Day two.
They left the cobblestone road and walked down an unpaved path.
The forest trail was wide enough for one carriage to pass through.
They encountered monsters that mimicked trees and wolf-like creatures. The tree mimics were called Warwoods. They specialized in surprise attacks, so it was easy to get hit by their first strike, but they had no mobility, making them easy to defeat once detected.
Wolves were troublesome because they appeared in groups and toyed with their prey using quick movements. Apparently, there were both monster wolves and natural wolves. Since both would attack, they were simply called wolves without distinction.
Mash was facing three wolves.
"Don't just focus on the enemy in front of you. Understand the whole picture," Aidan advised.
Fam was on the front line being attacked by two wolves. She tried to deal with them one by one, but one kept attacking without letting up, leaving her unable to counter.
Mash tried using earth magic to keep them at bay, but his attention wasn't synchronized with Fam's, and their attacks concentrated on the same enemy, leaving the other free to attack.
The third wolf circled around and bared its fangs at him. Caught by surprise, he couldn't dodge.
Aidan shot an arrow and killed the wolf.
Now that he was free, Mash moved next to Fam to help her.
When it was one-on-one, they could handle themselves. Fam and he defeated the remaining enemies individually.
"Looks like it dropped a magic seed."
It came from an enemy he'd defeated. He picked it up.
"Now that I think of it, what should we do about our share of the dropped items?"
He asked Aidan.
"You killed it, so keep it. I don't need it."
"I don't want that arrangement. I'd have to rely on you completely and I'd feel suffocated."
"Hmm, then I'll exchange everything for cash when we get back to town. We'll split it evenly. Keep track of it until then."
"Understood."
He nodded and put the seed in storage, while Aidan watched.
"Come to think of it, you also found some magic seeds in the battle with the goblins five days ago. The slave traders and the church also traded in magic seeds with you."
Did he know about the special skill?
Since there was no way to hide it, Mash decided to tell him.
"It's called 'Heavenly Blessing.' It's a skill that is given to individuals in addition to their occupational skills."
Apparently, you could only have one special skill normally.
"My special skill increases the rare item acquisition rate for all party members."
"I see, so there is such a skill."
"Aidan, do you have one too?"
"Yeah, I have combat skills."
He didn't seem to want to go into details.
"Fam doesn't have any special skills. Is there a way to get them?"
They looked at him strangely. That's right—he already had a special skill, so they would assume he already knew.
"You know, it's not something that just anyone can get. That's why it's called a blessing."
He understood. If it was a blessing, maybe they could ask Lachsel for help.
They encountered two more wolves and defeated them.
"You are too focused on individual enemies. Look at the whole picture. See the group as a single entity."
That was a difficult request.
"Your eyes. You're staring too fixedly at the enemy in front of you."
His hands were full with the enemy before him, and he had no time to pay attention to anything else.
"The wolves move in a coordinated manner. You two don't."
He didn't know what to do.
"Well, it's not something that can be mastered in a few days. First, you need to become true allies. You two need to think about each other more."
It was about collaboration between him and Fam.
"Fam, why do you always jump out and fight alone?"
When Aidan asked, Fam looked at Mash and then looked down.
It was the same when they went on gathering quests together. Whenever a monster appeared, she would always get between him and the enemy, trying to fight first.
She didn't seem to like fighting. Yet she didn't seem to want him to fight either.
"Are you protecting me because you think I'm weak?"
"No. I don't want to answer that question."
He was surprised by her sudden refusal.
But he needed to understand.
"One-on-one is fine, but with multiple enemies, teamwork is necessary."
"...yes."
She responded, but didn't seem willing to elaborate.
He shrugged his shoulders in an exaggerated manner. It was a gesture he'd never made in his original world, but one he'd always wanted to try.
"Aidan, I'm sorry. I can't continue like this. I want to abandon the quest."
"Huh?" Fam was surprised by his words.
"No. Can't I just work harder and become stronger?"
"Let's go back to town and think about what we'll do next."
Since Fam wouldn't explain her motives, it seemed dangerous to continue the quest.
"I have things I want to keep secret too. Do I have to tell you everything, Master?"
"No, it's best not to tell anyone about things you want to keep secret. I have plenty of things I'd rather not share as well. But this matter is life-or-death."
If they continued adventuring with their current fighting style, there was a high chance Fam would get injured. It would be one thing if she could recover, but he couldn't bear to see anything worse happen.
"...There were many people in the city, but I was alone. Only my master noticed me. I have no one but my master. I don't want to be alone. I want to protect my master."
Suddenly, Fam started saying vulnerable things. It couldn't be helped—she was still young. It was like a confession, but not of romantic feelings.
"It's only been three days since we met. Why go that far?"
"The number of days doesn't matter."
Fam interrupted him, overlapping with what he was saying. She was pure and dazzling.
He put his hand on Fam's head. He'd forgotten amid all his teasing, but she was just a child.
It would take time for her to become independent. She needed someone to help her. She was trying to push that responsibility onto him. It was troublesome. But he didn't mind.
He was actually happy about it. He gave her a gentle pat.
"I understand how you feel, Fam. The basic combat plan is that Fam is the vanguard and I'll provide support. But that's just the foundation. We need to experience different patterns depending on the situation. We'll practice that during this quest. I'll have Aidan evaluate us."
"Really..." Fam trailed off, trying to confirm something.
There was no intention to make her the sole frontline fighter. In the confusion, they would try different formations under the pretext of testing, leaving the matter deliberately flexible. Her attitude would likely change as she gained experience.
"That sounds good, Fam. Aidan, let us know if you have any concerns."
"I don't mind," Aidan nodded.
"Yes," Fam nodded as well.
They found some shade and took a break.
They were resting longer than yesterday.
Camping required experience. Keeping watch reduced sleep time.
Their bodies needed to adjust to traveling.
Fam smelled some fruit and went to pick it.
It was just Aidan and Mash now.
"Don't blame her too much. It's a trait of her species," Aidan said.
"Hmm? Are you talking about Fam?"
"The Dog-Eared people have keen insight and are adept at reading emotions. In particular, those who take up warrior professions will devote their lives to their chosen master."
"Is that so? If that's the case, I don't want her forcing herself to fight on the frontline. Even just getting injured would be troubling."
Aidan nodded.
"You are afraid of fighting monsters. She senses this and wants to fight in your place. That determination is also reflected in the profession she has chosen."
Now that he thought about it, he remembered telling Fam he was scared. But she had been acting protective even before that. She must have sensed what was in his mind.
And while the Mibu Wolf of his previous world had been a group engaged in complex political intrigue, their central figures were pure-hearted and loyal patriots. The light blue uniform was a symbol of the loyal retainer. Fam was trying to embody that ideal in this world.
At that moment, Fam returned, interrupting the conversation.
Mash ate the fruit that Fam had found. It looked like a cherry.
"Sour," Fam said.
It certainly seemed a little sweet to him, but he guessed that couldn't be helped since they were wild.
"You're more sensitive to sourness when you're tired," Aidan said.
"Is that so?"
"No, that's just been my experience."
Mash stretched his body while listening to the two of them talking.
It seemed that summer was approaching. The sun was getting stronger.