“NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER”

***

Everything felt empty when the children rushing into the stable, relaying bad news which made Chaewon cursed.

I just went away for a while! How can this happening?

She scolded herself for not being there with Minjoo to save her. She waste no time and hopped onto one of the horses and started galloping towards the forest. The rest of them followed Chaewon lead and choosing a horse each. Yujin helped Nako with a smaller horse and they dashed out with the gramps permission.

“I need to inform Eunbi about this matter. You girls go first!”

Wonyoung waved her hand and contacting her leader. Yujin wanted to stay back but Wonyoung urged her to keep Chaewom calm as the redhead obviously is out of her mind at the moment. Glancing back at Wonyoung worriedly, Yujin directed her horse to go and match Chaewon which is at the lead.

Yuri stayed back with Wonyoung instead as Yena said she will be fine with the youngest while Yena, Nako and Hitomi trying their best to catch up with panicked Chaewon.

“Initiate map, mark Minjoo. Show us the best route possible.”

Yena commanded and the map blinked while showing them as per Yena instructed. She shared her findings and galloping beside Chaewon and gestured her to follow Yena lead. They jumped from the fence and rushed in to rescue Minjoo from those freaking goblin.

“This time, no one will be hurt! I swear I will never let the same thing happen again!”

Yena roared as she speeding up her horse. Chaewon, Yena, Hitomi and Yujin gallantly controlling their horses as per map instructed them. Their sole focus is now finding and saving Minjoo while prioritizing their safety too, just like Eunbi told them earlier.

Sorry Eunbi. It seems dangerous moment really love us!

Yena whispered while eyeing her comrades. Hitomi is preparing her healing spell and sorting out her items while skillfully riding her horse. Yujin and Chaewon seem the most anxious as no sign of smile are present on their face at the moment. Yena gritted her teeth, wishing everything will be just fine.

***

“Huh? Wonyoung is contacting me. Hey, I need a break.”

Eunbi told the rest of her team and jumped out from their hunt. They actually just dilly dallying around as all monsters needed for their quest already killed. Sakura suggested them to polish their skills and coordination while helping both Hyewon and Chaeyeon levelling up. Eunbi have no objection as she also needed to improve herself to be able to protect all of her beloved babies.

Sakura activated her enhanced hearing skill to eavesdrop on what Eunbi is talking about with Wonyoung. She also landed a kick onto the last boar head before landing perfectly beside  panting Hyewon. Chaeyeon grunted as she missed the chance to finish of the last enemy.

“Hey, Wonyoung. What’s up?”

Eunbi greeted the youngest cheerily. However, the panic voice from the other side made her froze and sighed.

“Eunbi, this is an emergency. Minjoo is kidnapped by a bunch of goblin and the other already give a chase towards West Forest.”

Wonyoung trying her best to be calm but her voice betrayed her. She can hear Eunbi sighed from the opposite line before muttering her permission to chase Minjoo.

“However, we will also tracking her down. Please stay safe, will you?”

Eunbi give her final advice which replied by Wonyoung positively. They ended their conversation and Eunbi just realized that everyone is gathered around her already. Hyewon smirked when she found out that they will embark on another mission again which made her feels excited.

Chaeyeon stretched her body, warming up to embrace another quest to save her precious comrade. Sakura seems quite busy while fiddling with her boards before contacting the chasing team, giving them her order to ease the rescue team while waiting for their leaders to pack some punches on those goblins.

“Nako, can you hear me?”

“Yes, Sakura. What may I help you? I am quite busy now.”

“I want you to stray from the team and move solo. Pronto. Without a horse too. You are a rogue, you can scout better than any of us. Utilize your speed and skill. Find the hideout, fast. Those goblins may not be clever but they are quite slick and cunning.”

Sakura elaborate her thinking to Nako, hoping the small fairy will understand her point. It is fortunate that Nako listened to her well and already initiated her order. Chaewon, Yujin and Hitomi continued their journey as Nako briefly informed them that she need to take care of something first.

“How come those goblins can be gone from our radar this fast when we are chasing by horse?”

Chaewon grunted and complained. She is too stressed to even thinking straight as her head is worried sick about Minjoo.

“They are wicked and cunning creature. Beware of traps and ambushes.”

Yujin warned the other two and just like on cue, their horses halted suddenly as a few green creature appeared in front of them, wielding club, blunt sword and one of them even have a staff.

“Damn, talk about raising some flags.”

Hitomi exclaimed while she trying her best to buff both Chaewon and Yujin, preparing them for a battle.

“Not good. We only have a warrior, a magician and a healer. I can’t be much help to be involved in close range combat.”

Yujin expressed her worries.

“Just see what am I capable to do.”

Chaewon grinned and muttering some inaudible words and equipping her sword. She hopped from the horse and getting ready to discharger her spell. Suddenly, a bluish light enveloping her sword and within a blink, two of the goblin already headless which leave the goblin with a staff only.

