Chapter 4 – The Little Adventurer

The next morning, Mina sat in the study with her legs crossed.

A book rested in front of her.

She had been learning how to read for several days now.

It was going surprisingly well.

Mostly.

"This is A..."

Mina pointed at the letter.

"A."

Father Aldrich nodded.

"Correct."

"And this is B."

"Correct."

"C."

"Correct."

"D."

"Yes."

"E."

"Yes."

Mina looked proud.

Father Aldrich smiled.

"You've improved quickly."

Mina puffed out her chest.

"I told you I was smart."

Father Aldrich laughed.

"You certainly have confidence."

Mina nodded.

"That's because I'm smart."

"...Right."

He decided not to argue.

After the lesson, Father Aldrich stood and stretched.

Mina watched him.

Then she noticed something.

A faint golden light appeared around his hand.

Mina's eyes widened.

"Huh?"

Father Aldrich raised his hand.

A small sphere of light floated above his palm.

It glowed softly at first.

Then—

Fwoom.

The room suddenly became bright.

Mina's eyes sparkled.

"WHOA!"

The glowing orb floated above Father Aldrich's hand like a tiny sun.

Mina immediately stood up.

"YOU CAN DO MAGIC?!"

Father Aldrich chuckled.

"Of course."

"Do it again!"

He moved his hand.

The orb floated around the room.

It passed above Mina's head.

She followed it with her eyes.

"Can I touch it?"

"You probably shouldn't."

"Why?"

"It's holy light."

Mina froze.

"Holy?"

Father Aldrich nodded.

"This is one of the simplest forms of holy magic."

Mina's excitement grew.

"So everyone can do magic?"

"Not everyone."

"Why?"

"Because magic depends on many things."

Mina leaned closer.

"Like what?"

"Talent. Training. Affinity. And sometimes..."

He paused.

"...your class."

Mina's eyes widened.

"My class?"

Father Aldrich nodded.

"In Eternia, people can receive a class."

"What kind?"

"Many kinds."

He made the light orb float around his shoulder.

"Some become knights."

"Like the people in the village?"

"Yes."

"Mages?"

"Yes."

"Archers?"

"Yes."

"Priests?"

"Yes."

"Adventurers?"

"Adventurer isn't always a class."

Mina tilted her head.

"Oh."

Father Aldrich smiled.

"Your class is something you'll discover when you're older."

Mina immediately frowned.

"How old?"

"Usually when a child reaches a certain age."

"What age?"

"That depends."

"How long?"

"A few years."

Mina's mouth dropped open.

"A FEW YEARS?!"

Father Aldrich laughed.

"You're seven, Mina."

"But I want magic now!"

"You'll have to be patient."

Mina crossed her arms.

"I hate patience."

"I've noticed."

The light orb floated above Mina.

She stared at it.

Then she pointed.

"I want one."

Father Aldrich smiled.

"Perhaps someday."

Mina narrowed her eyes.

"...Promise?"

"Promise."

She smiled.

"Okay."

Later that afternoon, Sister Elena handed Mina a small basket.

"Mina."

"Yes?"

"Could you go to the market for me?"

Mina immediately stood straight.

"Of course!"

"I need vegetables, eggs, and some herbs."

She handed Mina a short list.

Mina carefully read it.

"I can do that."

"And don't wander off."

Mina smiled innocently.

"I won't."

Sister Elena narrowed her eyes.

"You're thinking about wandering off."

"No."

"Mina."

"...Maybe."

Sister Elena sighed.

"Just go to the market."

"Yes, Sister Elena!"

Mina grabbed the basket and ran outside.

The streets of Willowbrook were busy.

Merchants shouted about their goods.

Farmers brought vegetables.

Blacksmiths worked near their shops.

Travelers came and went.

Mina walked through the market, checking her list.

"Eggs..."

She bought them.

"Carrots..."

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Bought.

"Herbs..."

Bought.

"Potatoes..."

Bought.

She was about to return when something caught her attention.

A large poster had been attached to a wooden board.

Mina stopped.

It showed a picture of a young girl.

Beneath it were several words.

MISSING

Evercrest

Reward: 2 Gold Lumens

Mina's eyes widened.

"Two gold?"

She stared at the reward.

She had learned about money recently.

The currency used throughout the region was called lumens.

The system was simple.

1 Copper Lumen = 1

1 Silver Lumen = 10 Copper Lumens

1 Gold Lumen = 1,000 Copper Lumens

Mina counted in her head.

One gold.

One thousand copper.

