed Juliana he stopped as he recalled her saying something to him as he walked past.

Were you gonna say something earlier? He sported a carefree grin as he spoke to her.

Juliana was stunned when he ignored her and instead walked towards a stall with shabbily made pastries. She was a noble girl who was constantly told she was beautiful, there were no shortage of boys who wouldnt hesitate to marry her, but now the yellow eyed boy in front of her thought some cheap pastries were more appealing than her, causing her to feel inadequate. Holding the mentality of a noble she erased all feelings of insecurity and began thinking the boy in front of her just wanted to show off his wealth and impress her. In her mind Iras purchase was a poor attempt at flaunting his wealth.

It was very unwise to waste all that money on those cheap pastries, even the most reckless spenders wouldnt waste money on something like that. Juliana said as she reprimanded Ira, channeling the stereotypical haughty attitude of a noble.

Ira still kept his carefree smile, but his eyes showed slight confusion. He assumed that she wanted on of his pastries, but was attempting to take on in the most roundabout manner.

These cheap pastries are worth whatever I want them to be worth. Just like those shiny rocks youre wearingso If thats all you wanted to say Ill be leaving. Ira replied before turning to leave.

You! You scoundrel!Juliana shouted at his back, even though she knew he was right.

Wasnt it hypocritical to call someone else out for doing something she herself does regularly? Although she knew the answer, her feelings of superiority were deeply ingrained in her, and the more arrogant someone is, the harder it is to cope with feelings of rejection and embarrassment. If you were told yes your whole life how would you react when you heard no for the first time, most likely it would be similar to a childs tantrum.

The knights, led by Delvian, got up and walked to Julianas side, bringing a threatening atmosphere with them.

I am Juliana Fairfax, the youngest daughter of the Fairfax family! Juliana yelled at his back, drawing the attention of pedestrians. Since she failed to reprimand the boy she would use her family name to make him apologize, she wanted to wipe away the stain of embarrassment that began to grow in her heart.

Good for you. Ira replied without slowing his steps. He had no idea what the Fairfax family was and didnt care enough to ask.

This stunned the spectating pedestrians, everyone in the Grentian Kingdom knew of the Fairfax family, they were a family who shouldnt be trifled with.

Boy! Dont you know what the Fairfax family represents? Youd best apologize right now!A Knight of the Fairfax family spoke up.

Ill pass. Ira shrugged his shoulders as he kept walking.

Delvian stared at the departing youths back, he couldnt let this youth walk away without some form of punishment, not only did he upset his niece Juliana but he disrespected the Fairfax family name. He turned his head and nodded at the Knights.

Dont kill him. Delvian warned.

Mercenaries right? Ira asked. If the people in front of him were in fact Mercenaries he could go about his way without much worry.

Yeah, we are. Why does it matter to you? Lance responded, still keeping himself ready for any sudden attack.

Lance couldnt help but think it was some sort of a trap. Ira gave him an uneasy feeling especially with his lack of armor or equipment, only carrying a sword and waltzing into their campsite was beyond strange.

What a coincidence. Ira gave a wide grin, his yellow eyes looked as they were glowing as they reflected the flames of the campfire.

Youre looking for The Slaver? Lance asked as he began to relax.

I am. Ira responded simply. The questions were beginning to annoy him though.

Lance began thinking. Although Ira was an unknown variable to them, and could be a potential threat. If he could find Detection Spells, he might be a good person to temporarily partner up with. Though there is always the risk he is working with The Slaver or might backstab them due to greed.

Where is the rest of your party? Lance probed as he scanned the surrounding darkness but couldnt make out anyone. He was attempting to see if Ira would slip up, if he were to have a party it would make them unable to be allies.

I dont have one. Ira responded. Boring. That was Iras only thought, the questions were becoming a bother to him and he decided to leave.

Your equipment? Lance asked, looking at Ira closely. Ira only wore a black shirt and black pants, the only thing for defense was his leather boots, only the truly confident or truly stupid would go without equipment.

Im wearing it. Ira said in a tone that indicated it was obvious. Now the questions were just plain annoying and Ira decided not to answer anymore.

What about-Before Lance could finish he was interrupted.

You ask a lot of pointless questions. Ira said in a slightly bored tone.

That- Lance tried to speak but Ira held up a hand to stop him.

I dont feel like answering anymore, so Ill be leaving. Ira turned to walk back into the darkness.

Wait a moment! Sarah suddenly shouted at Ira.

What? Iras irritation could barely be contained as he turned around.

You must be capable if you can get past Detection Spells, right? Sarah asked.

