Before we had left the Kingdom of Pledia, we had to buy horses for everyone. Specifically for me though, since I don’t have a horse and sadly I have to pay it myself. We are going Village of Furtp which is also coincidentally where I want to go. Being an escort to Wallis, I hope there won’t be any interruptions in the journey such as bandits attacking just like in the light novels.

Befriending Alden, Mark, Hudson, and Kelsy was a good choice for me because I was able to learn more of the way people had been living and what kind of things things to expect later on in the future. It is not that I befriend them out of benefit, but out of the desire to have friends. I’ve discovered the reason why the 4 were so friendly and familiar with each other was because they knew each other during their childhood. They were all quite open with each other, except for Hudson who is the archer in the group. He is more like the person who doesn’t talk unless he was spoken too. Mark though is a person of a few words. As for the rest, Alden and Kelsy, they are quite talkative. Since I was the only person that they don’t know, they start asking me questions on our journey to Furtp.

“Hey Ridar, you were just recently hired as an escort, but what are you able do? You don’t seem much like a warrior to me.”- Alden

“Ya, that’s right. Are you a magician just like me?-Kelsy

“Ah, yes. I’m a magician.” I made a smile.

“What are you able to use?”-Mark

“Well, I could use Lightning, Fireball at the very least.”

“So you are a 4th rank magician? I learned that those who were able to reach to a 4th rank were usually hired as guards anywhere. What are you doing here?”-Alden

“Well, I don’t like to stay in a place for too long, so I decided to be an Adventurer and go explore the world while getting money. Being an escort is also what I want to do ” It was really an honest answer. I have many things I want to do. But I didn’t really need to rush it because as long as I don’t know from something, I can basically live forever.

“That is nice.”-Mark

“Wow, you are pretty amazing. I am a magician, but I can only use support magic like healing spells and buffing spells well. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to fly and be able to shoot fireballs in the air.”-said Kelsy as smiled and she looked at me with respect.

“Anyway, knowing that you are a 4th rank magician really reliefs us. I pretty confident that we could fight and get through in any situations, but it is not bad feeling secured once in a while.”--Alden

“Would you tell me why are going to Furtp?”

“That is where we are homes are. I wanted to visit my parents for a long while. Actually, that goes for most of us.”-Kelsy

“I see now.” Did they know that there homes aren’t exactly in a safe area right now. But from what I can tell from our conversation, they don’t seem particularly worried. Let’s ask them,

“Hey guys, but didn’t you know that your village there isn’t really safe right now?”

“Huh, what are you talking about.”-Alden who lifts an eyebrow looks as if he had been told that his family was killed.

“You didn’t know? It is just that goblins have been frequently appearing in the Village of Furtp.”

All four including not social Hudson turned and looked at me with shock in their expressions.

“Actually, I am doing a goblin subjugation quest at that place. I was being an escort because I was going to Furtp anyways.”

The news was as if cold water was splashed on their faces. For the first couple of minutes after I had told them the problems with goblins, the mood and atmosphere was quite bad. But it didn’t last long because the talkative Alden couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke out,

“Kelsy, Hudson, Mark, there is not use in worrying right now. The only thing we can do is hope.” Because of that small little speech, it somehow helped their depression.

“Your right, the only thing we can do is hope.” Kelsy

“Ridar, you didn’t tell us what was your Adventurer rank.”-Mark said curiously

“I had just recently became an E rank. Started to be an Adventurer just a couple days back.”

We continued to talk and I could only say this. It has been a while since I was exhausted by just talking. I end up being silent for some time while I gave Nemaus some dried beef when he started wimer at me while his stomach was growling. I started to feel uncomfortable on the horse I am sitting on. I think that walking by myself would be more pleasant than this. But looking at the other 4, I couldn’t complain since they showed expressions of being uncomfortable. This went on until the first night finally started. We are now no longer on the road, but in a forest. From the location we are now in, I say that just maybe one more day is enough to arrive at the villlage.

“Alright lads, set up the tents!”-Wallis said with a exhausted expression. Most of everyone was tired, except for me though. Just that my ass of bones felt a bit unpleasant. For Nemaus though, he just keeps sleeping. ‘Come on man, you just sleep and eat, sleep and eat, sleep and eat, and all over again. I expect you to do some work later’ on I thought.