Two gold.

Two thousand copper.

Her eyes sparkled.

"Two thousand..."

She stared at the poster.

"That's a LOT."

Her imagination immediately went wild.

I could buy so many things.

A better bed.

Books.

Food.

Maybe even that hat I saw yesterday.

Then she remembered something.

The red witch hat.

It had been displayed in the window of a luxury clothing store.

Mina had seen it while passing through the market.

It was beautiful.

Deep crimson.

Pointed.

Decorated with a small ribbon.

It looked exactly like something a fantasy witch would wear.

She had checked the price.

200 Copper Lumens.

Or—

20 Silver Lumens.

Mina had nearly fallen over when she saw it.

Why is a hat that expensive?!

But now...

Two thousand copper lumens.

Mina looked at the missing-child poster again.

Her eyes slowly narrowed.

"...If I find her..."

She looked at the reward.

"...I could buy that hat."

A dangerous thought entered her seven-year-old brain.

Mina smiled.

"I'll help."

She took the poster down carefully.

Not the original one.

There were several copies.

She asked the shopkeeper nearby if she could have one.

The shopkeeper shrugged.

"Sure."

Mina folded it carefully.

She looked at the picture again.

The missing girl looked slightly older than her.

Her name was written underneath.

Evercrest.

Mina frowned.

"Where was she last seen?"

The shopkeeper pointed toward the eastern road.

"Somewhere near the forest."

Mina looked in that direction.

"The East Forest?"

"Yes."

The shopkeeper's expression became serious.

"Don't go there."

Mina blinked.

"Why?"

"It's dangerous."

"What kind of dangerous?"

"Wolves."

Mina nodded.

"Okay."

"Monsters."

Mina's eyes widened slightly.

"And there are old ruins deeper inside."

"Okay."

The shopkeeper looked at her.

"You're not going there, are you?"

Mina smiled.

"No."

The shopkeeper relaxed.

"Good."

Mina walked away.

She waited until she was out of sight.

Then whispered:

"...Probably."

That evening, Mina returned to Saint Lumina.

She delivered everything Sister Elena had requested.

"Good job."

"Thank you!"

Sister Elena looked at the basket.

"Everything is here."

Mina smiled.

"I didn't get lost."

"That's good."

"And I didn't wander off."

Sister Elena smiled.

"Even better."

Mina paused.

"...Mostly."

Sister Elena looked at her.

"Mina."

"I came back!"

Sister Elena sighed.

"That's what matters."

Mina smiled.

But her hand was secretly holding the folded missing-person poster.

That night, everyone went to sleep.

The church became quiet.

The candles were extinguished one by one.

The children went to their rooms.

Sister Elena disappeared into her room.

Father Aldrich closed his study.

And Mina...

Was wide awake.

She sat on her bed.

The missing poster was spread across her blanket.

She stared at the girl's picture.

"Two thousand copper..."

She whispered.

Then she looked toward the window.

The moon was shining outside.

Mina smiled.

"Adventure."

She quickly grabbed her small wooden sword.

It wasn't a real weapon.

It was just something she used when playing with the other children.

She also grabbed a small lamp.

Inside was a little reservoir of lamp fuel that kept the flame burning.

Mina put on her shoes.

Then slowly opened the door.

She looked left.

Nobody.

Right.

Nobody.

Mina quietly stepped outside.

She whispered:

"Operation: Rescue the Missing Girl."

She paused.

"...And buy the hat."

The East Forest was darker than Mina expected.

Much darker.

The trees blocked most of the moonlight.

Branches moved in the wind.

Leaves rustled.

Mina held the lamp in one hand and her wooden sword in the other.

She walked carefully.

"Okay..."

She looked around.

"No monsters."

A branch snapped.

Mina froze.

"...Probably."

She continued walking.

A wooden warning sign stood near the forest entrance.

DANGER

DO NOT ENTER

Mina stared at it.

Then at the forest.

Then at the sign.

"...That's probably important."

She stepped past it.

The deeper she went, the quieter everything became.

No village sounds.

No children.

No merchants.

Only the wind.

Mina's excitement slowly turned into nervousness.

Maybe this was a bad idea.

She tightened her grip on the wooden sword.

No.

I can do this.

She remembered Father Aldrich's magic.

She remembered the knights she had seen.

She remembered all the stories she had read.

Heroes go into forests all the time.

She nodded to herself.

"I can be a hero."

A sound came from the bushes.

Mina stopped.

Her eyes widened.

