The carriage moved steadily along the dirt road at a constant pace. The massive wheels left wide ruts behind them. Cassia, still dressed in men’s clothes, guided the carriage neither fast nor slow. Wheat-sown fields replaced one another. The family’s journey passed peacefully and smoothly. Inside the carriage, two children sat with their eyes closed.

  ?How many scarecrows were set up in the field on the right?? Catherine asked.

  ?Seven,? came the girl’s clear voice.

  ?What kind of headwear did they have??

  ?Three straw hats. One cap. Two of the scarecrows had no headwear, and the last one had no head at all,? echoed a boyish voice.

  ?How many windows were there in the little church??

  ?Two windows on either side of the entrance and three on each wall,? the children tried to recall without opening their eyes.

  ?What animals do you remember??

  ?Three cows in the pasture. A goat by the old oak. Five crows on the scarecrows.?

  ?You forgot about the cat on the roof. Grace wins!?

  Hearing the verdict, the twins opened their eyes. The girl’s slender figure slipped into her mother’s embrace, waiting for her to play with her long hair (to do Grace’s hair).

  Grey, meanwhile, stared gloomily out the window, setting his mind on taking revenge.

  They had just been playing a small improvised game. Every morning, when the children woke up and saw how yesterday’s monotonous view had been replaced by an entirely new one today, their mother allowed them to look out the carriage windows for only one minute.

  Within the allotted time, the twins tried to notice and remember as many details of the landscape before them as possible, while Catherine questioned them about any random things she chose.

  Whoever answered most accurately won and received the right to have a small wish fulfilled. The winner could choose breakfast, listen to a favorite story, or decide the time and place of their next stop.

  Such games were routine for them.

  A month of uninterrupted travel had already passed. Over that time, the travelers had covered a considerable distance. Their route had led through vast fields, full-flowing rivers, and numerous small settlements.

  The area they were crossing now was nothing more than ordinary agricultural land. Ahead of them lay the Deepwood Forest—the main obstacle for travelers attempting to cross the territory of the Magical Empire quickly.

  This forest was a natural barrier within the Magical Empire. It was filled with rich and diverse wildlife, almost comparable to that of the Elven Continent, Yggdrasil.

  However, the Deepwood Forest was far less welcoming to random travelers than the Province of Endless Forests in Rime. Due to its dense and towering trees, it had become home to many monsters and fugitives who hunted or robbed unlucky travelers daring enough to step onto their territory.

  Since the rulers of the Magical Empire used the Deepwood Forest as high-rank hunting grounds, they had no intention of destroying this natural barrier, despite the tempting economic prospects.

  Many monstrous creatures also dwelled there. Rumors claimed that even to this day, the Deepwood Forest had not been fully explored, as some of its regions were dangerous even for those who held the rank of Sky Dweller.

  The wagon moved slowly and confidently into the forest. The children nestled comfortably in their mother’s embrace, unaware that they were entering dangerous territory.

  And how could they have known? Catherine had always protected them in silence, quietly and unobtrusively resolving any problems that arose, shielding the twins from every possible threat. From their point of view, entering the Deepwood Forest was merely another change of scenery and nothing more.

  Very soon, the road grew so narrow that tree branches, like mysterious hands, reached toward the wagon, rustling with leaves and creaking in the light breeze. As they passed through an especially dense stretch of forest, Cassia, who continued to lead the team, listened intently to every sound, her eyes slightly narrowed. Suddenly, a loud crack of a branch rang out, and a squirrel burst from the trees, startled by the unexpected guests. Darting sharply aside, it nearly slammed into the wagon wheels, forcing the servant to brake abruptly.

  ?So much for a reward for vigilance,? she chuckled, glancing back and realizing she had unintentionally startled the passengers.

  ?Ah, a squirrel!? Grace exclaimed, awakened by the sudden stop.

  ?Don’t relax, Cassius! We’re in the Deepwood Forest,? Catherine said calmly, not forgetting to address the servant by her “husband’s” name. Even though no one else was around, the mother did not want the children to think that the game of disguise was over.

  Ten minutes later, Cassia understood why her mistress had insisted on maintaining vigilance. The sound of clashing weapons could be heard nearby, gradually drawing closer to their group. There was no way to steer the wagon off the road—the path was too narrow. Cassia drew her daggers, ready to eliminate any threat.

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  ?Help those three, but don’t use your full strength. Limit yourself to the late Mortal stage. Act as if you’re desperately defending the family. Take a light injury, but don’t let the bandits get close to the wagon,? she heard Catherine’s strict yet calm instructions. Although Cassia did not know what her mistress was planning, she did not doubt her words.

  Soon, she spotted a group of three people fleeing from the forest, desperately fending off a band of robbers. The group consisted of three young-looking individuals: a fair-haired young man about twenty-five years old and two young ladies with cat ears and ash-colored hair, who looked around seventeen. Chasing them was a dozen tall bandits, their faces relaxed and filled with sinister smiles, sharply contrasting with the panic etched on the faces of those running for their lives. It was obvious that the bandits were toying with their prey, savoring the way their victims slowly sank into despair. They had no intention of finishing them off immediately.

  ?Damn it, there are people here! Drop everything and run, quickly!? the fair-haired young man tried to warn the newcomers.

