The first thing they saw in this dark forest was darkness itself.

It wasn't blinding but it wasn't overwhelming either.

The types of trees around were also not trees with lower trunks but taller and denser.

But the two girls, the maid and the princess would not be able to realize that fact.

They continued walking not too far from the beginning of the forest but a little long for a walking trek.

Compared to the cool breeze outside since they left the coastal beach. Now it felt like the wind was literally piercing into their bones.

"Ma-maid, it's so cold here brrrrrh."

The two of them had let go of each other's handholds due to the piercing cold.

"Ma-maid, aren't you cold? I can't stand it anymore," said the princess as she shivered.

The maid who was slightly ahead then stopped suddenly.

The princess who occasionally blinked and did not notice the figure standing in front of her and bumped into the skirt-covered buttocks, gasped and almost fell down.

"Ouch, why did you stop anyway maid...?" the princess said as she felt her slightly sore face and her other hand felt the maid's buttocks.

Realizing that the maid was not standing but was stretching and trying to look back from between her legs upside down.

"What are you doing maid? It's not like in the stories by looking upside down everything will instantly brighten up!"

The princess's words did not disturb the maid's concentration at all, but all she could do was look at the princess's body and nothing more.

But shortly after, the maid spontaneously moved, surprising the princess with a series of strange behaviors.

Surprisingly, she continued with her whims.

Instantly she squatted right next to the princess, while bringing her face next to the princess' face.

Her hands tapped the princess on both shoulders quietly and silently. The princess was also not too surprised by the pat, in addition to her warm hand reducing the coldness on her body.

But next, one of the maid index fingers approached her mouth and nose as if to tell her to be quiet.

The princess glanced at her maid's face, trying to figure out what she was thinking, although she knew it was a bit useless, it was a natural act of curiosity.

"What the hell is this maid of mine thinking!?"

Her eyes could only glance because looking away felt a little wrong from her maid's actions.

Even in the darkness, she knew that her maid was watching or paying attention to the surroundings.

Her eyes continued to glare at everything around them. Instinctively, the princess also helped out with looking what was around.

For a very long time, there were people who could sense a bit of world's mystique either naturally or intentionally.

And one of those people was this petite princess who was cold.

Nervously, the princess swallowed her saliva and looked up, so the princess instantly went limp in her body.

Like a splash of ice water, she was helpless at what she saw.

The maid who noticed her index finger slightly and also looked up, was equally shocked.

They both froze motionless at the sight.

A small figure of flames floated in flames.

It was as small as a hand-held fireball.

For both of them, that figure was already scary enough in this kind of environment.

Unable to take it anymore, the princess broke free from her guardian's embrace and quickly ran away.

"Aaaaaahh big sister!!!" scared to death the princess continued to run.

Not far behind her, the maid also ran like a jogger behind her.

The figure they feared was far behind where they were.

"Heeeelllpp...!" without realizing it, the princess ran without paying attention to where she stepped.

And finally, the cliché the princess was expecting tripped over a tree root protruding above the surface.

"Eeek...!"

But without worrying, a maid and the princess's current guardian swiftly caught her and prevented her from falling down. Without much wasted movement, she caught and held her by the side of her armpit like she was carrying luggage even though it was basically her mistress.

Even though they had been running, the ground slowly changed from the normal ground near the forest door to the ground covered with slightly thick snow.

The maid, who had been running silly like a jogger from the start, finally put in enough effort for such ground even though it felt heavy, she continued to run carrying her luggage.

Come to think of it, the magical form of fire had neither attacked nor harmed them at all.

But while thinking that, they saw more of the same floating fire figures.

As they continued to grow around the escape, it was like seeing the light of a lamp from inside the carriage, coming from a distance and swiftly flicking away.

"Aaaah maid! They keep coming!!!" the princess yelled at her handmaiden.

The maid then decided to change her course, either zigzagging or turning completely.

But in reality, the mystical creatures were still chasing them no matter how far they went.

Somehow these two girls seemed to be played by the creature.

They were also confused and frightened to be treated like this.

"Uuuh... maid maybe we should stop, maybe they are the ones guarding this place..."

The maid did as she was told and jumped up to stop her escape like a full brake.

Slowly she turned her body around and again the creature stubbornly followed them.

Perhaps this one was the same first one they had seen. It was only the biggest possibility given by the other behavior.

"H-hi? Do you live here?" hesitantly, the princess asked softly.

The fire figure then moved slightly up and down as if nodding.

But the figure of fire also began to approach leaving its flame residue towards the front of the princess who was still being carried like a log.

"Hieek!" the princess who was a little afraid of the fire creature before her eyes.

Like little children staring at each other. The creature of fire began to break that focus by radiating a bit of warmth to her face.

The fire also began to rise and swirl around the maid's head like it was playing while radiating the same warmth.

Both girls were aware of the intentions of the different creatures and lowered their wariness.

After it finished the little flame playing with the two of them, it then began to leave similar to the way a cheerful child would stride.

"I guess we should follow it...? We're already too deep in and don't know the way, maid."

The maid followed the suggestion, walking not far behind the small fire.

She adjusted the clutches on her luggage, and resignedly the princess dangled from her maid's armpit.

Along the way other little fires began to appear.

Each of them seemed to be playing and having fun while following them, encircling the surroundings as they walked.

"Perhaps they are not dangerous creatures maid..."

But at one point, the creatures slowly released more fire residue as if they were about to disappear.

And in an instant they were swept away by the fire gravel until they disappeared simultaneously.

"Where did they go maid? Oh gosh..."

The maid who was supposed to calm down the princess instead pointed far ahead.

A place like an airy area where light could enter and shine brightly.

"Ah there! Let's hurry maid!"

The princess also unceremoniously ordered to go there immediately.

The maid girl jogged to that side of the field but she also noticed another peculiarity.

It was not because of the swarm of fire creatures or the beasts there.

It was the golden-red armored warriors that they had been searching for from the beginning of the forest.

They were surrounding a giant old tree.

Much different from other forest trees.

It was very massive one.

The soldiers carried various tools and weapons.

Swords, axes, arrows, fire torches, and many others.

It was as if their arrival here was not a good thing.

Instantly the maid realized there would be something bad if there was a confrontation with their group.

The princess who was about to shout out for them was instantly silenced by the maid's hand.

They hid, leaning against the back of a tree that was wide enough for both of them.

Among the group of people, a leader who was clearly wearing different armor also sensed something odd around them.

It was like the gut instinct of a leader in an operation.

"Whoever is there, show yourself." a faint hoarse voice could be heard from the helmet leader.

Now, the question for the two girls was, was it the right thing to do to follow them?

But the opposite question for the crimson group was, who was following them?