Lili took a deep breath and began speaking with the seriousness of someone revealing the details of a secret mission.
"The Wolf Hunter said…" she began, already imitating the hunter's deep voice.
"'Today we brought twenty rabbits. Starting tomorrow we should hunt boar, but the wolves have been going after the deer. Now it'll be child's play to shoot deer, because they've all gathered in one place, and we know where that place is — the wolves don't. Hahaha! Tell your mother, Lili, and don't forget, because if she expects boar and we bring deer again, I'll get smacked with the stirring paddle.'"
Fireburp giggled.
"The stirring paddle? What's that?"
"A wooden spoon. My mom says it's the best weapon in the kitchen," Lili explained, then continued the story.
"'Alright, I'll tell her. Tomorrow you're bringing deer, not boar. Hey, hunter… do you know what Amorcap is?'"
Fireburp leaned forward.
"And what did he say?"
Lili switched back to the hunter's voice:
"'Amorcap Mushroom? There's no man alive who doesn't know it. If you ask me, it's the best mushroom there is. But you're too young for it. Hahaha!'"
Fireburp blinked in confusion.
"The best mushroom? Why would you be too young for it?"
Lili shrugged.
"I don't know. But he also told me where it grows.
North of the old ruins, about an hour's walk. Near the old wolf‑oak.
But he said the place is full of goblins, and we must never go there."
Fireburp wrinkled her nose.
"So Amorcap is a tasty mushroom that all men like. And it grows in such a dangerous place that even Noelle is scared to go there?"
Lili thought about it.
"That's strange… Noelle could kill twenty goblins at once."
"No way she's afraid of goblins.
I think she just said that to Anita so she could dump the mushroom‑picking on her," Fireburp declared confidently.
Lili nodded.
"You might be right. But Anita is too lazy to go mushroom hunting."
Fireburp's eyes lit up.
"Listen… what if we go and pick some of those mushrooms?
If we bring them to Noelle, she'll definitely praise us."
Lili hesitated.
"She would praise us…?
But the Forest of Wolves is dangerous."
"Oh, come on!" Fireburp waved dismissively.
"I've already been to the old ruins. Going north from there is no big deal.
I crossed half the forest alone, even before I could use magic."
Lili stared at her with wide eyes.
"But what if we meet goblins?"
"Goblins are stupid!
We're small — we can hide in the bushes.
And if one or two spot us, I can beat them easily.
I've already defeated skeleton warriors!
Goblins are weak!"
Lili nodded, eyes sparkling.
"That's exactly what a battle maid should say!"
Fireburp puffed out her chest.
"I'll protect you from the goblins. We can get those mushrooms!
I can already see how much they'll praise us."
Lili's face brightened.
"You're right! Then… tomorrow we'll go mushroom hunting in the Forest of Wolves!"
"Good!" Fireburp clapped her hands.
"We'll leave tomorrow morning. I can't wait."
The two little girls continued excitedly planning their "mission," completely unaware that Amorcap was not just a "tasty mushroom," and that the Forest of Wolves was dangerous even for adults.
The two little girls were weaving a secret plan within the castle walls.
No one knew about it — not the maids, not the knights, not the cooks.
Only the two of them: Fireburp and Lili.
Early the next morning, while the castle was only just waking up, they were already sneaking toward the gate.
Both felt as if they were setting out on the first real mission of their lives.
Fireburp, who had learned a great deal about battle maids in a short time, remembered one thing especially well:
If you go on a mission, always bring scones.
Lili took that very seriously.
The Two Girls Gear Up
"I packed everything into my backpack," Lili announced proudly.
"Did you pack scones?" Fireburp asked, focusing on the most important part.
"I packed cheese scones and crackling scones too.
And water, an empty sack for the mushrooms, and a knife.
I don't have a hunting knife, but I brought my favorite kitchen knife.
It's as sharp as the hunters' knives, so I think it's just as good."
Fireburp looked at her thoughtfully.
"Why did you put the knife in your bag?
Noelle keeps hers under her skirt."
Lili blinked in confusion.
"My skirt doesn't have pockets, I can't put it there."
"Noelle doesn't put it in a pocket.
I saw it last time when she undressed.
She keeps her knife in a sheath strapped to her thigh."
Lili's eyes lit up.
"I see!
Maybe I'll ask my mother for a thigh‑sheath for my birthday."
Fireburp frowned.
"For your birthday?
Isn't that the day you were born?
But that was years ago."
Lili laughed.
"Your birthday happens every year.
I think it's called an anniversary.
Every year there's a day when your family celebrates that you were born, and I always get a present."
Fireburp listened with her mouth open, as if Lili had revealed some ancient secret.
"You get presents every year?
That's… that's amazing!"
Lili nodded proudly.
"Yes! And if I get one this year too, I'll ask for a thigh‑sheath. Something worthy of a battle maid."
Fireburp smiled with satisfaction.
"That's a very good idea. A battle maid is always prepared."
The two girls looked at each other and nodded at the same time.
The mission had begun.
The two little girls had been walking for quite a while, heading out of the castle, and the morning sunlight drew golden stripes across the cobblestones as they stepped through the gate.
Under the weight of their secret mission, both felt like true heroes.
Fireburp spoke up thoughtfully:
"Do you think I'll start getting presents on this birthday thing too?"
Lili looked at her curiously.
"What day were you born?"
Fireburp scratched her head.
"I have no flame‑idea what day I hatched from my egg.
I know I'm eight years old, but I've never gotten a present on any day.
Or wait! My sister, Firestorm, hunted a rainbow‑feathered rooster‑beast once a year. Its meat is the tastiest of all monsters, and she always gave me some.
But maybe that was her birthday, and she was just in a good mood, so I got to eat some too."
Lili's eyes widened.
"A rainbow‑feathered rooster‑beast?!
But that's a legendary monster — not even hunters can take one down!
Your sister is that good a hunter?"
Fireburp puffed out her chest proudly.
"Of course!
She's the strongest Dra—
… I mean, the best hunter among my kind."
Lili sighed dreamily.
"I'd love to meet your sister, Firestorm, one day."
Fireburp immediately shook her head.
"You should pray you never meet her."
"Why, don't you like your sister?"
"Firestorm is too strong.
She doesn't like weaklings — she hates me too.
And humans even more."
But Lili continued thinking in her own world.
"If she's that strong, then she must be a battle maid!"
Fireburp imagined the scene… then burst out laughing.
"Firestorm in a maid outfit?
Hmm… I can't picture it.
Her pride would never allow it.
I think even the Demon King would wear a maid outfit sooner than my sister."
Lili looked around.
"We've come really far from the castle. I didn't think sneaking out would be this easy."
"But we just walked out of the castle.
I wouldn't call that sneaking," Fireburp noted.
"This is a secret mission carried out by two battle maids!"
"But you're not even a battle maid."
"I will be… in a few years."
Fireburp nodded.
"Alright, alright. We're almost at the Forest of Wolves.
From there it's an hour to the old ruins, then another hour to the wolf‑oak.
Can you handle it?"
"Of course!
But what if we run into a goblin right away?"
Fireburp waved confidently.
"They're building a military base at the old ruins.
The Wolf Knights secured the road leading there.
If there were any monsters or goblins nearby, they've already been hunted down."
Lili brightened.
"So the road to the ruins is safe! Why didn't you start with that?"
"But after the ruins, it might get dangerous.
From there we'll have to watch for every movement."
"Got it!
Do you want a scone?"
"I'll take one."