Summoned and Unwanted

678 Shortcut through the labyrinth of trees

Vincent cleared his throat before proceeding to say, “Is it a long way, or are we near your hidden village?”

Awa didn’t respond, and a couple of awkward minutes passed.

*Gulp* After gulping not too far from Vincent’s ear, Awa responded, “It is far, but I know a shortcut. It will take us about three times less if we enter the cluster of trees not too far from here.”

Vincent looked ahead and noticed that there was indeed a cluster of trees oddly growing beside each other, as Awa mentioned. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say when in front of them was a labyrinth of trees.

There were so many trees that once entered, the large number of trees would make a person lose their sense of direction.

Only by carving marks on trees would one be able to avoid getting lost. However, there were so many trees that finding a previously marked tree could become difficult, and take more time to exit the labyrinth of trees.

Vincent passed a comment here and there while following Awa’s directions. He moved from one side to the other, while understanding how easy it was to get lost because moving forward wasn’t always possible.

After exiting the labyrinth of trees a couple of hours later, Awa was acting differently. She heard Vincent talk about various subjects while being complemented here and there. Awa was starting to listen to Vincent instead of ignoring him most of the time.

Vincent spoke about his world and how much of a different person he was on Earth. He embarrassingly told Awa how he was too cautious about people, which hindered his ability to mature and become responsible.

.....

Vincent spoke about his parents. He mentioned his mother’s apple pie was one of the ways he had left to remember his parents.

Vincent asked if Awa had a memento to remember her parents, but Vincent quickly realized how he had let the Cefeye take all of Awa’s belongings. He understood this mistake could have made Awa lose something valuable.

Awa gently shook her head and responded, “I left in such a hurry that I forgot to take the dagger I received on my first birthday... I think I forgot to take a weapon with me...”

Vincent could tell from her voice how much Awa felt embarrassed and foolish to enter the forest without a weapon. The first thing a person would normally take was a way to defend themselves along with supplies, yet Awa forgot to take one of the important tools for survival in the dangerous forest.

Vincent tried to change the mood and decided to praise her conviction for leaving her small village to help others.

Vincent praised Awa for sacrificing herself for her parent’s sake, even if no parent would want their child to do that for them. Not everyone would unhesitantly place their parent’s life before theirs.

However, Vincent didn’t want to let Awa think it was a great idea. He wanted Awa to know how her actions were commendable, yet dangerously foolish.

After the praise came constructive criticism, Vincent told Awa how she should have thought about her life-changing decision further. Begging to become the wife of a person that didn’t appear to be kind was highly possible to be a horrible mistake.

Vincent heard Awa gulp. It allowed him to understand Awa had understood each and every word leaving his mouth.

Vincent could comprehend Awa wasn’t as prideful as she was before. Awa opened her eyes to the truth and learned to doubt her pride.

“Can I know about the city of slave traders?” Awa asked out of the blue.

“Slave traders? Ohh! You mean humans. Hehe.” Vincent chuckled after recalling how Awa was still calling all humans slave traders. Like always, the good sufferers because of the bad.

“You will not believe me, but I will not lie to you. ”

Vincent told Awa before he mentioned his relationship with Anna, the princess of Lusterfall.

Awa couldn’t believe Vincent not only knew Anna, but they had a close relationship. Both made an alliance agreement and agreed to help each other.

Awa understood the forest must be a part of the Lusterfall Kingdom since the city was close. Knowing that the man currently carrying her knew the owner of the forest made her heart nervously beat.

Vincent kept talking about other subjects, but Awa didn’t mind his words. Awa looked in front of her while pondering deeply about her people.

Before meeting Vincent, the mention of humans was similar to never wanting to meet a human, even if the world was ending.

However, now it has become different. Awa pondered on the word alliance and imagined how beneficial an alliance would be if Vincent would keep his word.

Even if she was still not made a clan chieftain, and even if she did not manage to convince her people that Vincent’s word was unbreakable, Awa started to consider the idea of an alliance.

