Mia has come over

When I enter the living room, I see the reason. Mia is standing there, dressed in full adventuring gear, chatting with my mother.

“Hey, Darx.” Mia says when she sees me. “Wanna go adventuring with me?”

“Uuhhmm, aren’t you supposed to be adventuring with Jax and the rest?” I ask confused.

“Not today.” Mia says. “I’d like to do some adventuring with you for once.”

Adventuring, with me? She did say that yesterday, in the cave. And she wants to start doing that now?

“But if you say no, I can still catch up with them.” Mia then says.

“No!” I reply. “No, I’d love to. Let me get ready.”

I hurry back to my room, get my armor on and prepare my weapons. When I return to the living room I overhear Mia asking my mother if maybe she could come along.

“I’m sure Darx and I would learn a lot from someone like you. Much more then we learn from Jax.” Mia suggests.

“The lessons I teach rely heavily on an already properly trained body and muscle memory. That’s what Jax’s lesson are for. I’m afraid training under me right now would end up doing more harm than good". Mom says.

“Huh, too bad.” Mia says disappointedly. “In that case, I’ll keep training with Jax until he thinks I’m ready.”

“Besides. Kase is supposed to come later for some more training.” Mom adds.

Kase. It’s probably just Mia’s accusations, but true or not, I prefer him to stay away now. Both from Amelia and mom. Then again, mom is a rank B. She can take care of herself.

I then present myself and say, “Alright, I’m ready.”

Before we leave, mom offers me a backpack and says, “Here, Mia and I have prepared some food while you were getting ready.”

After I accept the backpack, Mia and I head out.

“So, where would you like to go?” I ask.

“How about where you and Amelia usually go.” Mia asks. “I’d like to see what you usually do during training.”

I fulfill Mia’s request and lead her to a part of the forest me, Amelia and Oliver used to frequent. On the way there, Mia says Jax never takes them this way. Too few opponents to train against.

“True, but you and your usual group are 5 people, Jax included. We were only 3, so it’s more difficult for us to face large groups of monsters.”

“I see. That is indeed safer.” Mia says. Then she leans in close for a bit and says, “and now it’s just us two.” With a smile.

Once the monsters start appearing Mia and I unsheathe our blades and get to work. I honestly find it a little difficult fighting with a woman on the front. Not because they shouldn’t, but usually Amelia is the only girl I am adventuring with and she is always in the back. But that is because she’s a spellcaster. Mia, being a sword wielder, should be with me on the front. We quickly make a habit of flanking our opponents. Me on the left and she on the right. I then make a feint so the beast faces me, leaving Mia an opening to attack him from behind. When the monster turns to her, she does the feint and I strike the blow.

After a while, Mia wipes some sweat from her brow and says, “Phew, we make a good team, handsome.”

“Ah, thanks.” I reply. “But after so much fighting, I presume you’re starting to get hungry?”

“Come to think of it, I actually am.” Mia says. She slides her sword back into its sheath and says, “Do you know a good place where we can eat.”

“There is one spot I know of.” I start. “Come to think of it, it’s Amelia’s favorite place to rest while adventuring. Follow me.”

We face a few more monsters on the way there, but eventually we arrive at a clearing. A patch in the forest with no trees for a while and the ground is completely covered in moss.

“Wow.” Mia says as she walks into the clearing. “This is pretty. Now I’m sad Jax never takes us this way.”

“It’s not just pretty but safe too.” I say as I walk behind her. “Apparently monsters stay clear from this spot. Almost like they don’t want to be here.”

Mia glances back at me and says, “No monster?”

Then a small grin appears on her mouth and she continues to the center of the clearing.