18. New Companions
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The cold weather is here.

Old Darius stopped under the mighty oak tree on top of the hill and looked at his treasures with delight, there were precious rare herbs, a feather of Rainbow Nightingale, a thermos of warm corn soup, a bag of his new favourite spicy beef jerky, some chocolates and a plate of mouth-watering steak in mushroom sauce. 

All these were given to him by Ayan before they parted ways. The family is going straight into the forest aiming for the Thornwood Fortress in the east while he is bound to climb the northern hills to the woodlands leading to the Frozen Valley. In there lies his last quest, the Glass Flower that is about to bloom in this full moon.

The days are getting shorter, vegetation has completely turned yellow and fruit trees no longer bore fruits as they began shedding their leaves. 

It was a pity that after getting along with them for a week they now have to separate. He hoped they would make it out before everything gets buried in the snow. 

"If fate allows it, we will meet again." He said solemnly and took out the white horn from his robe. 

Darius spread his hands. When the artifact glowed, he began collecting everything inside the white Cornucopia. 

As for its other pair? It is now safely tucked underneath Ayan's clothes along with another special gift. 

 

Inside the space, Coco who was pruning the Enchantress Rose suddenly stopped moving his hands.  

The flowers in the surrounding began to exude scents. The fruits ripened and the sky became even clearer.

Hm, there seems to be a lot of change. 

It wasn't even three days since Ayan received the Cornucopia; it already showed results. Just like the Faerie Wing sword, once an artifact was awakened, the one holding it will receive plenty of benefits. Fairy artifacts were synonymous to treasures not only because of its power but the luck it brings to its owner. It could repair any damage to a person's body. Even spirit.

It was the same as absorbing the purest and most abundant magic essence. 

Clayton took a full week to finish refining and integrating the energy into his body, on the other hand, Ayan was already close to finishing in only three days!

The air pulsed without warning making him drop the shears in a fluster. His luminous eyes went to the tree in the middle of the lake, and with joy, he flew towards it.

Five light balls hang on its branches like fruits and they grow bigger as they glow. There is white, green, blue, red and yellow. 

"Sylphs! It's you..."

The light balls became energetic. As though having a life of their own they began to break away from their stem. One by one they dropped and bounced to the ground. Coco hurriedly picked the naughty green ball that was chasing the blue one to the water. 

Carefully, he gathered all five and put them on a soft nest borrowed from a goose nearby. 

"I thought I was going to wait long..." For the first time, Coco showed a very childish expression. He couldn't hold back his tears while kneeling in front of the nest. "It took you a while to return… I've been waiting… waaaah~ I'm sorry, it was because big brother was incompetent!"

The wailing continued until he was content and embarrassed in front of the balls. He was so immersed with their reunion he completely forgot to notice that the space continued to absorb essence from the Cornucopia.    

It was also because of this that Ayan plunged into another dream. But unlike any ordinary dream, she can feel and move in it. 

"This jewellery is truly beautiful, I wonder if Lady Elford would let me borrow it?" 

A hand came out trying to touch the fairy ring in her finger. Ayan quickly avoided the itchy hands.

"Lady Elford, can you not be so stingy? Camilla only wants to see the ring. Quickly lend it to her."

When Ayan heard the irritating demanding tone, she had the urge to kick the speaker ten meters away but decided not to pay attention instead. Her eyes happened to brush over the pretty blonde's face and saw the greed and gloating. 

She snorted. 

Based on the surrounding, and her dressing it must be her old noble school back in Lattice. The overly ornate furnishings are there, the ugly statues as well. She knew all this. 

And why does she not make a distinction between her and the Lady Elford? It was because she realized that her dreams were more like a memory rather than a figment of her imagination. More reliable than the text from that blasted novel Coco lent her.

The longer she thought about it, the more convinced she became and everything was turning even more familiar. 

"I was only admiring the ring, there is no need to quarrel," Camilla said sweetly but she looked heartbroken and hesitant.

Ayan did not spare her any polite look and smirked. "My family's heirloom is passed down from generation to generation. It is a precious item nurtured by sentiment, not some ordinary plaything, why should I lend it to you?"

It appears that Camilla had been eyeing her fairy ring a long time ago. The question is, is she aware of its value? If so, how did she know?

Prince Adelheid frowned at her, "She only wants to borrow your jewellery, it even looks shabby. Don't you have plenty of nice ones? Just let Camilla wear it for a moment, how could you speak so harshly?"

Her eyes narrowed at the prince making him flinch, "As I said, this is our heirloom."

Meaning: It's not your turn to decide for it!

"Lady Elford, if the ring is very important to you then you shouldn't have worn it in public," Camilla said as though concerned. 

