The past few days had been nothing short of a hellish ordeal for Mia. Not in the sense that the carriage trip itself was uncomfortable – it was actually quite well-equipped for long journeys – but because her condition seemed to act like a beacon for monsters. Every day, she could hear the sounds of fighting echoing from outside the carriage. The constant battles against these creatures had become a gruesome routine.

What weighed even heavier on Mia's mind was the deep sense of shame she felt. Their journey didn't allow them to stop in any towns or villages before reaching the capital. As a result, basic necessities like baths, bathroom breaks, and even meals had to be attended to in the middle of the forest or inside the cramped confines of the carriages. It was mentally taxing, especially for Mia, who still couldn't move by herself. The loss of her independence gnawed at her.

In stark contrast to Mia's inner turmoil, the rest of her family was overjoyed to have her back and on the path to recovery. They knew that once they reached the capital, Mia would have access to proper medical care and could regain her mobility.

One particular day, about two weeks into their journey, the carriage came to a stop in a small clearing in the forest. Mia was asleep, trying to compensate for her limited ability to eat regular food by sleeping more. The other women in the family were engaged in a candid conversation with Elara, the newest addition to their group. They were discussing what Elara wanted to do with her life now that she was with them.

“I don't really know. I was a hunter by necessity. I didn't really had the time to think about what ifs.” She answered.

“I don't think you will need to hunt to survive anymore.” Mei said to her.

“Yes my dear. Now you can really stop and think about what you want.” Marry added.

“Well, I was always jealous of women like you, being able to stay in the house and not have to hunt your own food.”

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“Elara, if you don't mind me asking, why did you live by yourself outside of the town?” Lin asked.

“My family home was there and it wasn't worth much so I could really sell it and buy a house inside the town, not even a cheap one. At least it was near enough town that I could survive alone until I became a full adult.” Elara explained. She was orphaned when she was about to hit 15 years of age, so she was able to hold out on her own for that year.

“You won't have to worry about things like that anymore. Now you can focus on being who you are.” Liza said.

“Still, I wonder how the capital is. The town was big enough for me, I wonder how the place we are going is.” Elara said.

As the conversation began to gain momentum, the men returned from the forest. Huang, Choi, Kai, and Jin carried a sense of accomplishment with them, while Onyx bounded alongside. The mouth-watering aroma of the food prepared by the women filled the air, and the men needed no invitation to start devouring their meal. Only Onyx abstained, as he had already consumed his share in the form of monsters he had hunted in the forest.

“There are an awful lot of monsters out here...” Marry said as the man ate. The rest of the woman nodded in agreement.

“I know we are going out of our way to not go near other towns but even this is a little too much.” Elara added.

Jin, swallowing a mouthful of food, took a moment to explain. "It's because of Mia. She's right on the brink of ascending to the next level of cultivation, but due to the severe damage she sustained, all that power is essentially leaking out. The monsters can sense it. Right now, Mia is like a gourmet meal to them, and their survival instincts are overridden by their desire for such a feast."

The group fell silent, contemplating this revelation. What puzzled Jin even more was Onyx's behavior. He should have been acting like any other monster, driven mad by the scent of such a powerful meal. But Onyx remained remarkably composed.

In this new world, the word 'normal' seldom applied to Mia or her companions, and it seemed that Onyx was no exception, even if he really was just a normal monster wolf.

With their meal finished, they continued on their arduous journey, knowing that their trials on the road were far from over.