They headed inside the Undrasil Monster Forest.
Lawrend was much more laid back than before. After all, he's a High Mage. He can fly away and if that's not enough, Aezel was there. And if that also wasn't enough, he still had Clova Whitebird.
He was very confident that this trip would be very laid back compared to before.
Actually, Aleshia wanted to come. If it weren't for her current condition, she would have come no matter what. It was only with Aezel and Amene escorting Lawrend was she satisfied.
"Master, how far is it?" Amene asked.
She was holding onto her bow very tightly. Her demihuman instincts were sounding an alarm inside her head. This was a forest filled with abundant danger.
"I… am not sure. Let me check." Lawrend closed his eyes and looked inside his body.
'Eleanor, can you feel it? How far is it?' Lawrend asked.
'It's at the other side of the forest, Master,' Eleanor replied.
'What? That far? I guess I can only call her,' Lawrend exclaimed in shock.
He opened his eyes and a flute appeared in his hand. Aezel and Amene stared at it in confusion.
Lawrend started playing it randomly. Clova Whitebird never told him what tune to play. Besides, he had no idea how to play it.
Lawrend waited patiently for a few seconds before a giant roc flew over from afar.
"I-Is that the guardian of the Undrasil Monster Forest that you were talking about, Master?" Aezel asked him in amazement.
"She is," Lawrend replied.
"Nyaaa! It's so big and scary!" Amene said in fear as she slowly backed away.
Clova Whitebird landed in front of Lawrend. She made a large thud and stared down at him.
"That was an awful tune, Master. I almost considered not going," Clova said.
"Ahahaha… It can't be that bad, right?" Lawrend laughed dryly.
"It is that bad," Clova replied.
"Anyways, can you take me to the other edge of this forest?" Lawrend asked.
"Other edge? What is your business there?" Clova Whitebird squinted her eyes as she stared at him.
"I want to find something," Lawrend replied.
"Alright. As long as you don't do anything malicious to the forest. I permit it," Clova Whitebird replied.
"Thank you," Lawrend replied in gratitude.
"So, where is it?" Clova Whitebird asked.
"Uhh…"
Lawrend closed his eyes quickly and asked Eleanor.
'It's at the East, Master,' Eleanor replied.
"...East!" Lawrend opened his eyes and answered.
"Hm. Okay. Ride my back," Clova Whitebird replied.
"Aezel, Amene, let's go!" Lawrend turned to them and beckoned.
"But Master, that's a scary-looking bird!" Amene said in fear.
As a demihuman cat, she was very fearful of this huge bird in front of them. If she could, she would have already ran far away.
"Don't worry. She works for me now. She won't hurt you, right?" Lawrend turned to the white roc in front of him.
"I don't hurt weaklings," Clova Whitebird replied as she eyed Amene.
"Ahnya!" Amene felt an illusory arrow hit her heart.
She was weak but the way she said it made it 1000 times worse than it should have. Her cat heart was distressed.
"... Let's go ride her," Lawrend said to them.
He was the first one as he rode her back. Aezel inspected the white roc before climbing up its back. Amene was the only one left on the ground.
"Amene, come up. It's safe," Lawrend said to her in reassurance.
"Nyaaa… What if I fell, Master? This bird will surely kill me!" Amene replied fearfully.
"Come on. You weren't that scared when you rode the Fire Wyvern," Lawrend replied in slight annoyance.
Amene gritted her teeth before deciding to swallow her fear and jumping on the white roc's side. She climbed the thick and fluffy feathers. She then sat behind Lawrend.
"Hold me tightly, Amene. You might fall," Lawrend said.
Amene wrapped her arms around his stomach and pressed her body against him. She was shivering in fear. It seemed like there was an instinctive fear inside her for Clova Whitebird.
"Master, hold me tightly," Amene said.
"Yes," Lawrend replied.
He grabbed her hands and held onto her. He made her wrap around him much more tightly.
"Ready?" Clova Whitebird asked.
"Yes," Lawrend responded.
*Fwoosh fwoosh*
The thick gusts of wind generated by her wings slowly built thrust and lifted them off the ground. Amene embraced his stomach even tighter in fear of falling to the ground and dying.
Clova Whitebird started flying eastward and the wind-generated was cold and slightly uncomfortable.
"Relax, Amene. I can't breathe…" Lawrend said to her.
"O-Okay…" Amene was forced to slowly loosen her grip. As a result, her body started shaking in fear.
"Amene, are you okay? Hold onto the feathers tightly instead. It should be more connected, and you would be even safer," Lawrend said to her in advice.
"Yes, Master," Amene responded.
She let go of Lawrend's stomach before tightly gripping the feathers surrounding them.
"Nyaaaa! This is scary!" Amene shouted with her eyes closed.
Lawrend made eye contact with Aezel in front of him and the two of them smiled. Amene's reaction was quite funny.
They continued heading farther and farther away from the Undrasil Monster Forest in the blink of an eye.
…
The sun was already at high noon when they arrived at their destination.
"This is the most eastern part of the Undrasil Monster Forest. Suit yourself," Clova Whitebird said as she landed on the ground.
Lawrend looked around and scanned the area.
"It's empty," Lawrend muttered.
He closed his eyes and communicated with Eleanor.
'Where is it?' he asked.
'It's to your left, Master. At the rock,' Eleanor replied.
'A rock?'
Lawrend opened his eyes in confusion and looked at where she guided him to.
There was a sword-like stone protruding from the ground. Lawrend couldn't believe what he was seeing. Such a perfect and sword-looking natural rock.
'What's this? Are you talking about this sharp rock?' Lawrend asked again with his eyes closed.
'That's not just a rock, Master. That's the…'