“Aaah... Why do they have to kill the horses?”

Surrounded by high trees, Liliana let out a complaint while carrying a big bag behind her. She was dragging her feet against the thick snow which landed two days ago.

Her nose was red as her cheeks are, her eyes were swimming all over the place, looking for something interesting.

“At least it was not you whom they killed.” With a wry smile, Shen, who was walking beside her said. Shen's statement made Liliana trembled in fear.

“I-I guess its better than being killed.” Liliana murmured. Shen chuckled to herself then patter the head of Liliana, tilting her wizard hat riddled with some scant snow.

“Hhmm...” Darwyn, who was leading the party in the front, let out a grunt. His visor produced a white fog that dispersed after reaching the thin air. The three of them were carrying some sort of bag, and Darwyn was the one who was carrying the biggest of them all.

His bag was cluttered with all sorts of sound as he walked violently. His massive feet pressed themselves on the ground, and Liliana, from time to time, would hop in them just to get rid of her boredom.

It was cold, but having someone who travels with you made it somehow, warmer. Shen was striding just fine now, her body wound didn't leave a noticeable mark but hidden inside her garb, a part of her chest was whiter that the tone of her skin.

“Are we close to that city, Darwyn?” Liliana asked.

“I think.”

“You think?”

“Yes.”

“That's not very reassuring.” Liliana shrugged her shoulder

, thinking that it was the end of the conversation.

“Just trust Darwyn.”

“Wha...”

Shen's statement provoked a feeling of unease inside Liliana's chest. Nonono way right? It's that not a flag right?

“Hhmm?” Shen tilted her head as she stared at the complicated face of Liliana. Noticing her own behavior, Liliana waved her hand before her chest while saying “Nothing!” repeatedly.

Her reaction made Shen more curious but she decided to just drop the topic.

“But still, to think that Darwyn knows how to live inside a forest.” Liliana changed the topic forcefully, she laughed awkwardly while hoping that Darwyn would say something.

“Most adventurers are, more or less, adept at living inside the forest. Well, at least that was the case for the adventurers back in the town.” He said calmly. His town was located near the border, it was surrounded by forests.

“Heh, so that's why...” Shen nodded, she was clearly interested in what he said. “Then what does this town looked like?” Shen asked.

“It was small compared to the royal capital, but the people there are warm and kind... Most of them at least.” Darwyn replied.

Shen quickly understood that he was referring to the criminals of the town. This man was the servant of the law, after all, he would despise anything evil.

“What about the specialty? What does that town have?”

Darwyn placed his hand below his chin at the question of Shen, then he said “There are many things, but I suppose that it was the dairy products that were selling well.”

“Oh! I love dairy products, but people from the monastery hates it! He-he-he! I remember sneaking out cheese from the outside and eat it alone.” Shen then covered her mouth while chuckling, her ears twitching up and down.

J-just what with this atmosphere...? As she watched the two, Liliana made a cramped smile as she was clearing her throat with a cough. “B-by the way Shen, what's your place looks like?”

“The monastery was surrounded by large trees, the buildings have this weird triangular roof. I can't really put it into words.” Said Shen. Liliana had a rough idea of what she was talking about while Darwyn, who was listening silently, doesn't have a single clue to what it looks like.

“I'd like to see that place someday.” That came from... Darwyn. Darwyn? Shen and Liliana looked up to him in confusion, doubting whether they heard it right.

“Wha...What!” Liliana exclaimed, glaring at the wide back of Darwyn.

“Certainly!” Shen clasped her hands in delight as she almost leaped in joy, causing her abundant chest to jiggle ever so slightly.

“Geh!” Liliana knew all too well that she cannot copy that even if she were to do a backflip, her chest was still developing, or that was what she thought.

M-monster... Liliana instead landed her eyes on the road, watching the swirling motion of the falling snow. She brought her hands near her mouth as she did a “Fuu...Haa...” noise, trying to warm herself up. After rubbing her palm together, she placed it on her cheeks. The heat gave a comfortable feeling.

“Aren't you cold Shen?” Liliana asked the monk.

“Not really, I'm quite used to cold.”

“Is that so? Is it because they trained you when you're still a child?”

“Yes, it took me fifty years just to acquire this kind of resistance.”

“F-fifty!”

Her shouts drawn the helmet of Darwyn to her, but she didn't notice that as she was focused at Shen.

“Hmm? Monks from our land are trained for five hundred years before going outside.” Shen said while she took one wider, almost hopping step, just to avoid an incoming boulder on the ground.

“Elves are still elves no matter where they come from huh?” Liliana gazed up in the dull sky, though the answer she was looking for didn't come down.

Shen stared at her, then followed to the direction she was looking, raising her chin up, the gray clouds, and the falling snow greeted her.

“Yes, I've met a couple of elves from this continent too. Though our culture is different, our sense of time wasn't that off.” Shen then stretched her neck down, shutting her eyelid several times before saying “But I like their food though. Especially the pickled vegetables and fruits.” To which Liliana bobbed her head, smiling “Yep yep! Elves' foods are the best!”

The party spent the rest of the day talking to each other, slowly nearing to the town of the merchants.