The Villainess Wants To Go Home

Chapter 62 - Battle for Mushrooms

~Artemis P.O.V~

Following behind Elisaria, I admired my greenery surrounding that was filled with many mythical

creatures and flowers I have never seen before.

These parts of the Viridis were magnifically beautiful, yet according to Elisaria it was the most

dangerous part of Viridis.

Beautiful but Dangerous.

I wanted to get a better look at the creatures and maybe get to pet them, but Elisaria wouldn't let me

because she wanted to gather burchwood mushrooms before the Gruirospos devoured them all.

I remember reading about them in one of the books in the Glacies library, but I had forgotten what they

look like since the overload of information I was gathering.

According to what I remember reading, they are small creatures that reside near swamps or damp

areas of the forest harmless little creatures that love eating berries and fruit, but their favourite food are

burchwood mushrooms that only grow in certain times of spring.

No wonder Elisaria is determined to get to the mushrooms before they do and leave her nothing until

next spring.

She has been swiftly waddling her way through the path mumbling curse words at the Gruirospos for

what seemed like 20 minutes we have been strolling through.

"Why don't you plant them yourself? it will save you a lot of time and effort of going in and out and

looking for them when you have them growing at the comfort of your own home" I suggested as I

leaned behind her shoulder.

She swatted her hand back clicking her tongue. "Do ya think I have never attempted that. Those scruffy

rascals decided to scurry their way to my cottage and eat them away every year knowing that I grow

them." She said with irritation with a scowl across her face.

I sweat dropped and my eye twitched "Of course you have you tried that" I mumbled with a groan. I

decided to keep looking around when I spotted something perching on top a log. I stopped to get a

better look.

It was a fox, yet it looked smaller, and it was pale blue transparent colour with what seemed like smoke

was steaming from it. It stared back at me with his sharp almond eyes that was the colour of coal,

sitting with its pale blue transparent tail curled around itself.

The fox was the most beautiful fox I had ever seen before, sorry Homura but this fox is even more

dashing then you.

"What are ya looking at?" I gave a side glance at the witch that staggered beside me with the same

pissed off expression of hers.

"The fo-" I looked back expecting to see the fox on the log but was caught off guard when it wasn't

leaving a trace of pale transparent smoke that soon faded into the air. "Fox?" I titled my head in

confusion.

"Stop mucking around and lets get on with it" she trodden off with a few cursed mumbles. I pouted

angrily. "Who pissed in her cup?" crossing my hands and grumbled while my gaze followed her arched

back side.

Glancing back at where the blue transparent fox, I sighed in annoyance. "I'm probably hallucinating" I

ruffled the back of my head.

"What's taking ya so long. Come on young lass before ya get eaten by the Carmedequus" she then

proceeded to chuckle at that comment. I jogged after her making sure I didn't reopen my wound.

'For an old witch she sure is fast. Tch, how did I even get wounded in the first place?'

"Are we nearly to our destination?" I asked impatiently. "No" she replied quickly.

"How long do we have to keep walking?" I slugged my shoulder feeling tired already. 'Stupid body'

"Not long"

"Can you be a little more specific" I said with a vein throb visible on my temple, feeling frustrated and

annoyed to why I'm following around a witch in a forest going to an unknown destination.

"Alright" she agreed yet I heard a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "We aren't there yet"

My eye twitched and I sneered at her. "How a bit a more"

She smacked her lips together "Not too long". I wanted to strangle this old hag like Homer does to Bart

but kept my composure as I breathed in some fresh air.

"Ya try to strangle me I won't hesitate to turn ya into a slimy hobgoblin" she spoke nonchalantly making

me flinch in surprise. "You turn me into a hobgoblin, and you will be hearing croaky grumbles every

night when you're trying to sleep for the rest of your life until you take your last breath" I warned her

with a wiggle of my eyebrow.

"Then I won't forget to mute ya" she wagged her finger in the air. I wrinkled my brow and crossed my

hands.

'Stupid old hag' I kicked a small round pebble. "I agree with ya on the last statement but not the first

one"

"STOP READING MY MIND" I shrieked.

"Ahhhh~ here we are" Elisaria dodged my statement and split a bush in two and walked through. I

watched in annoyance and confusion with my mouth wide open.

"What is with this witch?" I mumbled before hearing her to come along.

Huffing in annoyance I followed her actions, splitting the bush apart and stepping through.

