The next morning, Diara's wagon was moving through a part of the Red Forest, leaving Lacha Lake behind.
Since they were traveling through a forest without a path, the wagon rattled as it passed over protruding stones and the massive roots of red trees that rose above the ground.
After traveling at a slow pace for quite some time, the repetitive scenery of the red trees dulled their sense of time, making it feel as though they had been in the forest forever. It was then that, through a gap between the towering red trees, the outline of a large mountain came into view.
"Wow, that's Mount Latela! Nia, look, that's Mount Latela!"
Reave called out to Nia, pointing at the snow-capped peak of Mount Latela.
"Ohh, it looks tall! Is the farmstead Diara mentioned over there?"
Nia, sitting beside Diara and gazing at Mount Latela, asked.
"Yes. If we go a bit further, we'll reach the entrance to the farmstead."
Diara replied, leaning out the side of the wagon to check the path ahead.
"Nia, have you heard that a black dragon lives in Mount Latela?"
Reave approached the wagon, matching its pace, and asked Nia.
"Nope, never heard of it. All I need to know is the name of the great red dragon, Katadar!"
"So, if the black dragon of Mount Latela fought Katadar, Katadar would win, right?"
"Of course!"
"What if the black dragon is bigger?"
"There's no dragon in this world bigger than Katadar!"
Though Nia and Reave had only been traveling together for a short time, they already seemed close enough to exchange playful banter.
"Nia, aren't you hungry?"
"Not yet. I don't get hungry as often as you do, Reave."
"Reave, are you hungry? Don't tell me you're just using Nia as an excuse to suggest a break!"
Kein, who had been listening to their conversation, chimed in, taking Nia's side.
Clunk!
Just as their conversation was about to continue, the wagon's wheel made a loud noise as it got caught between two large red tree roots protruding from the ground.
"Eek!"
Nia let out a yelp, nearly tumbling forward from the sudden jolt.
"Huh? Looks like the wheel's stuck."
Reave said, dismounting his horse to inspect the wagon's wheel.
"It's not too bad. The wheel doesn't seem damaged, so we should be able to pull it free with the other horses." he added.
The rest of the party gathered around the stopped wagon to assess the situation.
"Are you heading to Mount Latela?"
A stranger's voice called out from somewhere nearby.
"Who's there? We're on our way to the farmstead of the Knights of the Hidden Moon."
Diara responded to the unseen voice.
"Lady Diara!"
Unlike the earlier distant voice, this one came from closer by. A man wearing a deep moss-colored cloak emerged from behind a red tree near the wagon.
The man, with a broad smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes, had wild, curly brown hair that stuck out like a lion's mane, giving him a striking appearance. His pants and shirt were adorned with various-sized pockets sewn on haphazardly, and a thick leather strap across his shoulder held a large bag from which colorful mushrooms peeked out.
"Uncle Gallad! It's been so long!"
Diara's voice rose with excitement as she spread her arms wide and approached the man named Gallad.
"Well, well! Lady Diara, what took you so long to visit?"
Gallad exclaimed, then turned to the others, realizing he hadn't introduced himself.
"I'm Gallad, son of Glaff. There's another Gallad at the farmstead, so I introduce myself with my full name to avoid confusion. If that's too much to remember, just call me Mushroom Gallad—everyone knows who that is!"
Gallad clasped Diara's hands warmly, then greeted the rest of the group.
"I'm Reave. This is my friend and companion, Kein."
"I'm Nia."
"I'm Gravel. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Iris (Iris)."
"Now that introductions are out of the way, how about we get this wagon unstuck and continue the conversation?"
Reave suggested, pointing at the trapped wheel.
*****
Somewhere in the forest, surrounded by red trees, Diara's wagon stood in front of a small wooden house bordered by a low stone wall. This was Gallad's home, built to guide travelers to the farmstead and to serve as a base for his mushroom foraging in the Red Forest.
In the yard, Nia and Iris were engrossed in training, swinging their swords on one side of the clearing.
Inside the house, Gallad bustled about, welcoming his rare guests. He kicked and pushed aside piles of clutter, hurrying to the dust-covered fireplace to start a fire.
"Heh, we don't get many visitors here, so just make yourselves at home anywhere."
Gallad said, scratching his head, slightly embarrassed by the messy state of his home.
"No worries. A house with walls and a roof is much better than camping."
Kein said, pulling a chair near the fireplace.
"Is that so? I don't come here often myself, except when I'm foraging mushrooms, so the place is a bit of a mess… My apologies." Gallad replied.
"It's fine, Uncle Gallad. Come sit and rest with us."
Diara called out to Gallad, who was making a racket while tidying up in another room.
"I'd like to at least offer my guests something to eat. Now, where's my backpack? It should be around here somewhere…"
Gallad muttered, rummaging through a small storage room filled with odds and ends.
"Found it! Left it here after last spring."
he said with a chuckle, holding up a large, dust-covered basket with straps for carrying on his back. He gave it a few shakes and slaps to clear the dust, then slung it over his shoulder and headed outside.
"Where are you off to?" Diara asked.
"I'm going to show my guests the mushrooms I've grown! I'll be back shortly."
Gallad replied, turning briefly to answer.
"I'll help." Gravel offered, approaching Gallad.
"No need to trouble yourself. It's just picking a few mushrooms nearby—it won't take long."
"Then I'll come along to make it even quicker."
Gravel said, opening the door and stepping outside.
