Carl was terrified. As he struggled through the dense undergrowth, the bitter taste of regret filled his mouth. He should never have listened to Drek. Not only was Drek the reason they were in this predicament, but the other boy was also holding them back, making an escape nearly impossible.

  Moving through the forest was a nightmare. The ground was an obstacle course of twisted roots and unexpected bumps, all hidden beneath a carpet of decaying leaves. The trees were massive, their trunks wider than the children were tall, creating a labyrinth that seemed designed to swallow them whole. Everywhere they looked, they saw nothing but a wall of green foliage. Finding a path back to the village was the least of their concerns now; they had a much more immediate, much more lethal problem.

  The monster was approaching. It moved with a steady, predatory rhythm, making a series of spooky, guttural noises that echoed through the timber. Carl couldn't even run at full speed because he had to support his friend, who was limping beside him. To make matters worse, the forest seemed to be getting louder, as if more threats were converging on their location.

  Are there more monsters now? I should never have come here in the first place, Carl thought desperately. Even though his heart was heavy with regret, he knew he couldn't stop. He had a reputation for being a bit of a local troublemaker, but he wasn't the type to abandon a friend. Still, even his loyalty was reaching its breaking point as the sounds behind them grew more distinct.

  “Carl, leave me and run!” Drek gasped, his face pale and slick with sweat. “I won’t make it anyway. It was my fault for forcing you to come here with me”.

  “It’s good that you finally realized that,” Carl snapped, his fear manifesting as anger. “But stop speaking nonsense and keep moving. We need to find a place to hide. It sounds like there are more monsters coming”.

  As they scrambled forward, looking for any possible shelter, the sounds of pursuit drew close enough that Carl could feel the vibration in the ground. Looking back was a luxury they couldn't afford; every ounce of their energy had to be focused on putting distance between themselves and the beast.

  “Drek, just a little further! I see a trench over there!” Carl shouted breathlessly. “If we can reach it, we might be able to hide!”

  “Oka— Agh!”

  Drek, already nursing an injury from earlier, stumbled over a protruding tree root and went down hard. For a moment, Carl felt as if the universe was playing a cruel joke on them. He knew the monster was right on their heels, and he dreaded what he would see if he turned around. Yet, he couldn't help himself. He looked back reflectively.

  What he saw was not a beast lunging to consume them, but a scene of sudden, violent beauty. A woman who looked like a fairy was relentlessly attacking the monster. She had vibrant, bright red hair that fluctuated with every strike, and other humanoid figures were rapidly approaching the clearing.

  The monster, caught between the children and the new arrivals, was immediately pushed back.

  “Wow! Amazing!”

  “Beautiful!”

  Drek and Carl stood dazed, paralyzed by the sight. A group of brave warriors had engaged the ferocious beast, cornering it with practiced ease. The red-haired woman was at the center of it all, her movements elegant and suppression so absolute that the beast had no room to retaliate.

  The monster let out a cry of pain as she struck again. Her red eyes were locked onto the creature with a deadly, unwavering gaze—a look so intense that the monster seemed to shrink back in genuine fear. Both she and her companions were outfitted in high-quality metal armor and carried weapons that gleamed in the filtered forest light.

  Are they the knights I’ve heard about? Carl wondered. He’d heard stories of powerful warriors who protected the nobles, though his father always warned him that the nobility didn't care about common subjects. He wasn't sure if she was a knight or perhaps just a very talented hunter, but he didn't care as long as they were on his side.

  “It seems like we’re saved,” Drek whispered.

  “Yeah, but no thanks to you,” Carl replied, though his tone lacked its earlier bite. Drek winced at the remark, but he didn't argue.

  The monster had been a formidable opponent, fighting on its two hind feet and swinging massive claws while trying to bite with rows of sharp teeth. But it was failing now. It had lost too much blood to maintain its footing. With a final, decisive movement, the female warrior cut its throat, and the beast collapsed onto the forest floor, lifeless.

  [Secure the area and begin dissecting the corpse! Then get ready to return to the village!]

  The female warrior spoke with the authority of a natural leader. After issuing orders to her group, she began to walk toward the boys. She looked first at Carl, and then down at Drek, who was still sitting on the ground.

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  Carl stared up at her. Is she really not a fairy? She had a beautiful oval face and long red hair tied back neatly. She was tall for a human, with slender arms and legs and a thin waist that made her look deceptively delicate. Her equipment consisted of a white-grey breastplate, metal footwear, and a pair of light brown leather gloves.

  “Can you walk by yourself?” she asked, her voice calm and entirely emotionless.

  “H-huh!? A-are you asking me?” Drek stammered, clearly flustered to be addressed by someone he considered a spirit.

  “Yes. Can you walk, or should we carry you? Your foot doesn’t look too bad,” she repeated, her expression remaining perfectly still.

