Accidental Harem: Let's Kiss Again!

49: Did Not Want To Admit

"But do take note—we may have to encounter more than one Catoblepas once we arrive in their location."

Aranea, Elenea, and Leonel's brains stuttered for a moment and their eyes took in more light from the bonfire from they expected.

Every part of them went on a pause while their thoughts tried its best catch up.

"What?!"

When Aranea exclaimed loudly, it had snapped the other two out of their stupor, Aranea flailing her hands in the air as she spoke out her worries.

"You mean we are going to encounter more than one dinosaur!? Are you crazy?!"

Even Elenea started to worry. She furrowed her brows as she looked at Zann, fear evident in her eyes.

"Are you sure that we are going to face more than one? Isn't one already too difficult to handle?" she asked, Zann, nodding to answer her question.

"I know. They usually travel in packs but at night time, it's different."

The moment Leonel heard this, his ear twitched as he raised a brow, finally understanding where their plan is going to.

"I see... so you want to suggest that we have to face a Catoblepas in the evening," he said, Zann, nodding to acknowledge what he said.

"That's right. Since they are near the waterfalls, others would travel up the mountain but one or two Catoblepas would be staying behind by the falls for the evening," he added, Aranea still panicking as she started pulling her hair.

"But defeating two of them would be difficult, too! One would be a bother—what more if we have another large-ass dinosaur!?"

Zann sighed, shaking his head.

"You don't have to worry about that much. I would be the decoy," he suggested, Leonel cocking his head to the side.

"You would be the decoy?" Leonel scoffed, "You think you could do this alone?"

"It's what we have to do. We have to lead one away, and the other to stay. If we do that, beating one would be a piece of cake."

Elenea crossed her arms in front of her chest, "Zann has a point," she commented, everyone's eyes on her. "If one would distract the Catoblepas away, then Leonel and Aranea could prepare an attack."

"Correct, but we have a dilemma," Leonel commented, chiming in as he spoke out his thoughts. "If I'm too far away from the water from the waterfalls, I may have to limit my use of water. The nearer we are to the falls, the more water I could use. The more water I could use, the better I could shift my element to ice—something the Catoblepas is weak of."

When the three heard this, it was silent for a while. They then looked at the map as they all thought of what else they could do in order for them to lure out one Catoblepas so they could only face one.

"Are you certain that only two would be left behind in the falls?" Aranea asked, Leonel, nodding to answer her question.

"I'm sure. Professor told me that the other Catoblepas would always come up the mountains, and the remaining two would always stay behind—as if to watch over something in the falls," he answered, piquing the interest of the others.

"So, you mean to say, that they are sort of guarding something?" Leonel asked, Zann, nodding to answer his question.

"While we're at it, we would see what they could be guarding," Elenea mumbled, enough for the others to hear. "It could be something beneficial for the academy, don't you think so?"

"Something like that. Or it could be a rare item as the Stygian Forest is some place not explored completely," Zann said and added, Aranea folding her arms in front of her chest as she heaved a sigh.

"You guys continue the planning. I'm already getting mentally drained as it is," she commented, Leonel, chuckling as he playfully ruffled her hair.

"Don't be so lax now," he reminded, Aranea, looking up to face him. "Since Zann would be focused on distracting the other Catoblepas, we would have to do what we can to face the other," he added, Aranea, narrowing her eyes as she pouted her lips.

"Do you think I could help? Or would it rather be better if I were the one to distract the beast? I mean... I could run pretty fast," she said, Elenea, giggling as she shook her head.

"Dummy! Leonel has to resonate his magic with yours. With him shifting to ice, other than the water arrow, you two could do ice arrow or something," she said, Leonel, nodding enthusiastically as Elenea was quick enough to deduce what is going to happen with their plan.

"That's right! With Zann being a distraction, we could prepare with our magic resonation—but this time, with ice!"

"Oh!" Aranea let out an embarrassed laugh, scratching the back of her head at the same time. "I did not think of that..."

"Well, let's finalize this, then," Zann began, getting everyone's attention as he laid out the map on the ground before them, the twins moving closer to see clearer.

"The lair of the Catoblepas is found in this falls. Once the sun sets, we wait until the other Catoblepas climbs up the neighboring mountains. Once there, I would distract one Catoblepas, leaving the other behind," he said, Aranea, furrowing her brows as she thought of the other Catoblepas.

"Wait... what about the other Catoblepas? Won't he follow you, too, once you distract the other?"

Zann shook his head, "That won't be a problem."
He opened his bag and revealed a vial. The vial contained a blue liquid, making the three cock their head to the side, curious about what it is.

"This is a sleeping potion. One of the things that Catoblepas loves to eat would be the meat of other beasts. I have gotten a part of the Valaha we defeated a while ago. Once we put the sleeping potion in, it will knock the other Catoblepas out, making it easier for me to distract the other."

"Wow!" Aranea blinked her eyes a few times, amused. "Do you carry potions with you all the time?"

"Some," Zann answered, keeping it back in his bag. "During alchemy classes, we learn those essential potions we could bring with us at times like this," he added, the twins finding him amazing.

As Zann continued finalizing to them the plans, Leonel's mind could not help but wander as he thought and noticed how the Fire Familiar could have changed a lot in a few years.

He did not want to admit it, but he felt that Zann is now smarter and better than he was, making him want to become stronger.