Being adventurers with a high level had its benefits in dayli life, thanks to their Falnas Ryuu and Bell walked faster than normal people did. They didn´t run or jogged, but their normal walking speed was for other people a fast walk. The backpacks they both had where no problem, even if they were quite big and heavy, Bell had to rearrange his after the first hour, Ryuu had problems to carry hers because Mama Mia had packed them so much food. .
Bell stretched his arms to the side and took a deep breath, the weather was just great and he was relaxed. .
"You seem to be in good mood Bell ?" Ryuu had changed to his first name an hour after they left Orario, as always she used it only when they were alone.

"Ah and why not ? It´s a beautiful day !" He grinned. .
"You´re right...but I wonder if Syr will be save while I´m away."

"I think so. Everyone at the pub watches over her...and who would try to harm her ?"

"You´re right, Syr is an angel...but maybe someone will try to steal her away...should I have taken her with me ?..."

"I´m sure she is save and awaits your return." .
"Thank you for trying to calm me down Bell, you´re too kind." .
"Say, have you ever traveled around since coming to Orario ?" Bell looked at her while walking.

"Not for the last years, there is much work at the pub." Ryuu took off her hood and shook her hair out.

"The sun is pleasant." She looked into the sky.

The road was trampled but not as much as the other that lead to Orario, there was less traffic in the north. At the sides grew green gras, here and there a tree, there were no cultivated fields in the north.

They walked until noon to take a little break, on the way they chatted over this and that or just enjoyed the landscape in silence. The good thing was, they wouldn´t miss their target,
the mountains were far away but not to be overlooked.

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"If what I've read is true this forest has a small lake inside, we should reach it about evening." Ryuu pointed to the forest in the distance.

"We could rest there for the night." He suggested.

"We have to." A small shine appeared in Ryuus eye.

"Do you...want to take a bath there ?" .
"As an elf I have to." Ryuu nodded.

"Is that so ?" He look curious.

"Absolutely." Bell wasn't sure if she was joking or not.

Ryuu looked at him. "And I trust you Bell, that you won´t try to peep."

"O-of course not !" He blushed a bit.

She showed him a light smile. "You have my trust."

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They continued to walk a while. Only a few clouds drifted along the sky, some birds flew around and they heard the hum of bees at the flowers along the gras fields.

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"Ahm Ryuu..is it...okay if I ask you...something ?" .
"What would that be ?" .
"Would you...tell me about...your goddess ? How she is..b-but only if it´s okay for you !" He wasn´t sure if he should have asked her.

"About Lady Astrea..." A smile appeared on her lips. "She is very kind...and strong...and helpful...and just...she always took care of the helpless and weak." .
Ryuu tipped her head back. "She was the heart of our familia...not just because she was our goddess...we loved her."

"How does she look ?" .
"She has long brown hair...a gentle face and smiles often...she is a bit taller than me...and very beautiful...Bell...you don´t plan to go after her do you ?"

"What ? O-of course n-not !" Bell was flustered.

"Forgive me, I´m joking." Ryuu showed him her light smile.

How he longed to see a bright wide smile on her face, from the bottom of her heart. A carefree laugh without worry. That she would just let go. .
Bell thought about another subject. "I´m wondering..."

"Hm ?"

"Do you think there are monsters that are not hostile..but more like animals ? I mean the world is big." .
"Oh there are."

"Really ?"

"Yes, in the forest I used to live in there were a few. Not normal animals, but they didn´t harm anyone except they were attacked."

"What did they look ?"

"One kind were snakes with fur."

"They must have looked strange." .
"I never thought about that...they were just...there." .
Bell folded his arms behind his head. "I would like to see some one day."

Ryuu pulled out a small book. "Syr told me about some legends of the Beol mountains." .
"Oh ? What kind of ?"

"Apparently when the gods came down from tenkai and helped the mortals to fight the monsters, some of these monsters settled down in the Beol mountains. The legends are about the offsprings."

Oho ? Tell me more !" Bell sounded excited.

"The legend Syr told me is about a monster called "King of the Mountains", no one knows exactly how it looks, only that it has razor sharp teeth."

"Is it strong ?"

"It is said to be the number one, that every other monsters cowers before it."

"I wonder how it looks...it must be huge and strong."

"Probably."

