Dawn came and sunshine gored through the thin windows. Her body gave a great stretch, yawning, with eyes squinting.

Shen woke up just in time to hear the usual fuss of the city. She was quite used to it by now since it had been five days since they arrived at this location.

The refinement of the elf demonstrated to her subtle action as she pulled herself up from the bed. Her buxom body was concealed by a thin layer of clothes, barely hanging from her pure white skin.

The round chair made a creak after sitting on it, resting her round bottom, her ears gave a start before blinking repeatedly, facing the mirror.

Her comb that laid on the wooden table was gently picked by her elegant finger. One, two, she stroked her dark long hair with a sleepy face.

Shen was completely defenseless, her face does not contain any kind of makeup. But still, no one could refute how gorgeous she was. Though, from time to time, Liliana would come and offer her all kinds of cosmetics such as lipstick and blush on.

She was interested in them but believed that she was too old for it, mentally and physically. Or at least, that was she thought.

Something cylinder rolled over the table, the black cover comes across as seductive.

“This is lipstick, right?” No one was here to answer her concern. Her sensual tone still lingered inside her room.

She took the lipstick in her hand, and then opened the lid, revealing the red cane with a recognizable shape.

The elf glanced at it for a few good seconds, then moved her hand in a circular motion before her already red lips, gradually nearing it to her mouth, she stopped.

“Just kidding.” With a smile, she put back the cover of the lipstick and returned it to where it originally came from.

It doesn't suit me at all. She thought as she confronted the mirror with tired eyes. It reflected herself, it was her, yet, it wasn't.

She stood up noiseless, and roamed the room, heading to where her clothes were. The monk garb that she wore for almost 20 years now indicated its antiquity as her hand grabbed it.

Shen was quick to dress up. Maybe it was her agility that assisted her even in this daily activity. Surely her training for hundreds of years would not amount to nothing.

The door opened with a rasp and steered down to the receiving area, Liliana was already there, eating what presumably a soup.

“Good morning!” Her bright and gleeful mood cheered up the relatively frigid atmosphere, Shen smiling at her.

“Yes, good morning.” Shen acknowledged her by settling beside the wizard's seat. Has Liliana always been an early riser? She recalled her complaining not getting adequate rest in their time of traveling.

I guess she matured, too. Just the thought of it made her heart warm.

“Aren't you going to eat?” Liliana said, staffing plenty of bread inside her mouth. Bread crumbs plastered all over her cheeks.

“I'm not hungry yet.” Shen, with her refined motion, took the bits and pieces of grains from the blushing Liliana.

“Hahaha...” The young girl tried to hide her embarrassment with a dry laugh before plugging another set of bread, attempting concealing her expression.

The benign was something Shen was used to, something that reminded her of home back in her country. Just like the eating girl near her, she was still learning. About life, about chi, the nature of the world. There was always something to learn.

Shen glimpsed at Liliana, who has no clue that she was being watched. She then began to announce something.

“What quest should we take today?”

***

Two hours of journey through a wagon, the party arrived at a certain village. The city of the merchant could not be detected, not even its usual bustle.

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It was reported to the Guild that there was a troll spotted nearby the territory of the village.

The party leader, Liliana, thought of taking a relatively harder quest in order to test their coordination.

All of the members approved of this, including Shen, who was now surveying the woodland, her long ears quivered at the tiniest of disturbance.

Wind murmuring, branch hissing. The sunshine that came from above, streaks of cloud paraded through the ocean sky.

It was still winter, but days like this could make one forgot that they were still in the middle of the world's harshest season.

“Let's see where the map leads us.” Liliana spread the leather map with a whoop, inspecting the map thoroughly, winking her wide-opened eyes.

Liliana was working hard to play the position as a leader of the group. It was evident to all of her members.

“The child is a worker, indeed.” Stepping silently, Raka spoke to Shen as he swept his tail.

“He-he-he! She is.” Shen chuckled. Let the young one learn, right? And Liliana was clearly the youngest of them all.

Lander and Risha took a glance at the map, saying something to Liliana. This should how be it. Shen thought.

The sight of the three working with each other, along with the greenery, soothed the monk's soul, her heart steadied.

Then after leaving the decision to the youngest, the party finally hauled with the position they always have since the formation of the gang.

Shen, as a melee, stood front, jointly walking with Lander.

“You're quite composed Lander.”

Lander was not expecting Shen to talk to him as he replied with a start. “W-well, I'm adventuring for some time now.”

“That's what I guessed...” Shen realized that Lander was more experienced than Liliana when it comes to adventuring. He was a D-ranked, one level higher than Liliana.

“Is it the same for the Risha?” The warlock girl and he seem to know each other for a long time.

“Yeah, actually, we registered as an adventurer together when we left our village.”

“Hhmm... So that's why the two of you are intimate.”

“I think intimate is not the right word...” Lander flinched just recollecting the moment he had met with a staff in his skull.

“He-he-he! But I really do think that you two are perfect for each other, isn't that right, Ms. Eavesdropper?” Shen shifted her gaze to the back, to where Risha was, reddening at her teasing.

