Chapter 276- Thoughtful Training (Patreon)

Thoughtful Training

Lucy slipped on her boots and then pulled and tied the leather straps tight. Rising from the wooden stool, she fixed the buckles on her leather belt. Attached to it, hung her small first aid pouch at the back, while a pair of dagger sheaths occupied both sides. Satisfied with her armor, she fixed her black cloak and then tossed her straight blonde hair behind.

"Are you heading out this morning to relieve Toll at the camp?"

Sherry asked while using a stick of charcoal to highlight the marking of the foot size she received from Lucy. Later, she needed to take this down to the cobbler to have the new boot designs implemented. As the creator of the exquisite dresses designed from the descriptions by Chu, she knew these boots would also be original. She had never seen these so-called rubber grips that could help in preventing sliding while walking in the rain.

"No, I'm riding down south to the ruins where Halter is working. I plan to spend the day in the forest nearby."

Looking up at the attractive girl who answered, Sherry, shook her head while smiling. With the news of the Bitzer raids spread across all the villages of the Empire by now, others might think this girl had gone mad. Somehow Sherry visioned this girl dressed wonderfully while strolling down the streets of a city. The picture suited Lucy wonderfully.

"Hey, Lucy. Between Limerock City and here, which do you prefer?"

Lucy tilted her head while raiding a finger to her chin.

"The city was nice when we got used to it. We did meet lots of people and enjoy ourselves but I think I would eventually want to come home. Chu said soon we will have many more shops and fanciful places than a city out here. When our home is secured, I'm sure everyone will have time to visit Limerock City or even further. But home will always be the best."

"Haha. I knew you would say that. You really are his staunchest supporter. Maybe in the future, I'll have Finn take me and my baby boy when he grows up on a trip. Hearing Miki spout her tales have made me curious. Never would I think I could travel to the cities."

Sherry said.

Lucy smiled and then waved goodbye to the woman and the baby contentedly playing with a wooden rattle in the crib. Chu had presented these little knick-knacks to all the babies when spring arrived. By using the goblins in the lumber camp, he dished these out to his close families. The rattling of wooden rings performed so well that Rugol and Bon praised his ingenuity while shedding tears. For the time being, they enjoyed a full night's rest without wails.

***

It didn't take long for Lucy to harness her horse and ride to the ruins. Tethering her horse among the others inside a rickety corral, she informed Halter of her presence before disappearing into the trees on foot. Her actions caused raised eyebrows and low mutters from the workers present. Their thoughts didn't find time to idle as Halter shouted orders to have them busy...

About a mile inside the forest, Lucy trod around the trees until she found a suitable clearing. Standing in the middle, she closed her blue eyes and inhaled deeply. The eyelids reopened slowly to reveal a pair of yellow, feral-looking pupils. With each sniff, trailing ribbons of various shades wound and meandered away. Fluttering wings of small birds above the boughs and the rustling of the underbrush behind and around her entered into her sharp ears.

"It's like Chu said. If wolves possess a strong sense of smell and hearing, then so should the wolf demon. Within the wildlands of the outdoors or a deserted alley of a city, ambushes against me become useless. I should hone this skill in the forest and then better it in the village lanes."

Focusing on her goal, she remained motionless for over half an hour. Like a statue or predator who excelled in patience, the cloaked figure seemed one with the surroundings.

Exploding in a flurry, Lucy swiveled on her heels in a half-circle. Simultaneously, a flash exited her protective cloak before she returned to being motionless. Her outstretched right arm remained in a horizontal position as she retracted her fingers into a fist. About fifteen paces from where her gauntlet arm pointed, a small but deadly throwing dagger embedded itself halfway into the bark of an old tree.

Its smooth flat shape resembled the ones partially concealed inside her gauntlets.

Inches away from the certain catastrophe, a beetle, the size of a fist, vibrated its wings in fright before scuttling away.

"Stink Beetle... I smelt and heard the vibrations clearly. My aim requires work. I'll ask Miki to help me."

Retrieving the iron dagger Bon personally crafted for both her and Miki so she could retire her beloved collection of ivory ones Chu first gifted, Lucy faced another tree. Curling her index finger into a claw, she swiped the air in a diagonal manner.

A rush and distortion in the space before her manifested. Leaving no time for an opponent to contemplate, a split second later, a deep gash sliced into a trunk sending the bark flying. Lucy walked up to the tree and ran her fingers across the attack. Except for the bark which splintered in all directions, the inside edges retained a smooth and clean cut.

"Nothing less from a wind blade powered a little extra with mana. I think this is the best way for me to harness and combine my magic and skills as Chu said. It's still hard to aim but now I can cast five for the day before I become exhausted. Until my aim improves, I should practice it when I'm alone in the forest because it's too dangerous."

Lucy muttered. With help from Dyna and Ishara, she learned how to channel her mana and boost this ability. Chu explained it as adding another battery into an existing circuit to power a larger light bulb. Unfortunately, only he could relate to that analogy.