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Just when the sun was about to set they arrived at the forest. They were mainly deciduous trees and not all had their full leafage for now. The bigger ones reached up to twenty meters.
A few Oaks, many maples, some beech trees and only rarely a Conifer. Not that Bell recognized the trees but Ryuu did and she enjoyed it to enter a forest after a longer time. The bushes hasn´t to their luck not grown very tight, so they could walk easily. It was a few degrees cooler under the trees than outside. They followed an animal path seeing a few curious squirrels looking at them and a shy deer. The animals doesn´t seem to fear them, maybe it was due to Ryuu being an elf ? When they passed a tree, a squirrel came down and sniffed at Ryuus ear.

"You shouldn´t approach unknown creatures little one, it can be dangerous." Ryuu looked at the squirrel.

"Ehehe..I don´t think it understands you." Bell smiled with closed eyes.

The two walked around ten minutes until Ryuu heard the sound of water, following it they arrived at a small lake. It measured about fifty meter in diameter, the treetops didn´t cover the whole lake so it was warmed by the sun. No one else seemed to be here.

"Looks peaceful." Bell looked around.

"Yes." Ryuu put down her backpack.

"You want to take a bath right now ? The water should be still warm." .
"If possible.."

"I will set up our camp, enjoy your bath." .
"Bell wait, we should refil our water beforehand."

"We can do it later can´t we ?" .
Ryuu looked at him from the side while pulling out her towel from the backpack. "No that would be a problem."

"Eh ? Why that ? We have enough time."

"We shouldn´t." Ryuu whispered.

"Hm ?" Bell turned to her.

"We can´t take the water after I bathed in it, Bell. Its not healthy." Ryuu averted her eyes.

"Wha-! N-no ! I-I didn´t t-thought about that !" Bell panicked.

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They refilled their water and Ryuu gave her backpack to Bell, after she took out all of her clothes, the food was stored under her clothes and both didn´t want Bell to seek through Ryuus clothes. Thankfully Mama Mia had given Ryuu a tiny boiler with a handle, together with a set of special magic stone they could cook without making a fire. Ryuu had explained to Bell on the road why it was no good idea to make a fire in a forest. Bell carried the bags two a small glade near the lake. The ground here was evenly without roots, only a few stones which he put out of the way.
After the area was as clear as possible Bell took the big sheet from his backpack, that was curled up under it. It was better to sleep on a sheet than on the ground, even when the sheet got dirty. After he rolled out his blanket Bell started to prepare the food. He set up the small metal ring in which the magic stones were, as he took the boiler Ryuu returned. She had her clothes under one arm, still drying her hair with the towel in her other hand. .
"I´m sorry for not helping Bell." .
"It´s okay, you can watch the camp when I´m going to wash myself after we´ve eaten." .
Ryuu put away her clothes and crouched down next to Bell, as he took the note Mama Mia gave them.

"What shall we do ?" Ryuu looked at him, neither she nor Bell were really good at cooking.

"The note says "Put the stew with a bit of water in the boiler and heat it while stir. Even you two should be able to do it.""

What Mia wrote was not exaggerated, Ryuu and Bell were not really good at cooking, sometimes they trained at the pub. Said stew was in a sealed can, Mama Mia also packed them two bowels and cutlery to eat. She really thought of everything.

"To be able to enjoy Mama Mias food while traveling." Ryuu smiled.

"I wonder how much we have to pay for everything." .
"Mama Mia said she gives you as special discount, so only 60.000 Vals." Ryuu started to unseal the can.

"60.000 ?!" Bell looked at Ryuu horrified.

"Yes, quite cheap don´t you think ?"

"Thats expensive !"

"Is that so ? Adventurers normally pay a higher price for her food."

"Irgh..."

"And she expects that we eat at the pub the day we come back, since you´re eloping with me...what does that mean ?" She lookened.

"What ?! Ah..eh..nothing important." He waved it off.

"Let us try our best Bell, we can´t disgrace Mama Mias food."

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Carefully they poured the cold stew into the boiler followed by a bit water, the magic stones were activated with a few hits, now they just had to wait and stir. From what they could see,
there was meat inside, carrots, mushrooms and a few other vegetables, as it started to heat up, a pleasant smell filled the air. If there was someone watching these two, they would find it comical to watch them stir the stew with such concentrated faces, but to be fair it was a challenge for them not to let it burn. After a while the temperatur seemed to be alright, so Ryuu took out a ladle and filled the bowels, while Bell broke some bread they also had with them.

