A dewdrop landed on Gauss’s forehead, bursting into cold splashes.
It was early morning in the Jade Forest. The air was chilly and damp, and Gauss shivered slightly as he drifted between sleep and wakefulness.
Groggily, he opened his eyes and instinctively tried to roll out of bed—only to find he couldn’t move.
For a moment, he was confused.
Then his brain caught up.
"Right... I’m in a sleeping bag... tied to a tree branch."
Gauss tilted his head and glanced down.
He was at least ten meters off the ground.
Thankfully, he’d tied the ropes well the night before. Otherwise, if he had rolled off while still half-asleep and forgotten to cast Mage Armor on the way down, he would’ve definitely broken a leg—if not worse.
Still, despite the risk, sleeping in trees was the safest option out here.
And after an uneventful night, he counted it a success.
Aside from some stiffness from being restrained in one position too long, he was fine.
He untied himself, tossed the sleeping bag to the ground, and climbed down with practiced ease.
Once on solid ground, he did a few light stretches.
The morning mist hung low, filling the forest with a soft glow. Every breath felt like it was rehydrating his entire body.
After a brief rest and some warm-up movements, Gauss slung his backpack and loot bag over his shoulders and began retracing his path out of the forest.
It would take most of the day.
Travel through the woods was slow—especially with the heavy load. He had to stop and rest frequently to conserve stamina and stay alert for surprises.
If he made it out by noon, he’d be lucky.
Three hours later, Gauss had only covered a little more than half the distance between the goblin village and the forest’s edge.
Jade Forest is huge, he thought, awed.
The goblin camp had been on the forest's outer edge—not even deep territory.
If someone tried to cross the whole forest, even in peak condition and with no interruptions, it would take weeks.
Who knew how many creatures—basic and elite—lurked inside?
No wonder the kingdom had built dozens of towns and forts around the forest’s border. It wasn’t just to secure trade routes. It was the first line of defense.
If a powerful monster ever rallied an army of low-tier monsters, those towns would form a network of resistance, buying time for the military to respond.
Gauss shook his head, pushing the thought away.
That was way above his pay grade.
He was just a Level 1 Arcane Adept. His job was to complete quests, earn coin, learn spells, and grow stronger.
An hour passed. He dealt with a few reckless slimes along the way.
He set down his pack and grabbed the Unbreaking Staff, eyes narrowing toward the dense forest ahead.
Magic flared at his staff’s tip.
Just as a wolf’s head burst through the foliage, he raised his hand, ready to cast.
But then a voice rang out.
“Whoa whoa whoa! Don’t shoot, dude!”
A blue-haired woman popped into view, riding on the back of the massive silver-gray wolf.
He recognized her—the quiet girl from the carriage ride a few days ago. She had been sitting beside that white-haired mage kid.
She didn’t look nearly as composed now.
Covered in dirt, disheveled, with twigs in her tangled hair and a sour stench wafting off her, she looked more like a feral drifter than the elegant figure she had been before.
Gauss stayed cautious. He lowered his staff slightly and took a few steps back to keep distance.
Yes, they’d ridden together—but they hadn’t spoken. Out here, in the wild, you didn’t let your guard down for anything.
The wolf was massive, standing nearly 90 cm tall at the shoulder. Its silver-gray coat glistened, and its long fangs jutted out menacingly.
It snarled, baring teeth at Gauss.
The woman patted the wolf twice, then leaned in and whispered in some strange rhythm—a series of soft growls and melodic hums.
The monster calmed immediately.
Gauss guessed silently.
Druids were fairly common. Their powers focused on nature magic, animal companionship, and environmental adaptability.
They usually had a bonded monster—wolves, hawks, horses, snakes, and so on. At higher levels, they could even transform into animals themselves.
Most also knew how to speak with animals.
“Hey there. Fancy seeing you again.”
The woman dismounted with a soft thud.
“I’m Alia Keen. Just call me Alia. You?”
“Heading out of the forest too? Want to travel together?” she offered.
Gauss gave her a once-over.
He was still filthy from fighting over a hundred goblins, but she didn’t look much better—sweaty, stained, and blood-matted hair.
Still, he didn’t answer her question directly. Instead, he asked cautiously:
“Weren’t you traveling with someone before? That white-haired boy with the suitcase?”
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” she groaned. “I met him at the Adventurer’s Guild. He looked fragile, so I even suggested we take the carriage together to save his stamina.”
“We were looking for a relic, but then we got ambushed by an ogre and its minions. I was worried sick about him—and guess what? He pulled out a scroll and teleported away without saying a word!”
Alia fumed. “Good thing I reacted fast. I hit them with Entangling Roots, jumped on my wolf, and made a run for it. Otherwise, I’d be ogre stew right now.”
“Damn spellcasters. Totally unreliable.”
Sure, technically he was a magic user, but that felt like an unprovoked attack.
“Ah—sorry, not you!” Alia waved frantically. “I mean, most of the spellcasters I’ve met have been super flaky. Not all. Just… most.”
“Ugh, forget it. Anyway—traveling together? We can watch each other’s backs. My wolf can help carry your stuff too.”
Gauss looked her over again.
She wasn’t lying—her gear was light, and she had no suitcase. The offer was sincere.
“Sure,” Gauss nodded.
Not because he trusted her completely. But he’d rather keep a potentially suspicious person where he could see her than let her disappear into the shadows.
Better a visible threat than a hidden one.
“So, want my wolf to carry your pack?”
Since she offered, Gauss didn’t hold back. He slung his gear onto the wolf’s back and tied it down.
It wasn’t full of valuables—mostly supplies and equipment—but it was heavy.
The extra weight would at least slow the wolf down a little.
The two didn’t talk much on the road.
When monsters appeared, they coordinated silently to handle them.
Gauss stayed alert the whole time, but slowly started to relax.
In those small skirmishes, he intentionally held back—using only basic spells, hiding his melee skill entirely.
At one point, he faked an opening in his defense. If Alia had any ill intent, she would’ve sent her wolf to attack then, assuming he was a frail caster.
Even though she was clearly exhausted, she kept casting Entangle, using plants to bind enemies and support him in battle.
Gauss noticed she wasn’t weak, either. A proper Level 1 Druid, with a powerful monster companion and solid control-type magic. She could also fight in close combat using her wooden staff.
A crowd-control specialist, huh?
To be honest, Gauss had made the fighting much easier for himself by letting her pin down targets for him.
He walked beside her, eyes narrowed in thought.
He needed to keep watching.