“I-I just happen to hear it...” She fumbled at her words, trying to find an alibi.

Shen retorted with, “I see.” She was conversing but her ears were cautious about the surrounding. A weak clatter gave rise to her long ears, bouncing energetically.

“The troll.” Her seductive voice resonated with the party as they upped their guards and senses.

A humanoid with incredibly long limbs, skin green as leave, the foul stench coming from its breath, and long unkempt hair.

With the height of over 12 feet, it strode its lengthy leg for a step, heading towards the party.

Thud! Thud! The clumping sound harmonized their palpitating heart.

“Trolls are weak against fire and acid! Cut a limb or two and I'll cast my Acid Bubble spell!” Liliana ordered, still composed even with the sudden appearance of the monster.

Cutting a limb was easy for Shen even without weapons, but she decided to stay back as she watched the running and shouting Lander. “Alright!”

“H̛͕̳̖̫͒͑ͨ̊͌̚̕͟͠ā̃̌͂hͥ͊̒sͮiͫ ̒t̿i̋k̓r͗u̇ ͫkͦaͤ... Frightened!” A spell from the warlock! Greenlight surrounded her crooked staff, creating an illusion to fright the monster.

A dragon, with four limbs and a vast wings stretching out evenly, taking the attention of the troll who was veering its back, retreating.

“Not getting away!” What was it? A kind of skill? They said that warrior can compete with magicians with physical prowess alone, and Lander was definitely doing that as he sprinted quickly, his sword slashing the right calf of the monster. Foot flew out, blood spurting everywhere.

The troll plummeted to the ground as it used its hand to cushion its head.

“Acere...Plasio... Acid Bubble!” Liliana came forth, brandishing her wooden staff, unleashing the spell that she had used so much.

The acidic bead glid as it intended to. Burning and melting the flesh of the troll. The monster writhed in pain, cursing at the damn adventurers that made him feel this way.

“Haa!” A blow from the sword to its head made the troll resist once more, though it was still alive.

“Lander! Back off!” Risha wasted no time alerting the young man with her next move. The warlock was nervous, yet she continued the motion of her lips. Lander backing up was her signal to unleash her spell.

“H̵̟̣̪̒͞҉̧e̻ͤ͟r̴͙ͣ ̣ͧ͢q̷͓ͣlͪ͜ͅẁ̝͘k͎͐̕e̼̅͝ ̸̫͛q̶̯ͫl̷̻ͭḻ̛͌ơ̗̔s̜ͪ͡... Arcane Blow!” The twirling arcane power resonated with her words, drawing power from one of the forgotten deity of ancient times.

Three gust of light penetrated the troll, further damaging and burning the weakened opponent.

“Lander!” Now it was Liliana who was preparing her next attack.

“Yeah!” It was a mystery on what Liliana had said to her, but he has a feeling of understanding it, partly.

He vaulted his body and sliced the face of the troll. The wound was quick to heal but it angered the monster, following him and turning its front to the party once again.

“Phyr... Belditi...! Quick Bolt!” A jolt of lightning punctured its eyeball, gushing out red fluid from the socket.

Lander rushed the scene and gave the troll's neck a good whack with his blade. One, two, three, his attack never stopped until it dealt with the final blow that which beheaded the troll.

His chest expanding due to the air he inhaled, he raised his arm, “Decure...Pyr... Fire!” and came down a red flame from his palm.

He scorched the torn neck of the troll, black smoke wiggled in the air. The scent of burning meat hovered around and it lasted for a few instants.

The troll was dead.

“Impressive...” Was all Shen could utter after witnessing the fight of the fledging. They were still rough around the edges, but the fact that they took down a troll without the help of her and Raka amazed Shen.

The three collapsed on their knees, gasping for air, staring up towards the brine sky.

“We're not needed, aren't we?” Raka appeared before the three with a cat-like smile on his face.

“No...We still...Need to learn...” Lander stood up as he used his sword for support. He was still huffing and puffing but he smiled there.

“What about that, Shen? How do you rate it?” Again with the question she had asked yesterday, Liliana was quick to her feet and went towards Shen. Sweat clung to her robe, she then removed her pink wool scarf to free her neck.

Shen evaluated their action as a team but having a hard time doing so. And in replacement for her answer, Raka replied. “About 9.”

The feline ranger was confronted with an inquiring stare from the three. Why was it nine? Was there some kind of mistake?

Raka licked his forearm with a nyaa, pointing his finger upward. “One should never confront a giant in an open space. You are very lucky that you have Warlock.”

“But Darwyn fought something bigger than the troll alone!” It was Liliana who threw a tantrum like a child. She crossed her arms and puffed her left cheek.

However, her fit was accepted with a cackle from Raka. “Hahahaha! I think it would be abnormal to set Paladin as an example!”

“He-he-he! Don't worry about it, I'm sure you'll perfect it in no time.” Shen giggled, hugging the angry wizard around her arms.

The soft sensation pressed into Liliana's face, which caused her to worsen her mood. “Grrr...” Yet she could only growl, gleaming red, at the womanly power of Shen who ignored her.