Since it was slowly getting dark now Ryuu had already sat up the magic stone lamp and the tool to scare of insects. .
Both held their bowels up.

""Thanks for the food.""

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The taste was to die for.

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From the first spoon they couldn't help but enjoy it. Although it was a day old the meat was really tender, and it tasted really good despite the light taste that Ryuu preffered. .
"Mmhh...it tastes like everything absorbed the sauce and taste of the other ingredients." Bell dipped some bread in it.

"Yes, Mama Mias food is always delicious."

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After they had eaten, they cleaned the boiler and other tools.

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"Shall he go to sleep ? It´s becomming late." Bell looked around the darkened forest.

"Sounds good, would you mind turning around ?" Ryuu took out her sleeping wear.

"Of course not."

The problem right now was not Bell seeing Ryuu change...but hearing the rustling of clothes was. Thankfully after a few moments she declared he could turn around again. In the light of the magic stone lamp her clothes looked black instead of their green color. Ryuu stood turned away from him and leaned forward over her backpack to take her blanket out, that caused Bell to immediately look away again. For the first time the thought occurred to him that they were alone in the whole forest, the animals not counted. .
Clear your head...

Both laid downm, wrapped themselves in their blankets and used the backpacks as pillows. .
Ryuu put out the lamp. .
After a few minutes lying Ryuu heard a light chuckle from Bell.

"Bell ?" .
"Ah sorry, I just thought about something."

"What was it ?"

"My Grandpa...he used to tell me stories of old...from Heroes and their adventures. I really liked them, especially the stories of Argonaut."

Ryuu turned her head to him, it was dark but she could see his outline.

"In one of the stories Argonaut had a companion, a beautiful elven bard, she had long green hair, mostly green clothes, a white and brown cape, a spirit harp and a cheerfull smile...
I always dreamed about being like him, meeting such an beautfiul elf, traveling with her, laugh with her...and it seems right now I´m doing that." She heard him grin. "It´s like a dream coming true." .
Ryuu blinked a few times. "So you´re saying...I´m like the elf from your story, that you´re traveling with right now ?"

Bell coughed. "Ah uhm...ähm...yes ?" .
"Thats kind of you Bell...but I don´t think I´m really beau-"

"But you are ! You´re one of the most stunning women I know !" It was easier for him to say things like that when she couldn´t see his face.

"Do you always say things like that to woman ?"

"L-like my grandpa said "Praise a woman until she smiles, that way you will make her happy."" .
"You´re a sly one somtimes Bell...But I don´t think I´m beautif-"

"Please don´t make yourself small Ryuu...its a bad habit." Bell sounded serious .
Ryuu chuckled, he had used her saying against her. "Thats a point for you Bell."

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"...So...you´re saying you like long hair ?" Ryuu stroked a short strand of hair.

"I do...but why ?" .
"Just curious..." .
Should I let it grow ?...

Ryuu heard him yawn. "I think we should go to sleep Bell." .
"I think you´re right...good night..Ryuu.." He sounded sleepy already.

"Good night, Bell." She closed her eyes, a bit happy about his praise.

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Both slept peacefully, with no danger approaching them in the night and just like Hestia demanded, they kept a distance to each other. But not for the first time both realized how relaxing it can be to hear the breath of another person while sleeping.

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Far away at the foot of the mountains in a lone house.

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"Hubby it´s getting late, whe should go to sleep." A black tail swished from side to side, belonging to the person that spoke.

"You´re right my love, tomorrow is another day and we have much to do." A taller figure answered the first one.

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Much farer away in the Beol mountains.

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Deep in a cave something that was sleeping started to move. No monster in the mountains dared to approach the area where this cave were. Only the resident of this cave.
Claws scraped over stone...leaving scrath marks...fur rustled...a smack could be heard...two Saber teeth in a maw full of sharp teeth flashed...one eye opened...revealing a red eyeball...a growl could be heard.

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The time of sleep was over...the time of hunt had come again.

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With a titantic howl, fitting its mighty build, the King of the Mountains rose from his slumber.