When the five people that failed exited with a gloom look on their faces, the Principal got up and spoke, “As I said in my initial speech, the next and last try-out will be the capture of a Monster or a Magical Being. Choose your Party, six members maximum. The forest is to the west, after the targets, and the mountains are in the opposite direction. In the forest, there are some Fairies, Scaraars, Ants and ‘Ergy’. Fairies are extremely territorial and aggressive, and Ants are always hungry. The ‘Ergy’ are not dangerous alone, but they are never alone. Many people have already died from the encounter with a swarm of ‘Ergy’. Scaraars are plain dumb but very difficult to catch because of their absurd speed and their jumps. In the Mountains, there are Orcs, Goblins, Harpies, Lamias, and last week, we saw two Drakes landing, but I am not sure if they are still there.”
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Taisetsuna raised her right hand and asked, “Why do you let Monsters live in those Mountains, Principal? They can breed quickly and attack the Academy or the Capital!”
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“Yes, they sure breed quickly, but they also hide and escape. The best we and the Adventurers in Maardu can do is control their numbers. So, the forest can be safer, but it makes it more difficult to find Magical Beings. Sometimes, some Monsters go there to hunt. The Mountains are dangerous, but there are more chances to find Monsters. Now, choose your Party members and go when you are ready. And can someone please wake up that boy on the ground?”
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While a group was going to the sleeping Lion-kind boy, Robert Keskula, Hinen Sukemoru, Tresuria, and Chujitsuna Hito approached Taisetsuna’s table.
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She stopped putting the vials with her Healing Potion inside her one-shoulder bag and asked the smiling blond Noble, “What do you want now? You came to annoy me again?”
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“No, I only want to ask where we should go. I guess most Parties will try the forest because fighting Monsters is probably too dangerous if they don’t know what each of their members is capable of, but we more or less know our strengths and weaknesses. Considering that getting rid of Monsters is a type of Quest that most Parties apply to because those are more profitable, we could go to the Mountains and try to get a Drake. Or an Orc. I would rather have a Drake. Or two.”
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Taisetsuna raised one eyebrow, but before she could say anything, Hinen spoke. “Moron, why do you have such a necessity to impress everyone? A Goblin would be enough! You heard the Principal. To get the point, we just need to capture a Monster.”
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Robert poked the Cat-kind boy’s nose and answered, “I know that very well, but anyone can catch a single Goblin, but a Drake? Or an Orc? That won’t only get us a point, but it will also show everyone that they shouldn’t mess with us. According to my research, there are always practical exercises and bullying in the Academy, and if the other Parties fear us, we will have an easier life. Unless you like to sleep with one eye open. I, on the other hand, need my beauty sleep.”
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Taisetsuna looked around, and all eyes were on her, making her ask, “Why are you all looking at me? The decision is not only mine. It is already weird enough that everyone came to me!”
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Nozomu shrugged and spoke, “You heard Viscount Robert when we were shooting the targets. A Leader leads, and a fighter fights. You are probably the best of us to be our Leader. Unless someone wants that spot. I don’t.”
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Tresuria vigorously shook her head. “This one is not a Leader! The responsibility would kill this one of nervousness!”
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Chujitsuna Hito slithered around them and narrowed her eyes while placing her open palm over her eyebrows as if she was protecting her eyes from the sun. “I could be, but I don’t want to. I prefer to work in the shadows, watching over our enemies and taking them down when they least expect it! I will be the assassination expert! Sneaky, deadly, impossible to catch… Send me after our enemies, oh powerful Leader, and I will bring back their hearts or heads, whatever you may fancy more!”
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Taisetsuna blinked when Chujitsuna placed her head over her right shoulder, looking at Hinen with a deadly glare, and heard her mumbling, “Say the word, and I will remove his heart from his chest, still beating!”
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“You… Sometimes you say things that scare me, Chuji. I never know when you are joking or speaking seriously!”
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That remark got Taisetsuna a kiss on her earlobe that made her shiver, and Chujitsuna Hito slithered to get next to the nervous Gailie, and she then said, “That is why I am so funny! No one ever knows when I am joking or not! Hehehe!”
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Hinen Sukemoru asked with a slight frown, “So, where to, Leader? Mountains? We could get a Goblin for the point and a Drake to sell. Their claws and scales are very expensive and have several uses. The Unicorns could serve as our guides. They are very good at tracking Monsters. It’s part of the several things they are known for; killing Monsters to protect the forests and other animals. If we tell them there are Monsters in the mountains that might attack the forest where a bunch of animals and Magical Beings live, they will definitely rush for the mountains.”
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Nozomu slowly nodded. “Yeah, I read something about that. The mountains are a bit far, and that means we will need rides to get there fast, or the day will end before we even arrive there, if we have to go on foot.”
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Chujitsuna shrugged. “I don’t need a ride. Snake-kind can slither faster than horses. You and Taisetsuna have the Unicorns, the Viscount and that weird Cat-kind boy that doesn’t stop staring at our pretty Leader came by horse because I saw them arrive and that only leaves our cute Gailie here.”
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Tresuria spoke with her cheeks dark green, “This one… has a ride… A deer brought this one here. He is a friend.”
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Taisetsuna nodded with a serious face. “Very well, the mountains it is then. We will ride for as long as we can, and if we reach a place where the horses, Unicorns, and deer can’t go, we will do the rest on foot. Any objections? The forest would be a safer choice, but Adventurers work is never safe, so we better get used to it.”
