As Draven walked out of the room, both Aldric and Lyriana, standing outside the door, followed behind him.
He moved down the hallway with one hand inside his pockets, the other rubbing his chin, he thought:
What the hell am I even going to cook anyway? Can't just throw some scraps together—she's gonna expect something decent.
Maybe a stew? Nah, that sounds fucking boring.
Maybe something with meat…
Maybe I should go hunting for fresh meat.
I'm living in the middle of a damn forest—gotta be some kind of wild game out there, right? A boar? A bear? Something big wandering around.
Don't actually know if there is anything out there—never seen it myself.
But I guess that doesn't count since I barely even go out.
Might as well check.
If there is—fresh meat's fresh meat.
If not, well... guess I'll figure something else out.
Turning over his shoulder and glancing at Lyriana trailing behind him, he said:
"Hey Lyriana.
Go to my room and grab my bow and gloves.
Hmm... and my dagger as well."
She nodded without a word and moved disappeared down the hall.
Draven smirked to himself.
"Since I'm going hunting... better be ready, though.
Bringing all three of them just might be a bit too much."
Aldric, walking behind, raised an eyebrow.
"Your bow and gloves? Even dagger? What the hell are we going to do now?"
Draven didn't stop walking. "Will you shut the hell up? That's why I didn't send you.
Always askin' damn questions instead of just doing your job."
Aldric frowned, thinking:
Damn brat.
So I'm just supposed to shut up and do whatever you say without asking?
You barely even touch your weapons—and when you do, it's usually just the bow when you're out practicing.
You haven't picked up your bow in years, but now you suddenly want all of them at once and expect me not to ask?
Tch.
Whatever.
He doesn't tell me even when I do ask.
If he's planning something reckless... I can't even imagine what the King and Queen would do to us if something happened to him.
No matter what you say, I'm not just gonna stand by and let you risk my little sis's life again.
Picking up his pace to keep up with Draven, Aldric muttered, "Since you're not bringing only the bow this time, I'm guessing you're not just heading out to practice shooting goblins for fun?"
Draven didn't answer right away—he just kept walking, hands in his pockets.
Without looking back, he said:
"What do you think?"
Aldric glanced at him and thought:
What do I think? I think you're an annoying brat with a sharp tongue and no sense of self-preservation.
Always mouthing off.
Always doing whatever the hell you want.
They soon reached a door , just as Draven reached for the door handle, it swung open.
Lyriana stood there, holding the weapons.
She stepped forward and held them out.
"Young Master, I have brought them as requested.
Shall I prepare anything else?"
Draven raised a hand and took the gloves from her.
As he slipped them on, he said:
"Nah, this'll do."
He took the dagger and added:
"You can hold on to that."
Then he turned around.
"Okay. Let's go."
---
They moved into the forest, jumping from tree to tree, swiftly moving like shadows beneath the canopy, barely making a sound.
Lyriana kept pace beside him.
After a while, she asked quietly:
"Young Master… if I may ask… what exactly are we doing out here? Hunting, or something else?"
Draven shrugged.
"Yeah, you can say so.
Just looking for some fresh meat."
"Meat?" she repeated.
"Yeah.
I wanna cook something for my mom. Something fresh and decent, not just scraps.
Maybe a wild boar, a bear… even rabbits. Basically whatever's around."
Lyriana's eyes shifted as she scanned the quiet woods.
"With all due respect, Young Master, but… I really don't think there's anything like that in this forest."
Aldric, trailing behind, scowled again.
So now he's explaining, but when I ask, I get barked at like a damn servant.
Brat, you better not be getting any funny ideas with my little sis…
Draven thought, Yeah, no shit.
Like I haven't already figured that out.
Still gonna check.
There's gotta be something out here.