"I can't believe it; that's the eighth dire bear we've taken down, and I'm not even tired yet," Nian said excitedly.

"I told you we'd get it done in a day or two. We keep getting them to expose their weak spot; we probably finish today; we can collect all the fur as well. Good thing you're good at skinning."

"I was taught by my dad when I started hunting with him at a young age. By the way, how did you know their weakness?" she asked.

"I went to the Adventurer's Guild and did some research before coming out here. I studied the sightings and rankings of beasts in this area, so I was prepared."

"Looks like I need to spend more time studying before just jumping out here; there should be a lake near by; how about we stop there for a quick lunch?" she asked.

"That sounds great," as I pulled out my notebook with a copy of the map. "It should be this way, directly east from here."

Whoa, here eyes went into shock. "How did you get your hands on a map like that?" She asked with curiosity written all over her face.

"Don't tell, but when I was doing research at the adventure guild, I made a copy."

As we approached the lake, "do you know how to fish", Nian asked,

I let out a sigh, "that is something I actually do not have experience in"

"Wow, and here I thought you were little Miss Perfect. Let me show you," Nian teased as she rolled up her pants and stepped into the water. Her focus sharpened, and her tongue stuck out slightly as she raised her hand, claws out. She looked just like a pet cat.

"Shh," she gestured. "You have to stay quiet and still." With a swift motion, she slashed through the water, and three fish flew toward me.

"Catch them!" she yelled.

I grabbed her bag and managed to catch each one. "I don't think I could do that," I said, shaking my head.

"Oh, come on. You can do it if you give it a try," she laughed.

"Let's get some wood and cook these up first."

I dashed into the forest, chopping a few branches before returning. Just as I got back, I noticed a dire bear had approached, probably smelling the fish.

"Nian!" I screamed as she barely dodged its attack; her reflexes are amazing. I pulled out my bow, infusing the arrow with ice magic. The dire bear was standing in the water, so freezing it should be easy.

"Nian, jump to the left!" I yelled. She leaped as I shot the arrow, hitting the bear’s left paw, freezing it solid in the water. It roared in pain, lifting its other paw, trying to escape. Nian quickly dashed underneath and stab into its under belly, escaping before it could crush her.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I'm so glad you came back. I don't think I could've handled it on my own."

I patted her head. "You would have been fine." As she started skinning the bear, I mused, "I wonder what dire bear meat tastes like."

Nian looked at me with a grin, drooling slightly. "Guess it's not just fish you like," I chuckled.

After she finished skinning the bear, I stored it in a storage bag.

"I still can't get used to seeing a giant bear just vanish like that," she said.

"Come on, it’s the ninth time," I laughed.

"If you learned to draw runes, you could create storage bags and make a lot of gold; there are very few with enough void knowledge to do it."

When she said that, an idea sparked in my mind. "I could do that... Since I have a affinity for the void, I could make huge storage bags and take over the market!" gold coins practically spinning in my eyes.

"Hey, Luna? You still there?" Nian waved her hand in front of my face.

"Oh, sorry! I was just thinking," I said with a laugh. "Let’s get this fish cooked."

The sun was now at its peak as we devoured the fish she caught. "How about we keep one of the bears and take it to the butcher? I suggested.

Her eyes lit up with gluttonous excitement.

"We could use the meat to throw a feast at your village when we get your mother."

Her expression saddened briefly, but she nodded in agreement. As I thought about making storage bags, I realized there were no clocks around. Everyone seemed to live by the rise and fall of the sun. I shook my head. Introducing clocks here would be a bad idea. In my past life, humans were the only species bound by time, and I hated it. I never wanted to live that way again.

The sound of clashing swords pulled me from my thoughts. "Do you hear that, Nian?" I asked.

She perked up her ears. "Yes, someone’s fighting nearby."

"We almost got the beast!" someone shouted in the distance, their voice growing closer.

I used wind magic to scatter the fire’s embers into the stream, hiding our presence. "Let’s go. Something tells me it’s not a good idea to be seen."

Nian nodded, and we dashed into the tall trees above, moving silently toward the source of the commotion. Below, a group of adventurers was battling a massive creature.

"You useless mage!" one of the sword users barked, shoving a mage to the ground. "It takes time to cast a spell big enough to subdue a shadow tiger!"

"What’s a shadow tiger?" I asked.

"Shadow tiger can hide in shadows to ambush their prey; it's rank C, even close to B. It shouldn't be here," Nian replied.

"Is it hard to kill?"

