Chapter 69: Red Forest 3

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Red Forest 3

"That’s it for today. We’ll set camp here," Freya said before turning to face the students. Her gaze swept over all of them once.

"You can come out now. I know you’ve been following us for the past half kilometer," she shouted. Her voice echoed through the dark trees.

Fiona’s wolf ears twitched as she shifted into a defensive stance in front of Xavier.

"We were being followed?" Xavier murmured to himself. He hadn’t sensed a thing. Perhaps he would have if he had kept Zuzu’s ability active the entire time, but there had been no need—not while the professor was present.

An old, muscular man emerged from the darkness and walked toward Freya. He was tall, with dark skin and long, blood-red feral hair. He was dressed in a primitive style, his body covered in beast hide.

"Who are you and what do you want?" the old man asked, keeping his distance. His voice was rough and sharp.

The students behind Freya immediately took defensive stances. Some summoned offensive spells to their fingertips; others drew their swords.

Freya waved her hand. "Stop it. We are not here to fight. Sheathe your swords. Call off your spells."

The students hesitated for a second, then obeyed.

"As you can see, we have no hostile intentions. Call off your archers and we can talk peacefully," Freya shouted to the old man.

He stared at Freya and the students behind her for several seconds, golden eyes wide in a threatening glare meant to intimidate. Then he raised his arm, clenched his hand into a fist, and lowered it.

Fiona, still in her defensive stance in front of Xavier, relaxed and lowered her hands as well.

A few silhouettes leapt from the surrounding trees, and landed swiftly behind the old man.

Xavier’s eyes fell on the figure who dropped just beside him—a tall young woman with chocolate-colored skin, messy long deep crimson hair, and bright golden eyes.

She covered her breasts with pieces of brown fur hide held together by a leather cord.

Below, the same brown fur hide formed a loincloth that covered her privates.

Her bare legs were completely exposed; her arms and legs wrapped in fur and leather bands decorated with small beast fangs. She stood barefoot, her gentle feet resting on the black soil. In her hand she carried a small sword carved from a beast fang.

"I am Freya Ashgrove of the Ashgrove viscounty, a beastmaster and a professor at the Imperial Academy. I am here on an expedition with my students. We plan to set camp here tonight and leave early tomorrow morning."

"I am Rora Bloodmoor, the 126th chief of the Bloodmoor tribe," the old man replied.

The Bloodmoor tribe was one of the groups that dwelt on the periphery of the Red Forest. These were people who had settled here in the early days of Red Forests, right after the war ended. Many similar tribes lived in the Red Forests, none of them establishing settlements deeper than six or seven kilometers.

"This area falls under the territory of our tribe. I do not give you the permission to set camp here. Go somewhere else," Rora said in an intimidating voice.

"Come on, don’t be like that. We come bearing gifts," Freya said, turning to the students and gesturing for them to bring the offerings forward. They understood at once and dragged forth all the meat they had butchered and never planned on utilizing—meat of every kind of beast they had killed, along with the hides, the horns, and everything else that was practically useless to them. They laid it all out in front of Freya, presenting it to the chief.

"How about that? Would this be enough to gain your favor?" Freya asked.

The chief stepped forward and inspected the meat carefully. The girl Xavier had been watching also came closer, examining the hides and horns. Her golden eyes widened in shock. "Father, these are dreadhorn hides and horns," she said.

"So, it appears. The meat is fresh as well," the chief replied.

The girl looked toward the students who had hunted the beasts. Her eyes met Xavier’s and found him already looking at her.

"Who hunted them?" the chief asked Freya.

"My students," she answered. "Is this satisfactory?"

A smile curved across the chief’s weathered face. "Yes, yes, This is satisfactory. But answer me this—why do you want to venture so deep into the forest?"

"It is a new curriculum of the Imperial Academy. Students must spend one week every month in the Red Forest to learn survival. You may encounter other groups traveling with their professors. Don’t worry—they will also provide offerings," Freya explained.

The chief laughed. "Ha ha! Very well. I won’t deny the offerings. You may set up camp here. This area is rather safe."

He signaled his men to carry the offerings away. Then the girl whispered something into his ear, chief’s face registered brief surprise.

"Are you sure?" he asked his daughter.

"Yes, I am," she replied, then gazed at Xavier again, meeting his eyes once more.

The chief turned back to Freya. "What is it?" she asked, a little wary.

"This is my daughter, Kaya Bloodmoor. Tonight, we were going to celebrate a coming-of-age ceremony for the warriors who have just crossed into adulthood. My daughter is among them, and she wishes to invite all of you to the feast," the chief said.

"Is it common for you to invite outsiders?" Freya asked, looking skeptical.

The chief sighed. "It is not. But she is going to be the next chief, so she gets to bend the rules to her wishes. You can set camp near our settlement. It would be much safer there."

"Well, it’s not up to me," Freya said, turning to the students. "What do you guys want to do?"

The students looked at one another, uncertain, until Allen stepped forward.

"What’s there to think about? If it’s going to be safer there, let’s just go."

The confusion on the students’ faces began to fade. They all nodded in agreement. None of the chief’s men showed any disapproval when he told Freya’s group to follow them. The chief walked alongside Freya while Kaya walked beside her father, occasionally glancing back at Xavier.

Xavier kept his eyes on her from behind, watching the gentle sway of her plump hips. He did not avert his gaze even when Kaya looked at him, meeting her eyes with steady confidence.