"So? Are we just going to walk to Brook?" Cecilia pulls her bag across her shoulders, laying the strap comfortably across her dark green shirt.
"Of course. Altous doesn't have a carriage, you know."
"You're kidding..."
I can't help but feel I've packed too lightly for this trip. A couple changes of clothing, fabrics for making shelter, my dagger, a bowl and some provisions, and my orb... it's not a lot, but I don't have many other possessions to speak of. Thinking about it, I feel kind of sad about the fact that I've lived here for so long with very little to show for it.
"Don't go getting yourself worked up already, Cecilia. Brook is a long walk, or so I have heard."
"Yeah... because you heard it from me!" Cecilia clicks her tongue, crossing her arms defensively.
"Is that so...? Maybe that is true..." I smirk at her. "If you're all set, then let's go."
"You don't need to tell me twice." She swivels to the dirt path. "Oh, how I long for the skewers in Brook's plaza..."
"What kind of skewers? Good food is always something to look forward to, especially after a long trip."
"Dragon skewers. I think... maybe Forest Dragon?"
"Dragons? I didn't realize even Brook's food stalls had fearsome fighters..."
"Huh? Forest Dragons are hardly worth any valor. Any seasoned hunter could kill them."
"You're joking. Is 'dragon' just a namesake?"
"What kind of image do you have in your head right now, Wren...?"
--
"Wren... can't we take a break now?" Cecilia pants behind me.
"Are you tired already? We just started off."
"Really? I remember the sky being a gentle blue rather than this yellow!" She points an accusatory finger at the sky between the trees.
"You got me there... Alright, fine. Is just anywhere good?" I look around. "There are not any clearings nearby, as far as I can tell.*
"Hmph. How can you act as if you don't know... there's a river not far off from the path. Any mercenary worth their silver takes care to memorize at least the greater landmarks surrounding Brook."
"...I haven't been out of Altous for over 2 years, so forgive me!" I sigh. "Where is the river, anyways?"
"It's Northwards of the road, so... to our left." She peers into the forest beyond the dirt path.
"Okay, then our route back is easy to remember. Just go Southwards." I jump off the incline, stepping into the woods first. "We can take a long break by the river."
It wasn't long before I could hear the sound of rushing water in the distance, and smell the fresh mist in the air. The river was very wide, and the current was fast. Despite it all, it didn't run too deep. "It looks shallow enough to wade through."
"If you were planning on fishing, don't expect my help." She sets her own bag down on a smooth patch of grass, walking toward the riverside to sit. "The waters are rapid, but the fish are even faster."
"I have food already... but it's not a bad idea to save the preserved foods until we need it. I'll see what I can do." I follow close behind, sitting beside her. "Do you think the water's fresh enough to drink?"
"Why are you asking me? I'm not a survivalist. I spend my time in the city when I can. Camping is one of my least favorite activities... at least, when there isn't a carriage to sleep in." Cecilia huffs, taking off her shoes to let the rapids run through her feet.
"Fair enough... the water is transparent, and it's flowing fast enough to ease many concerns of disease." Wait a minute... we have magic. Why am I even concerned about the water when we can just make it drinkable? "Let's gather some of this water. It shouldn't matter if it's drinkable, anyways."
I let the water run into my bowl, holding the surface up to my face. "There's some impurity, but it should be fine if we boil it. Cecilia?"
"No way... you're going to make me use my magic for this? Just make your own fire!" She glares at me.
"I didn't realize you were such a pampered princess, Cecilia. Should this lowly subject just refer to you as Your Highness?"
"Ha! At least now you're understanding just where you belong."
Even without boiling, the water can be filtered through force alone. I set the bowl down and pull my orb from my bag. "Tuhuini Aesirculus [Little Spin]." The water in the bowl rushes in a circular motion. The centrifugal force should push all the other particles to the edges of the bowl... if it went a little faster than how it is now. Is that the limit of a minimal-grade spell? That shouldn't be the case. The only thing that separates grades is the complexity, not the strength of the spell. If I remember correctly, centrifuges didn't spin all that fast compared to the upper bounds of my Anima magic. The difference is... the bowl itself. Centrifuges use small vials, but I'm trying to use a full bowl to filter the water by churning it. In the first place, it's not the fluid that's stirred, it's the centrifuge's movement itself that affects the fluids indirectly. Then... "Tuhuista Aesirculus [Force Spiral]." The bowl floats from my hand, moving in a circular motion around a point in the air... flinging the water everywhere and getting Cecilia and I wet.
"Wren..." She clenches her hands, not even turning to look at me.
"...Yes, Your Highness?" I awkwardly smile.
"Tuhuista Ignosulpa [Heat Impel]!" She heats up, the water evaporating from her body in an instant. Cecilia jumps to her feet, stomping. "Don't go messing around with your magic if you can't even keep your experiments to yourself!"
"S-sorry..." I put my orb down, resigning myself to her wrath.
"I expect a good dinner tonight to make up for this... grave transgression."
"It's just water... surely you aren't just trying to foist the night duties onto me?!"