Chapter 01 - Meeting in the Cursed Forest

It was a dark rainy night, and the lightning filled the sky. The sound of thunder echoed around the dark and foggy forest. Along with those sounds, a series of unsteady footsteps reverberated from afar.

A few moments later, a man appeared from the dark part of the jungle. He wore armor around his body. The man's helmet covered his head with only his face being visible. It was a middle-aged man with a handsome figure. He used his sword to support his staggering footsteps. The man's body showed obvious tiredness from running, and the blood from his wounds tainted his armor.

The battered man was Duke Gerald Harrington, one of the illustrious personas of the Green Kingdom. With the feeling of exhaustion, he stumbled on the ground. The Duke's body started to shiver upon remembering his nightmarish encounter earlier. Nevertheless, he was considered lucky for keeping his life intact.

Duke Gerald was with his twenty-four guards when they entered the Mystical Forest. The mystery greenwood had its legend. The people of their kingdom dubbed it as a man-eating jungle. There was an invisible rule that your only choice was to accompany the forest forever once you entered.

A long time ago, the forest was one of the beautiful places in Green. But ten years ago, there was a vast disturbance of demons in their kingdom, and it turned the forest into a cursed place.

And now, the jungle was one of the deadliest places that no one would voluntarily enter, even for mages.

Two days ago. Inside the Duke's residence.

Duke Gerald stared at the pale sleeping lady, who seemed like a living corpse. Lady Allyson, her first wife, had stayed in a vigil for the past few months after their daughter Sylvy fell into a coma for unknown reasons.

Gerald was a man, but as a father, his heart was slowly breaking into pieces, and the agony of not knowing whether your daughter would live or not gave him so much despair.

He approached his wife and hugged her from behind.

"Do you think she will wake up?" He could hear Alysson's trembling voice while asking this question.

"I'm not giving up, so you should not as well." He answered.

Alysson nodded, but her tears started to fall nonstop.

"Your Grace, Madam Garcy sent a physician to check on your daughter."

The Duke replied, "Let him in."

The visitation of various physicians from different parts of the kingdom became a usual occurrence in their households. Of course, even the royal family sent their best doctors, but all of these are futile.

The physician sent by the second wife bowed towards the Duke and approached Sylvy. He seated beside her and started his examination by feeling her pulse.

The Duke was not expecting much, so he allowed him to do his thing.

After a while, the doctor sighed and stated his diagnosis, "This symptom is a sickness called ancient."

When the husband and wife heard this, their eyes widened, and they approached the doctor.

"You are familiar with this illness?" It was the Duke.

"I would say that the first time that I encountered this condition gave me so much impression, so I am confident of my diagnosis."

"Really, doctor?" Alysson almost teared up.

"Does that mean that you knew the cure?" Gerald queried with hopeful eyes.

"Ah, that would be difficult." The doctor answered while shaking his head.

"Please tell us. I am willing to pay any amount." Gerald begged and grabbed the doctor's shoulder.

Sigh.

"There is a cure, Your Grace. But the main ingredient is a plant that only grows inside the Mystical Forest."

When they heard the word Mystical Forest, even the servants' faces inside the room stiffened.

"Tell me the cure then."

"Husband!" Alysson protested.

But Gerald ignored her.

"It's called Arcan plant. All I know is it glowed in a yellowish aura when it is dark." The doctor responded.

"Good. Then I will lead the search myself."

----

Even with so much opposition, he braved himself to be in the lead of the search. But what awaited them was a terror that they will not forget for the rest of their lives. When they reached the middle part of the jungle, a group of wolves surrounded them.

Those monsters were the same size as the lion's, and their eyes were deep red. Before their group could react, they attacked them without mercy. They lost to the overwhelming power of their opponent. All his remaining guards protected him as they fought their way out, and now he was alone in his current state.

He was now feeling all the pains from his injuries, and his eyes were starting to get blurry. The voice of the physician echoed in his mind as he tried to fight his drifting consciousness.

He thought about Sylvy.

"Am I going to die like this?"

When he was about to close his eyes, he suddenly heard a melodious yet lazy female voice out of nowhere.

"So, this is where the smell of blood is coming from."

The Duke suddenly froze. He tried to raise his head, and there he saw a blurry figure of a girl a few steps away from him.

"Dear me, should I call you brave or stupid?"