Gourmet Emperor : Building A Nation

"Master Ikki, can I take this wolf's fur? It would be a waste if its furs only let rotten in here"

Matius ask me if he can take the wolf furs and since I don't need it, I just let Matius take it.

"Sure, I don't need it. Mr. Matius, you can have it"

He looks happy when I granted his request. He and his brother quickly skinned the wolf and also take the wolf's fangs. That action only took about quarter of an hour and we're ready to move again. We move in line formation with mister Matius as the Pathfinder, followed by me, chief Harvard, Silvie, mister Lukas and Marius as the rear watch. I don't know why but on this trip Silvie didn't talk much except some words to her father.

We continue to enter the forest by tracking my foot traces when in the forest. We found the small stream and follow it to upstream. During the trip, Matius and Marius show their expertise by being able to shoot down some hunting prey with their arrow. Neither chief Harvard or I forbid them to do that because I know that's their way of living, although it slows down our trip a little.

When they see my track coming from the forest, we leave the stream and entering the deep forest. Although it's been a while we still can see the sign of grass being stepped by my feet. But after we walk for about half an hour, the footmark no longer visible, the grass was standing tall and lustful like no one ever stepping over them. We currently stand at the slope of a small hill, like the place where the cave entrance located but neither I or everyone else in the party can see any big boulders.

"Master Ikki, your footstep marks ended around here. I guess this is where your first time arrives at the forest" Matius reporting his finding.

"Ah yes, I think I still recognize some landmark there. But where's the cave? I don't see that giant boulder that blocks the cave entrance either"

"Master Ikki, let's take a look by walking around the hill" chief Harvard give his suggestion

"Okay, let's take a look there" I don't have any other choice but to agree with that suggestion.

The hill is not too big but full of vegetation, grass, shrubs, some trees were growing there. We take a walk circling the hill but there's no giant boulder whatsoever can be found around the hill.

"Master Ikki, what should we do next?" Matius ask me the question

I don't know how to answer that. I have 80% confidence this place is the cave located but I don't see even a hole in the hill. It's impossible that giant boulder can shift place within one night without leaving any traces.

"Can we look under that bushes and shrubs in the hill? Maybe the cave was hidden under it?"

"Master Ikki, we've been searching the whole hills but we don't see any big boulder or cave that master Ikki told me last night. I'm not accusing master Ikki lying thou" chief Harvard starts to speak.

"Ugh, I swear to God that what happened yesterday is not lie. Even I don't understand why I can't find the cave" I try to express my confusion.

"Master Ikki, maybe we should look to other places?" Marius is giving his opinion.

"Right master Ikki, maybe we search in the wrong place" Lukas also speaks his opinion.

I'm silently thinking while staring their eyes. They're waiting for my decision.

"Okay, let try to search in another place"