CHAPTER 96: FIELD TRIP

Commander Korvo stood at the academy gates looking like someone had asked him to babysit kittens. Violent, hormonal, potentially explosive kittens.

"FIELD TRAINING!" he barked at the assembled students. "OPTIONAL! WESTERN FORESTS! REAL MONSTERS! SOME OF YOU MIGHT DIE!"

"Encouraging," Aegis muttered.

"WHAT WAS THAT, STARCALLER?"

"I said ’very encouraging, sir!’"

"DAMN RIGHT IT IS!"

Only five of them had shown up for the optional combat field trip, almost the same as in the game. Aegis and Scarlett stood together, the redhead practically vibrating with excitement. Serilla leaned against a post, examining her nails like this was beneath her. Kanna stood at attention, stoic as always. And Darius looked like he’d rather be literally anywhere else, probably planning political marriages or stealing people’s girlfriends.

"Where’s everyone else?" Scarlett asked.

"Talia said something about ’not needing to prove herself by wrestling bears,’" Aegis said. "The twins are still in detention for trying to murder me."

"ENOUGH CHATTER!" Korvo started walking. "FOLLOW ME! TRY NOT TO DIE ON THE WAY THERE!"

[Why’s he yelling so much? Did he have an energy drink or something?]

---

They marched through Rosevale’s streets, citizens diving out of the way of Korvo’s murderous aura. The man walked like he was personally offended by the concept of roads.

"So," Scarlett said, falling into step beside Aegis. "Think we’ll see anything interesting?"

"Knowing our luck? Probably get attacked by something way above our power level."

"Sounds fun."

"Your definition of fun needs work."

Scarlett laughed, throwing an arm around Aegis’s shoulders. The casual contact made Aegis’s skin tingle.

"You’re such a pessimist."

"I’m a realist. There’s a difference."

"Is there though?"

Aegis glanced sideways and caught Scarlett staring at Kanna’s ass. The grey-haired girl was walking ahead of them, her muscled form moving gracefully.

"See something you like?" Aegis teased.

Scarlett’s face went red.

"What? No! I was just—she has good form!"

"Uh-huh. Good form."

"Shut up."

"I’m just saying, if you want to spar with her again—"

"I said shut up!"

But Scarlett was grinning. Her eyes drifted back to Kanna without seeming to realize it.

[Oh, this is adorable.]

"You know," Aegis said conversationally, "I heard she trains alone in the mornings. East courtyard. Very early. Very alone."

Scarlett blinked. Then, she coughed. Then she looked away.

"W-Why would I care about that?"

"No reason. Just sharing information."

"Well, don’t."

"Sure thing." Aegis waited exactly three seconds. "Rumor has it she also apparently likes girls who can match her strength."

"AEGIS."

"What? I’m just saying—"

Scarlett grabbed her in a headlock, messing up her hair while Aegis laughed and tried to escape. They stumbled around like that for a bit, nearly crashing into a fruit stand.

"STARCALLER! LIONHEART!" Korvo’s voice could have shattered glass. "SAVE THE WRESTLING FOR AFTER TRAINING!"

They separated immediately, both red-faced. Serilla walked past them with a knowing smirk.

"How precious," she purred. "Young love."

"We’re not—" Scarlett started.

"The sexual tension is fascinating to watch," Serilla cut Scarlett off.

She sauntered ahead, hips swaying. Scarlett made a strangled noise.

"I’m going to throw her into a tree."

"Please do. Talia would appreciate it," Aegis said. "But maybe wait until after we set up camp. I want to watch."

---

The forest loomed ahead, all dark trees and ominous shadows. It looked exactly like the Western Forest from the game’s second arc, down to the weirdly convenient path that definitely shouldn’t exist in an untamed wilderness.

[Right on schedule. This is where players first learn some of the more advanced party combat mechanics. Wonder how this will work in real life, though.]

"HALT!" Korvo raised a fist. "DANGER AHEAD!"

Everyone tensed. Weapons appeared in people’s hands. Aegis could feel the Ruby & Sapphire daggers humming.

Then the bushes rustled.

Three wolves emerged. Not dire wolves or demon wolves or any other fantasy nonsense. Just regular, mangy, level 3 wolves.

Level 3

Forest Wolf

HP: 40/40

Level 3

Forest Wolf

HP: 40/40

Level 3

Forest Wolf

HP: 40/40

[Huh. Tutorial enemies? Bit boring, but okay.]

"DEFENSIVE FORMATION!" Korvo barked. "SHOW ME YOU’RE NOT COMPLETELY USELESS!"

Scarlett charged immediately, because of course she did. Her sword caught the first wolf mid-leap, nearly bisecting it. Blood sprayed across the trees.

Kanna moved like water, her blade sliding between the second wolf’s ribs before it even saw her coming. Professional. Efficient. Scarlett definitely noticed.

The third wolf tried to flank them, but Serilla was already there. She didn’t use a weapon. Instead, ice formed around her fingers, extending into claws. She grabbed the wolf by the throat and squeezed. Ice spread from the contact point, freezing it solid in seconds.

Then she shattered it with a casual backhand.

Aegis pouted.

[... Okay, that was actually pretty hot.]

"Decent," Korvo grudged. "MOVE OUT!"

