Quietly walking around the soundly asleep cannibals we all just picked a random direction into the woods surrounding us and made our attempt at escape.

Walking through the dense forest though proved to be a challenging task for some of the people tagging along. Among these struggling people was Isabelle, though she was finding it hard to walk on the slightly mushy ground and flora constantly rubbing against her skin. Clearly, she looked uncomfortable, but her focused eyes didn't show any discomfort. 

It seems like the beauty is a prideful one, thus deciding to respect her show of courage I didn't attempt to slow down to match her pace or help her. Apart from me, there were only two others who were easily traversing through the forest. 

One is this girl with frilly green hair who's just humming some tone and the guy with short brown hair who's leading us all through the terrain. He says he knows how to survive or handle a forest and judging by his actions he does seem very confident in his skills of survival.

[Rosetta should ask their names]

'hmm, if I feel like it'

Though I said I would not slow myself for Isabelle's sake, I still decided to walk alongside her but making sure not to give her any helping hands.

"You don't have to-"

"I know, I just feel like it. So tell me, what does a warrior like yourself doing on the carriage?"

"I don't have to answer your, these silly questions"

"I guess, but I was going to the academy city. I got chosen into their knight training program this year"

Suddenly a dumbfounded expression

"W-wait what? I thought I was the only commoner chosen to study among those nobles"

hmm, so she was also selected but clearly, she's not in my program

"Well, it seems like there's two of us. I got picked for my exceptional swordsmanship when I went to their tests, a special scholarship they called it"

"Yeah...the king just started this program to bring equality to commoners and nobility. It seems like we are the first ones to test this new scheme of his. You in their knight program and me in their political studies"

"mm"

"..."

"..."

"y-you know, it seems like we are both in the same boat..."

"So it seems, so want to stick together? dear friend Isabelle"

"Just Isabelle is fine"

...

...

...

After what felt like walking for hours, the guy in front stopped and pointed toward a cave entrance in the ground. 

Apart from me, the guy, and the frilly girl all others were visually exhausted with clothes sticking to their bodies and faces covered with sweat and dirt from the forest.

With all of our stomachs empty from yesterday, I and the frilly girl decided to go search for food while the others started to clean and set up the cave under the guy's commands

I still haven't asked his name or the one currently with me as a matter of fact

Silently we walk through the woods, searching for some animals to hunt, and along the way, the girl picks up some fruits she says are healthy to eat.

After a bit of strolling, we stumble upon a small baby boar roaming around. It's parent's are most likely searching for food for their child right now

"It might be better to wait and kill all three"

she suggests and I comply by sitting down, seconds later she follows suit and we wait in the shade for the whole family to gather.

[Don't get close to this girl, she this air about her..]

'hmm, what does sister mean?'

[Just listen to me]

"So you have a creature residing inside your left eye right?"

[Kill her, she's a witch]

"mm, so Miss is one of the fabled witches. Nice to meet you"

[Sweetheart don't become chummy with her!]

"The pleasure is mine, I go by the name Anabelle, what may I address you by?"

[DON'T!!]

"Rosetta, but a witch is rare out in the open, I thought they were all under the captivity of the kingdom"

Or so I have learned from what my sister told me or stuff written in the books

"You are right, almost all of my fellow sisters are slaves to the kingdom's army. Abusing the magic bestowed upon them by gods for their prosperity and expansion"

"mm, so you plan on murdering the entire kingdom?"

"Surprisingly straightforward you are, but yes, that is the idea. Though currently, I'm currently just an apprentice, I was on my way toward the forest of silence just outside the academy city. I am to learn more about my powers from the witch residing in those silent woods"

"Well good luck with that, but if only witches can use magic why haven't they retaliated against the kingdom?"

She falls silent for a bit before looking down at the ground

"My fellow sisters have become accustomed to their oppression. They are not the first generation, thus from the point of birth all they know is to serve the kingdom for its superiority"

"So you will kill those witches as well? I mean from their view you are the one in wrong"

"I may be, but I will not stand for my people to be servants of the kingdom in the next generation. A witch is to be free and independent, their own rulers and not be ruled by some king or shit"

"Well, just leave me and that silver haired girl named Isabelle when you attempt your ambitions"

"You are weird"

A genocidal maniac calling me weirdo

I don't know how to feel about that

[This girl is a danger to you and your existence dear Rose, you should listen to your big sister and kill her right now. Just trust me]

'No'

[Why!?]

'Isabelle wouldn't like it if I came back alone, having killed this girl for no immediate reason'

[So you would listen to this new girl you just met yesterday instead of your big sister who has been with you for all these years!]

'mhm'

[Silly girl, remember who helped you and kept you alive when you made your escape from the mansion]

'mhm'

[Ungrateful little Rose]

'mhm'

"That voice must be telling you to kill me right now, The fact you haven't done so till now, allows me to express my gratitude and thanks"

"How do you two know each other?"