Yujin hang her jaws as she witnesses Chaewon strength. The redhead huffed and recollected her breath as the last enemy defeated. Chaewon smirked while looking at the mesmerized Yujin which lit a fire within the lanky girl.

Yujin reaction:

“I will do better than you! Just watch it!”

Yujin grumbled and ride her horse again. She can still keep her head cool however, her pride is scarred as she cannot do anything to help her friends. Nako hollered them while giving insights regarding goblin that she tracked.

“I can see them from my place.”

Nako reported in which made the chasing team feel pumped to save Minjoo and ensure her wellbeing.

“Give us the coordinate, Nako. We can handle this.”

Hitomi said, b with confidence. Chaewon seconded the girl motion and puffing her chest, knows that she can handle the enemy better than before, thanks to Eunbi sparta training from yesterday evening.

“No can do.”

Nako replied which made the other three girl groaned and complained.

“What the hell? Just cut the chase and save Minjoo already!”

Yujin growled as she thought the longer they took to free Minjoo will result in many possibilities occured to the girl. Chaewon gritted her teeth as she cannot contain her worries anymore without knowing either Minjoo is still alive or not.

“Patient, you doggy. I need to confirm their number and species. Didn’t we promise Eunbi earlier to not act reckless?”

Nako reprimanded them to let emotion cloud their judgement. Yujin and Chaewon startled at the shorter sudden reprimand. This is new side of Nako which she choose to show them at last after acting like a cunning baby with mild manner for the past three days. When Nako sensed that they are already calmed down, she briefed them about the horde of goblins.

“I can see minions goblin, around 50 of them. Some are pretty well equipped. Is that a mage? The one holding something like staff are around 15. Wait, some even have  bows, another 15. What the hell, around 80 already? Some of them even have a wolf each, around 10 are detected. I can see some bigger goblins too, around 5 of them, I don’t know the name of it. Ah, there’s a bulky one too, beside a powerful looking one, a king maybe? That’s- Wait up! I can hear woman’s screaming! It’s muffled but still-”

Nako seems flustered and tried to jump off from her location before someone tugged her back in.

“Watch it, moron. You gonna let yourself being their toy if you act rash yet again.”

A familiar voice scolded Nako while holding the small bean at her collar. Nako turned her gaze at the voice and shocks upon seeing Sakura with fiery gaze at her.

“How come? You are really fast!”

Nako almost shouted but Sakura quickly covered .

“Shh! Silent, idiot! They will hear you. Don’t want the situation to be nasty, alright?”

Sakura scowled at Nako and covered . She monitor those hordes of goblin and their settlement for the last time before dragging Nako away by force. Nako struggle to free herself as she thought Sakura is acting weird for not pursuing Minjoo.

Feeling burdened by Nako useless struggles, Sakura hit the shorter at her nape to let her go unconscious and bring her back at her comrade.

In the meantime, Yujin, Chaewon and Hitomi lost contact with Nako which made them turned even worried.

“What if they caught her as well?”

Yujin voiced out her concern and tried to push her team to move forward. Chaewon gritted her teeth as she felt responsible to make a wise decision as Yena also went solo after Nako left them. She entrust the trio for Chaewon to lead.

“Not so fast, girls. Damn, I just left you for a while. How come you be this disoriented?”

Yena grunted at them while Wonyoung and Yuri are tailing her at the back. Chaewon feels burden upon her shoulder are lifted and relieved to see Yena again. She smiled at Yena, letting her to take the lead again.

“We can confirmed that Minjoo is not sent at the settlement yet. Her where about will be told by Eunbi once we regroup but she is safe, really. Let’s meet them already. They are not that far from us.”

Yena gestured them to follow and they rushed through the forest to regroup with their trustable leader.

***

“Yena, you arrive quite earlier than I expected.”

Eunbi greeted them as they finally meet again. Yena flashed her grin while hopping off from the horse. She made sure that the horse is tied properly before walking towards her leader and greeted her properly.

“It’s such an insane request you made me to do back then. I almost failed it, you know.”

Yena complained but still are proud of herself for being able to carry out Eunbi task which is assigned for her, indicating that Eunbi trust her.

“Well, your stats are not that bad and I believe you can even defeat 5 goblins single handedly if you tried.”

Said Eunbi while ruffling Yena head.

“Ugh, but never let me try and do it again. It is insane to track down their scout, okay? And to kill all of it within short time, you are reincarnation of Sparta or what?”

Yena grumbled while Eunbi just chuckled merrily, thanking Yena for her effort. They are joking around for a while and looking so happy.

From a distance, Sakura is contemplating with herself as she witnesses Eunbi softness towards people other than her.

You okay, Kkura?

Hyewon noticed the bob hair girl which has Nako dangling on her right hand sitting on a nearest tree. She scowled at Hyewon while jumping from the tree and landed beside Hyewon. She replied;

Hyewon just look at Sakura in a daze.

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