After everyone finishes up setting up for the night, we prepared taking out ingredients and food to eat. As for me though, I said that I have my own food I eat. They were quite insistent in letting me eat their food, but I can’t really eat it can I.

I went into the tent that I am currently sharing with Hudson, the not social type of guy. Getting to (pretend) sleep early, I simply wait for my turn to keep watch for everyone while they sleep. The new dawn shine once again. I simply can’t deny I really am glad of nature. One by one everyone started getting up. Of course we didn’t immediately head out. We ate breakfast and fed the horses. After that we pack everything up and continued on our short journey. No one seems to be talking much right now. It is most likely because they are just not really a morning person, or it is because they are getting closer to their home.

Well, I would want to comfort them, but I don’t like giving others false hopes. You must accept reality when you see it. We continued having no interruptions today until ‘Alarm’ turned off and rang in my head while Nemaus suddenly stood up and growl.

“Something wrong?”-Mark

Nemaus usually only acts like this when something is coming over to us. Possibly a huge number of enemies coming in our direction right now. My ‘Alarm’ only works when something was recognized as an enemy with intentions to attack. Turning to the group of friends and also to Wallis, I told them,

“Enemies are coming,”

Everyone starts taking out their weapons and getting of their horses. Everyone started to get serious. Alden and Mark took out their swords, Hudson took an notch an arrow to the bow, and Wallis and Kelsy stayed behind them. As for me, I just simply stood there while not tense at all. One of my passive skills ‘Desperate Mind’ which allows me to become stronger depending on the enemies level. It doesn’t seem to react in the slightest. This shows that the enemies are pretty weak.

At the same time I was thinking of this, I activated ‘Soul Sense’ and was able to immediately know what position the enemy is right now. Warning everyone that we are currently surrounded by about 30 bandits, everyone started to be concerned. What I really learned just now is that bandits will usually always appear in large numbers. However, fortunately for us, or rather my companions than me, the bandits seem to not be very strong. There was only 3 of them who were significantly decently strong. They seem to be staying back and only watching. I woke up Nemaus and told him that if he do something for me, I would give him some extremely high-quality meat. He looked at me in the eyes to determine if I was lying. I had an idea where to get the meat, or rather I already had it. Nemaus wasn’t able to detect any lies, so I gets ready for his assignment that I made for him. For me, I activated ‘Soul Sealing Barrier’ which doesn’t allow any souls to pass on while within this barrier.

A couple of bandits came up in front of us and said the following,

“Give us all your belongings and we will let you guys off. But you must also leave the gir…”

An arrow swished through the air and pierced through the bandit’s skull and quickly fell down dead. I looked at Hudson, and damn he seems extremely pissed. Never expected this quiet guy to show such an expression Not a second later, all the bandits that came up to negotiate(?) with us died with an arrow to the head. The next moment, bandits started to come out of the bushes and trees and attacked us. While Mark, Alden, and Hudson continued to kill the bandits with not too much difficulty, I shoot out ‘Wind Slicer’ a not strong spell generally, but enough the instantly kill weak people. I would use lightning and fire spells if it wasn’t for the forest we are in right now.

Taking a couple of glances at my companions, Alden was quickly slaughtering everyone and his reaction time, speed, and decision making was top-notch. Mark not even behind him was using sword skills which sharpens his blade is cutting and surely quickly destroyed the bandits. Hudson simply just keep shooting at the other bandits who were archers. As for Kelsy, she casted several buffs on everyone.

Before the last half of the bandits were about to be massacred, 3 bandits came out and blocked us.

“You guys seem to have some skill. If you just give us your belongings we would let you go. We won’t take the woman.”-Bandit Leader(?) smiled and said

Hudson started to twitch a lot, and started to notch an arrow;however, one of the other 2 bandits that came out threw a knife at his arrow and broke. Hudson started to look worried while pissed at the same time. He have feelings for Kelsy or something?

The Bandit Leader no longer smiling, he began to take out his sword,”It would be wise if you don’t piss me off. My brothers and I are enough to take down all of you without receiving a wound. I believe you would be wise not to test our patience. We are already letting you guys for killing half our man. Be glad we recognize your skills.”