She shook her head. "No, you don't kill them. Nobles make them pets because of their exotic fur. They also make good protectors, as they can merge with their owner's shadow."

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"So you can train them?"

"Not train, enslave. forced to become familiars," Nian said, her voice tight with anger.

Suddenly, we heard a man offering a reward for tracking the tiger. A noble, carried in a carriage by a group of slaves, one look like a catkin, Nian’s hair stood on end, her claws and teeth bared in fury.

"Nian," I whispered, pulling her close and shielding her eyes from the sight. I cupped her face gently. "Look at me. We’ll free them and get your mother, okay?"

She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. I used my mana pulse to track the shadow tiger’s trail. "Nian, it went that way. I think it’s hurt."

"I'm sorry, Luna. I know it's not our objective."

I fluffed her hair, cutting her off. "Let’s go save it."

She smiled wide, and we moved swiftly through the trees, following the trail to a cave where the tiger had collapsed. The creature was massive; its breathing labored as it lay in a pool of its own blood.

"Nian, grab my wrist," "I think it’s too late." I whispered.

The tiger’s breathing slowed, and I knelt beside it, placing a hand on its head. I began to hum a lullaby my mother sing to me. Nian knelt beside me, and after a few moments, the tiger took its last breath.

"Let’s give it a proper resting place," Nian suggested.

I nodded. Using water magic, I cleansed the blood and levitated the tiger’s body deeper into the cave. As we approached the back, we were taken by surprise—two small cubs were curled up, fast asleep.

Nian fell to her knees, and I rushed over, giving her my shoulder to cry on. Holding her close, I rocked back and forth, stroking her hair.

She lifted her head. "I’m better. Thank you." She looked into my eyes and smiled. "You can’t keep spoiling me like this."

"You’re my friend. It’s what I’m supposed to do," I said, offering her a hand.

She took it and stood up. "Once we’re done, I’m going to get rid of those slavers and mercenaries. I’ll do it alone, okay? I don’t want you involved."

"I’m already involved. I’m coming too."

We buried the mother tiger and offered a prayer to the goddess. As we returned to the cubs.

"We have to do something; they will either be enslaved, sold, or worse?" Naia said, wiping her tears away.

"I’ll take them," I said, picking up the cubs and cradling them gently. It looks like I adopted a boy and a girl." I giggled a little.

Naia smiled. You do have motherly instincts for someone so young, but maybe you like hundred years old; I can't tell with you dragons." She laughed out.

As we exited the cave, a group of slavers surrounded us.

"Well, well, well, if it isn’t the catkin we were chasing," one of them sneered. "Looks like we can finally have some fun, right boys?"

"Don't touch her," a voice from behind barked. It was the noble in the carriage. "She’ll make a fine slave, a perfect addition to my collection."

I was about to step forward, but Nian grabbed my arm, giving me a smile that sent chills down my spine.

She pulled her daggers from behind her back as I distanced myself. "This is going to be a slaughter," I mumbled to myself. I could feel her mana rising. I noticed her blades begin to crackle as strings of lightning formed around them. Her short, flowing black hair started to rise as if conducting electricity.

"Look, fellas, she's in heat," one of the mercenaries laughed, pointing at her while the others chuckled. But as he turned back to Naia, she was already in front of him—moving at lightning speed. The laughter stopped. Dead silence. His body collapsed, and she pulled the dagger from beneath his chin, where she had pierced all the way up to his head.

The others gripped their weapons, shocked by what had just happened. The noble, however, didn’t care. "Whoever captures this girl, I'll triple what I was going to pay for the shadow tiger!"

They all glanced at him, then back at Naia. "Get her!" they shouted, charging mercilessly.

One by one, bodies fell. She dashed toward her target and slit his throat. As another swung his hammer at her, she sliced through the handle, causing the blunt hammer to drop to the ground. He stumbled and fell onto her blade, killing himself. The remaining mercenaries began to realize the gold might not be worth it.

"GET HER!" the noble screamed. "You slaves, put me down and help them!" The four slaves obeyed, charging at Naia.

"Naia!" I yelled. "Keep going; I'll handle the slaves." I raised my hand and cast light magic, placing the slaves under an illusion if they were attacking. I didn’t want to risk removing the collars, unsure if there would be a backlash or, worse, if it would kill them.

It didn’t take long for Naia to dispatch the remaining. The only one left was the noble, now on his knees, begging for his life.

