"Another day Alexian! Wake up!" Alexian Moreton said to herself while slightly tapping on her cheeks. It's nothing new, she have gotten used to it. She would always wake up early in the morning to prepare breakfast. The sun haven't even rises yet and the outside is covered with mist making the place seems colder as the morning breeze flow with the wind.

Alexian Moreton. Who is she? She is a maiden in her twenties, living with and was raised by her father in a mountain summit, a place within the scope of ruling of the Kingdom of Adeline. The place where they live have a village downhill but they were still far from the capital. They are close to the borderline between the Kingdom of Adeline and Kingdom of Reuz.

Stretching her body, she pulled herself up and leave her sleeping mat. Her room was simply decorated, within resides her sleeping handwoven mat with her white blanket and little pillow. There's a cabinet where her clothes are neatly folded in a corner, and a table and chair with a candle holder.

She fold her sleeping mat and blanket and put them near the cabinet before heading downstairs to prepare their breakfast.

The house was made of bamboos. It has a second floor with two rooms, for her and her father. Downstairs is a simple resting place. They have a little living room with a bamboo made sofa and a center table with a vase full of flowers, while the other side was the kitchen where they cook and eat. The house is not too big nor too simple, just right for the two of them.

Alexian put on her woven hat and headed to their vegetable field just behind their house. After getting the ingredients, she return to their house to prepare them before lighting up the fire with woods.

The sun have just started to rise when she finish cooking. After cleaning all the used equipment, she change into a comfortable clothes. She left the house after getting a bun in the kitchen.

Alexian jog her way up to the field nearby. This is one of her routine every morning. She will jog around the field until she finish several rounds and breaking some sweat.

"Alexian!" a call of a man from the field sounded.

"Uncle Bert! Good Morning!" Bert was a farmer. He is currently arranging his tools for harvesting his rice field. Of course, he is also waiting for the other farmers to start the harvest. Alexian was close to him and treat him as her own blood-related uncle.

"Same to you Alexian." He greeted back with a smile. "Aren't you getting tired? You always run every morning. You should enjoy yourself while you are young."

"Don't worry Uncle, I'm used to it. Thank you for your care." She replied while slightly lowering her speed. "Looks like a there's a good harvest this year." She said as she look at the rice field in front.

"Yes it is. Just hoping that there's no problem when we start the harvest later."

"Just don't tire yourself much Uncle. Take good care of your health too." Stretching up a bit, " I'll get going Uncle. Father must be awake already." she said as she speed up.

"This girl." Bert said while staring at the figure.

"Good Morning father!" Alexian greeted. She found that her father was already preparing the table for the breakfast.

"Good Morning too." Loen Moreton, Alexian's father respond.

"Done with your jog? Any goal for today?" He ask while staring at his daughter sweating all over. This daughter of his is really hard working. Looking at her progress, he can see that Alexian already surpass him.

"Well...I'm going to the forest with Reynold and Coven might tag along too." She said as she sat in front of the table.

"Coven..." Loen silently observe Alexian. "That kid is good but I don't like him being as sticky as tree resin to you."

Alexian pause for a minute and then suddenly laugh. "What are you talking about father? Just like what you said he is good. Resin? really?" She laugh while getting the vegetables.

Loen seriously said, "You might not notice but I do. That kid followed you everywhere, his motive is obvious."

"Don't even think about marrying so early." He murmured but his daughter still heard it.

"Marry? How did this issue connected with my marriage?" Alexian was stunned. How does his father's head run?

Loen was equally stunned. Not because Alexian heard him but because of her response. This daughter of his is too naive when it comes to that. He sigh. Now he didn't know if this is good or bad. He didn't want her to marry so early but Alexian might also won't marry for the rest of her life because of her lack of knowledge in love. Will he still be able to carry his grandchildren?

Alexian frown while staring at his father that fell into his own world again. "Father!"

"What!?" Loen was startled and then glared at his disrespectful daughter.

"You are thinking to much. You are really getting old." She laugh and tease. Loen was helpless and just let out a smile.

"Nevermind." He said as he shakes his head. "But you have to remember, a man can be a puppy and a wolf anytime. Your safety is still important. I know you can protect yourself but in my eyes, you are still my lovely little girl alright?"

"Yes father. Thank you." She replied. Her voice is full of energy and happiness. Having such a daughter is a blessing but being too pure is also worrying. Loen thought so.

After breakfast, Alexian clean up the dishes and headed to the stable. She saw the proud Reynold wagging his tail and letting out loud noises. She smile before unleashing the rope that is tied to him the whole night.

Reynold let out a loud happy neigh and run around the stable for two laps before bowing his head in front of Alexian. He wants a pat of course.

"How do you do Reynold? I'm sorry for the rope. Father said that you have to be tied in the stable every night and you are free when its daytime." She said while caressing the naughty horse that blew her hair, making it messy.

She laugh and pull her hair up in a ponytail. "Stop playing with my hair! Stay here and I'll get some fruits for later okay?"

With a loud neigh, the horse went up to the stack of hay and eat his breakfast. Alexian let him be and went to the back of their house. Aside from vegetables, there are also some fruit trees in there. She learned that it was planted by her mother in her early days.

After gathering half a basket of fruits, she also pick some berries before arranging her other tools.

Going back at the stable, she saw Reynold lying down and relaxing under the sun. She blow through her mouth and whistle startling the horse and making her laugh.

"It seems that today is a good day." She murmured while staring at the blue sky.