  “I-I can walk if Carl helps me a little,” Drek replied. The woman looked at Carl as if asking for confirmation, and he nodded reflexively.

  “Good. Rest while we finish up here. We will depart soon,” she said. Despite her stoic demeanor, it was clear that her words were meant for their well-being.

  “Thank you very much,” Carl said, finally finding his voice. “We would be dead if you hadn't helped us”.

  “It’s okay. The loot looks fine, so let’s call it a win-win,” she replied nonchalantly. “Anyway, what were you two doing in a place like this? Your parents are very worried about you”.

  “We were just picking mushrooms from a spot we discovered recently. Sorry for being a bother,” Carl said, shooting a look at Drek.

  “It’s fine. But be careful next time. you won’t be as lucky again,” she said, her plain face making the warning sound even scarier. “If we hadn't stopped by your village, you’d be a monster’s meal by now”.

  “Oh! You were in our village? Where did you come from? Are you a knight or an adventurer? What is your na—”

  Carl lost his composure, bombarding her with questions until she held up a hand to stop him.

  “Wait, wait. Calm down first. My name is Elisa,” she said. “You can say I’m a knight. We’re wandering the region to gain some experience”.

  “Wow! It’s my first time seeing a knight!” Carl exclaimed. He quickly caught himself and introduced the two of them, knowing it would be rude to continue without doing so. “My name is Carl, and this is Drek. Big Sister Elisa, can you share some of your stories with us?”

  “Maybe later. It seems my team is about to finish,” Elisa said, gesturing to the others. “We can talk on the way. Let’s get you home; your parents must be sick with worry”.

  The group finished their tasks and began the trek back. On the way, Elisa told them bits and pieces of their journey. She came from a declining knight family and was a knight herself, though she claimed she wasn't even at the level of a "high knight" yet.

  She explained that "high knights" were the elite, and "royal guards" were even more powerful, equipped with the best gear the kingdom had to offer. Her goal was to reach a level of strength that would allow her to support her family and restore their name. Carl found himself hoping she would succeed; after all, she was his benefactor.

  As they approached the village, Carl noticed it was much noisier than usual. When they passed through the gates, he realized why—they had caused a much bigger commotion than he’d anticipated.

  His parents rushed to his side, and Drek’s parents did the same. At first, they were frantic, checking the boys for injuries while Carl’s mother began to cry with relief. But the relief was short-lived. They immediately began to scold them, and Carl could hear Drek squealing from a sharp beating nearby.

  “Thank you! Thank you so much! Our children are safe because of you!” Carl’s father said, desperately bowing to Elisa again and again. “How can I possibly repay you for what you did?”

  “It’s nothing,” Elisa replied. “We did what any knight must do. We gained experience and some good loot, so there’s nothing to worry about”.

  “Father, you should have seen them!” Carl interjected, his excitement returning. “Especially Big Sister Elisa. She was fighting like she was dancing! Even that huge monster was afraid of her. She’s not like that other adventurer—the one who couldn't fight monsters at all”.

  “Hey, Carl! Watch your mouth! He could be listening,” his father warned.

  “Adventurer? Is there another adventurer here?” Elisa asked, her interest piqued.

  “Ah, yes,” the village chief said, stepping forward. He was the person who knew the most about the stranger, since the man was staying at his house. “We found someone unconscious near the village. We assumed he was an adventurer or explorer because of his equipment. He woke up a few days ago, but he says he doesn’t remember anything. We decided to let him stay for the time being”.

  “Hmm. That sounds suspicious,” Elisa said, her eyes narrowing. “I didn't see anyone like that while staying here. Did you check his intelligence card?”

  “Yes,” the chief explained. “But his job is just 'villager.' Maybe he changed it before he arrived, we don't know, since he truly seems to have forgotten everything”.

  “I understand,” Elisa said. “If his card has no criminal record, it should be okay. Anyway, thank you for your hospitality. It’s time for us to leave”.

  “Please, we’re the ones in your debt!” the chief insisted. “Stay a while longer, we would be honored to serve you”.

  “No, we must depart. We have a goal, and no time to waste,” Elisa said firmly. The chief, seeing her determination, eventually gave up.

  “Big Sister, please visit us again! I want to hear more stories!” Carl called out.

  “If fate allows, we will meet again. Bye,” Elisa said. She gave Carl a small, rare smile—the first time he had seen any real emotion on her face—and her group departed the village.

  “Father!” Carl asked once they were alone. “Didn't you say knights wouldn't help us?”

  “There is an exception to everything,” his father replied. “But don’t expect that kind of treatment from every knight you meet. Now, leaving that aside, didn't I tell you not to go deep into the woods? Do you want a beating like Drek got?”

  “But Father, it was Drek who—”

  “Even so—”

  “I also collected so many mushroo—”

  Their debate continued as they headed back to their home, the excitement of the day finally starting to fade into a tired, domestic routine.

  [Edited]