The moon shone brightly, and fireflies flitted freely through the air. It was Lily's first time venturing into the wild. She paused to take in the scenery, then tried to reach for the fireflies with her short arms—though, naturally, they fluttered just out of reach. Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps broke the silence. Lily quickly grabbed her magic wand, extinguished her lantern, and hid behind the bushes.
She stole a quick glance, and as expected, the footsteps belonged to the hunters. They were scattering in all directions, trying to find something. Upon seeing this, Lily immediately cast a spell and sprinted away from the spot without making a sound. Once she felt he was far enough away, she leapt into the air and flew off on her staff.
Only after flying high enough did she feel safe. Lily immediately slowed her pace and took a moment to observe her surroundings; birds were flying alongside her. She briefly closed her eyes, feeling the cool, refreshing breeze wash over her. Opening her eyes, she gazed upward; the stars were clearly visible from this height. The light that had illuminated her face suddenly dimmed as she pondered how this had come to pass.
Suddenly, the sound of water became audible. She immediately moved toward the source of the sound. She carefully checked her surroundings; there were no settlements nearby. Lily slowly stepped down from her crutches and headed straight for the river. She quickly drew water from the river and drank it slowly. Afterward, she raised her staff and set up a shelter. The animals that had been hiding since her arrival began to emerge one by one; it seemed they no longer viewed Lily as a threat—something she, too, realized.
"I'm sorry for startling you all like that"
She then relit the flame in her lantern and cast several protective magic circles around herself before settling down for a sound sleep.
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Morning had arrived. Lily quickly got up and washed herself in the river; she also washed some of her clothes. The sunlight began to dazzle her eyes, and she swiftly shielded them with her hand. She paused for a moment, thinking,
"A fine day for doing laundry."
She smiled and began to sing along with the birds. After that, she hung up her clothes and started cooking a meal to take with her on her journey.
First, she lit the firewood by casting a fire magic circle. Next, she filled a small pot with river water and heated it. Then, she began dicing the vegetables and meat she had obtained the day before, making sure to add a seasoning cube. Only then did she put all the ingredients into the pot and stir gently. Once a savory aroma wafted from the pot, she added some breadcrumbs and waited a few moments. Finally, she ladled out a portion to eat, accompanied by a side of bread, and froze the rest using an ice magic circle.
Once she felt satisfied, Lily immediately packed her belongings, bade farewell to the surrounding animals, and then shot up into the sky on her staff. It was a quiet night for her, so she cast a small protection spell for the animals living around the river.
A moment later, she opened her bag, pulled out a map, and marked one of the areas on it. It seemed Lily was looking for something, but she couldn't find it there. She let out a heavy sigh. That particular location was one she hadn't visited yet, but it was extremely dangerous; teams had been sent there before, yet none had ever returned alive. Lily grew increasingly hesitant, but her resolve was firm—she had no choice but to go. She closed the map, tucked it back into her bag, and sped off toward the location.