  It was clear they did not want to drag others into their troubles. However, what could they do? The forest was dense and dark, and the narrow path was their only road to survival.

  ?Ho-ho, boss, there’s more prey here—and what a fine catch!? one of the bandits sang out in a vile voice.

  ?That’s right, boss, look at the carriage we found for the comfort of your noble self,? another began to fawn.

  ?Aaaaah, darling, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!! You have to save us!? Catherine’s voice rang out from the wagon, filled with panic and hope that her “husband” would protect her and the children. The woman’s acting was flawless. Even Cassia, who was playing the role of the husband, felt for a moment that she was obliged, no matter what, to protect the desperate “wife” from the clutches of the ferocious bandits who would surely want to violate the fragile beauty.

  When these thoughts flashed through the servant’s mind, she had to make a considerable effort to maintain a serious expression on her face.

  ?Fight with everything you’ve got, there are children in the wagon! I’ll take four of them and the leader,? Cassia commanded coldly, while a fit of uncontrollable laughter made her lips twitch strangely. That twitch did not go unnoticed and caused a great misunderstanding among the bandits. They collectively decided that the “hero-lover” was trying to hide his fear behind a mask of bravery, completely unaware of the servant’s true feelings.

  ?Damn it, to hell with it! Girls, we fight! We can’t let the kids die because of us!? the fair-haired young man shouted, turning around and charging into battle.

  Cassia had already thrown herself at the pack of cutthroats, driving her dagger beneath the ribs of a laughing man with a sharp, fluid motion, sending him off to meet his creator. This unexpected action made the bandits’ faces turn deadly serious. In that brief moment, they realized they had run into a tough nut to crack.

  ?Forward, boys, don’t let the bastard live! Playtime’s over, for fuck’s sake!? the leader shouted, swinging his broadsword at the “hero-lover,” who was already trying to behead the next fighter.

  ?He’s strong, the son of a bitch! Don’t let your guard down, or you’ll lose your heads!? the deputy screamed desperately as he joined the boss in battle.

  Seeing that the “defender,” though not without effort, had managed to tie down six bandits on her own, the group of fugitives began fighting even more fiercely. The fair-haired young man took on the role of a “tank,” swinging a large two-handed sword and preventing the others from getting through. The smaller cat-girl fired from her bow, constantly aiming at anyone who became distracted.

  The older one possessed magical abilities related to plant control. She drove her hands into the ground and tried to entangle their opponents with tree branches, disrupting their coordination. It was precisely her contribution on the battlefield that allowed the outnumbered group to hold their own against the onslaught of seasoned cutthroats.

  The children, genuinely terrified, huddled inside the wagon. It was the first time they had ever seen such a bloody battle. Several corpses already lay along the narrow path, and somewhere nearby an amputated arm of one of the bandits was sprawled on the ground. It did not help that their usually confident mother had shrunk back in fear along with them, trying to cover their eyes. Through the gaps between their mother’s trembling fingers, the children watched a horrifying scene that seemed to them as though it came straight from hell. They also saw that Cassia was badly wounded. A huge gash was visible across her abdomen, from which blood flowed without stopping.

  All of it truly looked horrifying, especially to the little rascals who had never once witnessed such a brutal fight. They had successfully forgotten how their mother had threatened the “father-king” with the destruction of his province. Even if they could have remembered it, they would never have thought that their “gentle” mommy could be far more terrifying than the battle unfolding before them.

  It must be understood that on that ill-fated day, they could only vaguely comprehend what had happened. The most dreadful ordeal had been Grey’s own injury, but he could not observe it from the outside and did not see his own condition. Grace had fainted outright upon seeing her brother’s blood. Even if, at that moment, both children had remained conscious and been able to watch Catherine’s battle, all they would have seen were blurred silhouettes. The current scene, however, was the embodiment of their most terrible nightmares.

  This was not a fantasy world where a brilliant and heroic child would seize a weapon and rush into battle to protect their loved ones, regardless of danger. This was real life in a magical world. In such a fight, children could only close their eyes and tremble in their mother’s embrace, doing their best not to hear the screams of pain and the clang of metal.

  Pretending to tremble with fear, Catherine focused all her attention on the twins’ condition. She completely ignored the battle. Although she understood that witnessing such a merciless fight would subject her children to severe stress, and more than once wanted to intervene to stop the entire farce, she hardened her heart again and again, considering such an experience a necessity.

  Make no mistake—there were no parenting forums in this world, no state support, no guides for single mothers. Everything Catherine did, she did based on her own values, experience, and imagination. She wanted only the best for her children and did everything in her power to raise them.

  In this world, death was a common occurrence, and it was better for her children to become acquainted with such things early. Catherine decided that facing mortal danger under her careful supervision would only strengthen their will and benefit their future. And she acted in accordance with those thoughts, even if such actions caused her unimaginable emotional pain.

  She continued to clench her fists until they bled, convincing herself that such a barbaric method of upbringing was necessary in this cruel world, where only the strongest survive and prosper. Who knows whether she would be right? Only time would answer that question.

  In the heat of the moment, no one noticed how, behind Grey’s eyes shut tight with fear, his black pupils faintly pulsed, trying to swallow the cornea…