#

Alexian is currently adjusting the halter on Reynolds's head. The saddle is also already fixed on Reynold's back.~~~~

"Is it good now? Not too tight?" She asks while caressing in between the halter and Reynold's skin. Reynold replied with a neigh and seems to be ready to take off.

"Okay bud, I'll just get my sword and we'll leave."

Alexian check the baskets that have been fixed in the saddles. There are two baskets, one for the fruits, berries, and other dry food for snacks while the other basket is filled with different tools.

Alexian busied herself while arranging her thing when a voice suddenly sounded.

"Good day Alexian! Ready to go?" Alexian was startled. She turns around and saw the man's smiling face inches away from her.

Alexian put on a smile and greeted back. "Hey Coven!" She then put her hands on his face and slightly push him back. "You're too close! I still need some things to arrange for later. Wait for me here."

She then runs her way to her room to change clothes and get her sword.

Coven was speechless but then was only able to shake his head. This girl is unfeeling.

"Uncle Loen must be the reason." He told to himself.

"Who?" A low voice sounded. Coven felt the back of his neck cold. He turned around and saw a big figure so close that it was hard to breathe.

"U-Uncle! How are you?" He gulps. Does uncle Loen heard him?

"Oh, I'm good." He replied but still glared at the pale young man in front of him. "How about you? Can you still stand? You can seat, don't worry." Loen said without retracting his overbearing aura. Even though he already resigned from his position as a General, it is not a problem to suppress a lad that is sticking to his lovely daughter.

Coven felt himself breaking a sweat. Uncle Loen is scary.

"Father, what are you doing? You are bullying him again." Alexian runs from the house and saw the pale Coven in front of his father. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry after seeing this. Her father seems to be fond of scaring Coven.

Loen quickly retracts his aura and put on a gentle and innocent smile. "What are you saying? I'm not doing anything."

Alexian's lips twitched and ignore her childish father. "Are you okay Coven?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine." He half-laugh. He already felt his legs trembling. If Alexian didn't arrive so soon, he might be already kneeling.

He looks up and saw Loen shooting death glares at him. He then realizes that Alexian is supporting him by his arms. His face turned red and suddenly forget the glares of Loen.

"You are enjoying yourself huh?"

"Of cour---" Coven suddenly realizes his situation and jumps away from Alexian's arms reluctantly. He might get killed by Loen if he still enjoys himself.

"Father..."

"Oh yes! I still have some things to do. Go and have fun." He said and turn around before glancing at Coven. "Behave yourself." And he left.

"Your father is really scary." Coven said while caressing the back of his neck. Goosebumps haven't faded away.

"You already said that almost a thousand times." Alexian said before walking up to Reynold and lift herself. "Did you bring Max? You'll have to walk there yourself if you didn't."

Coven seems to be in a daze as his gaze fell on Alexian. She is really beautiful. She's like a deity in her white outfit.

Coven shakes his head and saw Alexian's frowning face. "Ah yes! I brought him! You go first, we will be right behind you."

"Hmm." A small smile appeared on Alexian's face. It seems to be contagious as Coven also smiles after seeing her expression.

"Will be waiting for you there. Aye!" With a loud neigh, Reynold and Alexian set off, heading to the forest.

The forest was known as Shadow Forest. It was because of the extreme darkness that covers the whole forest during the night. The branches and leaves of the trees are dense that the moonlight wasn't able to pass through making the place so dark. As the wind sways the trees, shadows of different mythical creatures were said to be playing and wandering around the forest and now gain its name as Shadow Forest.

In the present, no mythical creatures were seen but the Shadow Forest is still a dangerous place as different high tier beast lives in the inner part of it. If classified by ranks, the inner forest beast will be around 4th to 5th tier and the outer forest beast are 3rd and below, including normal wild animals.

The forest is located just a little bit lower from the peak where Alexian and her father live. The place is in the back part of the mountain. People from the town needs to go around the mountain to reach the place for hunting some game in the outer part of the forest. For the convenience of travel, some of the town hunters used to head to the forest through the Moreton's place and no one also dares to make trouble. The townspeople know that Loen has an extraordinary but mysterious background, they don't want to offend him. They had once seen him save many town hunters in the forest when a small stampede happened, resulting in a small number of casualties. They are wary of the Moretons at first, but after seeing that they are kind, they gradually accepted them. It's just a pity that the lady passed away due to disease just 3 months after giving birth to their now beautiful Alexian.

Alexian was a little naughty and clumsy when she was a child. She often bumped into people or things whenever she went to the town with her father for a stroll. With a small population of the town, almost everyone knows each other, and the little Alexian also didn't escape from the eyes of these people. The girl is too cute and lovely and paired with her white dress, she looks like a little fairy with every skip that she made.

The townspeople like her but also can't help but be frustrated about this little fairy. Her naughtiness has troubled many people but all they can ever do is to forgive her. Can you even scold a child that will look at you with teary eyes? Forget the eyes! You won't even be able to do that because of her cuteness.

Whenever people saw her, they always feel helpless and can only sigh. The little fairy had become a goddess after so many years.

Alexian scans the surroundings as they travel inside the forest. They are heading to a pond that resides between the boundary of the inner and outer part of the Shadow Forest. Alexian accidentally discovered it when she is 15 years old. She argued with her father at that time and run into the forest to vent her anger. Since then, it became her place of comfort and relaxation. She visits the place three times a week to train her swordsmanship. There are times that she will have a practice match with her father in there but most of the time she is by herself.

Alexian already knows the best route to the pond but the forest is still dangerous, she still has to be careful while traveling to prevent sudden attacks from beasts. Thankfully, they didn't encounter any beast while traveling.