I nearly tripped over a vine, but I quickly caught myself before I face palmed the ground and balanced

straight up.

"Get out of here ya scrawny little devils!" Elisaria was screaming at some small little fluff balls that were

trying to get some of those light purple mushrooms that glowed a faint pink colour, growing from the

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I sweat dropped when I saw the witch blast out some kind magic at them that sparked like a firecracker

when touched the ground.

The Gruirospos hopped around for their lives avoiding the sparks the witch threw at them. The witch

however was cackling like an evil witch as she did, enjoying the sight of them screaming in a high pitch

squeak.

I stood there looking side to side in confusion not knowing whether to interfere or just leave the witch to

her business. I decided to step back and let the witch do what she was doing.

One little fluff ball however had a mushroom clutched in between its hand was running away with its

little legs, out of sight from the witch who was now busy trying to snatch one of the mushrooms from

the small creature who was trying it's hardest to not let go.

"Let go ya devil. This is my mushroom!"

The Gruirospo's attention was on the witch, it's round head turned back to see if the witch was on it's

trail. I watched it get closer to me before it turned it's head and squeaked when it saw me but couldn't

stop in time and crashed at the tip of my foot.

I rose an eyebrow as I saw the creature roll on it's back with the mushroom flying the other direction.

It sat in a sitting position and rubbed it's head with its hand. It was a soft looking small creature with

white fur the colour of snow, a round head with a flat face, golden frog like eyes with the oval pupil

being a vertical. It had long eyelashes yet long looking ones growing from the corner of the eye and

ending into a twirl.

It had a human like mouth yet a wider and it stretched a little forward. In the end it's body was like a

toad except for it's fingers looking like brown water droplets.

I stretched my hand down startling the creature into a run, but it didn't know where it was going that it

ran around in circles. I pinched the back of it, feeling how stretchy and delicate the skin was before

pulling up to my eye level. Looking at it closer it looked kind of adorable.

"I had imagined you would be some ugly pixie or something. Never have I thought you would be a ball

of white fluff" I poked it's belly with my long slender finger. It didn't move an inch and was still like a

stone as it feared that I would attack if it moved a single finger.

I looked down to see the mushroom on the dirt floor and smirked a little. Picking it up I saw it's eyes

widened. I opened my mouth and pretended to put it in my mouth.

It let out a defeated squeak when I did.

Teasing it, I pulled the mushroom away from mouth and it's eyes didn't leave the purple fungus one bit

before I hovered near my mouth again "Ahhhh"

"Nooooo" it squeaked. I couldn't help but grin, teasing these creatures were amusing.

I pulled it back, then back in.

"Nooo"

"Oi, don't ya dare eat that mushroom" I stopped teasing the Gruirospo and glanced at the witch who

placed the basket on the ground and narrowed her eyes at me.

"I was only just teasing this little fluff ball" I said placing the creature down on the ground and it sat

there dazed.

"Put the mushroom in the basket and start helping to pick these before darkness falls" she ordered as

she turned around and bend down to pluck them out one by one, mumbling something I couldn't hear.

'Sorry Elisaria but finders keepers' I placed the mushroom on it's lap before patting it's head and

walked off leaving it confused.

I bent down and helped the witch pluck out the mushrooms one by one and throwed it in the basket

that was in between us.

"May I ask what are so special about these mushrooms anyway" I asked examining one of them.

"Healing" she snatched the purple fungus from my hand and threw it in the basket, narrowing her eyes

at me. "It will help heal that wound of ya faster"

"That's cool I guess" I sweat dropped.

I heard rustling coming from the bushes and I turned my attention too see a dozen of those fluff balls

staring at the burchwood mushrooms in hunger, there golden eyes revealing the defeat and sadness

that they lost their breakfast for the day.

They looked cute like that, it made me feel sympathy for them.

Glancing over to the witch who was busy plucking the mushrooms out, I slithered my hand to the

basket and slowly yet quietly taking a mushroom out. I felt the gazes of the Gruirospos burn the back of

my neck as if they were staring with a cheer.

I rolled it towards them and one hopped forward quickly taking it, clutching it between it their little hands

for dear life and running into the bushes. I could hear them cheering in joy and I couldn't help but smile

a little.

I turned around and continued plucking out the last one near me when I heard the same smacking of

lips.

"Ya didn't take one of my mushrooms did ya?" her accent was think as she spat out, narrowing her

eyes at me in suspicion.

