As the day came to its close, Glen was engaged in arranging the notes he had recorded that day, preparing to retire to his chamber for rest.

At this moment, Leaves and Mushroom approached him stealthily.

"What brings you two here?" Glen inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Please don't ask me about the Little Match - Girl!..." Glen thought, praying inwardly.

Thankfully, his concerns were unfounded.

Leaves stepped forward and said,"Glen, could you take us out?"

"Take you out? Out to where?" Glen eyed her with suspicion.

"We wish to explore the areas beyond The Demonfall Valley. Mama Mako has already given her consent," Leaves said, her words tumbling out in a rush.

Here, the apprentices affectionately address Mako as "Mama," while Glen alone refers to her as "Teacher Mako."

It seems my stories have kindled their curiosity. But why were these children so averse to going outside before? When I was a child, I couldn't wait for my father to take me on outings everywhere... Glen merely lowered his brows in a pensive manner, not responding immediately.

Leaves and Mushroom awaited his answer with bated breath. They had pleaded with Mako for an extended period before she acquiesced, on the condition that Glen would accompany them.

Ordinarily, Mako would have been delighted to take these children on an excursion. However, the death of Morogen had cast an unsettling shadow.

"Very well, but it is already rather late. Let's go tomorrow. I shall take you out for a whole day then," Glen finally replied after a considerable pause.

Upon hearing this, the two young girls let out a jubilant cheer. They then faced each other, clasped hands, and twirled around before skipping away.

Glen had been contemplating the travel itinerary just now. This presented an opportune moment to pillage the lair of those three dark wizards, lest he lack the time in the future.

The following day.

Before the alarm clock could sound, Glen's door was rapped upon, and Leaves' excited voice called out,"Glen! Lazybones! Wake up! We're all ready!"

"Leaves, is this really proper?"

Mushroom's voice, so faint as to be nearly inaudible, followed suit.

Children truly possess boundless energy... Glen flung aside the covers, yawned, and then rose from the bed."Coming, coming."

As he opened the door, he beheld two young girls, attired in a stylish and vibrant manner, exuding youthful vitality, gazing up at him.

Glen's half - lidded eyes widened slightly, as if a spark of energy had been kindled within him.

"You two look absolutely charming! So beautiful!" He smiled and gave them a thumbs - up.

Both young girls blushed.

Leaves snorted and turned her head aside, while Mushroom pursed her lips and lowered her head, with only her newly - changed wide - brimmed hat, as large as the previous one, visible once again.

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"Mama Mako helped us with our attire..." Mushroom's soft voice drifted out cautiously from beneath the wide - brimmed hat.

This explained it. Although Mako was a wizard who had lived for a century, she always kept abreast of the latest fashion trends, and her aesthetic sensibilities were truly exceptional.

Even someone like Daof, who seemingly paid little heed to his appearance, was able to dress presentably each day, all thanks to his wonderful wife.

"All right, hurry up and wash up. After breakfast, we'll set off!" Leaves grasped Glen's hand and tugged him towards the washroom.

Moments later, Glen emerged from the washroom and saw Mako gracefully sipping juice at the dining table.

Noticing Glen's approach, she said softly,"I've prepared breakfast. Do have it first. I have something to impart to you later."

Glen nodded and seated himself to partake of the breakfast.

Mako had prepared a fried egg along with several pieces of steak roasted using a special technique. The flavor was quite agreeable.

For Glen, with his prodigious appetite, it was a mere trifle, and he finished it in a few quick bites.

Subsequently, he witnessed Mako asking Leaves and Mushroom to wait outside.

Once they were alone in the room, Mako said,

"These two children have never ventured outside. I had always been apprehensive that if one day they were to go out, they might struggle to survive. Now that they are taking the initiative to step out, it is all due to you, Glen. Please take good care of them while they are out."

"Of course, there's no issue. I am, after all, part of your family, am I not?" Glen smiled, then paused."However, I've always been curious. Why were they so reluctant to go out before?"

At this, Mako's expression grew somewhat melancholy."Daof told you about those three children, didn't he?"

Glen knew she was referring to Daof's former three apprentices, so he nodded.

Then Mako continued,"Daof also shared this with these apprentices. They were quite young at that time, and perhaps it left a lasting impression on them, instilling a fear of the outside world. Now, it seems that curiosity has overridden this fear, which is why Leaves and Mushroom took the initiative to express their desire to go out yesterday."

After that, Mako provided some instructions regarding safety. Glen then fetched a backpack, packed some items and spending money for the outing, and set off.

His large deer had been grazing on the fertile meadow outside the magic house for several days. When he led it out, it was evident that it had grown considerably plumper, and it seemed rather reluctant to pull the cart.

"This is our first time traveling by cart. It feels so extraordinary!"

Leaves leaned against the edge of the cart, watching the wheels turn.

Mushroom, on the other hand, was seated in Glen's lap. She seemed quite intrigued by the deer, and from time to time, she would gently stroke the deer's rump with her small hand.

"Be cautious. Don't fall out," Glen casually admonished, one hand holding the map Mako had given him before his departure, and the other grasping the reins.

Leaves stuck out her tongue at Glen's back."I'm not that foolish!"

"Mushroom, can't you remove your hat? It's sunny, and you'll surely get hot," Glen advised, in truth, because the top of the hat constantly poked at his chin.

However, the young girl in his lap tightly hugged the hat on her head, showing no inclination to remove it.

Glen had no alternative but to let her be.

There was a town outside The Demonfall Valley, but that was not Glen's destination.

He recollected that the lair of those three dark wizards was located in a place called Combe Ridge, which was not too distant. They should be able to reach it within a day.

To prevent the two children from growing bored, Glen would tell a story at intervals.

He also sang children's songs, with lyrics he had translated and composed himself.

Songs such as "The Firefly Flies" and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," among others.

This further enhanced the two young girls' admiration for Glen. They thought Glen was incredibly knowledgeable, and everything he knew was to their liking.

The deer - drawn cart gradually came to a halt at a verdant clearing. It was time for lunch.

The three of them alighted from the cart, and Glen tethered the deer to a tree.

He removed the backpack, and from it, he produced a folding parasol, folding chairs, a folding barbecue grill, and ingredients, all of which emerged one by one from the seemingly compact backpack.

The two young girls frolicked on the grass for a while. When they saw Glen taking out those peculiar items he had crafted during his experiments and fiddling with them, they approached out of curiosity.

They watched as Glen unfurled the parasol, positioned the three folding chairs beneath it, moved the barbecue grill to one side, skillfully added charcoal, and then used magic to heat it until it glowed red.

"Are you preparing food?" Leaves asked, her tone speculative.

"What else would I be doing? You two surely have never had barbecue before, have you?" Glen replied as he continued his tasks.

"Barbecue?" The two young girls echoed in unison.