Chapter 11
I glanced back at Edgar and saw him watching me with a familiar expression—calm and serene, like the surface of a still lake. It was the same look he’d given me countless times when I was younger and made mistakes, choosing not to scold me but to reflect on my actions.
“It’s not that.”
Even though Edgar never reproached me, that composed gaze always made me feel like a child who had done something wrong, making me think back to reconsider my actions. His large hand grasped my hesitant elbow and pulled me closer.
“Come.”
Boom. No sooner had Edgar spoken than a heavy rumble echoed through the forest. Birds took flight in a flurry from the direction of the noise, as if fleeing from something.
The once peaceful forest had transformed into a sinister scene where anything could happen. Feeling a chill down my spine, I recalled the advice Edgar had given me years ago when I first ventured into the woods.
“Always be cautious in the forest.”
Despite its tranquil appearance, the forest’s inhabitants are always fiercely competing for survival, so one must never let their guard down.
A massive shadow soon emerged.
Its long tail, gnarled like tree roots, stretched across the ground, and its body was covered in pitch-black scales. Its elongated head resembled that of a snake, but it had gills like those of a fish, with ornate wings writhing near its ribcage.
The large monster with vertical pupils and gleaming yellow eyes was a basilisk.
But why was such a colossal creature here? In all the years we had roamed the forest, I had never seen one. Basilisks typically avoid sunlight and stay hidden in caves, rarely venturing out.
“It must have come out to catch its escaped prey.”
Edgar explained, noticing my puzzled expression.
“The goblin from earlier.”
“You should have mentioned that sooner!”
“I didn’t expect your spellcasting to be so quick. Your pronunciation was precise too. You’ve improved, Chloe.”
Under normal circumstances, I would have been thrilled by the praise and puffed up with pride, but now was not the time.
The basilisk, having noticed the goblin I had killed with my magic, was flaring its nostrils in anger at losing its prey. How could we escape this situation? Basilisks were known to be intelligent, sometimes even kept as pets by dragons, so maybe it would understand if I tried to reason with it.
“It’s a bit charred, but…it’s still good to eat, so why not take it?”
My awkward excuse only served to incite its fury further.
Roar!
The basilisk let out a deafening screech that echoed around us, baring its teeth as it advanced.
[Wind!]
I grabbed Edgar’s hand and urgently cast a wind-based movement spell to lift us off the ground. The basilisk snapped its jaws at us as we ascended, roaring once more.
If you’re here for food, why not just eat the dead goblin? Why come after us?
As I grumbled, I noticed Edgar intertwining his fingers with mine and asking,
“Do you know why our cabin has never been attacked by monsters?”
How should I know? As he continued, I realized he could have told me this much earlier.
“It’s because I’m at the top of the food chain here. My powerful magical aura kept them at bay. To that basilisk, this is a perfect opportunity to overturn the hierarchy.”
“So…”
I sighed heavily.
“Why are you telling me this now!!”
He had countless opportunities during our days of hiking to share this crucial information, yet he waited until now! Edgar, without a hint of remorse, apologized in his usual nonchalant manner.
“Sorry. But with all the time we can spend enjoying our private moments, did I really need to waste breath explaining about some useless reptile?”
Edgar’s infuriatingly consistent attitude made me swallow another sigh as I tugged on his hand.
Using Wind, we rode the currents, the invisible breeze forming a path beneath our feet. Honestly, I thought we could escape quickly.
‘Oh?’
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