I suppose so. Ira said, while smiling faintly. Her question peaked his interest

Then Sarah continued, looking toward Lance for confirmation, who gave a reluctant in response.

Would you be willing to temporarily join us? She asked.

Why not? Ira shrugged his shoulders and put on an amicable smile.

The party of five looked at each other, nodding their heads in agreement, everyone slowly put their weapons away as Ira found an empty spot to sit in. Lance, being the leader, took the initiative to build rapport with Ira, in order to lessen the awkwardness that usually came from introducing a new ally into an already established group.

Im Lance the leader of this group, these are my friends and comrades, Gerald, Sarah, Valerie, and Zella. Lance pointed towards each group member as he introduced them.

Nice to meet all of you. Ira smiled.

How long have you been a mercenary? Sarah asked abruptly. She was slightly eager to learn more about Ira. Whatever method he used to find the Detection Spells drew her interest. As the scout of the group she had to often be careful of traps.

For a day. Ira responded non-nonchalantly.

The group collectively reexamined the youth. To pick a bounty target and show no sign of nervousness, in addition he didnt give off the naive rookie feeling they themselves once had when they started.

You knowIts usually recommended to start at a job thats ranked three or two ratings below your current rating. Lance advised.

Is it? Ira shrugged his shoulders.

Youve graduated from the academy then? Valerie decided to ask.

The only way Ira could be so relaxed is if he went through some elite training courses or if he was truly ignorant to the ways of the world.

Nope. Ira responded plainly. His response caused the assumption of the latter. It was safe to say that Ira was more or less ignorant to how the world operated. Though he had a firm handle on killing other matters were a different story entirely.

The group was stunned completely. What gave the boy in front of them such confidence to walk into the Great Forest alone? There was no one stupid enough to try it without some sort of assurance, so why did this boy decide to?

Well I think thats enough questions for now, lets get some rest. Ira, I hope you dont mind if I place you on first watch with Sarah. Lance said before giving Sarah a meaning look.

Its fine. Ira grinned before standing up. Sarah noticed Lances gaze and nodded before she began to walk. No one would put a stranger on first watch, Sarah was paired with him to monitor him for any signs of suspicions and to take note of his capabilities. Sarah, being the groups scout, had several items to warn of danger, and at the first sign of trouble they wouldnt hesitate to attack Ira.

On a tree branch thirty or so feet above the ground, two people were present. One was Ira, who reclined on the branch peacefully, and the other was Sarah who sat, her eyes showing constant vigilance. Sarah was around 54, red hair and brown eyes. Although she was far from Captain Avery or the young noble lady Juliana, she still had an above average face and sharp eyebrows that fit her strong hearted personality.

You should pay more attention. Sarah said, in a slightly reprimanding tone.

Why is that? Ira replied with his eyes closed.

I dont know how you can be so relaxed, but this forest is riddled with danger, you know? Just last month an experienced party was ambushed by a Manticore and completely decimated, you should also know they were in the top 200 Mercenary elites.

Oh? Ira had the thought of finding the Manticore for himself, but he had no idea where to look. Then there was the fact that it wasnt recommended as a job for him so it would probably be out of his league.

In this line of work any inattentiveness will lead to an early grave. Sarah took on an instructional tone as she saw the current Ira as an inexperienced junior. Or at least, she tried to, his laid back attitude erased any attempts to mark him as such.

Then you should pay more attention. Ira responded with a chuckle.

What are you say- Ira interrupted Sarah by pointing toward a spot away from them.

Theres nothing...Before Sarah could finish, she spotted a small light very far away from them.

F-Fairy? Sarah was completely shocked, Fairies were one of the existences that occupied the Great Forest, they were incredibly hard to find, mostly because they can sense the intentions of people or things they come into contact with, and are nearly impossible to be tricked. Sarah had the urge to go further into the forest and see this fairy up close.

I wouldnt if I were you.

Ah. Sarah was brought back by Iras words. She realized how incredibly stupid it would be to attempt to track fairies in the middle of the night, she felt embarrassed about instructing Ira on paying attention when he spotted an unknown entity without even looking, it seems it was more to him then she thought.

How did you know? Now that I think about it, how did you even know about the Detection Spells? After recollecting her thoughts, Sarah spoke again.

Ira opened his eyes and looked directly at her. His yellow eyes gave off a faint fluorescence in the dark, making him seem even more unfathomable.

I had a feeling. Ira grinned before closing his eyes, not willing to speak any further.

Sarah knew it wasnt good to pry and dropped the question, instead focusing even harder on the surroundings.

..