Chapter 07: Here Comes Claude, a Hero and a Romeo (Part 1)

A hero's work never ends. Saving girls, slaying monsters and now what? Babysitting too?

- An excerpt from the famous tale of the Legendary White-Masked Knight.

The sun barely rises when I finished my preparation for the journey. I first wore my black inner tight shirt, on top of it my new Journeyman tunic, and then last but not least my boots and hand bracer. It felt so good to finally get rid of my old Initiate tunic. Doubt I’ll miss it anyway.

I placed my sword on my left and dagger on my right, both hanging from the belt. I then placed my just refilled water canteen with a drop of that special Elsiberry concentration just beside the dagger. And lastly, I wore the necklace with an effigy that looked like me and the red crystal earring, which is in my right ear. Both of the gifts were given by Aisha and Lily respectively.

Thank you, Aisha and Lily. Thank you, everyone.

As I leave my room, perhaps for a long time before I could return, a sense of nostalgia hits me. I gave a smile as I close the door behind me. The hallway was empty, yet some of the rooms began to show activities. Perhaps the kids were waking up already. I better make a move first before I’m being delayed by those kids.

I took a stroll across the Western courtyard down to the middle Grand Courtyard, where the Tower of the Sun was situated. I looked up the tower and I noticed the old geezer was looking at me. I smiled, and turn my back and gave him my thumbs up. That was my new victory pose.

I’ll be back before you know it, old geezer.

Without much further ado, I proceed to the Western side gate and now find myself, for the very first time, outside the guild-city for a purpose other than collecting firewood. I gave my Brotherhood salute, where I placed my hand on my heart and bow.

“That took you long enough. I’ve been waiting for ages, you know!”

Suddenly, I heard a familiar female voice behind my back.

I turned around and saw Sehanie, smiling at me.

“I have been waiting here before the sunrise. What took you so long?”

She pouted at me.

What do you mean took me so long? What are you doing here? Are you seeing me off too?

“What? Nope… I’m here for this”

Sehanie walked towards me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I blushed uncontrollably.

What…. What… that’s for?

“That is for saving my life back then and this is how I thank you. Thanks, Claude”

I rubbed my head in embarrassment but I suddenly remembered my victory pose. This should be normal for a hero. Can’t be embarrassed about it anymore right? So, I turned my back towards her and gave her my thumbs up.

“Teehee… What’s that weird pose? So unlike you.”

I don’t care what you think, Sehanie. I feel cool and that’s important for me.

“Teehee… alright. So, you are going off already?”

I nodded.

“Then what are you waiting for? Let’s go, slowpoke. We don’t have all day.”

Huh, what do you mean by let’s go? What do you mean by ‘we’?

“You sure are slow in the morning Claude. It means I’m coming with you. The great Sehanie Moonbow, your own very blonde Goddess with big-breast that you love so much, is coming with you.”

Huh?!

“Don’t give me huh, young man. You should be proud that a Goddess like me is following you on your boring trip. You might be able to see something good during your journey.”

Alright, alright. You are Goddess and you get what you want.

Sigh… Here I thought I might be alone in my journey which kind of sucks but the good thing is that I was expecting some kind of encounters with fair maidens or damsels in distress. But, what followed me now was neither a fair maiden nor a damsel in distress. Of all the companions I can get, she was the worse.

“Teehee… that’s better. Be a good boy and show me the way.”

Show you what way?

“The way to Elsivier, stupid! You got a map with you right?”

Huh? Map…. Map… MAP?!

I blurted the word out loud.

“What? You don’t know what’s a map. M—A—P. Map. An item that has the drawing to a certain scale, the layout of the land so you don’t get lost. That’s what a map is, dumbass.”

I know what is a map, Sehanie. And stop calling me names!

I have forgotten to bring a map with me. Of all the things I have prepared, I forgot to include a map.

I forgot to bring it with me, hehe.

I tried to make light of the situation.

“Don’t hehe with me Claude. Of all the things to take for a journey, a map is a must and you forgot to bring them. Humpphhh… stupid newbie!”

I had it enough. I snapped.

Yes, I’m a newbie alright. So why are you following this newbie, you old-bie? Follow someone else. So what if I forgot to bring a map. It’s not that hard of a journey and I don’t need an elven brat like you to follow me. Though you have big-breast which I love so much, but I can have any other breasts, perhaps bigger than yours along the way. Humpphh.

I received a whack on my head.

I can see tears coming down from Sehanie’s eyes.

No… No… I won’t be fooled now.

She cried.

“You… you become so mean to me, Claude. I have been waiting here to go with you since before the sun rises and was looking forward to it. Now… now… You meanie…”

Sehanie broke down in tears.

I felt extremely guilty. I never made a woman cry before, including Sehanie. But now, Sehanie was crying right in front of me, on my very first day of my journey. Good job, Claude.

Alright, alright. Look I’m sorry I snapped at you, but please don’t go calling me names. This is my first time out on a journey, so there’s a lot for me to learn. Can you stand up now, put me in your care and show me the way?

Sehanie, amidst her tears, asked, “Where’s your please?”