They continued deeper into the forest. More wolves appeared. Then some goblins. A few slimes. Tutorial enemies, all of them, barely worth the experience points.

Aegis mostly hung back, letting the others handle it. Not from laziness (mostly), but because watching Serilla fight was genuinely educational. She moved like a dancer, if dancers specialized in murder. Every motion flowed into the next, ice magic and physical combat blending seamlessly.

"Enjoying the show?" Serilla asked, catching her staring.

"Just wondering why you bothered coming. This seems beneath you."

"Everything seems beneath you when you’re good." Serilla flicked blood off her fingers. "But Korvo promised interesting developments later."

"What kind of developments?"

"The kind that require overnight camping."

Aegis didn’t quite like how Serilla said that.

Before Aegis could ask what that meant, Korvo called another halt.

"WE MAKE CAMP HERE!"

’Here’ was a conveniently circular clearing with a convenient water source and conveniently flat ground. Almost like someone had designed it specifically for camping. Which, well, game world (someone had done just that).

[The first overnight event. Where players learn about resource management and—]

"PARTNER ASSIGNMENTS!" Korvo pulled out a list. "LIONHEART AND GREAVES! FIREWOOD DUTY!"

Scarlett’s face did something complicated. Kanna just nodded.

"GOLDSPIRE! YOU’RE ON WATER DUTY! I’LL GO WITH YOU."

Darius looked offended but wisely kept his mouth shut.

"STARCALLER AND FROST! HUNTING DUTY! BRING BACK SOMETHING EDIBLE OR DON’T COME BACK!"

Aegis looked at Serilla. Serilla looked at Aegis.

"Well," Serilla said, smile sharp as her ice claws. "Isn’t this convenient?"

"Almost like someone planned it."

"Did you bribe him?"

"Did you?"

They stared at each other.

"Whatever," Aegis finally said.

They headed into the woods together, leaving the others to set up camp. Behind them, Aegis could hear Scarlett trying to make conversation with Kanna and failing spectacularly.

"So," Serilla said after they’d walked for a few minutes. "Hunting."

"That is what we’re doing, yes."

"I’ve never actually hunted before."

"What? But you just killed like fifteen things."

"That’s combat. Hunting implies we’re looking for something specific to eat and I usually have people bring me that." Serilla wrinkled her nose. "Do people actually eat wolves?"

"I mean, probably not by choice."

"Then what are we supposed to find?"

Aegis thought about it. In the game, this quest usually involved finding special herbs or catching rabbits. But this was real life now, sort of, and she wasn’t sure the same rules applied.

"Well... There should be deer around here," she said. "Or wild boar."

"Should be?"

"Look, I’m not a wilderness expert. I’m barely a wilderness amateur."

They wandered deeper into the forest. The trees grew thicker, the shadows darker. It was actually kind of peaceful, if you ignored the occasional monster screech in the distance.

"You know," Serilla said, "this reminds me of something."

"What?"

"That scene in volume three of ’Roses and Thorns.’ Where Lady Blackwood and her rival get lost in the woods and have to huddle together for warmth."

"I haven’t read that one."

"They fuck against a tree."

"Of course they do."

"Very graphically. There’s this whole thing with sap and—"

Something rustled in the bushes ahead. They both froze.

A deer stepped out. An actual, normal deer. It looked at them with big, stupid eyes.

"Perfect," Aegis whispered. "Can you freeze it?"

"Probably, but won’t that make it inedible?"

"Good point. Can you just... ice spear it?"

"That seems cruel."

[... What, so the homewrecker has a heart all of a sudden?]

"It’s dinner."

"Still."

The deer, apparently bored with their debate, started walking away.

"Shit." Aegis pulled out her daggers. "Okay, I’ll—"

Serilla moved. One moment she was beside Aegis, the next she was behind the deer. Her hand touched its neck, almost gently. Ice spread from the contact, but only through its nervous system. The deer dropped instantly, dead before it hit the ground.

"There," Serilla said. "Humane."

"That was terrifying in its own way."

"Thank you." She tilted her head. "Can you carry it?"

"Why me?"

"Because I killed it. Division of labor."

"That’s not how that works."

"It is now."

Aegis sighed and hoisted the deer over her shoulders. It was heavier than it looked. And it looked pretty heavy.

"This sucks."

"Don’t be a baby." Serilla started walking back. "Besides, this gives me a nice view."

"Of what?"

"Your ass, obviously." She made no effort to hide the fact that she was staring. She even bent over just a little for a better look. "The deer carcass really makes your glutes pop."

"You’re so weird."

Serilla laughed, bright and genuine.

"You’re adorable when you’re flustered," Serilla said.

"I’m far from flustered."

"You’re bright red."

"That’s from carrying this fucking deer!"

They bickered all the way back to camp, where they found Scarlett and Kanna sitting suspiciously far apart by a massive pile of firewood, both looking everywhere except at each other.

"Productive wood gathering?" Aegis asked innocently.

Scarlett threw a stick at her head.

Korvo looked at their deer and nodded approvingly.

"ACCEPTABLE! FROST, YOU’RE ON COOKING DUTY!"

"I don’t cook."

"LEARN!"

Serilla looked at the deer carcass with the expression of someone asked to perform surgery with a spoon.

"How hard can it be?" she muttered.

[Oh no.]

This was going to be a long night.