Kelsy, Alden, Hudson, and Mark started to look at each other and at me. Wallis started to panic but it ended quickly when I said,

“Be at ease everyone. I will handle them, or rather my Nemaus would handling this.” I smiled in amusement and snapped my finger for the signal for Nemaus to start.

The Bandit Leader(?) glared at me as if I threw horse poop at him. He was about to say something, but was interrupted with Nemaus appearing in front of him and bit his right arm. Nemaus mouth started to show a dark flame and breathe it out my biting the Bandit Leader and his arm began to look black. Nemaus lets go and activated illusion magic, after images of Nemaus appearing out of nowhere and the other bandits panicked. His after images began attacking the weak bandits, but they don’t know which was the real one.

Nemaus activated dark lightning and lightning came out of his tail which electrocuted the other 2 decently strong bandits. As for my companions, they didn’t understand how a fox was able to fight with such power, but regained their senses and assaulted the rest of the weaker bandits. It didn’t take very long, and when we looked back at Nemaus, the 3 Bandits started to crouch in pain. Black burns started to spread all over their body, and when they looked at Nemaus, their eyes were filled with fear. Not very soon after their bodies began twitching badly and went limp.

‘That was fast.’ I thought

Nobody's saying anything. Everyone was looking at Nemaus as if he was a monster. Right now, his fur and mouth is filled with blood. Even I was shocked at his display of combat prowess. He came back onto my shoulders and looked at me expectantly.

“You will get your meat soon. Good Job Nemaus.” As I said that, I kissed his forehead. He jumped a bit, but he licked me, leaving a small trace of blood on my face.

“Who exactly is Nemaus?”-Alden

“I have already said so didn’t I? He is my dear pet and will always be a person I will love.”I said as I smiled one that gave of a feeling of deep affection. He is my son after all despite not being his biological one.

Everyone being affected by my smile, they just gave a helpless smile and shrugged their shoulders and started to get back on their horses. They apologized to Wallis, but it seemed that he have forgiven them for almost letting him get robbed of his goods. We began the head out, but I t old them I will catch up soon. After no one was looking in my direction, I took out an orb from my inventory called ‘Soul Orb’ which collects souls for a certain use. Bringing it out, all the deceased’s souls came into my orb. Many green auras quickly came into the orb. After the last one came inside. I deactivated “Soul Sealing Barrier.” Nemaus still looking at me, showing he is expecting something. I took out my dragon inside my storage, but only taking a part of it and cut it through with my scythe Aedriha.

Taking out the scales, I gave it to Nemaus. I wasn’t really sure if dragon meat is actually high-quality meat, as I just assumed it is. Nemaus took a sniff at it, and put that small dragon meat in his mouth. He stopped for a moment to chew it. His eyes opened wide and began to eat the rest of the cutted dragon meat from my dragon’s body. I was a bit curious so I used ‘Analyze’, should have used it earlier before I fed it to Nemaus. I failed as a parent. Hoping it wasn’t toxic or hazardous, the info said as the following

Dragon’s Flesh- Supreme Quality Meat

A dragon’s flesh that would taste like a heavenly food. No one was able to eat dragon’s meat because of the strength of the dragons. It is said that when one eats it, the meat will be so delicious that it can’t be described in words.

Eating this meat the first time will give a boost to the eater’s ability.

Effect: Permanently increase physical and magic ability by 20%

Holy Shit! This was too unexpected. I felt depressed because I wouldn’t be able to get such an ability. I could use ‘Create Lifeless Body’ and use ‘Possession’, but I gain more powerful passives by being a lich. Looking at Nemaus with envy, I gently flicked his head. He looked at me questionably. Ignoring him, I absorbed all the bandits’ bodies into my storage. Looking at the total number of bodies I have in total now, it already numbered 300.

After doing so, I went on top of my horse and went to my companions and catching up to them. When I finally caught up, they looked at me and said,

“What were you taking so long?”-Kelsy

“Nature calls, Kelsy.” I said

“Ah, so that is why.”-Mark

“You could have just told us. We would have waited for you.”-Alden

“I can’t exactly feel comfortable when knowing someone is near me while doing my thing.”

“HAHAHA, so it was actually taking a shit.”-Alden

Giving him a wry smile, we continued to the Village of Furtp.