I lazed around for one day, but on the second, I went to the guild.
I wanna get to Copper-rank soon, and I figured I’d grab a meal in Carlton. Besides, when I’m all by myself, I just can’t be bothered to cook.
“You’ll be Copper-rank after two more turn-ins, Zoe… but are you sure it’s all right to rank up just by gathering herbs?” Lena asks, looking concerned.
She seems worried, but I’ve been hunting monsters for a while now.
“It’s fine!” I insist, and head for a diner.
Food just tastes better when someone else makes it, doesn’t it? As long as that someone isn’t Selina, of course.
Lost in these thoughts, I get back to the cabin to find a used wagon and a horse waiting there.
“Selina, you’re back!”
Inside the cabin, Selina glances up from her book, where she’s lounging on the sofa as usual.
“You need to take care of the horse,” she says. “And that fertilizer needs more work.”
She’s only just gotten back, and she’s already finding fault with me.
“Take care of the horse?” I say. “I’ve never handled one before…”
Selina is quiet for a moment, then declares, “It’s just like a cow!” and goes right back to her book.
“I’m pretty sure horses and cows aren’t the same thing…” I mutter.
Still, I can’t just leave it standing outside. I suppose it can share the cowshed.
“C’mon, follow me…”
The cows usually come when I say that, but this horse is spooked by the strange new place. Its ears are pinned back. Guess it’s nervous?
I used Halt on the cows when I milked them, but that spell won’t help me get this horse to move.
This poor thing must be completely rattled from being teleported by Selina. And being in the Great Forest, with all its monsters, must be terrifying for a herbivore.
It’s safe inside the ward, though.
The horse lets out a wary whinny, so I cast Purification on it. It’s so tense and covered in sweat, so hopefully that made it feel a little better.
“Whew. Horses are definitely not the same as goats, cows, or chickens.”
Delicate, maybe? It’s practically trembling every time I get near.
“Anyway, you don’t want to sleep out here, do you?” I say to the horse. “We don’t get blizzards inside the Great Forest, but it still gets cold.”
I have no idea if it’s listening, but I try to reason with it anyway.
Selina must have teleported while she was still riding it, because it’s wearing a saddle and bridle. I take the reins and give a gentle pull.
With a sigh that seems to say, Fine, I give up, the horse clip-clops into the cowshed.
“Now I have to take off this saddle and bridle.”
This is a perfect time for Halt!
I remove the saddle and bridle from the now perfectly still horse.
Then, I put the used wagon into my Storage.
“I don’t even know how to hitch a horse to a wagon.”
I’d love to ask Maggie’s dad to show me, but when it’s not a blizzard out, he’s busy logging.
This is a problem! Am I supposed to hitch this horse to that wagon and go sell lumber? That sounds impossible, doesn’t it?
When I go back inside the cabin, Selina announces that she’s hungry.
It’s true, I’m hungry too. We have a simple dinner of soup and bread.
“Selina, do you know how to hitch a wagon to a horse?”
She pauses with her spoon halfway to her mouth and gives me a look that says, Don’t ask such stupid questions.
I shoulda known. She can ride a horse, sure, but she’s not the type to even take off its saddle.
I bet a servant always did that for her. Which means she doesn’t know the first thing about caring for a horse, let alone how to drive a wagon.
“Maybe I should post a request at the guild for someone to teach me how to ride and drive a wagon?” I wonder aloud. You can’t expect someone to teach you for free.
“Honestly,” Selina sighs. “You don’t need to do all that. Can’t you just ask an acquaintance to teach you?”
“I don’t have any acquaintances like that! And besides, Maggie’s dad is always busy with logging.”
For a second, I think I see a flicker of pity in her eyes… but what does she expect?
I grew up in the middle of the Great Forest! It can’t be helped!