Here's the plan for the barbarian hunting excursion: We'll go straight north for a while and then southeast until we are directly to the east of the castle, then we'll proceed to the southwest until we are directly south of the castle. All the while we will visit any villages and look for large groups of raiders or bandits.
By the way, the difference between the two (bandit and raider) is merely where they were born. In the current day and age, robbing and killing people from a different country is only slightly frowned upon as long as you don't go overboard. Good thing the Sylvian Queendom only has to worry about the barbarians to the east and pirates on the south's sea, since we have friendly relations with the country to the north and have a large stretch of monster territory separating us from our closest neighbors to the west.
Back to the excursion, the whole thing should take two weeks at least or a little more than a month at most, only when that's over is when we'll go to a nearby town.
I'm going to practice healing, Athena is going to kill for the first time (family tradition, weird but ok), Mom and dad are going to do their jobs and auntie is going to protect me and to teach me- WAIT! What do you mean 'auntie is going'?... What do you mean slack off? I'll be healing people, you know?... So what if i'll be having fun with it? Isn't that a good thing?... I won't get bored of healing in just a month and start experimenting on live subjects! (probably)... Okay, fine! But she'll have to teach me about the interesting plants and beasts we come across instead of more wars!
*Ahem* Anyway, where was i? Right, auntie is going as a guard and teacher for me, Lana isn't going, so Renee will be taking care of me, and i'll also have another guard: Joseph (Joey), he's a big and scary-looking, commoner-born knight that wields the classic spear and shield combo, although he keeps the shield on his back unless the enemy is using ranged attacks, so it's not quite the classic style. Even though he looks scary, i know he's all right.
By the way, mom wields a type of sword called 'heavy saber'. It's pretty much a single-edged long sword that is made to be about double the weight it probably should have. Single-edged swords are generally called sabers in this country. Athena also uses a saber, although hers isn't that heavy.
Aside from us, there will be many knights and a few sorcerers coming as well. No foot soldiers though, since we'd have to slow down for them to keep up. We'll be riding (or being pulled by in case of a carriage) monsters that are pretty much horses except bigger, called War-horses.
I'll be on a carriage with auntie, Renee and Joey. Dad will be on a carriage with a few other sorcerers while mom and Athena are on horseback.
We set off right after the sun has risen. Renee and Joey stayed on the front while i had to listen to auntie in the back. Auntie, i don't need you to tell me in order to know the barbarians believe in nature-based gods.
I could only practice magic properly during the rests, but during the rides (when auntie wasn't talking) i played with detection spells. The first three days of the excursion were peaceful, but during the fourth someone found the tracks of a pack of monsters, it was the kind of monster the local guards in the villages can take care of, but it's better to get rid of them sooner rather than later... That and mom wanted to show off to her kids, so off we went.
We found them near a creek, about a dozen dire wolves (wolves but bigger and meaner). The battle was a one sided massacre to the point i felt sorry for the doggies. That's until i was called to heal a knight that got bitten, it wasn't life threatening, so the other healers left it to me. Safe to say, i don't feel so sorry for the doggies anymore. But i managed to heal the knight until there were hardly any scars left. Magic is amazing, huh?
By the way, mom is scary, she uses some variation on enhancement magic on her saber together with telekinesis to cut things from afar.... Athena is just like mom except smaller and less... hardcore? Vicious?
I learned how to skin the wolves from one of the knights, he also taught me how to preserve meat, but we didn't do it to the wolves since their meats are known to not taste very good, we have better meats on us. During one of the later rests he taught me how to tan leather, but we didn't do it right then and there because it takes a long time to do properly.
The trip was peaceful again until the tenth day, where a watchtower we came across told us about signs of a large encampment to the east. This means that it could be both barbarians or humanoid monsters that can start campfires, like goblins or gnolls (short, humanoid animals).
Mom sent the scouts ahead while the rest of us set up camp.
The scouts later returned with the news of almost 100 barbarians. We have about 50 knights and 10 sorcerers. Our numbers might seem small but it's more than enough to deal with 100 barbarians.
The only worry is that the leader of such a large group is probably a mage of some sort. But even then, odds are he can either just use strengthening magic or shoot a little bit of fire.
Our group set up an ambush to thin down the enemy numbers quickly. The magic boom boom kind of ambush.
Athena looks pretty tense as expected.
Mom told me to stay away, so my carriage parked on a hill overlooking the ambush site on an inconspicuous spot behind some foliage. I sat on a tall tree branch together with auntie and used magic to see things from afar.
The barbarians look like a bunch of bandits, and the leader seems to know strengthening magic if the huge axe on his back is anything to go by. They don't seem to have many archers, why?
*Boom* *Boom*
The explosions would be pretty to look at if it wasn't for the gross flying body parts.
