“Keep your guard up until the taunadel runs out of spines”, Ferdinand said. “Each spine is poisonous, so getting stabbed would not be ideal.”

“Yes, sir!” the knights barked again, all wearing stony expressions.

My ears twitched at his words. “Erm, Ferdinand… It seems to me that the poisonous spines are all jabbing into the fish. Will the meat still be edible?”

“I do not know,” he replied curtly.

I took a sharp breath despite myself and cried, “What do you mean, you don’t know?! I want you to teach me how to dissect the fish, not fight them!”