"Not us two, all witches know this being residing inside you. If it does not reveal its origin, I must follow. Oh! look seems like the parent boars are here. Again as thanks, allow me to subdue these three"

It seems like it is not just luck or coincidence that sister despite not being a witch is able to do some magical stuff

The next second, vines pop out of the ground where the boars are standing, strangling them in their grip. The small and millions of sharp thorns protruding from the vines pierce the boars' bodies. 

"The poison in the thorns will sap their life soon enough"

She comments as the palms of her hand touch the ground.

The three boars unable to move, screech and wail in pain. Restricted, all three slowly lose strength, and seconds after all that remains is silence

Seems like I gained another friend

...

...

...

We reach the cave with the two parent boars hanging on my shoulder and the baby boar gripped by Anabelle. 

"Ah! They have returned" signals Isabelle to others

It seems like one person is missing, there were supposed to be six of them here but I only see five. Though I don't remember what they looked like, their absence didn't concern me

"Here's the food, also Where is Jannet?" speaks Anabelle

hmm, so the missing one is a girl

"She's resting inside the cave, unfortunately, she got bit by some snake while gathering leaves" speaks the guy leading the charge in preparing the cave for the night

so she's not missing

"Seeing her state, she will most likely die at first sunlight"

I look to my right, Anabelle with her witch powers should be able to cure the poison from her body

"Is that so...the poor girl"

so she's not going to help her. Anabelle's eyes locked with mine for a second and I understood her reasons

[She revealed her nature to you because of me, don't expect her to reveal it bunch of strangers]

'I guess, especially considering her grand plan'

Thus only seven remain

...

...

...

All of us had our stomachs filled to the brim with fat boar meat, some were even wasted on the poisoned girl thanks to the insistence of Isabelle.

The girl would be gone come morning, giving her food, the thought didn't make sense to me. Isabelle was weird for doing such a gesture.

Such thoughts travel across my mind as I was on watch duty outside the cave while others were sleeping soundly

Being in that torture mansion for twenty years had made me capable of enduring sleep for a few days. Even after all that happened yesterday and Today's extensive walking, I still only feel minor exhaustion at midnight.

Suddenly I hear familiar footsteps behind me and scurry a bit to the left on the rock to make space for Isabelle.

"How did you know it was me?"

"There's a certain melody to your footsteps, distinct and quite authoritative from others in the group"

"*chuckle* Is this your way of flirting?"

"No, just saying my thoughts out loud. Come, sit, why are you awake at midnight?"

With small heavy steps, the sound of her footsteps grows louder under the leaves scattered on the ground as she sits down beside me looking forward at the dense dark forest.

The sound of the chirping night creatures and insects, the uncomfortable humidity, not the best time and place to sit alongside someone

"Are you sad about that poisoned girl?"

"Her name is Jannet! Not that poisoned girl!" she scoffs

"Well she is a girl and she is poisoned"

"hahhhh...I see, so my fellow companion in the academy city is a huge insensitive douche"

[hehe, her impression of you is getting worse dear Rose]

"I just speak my mind and not hide any intentions or double meaning behind my words. I know it comes out as scummy but I find that part of me a lot better than playing some silly word games"

"So you don't feel anything about that poor girl?"

"Why should I, we only met yesterday and she hasn't helped in any way"

"Hmm, I see, so transactional relationships it is then, and a severe lack of empathy"

Being kind and sentimental isn't what finally got me out of that torture mansion and manic family. Though I doubt she would understand that if I said so, then again I'm not one to mince my words

"It's just how I lived and was able to survive so far"

"So a person swimming in a pool of sharp edge we are"

"...ugh"

...

"That term edge, I don't like it being used upon me"

"Why? All of us belong to the town of just saying whatever comes to mind around here"

"well..."

"So not a fan of being on the receiving end of such a person?"

"I'm not sure, I just don't like that term edge to describe me"

"So I guess it's not always nice to speak one's mind all the time huh"

"I guess..."

Is this how she felt when I spoke my mind and called that dying person a poisoned girl?

"I'm sorry about calling her a poisoned girl"

"hahaha, you are still calling her just THAT you know"

"mm, change comes slow"

I can't just bring myself to suddenly care for that girl and speak fondly of her in an instant, but I think I do understand what Isabelle is trying to say here.

"Thank you and don't call me by that word edgy again"

"If you try your best then so shall I"

Hearing the loud noise of insects neither of us ever locked eyes with the other, just looking directly at the front, gazing into dark foreboding darkness.

Wrapped in silence, just enjoying the other's company

Or at least such was the case for me

[I bet she hates your personality, sweet little sister]

hahhh...I didn't think words could actually sting physically

Or maybe I just lost these common senses from the previous world once I got trapped here