056: Adventuring With Style


To minimize the unwanted attention from fellow travellers, Alice and her party opted to use Disguise Spell to hide their wings and tails. Meanwhile, Momo reverted her Divine Nine-Tailed Vixen Princess form back into her usual Fox Spirit form. Alice was fine with neither form as she loved Momo regardless of which form she took.


Although Alice had the fanciest dresses in her collection, she opted to wear a simple cream colored long sleeve shirt matched with grey puffy trousers. Her legs were secured with calf high leather boots that protect her lower body from dirt and water.


Momo and Arya also wear the same outdoor outfits but with a more frilly design and much cuter compared to Alice’s calm and collected facade.


Meanwhile, Cecilia and Kahleesi wore the same maid outfit as Catharina. Both of them looked very cute in those maid dresses yet sharp and professional at the same time.


The first couple of days were quite peaceful to say the least. However, Alice really enjoyed the journey while enjoying the green scenery of the Silverwood Forest on the right side, while the blue, pristine river that formed from the glacier running at full force on the left side.


As the weather was much warmer, the snow and ice had melted, releasing an abundance of nutrients to the soil. The trees, flowers, as well as other greeneries bloomed at full. The once gloomy, icy forest was now riddled with colors and cheerful chirps of the birds.


This magnificent scenery was only possible to enjoy thanks to the Huntresses under Catharina’s direct command who had subjugated most of the dangerous monsters while also keeping the ecosystem’s balance months prior.


On the other hand, Momo wouldn't stop asking the new and bizarre things that she saw or heard.


“My dear, what is that continuous chirping sound? I mean, I know it must be a bird, but which species?” Momo asked Alice.


Alice sharpened her hearing sense, trying to pinpoint the sound that Alice was talking about. “Hmm, it must be a male Flame Mockingjay’s mating call. Highly territorial Magical Beasts during their mating season. Though they look imposing due to their sheer sizes and sharp talons, they pose no danger as long as you don't go near its tree.”


“Oh, that’s so cool!” Alice stuck her head out of the windowsill trying to locate where the chirping noises came from but it's hard to tell from a moving carriage. “Ugh! Where’s it?! I can’t see the bird! It sounds quite close though.”


“There! On that tree!” Arya pointed her hand toward the Blue Oak Tree. Yes, the bark, leaves, and even the trunk was blue all the way to its root.


“Oh! Right, there he is! His feathers are so beautiful and he is quite big! I am amazed you could spot the bird right away, Arya.”


“Yes. Wood Elf generally has innate sharp eyesight as well as other senses for hunting in the dark jungle. But, in my case, I am more into art rather than hunting, hehe.” Arya smiled sheepishly.


The green haired elf’s face was visibly more vibrant and lively. Her hands also wouldn't stop drawing a sketch of every animal, flowers, and even various mushrooms that came into her keen eyes.


At this moment, Alice noticed that Arya’s green irises widened and shrunk so fast while she drew. She came to realize that Arya has innate telescopic vision.


“Enjoying what you see?” Alice quipped.


Arya hugged the sketchbook onto her chest, nodding shyly. “Mm.”


“Then let's stop till you finish your drawing.”


“Eh, is it really alright? We are on a tight schedule, aren't we?” Newest update provided by Novᴇl_Fire(.)net


“Not at all. Besides, the whole idea of using a horse carriage is to enjoy the journey after all. On top of that, it's almost dinner time. Let's rest early.” Alice caressed the elf’s hair gently.


Catharina promptly knocked the carriage wall to notify the drivers. “Cecilia, Kahleesi… Let us find a suitable place to camp for tonight.”


“Yes, ma’am.”


The carriage soon came to halt by the time they found a flat and spacious river bank. The luggage and camping tools were not an issue since Alice put everything inside her Spatial Ring. This ring played the vital role of this journey so the horses wouldn't need to pull additional weight. Hence the longer distance that they could cover in a single day.


Once their necessities laid out in the open, Alice then checked the perimeter as Catharina and the others prepped up the campsite. She eventually found a huge boulder that she could use as a vantage point to oversee the area.


Looking at the map, Alice could tell their little adventure should end in two or three days if things went smoothly.


As of now, they have arrived at the valley of the Northern Mountain Range. The lush and tall trees dominated the horizon as far eyes could see while she studied the map closely.


“If we depart early in the morning, we would arrive at the Arlenheim Great Forest by afternoon. Hmm, somehow, this region is similar to Borealis Forest back on Earth.” Alice muttered by the time she recognized the tree species that spread wide and vast beyond the horizon.


Afterward, Alice folded the local map, and took out the Azgaar Continent map which showed all of the major regions.


Firstly, the Arlenheim Kingdom was situated at the very top north west corner of the Azgaar Continent. It nestled deep within the valley of the Northern Mountain Range that protects the realm from the Dark Oceans beyond the mighty mountain whose peak was seemingly eternally hidden by the cloud.


Meanwhile, various smaller settlements and tribal groups spread eastward outside the Kingdom’s territory all the way to the Romanov Empire’s one of ten vassal Kingdoms in the Northeast Region; The Kingdom of Wolfman.


Fortunately, the tribesmen were living in peace with each other and were on good terms with the Arlenheim Kingdom. But the delicate balance between the tribal groups and the kingdom was tipping over on the edge after the Romanov Empire’s declaration of war.


“How to unify these stubborn tribes, I wonder?” Alice mused to herself.