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They all nodded and then grabbed their bags, following Taisetsuna to the corridor that would take them to the outside and to their next objective.
When they reached the shade where the horses and Unicorns were, two other Parties were already getting the horses, and with a slight nod at Taisetsuna and her group, they went to the forest.
While Nozomu was explaining to Rampage what they were about to do, Taisetsuna mounted Furnace, while Hinen and Robert went to their horses.
Chujitsuna Hito looked at Tresuria, wondering what she was going to do, and immediately covered her ears when the smiling Gailie put two fingers in her mouth and made an extremely loud whistle while facing the forest.
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While Chujitsuna was tapping her ears, trying to stop the tingling caused by the whistle, Hinen pointed at the forest and said, “Your friend is coming, Tresuria! Darn, such a big deer!”
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Hearing that, Nozomu looked at the forest as well, and saw a massive deer, with long and intricate stalks ending in pointy tips, crossing the target’s field at high speed.
A group of riders on their horses had to move to the sides because he was running straight ahead without slowing down or changing his course.
When he got near Tresuria, he slid on the ground, marking the ground with his powerful hoes.
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The deer looked at Tresuria and made a slight nod. She caressed his left side and said, “Hello, Elain! Did you rest? We are going to the mountains to catch a Monster, and this one needs a ride. Do you mind?”
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The massive deer lowered his head and touched the Gailie’s face with his snout, and she quickly grabbed one stalk and jumped to his back, carrying Draiky in her free hand.
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Chujitsuna Hito approached the deer and stared closely into his dark brown eyes and spoke, “No way… You are so beautiful! I just love deer meat, but I wouldn’t ever be able to eat you! You are a pretty thing! Yes, you are! Yes, you are!”
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Nozomu used the rope that was tied around Rampage and climbed to his back.
Taisetsuna waited for Hinen and Robert to join them, and she then tapped Furnace’s neck to make her run towards the mountains.
Nozomu was right behind her, followed closely by Robert and Hinen.
Chujitsuna Hito smiled, and she easily accompanied Tresuria’s deer, slithering at high speed next to her.
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Along their way to the mountains, Chujitsuna asked Tresuria, who was looking seriously at their destination, “What’s the matter? You have been silent ever since we left, and now you have such a serious look!”
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“No, it’s… This one is nervous, that’s it. Monsters are difficult to deal with, and this one won’t ever be able to kill one because that would be against everything that Gailies believes. Monsters are living beings as well, so… Yeah, this one knows Monsters are dangerous, but even like that…”
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“Is that what is worrying you? You can use your pretty flowers to make them sleep or knock them out, and we will take care of the killings. Or your weird pet can do it. He looks strong, but he might have some problems dealing with Orcs or Drakes. He may be able to kill Goblins, but Monsters that are five or ten times bigger than him, I am not so sure.”
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“Draiky is stronger than he looks, but this one understands what you are saying. Maybe this one will need to use the Fast Growing Potion sooner than expected.”
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While Chujitsuna was wondering what Tresuria meant by that, she pointed at the small bag she was carrying on her shoulder and explained. “This one will make another pet bigger and more powerful than Draiky. This one is not sure if the new pet will grow in time to be of some use on this try-out, but there is no harm in trying, right?”
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“Cool! I want to see you do it! I never saw Gailies creating pet plants, but I bet it is wonderful!”
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“It is, and it is also very personal. A Gailie pours not only her Magic into the seed but her very soul. This one… would be very ashamed if you saw it… It would be like… If I saw your ‘yuuu’ spot, that you have hidden under your long shirt, covered by your scales… Yeah, it’s that private, making pet plants.”
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Chujitsuna Hito winked with a smile. “I wouldn’t mind showing you my ‘yuuu’ spot if you kissed it. Or licked it. Or touched it. Oh, I bet that even slightly blowing over it would feel amazingly good! Now I so want to try it! Stop teasing me, you pretty Gailie, or I might not resist you!”
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Tresuria gasped and turned dark green. “This… this one was not teasing you! This one is sure you were the one doing all the teasing!”
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Chujitsuna gave a kinky smile. “Did it work? Are you wondering how my ‘yuuu’ spot looks like and what it would be like to lick it? Because I won’t be able to resist such a pretty thing like you for long!”
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“You… are joking, right? This one doesn’t go that way…”
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“How do you know? Did you ever try it? I wouldn’t mind corrupting you and showing you a few good things, you know? Alright, I will stop now, but keep the options open, will you? One never knows until he tries. I won’t force you to do anything, but I will try to seduce you and conquer you. Maybe we can start as friends, like good and amazing friends, and see where that takes us. What do you say? Are you willing to try?”
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Tresuria slowly nodded, turning even more dark green than she already was. “Friends, then. This one never had a boyfriend or a girlfriend. This one read some things, and mother had already spoken with this one, but this one never did anything about it… You seem… more experienced and… aggressive.”
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“No, I am not! I just know what I like, and I don’t mind going after it! Life is too short to be shy or indecisive. Well, I know Gailies live for a very long time, but so does Snake-kind, and that means I have a lot of time to conquer you and be near you. Will you just warn me if I make you uncomfortable? In my eagerness to conquer you, I could be too annoying for you. My last girlfriend dumped me because she said I was too clingy. I loved her too much, I guess, and she didn’t feel the same.”
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