"Oi! Oi!" annoyingly, the airhead had been too clingy for quite the while. "Look at this Friesha! The face looks like an old man!"

I felt my temples burst as I shouted, "I'll make you into an old man if you keep on slowing down!!!!"

"Heehh?.. What are you upset about?" he finally let go of that old-man-faced beetle and followed behind. At least he's keeping his distance from me, just not the ten-feet agreement.

Felgard and I have been walking for hours under the heat of the bright morning sun. Well, trees exist for us to walk underneath from time to time. Felgard, who seemed to be unfazed by the heat would stop and stall around any certain object, which for me is never a reason to call out my name in every single thing. Also, we hadn't had breakfast yet, so food is like today's priority.

"I'm hungry Friesha..." and a huge stomach growl seemed to have second the notion.

"We can't help it, this area doesn't seem to have anything to eat," I looked around just in case but really found none. "So you'll have to endure it..."

"No way... Hunger is like a king's order. It's absolute!" Felgard began wobbling as he walked. "And I will be a king soon, so my stomach is absolute..."

"Well his Highness the stomach will have to endure because nothing means nothing and that's that!" I shouted back at him.

I was also desperately looking left and right, trying to sense the presence of a Maakh tree around. I already had enough of fighting in a disadvantage, knowing full well that my enemies are fake mages. Not to mention, I might encounter those two knight leaders ahead. That knight leader from the slime lake, and that woman-looking knight, two fake mages, plus that mysterious person Myorlin was talking about.

"Oi! Friesha! Look at this. It looks like the turtle has a mushroom for a house!"

"WHO CARES!!!!"

* * * * *

After almost a seemingly endless empty walk, we finally reached a small sanctuary. In front of us stood a large shrub, bearing the most delicious berries of all, starberries.

"Friesha! Look! Starberries!!!" the drooling airhead pointed out to the shrub.

"Yes, yes. Finally, you'll silence that stomach and mouth of yours," I too was hungry but I did my best to hold it in, it's embarrassing in front of him.

Felgard hurriedly ran towards the tree and began picking up the berries. He went to immediately satisfying his hunger as he ate every single one he picked up.

"How much of a glutton can you be?" I myself went to pick up one berry. As soon as I did, I noticed something weird from it. "Hey Felgard..."

Suddenly, without any warning, a face poked out of the leaves which made me shriek a little bit. I fell down on my butt to the ground out of shock.

"Oi! Whro arre yourhm?!" a mouthful Felgard sounded annoying.

"That's what I wanted to ask you!!" the face talked before leaping out of the leaves and out in the open. "What are you doing to my tree!!!"

I looked closely at the being in front of me. He wasn't human, nor a mage. He have this spiky, messed up gray hair with large wolf ears on top. His outfit was pretty light with only an open polo with a gray scarf on top and a weird looking pants where the other half was cut short up to the knee. Oh, he also has a wolf tail. He looked exactly as old as me, or probably older.

"Are you a Celestial?" I asked.

"Sheleshtyial?" seriously, he should gulp down his food first before talking.

"Celestial? What's that?" the wolf boy asked. "I don't know what that is."

I stood up as I explained, "Celestials are beings of unknown origin. They come in different forms, mostly human-like. Like how you're a part wolf person..."

"Is that what you call us wolf tribe?" he asked.

"No, not just you wolves," I replied. "In fact, I don't even know what Celestials truly look like... Not much are written in books."

"Anyway! You both should stay away from my tree!" he demanded while crossing his arms (it's not even a tree, it's a shrub.)

"Nope, we're still eating," replied the foolish airhead as he dumped more starberries in his mouth.

"You two are trespassing my territory, plus you ate my food," he then stood a fighting stance and his nails grew sharp. "You'll have to pay."

"Hah?! How could you say it's your food?!" Felgard stupidly looked at one of the berries. "It doesn't have a name so nobody owns them."

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

"You fool!!" He then attacked Felgard with multiple scratches. Felgard was fast enough to dodge but those moves were fast enough to scratch his face.

"You've done it!" Felgard took out his wooden sword and retaliated. Surprisingly, the wolf boy just evaded his attacks easy.

"Hah! When it comes to dodging, I'm the best!!" he then attacked Felgard back with greater speed this time. "Hyaaahhh!!!"

Felgard blocked his attack and sent him away with the force of his sword. He then ran swiftly to the wolf boy which shocked him because of how fast Felgard was in catching up. He then dodged Felgard's large swoop of his wooden sword and jumped towards a nearby tree.

Both of them were panting, but not as heavy as the wolf boy, Felgard kept his composure. Then, as a leaf fell down that tree unto the ground, so did the two clashed once more. Both exchanging blows swiftly and strongly. While the two were busy, I went to the tree and again plucked one berry. I felt the realea around it and found out what I sensed earlier.

"I knew it. Hey! The berries are coated with poison," as I said that, the two immediately looked at me with wide eyes. "Looks like the entire tree was sprayed with it."

"Oioioioioioioioioi!! Are you sure Friesha?!" Felgard looked worried.

"Are you serious?!?!" the wolf boy was too.