Two yellow eyes appeared in the darkness.

"..."

The eyes stared at her.

Mina slowly raised her wooden sword.

"Are you..."

She squinted.

"...a wolf?"

The creature stepped forward.

It was a wolf.

A large one.

Its fur was dark.

Its teeth were visible.

Mina smiled nervously.

"Oh."

The wolf growled.

Mina lowered her sword slightly.

"Hello."

The wolf growled louder.

"Do you understand human language?"

The wolf stared.

"Maybe you're shy?"

The wolf growled.

Mina nodded.

"Okay."

She crouched slightly.

"I'll introduce myself first."

The wolf stepped closer.

"My name is Mina."

The wolf growled.

"Nice to meet you."

The wolf suddenly charged.

"AAAAAH!"

Mina ran.

"WAIT!"

The wolf chased her.

"I WAS TRYING TO BE FRIENDLY!"

The wolf growled.

"WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?!"

Mina ran through the trees as fast as her little legs could carry her.

She looked over her shoulder.

The wolf was still chasing her.

"STOP!"

It growled.

"WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS!"

It growled louder.

"I'M SEVEN!"

The wolf did not care.

"THIS IS CHILD ABUSE!"

Mina kept running.

Her lamp swung wildly in her hand.

The wolf followed close behind.

She jumped over a root.

Then another.

Then—

"Ah!"

Her foot caught on something.

She looked down.

Roots.

Her ankle had become tangled in thick roots rising from the ground.

"Oh no."

She pulled.

Nothing.

She pulled harder.

"Come on!"

The roots tightened.

"Hey!"

Mina yanked her leg.

The wolf was getting closer.

"LET ME GO!"

She pulled again.

The roots suddenly moved.

Mina's eyes widened.

"...That's not normal."

The root whipped upward.

"WAH!"

Mina was thrown onto the ground.

Her lamp flew from her hand.

It landed nearby.

The flame flickered.

Mina groaned.

"Oww..."

She slowly sat up.

Then she heard something.

A voice.

Very faint.

"Help..."

Mina froze.

She looked around.

"Hello?"

"Help..."

Mina followed the sound.

She raised her lamp.

Then she looked upward.

Her eyes widened.

There.

High above the forest floor...

Was the missing girl.

She was trapped among the branches of an enormous tree.

Mina stared.

"...Evercrest?"

The girl looked down.

Her eyes widened.

"You..."

Mina stood.

"I found you!"

The girl tried moving.

"I can't get down!"

Mina looked at the tree.

Then at the roots.

Then at the enormous trunk.

The tree was unlike anything she had ever seen.

Its bark looked almost like armor.

Its branches twisted unnaturally.

And several thick roots moved across the ground as if they were alive.

Mina's excitement vanished.

"...That's not a normal tree."

The girl shook her head.

"No."

Her voice trembled.

"It's a monster."

Mina swallowed.

"What kind?"

The girl whispered:

"Treant."

Mina stared.

The enormous tree slowly moved.

Its branches creaked.

The roots dragged across the ground.

Mina's eyes widened.

"So..."

She slowly raised her wooden sword.

"...I'm supposed to fight that?"

The tree answered with a deep, unnatural groan.

Mina's face went pale.

"...Maybe not."

A sudden growl came from behind.

Mina turned.

The wolf had caught up.

For a moment, it stood between Mina and the tree.

Mina blinked.

"...You?"

The wolf stared at the enormous creature.

The Treant moved.

The wolf suddenly charged.

Mina's eyes widened.

"WAIT!"

The wolf leapt toward the monster.

The Treant's branch swung.

There was a sudden impact.

The wolf was knocked aside and fell motionless.

Mina froze.

Her face became pale.

"...No."

She stared.

There was a small amount of blood on the ground.

Mina's hands began shaking.

The wolf that had chased her.

The wolf she had complained about.

The wolf she had tried to talk to...

Was gone.

Her stomach twisted.

This wasn't a story.

This wasn't a game.

This wasn't one of the fantasy novels she had read.

This was real.

The Treant slowly turned toward her.

Its roots moved.

Mina took one step backward.

Then another.

Her wooden sword suddenly felt useless.

Her lamp flickered beside her.

Her heart pounded.

She looked up at the enormous monster.

Then at the trapped girl.

Then back at the Treant.

Mina swallowed.

"...How am I supposed to survive this?"

The Treant's roots began moving toward her.

Mina tightened her grip on the wooden sword.

For the first time since entering the forest...

She wasn't excited anymore.

She was terrified.