Straight after, dad sends two long range spells at the guy with the big axe and knocks him out. I have a feeling i know where this is going. The other sorcerers launch large-scale spells while the knights charge as if to follow the spells.
When the knights hit, they don't stop moving, they keep on riding while all the while mowing down any unlucky bastard they come across. After the knights are through, some barbarians notice the situation isn't very hopeful and try to run away, but they are picked off by bows, crossbows and spells before they can get very far.
The rest of the thirty or so surviving barbarians gather in a spear formation, but the formation is soon broken by magic and spells from both knights and sorcerers. While the remnants are being finished off, i see two knights capturing the knocked out barbarian leader.
The whole fight took less than an hour. I'm not sure if it even reached half an hour. We move our carriage to reunite with the rest.
While moving, auntie asks a question. "So, what did you think of the battle?"
"I think barbarians aren't very smart." I answer. If they want to raid our country, they need to at least increase their numbers by a large margin.
"While that's true, they didn't attack us because they didn't know our strength." I raise my eyebrow and she continues. "Those men were probably exiled from their tribe or clan. They wouldn't come our way in such a large group otherwise. The people who come raid by choice normally only travel in groups smaller than twenty and mostly act as highwaymen."
I furrow my brows. Does that mean they didn't come here to raid? As if reading my mind she continues. "Don't be mistaken, they would still act like heinous criminals if we didn't stop them. While they may seem pitiful while fighting us, if they reach a farming village, they would be much more cruel."
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Soon we meet up with the rest of the group and after cleaning up the battlefield and healing the wounded knights and horses, we move away to make camp for the night.
Like i expected, later that day, a large circle of bonfires was set up and the insides was to be used as an arena for Athena to fight the barbarian leader. The barbarian was given his great axe and freed from his shackles.
It's quite odd seeing a little girl face off against a tall barbarian, but i've seen Athena fighting and she could easily kill a bear on her own.
While barbarians speak the same language as us, this man didn't speak a word. He seemed to understand the situation he was in and picked up the axe while preparing to fight. The knights also didn't jeer nor cheer, they remained silent.
Soon Athena took the first step forward, but the barbarian charged at her when she took her second step.
Athena smoothly dodged the charge while delivering a quick cut in the back of his knee. The barbarian seemed to take the little girl more seriously after that and approached her slowly with his axe raised.
They slowly approached each other until when they were close enough, Athena leaped forwards while the barbarian brought down his axe. But the axe was too slow, Athena cut off the man's left hand and took her distance again.
The single-armed barbarian, threw his axe at Athena and charged to try and grapple her. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't a very good thrower and his wounded knee made his charge weak. Athena easily side stepped the axe and leaped forwards once again, this time, it was the man's head that flew.
After a few moments of silence, the knights cheered and chanted Athena's name, while mom approached and hugged her.
The body of the barbarian was burned and his ashes buried. The next day our journey continued.
The trip until the castle's direct south was uneventful, but on a village we passed by a man who claimed someone stole his chicken, but when we investigated, we found out he killed and ate the chicken while drunk and then forgot.
After we arrived home, mom had some work to do and our trip to town was slightly postponed.
During that time, Athena's 10th birthday arrived, and we had a big feast together with the knights. The tenth birthday is considered special in this country because it's the age where children are sent in apprenticeships away from home. Of course, Athena has been learning since she was five and practicing the sword and horse-riding since she was seven. But in the case of people who don't want to follow in their parents' footsteps, this is the age where they strike out.
I gave her the hair band i made together with a hug as congratulations.
Soon it was time to travel again, but this time there would be fewer people travelling with us. We keep the nearby roads safe with constant patrols, so at most we'll meet small groups of bandits or monsters. Even then we are still accompanied by 10 knights and four sorcerers.
The people who stayed with me on the last trip are still coming, so is mom (obviously) and Athena, but dad is staying this time. Athena is coming to accompany mom in her meetings, but in my case, after i'm introduced i'll set off to buy books and materials. Mom gave a huge allowance to spend, well, at least i think it's a lot, she said it's enough to buy more than a hundred books, so it probably is.
This time me, auntie, Athena and mom are going on the same carriage. But we are bringing two extra horses in case they need them.
The trip started just like any other day: with auntie talking endlessly.
"The bulk of our Sylvian Queendom lies on a peninsula that extends into the sea." Like italy, but without the boot shape. "As such, our biggest military organisation is the navy who make sure the nearby waters remain pirate-free, that the merchants pay their tax, and that no one brings or exports any products that might harm the order in the queendom." I furrow my brows.
"Wait a minute, aunt-" "teacher." "Wait a minute, teacher. Didn't we agree that you wouldn't talk about wars during our trips? Why are you talking about the navy?"
"I'm not talking about wars, i'm talking about a military organisation." Answers auntie with a straight face. She doesn't feel any shame at all!
