I shouted with high tension as I stretched my hands to the air. As the lush greenery surrounded me as the sun faced its rays on me.

The news of our victory has spread out and the camps that have scattered have now converged into the major camp.

There were also independent resistance groups who weren't part of the resistance before, and knowing our victory, they placed themselves under the resistance.

And today, they are being a.s.signed to their own squads and units, and are being sized in for their new uniforms. The resistance looks more of a formidable force, I can see many news faces. It feels like the kingdom was reborn for a bit, even when there's no castle or proper houses.

For someone who's been in the hard days of resistance, the scene I am seeing is so moving.

The non-combatants were keeping up with the production of the uniforms and there were also spirits that helped with it, such as Valeri's small and little spirits. 

Since that victory the tension we have been feeling was wearing off, feeling that this time we can finally win.

Unlike the times when we were uncertain about where and when we will run, and how many will be left, next time the dark-elves attack. 

Now, I am seeing this liveliness as I climbed the tallest tree near the cliff where I can see the trainings, the group a.s.signments, the uniform making, and strangely, the melee weapon making — Slaine wanted us to carry a small sword with us each time, instead of relying on our bow and arrows.

Luckily, there were mineral deposits on the cave, and on the fresh groups that have joined one of them was a blacksmith. So now he is teaching others how to make it.

"Does it really feel good? Watching people work… well, what are you getting excited about? You aren't even working"

I heard the voice of the man, who's lying at one of the branches with a bird on his shoulder munching on an apple.

He is lying opposite to me, he did this in purpose so I wouldn't be able to see his face. 

"It's just a moving sight that makes me want to work on something other than babysitting this mean gentleman. Also shouldn't we be at the leaders now?"

Well, technically I am working by watching over you though...

I don't really get him, sometimes he tries so hard and there are also days where he's just lazying around.

Well, I can't complain because I don't have to do any work or training… wait!

"That's right! Slaine! Training! You haven't trained me yet!"

"Huh? Did I promise that?"

"Yes, you did! After we got out of the torture room!"

Slaine before just taught me about a good usage of my treants, but not really the training that will make me strong as him, I want to have that power too, so I can be stronger to protect the ones I treasure. So as payback for patting my head at the torture room, I force — convinced him to promise into taking the same training as his, or else I would spread the word.

It seems he wanted to keep up his cold and mysterious persona.

When a male elf pats the head of a female elf in our culture is like saying that he likes me.

So it surprised me when he did that, but it turns out that he didn't know our culture. For some reason, it p.i.s.sed me off that I was stupid enough to become fl.u.s.tered and hazy even for a short time.

When I told him about that he immediately agreed to my request, but it seems like he has forgotten about it already.

"Well… ahhh, just go train with the others. And I will have nothing more to teach you my pupil."

"Hey… take me seriously will you? Or else I'm going to tell everyone about it this time!"

These days, Slaine has been more responsive towards me, I wonder what has changed? 

He threw what remained of the apple and wiped his s.h.i.+rt and stood up but almost fell from the tree. If not for Eagle, the bird desperately flapping its wings he would have already fallen down.

I wonder how can someone be so bad at balancing, walking and jumping on trees should be a basic right? I even learned it when I was 2.

Maybe he was a sheltered mage before? And was just awakened because the world needs him??

or… not, it doesn't suit his image and att.i.tude that I've been closely seeing these days.

But still… that was funny.

"Pfftt.... What are you doing Slaine?! Hahahaha"

I held my stomach as I was laughing out loud as I failed to hold my laughter this time.

"I'm just not used to it… if you keep laughing I won't fulfill the promise you know?"

I immediately covered my mouth.

"Really?"

He just nodded.

"Okay, I'll shut up… "

....

After following him around, and being carried by Eagle to the skies, we suddenly found ourselves at the waterfalls where he lived.

"Okay, first training, face your fears,"

"Fears?"

"You guys… don't like bugs, right?"

"Huh?"

What came after was more like Slaine putting me into all sorts of ordeal.

He left me into the thick parts of the forest and I have to stay there and deal with bugs.

Next, he had me capture them by hand, and next he cooked them for me, with me a.s.sisting him, and finally…

"Eat"

"What?"

"Eat those bugs"

"Whaaat!!??? NO!!! NO!!! NO!!!"

"You wanted to be strong, right? This is the first step!"

"Y-Yes! I wanted to, but this is too much already! AHHH NOOO!!!"

"Okay… open wide, it's my handmade meal you know, say ahhh"

I struggled and told him no, but Eagle's claw was at my shoulders, and I can't stand as well, because the cute Raven was resting at my feet looking at me cutely.

Slaine opened my mouth and dropped cooked insects.

As an elf a race that instinctually hate bugs, I felt the hairs on my body standing as I felt the bugs at my tongue.

"Okay… chew it."

With tears in my eyes, I shook my head.

Slaine… no more please… or I'll really cry like a baby right now.

But, his eyes simply smiled and told me.

"Chew…"

Driven by the pressure, and subconsciously wanting to follow his ways, and my duty to accompany him always in his craziness, no matter how I despised insects, I finally chewed it.

My elven ancestors… please forgive me.

It was disgusting and crunchy and…

"This is… delicious."

"I told you, right?"

It was a strange flavor I never tasted before; it was salty but a bit sweet, and also I just realized that it smelled great, it seems like. I saw him use some dried plants, ground it and poured it on his cooking.

I never thought that something that looked some disgusting could taste so delicious.

"I thought that you were just being mean with me for laughing at you earlier"

I took another insect and munched it.

Wow… this really tastes good, I wonder how it would taste if he cooked bird and boards the same way.

I then unconsciously looked at Raven while chewing.

Is it my imagination or did my thoughts get transmitted to him? Raven immediately flew away from me and landed to Slaine's shoulder and turned away from me. 

"Well… that was part of it."

So he was really being mean to me.

"But… I also wanted you to learn the lesson, that not all things can be judged by how they look.

For example, dark-elves look scary at first, right? But when you use your mind and figure out how to coo—, defeat them most of them are just simpleminded right?" 

He almost slipped and spoke "cooked", cooking dark-elves.

That would be disgusting no matter how delicious he tries to cook it.

"That's why the most important thing to train is here… "

He pointed towards the temple of his head.

"Be sensitive to different things in the battle.

If you are, you��ll learn to fight whether you want to or not. 

Always choose battles you can win, there's only so much you can do with pride and courage.

Never rely on what you know beforehand. Things can change quickly in the battlefield.

Also, don't rely on tradition, or what's common, because the enemy can use that on you if you are not careful, being dynamic and unpredictable is also key.

When I first met you guys, most of you were cowards. I think cowardice is important sometimes to protect yourselves. 

But you guys are more afraid of something than that, you fear about honor and pride getting tarnished more than death.

Your skills are superb but your strategies are lacking, you guys take the battlefield too personal, even in a bigger picture.

That's why I got rid of that first and put you into a battlefield where you realized that protecting your honor and pride won't get you anywhere. 

Now, did you learn a lesson from this my pupil?"

At first, I thought he was just really messing with me, but to think that some important lessons can be taught just by facing my fears and eating bugs. 

I wasn't able to answer, so he just took a bug from my plate, opened the cover on his mouth a bit, and munched on the bug with satisfaction in his eyes. 

For the first time I saw just a small part of his lower face.

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