“We are near. ” Vincent said after discovering a tree stump clearly cut using tools. The tree stump meant civilization nearby.

Awa gently shook her head to clear her thoughts. She looked at the tree stump and said, “We are about half an hour away from my home.”

“It took more time than I expected.” Vincent raised his head to gaze at the sky. The sun was setting and the night creeping.

Vincent wondered if the almost half a day they spent walking with Awa’s guidance would become about one day and a half without the shortcut.

Vincent took a couple of steps forward. He stopped after hearing a foolish request.

“I can walk on my own two feet. Please let me down.” Awa requested even if she knew she could remain standing for less than a minute, let alone walk by herself.

“I refuse.”

“I refuse your refusal.” Awa countered.

*Sigh* “What is more embarrassing? Crawling back to you people or letting the man you fell in love with and are willing to vouch for me to challenge the clan leader?”

“...” Awa couldn’t respond after realizing the plan Kazumi had suggested, and Awa accepted after a lot of contemplation.

Awa had to act as if she had fallen in love with Vincent at first sight. She had to say how Vincent heroically saved her life, treated her wounds, and fed her. Her heart fluttered full of love for the man known as Vincent.

After Vincent spoke a lot, Awa had almost forgotten how she accepted... or, more likely, tricked into acting like fake lovers since Kazumi didn’t tell Vincent all the details of their conversation.

Awa could only blush nervously, her heart raced with every step Vincent took toward her small hidden village, and her thoughts recreated embarrassing scenes where her pride took emotional damage.

Step after the other, Vincent, Kazumi, Awa, Plow, and Zero could see a large area with trees stumps and a wall of logs with spiky tips.

Behind the wall of logs was a snowy mountain that wasn’t very huge. The area appeared to be the leeward side of the mountain as the cold breeze flowed from above.

Vincent started to think the Dullahans chose this specific location strategically to combat the winter cold. The wind wasn’t as strong in this specific area as it was on the edge of the mountain.

Kazumi became curious to check what kind of small village the Dullahans managed to build in a short amount of time.

[I will go to take a look just to be safe.] Kazumi said for an excuse before leaving to satisfy her curiosity.

*Step, step, step* The sound of a lot of footsteps could be heard from the right side of the log wall. Vincent moved his gaze and noticed five Dullahans, each holding a spear and carrying between two to four spears on their back.

The closer the five Dullahans approached, the more Vincent could see the current Dullahan situation. It wasn’t that great after a couple of keen glances.

The Dullahans wore makeshift clothes made from animal pelts. Even if their bodies appeared to be wide and large because of the clothes, they couldn’t fool Vincent.

Their faces were not too thin because the mysterious smoke-like shadow connected their head and body. However, the hands holding the spears were thin.

Vincent was now able to tell that all the Dullahans were weak and hungry. It was similar to how Awa didn’t become terrified to find her body so dangerously thin.

Vincent didn’t need to check their status window to know they were weak and suffering, yet he decided to check their status window and learn about their current condition in greater detail.

.

[Name] Akon

[Age] 34

[Race] Dullahan

[Condition] Healthy, Tired, Malnutrition, Minor Sickness, Limited Stamina

[Trait] Blood Tempered Body Stage One, Mana Tempered Body Stage One

[Class] Warrior

[Stats] Strength 21 | Agility 13 | Perception 11 | Mana 831

.

[Warrior Class]

*Strong Body +12

*Wild Blow

.

*Sigh* Vincent tried to stop thinking negatively about their clan leader.

Vincent gritted his teeth and held his frustration back. A leader is a man who gets shouted at or hated, all because the leader needs to do what is best for their people.

Vincent leaned his body forward by a small degree and bent his knees also by a small degree. Vincent prepared to act weak and injured. More than he currently was.

Vincent was tired after fighting to the death battle against Orso. Vincent didn’t sleep a lot, either.

Furthermore, Vincent’s back was itching after he used wind sigils on his back without Overflow to reduce the intensity. Not to mention spending hours carrying Awa on his back made it worse.

Thus, Vincent didn’t need to exaggerate his acting too much.