"Isn't this your 'tree' as you claimed? How come you don't know?.." I looked at him with suspicion.

"W-well, It's mine, ever since I saw it... and I ate some..." he then began scratching the back of his head while dodging eye contact.

"Hooo? And when did you see this?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

He looked away with a blushing face before he said, "A few minutes ago..."

I sighed as I looked hopelessly at the two boys in front of me before I explained, "I don't mean poison that can kill, it's a sleeping poison or something. Seems like it's intended to catch something that preys on starberries, maybe hairless hare or curly bunnies or whatever. Or it's just for stupid fools who might try and steal from the owner..."

I looked in front of me and found the two sleeping on the ground.

"Oh, now this is bad..."

* * * * *

"Flames!" fire then started burning at the pieces of wood I have prepared for cooking. It's almost sundown and the two are still sleeping like babies. I had no other choice but to drag them here inside a small cave under the foot of a cliff. "For goodness sake, why must I carry this other one?.."

I then placed the creatures on each stick directly next to the fire for cooking. I managed to get four green lizards, two black quails, a hairless hare, and one rock mountain mouse. Strange enough as it is, I could still flash in my memory the flames seven years ago.

"Mother..."

I turned my head to see where the voice came from. Turned out It came from the wolf boy. All of a sudden, he woke up.

"Heh? Hah?!?! Where am I?! Oww!!" the pebble I threw hit him directly on the head. "What was that for?!"

"You're too noisy," I just focused my attention on the cooking. "How are you feeling?.."

"Why would you care?.." he turned away while folding his arms.

"I don't care at all..." I just shrugged him off then. "It's just that, while I was carrying you and that stupid foolish mongrel over there, there were suspicious people around."

"Suspicious people? Is one of them holding a whip?" he looked shaken.

"Hooo? How did you know? Are they acquaintances of yours?"

"No, never! They're just bullies!" he then turned his back to me."I'm never going back, and you can't make me..."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because!" he turned his face towards me. "Just because..."

Just after I brought the two here, there were a couple of men in strange colorful clothing who seemed to be looking for something, or rather, someone. Indeed, one was holding a whip. I don't know what's happening, nor do I care. I just have to leave him be.

"You're free to leave you know," I then just focused on the food again. "It's not like I'm keeping you here."

He just kept quiet and would take glances at me. I noticed the smell of the cooked food wafted towards him. A bit later, his wolf tail began wagging fast. He would then hold on to it to stop it from doing so, while still taking quick glances at me. Hooo, I see now.

As soon as the food got cooked, I extended one green lizard to him, "Here..."

"I don't want it!" he just turned his face away while desperately trying to hold on to his tail.

"Then, is there anything here that you want?"

"Nothing, just leave me be..." he then laid down on the ground.

Well, if he won't then I don't care. Maybe I'll just wait until Felgard wakes up so we'll eat together... No, never! Why would I care about this snoring jerk! I then began munching the food on my own.

After I ate, I then put out the fire for me to sleep. Of course I didn't eat all the food, I left some like one lizard, one black quail, and the rock mountain mouse. As I laid down, I heard someone's stomach growl. Perhaps Felgard woke up so I'll just let him eat while I sleep.

* * * * *

Morning came like a slap on the face as I woke up with still heavy eyes. I looked around and saw that I was alone. Perhaps the wolf boy left, but where'd Felgard go? I stood up, despite my heavy eyes begging me to shut them again, and stepped out of the cave.

As soon as I did, I heard the sound of wood clashing to each other. I followed the sound and saw a sleeveless Felgard smashing his wooden sword on a tree. Most of his clothing were rested on a huge boulder, observing his every move.

"Up so early huh?" I stepped out of the bushes. "Man, how hardworking can you be?.."

"Ohh! You didn't run away this time!" he stopped and took deep breathes. "Too bad, I worked hard for that trap..."

"T-trap?! Why would you make a trap?"

"I mean, you might escape... Like last time..."

"...Never mind," I looked around. "So the wolf boy really left?"

"Wolf boy?.." he wiped his face off. Based on his reaction, that wolf boy must've left before Felgard woke up.

"Well, whatever..." I just sat down a boulder while putting my face on my hand. "His life is his."

"Anyway, Friesha!" Felgard looked excited. "Do you hear that music?"

"Music?.." I opened my doe ears open. "Well, yeah. Why?.."

"It sounds like a carnival or something!!" he looked at me with brightness in his eyes, like a kid wanting pocket money from his mother.

"No," I then stood up and turned my back. "If you want to go, go by yourself..."

"But Friesha!!!" the stupid foolish mongrel suddenly held unto my arm. He then flashed a bright smile at me (I was unfazed, I was unfazed). "Just once, we'll just be passing by once. I'll be sure you stay hidden!"

I don't want him sulking behind me on the road. Not even the great Astral Mages might know what he'll do. Plus, he's face just looked too... too...

In the end, I was forced to reply with a, "Just once, we'll try finding food there too."

"YES!!" and he immediately dragged me away towards the direction of the sound. "Hurry! Hurry!"

"Wait!! At least wear all your clothing first!!"

A carnival, huh? I bet it won't be fun...