NOVEL NEXT Ka-cha…
The sound of dry branches snapping sounded.
Weya sighed, looking at Mina, who was leading the way ahead. Despite her efforts to walk silently, she continued to make noise as she walked.
She had caused Mina quite a bit of trouble on this journey, and even though Mina didn’t complain about it, Weya still felt embarrassed about it. She truly owed Mina a favor for accompanying her. Without Mina, she might have lost her life shortly after entering the Forbidden Mountain Range.
On the first day, after they parted ways with the War Wolves, they encountered a bear. If it wasn’t because Mina was experienced and killed the bear with one arrow, Weya might have died.
Along the way, they faced all sorts of dangers, from poisonous insects to wild beasts, but Mina’s keen senses and rich experience got them through the crises.
“It’s getting dark. Let’s stop here and rest for now,” Mina’s appeared like a ghost, with a compound bow slung on her back. Liu Feng had given it to her to protect her life.
“Mhmm! We’re very close to the tribe. We’ll arrive by tomorrow afternoon,” Weya said softly, her light red eyes filled with expectation.
“The people in the tribe will surely be happy to see you back,” Mina said quietly.
“Mina, thank you for coming with me,” Weya said gratefully.
Mina shook her head, her blue eyes twinkling with a smile. “You’re my friend, after all. Besides, you’re a bit stupid, so you might get in trouble if we don’t keep an eye on you.”
“No way,” Weya pouted. Why does everyone call me idiot rabbit? I hadn’t done anything stupid.
“Alright, I’ve found a suitable place up ahead to camp,” Mina said, moving forward. Weya hurried to catch up and they arrived at a large tree.
“Are we sleeping in the trees again tonight?” Weya blinked.
“Mhmm, it’s safer up in the trees,” Mina said softly. She agilely climbed up the branches, took out a rope from her backpack, tied it to the tree, and threw it down to Weya.
“Phew…” Weya took a deep breath, then slowly climbed up
“Sit tight. I’ll secure the sleeping bags,” Mina took out sleeping bags from her backpack, along with several large iron nails. She hammered them into the tree trunk with the handle of her military knife, then hung up the sleeping bags and tied them securely.
“Mm!” Weya hugged the branch, quietly watching Mina’s busy movements. She finally understood why Liu Feng favored Mina- besides being the first beastkin he had encountered, Mina was truly capable and knowledgeable.
“Done!” Mina effortlessly hung the two sleeping bags. These were something Liu Feng had given the two of them. She had never realized there were such things, and in the past in the wild, she would usually just climb a tree, chop a few branches, and use them as a makeshift bed.
Weya slowly moved closer to her sleeping bag, then with Mina’s help, slowly climbed inside. It was only then that she relaxed.
“Lord really has so many amazing things. I get surprised every time I see them,” Weya sighed.
“Indeed, Young Master is like a bottomless pit of surprises,” Mina smiled softly. She took out a small transparent bottle from her pocket and sprayed it around the sleeping bags. Liu Feng had said that it was for repelling bugs, and after using it the previous night, there were indeed no bugs bothering them.
Next, Mina pulled out a rope with many sharp triangular iron thorns from her backpack. She wrapped it around the main trunk of the tree several times. It would prevent them from being attacked by nocturnal wild animals that could climb.
After setting everything up, Mina crawled into her sleeping bag, pulled out a small packet of dried fish pieces from her backpack, and handed them to Weya. “Have some dried fish.”
“Aren’t you saving some for later? It looks like there isn’t much left,” Weya knew that Liu Feng had given them to Mina and hesitated. “Let’s eat something else. Didn’t Lord give us those small pastries?”
“Those are called compressed biscuits. They’re tasteless. It’s better to eat them with dried fish pieces,” Mina stuffed the dried fish into Weya’s hands and smiled, “I still have three packs left!”
Mina then took out the compressed biscuits. They were small, but even with her appetite, just a few biscuits were enough to make her full. The only problem was that they lacked flavor.
The two hung in the tree like two silkworm babies, eating compressed biscuits with fried fish pieces and water. That was their dinner.
“Awoo…”
As the sky darkened, the roar of wild animals in the distance made Weya slightly nervous. She quickly covered the sleeping bag with the cover, which had a mesh for breathing while also preventing mosquito bites.
Mina paid no attention. She had heard such sounds many times before, though this time, she missed the soft and warm bed in the castle. freeweɓnøvel.com
“Mina, I have a question for you,” Weya’s voice broke the silence, which she couldn’t stand.
“Mhmm. Ask away,” Mina replied casually.
“Mina, do you think Lord would marry a female beastkin?” Weya asked. “Or rather, would he marry you?”
“Cough, cough, cough… What are you talking about!” Mina blushed, her blue eyes full of shyness.
“Um… I’m just curious. You don’t have to answer,” Weya said. She didn’t know why she asked that question. Maybe it was just out of curiosity. As for whether or not she loved Liu Feng, she didn’t know. What she did know was that she did feel favorably toward him.
The atmosphere quieted down again, except for the distant roar of wild beasts, which made the quiet night uneasy.
“I don’t have an answer to that question either,” Mina suddenly broke the silence, her mouth containing a hint of a smile. She said softly, “In fact, I also want to know. Even though there’s a hint of hope in my heart, but…”
Weya knew what Mina was trying to say. They were beastkins, and if a noble married a beastkin, he would be despised by many other nobles.
“But Young Master said that he might marry a beastgirl,” Mina said softly. “Sometimes I fantasize about Young Master taking me as his wife. I’m fine even if I’m not the legal wife; I don’t want to leave Young Master.”
“He will. Lord had fulfilled all his promises to us, and maybe he really will marry a female beastkin!” Weya’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, looking at the dark night, her voice with a hint of relaxation. “After all, Young Master is a special noble. Then, Lady1 Mina, please take care of me!”
“What are you even saying, maybe you will also become Lady Weya.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Nope!”
Translator’s Notes:
1 Lady as in Wife of the Lord.