"They won't return, right?" Stella asked her master after seeing the wolf walk away.

"I hope so… Anyway, we collected enough herbs already… We should return now."

​​

"Haa… Alright…" Stella answered after steadying her breath.

'I must get stronger…'

Even with her master's swordsmanship, killing a top-grade beast was still too much with her weak body. This made her have a firmer resolve to get stronger.

'But… I heard that collecting herbs in this area shouldn't be that dangerous. At most, I should be encountering those rabbits and other wild beasts… Haaa~ I really can't trust such information once I entered the forest, huh…'

It was a good thing that she realized this now.

'I should be even more careful next time and bring other potions and equipment in case a tough battle happened.'

Currently, she only brought her bag and harvesting tools for this mission. Her only weapon was the sentient Arcana and she didn't have any other protective gears.

"Master, should I consider buying other pieces of equipment like bracers, leather armor, or something like that?"

"Mhmm… That's a good idea. Are you going to make it?"

"Err… No, but I remember that my uncle was keeping some of his excellent creations… It would be a waste if it would only collect some dust…"

"Really? Then, try that… It might increase your survivability. As long as you get used to your equipment, it shouldn't affect your swordsmanship."

Reiji said because he knows a few sword practitioners in his previous life that dislikes wearing the complete set of a kendoka's uniform.

Anyway, he didn't mind those things as people have their own preferences.

He believes that Stella, who only started her sword training, wouldn't have to adjust for too long to get used to wearing some of her protective gears.

"Right, will you take its core?" Reiji asked Stella after he saw that she's ready to move.

"Uhmm… I haven't experience taking a beast's core yet…" Stella said after hesitating for a moment.

"Makes sense… Should we just leave it here?"

"I would be a waste, I must try it now… Master, do you know where's the beast core of this cub?"

"It should be on their head… If there's nothing there, it would be on their chest…"

"Oh, I see…"

Stella has a small knife in her harvesting tools so she quickly acted to take the core inside the wolf cub's body…

The stench of blood almost made her give up but she had to persevere since this would be a common thing once he learned how to hunt these beasts. It is better to learn it now than later.

Finally, after a couple of minutes, Stella managed to find the core in its chest… She then placed it in her bag before hurrying to leave the place.

Her master just warned her that there are already approaching beast… The scent of blood must've spread around the area as she didn't bring any potion to block the scent…

"I should bring Null Flower Potion next time…"

Stella muttered as she hurried away from this place.

Her return to the village was easy as she didn't go too deep into the forest. She even met some hunters who were similarly returning after getting a good amount of beast cores in their pouch.

As soon as she was in the vicinity of the village, one of the guards saw her and waved at her.

The young girl was curious as she doesn't know this guard.

"Stella! It seems that the knights are interested in you…"

"Eh? Interested? What do you mean?"

"Well, one of the squires brought by those Chaos Knights were asking about you…"

"I see… It must be about the cult's attack then… Thanks for informing me."

Stella didn't think too much of it as she proceeded to a nearby store that buys herbs and sold the whole bag filled with bobu sassafras for 60 silver coins.

If not for the handheld brass bell that she has, she wouldn't have earned this much in a single visit in the forest.

Anyway, getting potion or medicine ingredients, materials, and other simple tasks wouldn't just be found in the Hunters Association…

After all, collecting these ingredients was sometimes easy and does not require the professionals to act. There was also a trading system that can be done through the other merchants.

Aside from that, the fee for the Hunters was also something to take note of. That was why anyone wouldn't easily look for Hunters if there are other options.

In any case, they can always ask for the Association's help if it's urgent or if it involves a high level of danger.

"Master, do I still need to practice my sword later?"

"We'll rest for now… I want you to remember the techniques I executed a while ago…"

"Alright!"

Stella answered cheerfully as she wanted to return home as quickly as possible. She really felt dirty after taking those herbs and cutting the wolf cub to get its core… It was making her uncomfortable with her current clothes.

"Are you Stella Fenette, the female swordmaster?"

She was suddenly approached by a lady who wore familiar leather armor with a short sword strapped on her waist.

She remembers that it was the uniform of the squires who were together with the Knights this morning.

'Swordmaster? Me?' Stella sighed as she just ignored that part as this woman might've heard that title from the people she saved before.

"Yes… How may I help you?" Stella confirmed her identity then took note of the lady's appearance.

Her long black hair was tied back in a ponytail, her shapely body was clad with clean and well-maintained leather armor… Unlike her tanned skin, this female squire has pale skin that doesn't seem to be used to bask under the sunlight…

"Our Knight Captain wishes to see you… Don't get me wrong, one of the tasks given to us by the village chief is to investigate the Three-Eyed Imp cult that attacked this village. As you've managed to kill two of the powerful leaders of the cult, he wanted your cooperation for a while…"

Jillian explained her purpose for waiting on her… She doesn't sound like she was making a request but more like giving an order.

"I see… I don't really mind cooperating with your Captain… But I'm quite filthy right now since I've been in the forest for a while… Would you mind waiting until I get ready? I think that it would be rude to visit him while I'm like this…"

"Urgh… You're right… I will wait for you here…"

"Thank you!"

Stella then went inside her house to take a quick bath and to have a change of clothes.

"Master, should I bring the wooden sword I made?"

"Eh? No need… They can examine me as much as they want… Only those that I recognized or permitted can sense my uniqueness…"

"Really? So that's why… You're incredible, Master…"

Stella praised her master as she finally understood why an Arcana like this wasn't taking too much attention.

Normally, anyone can sense if it was a Magic Weapon or an Arcana if you get close to it or you've touched it.

However, her master was deemed as a normal wooden sword to anyone other than herself…

Of course, if they witnessed that the sword was capable of doing incredible things but couldn't sense whether it was a Magic Weapon or an Arcana, it would similarly raise suspicions.

Anyway, Stella still felt happy that she was recognized by her master and showed his identity as sentient Arcana to her…

After about an hour, the fresh Stella and the exhausted Jillian arrived outside the inn where the knights are staying at…

"Where's captain, Roan?"

"Ahh… Jillian, he's at the back practicing his sword…" Roan, the squire that was spacing out outside the inn answered as he pointed at the inn's backyard.

After hearing this, Stella felt immense respect for the captain who doesn't stop his practice even after being a knight…

No, it should be like that to anyone… Stella mused as she was brought by Jillian to the captain.

Woosh! Woosh! Woosh!

The sound of the sword cutting through the air can be heard as they got closer.

Hendrick, a young man in his twenties, was only wearing his trousers as his whole body sweats due to his continuous sword swings…

Haa!

His sword practice ended with a quick and sharp forward thrust… Even though Stella was not an expert, she could tell that this balding Knight Captain, has great achievement in his sword arts.

Without being introduced, Hendrick glanced at the young girl beside Jillian and muttered something...

"You're small…"

Hendrick rudely commented as he expected that the young female warrior who fought against the two leaders of the cult would be a bit bigger and impressive.

But what was in front of him was a pretty young girl in a gray dress who looks innocent! She doesn't look like someone who could stab a cultist to death!

Although she looks fit compared to the others in her age, he still doubts her ability in sword art…

'Is it true that she's using a cursed Arcana to get stronger? Eh, she looks angry… Oh!'

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say that… Please forgive me. Right… Although I look like this, I'm the captain of the Knights Unit in this village, Hendrick Ricarte…