An hour or two later, Kyoko descended gracefully into the clearing, the girls on her back. Her wings folded in with a rustle as she landed.
"Looks like you finally made it back," I said, not glancing up from my book. "Find anything interesting?"
"There's a dungeon a little north of here," Yura answered, dropping her bag beside the fire pit. "Could be worth checking out."
"If you're up for it, we can head there tomorrow," I offered, closing the book and stretching.
"I thought you were gathering meat," Hera said, crossing her arms with a smirk. "Let me guess—you gave up halfway?"
"You wound me, Princess," I replied, standing up. "I hope this doesn't disappoint you."
With a flick of my hand, I pulled a large Lathegin's body from my storage space, letting it hit the ground with a thud that made the earth tremble slightly.
Hera's smirk faltered. "You… killed one? Alone?"
Shina's eyes widened. "What kind of monster are you?! That thing's huge!"
"Technically, I took down four," I said with a shrug. "But I hate killing animals, so I healed the rest. Kept just this one."
"I bet you didn't even fight it yourself," Hera accused. "You probably called your dragon."
Kyoko's tiny voice cut in, sharp and offended. "You doubt my master's strength? He wouldn't need my help for a beast that weak."
"Easy, Kyoko," I said with a grin. "If she doubts me, I'll just have to prove myself."
"You're challenging me?" Hera asked, brow raised.
"If that's how you want to see it, sure."
"I accept." She pulled her bow from her back. "Let's see what you've got."
"Since you're so confident," I said, stepping forward, "I won't even use my hands."
"You're underestimating me." Her eyes narrowed. "I'm the princess of the elves. We're the master race."
Three arrows launched at once, but I slipped between them, already closing the gap. With a swift movement, I swept her legs out from under her.
"With reactions like that," I teased, "you won't touch me."
She growled, rolling to her feet and charging magic into her bow. A green arrow shimmered with energy as she fired. I sidestepped and tripped her again, even more smoothly this time.
Frustrated, Hera growled and gathered the surrounding wind. Green particles swirled as she shouted:
"As princess of the elves, I call for you to strike down my enemy—Wind Storm!"
A small tornado formed around me, whipping up dust and leaves. I recognized the chant. Twice the power of a normal spell—but magic intensive. With a calm breath, I summoned my darkness, melting into the shadows and reappearing atop a nearby branch.
"You can use magic too?" Hera gasped, scanning for me. "How are you this skilled?"
I smiled and raised a hand. "Oh, water, bring forth the storm and purge my enemy—Tidal Wave!"
A rushing stream of conjured water crashed down on her. Hera was soaked and stunned, coughing as she pushed herself up.
Our sparring went on until nightfall. Despite not landing a single blow, Hera refused to back down. Her resolve was admirable.
"She's strong-willed," I muttered to Yura and Shina as I cast a healing spell over Hera's bruises.
The girls helped her to a tent to rest while I turned my attention to preparing dinner. Yura and Shina showed me how to butcher the Lathegin properly—teaching me the fast cuts and efficient methods. We cooked and ate under the deepening sky, the fire crackling between us.
Eventually, Hera stepped out of the tent, looking far more composed.
"Go ahead," I told her, gesturing to the remaining food. "I'm not a big eater like those two."
She hesitated, then bowed her head. "I'm sorry… for the things I said. You're very capable."
"No need for that," I said gently. "I became strong because I was weak once. But a princess shouldn't bow so easily." I wagged a finger at her and gave her a wink. "Heads held high, always."
With that, I headed for my tent, leaving the firelight behind.