On the way back home, suddenly, Camilla felt a tremor beneath her feet. Her steps halted immediately, and she tried to sense the tremor once again."What's wrong, Miss Camilla?" Zeke asked, perplexed as Camilla, who was at the front, stopped suddenly.Camilla turned and looked at Zeke. "Did you feel that?"Zeke furrowed his brow, as did Ian, who seemed puzzled by Camilla's question. "Feel what, Miss Camilla?" Ian asked, equally confused.Camilla's panic heightened as she felt the vibrations again, and she turned her gaze towards the source of the tremors. Eventually, Neptunis, sensing the vibrations that Camilla was referring to, also looked in the same direction.The vibrations grew stronger and closer. Trees began to sway, and animals that typically inhabited the trees took flight, as if something was rushing through.Not only that, the bushes around them started to rustle. Now Ian and Zeke were beginning to realize what Camilla was talking about, causing her to halt in her tracks.
Camilla hesitated for a moment, torn between the urgency of the situation and the complexity of what Neptunis was suggesting. The idea of a monster contract was new to her, but she trusted Neptunis's judgment.Seeing her uncertainty, Zeke and Ian fought to create a protective barrier around Camilla, buying her a moment to consider her options."Camilla, we believe in you," Ian called out, his sword deflecting a fierce blow from an Ogre.Camilla took a deep breath, her mind racing. She had never attempted a monster contract before, but the dire circumstances demanded bold decisions. She looked at Neptunis with determination."Okay, Neptunis, let's do it. I trust you," Camilla declared, her voice unwavering.Neptunis's eyes glinted with a mix of pride and gratitude. He stretched his form, the water that composed him shimmering with magical energy. His essence flowed toward Camilla, enveloping her in a gentle, cool embrace.Camilla closed her eyes and focused on the connection with Neptu
For the past 3 days, Arthfael had been using his training time to practice the magic that Camilla directly taught him. After nearly two full weeks of Camilla training in swordsmanship and then combining it with her storm magic, Arthfael followed suit.Not only that, Camilla also practiced how to fight while working in tandem with Neptunis, who was, after all, her contracted monster. They conducted simulations, and now it was Arthfael's turn to learn how to use magic."Are you ready?" Camilla asked, looking at Arthfael.Arthfael wasn't entirely ready, as he wasn't particularly skilled in using magic. Even in his video games, he mostly used swords, so it wasn't surprising that he was more adept with a sword in this world than with a bow and arrow."I don't know, we'll soon find out," Arthfael replied, gripping his Mighty Soulfire sword tightly.Arthfael's sharp gaze was fixed on the wooden dummy in front of him, one he had crafted himself earlier. Similar to Camilla, Arthfael was practi
The entire forces of the Kingdom of Verdantia, along with its people who were ready to fight against Searox, were gathered in the palace courtyard. Arthfael, designated as the leader of the war party, stood behind King Endeavor, allowing the king to deliver his words before they set out to confront Searox the next day.Arthfael wasn't alone, he stood beside Camilla, accompanied by Flare, Neptunis, and Valentina. Of course, Neptunis was there alongside Camilla as the monster had formed a contract with her.Beside Arthfael were the attendants of King Endeavor, and not far from the king's side stood a middle aged woman dressed in exquisite royal attire with gold accents, none other than the Queen of the Kingdom of Verdantia."Good morning, everyone," King Endeavor greeted, beginning his address.The atmosphere in the palace courtyard was tense, a mixture of determination and anxiety hanging in the air. Camilla stood among the assembled warriors, her heart both heavy and resolute. The wei
Ten horse drawn carriages moved in a procession from the Kingdom of Verdantia towards Rhett Valley, a journey that would take them 12 hours. In the front carriage rode the leader of the Kingdom of Verdantia, King Endeavor, accompanied by his aide, Elsher.In the carriage behind, Arthfael sat with Camilla and Valentina. The third carriage contained Neptunis, Flare, and one of the palace guards. Flare, being a phoenix, and Neptunis, a water elemental with a larger form than the phoenix, didn't get along well. The palace guard looked fearful, especially due to the tense interactions between Flare and Neptunis."Hey, human," Flare called suddenly, his tone brusque.The palace guard jumped at the sound of Flare's voice, his head turning slightly to acknowledge the creature."Could you try to be a little more polite?" retorted Neptunis abruptly.Hearing Neptunis respond, Flare hissed and shot an irritated glance Neptunis's way. "Could you just shut up?""You're the one who won't let me shut
The night felt even longer with the discussions carried out by the three kings of different kingdoms, along with Arthfael in their midst. For the first time, Arthfael found himself facing three kings simultaneously, individuals he barely knew.It was like a dream to Arthfael, especially since they were discussing the attack they would launch against Searox the next night, precisely when the full moon would shine brightly."So, what strategy will be employed? Will the Verdantia forces attack from the front due to Arthfael's presence?" Faolan, the King of Ophelia, inquired.Endeavor paused for a moment, then looked at Arthfael. "What do you think would be a good strategy, Arthfael?" Endeavor asked.Arthfael, now the center of attention for the three kings, along with Camilla, Valentina, Neptunis, and Flare who were all gazing at him, pondered on a response. They were all waiting for Arthfael's input.As a skilled player of the video games he used to play, Arthfael attempted to devise a
The bright morning finally arrived. The palace guards and knights from each respective Kingdom were preparing for the battle they would engage in tonight against Searox. Many of them were busy sharpening their swords, honing their arrows, and chanting spells to harness their magic.As Camilla and Arthfael walked past the knights of the Kingdom of Ophelia, they were amazed to see the knights sharpening their arrows on their own."Do they sharpen their arrows like that by themselves?" Camilla asked as she walked alongside Arthfael."I think it's a basic skill that the Kingdom's soldiers must master in warfare. It starts from sharpening weapons to crafting them," Arthfael replied.They both headed towards the breakfast distribution area and joined the queue with the others. Since Arthfael didn't bring his sword, they didn't recognize him much.Moreover, Arthfael was wearing a simple white shirt and pants. However, Arthfael's curly white hair managed to attract the attention of many, and
The night had finally arrived. The sun's rays vanished along with the darkness of the night. Black clouds began to obscure the moonlight, as if signaling to the kingdom's forces that it was time to prepare for the assault.The troops from the three kingdoms – Verdantia, Zephyr, and Ophelia – formed their ranks in accordance with their designated order. At the forefront stood the three Kings themselves, accompanied by Arthfael, Flare, Valentina, and just behind Arthfael, Camilla."We depart now," ordered Endeavor to his aide, Elsher. Elsher, along with the aides from the other two Kings, raised their hands into the air and conjured a bright white light spell as a signal for their departure. Following that signal, the front of the formation began to step forward, heading towards the cave of Searox, accessible through the Rhett Valley.In the Rhett Valley, a special path existed that connected to the cave where Searox resided beneath the ocean floor. The cave's length was extensive, exte