Lydia opened her eyes, looking back at Jack with a smile, “Getting some exercise done,” She scratched her chin, “You know, they say moving is good for recovery,”

“Not in your case. You need to sleep, food, and rest,” Jack dragged her back inside the inn.

Arad looked at Lydia, “Lydia, did you feel anything this morning or last night?” .

“Like what?” She replied, getting away from Jack’s grasp.

“I don’t know, like a devil,” Arad looked at her with a straight face.

“I didn’t sense anything like that,” She approached Arad with a golden flame blazing in her eyes. “Did you see something?”

Was he a fraud?

^I doubt it. I barely sensed his magic. I think he has a way to escape Paladin’s senses.^

Arad waved his hand, “Nothing. I got a strange feeling this morning. Though you might have felt something.” ^I will tell Jack later. It’s better to get a simple understanding of that kid first,^

Lydia nodded, “We can’t underestimate your gut feeling. It’s better to stay alert.”

“I will go check on the village chief,” Arad stood, and Aella followed him, “You get ready for the trip,”

“Wait for me,” Isdis stopped playing her biwa, making the crowd sigh.

Aella looked at her, “Weren’t you playing? The people seem to still want to hear music,”

She didn’t care about music at all. All she wanted is some time with Arad. Having Isdis tag alone will deprive her of that.

“I played enough,” Isdis replied, puffing her chest, “Now, I need to go see the village chief before we leave. I must go with you,”

Aella sighed, “Fine, let’s go,” she cannot get rid of Isdis this easily.

“Let’s go,” Arad walked forward, and the two girls followed him into the street.

“This village is quiet and peaceful, isn’t it,” Isdis looked around with a smile. “The exact opposite of the capital,”

Arad looked at her, “Won’t the capital be better with more people?”

“Not really, it’s too busy and noisy. And the nobles there are quite annoying. I can’t go around the streets without them starting some rumors.” She looked at the fences and people walking inside their gardens, watering the plants.

“I would love to live in a quiet place like this. Just trees, bushes, and clean air.” She touched one of the fences.

“You humans refused our proposal, remember?” Aella looked at Isdis, “Aren’t you now happy?”

“You’re right,” Isdis scratched her head, “You elves said we need to embrace nature more and live between the trees. Who knew your kind was right.”

“We elves live longer than you humans. When one of our elders speak, your oldest and wise pales in term of experience.” Aella looked at Isdis.

Arad looked at them. For some reason. He could feel those two won’t get along very well.

“You might be right, but not all elves reach that level.” Isdis stared at her, “But I will give that to you. Your kind was right.” She sighed.

Arad smiled, “So I was right about buying land in the forest,”

Isdis turned toward him, her eyes sparkling, “I heard from the reports about your noble title that you reside in the dangerous side of the forest. Monsters aren’t a problem for you, are they?”

“Monsters aren’t stupid. They avoid me and anyone who walks into my lair. Aella can walk in the forest at night without fearing a monster attack.” Arad looked at Isdis, “You know me, right?”

Isdis nodded. ^He’s a dragon, after all, the apex predator of the forest. I bet most monsters will act like that cobra, deciding to submit instead of being killed and eaten.^

“Say, can I visit your house?” Isdis looked at Arad with a smile, slightly tilting her head.

“Yes,” Arad replied.

“No,” Aella replied.

Isdis stared at Aella with a smug smile, “I will come to visit at you’re noble opening party. I hope you don’t mind a princess attending.”

“Royal rarely visit low-rank nobles, let alone their first party. It’s going to look weird,” Aella looked at her and then at Arad, “She will only spark jealousy between us and Aella’s local nobles.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Aella looked at Arad, “She can come, but she must leave her identity as a princess away. Nobles might act nice with you around, but Lyla and Mira are going to be in danger with you away.”

Aella looked into the sky, “I hope they are okay. It will be white before we could get home,”

Arad smiled, “Don’t worry, the monsters are there. They will be fine,”

***

Back around Arad’s house, trees were being ripped from their roots as two monsters fought.

BAM! The ant queen ran across the forest, opening her massive mandibles as she rushed at the woman standing in the middle of the forest.

“Ant queen,” Nina smiled, “Your attacks are simple and straightforward. How about you try changing them,” She lowered her hand, opening her palm.

The ant queen rushed at Nina, opening her mandibles to bite.

SLAP! Nina swung her palm, slapping the ant queen into the sky.

BAM! The queen landed on the ground, bending her hind legs. BOOM! She blasted forward, moving faster than the eye could see and drifting behind Nina.

“There are only so many moves I can achieve as an ant,” She growled, trying to bite Nina’s head off.

Nina smiled, lifting her palms. The ant queen could barely see the afterimages of Nina’s movements. SLAP! In the blink of an eye, she flew away with a crack on her head.

^Those moves, she started slow but suddenly accelerate confusing the attacker.^ The ant queen watched closely.

“You and your colony are an S-rank disaster. But you alone are an A-rank monster. You won’t reach Arad,” Nina smiled, slapping the queen again as she charged.

“He’s an S-rank monster, a dragon. You won’t stand by his side like this,” SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! With each slap, Nina sent the ant queen rolling.

“It doesn’t matter!” The ant queen growled, jamming her mandibles on the ground.

“I stated that I would grow strong enough to fight by his side,” The ant queen growled, “And I will reach it!” CRACK! The ground shattered as the queen pulled a massive boulder several times her body size.

For an at that was already almost as big as Arad’s draconic form, that cause the boulder to be visible all the way from the city.

“Ants can carry several times their body weight,” Nina smiled, “Show me what you can do now, as I won’t have time to play with you tomorrow. I have work.” She lifted her palm, ready to slap the boulder away.