A rough idea grew in Rose's heart as she gazed at the confidence and excitement on Gabrielle's face. No matter what happened, as long as Gabrielle understood what she said, it was enough. Getting along with a woman of intelligence wasn't difficult. It didn't take her long to understand things.
"It's good that you understand. I told you, you're a smart woman. I can't be wrong about that." The corners of Rose's lips curled with a faint smile.
"That's because you taught me well." Gabrielle meant every word. She liked the crossbow the most. With it in her hand, she felt like a gallant hero from the ancient times.
"This one might be a little difficult for you. Have you played with this one before?" Rose took something from her waist and showed it to Gabrielle.
Gabrielle took a deep breath the moment she caught a glimpse of it. It was a grenade. One wrong move and someone would most definitely be killed.
On top of that, getting one wasn't easy at all. It was even rarer in Antawood. Ordinary people would not have the chance to see it, let alone have the opportunity to use one.
It was way too dangerous. Gabrielle had never laid her hands on one before.
"I've taught her how to use one before we came here. After all, I am not in good terms with some of the people here. Self-defense is a must," Lance answered Rose's question for Gabrielle.
Rose was reeling Gabrielle in with her aggressive-defensive strategy. She tried to instill some ideas into Gabrielle's mind as they chatted casually. This way, Gabrielle might unconsciously blurt out the truth if she let her guard down.
The idea of it was quite ingenious. Lance knew it. After all, he had experienced it first hand. He was afraid that Gabrielle might not be aware of it since she had never crossed paths with Rose's kind before. To her, Rose wasn't an enemy and it was very easy for her to not be vigilant.
If they took Gabrielle by force, they had no assurance that she would spit out a word. However, this way of persuasion might let them find out some things once she had let her guard down.
"Alright. I guess I don't have to teach her anymore. Let's go." Rose said nothing more. She proceeded to walk with a camouflage bag on her back.
Gabrielle and Lance also had backpacks with them. In addition to a crossbow, there were a million other things one needed to survive the outdoors.
"Gabrielle, let me carry your bag." Lance took her bag from her hands and put it on his back. He had one bag on both of his shoulders.
"It's fine. My bag isn't that heavy anyway. I can carry it myself," Gabrielle said.
"Come on. We still have a long way to go before we reach the place we hunt pheasants at. Wild animals are wary of the village since they know that they will be in grave danger once they get close. That's why we have to go deep into the woods. Unless we're lucky enough to meet some by the village," Lance explained.
"I know. It's just like when they beat that hare near the fence, right?" Gabrielle asked out of curiosity.
"Yes but that rarely happens. We should go further into the forest today. Stay close so you don't get lost," Lance warned. He was worried about Gabrielle.
If they got lost deep into the woods, they might not be able to find a way out.
"Yeah… I know. But I get this feeling that Rose has an
ulterior motive for taking us hunting with her," Gabrielle whispered. Anxiety filled her veins.
Whether it was her sensitivity or intuition, she had always felt like things were not as simple as they seemed.
'Bain had me under surveillance before. It's odd for him to let Rose take us out of the village. Is she plotting something?' Gabrielle thought.
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