Her original wind blade had sliced the arm of a bandit clean off back then. If she could control and learn to aim this attack, it might surely become what Chu called a trump card. Shaking her pink index finger so as to help in cooling it, she waited before firing off another one.

Because of this skill, Lucy wore open fingered leather gloves. She transitioned from the usual ones since she felt her aim and casting improved significantly. Chu told her it made sense since he recalled that a wizard wearing armor suffered from a spellcasting penalty.

When she inquired about the meaning, he replied vaguely that he only heard about it from people who occupied a strange trade called gamers. Apparently, even the clothes she wore could affect her skills. Only Chu possessed the shrewd mind to make the link and to arrive at such a conclusion.

Late in the evening, Halter raised his hands in frustration as the workers constructing his experimental railway downed their tools while pointing excitedly to the forest. Approaching them, a beautiful, young girl dragged the carcass of a wild boar twice her size...

***

The man scrunched his bushy eyebrows before scowling at the square wooden board resting on the small crate in front of him. Scratching his head, he leaned from the stool and then shifted one of the round wooden pieces diagonally forward. His index finger had yet to leave the small wooden disc when a fairy-like voice interrupted.

"Uncle Lye, are you sure you want to move that piece? Once you let it go, you can't take it back, you know."

The man halted his actions as if caught in the whirlpool of uncertainty. Looking across from the candle flickering under the wooden shade from the gentle wind of the open doorway, he narrowed his eyes. The young girl returned his stare with innocent eyes. Her small boots swayed as they dangled from the small wooden box she sat on comfortably.

"I've played this checkers game with you enough times to know when you bluff. Don't think you can fool me all the time with your virtuous face."

"Uncle Lye knows me so well now. However, your dessert is mine tonight... hehe!"

Hope answered while grabbing a red-stained checker from a corner of the board. With a deft movement, she clacked the piece over three of the brown ones of her opponent. Giggling, she retrieved her spoils of war from the miniature battlefield.

"Huh, when did you learn to bluff like that?"

The man asked while watching the child carefully stack her winnings. In one move she broke their equal gridlock and placed him at a disadvantage. It didn't take long for him to capitulate.

"Sister Miki said girls need to be shrewd to survive."

"Sometimes I wonder what your sisters are teaching you..."

The man muttered as the girl hopped down from her seat and returned nibbling on a fluffy biscuit. He had eaten this particular dessert before and swore to the softness and taste. Regretfully, this little visitor tonight, who helped bring the food, suckered him into a bet.

Sighing, he sipped a mug of water while turning his head to watch the open grassland rolling away to the south. If not for this inquisitive girl who seemingly skipped around freely on the farm, he probably might still be living as a prisoner. Instead of sleeping in the butcher shed, he now had his very own hut to call home. In one day, the men from the farm constructed the firm structure outside the southern wall for him to reside.

Provided with a new lease on life, he simply needed to follow the rules of the farm. Though yet confined, he now enjoyed certain freedom. With time to contemplate over his past deeds, his mindset slowly changed to one of regret. Sometimes the guards on the walls would come over and have a chat, or this girl might pop in when someone brought over his meals. Grateful to her, he had no problems in treating her with gratitude.

As for trying to corrupt her innocent mind, he would rather take his chances in the forest. This girl didn't keep secrets from her terrifying older siblings. Aside from them, nearly everyone on this farm carried a weapon and from witnessing the daily activities at the nearby butcher shed, they definitely knew how to use it. Not even a fool would dare to touch this little girl.

"Uncle Lye, I heard you are tilling the fields with brother Clod. Brother Clod likes hard workers and not lazy complainers like Brother Ming."

"Your Brother Clod really likes his farming. Haha!"

Uncle Lye laughed uncomfortably while unconsciously rubbing his sore shoulders. After working from early morning till noon, that lad would be laughing together with a group of equally drenched older farmers. Lye and the majority of helpers rostered for the day could only painfully watch these chattering farming lunatics.

In the midst of his recollection, a loud pop disrupted his thoughts. Startled, he focused on the stack of logs a short distance away. Two heads peeped out towards the farm and then retreated. Drifting voices soon floated across.

"Ahh! How did you do it? Look at the hole you made. It's all charred."

"Hehe, I told you I figured something out. Remember the lightning bolt which blasted the tree Ming sheltered under? Heh, it's like the same power, only much, much weaker. Soon I'll make it stronger... ah, I feel woozy."

"Holy smokes, this is a great spell! Hey, you ok?"

"Wait, let me get some rest, this thing takes a toll and drops my mana down to zero. Give me a few months and I'll iron out the kinks."

The man furrowed his brows and then made a wry smile. Thumbing his finger towards the location, he turned to his eating companion.

Hope simply waved a dainty hand in dismissal.

"Forget my sisters, when they're finished they'll come to pick me up. If you listen to them sometimes, you'll go mad."

****