"So it's my fault?" Her eyelashes fluttered softly looking at the couple in front of her. The undisguised contempt in her words made the circle of faceless onlookers boil.

"I… uh," Camilla stammered, "...didn't mean that."

Like a helpless animal being bullied, her black eyes brimmed with tears.

"Please don't cry here,” Ayan said drolly, "The moment you do everyone will think I am bullying you. You always cry at every little thing when you come near me."

From crying, Camilla's face warped funnily. As though she had swallowed a fly instead.  

Unfortunately, Ayan wasn't finished and added, "You keep repeating the same routine. People might think you're a masochist."

With that said she tossed the fiery waves of her hair and gracefully left the garden.  

What a dream. A girl of only fourteen years is already so adept in acting coy and sweet she can bewilder everyone with her skills.

Thankfully, she is no longer a citizen of Lattice. 

She walked under the tunnel of white and pink roses before coming into the inner garden. At the end of the path, she saw a silhouette standing against the sun. She couldn't see his expression but she could feel he was looking at her.

"Ayan, wait for my return from the war." He said gently. 

A smile split her face, "As long as you return safely." 

Ayan was still smiling in her sleep even though the sun had already risen high up to her butt. Seeing her like this, Clayton didn't have the heart to wake her. It had been hard on her these days. She wakes up early to prepare their breakfast then comes to him for training without complaints. 

He looked at his lady thoughtfully. 

Her changes were always so abrupt. One moment she was a lively little tomboy then time flies and she became that graceful lady he married until… he didn't want to dwell on that period at all but recalling it gives him awareness, a comparison to what he is seeing now. 

It was like living in a warm season only to suddenly enter winter. A frozen phase without light for him and the children. It makes people chilled to the bones.  

Ayan stirred and woke up with a laugh. He thought he was caught staring so he quickly closed the tent flap with a guilty face. But two seconds… three seconds… there was no movement from the inside. Clayton felt embarrassed for panicking. 

Since the lady is asleep he settled the twins' breakfast then packed his sword to hunt for provisions nearby. It was past lunch when he returned carrying not only processed meat but also a rare winged leopard cub.

But unlike any other leopards, this one doesn't have any spots. It was as unblemished as a blanket of mid-winter snow. The tiny thing kept biting his finger with its baby teeth as if fighting him to death, but the moment he loosens his hold, it would cling hard.

"Stubborn cat." He muttered, poking its forehead.

"Ahh~ so cute!" 

The exclamation did not come from the two little boys, but their mother instead. Even Clayton was taken by surprise by the girlish squeal. 

The cub was hissing at Clayton when it smelled a particular sweet scent coming from nearby.

"So cute!" Ayan's heart paused, then trembled. 

She didn't know whether to extend her evil claws or wait for a certain someone to hand the white fluff to her. 

Raven on the side pouted: Mother, I'm cute as well… QAQ

Days of not being able to drink milk, the cub's stomach is already in danger of collapsing. The moment its nose sniffed a more delicious food, its drool flowed uncontrollably. 

Oh, these humans... it was their fault. Why must they torture a helpless cub-- such as him like this? He did not want to show any weakness at all but if this goes on, he can only surrender. 

With its eyes gleaming slyly, it abandoned Clayton's salty fingers and flew crookedly towards a pair of soft white breasts.

Ayan stiffened like a log. "T-This…"

Carmine was instantly upset, even his favourite flan was abandoned. He squinted his eyes before glaring at the cub "You stay away from our mommy."

The cub meowled softly, its wet crimson eyes sparkled like rubies ignoring the grumpy boy and went ahead acting like a baby.

Human, I see you are kindhearted. You must feed me!   

Clayton had a dark frown. He seemed to have picked up a cunning pervert. Candy was a lot more amiable. Though it looked scary at least the giant scorpion behaved. The urge to snatch this little beast back and smack its butt overwhelmed him. 

"Are you hungry?" Ayan asked softly and by the way, gently peeled the shivering white cub from her chest. 

Meow~ (Yes! Hurry.)

The poor thing… 

It seemed to understand what she was asking and snuggled deeper into her bosom. Helpless at the situation, she patted the cub and looked for something for it to eat. Inside the space, there were cartons of milk but the amount was limited, thanks to the Cornucopia old Darius gave her, there is now an unlimited supply of it. 

Ayan tried giving it milk in a bowl.

The white ball blinked its eyes at her. W-Well, if you insist.

The cub abandoned its dignity, happily ran for it and licked quickly.

"Where did this come from?" She asked while preparing Clayton's lunch on a foldable table.

There was a steaming corn pork rib soup, stir-fried vegetables with pork liver and quail eggs, a bowl of rice and sweet and spicy shrimps.  

