Livia was done with breakfast, but rather than feeling full it felt more like she had a rock in her stomach. A craggy one.

Where the hell is Roldy and Sten. The sight of all the sika let her know something was up, but it was not as reassuring as it had been at first, not now that the hour was approaching noon.

The train of carts had been lined up for a while now. Her people were all ready, but the wait was making them irritable. Daylight was wasting and they had been hoping to make some proper headway before pitching their tents that evening.

By now it was nearing the time where you needed to question if the progress would be worth it, or if they might as well spend another night at Brunner’s. It’s just that Sten might be bringing complications our way, but I can’t exactly tell them we all need to move through the night just for that.

They had his stuff packed and ready on the cart. Livia went through it all and made sure they had everything for the third time. She found it calming.

But when that was done she stood there feeling useless again. Might as well do another lap of checking on everybody.

Redd and the Captain had barely complained so far, and it seemed unlikely they would. The five passengers had lost their patience a couple of hours after breakfast and went to try and convince the two that they may as well all go ahead, while Livia and her company waited for their missing friends–but the man had not even bothered with responding. I’ll have to thank him for the support later.

She walked up to Elin and her brothers instead. “Hey again. Are you three keeping your moods up?” The two guys looked a bit put out, but Elin had reassured her earlier. “You’re ready to go at the first sign, right?”

“We are, no need to worry on our account. Are you planning on heading out no matter the hour though?” Elin said. Evidently others had been having the same thoughts.

“No, if he does not show up soon we will delay,” They nodded at that, having expected the words. “But make no mistake, I am far from convinced that it will be necessary yet. Roldy made a promise and he would usually avoid making one, he has a proper plan.” When they looked far from convinced she added: “I'm sure he would rather show up missing a limb before he lets us all be delayed over anything less than a disaster.” When they looked like they still doubted after that, she could see that they would need some proof before having faith.

She walked off and said the last words to them behind her back–her attempt to display that there was no need to actually convince them. The day’s events could still do it for her.

“He told me things would be fine, trust!”

This was a disastrous start if they ended up making zero progress on the first day.

A lot of these people were taking a gamble with her at the helm, and some might have even called them foolish for accepting her in that position with people like Redd in the party.

There were several things counting against. Her young age for one. Her being an out-of-towner, her inexperience.

The one factor that made up for it was the faith her original team had in her, their trust and the speed of their progress and overall competence were really her only evident merits. Since they could not exactly be honest about the crazier System stuff just yet.

If their judgment was called into question this early on, then things could quickly start to crumble.

She walked up to Albert who was hanging out with Lena next. The guy had been very subdued last night. Despite having finally accepted his lot he was still struggling while remaining within fleeing distance of home.

“Are you two alright, I am sorry about the delay,” Livia found it was a struggle summoning her earlier enthusiasm, but it helped that Lena gave her a big warm smile.

“We are fine, it is just a bit boring is all, you will need to think of some games for us to play on the road.”

Not a bad idea actually, hmm. “In the meantime I could teach you a game you play one-on-one? It’s called chess, if you practice and get good you can surprise Harold and Kalle later, they are getting too cocky and they are always using it to settle their every difference.” Even Albert nodded at that idea.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

She taught them the rules the way you played on paper and then considered that another ember put out before the smoke.

What else. Kalle and Oscar were still talking with Brunner, going around in circles in their discussions on his forthcoming Class. Hyde was surprisingly around, she had been under the impression that he was involved with Roldy’s plan, but upon waking up and finding him still here she realized that had been an assumption.

The other animal, the strange owl that Roldy kept calling Algernon–as if he knew him, but who acted like the opposite of an animal companion–had also shown up this morning.

Everyone but the one we all keep waiting for.

Livia wanted to yell out her frustrations but it was just about the dumbest look she could put on right now, especially as the supposed leader.

She spotted Billie by the foremost cart now, with her pack slung over her shoulder. The lumberjane was one of the latest to join them this morning, having apparently slept among the kauri’s roots last night alongside Brunner.

Now she was fidgeting.

“Hey Billie, is something the matter?”

Despite avoiding it at first, now she looked Livia in the eyes at least. “Ugh, yeah actually, I decided last night, but figured you guys would be gone before I could get here, hah. And it’s just awkward standing around with you all now, you know?-hah-haha.” The awkward laughing was not helping her look sincere, at all.

But Livia got what she meant straight away–she decided to still play dumb, just to make Billie spell it out.

“Oh, do you prefer sitting? We’ve got enough carts now,” Livia gave her a thumbs up and a wide smile.

“Ugh, no. I mean I decided I’ll stay in Salcret, for now anyway, I don’t think I can really leave Brunner, not with everything he still has to teach me; even for the chance at a kauri sapling, I guess I just think I will level more here under his tutelage,”

Sigh. That was actually fair enough. Risking it all for such a young specimen could be considered a fool's errand, if they failed and it died she would be an [Arborist] stuck weeks from home without even a project at hand.

“Besides, I was mostly heading there for the dating scene and so I would rather save some cash up and head there when I can buy a place in the city and really try that big city life, you know? Not living at some [Guild] in the middle of nowhere.”

And she had been so close to being likable too. Livia could not help but glare. Yeah sure, they were the ones who had enticed Billie with that argument in the first place, but she would have expected Billie to come up with some other, better reasons for going on this trip with the months she had had to consider things.

Of course Livia had a bunch of other projects planned for an [Arborist] even if the kauri failed, but convincing Billie of that while they were standing here stranded on day one would be a clear waste of time. Especially if she said no in the end anyway, it could damage her already rather fragile authority.

Livia mustered some cheer. “That’s a shame Billie, a real shame. But I understand, good luck leveling and you work hard keeping Salcret safe and all that!”

Bille looked pleased at not having to argue her case any further. “I will, cheers Livia, good luck with everything!”

And with that they had one less fellow for the road.

This was far from the start Livia had been hoping for. One of our higher levels too.

Billie went walking back to Salcret, swaying her hips with seductive smoothness, the big ax on her back, sun shining all the while. I need to learn that.

It took another thirty minutes before Roldy and Sten finally arrived with the prince, and they immediately caused a flurry of activity.

They were on the road to Dormata within another twenty.