"Heh, alright, let's go together then. It's not far. We'll be back soon."
Gallad said, following Gravel out.
"Are you going to forage mushrooms in the forest now?"
Gravel asked as he walked beside Gallad.
"Hm? Oh, no way! If we started foraging now, we'd be running around the forest all night. I'm just heading to my mushroom cultivation site to fill this basket."
Gallad explained, adjusting the straps of his basket.
"I see. Then it's a good thing I came along. Just show me how to pick them, and I'll help."
"Heh, just walking and chatting like this is help enough. By the way, does everyone like mushrooms? All we've got to offer in this forest are mushrooms and some wild berries."
Gallad said, scratching his head again.
"Do you have a favorite mushroom?"
He asked, stepping over a large red tree root.
"Hmm, I don't have a particular favorite, but yesterday one of our group gathered some chanterelles, and they were delicious."
"Oh, chanterelles! They've got a sweet, almost apricot-like flavor. I love those too. I grow a few at the cultivation site. Besides those, I like net mushrooms, which taste meaty, egg mushrooms, and rabbit mushrooms. Not sure if the others will like them, though."
"I think they'll all enjoy them. But how do you tell the difference between edible and poisonous mushrooms?"
"Hmm… where do I start? There are so many kinds of mushrooms. If you want to learn more, there's a guidebook on mushrooms at the farmstead. For now, just stick to net mushrooms, rabbit mushrooms, and the chanterelles you mentioned. Egg mushrooms look a lot like poisonous clown mushrooms, so it's best to avoid red mushrooms altogether."
As Gravel showed interest in mushrooms, Gallad launched into an enthusiastic explanation, talking nonstop as they walked toward the cultivation site. After some time, Gallad pointed to a tree ahead.
"We're here. It's just behind that tree. We should be able to fill the basket and get back before it gets too dark."
Gravel followed as Gallad hurried ahead, stopping with his hands on his hips to gaze at the site. Dozens of logs, each about two cubits (1 meter) long, were propped up and arranged beneath the towering red trees. Mushrooms of various colors—red, brown, white, and yellow—grew on the logs, creating a striking sight that Gravel admired alongside Gallad.
"Gravel, please pick the brown net mushrooms from that row over there." Gallad instructed.
"Are all the ones in this row net mushrooms?"
"Yup. Just pick the ones that are nicely grown."
Gallad gestured to indicate the range of logs with net mushrooms, then headed to another section to gather different varieties.
For a while, Gravel and Gallad worked quietly, carefully selecting mushrooms from the rows of logs. But soon, Gravel broke the silence.
"Did you set up this whole cultivation site by yourself?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah. It wasn't too hard. You just make cuts in the logs and plant the mushrooms."
"Still, cutting and moving all these logs must have taken a lot of time."
"Heh, I didn't do it all at once. It took about five years, adding a bit at a time. The hardest part is preparing the logs. I cut them in the fall, dry them through the winter, and in spring, I drill small holes to plant the mushrooms. Then I water them about once every ten days."
Gallad explained the process with a laugh, his face lighting up with enthusiasm as he spoke about mushrooms. Gravel listened quietly, picking net mushrooms and occasionally jotting down notes. He pulled a pen and ink bottle from a small pouch he carried, sketching the cultivation site and recording Gallad's knowledge on a piece of paper.
Before long, Gallad's basket was overflowing with mushrooms—so many that Gravel wondered if they could eat them all.
"That's enough. Let's head back, Gravel. The sun's setting, so watch your step. Those tree roots sticking out can trip you up."
Gallad said, leading the way out of the cultivation site.
Gravel rolled up his dried sketch and notes, tucking them into a small bag inside his cloak, and followed Gallad.
"Ugh, I forgot to bring a lantern in my rush to get back quickly… Be careful, Gravel."
Gallad said, stumbling slightly over a small stone.
"Getting old is tough. My night vision's not what it used to be. Back in the day, I could wander this forest without a moon and still see fine."
He added with a short sigh, bending to peer at the darkening forest floor as he walked slowly.
"I'll use magic to light the way."
Gravel said, suddenly remembering a spell he hadn't used in a while. He spread his hand, and small orbs of light floated out from his palm, spreading around them. Dozens of glowing orbs cast a soft blue light, illuminating the dark forest.
"It's bright… brighter than any lantern or torch, Gravel."
Gallad said, slowly turning his head to take in the lit surroundings.
"It's been a while since I used this spell. It's… brighter than I expected."
Gravel admitted, also turning to admire the effect of his light spell.
"I've seen Lady Lisia at the farmstead make a light orb appear at the tip of her staff when walking at night, but I didn't know you could light up an area with so many orbs like this," Gallad said, staring in awe at the glowing orbs, unable to close his mouth as he began walking back toward the house.
With the light illuminating their path, the journey back to the forest house didn't take long. When they arrived, Nia shouted "Karka!" and, along with Iris, greeted Gallad and Gravel warmly.
That night, the group gathered to eat, listening to Gallad's near-hymnal praise of mushrooms. They enjoyed a feast of mushroom dishes, starting with roasted mushrooms and soup, followed by smoked lamb bought from a nomadic family, dried provisions, and jerky purchased at a market for travelers. The meal, or perhaps a mushroom festival, continued until everyone agreed they couldn't eat another bite.
With plans to head to the farmstead the next day, their day in the Red Forest came to a close.