"Look, don't kill me, okay? I'll give you all the gold you want—five hundred, a thousand gold. Just let me live! When I return, I’ll have it delivered to you!" he pleaded.

Naia pointed her blade at him. "How much do you have on you now?" she demanded.

He fumbled through his bag and pulled out a box full of coins—at least three hundred or more. "Get up!" she yelled. "Leave it on the ground. Now go, and I better not see you again."

The noble knelt, thanking her profusely. But as he got up, he shouted, "DIE, YOU BITCH!" and lunged at her with a hidden blade. He tripped over his own feet, hitting nothing but dirt. Naia knelt and lifted his head with the tip of her blade.

"Wait, don't—!" were his last words before blood drained from his neck. He took his final breath as his eyes closed. I saw that the slaves’ collars fell to the ground, so I released the illusion. They rubbed their eyes, trying to make sense of what had happened.

When they noticed Naia standing in front of them, they ran over, kneeling and apologizing. "We had no choice but to attack!" they said, pleading for mercy.

Naia took a deep breath. "You're free," she said, pointing at the corpse of their owner. They turned to look, tears streaming down their faces.

"Thank you! Thank you! Let us repay you—let us serve you!" one of them said.

"Stop!" Naia screamed. "You were already slaves, and now you want to serve me? No! You’re free! Do what you want. Go be with your family!"

They glanced at each other before one spoke. "We don’t have family to return to. He killed them all."

"Come with me," I offered, stepping forward. "Come with me to the Zalrithia Kingdom. You can start over. We have plenty of available positions for city workers."

"I know how to build," one said.

"I know how to cook meat," another added.

My eyes widened. "Did you just say meat?" I dashed over. "What kind of meat?"

She scratched her head. "Well, in our village, we were really good at cooking fish, pork, bear, deer,... We also make a delicious stew with noodles."

"Did you just say noodles?!" I exclaimed, shocking her.

"Um, yes. We maintain wheat fields and sell to merchants. We also make rice."

"Did you just say rice?!" I grinned from ear to ear.

Naia facepalmed. "I don’t like that smile you're making right now."

"You all will come with me. What’s your name?"

"It’s Akil," she answered.

"Such a cute name," I remarked. "If you don’t mind, what race are you?"

"I’m a troll," she replied.

I took a few steps back. "A troll? There’s no way! You’re too cute to be a troll." She was tall and muscular, with abs that made mine look weak in comparison. Her red hair and blue skin were striking, and her tusks were... perfect.

"My name is Luna, and I have an idea that will be a great fit for you." as I cradled the cubs, trying to keep them from waking up.

"Everyone huddle up. We’re leaving."

"Wait!" Akil yelled. "Take their heads. They’re wanted criminals, and you’ll get a huge sum of gold for turning them in."

Naia made quick work of it, removing their heads and storing them in her bag. "Alright, huddle up. Stay close."

"What are you doing? Naia asked with a smile.

"You’ll see," As I visualized our destination, before anyone knew it, we were back in Zalrithia Kingdom. I couldn’t help but laugh at everyone’s shocked expressions.

"You can teleport long distances?!" Naia's jaw nearly hit the ground.

I tipped her chin up. "Close your mouth before something flies in it." I'm starting to sound like my mother, I thought to myself. "I teleported us to a safe location behind the adventurer’s guild. We can turn in our spoils here, and you four can register as citizen."

I tapped my badge. "Liora, Sylara, meet me at the first safe house."

"Yes, Princess," they replied. Seconds later, they appeared.

"No problems with the teleport rune portal?" I asked.

"No princess," they answered.

"You can do high-level runes too?!" Naia’s jaw dropped again.

I shook my head with a smirk. "Liora, Sylara, please help these four register so they can become citizens."

I cast a cleaning spell on them, fixing their clothing. "There, that should do it."

Akil looked down at me. "Princess?"

"Oh, I forgot." I removed the illusion, disguising me. "Let me introduce myself properly. I am the First Princess of the Zalrithia Kingdom, Lunara Vel Skyldris."

"Princess?!" Akil pointed at me. "Dragon?!"

"Oh boy, here we go," I sighed, casting a levitation spell on them as they fainted.

"Liora, Sylara, I’ll check on your progress soon. I need to handle things with Naia at the adventurer’s guild."

"Yes, Princess."

I noticed the two cute cubs waking up. They stretched and yawed. "Aww," I cooed as one climbed up to my shoulder and the other perched on my head.

"I’m sorry about your mother, but I’ll take care of you two." It felt like they understood me as they cuddled up closer.