Chapter 43: A Journey to Edem Garden

The Day of the Edem Garden Field Trip

A procession of carriages rolled through the heart of the city, their polished exteriors gleaming under the midday sun. The Academy had arranged fifteen carriages in total, enough to accommodate the students from Class A to Class C on the first day of the trip.

Each carriage held four students.

Inside one of them, Lucy sat with her chin propped on her hand, gazing lazily out the window. Sunlight streamed in, warming her skin and making her drowsy.

Beside her, Noah was absorbed in a book, while Abet dozed off, her head bobbing slightly with the carriage’s movements. The fourth passenger, Alice, sat stiffly across from her, occasionally sneaking nervous glances in Lucy’s direction.

Lucy frowned slightly, meeting Alice’s eyes just as she attempted to look away. A timid one, she mused. The girl’s demeanor suggested she wasn’t comfortable being randomly assigned to their group. Deciding it wasn’t worth worrying about, Lucy returned her gaze to the window.

Beyond the glass, the cityscape gradually gave way to lush greenery.

Arrival at Edem Hill

With a metallic clank, the carriages came to a halt at the edge of a dense forest. Towering trees stretched towards the sky, their emerald canopies swaying gently in the wind. This was Edem Hill, a sprawling, verdant haven south of Helatos.

Abet stirred, rubbing her groggy eyes.

“Are we here already?” she mumbled.

Lucy smirked. “You slept through the whole ride. What kept you up all night?”

Abet grinned sheepishly. “I was too excited.”

They weren’t the only ones. Outside, clusters of students were already gathering, adjusting their backpacks and chattering excitedly. For many of them, this field trip was a significant milestone in their Academy life.

Anderjan, one of the faculty members overseeing the trip, clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Before we proceed, does anyone feel unwell? No? Good. Now, as you all know, this is a one-night, two-day excursion. The backpacks provided contain all necessary supplies for camping.”

As students checked their packs, a boy with glasses hesitantly raised his hand. “Um… is this place really safe?”

A few others exchanged uncertain looks. Though managed by the Academy, Edem Hill lay outside the castle walls, making security a valid concern.

Anderjan adjusted his glasses and smiled reassuringly. “There’s nothing to worry about. Our investigative team has already confirmed there are no dangers in the area. Plus, our faculty and palace knights will be stationed nearby for added security.”

This year’s field trip had an additional layer of protection, courtesy of the princess’s participation—five faculty members and a hundred palace knights were stationed around the area. At this, the students visibly relaxed.

Among the stationed knights, Commander Abres waved at Lucy. She pretended not to notice.

Finding a Campsite

With their briefing complete, the students scattered into their assigned groups, heading into the forest to find a suitable campsite.

Lucy led the way, with Abet, Noah, and Alice trailing behind her. Their objective was clear: find a flat area near a stream before the other groups did.

As they ventured deeper, the breathtaking scenery drew gasps of admiration.

“It’s beautiful…”

“Feels like a place where fairies would live.”

“They do, actually,” Lucy commented absently.

“Wait, really? They’re not dangerous, are they?” Alice asked, eyes widening.

“As long as we don’t provoke them, they’ll leave us alone.”

Further along, Noah pointed towards an open space beyond a line of bushes. A clear stream flowed nearby, and the ground looked even enough to set up camp.

“This spot looks good,” he suggested.

Lucy nodded. “Let’s go. Be careful—the ground’s slippery.”

Before anyone could react, she leaped down first, landing with practiced ease. “The shade is nice, and the ground’s flat. This will do.”

The others followed, setting down their packs and unpacking the camping supplies.

As they took out the tents, Lucy stroked her chin in thought. “We should split into two teams—one for pitching the tents, the other for gathering data for our project.”

Their group assignment required them to research and document plant or animal species within the forest. The rarer the find, the higher the grade.

Abet and Noah raised their hands when Lucy asked who could set up tents.

“Alright. You two handle the tents. Alice and I will take care of the research.”

Alice, who had been silently listening, jolted in surprise. “Wait… just the two of us?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

With that, Lucy set off, leaving Alice to trail behind, looking increasingly flustered.

Into the Forest

Lucy and Alice trekked along the rugged path, following a map that marked out points of interest. Their target was a higher elevation where rare species were more likely to be found.

Alice, struggling to keep up, panted heavily. “Lucy… let me carry your bag…!”

Lucy glanced back. “I can carry my own. Don’t push yourself.”

Alice’s face was pale. Her breathing was ragged. Seeing this, Lucy halted. “We’ll take a break.”

They sat on a large rock by the path. Alice took out a bottle of water and drank deeply before wiping her sweat.

Lucy studied the map. “We’re still far from our destination.”

Flying would have made things easier, but Anderjan had specifically instructed her not to use magic for shortcuts. She sighed, brushing the dust off her clothes.

“We should move at a slower pace,” she decided.

“O-okay.”

Alice scrambled to her feet, still catching her breath.

Just then, a rustling sound came from beyond the bushes.

Lucy’s ears pricked up. She recognized that cry. It was familiar—something she had heard before.

Her eyes narrowed as she turned toward the source of the sound.