During the journey, I got to know more about Alice as we traded stories. She told me about her life back in Eshnar where she was a merchant, she also told me about being sold as a slave and ending up escaping into the forest where she supposedly met Victor for the first time.

I asked more about Victor to try and get information but apart from the fact, he's tall and very strong at Shadow magic and undead skills I know nothing else. Alice said I had to meet him first to understand. I'm practically dying of curiosity over here.

She said Victor helped train her up to the level she is now while in this forest. She also mentioned going into the cursed forest dungeon. Isn't that dungeon guarded by dragons? How did she sneak in?

I asked her about the dragons but Alice simply replied that once I met something called “Shadow” I would understand. Again I'm confused and also curious.

The journey has been incredibly smooth. This road is of higher quality than the ones I saw when I visited the empire’s capital city a few years ago. A few monsters like goblins tried to attack the convoy but with an escort of 50 adventurers and 20 royal knights, they were dealt with quickly.

For the first time in a few hours, a knock was heard on the carriage door. Once again I open it and see the royal knight's captain. “Sorry to disturb you again but there's a group of adventurers blocking the road and wishing to speak with the person in charge.”

“Very well I will go greet them, Alice you should come as well, might need your protection if they are bandits.”

Alice simply nodded and we left the carriage.

In front of the convoy were around 10 adventures, they were all wearing pretty high-quality gear. Possibly an A rank party, they could kill most of the people here in a fight…

“Greeting, I am the princess of the Frostlands, Luna Cloudhell. Could I know what business you have with me?” I say in the most intimidating voice a 14-year-old princess can manage.

A tall man with blonde hair and in full metal armor steps forward, probably the leader of the group.

“Hi little princess,” he says in a mocking tone “We are the Black Ravens, A-rank party from the Empire, we wish to interrogate you on the reason for heading towards the center of the forest”

“Why should we listen to you?” I respond with anger in my voice, how dare an adventure party demand something from a royal envoy.

“We were ordered by the emperor to investigate anything to do with the cursed forest dungeon, you clearly know something we don’t so why don’t you fill us in little girly”

He continues with a smirk on his face “You will listen to us since you are all weak country bumpkins, look at those weak people you brought with you, each one of those knights can’t be over level 30, utter trash” and he spits on the floor in apparent disgust.

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Right as I'm about to get angry and defend my people all the knights and adventurers start laughing hysterically at the leader of the Black Raven.

“What a fucking idiot!”

“Oh now they have done it”

“Can’t wait to see how long they last versus her”

“Finally some action, I was worried I would never see a fight!”

The members of the Black Raven take a step back instinctively, why are these country bastards laughing in their face like they are total idiots. The blonde man is looking around to see if he missed anything and then he sets eyes on Alice.

“Oh shit” he mutters under his breath

The black-haired girl with pink eyes looked completely calm and looked straight into the leader's eyes. “Guys we need to run,” the leader says and starts running, “huh what's the matter boss they are just laughing at us” one of the mages in the group responds.

Alice just casually starts walking towards the group much to the enjoyment of all the knights and adventurers in the envoy.

“Let none escape this battle, for we shall dance to the death” [Dark Bind]

A massive shadow erupted out of Alice covering the ground in darkness. Then black hands rose from the ground and grabbed onto the ankles of the fleeing Black Raven party.

“Cast holy magic Kevin!” the leader shouts to a man wearing priest clothes. While the priest is doing a long chant to try and remove the Dark Bind spell the other members try to stab the hands with their weapons but they simply pass through.

Alice continued to casually walk towards the party while swinging her arms, it would look pretty adorable if not for the evil grin plastered on her face and her pink eyes glowing with a sinister feeling.

“Pink is my favorite color, protect me from all that is not pink for there is no better color!” [Pink Shield]

Although a bit of a weird chant Alice used her pink magic to create a pink-colored magic shield to surround her. The spell is unique in that any spell or weapon not colored pink is completely incapable of passing through the shield.

Alice started laughing hysterically with a grin on her face while she danced around the immobilized Black Raven party members. They shot spells, activated artifacts even tried to stab her with their weapons yet they all bounced off.

Alice’s pink fans were dyed red as heads flew from their bodies. 10 seconds, 10 heads, 10 dead bodies fell to the floor in a pool of blood and shadows.

Bringing the fans back inside her shield caused the blood to slide off the fans as the fans are pink but blood is red.

Storing the bodies in her storage ring “These will make a good present for Victor” so she said while doing a little bow towards the clapping and applauding audience.

After shaking hands and being congratulated for an amazing performance we got back into the carriage and continued the last few hours of the journey. Thanks to the road being so smooth and that being the only interruption so far we will make it to Eden by night-time and therefore won’t need to camp overnight.

It was a little awkward for a bit in the carriage. I had never witnessed death before, I was a pampered princess after all. Although I did feel a little disgusted and disturbed seeing murder, after the initial shock I felt inspired.

I too wanted to be strong like Alice, beautifully wield my weapons and magic, and be praised for being strong. I didn’t want to be escorted everywhere by knights like I am being now.

I wanted to be able to run through the cursed forest as Alice did with no worry. I realize how little the world I have seen, a bird in a cage I think is the saying.

Freedom.

I never realized how badly I wanted it before, but now I feel I could never go back to that small city. Maybe I'll ask Victor if he can train me too?

I looked at Alice with a newfound desire to become strong like her. “Alice, do you think I could be as strong as you?” I asked expecting her to just laugh at a weak girl like me wanting to be strong. She probably thinks I'm some spoiled kid demanding something impossible.

Instead, she shows me the warmest smile as if knowing the feeling I'm going through “Of course, I was a weak slave, starved for a week straight and had never even fought a fly before meeting Victor only around 2 months ago. Now, look at me. I'm sure Victor can help you and if not you and I can go level up together if you want!”

I really have made friends with an incredible person “Thanks Alice, I look forward to it” I say returning the warm smile.

A few hours passed and we could see the mountain Eden is located next to. Only around 10 minutes and we should be there.

Again the door is tapped on. Again I open the slider. Again I meet face to face with the knight captain. This time he looks ghostly pale.

“What's wrong,” I say with worry in my voice, what could get such a veteran knight to look so scared.

“Uh miss a giant undead dragon is blocking the path”

Well guess we are dead, it was a good life…

“Ohhh shadow came to greet us what a good puppy,” Alice says cheerfully

Both I and the knight captain look at her and say at the same time

“Eh?”