A Girls Advenutre Part 4

“Stag meat is the best, hands down,” Draco declared, tearing off a large bite and savoring the flavor, his eyes alight with satisfaction.
The fire’s warm glow danced across the cave’s walls, casting long shadows that flickered with each gust of the wind outside.

Venetia snorted, rolling her eyes as she pulled a piece of meat from the fire.
“Please. Boar meat is far richer,” she argued, taking a deliberate bite. “It’s got that earthy, smoky flavor you can’t get from stag. You’re missing out.”
She shook her head, savoring her choice with a smug smile.

Just as Draco opened his mouth to retort, a swift blur appeared at the mouth of the cave. Yuki rushed in, panting heavily, her normally smooth movements now tense and hurried.
Her skin glistened with sweat, and her tail flicked restlessly behind her, hinting at the urgency of her arrival.

“Yuki?” Draco said, eyebrows furrowing as he set his food down, watching her with concern. He’d never seen her this on edge before.

Venetia’s eyes narrowed, shifting to match the new tension in the air. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

“I saw a Minotaur,” Yuki reported, her voice steady but urgent. “It was a good distance from the cave, but close enough to be concerning.”

Draco exhaled sharply, his usual composure shaken. “A Minotaur? I have never seen anyone while I was exploring the Area”
However at that time he thought " So this World has Mientours, huh? I remember reading in school about them"

Venetia’s brows knit in worry. “I have also never seen anyone here. But I know they're dangerous.
My parents used to tell me stories of Minotaurs—their strength, their rage. Even a single one could be a huge threat.”

“Good work spotting it, Yuki. If it’s that far off, we still have time to plan. " said Draco
But we’ll need to decide whether to stay or move. A Minotaur on the prowl is never a good sign.”

“If we’ve never encountered it before, it probably spawned here recently,” Venetia reasoned, her brow furrowing as she tried to piece together the implications.
“That likely means a new dungeon has appeared nearby. It would explain why a Minotaur is wandering this close to our territory.”

Yuki nodded, her voice quick and thoughtful. “So it’s probably expanding, marking, and scouting its territory. We might have only seen the first signs of it.”
She crossed her arms, a hint of worry crossing her features. “If it’s alone, that could mean it’s still unexperienced”

Venetia’s expression darkened, the weight of the revelation pressing heavily upon her.
“A dungeon means more than just a single threat. We need to be ready for anything.”

"That's right, we need to prepare," Draco said firmly as he rose to his feet, his posture exuding resolve.
He stepped to the mouth of the cave, his gaze sweeping over the wild expanse of nature before them.
The towering trees stood sentinel, their leaves rustling softly in the wind.

This was his Forest,no that stupid bulls.

“I will defeat that monster,” he declared

The carriage came to a halt with a gentle lurch, and Emeryn, Selene, and Feya stepped down onto the worn stone pathways of the city Tacastle.
They glanced around, taking in the surroundings; just ahead, a large bridge,fortified one each side with towers an walls, arched over the Shieldflow, its swift currents sparkling under the sunlight.

Selene looked down the road, squinting at the distant horizon. “I hope Freepost isn’t too far from here. I don’t fancy a long trek through the frontier,” she sighed, though her tone brightened. “But I’ve heard there are some rare finds there—especially for arcane research.” She began muttering about alchemical ingredients, her voice trailing off as she mapped out plans in her mind.

Feya looked around, shuffling her feet. “I… hope we’ll be back quickly, too,” she murmured, glancing uncertainly at the wilderness beyond the city’s limits.

Emeryn, meanwhile, turned to Otto, the grizzled driver who had seen them through treacherous roads and rough terrain.
“Thank you for bringing us this far, Otto,” she said sincerely. “I hope you get back to the Guild safely.”

Otto nodded, tipping his hat. “No problem, but you girls be careful out there.”
His tone took on a solemn edge as he glanced beyond the bridge.
“There’s a reason civilization ends here,” he added, holding up the stump of his lost arm as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurked in the frontier.

“Don’t worry,” said Emeryn, her voice firm and reassuring as she glanced over her shoulder at Otto“We’ll definitely get back home safe.”

With a wave, the three adventurers turned and began their trek toward the bridge. As they walked, they gave Otto a final wink goodbye, watching as the carriage disappeared behind them. The river flowed steadily beneath the stone bridge, its roar mixing with the hum of the city behind them.
As they crossed, the sight of Tacastle grew smaller in the distance, while the vast expanse of the Shieldflow, the largest river in the new world, stretched out before them.
The river marked the boundary between the civil world and the wild, untamed lands of the frontier.

Emeryn gazed at the river with a mix of awe and uncertainty. “This is the first time we’ve gone this deep into the frontier,” she admitted “I’m a little bit nervous, to be honest.”

Selene, walking alongside her, gave a reassuring nod. “As long as we keep our eyes open for danger, we’ll be fine. It’s the unknown we have to be wary of.”
Her tone was steady, though there was a flicker of concern in her eyes. “Still, two weeks of walking through rough terrain? That’ll be a challenge.”

Feya, who had been quiet up until now, shifted uncomfortably. “I… hope we’re ready for it.”

“I’m surprised a village like Freepost even exists out here,” Emeryn said thoughtfully. “It’s so far into the frontier. It’s way beyond what I thought was safe for any settlement.”

Selene shrugged, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.
“I heard Freepost was founded by some powerful Elven adventurer who wanted to retire and live like a True Elf would. Maybe that’s why they survived so deep into the frontier."

Emeryn raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Sounds like a bit of an isolationist setup, but that could make things interesting.”

“Yeah, especially in a place this far out,” Selene added.

After several minutes of walking, the group finally reached the gates of the other side.
However, to call this structure a simple "gate" would be an understatement—comparing it to any typical city gate would be an insult.
The gates here were more like a fortress, standing as a massive wall between civilization and the unknown.

The sheer size of the fortifications was awe-inspiring. Towering stone walls stretched high into the sky, their surfaces rough.
Tall watchtowers dotted the walls, each manned with vigilant guards scanning the horizon, ever watchful for any signs of danger from the untamed frontier.
The air felt charged, thick with the tension of being so close to the boundary between the civilized world and the wilderness beyond.

As they approached, the guards stationed at the gates—men and women clad in heavy armor—immediately took notice. They halted the trio with a stern look, crossing their arms in unison.

"What is your business here?" one of them barked, eyeing them closely.

"Adventuring," Emeryn replied, her tone steady

The guard’s eyes narrowed. "Guild pass?"

Emeryn nodded and produced the guild passport from the "Wandering Sta"r, a sign of their official status as adventurers.
She held it up for the guards to see, the emblem of the guild stamped in gold on the cover.

The guard studied it briefly, his expression hardening as he checked the authenticity.
After a long moment, he nodded.
"Alright, you’re allowed to pass through," he said gruffly. The massive gate groaned as it began to slowly open, the sound of grinding metal and stone filling the air.

The group exchanged a brief glance, then nodded in acknowledgement to the guards, stepping forward as the gates creaked wider.

As they walked under the arching doorway, the weight of the frontier seemed to settle in—behind them, civilization faded, and ahead lay only the vast, uncharted lands.

With the gates now fully open behind them, they passed into the unknown.