I put up an expressionless expression "I'm not a thief, Elisaria" I said coldly.

"Hmm" this witch was on to me. She slowly turned her head the other way while her eyes stared me

before bringing it back to the mushrooms.

'Shit that was close'

I gave a side glance to see the fluff balls staring at me but this time they had a wide smile plastered on

their face. They must think I'm on their side.

'What the hell did I bring to myself?' my eye twitched with annoyance. They kept on smiling waiting for

me to take another one from the distracted witch that ruined their meal. 'These little fluff balls are going

to be the end of my human life if the witch catches me.'

They waited.

And waited.

And waited.

I scrunch my face in frustration 'Fine one last time'

Have I mentioned I have a soft spot for animals?

Making sure the witch wasn't watching, I slid my hand into the basket and felt the dozens of smooth

textures of the mushrooms between my fingers before I took one out gently.

I rolled it towards them seeing how they cheered silently before running away with the mushroom in the

woods. 'Mission impossible accomplished'

I turned my head around to see if the witch finished when I felt my soul jump out my skin.

"HOLY SHIT" I jumped from surprise. Elisaria face was an inch away from mine, narrowing her owl-like

eyes at me as she tightened her dry chap lips.

Elisaria banged my head with her fist, "Stop stealing my mushrooms" she growled.

Rubbing my head, I sneered at her. "You're the one who stole the Gruirospo breakfast, you old hag!" I

hissed glaring daggers at her.

Elisaria opened her mouth to say something when she froze in the spot, her expression changed into

shock. The old witch ignored the situations and averted her eyes around as if there was something

around.

I realised something was wrong with her and her sudden change of behaviour. Feeling the earth, I

sensed the normal creatures around when suddenly something large and heavy was making its way

here. I didn't know what it was, but it felt like danger circling my gut.

"Come, come" Elisaria whispered to me as she gestured her hand to come forward. I didn't utter any

question and came closer.

With a sudden woosh, we were covered in her cloak which somehow was hiding both of us. It smelt like

the wild forest and a little bit of sweat.

"Don't speak a word and stay quiet" she whispered. I could see her sharp eyes searching through the

small holes of her cloak, scanning the surrounding when I felt the earth beneath us rumble.

I felt my heart stop and my breath clog my throat, as my eyes laid upon a massive tree creature that

stepped over a giant rock. It had a giant white skull like head where the mouth was wide open and

frozen there with razor sharp branches for teeth as if he was wearing the mask of ghost face. It had

terrifying almond hollow eye sockets that scanned the surrounding searching for the hidden people.

Small trees grew out from its head, his legs were long and skinny while his hands were like tentacles

except for the 2 sharp fingers that grew from the end. His whole body was covered in outgrown moss

as he stood 10 metres tall.

"What the **** is that?" I mumbled silently, still feeling the cold sweat pour down my neck when I looked

through its hollow eye socket that resembled the abyss of death if stared at it for to long.

There was silence from Elisaria before she answered me with a silent huss "That young lass is a tree

Morte"

~Spades P.O.V~

Edmond stood in front of the dark forest of Viridis. His green forest eyes staring intensely at through the

haunted looking trees.

"Master, do you think she headed through the forest?" the hooded figure questioned from behind his

mask, watching the young prince stare at the forest for what seemed like a long period of time.

Edmond didn't say answer straight away and continued to think.

"No one is stupid enough to enter the dark forest of Viridis without going in a squad of skilled fighters

and magicians" another cloaked figure spoke to his comrade, throwing a rock at the ground out of

annoyance.

"The forest is roaming with beast hunger for human flesh. No one has entered alone to leave alive"

"I thought she was with a dragon?" another one spoke crossing his hands and eyeing the four cloaked

figures from the hallow sockets of his white plain mask.

"A dragon cannot ride the skies of the dark forest; the air is poison for their minds" Edmond interrupted

his followers, glancing back at them as he examined each one of them. 'I'm still incapable of fighting

with my injured shoulder if we were to encounter a creature in the forest'

"What are your commands master?"

He looked down to the ground before glancing back at the forest. He could he the deep yet faint howls

of the monsters that lurked within.

"We are going around" he made up his mind. Edmon wasn't the type to risk his followers and himself

going through the forest that Diana would have avoided.

"Let's proceed with our task" Edmond turned around and left to the direction they came from with his

followers following his steps.

'Diana don't think your free from our grasps. We will find you and we will capture you'