Year 5007 after the system day 16 of the flowering season during the morning.

 

“Are you ready to go, Iris?”

“Yes!” a joyful shout left my mouth whilst inside some casual brown clothes. 

“Alright. Let’s go visit the farms west of Astia village.”

“That sounds pretty far.”

She giggled, looking at me with a delicate smile.

“Don’t you want to ask for some straw for the scarecrow?”

Euphoria burst through me filling my veins with energy. I wished to make one for a while now, but my parents were often busy with either their work or hanging with their own friends. She took hold of my hand and we moved out of the house towards the northwest.

“Why are you taking the sword?” I noticed it hooked on her waist belt.

“We’re going around the village since it’s faster and we might encounter a foe or not, just a precaution.”

“Shouldn’t we go through Astia even if it takes longer?”

“That would be the wise decision, but showing you what lies beyond our home will be a learning experience. And swordsmanship isn’t the only thing I want to teach you.”

“Really? What else, mom?”

“Survivalism. If you become an adventurer, that’s what you’ll need the most.”

"Even more than the weapon?"

"Yes. Far more."

My head tilted to the sides cutely while placing my left-hand index finger on my lower lip, causing my mother to giggle and nod at me in agreement. This topic wasn’t entirely vague to me as I read a book about it in my past life but never had the chance to put the knowledge into practice.

We had a conversation while walking to the forest situated southwest of the village.

“Why is our house far better built than those who live in Astia?”

I stole a glimpse of the way she opened and closed her mouth a few times before speaking. Possibly thinking about the best way to explain it within the limits they set. Most of the houses I saw on the few trips had an outer wood layer and a poor aspect.

The shops, in comparison, had a better look to them, but even then, they were half stone, half wood. However, our house had bricks and clay on the exterior. They were more expensive than the normal materials used by most serfs.

“We are ultimately peasants, but thanks to your father’s connections and deeds. Our house isn’t like those cruck ones that you can see in the village. Unlike what many thought in the beginning when we moved here. We're serfs, reason why we pay the rightful taxes to the church and the royal family. More precisely to the lord who has these lands under his grasp.”

With such words, I went into thought before replying to her.

‘It seems to be related to my father’s secrets...’

Without wasting a second thought, as it seemed that she was willing to give more information, I threw another question at her.

“Who’s that man? The one you called lord.”

“He’s called Francis the head of a very prestigious noble family, entitled as the red rose.”

A funny expression appeared on my face before I replied in a soft, yet confused tone, “the man is a part of a garden?”

My mother laughed it off, ignoring my question, following with her own remark. 

“I suppose you can see it as a colored rose garden of sorts, though don’t mention it in such a way near any noble. It could trigger them to harm you because they could see it as defamation.”

Rosaline sighed before she resumed her own venting towards this subject. As a servant, she too had struggled with them in the past, mainly due to her beauty and exotic appearance.

“Talking bad about their image can cause them to be very prideful...”

‘Ugh, sounds like the nobles of this world do not differ from my past life ones...’ Despite being held captive in my old mansion. My past father received some visits. Like the precious daughter I was. Would often be called for betrothal proposals, or simply to make acquaintance with political figures for the future.

Nonetheless, there was not a single engagement, as I was still too young back then. As such, the only nobles I met were the fathers and fellow children. They who represented their families through excellent etiquette and exquisite manners.

“We hear and obey?” Words I used to hear often by the maids. Yet, to my question, my mother made a bewildered face. It was obvious how she found herself falling in accordance with such strange yet rightful words. They resulted in the designation of us being inferior. Words she had never expected me to come up with.

“We hear and obey my dear daughter, but do nothing that goes against what you think to be right.”

“Even if such a lord demanded me to do so?”

From my past education. It was normal for anyone with a higher rank to order those below as they saw fit. It was a blunt standard to show their superiority, and it barely had any consequences. Atrocities were but a part of such an era in that world, and by all means, Artana was a similar place regarding that.

My mother made a conflicted expression, biting her lower lip softly. Rage surged within at the harm some nobles could inflict upon me in the future. 

I, who was looking at her with a serious expression, tightened the grip on my right hand behind my back. 

She glanced over at me, finding but a beautiful smile.

“It’s okay. No matter what, we can’t change who we are. That’s why for as long as I can. I will become strong enough to protect the two of you while pursuing my own happiness.”

Deep in my heart. I felt a big backlash from my past life, which pushed me to strive further toward such a goal. To no longer remain a clueless bird inside a cage, to no longer stay as an obsolete girl whose only worth was my bloodline. To no longer remain the broken doll of the library.

“If something like that were to happen, we could only count on your father’s friends. They are powerful. I’m sure we’d find a way. It is one reason we came to live this far from the capital. To remain safe from evil and influential people, to keep you out of harm, you, our beloved daughter.”