The aroma of sumptuous lunch woke his stomach to a riot. Especially the scent coming off from the red and oily prawns on a white plate. He was clearly alright just a moment ago. 

Clayton told them that he picked it up beside the dying mother not far from here as he ate his lunch. Winged leopards are very reclusive species unless they were driven away from the tribe they do not wander outside their domain. 

"What kind of beast could have injured an adult winged leopard?" Ayan mused when helping him peel shells. 

Clayton looked at the cub curling on top of a pillow ready to sleep. "It could be a higher specie or… one of their own. The last one could be more likely." He forked the deshelled shrimp she placed in another plate and chewed it carefully.

This food is a lot sweeter than normal, he thought while peeping at the pretty pair of hands now shining with oil.  

"One of their own. But why?"

An internal dispute might be the cause. Those magical creatures are very arrogant and too rigid with their rules; they cannot tolerate a slight deviation from the norm. "Perhaps because of the cub's colour."  

The proud rosette pattern they were known for, representing lineage and power did not appear to this small one. Exile can only be its fate. Carmine and Raven quietly listened to their parent's talk and from time to time they would sneak a look at the sleeping cub. It looked weak and pitiful. They may not understand most of the things but they do know it was sad to lose one's mother. 

Since you no longer have a mommy, you can say with us. Humph!  

Ayan only stopped peeling when the shrimps were gone. Her fingers smelled a little and had turned orange but she seemed not to care, she didn't even notice that a certain someone had a very nice appetite throughout.  

Later that afternoon, they sorted everything Clayton hunted and put them in the fairy ring. The exit is near so they can no longer blatantly use the space. They decided to put easy-to-eat foods, water, coats and blankets on two large leather bags as cover in case they crossed paths with other people.  

They also changed their clothes into simple coloured ones with fewer patterns but the shoes on their feet remained. Clayton wore her big brother's military boots and other articles since they fit him from head to toe. For the first time, she was glad to have a bear as a big brother.

Before she resented that she didn't have a prince for a sibling. Her big brother's height and build irritate her because of his habit of picking her up like a cat and spinning her around. She thought he was going to choose a career in modelling and finally become the charming prince of her dreams. But reality was harsh, he chose business instead. Later big bro was known as the General intimidating many in the business community.

Aside from suit and ties, he had no other styles so it fell on her skinny shoulders to make her brother look like an amiable person at least. Who knew that a certain marquess from another world would eventually benefit from it?

The children on the other hand have no problem with clothing, her stash can dress them up in a hundred different styles thanks to the warehouse. After dressing up, the family is now ready to return to civilization.

And as predicted, it didn't take long for them to run into people. 

Their first human encounter was rather pleasant but it was unfortunate for the second one.

Clayton followed the detailed map of Thornwood Forest from his ancestor’s journey not only to train his family but also to let them experience the mystery of this continent. Old Darius has gone northeast, now standing on his steed is a milky white ghost leopard inside a leather pouch. The twins took turns carrying it as they followed the adults. 

They crossed the steep mountain pass and fought with extraordinary beings. Ayan also collected a lot of animals along the way including the promised red boar and the perfectly marbled wild blackhorn cattle. Days passed before they saw signs of human activities and finally broke into the new territory.

The family ran into an attacked caravan and mercenaries in the middle of the journey. Clayton inquired and learned that this belonged to a wealthy merchant from the imperial capital. They came from Eustoma, the nearest city outside Thornwood Forest and are now travelling west, back to Imperial Capital Ava.

Unfortunately, bandits attacked them halfway, stole some valuable items and killed two of the mercenary escorts. 

A dispute between the two parties erupted because the caravan owner did not disclose what was on the cargo. The mercenary leader was in grief losing two old comrades from this job. But instead of sympathizing with him, the merchant cursed and called them incompetent.

There was a loud argument making Clayton frown. He doesn't want to get involved with their conflict but their party is blocking the path. It was an inevitable encounter. 

The reed-thin merchant was yelling at the remaining eight men surrounding the two dead bodies. The harsh words kept flying out of his mouth coupled with his sharp chin and slit eyes, people can already tell how mean his personality was.

"A bunch of useless fools. Don't forget what I hired you for and so far you haven't done a proper job!" he sneered, "Once we return to Ava I will report you to the guild. Let's see if you can still accept any mission."

Ayan heard his words and had the urge to dig her ears. Even the children clung to her skirt with frowns. 

 

Hey guys, been a while. Finally, the family is out of the mountains. It's time to look for a new home, meet enemies and allies alike. Oh, I made a map. You can check it in the glossary. ^^

 

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