Another world, Celeste

Chapter Four, pt 3

The same guard is waiting outside the entrance of the sanctuary and leads us back to the village. When we reach the barrier, we enter the village through a different gate mainly used by the guards and rangers because the main gate is already crowded with people. Near the guard station, what grabbed my attention is the group of people in well-made armours with swords hanging from their belt. The guard informs me when I ask about them.

"Those are soldiers from the Imperial Army. They are the ones who brought the magical beast to us. It is quite fortunate they encountered the magical beast when the path to the village is open, or else the soldiers would've lost precious time by trying to find their way here."

I thanked the guard for guiding us back to the village and then he returns to his post.

Bane and I return to the village when my stomach growls in hunger. I haven't eaten anything since this morning. I plan to grab some food at the stalls but when we walk along the street, people who aren't elves are staring at me, more like shaking in fear towards Bane. Guess I can't go any further and just when I'm about to head back to the house, I run into three rangers I'm friends with who are on a break. They notice my predicament and offer to get some for me. I hand over my money to them and wait in a less crowded area for the faint-hearted souls.

"Thanks for helping out earlier, Bane." 

Bane makes a small bark then whines.

"I know what I did was careless, but I had to. You'll save me when I'm in trouble right." I tell him so with a knowing look.

He rubs his face against me. Not long after, my ranger friends come back full of food. Mint, a bright-looking elf ranger, is already munching food in her mouth. We find an empty bench, enjoy the food together and I listen to their complaints about bandits attempting to attack a carriage going out of the forest, foolishly thinking no one will be around to guard them and the time a rookie adventurer refusing to follow the mapped-out path and get himself lost and attack by a wolf.

"It's not even rabies wolf." Mint complains the most while poking a fork into a piece of meat.

The other two rangers show displeased faces as well. Since the barrier is widely open for the festival, they're guarding the incoming and outgoing visitors from monster attacks in the forest.

Rabies wolf is a wolf with poisonous alive or sometimes they foam from the mouth to neutralise its prey. Their own body has antigen therefore to treat the potion would be to drink medium-grade potion or extract the blood from the rabies wolf which contain a pure antibody. Rabies wolf tends to gather in packs. I occasionally join Lorelai and the rangers in the forest to deal with them whenever Maya and the healers are gathering seasonal ingredients that are only found outside the village. The healers are even making use of the rabies wolf's blood to synthesise a cure that might prove useful for illnesses.

When their breaks are over, Mint who is already accustomed to Bane, rub herself into his fur. Bane is used to her behaviour, let her be.

Mint shouts out her motto. "Fluffiness is paradise!"

We ignore her weirdness and the two starts to leave without her. Mint rushes to them while waving me goodbye. I stretch my tired body then return to the house with Bane. When I arrive, Maya is sipping a cup of tea in the living room.

"How was it?" She asks as soon as I sit down.

"It was eventful."

I tell her everything that has happened in the sanctuary. Then, I realised something when I look at Maya.

"You knew that was going to happen!" I gasp.

"I didn't exactly know what would happen, but it was a possibility when they needed the special grade potion. I've had my fair share of experience of treating magical beast that requires it." She replies nonchalantly.

I slump my exhausted body deeper into the sofa. When I open my eyes, the sun is lower in the sky. Looks like I fallen asleep. A blanket is draped over my body and Maya is nowhere to be seen. I walk out of the garden, yawning and doing some stretches. Seeing that I'm still in my running shoes, I thought of enjoying the lively scenery on a light run.