My mother curved her body as she voiced out such lovely words, pulling my hand closer, and with it my entire body, giving me a tight hug.

“Thank you...”

“No matter what the cost, we’ll keep you safe...”

A wintry smile contrasted with the not-so-light expression on my face, sunk in my mother’s warmth, for I knew better from the dark and distressing years deeply rooted in my memories. A tighter embrace pulled me even closer, almost choking me from the lack of air and the difficulty that it became to breathe. But to that, I closed my eyes and accepted it wholeheartedly. As painful as it could be, she filled it with the pure form of maternal love. And to that, there was nothing but gratitude towards her who took care of me since the day I was born. 

For she was my mother... my guardian.

Moments later, she relieved the tension of the grip, causing me to take a very deep breath. A loid compressed sound came out of my lips, recycling the lungs with the air that was scarce. 

'Almost died... again,' I giggled quietly, returning to a more innocent, childish face that resembled my original appearance better. Slowly, we both turned forward, and my mother pointed in front with a refreshing smile.

“A few meters more and we’ll arrive at the forest. Compared to many others, it is fairly smaller but will be a good start, so you don’t feel overwhelmed.”

“Alright! I’ll do my best to learn!”

A fierce yell left my throat, both to give out my determination but also to push the dark remnants away. The density looked vast, with tall enough trees to hide the sun. The entire ground was green, with some brown roots. Large branches with small white birds lived on top of them. Once we reached its entry, she began with a meticulous explanation.

“The first thing that you’ll need in order to survive in the woods is clean water that you can drink. Look for signs of freshwater nearby like areas of green foliage that show it is nearby, and signs of wildlife like animal tracks. Unlike us, they have a keener sense of finding such locations, and they too require drinking to survive. So it is possible that just by following the animals, we can find what’s necessary.”

As we walked further into the forest, she rose a finger to the air and added immediately.

“This doesn’t mean that all sources of water will be safe to drink. In fact, the ones from the magical institute who research all kinds of things. Mentioned that there are some toxic ones. Somehow, by boiling it, we’re able to purify the water even if by doing so we reduce the quantity inside of the pot.”

At those words, I thought on a way to heat water, reminded only of the pans back home.

“To boil the water inside the forest, we’d need to lose ourselves with at least a container…”

My mother nodded happily at how the experience of cooking completed my mind.

“Exactly, so preparing oneself as an adventurer will require some tools to be carried, and also learn how to make a fire from nature itself.”

From her reply I got the hint that at some point, learning how to make one would come as one of the experiences that she had prepared for me.

“In case it rains, collecting the rainwater is a useful method to gain water. You can use a piece of long cloth and tie its corners to the trees, making a squarish form. Then place a stone in the middle so the liquid flows easier to the container.”

“What if I don’t have a big one?”

“I suppose you could use a small rag made of cotton to capture the morning dew on the grass. You can then wring it tightly by making many turns, causing the water to fall off to the recipient.”

“That is brilliant!”

My radiance crawled out from me as I learned new methods of survival.

“In case you have a small shovel or someone who can use the earth element with you. Making a deep hole in the ground to find freshwater could be an option.”

“Would any place work for that?”

“Not at all!”

Rosaline smiled at the brilliant observation made by me before resuming her words.

“You should look for places with lots of green foliage. It’ll increase the odds that way.”

“Alright, I’ll keep that in mind!”

“In case you are in the forest during the cold seasons like the decaying or even the moon one. You could melt snow to produce water. Once you learn how to create ice with your element, you can do that with your own power.”

My mind imagined a scenario where that could be possible.

“So... I create pieces of ice and melt them till they turn into water?”

“Yes, in preference not too big ones, as the icicles would take longer to melt.”

“Understood!”

“If it’s ice or snow that you find and they have a gray aspect to it. It means they have salt inside. You can use that for cooking instead.”

“That’s... truly interesting.”

My mother made a radiant smile, noticing my brilliant eyes, who looked at her full of expectation while absorbing the knowledge.

“The adventurers usually teach some of this information to the supporters. But gaining it in advance, along with some practical experience, will be an asset for the future.”

“Yes, depending on what I learn. I could even use it from here onwards to help you two.”

“Sounds like I should teach you about food next, so you become a full-fledged survivalist.”

“Does that mean I could roam into forests to gather food while you two are at work?”

“If you learn how to fight and mostly how to survive. You’d be able to avoid getting caught easily by either kidnappers or other races...”

My mouth opened amazed, as my will became more solid into wanting to gain such knowledge. Mainly for freedom, as it was one thing I sought for the longest time. By no means would I want to be stuck at home all day, every day.

The ability to explore, to gain some independence, to go to the village and meet and make friends. To play with them without worrying about this or that, to fish or farm, feeling zero constraints.

The capacity to protect myself and even other people if necessary. Those were the newly found goals that slowly engrained in me, replacing everything else.