Pretty please. Please…

This was getting rather annoying, but better this than a crying elf girl.

“Teehee… That’s better. Come, let me show you the way.”

I knew it. It was a fake cry after all. Turtle tears. I should not have been fooled.

Ahh well, I’ll let it slide this time since she showed me how much happy she was by following me on my trip. Nope, scratch that. She shows how much happy she was that I’m following her.

So, do you know the way to Elsivier?

“Teehee…” Sehanie stuck her tongue out.

Don’t Teehee me. Do you have a map?

“Nope. No map either.”

Why you elven brat?

I chased her down the road.

-----

It’s noon when we took our first rest of our journey. We decided to take a short break nearby a stream.

Here, Sehanie, try this. I handed her my water canteen.

“What’s this? Is it poison? Are you trying to poison me?”

Ahh, shut up. Have a drink already. You know me better than this.

I shove the canteen into Sehanie’s hand. Looking at my it, checking if I was playing trick on her or whatnot, she uncorked the canteen and then gulped down the water without hesitation.

How does it taste?

“Somehow, the water tastes good. Sweet but not overwhelming.”

Hehe. Glad you like it. Now give me back my water canteen.

“Nope, I like this. Now it’s mine.”

I should have never offered her anything.

“But here, take this instead.”

Sehanie gave me something that was wrapped in leaves.

“It’s an elven bread. A bite of this and you don’t need anything else. It’s a good item to bring for the journey. You can keep that one. I have one more with me here.”

I took a bite. The Elven bread was tasteless. Do they ever use salt?

“How does it taste?”

Good, I think.

I try not to be rude to Sehanie.

“Hmm... you have weird taste bud. I thought mine was tasteless and was going to use it as fish bait. I rather use this tasteless bread to catch myself some fish.”

I shake my head in disbelief. This elven girl was way too mischievous. I couldn’t handle her at all.

After a while, I lie down and closed my eyes to take my afternoon nap. This place was pretty nice, with beautiful scenery and was pretty safe. It’s secluded and bit further from the main road, so no one really comes here. Suddenly, I could feel something nestle between my arms. I opened my eyes and saw Sehanie besides me.

“Claude, let me sleep beside you. May I?”

She was way too mischievous for me, but her beauty and seductiveness makes me forgave her instantly. She was a dangerous foe indeed.

I kept quiet and gave in to her demands. And she understood my silence as she nestles down on my arms and slept beside me.

She really was beautiful. Amazingly beautiful.

With that, I too closed my eyes and the noon passed to evening without much incident. Our first day was pretty uneventful and we managed to cover another 15 miles on foot. Though we could cover much further, but we are in no rush. Perhaps this awkward pair of a couple, a human male and elven female, wanted to be with each other a little bit longer.

But nope, this is not a romantic-comedy story. We kept bickering the whole journey. That’s what slowed us down. Sehanie wanted to turn left, and I wanted to go right. She wanted to use the less travelled path and I wanted the main road. And she wins every single time. Most of the time by brute force. Some other times, by seductiveness.

We took our second break just before the sky gets dark.

“We will camp here, Claude.”

We managed to reach a campsite, a small open land, near a river stream, but a little far from the main road. It’s safer this way.

I’ll set up some fire. What do you want to do Sehanie?

“Hmmm… I feel all sweaty and sticky, so I’ll take a bath first down the river.”

Ah, alright. Go ahead.

I show no sign of excitement. I cannot reveal that I’m excited, can I?

“And don’t peep at me, Claude. Else I’ll gouge your eyeballs out.”

Yeah, yeah. Just go already. There’s nothing new to see about you. Now, I’ll need to start this fire.

“Humpphhh!!” Sehanie pouted.

What was that for?

I started the fire and looked from the corner of my eyes at Sehanie who disappeared into a path that leads to the stream.

Hehehehe… Now I can begin my Operation Peeping Tom. Target: The Big Breasted Blonde Wood Elf girl, Sehanie Moonbow. I can’t wait.

I lit up the fire as fast as I could. Once it’s big enough not to be distinguished by itself, I stood up and walked towards the path Sehanie just took earlier. But I veer off a little, among the trees and shadows, so I won’t be caught.

“That Claude, he is pretty thick for a pervert and a flirt!” Sehanie muttered as she dips her body into the stream.

“This body is to die for and yet he…. He… is not interested anymore.” Sehanie dove down, covering her head. A moment later, she rose from the water, as her long blonde hair shone under the moonlight.

“The water is cold and good. Pheww… I feel refresh.”

However, the coldness of the water and freshness it gave betrayed the real expression that was on Sehanie’s face. Something was on her mind and she gave out a long sigh before yet again dive under the water and rose from it like a beautiful swan under a moonlighted night.

“Does Claude has someone else he likes? Does he longer have no need of me… and this breast that he loves so much…”

Sehanie touched her breast and felt her heart beats.

“It somehow seems so sad and lonely…”

Krak…!!!

“!!”

Sehanie was jolted from her thoughts as the sudden noise confirmed that there was an intruder in the area. No, it’s not just any intruder. It was a Peeping Tom.