"And in history, does that military organisation often takes part in wars?"
"Of course, but we aren't talking about those today, please stay on topic." This woman is infuriating.
"Why are you so against hearing about wars, Lance?" asks Athena.
"I'm not, what i AM against hearing is ONLY about wars. You see, i am too small to learn how to dance and any physical part of etiquette. Not only that, but i already know more mathematics than her. So most of the time, she is teaching me about some war or another."
"I still don't get how you know more mathematics than me." Complains auntie. "You're not even two years old!"
"If you stopped reading about wars and practiced your equations, this wouldn't happen." I fire back.
"Lance." Uh-oh, mom has her stern face on. "Watch the attitude, son."
I sigh. "You're right... Sorry aunti-" "teacher." "... nevermind."
Our journey continued peacefully while i kept casting detection spells to see if i can find any monsters or bandits.
I didn't.
We slept on a village that's on the bigger side and set out the next morning. But this time i noticed something different, we are being followed by two wagons.
Don't get me wrong, they aren't being sneaky or anything of the sort, they are out in the open and following pretty close.
"Mom, who are those guys following us?" I ask.
But auntie answers before my mom can. "They are merchants taking advantage of our presence for safety." Is she feeling insecure about her teacher position? Don't worry, if i want to learn about a war, i'll definitely ask you.
"And we are going to slow down so that they can keep up?" I ask. I noticed earlier that their horses are just that, horses, not war-horses like ours.
"Might as well." This time mom is the one to answer. "We aren't in any hurry and they aren't that much slower than us."
I guess that makes sense. There is no specific date for us to arrive at the town of Turin.
The town of Turin is the biggest town in this north corner of the country. Further north of the country there is an enormous mountain simply called 'Sun Mountain' that separates us from our neighbors to the north together with a few other mountains. But around Sun Mountain there are two long and wide valleys that one can take to cross to the other side, The East Sun Valley and West Sun Valley.
The country to the north of us, The Endel Kingdom is landlocked on all sides and has a high demand for imports. As such, many merchants try to cater to that demand and buy products on one of the many ports to the south, go through Turin and then through one of the valleys to reach Endel.
Not only Endel, many merchants go to and from Turin to the other, smaller towns that are closer to Turin than one of the ports to the south.
Mother is going to Turin to visit its lady, Countess Eugene Monz, some local military leaders and other business contacts she has around these parts.
As the days passed, and we approached Turin, more and more merchants (and perhaps other kinds of travelers) gathered on our trail and our group soon became big enough to be called a caravan.
Most nearby villages are farming and hunting villages, the products made in those villages are in part used to pay tax, part kept, and the rest sold to merchants so the villagers can use the money to buy things they can't make locally. Most of the merchants following us probably just bought products from those villages.
Oh? I just detected some humans in a small forest nearby, my range is getting pretty good.
"Mom, i detected some people over there." If they are bandits, i doubt they would try to attack a group this big, but it's better to let mom know, anyway.
"Good boy." She says as she signals a knight to come over. I'm not a dog...
Mother sends a scout ahead and orders the others to be ready for combat. The scout returns and tells us there are two groups fighting in the forest, from the attires and equipment he guesses that it's a group of bandits fighting bounty hunters.
Mother rides away with half of the knights and sorcerers. Athena stays with us this time.
After a while they return with some extra people, and i'm pretty sure that bloody bag on mom's hand has a head in it.
The people they returned with are the wounded bounty hunters and i'm supposed to heal them, the most common wounds are shallow cuts on the arms and head. I start with the guy that had his right arm cut off (good thing it's recent and that the arm is mostly intact) and follow with those three that have some ugly burns on various parts of their upper bodies, seems the bandits had a mage. Lastly, we have the girl with the broken shoulder and the guy with a broken knee.
They were tracking a group of bandits when they were ambushed by more bandits than they expected, four bounty hunters died and these five would soon follow.
I healed them to the point where they only had tiny line shaped scars, the burn scars ended up being a little stylish if i'm honest. But small scars like these often become harder to see with time. All in all, i only had to regenerate my mana two times to heal them all, surprisingly, the cut off arm was the easiest to heal. Healing burn wounds to the point where they aren't critical isn't very hard, but i didn't want to leave huge scars on them so i went the extra mile.
And they made those broken bones a proper mess when they kept trying to fight, quite the grisly scene on their insides, honestly.
"The bandits they were tracking probably joined up with another bandit group." Says mom, now that i look, it seems her bloody bag has two heads in it, gross.
After that encounter, nothing else happened on the way aside from more merchants joining us and those bounty hunter guys trying to get mom to hire them. Mom, please don't break his knee again, i worked hard on healing that... Yes, i can probably heal him again, but that doesn't mean- *Crack* Goddammit, mom, that's not how you should deal with insistent people.
With that, we arrived at Turin.