Free Web NovelChapter 60: Chapter 54: If You Want to Live
Sesil had actually been waiting for the right time to depart, planning to wait for clear weather.
But for several days straight—no, it would be more accurate to say that ever since Eric and his party had arrived at her Monastery, the weather had never been clear.
Even when it wasn’t raining, the sky was a hazy gray, as if ready to pour at any moment.
Now, Sesil didn’t want to delay any longer. The Monastery’s food supplies were running critically low.
They departed on an overcast day. The mud left by the previous days’ rain was still there, and the driver didn’t dare push the carriage to go any faster.
Unfortunately, less than half a day after setting out, a light rain began to fall from the sky again.
They traveled from the open road into the depths of a Forest.
Suddenly, the carriage gave a violent jolt and then stopped.
The carriage window was pulled open. It was Sesil.
"What’s wrong?"
"Sir, we can’t get through up ahead," the driver’s voice came from the front.
Sesil looked ahead. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
It was clearly caused by a mudslide.
Thick trees had been uprooted, and they lay on the ground, enveloped in viscous mud. The trees in its path had been completely washed away, and the remaining mudflow had spread out.
Fortunately, the mudslide had stopped a long time ago, and some of the mud had begun to solidify into clumps, though the light rain had melted some of it.
But a vehicle the size of the carriage had no way of passing through normally.
Sesil, clutching a box, got out of the carriage and looked at the terrible scene before her.
"The carriage can’t get through. Maybe we can try carrying it across," Eric said, dismounting his horse and surveying the scene.
"Perhaps I can stay inside. I don’t want to get my clothes dirty with mud."
Sesil raised her eyebrows, seeming to look at Eric deliberately.
If she insisted, no one here could object.
"If that is your wish, then naturally, I have no objection."
Eric replied, feeling rather speechless.
"However, I must remind you, this is a dangerous task. Even the people carrying it might slip and get washed all the way to Rouen along with the mudflow, Your Highness."
"Is that so? Is that all?" Sesil lifted her head.
"..."
Eric had a good idea of what she wanted.
"I humbly implore you, Your Highness, to consider the opinion of your loyal servant."
"Very well. Since you are so sincere, I will gladly and joyfully accept."
Sesil chuckled, then placed her hands on her hips, looking very pleased.
’As expected, she’s much better suited for a Monastery. If she were a normal princess, I’d truly feel sorry for her future Attendants.’
Eric broke off a branch from a nearby tree and walked to the edge of the mudflow. The more-than-a-meter-long branch disappeared completely into it. Then he reached his hand in to feel it.
"Leif, carry Her Highness across."
Eric waved the branch toward Leif, who was still sitting on the cart.
"I refuse! I will not allow a man to touch me!"
Sesil then felt she was being a bit extreme, so she added:
"I... I am a Nun. My body has been offered to God. Just have Loli and Kara carry me."
Sesil pointed to the Nuns behind her.
"No, that’s too dangerous. It’s very deep here, and there are moving undercurrents. Or we can turn back. You must decide quickly. It’s getting late. If we can’t find a village or town before nightfall, we might have to camp in the Forest."
"But..."
Sesil was conflicted.
"Then... then you carry me."
"Me?"
Eric pointed to himself.
"But I’m a man, too."
He asked this deliberately.
"You’re a Cultivator. That counts as half a man. The other half belongs to God."
’You son of a...’
A dark look crossed Eric’s face.
Still, he had no choice but to comply.
Eric slowly walked up behind Sesil. She timed it just right, wrapping her arms around his neck. He supported her with his arms and easily lifted her.
She seemed tall, but she wasn’t heavy.
Now it was Sesil’s turn to look away.
The moment he stepped into the mudflow, the undercurrent rushed against him. Eric almost lost his footing, and splashing mud spattered onto Sesil’s cheek.
The mud and water came up to his waist.
’This was probably a stream before, just covered by the mudslide.’
Luckily, the mudflow wasn’t very wide, only about seven or eight meters across.
By the time he set Sesil down on the other side, his Monk’s Robe was pretty much ruined.
Sesil didn’t say a word. She was very quiet now.
A few of the quicker-witted men also carried the remaining three Nuns across.
Eric crossed the mudflow again, unhitched the horses from the carriage, and, with Leif and a few others, lifted the vehicle.
The carriage was made of solid wood, so it wasn’t as heavy as one might imagine, though it certainly wasn’t light; it took four strong men to lift it.
They lifted it and slowly started walking into the mudflow.
Eric’s gaze involuntarily lifted, and he saw a dark figure dart out from the Forest on the opposite side.
He thought it was a trick of the eye, but the figure quickly came into focus.
The man wore a rusty combat Helmet with holes cut out for his eyes and mouth. He charged toward Sesil, who was still completely unaware.
His target was the box in Sesil’s hands.
As the man lunged for the box in Sesil’s hands, Eric immediately let go of the carriage, found a suitable position and angle, and threw his Longsword at him.
The Longsword, imbued with Power, pierced straight through his arm.
The man let out a pained scream, but at the same time, someone next to Eric also screamed—the suddenly dropped carriage had landed on his foot.
Despite the pain, the man in the Helmet still pushed Sesil over and snatched the box from her hands.
"That’s the money! Go after him!" Sesil shouted at Eric and his men, getting up despite the pain.
...
「In the Forest」
The man in the Helmet decisively tore off a piece of his clothing and wrapped it around his wound to stop the blood from dripping.
But it wasn’t that simple. The Longsword Eric had thrown had not only pierced his arm but also his side.
He ran for his life, the pain growing more and more intense.
But he couldn’t stop. Theft was the most serious of crimes, and from the way his victims were dressed, they were clearly nobles. If he were caught, he would never survive.
’Then again, I wasn’t going to survive anyway. If I could make a normal living, why would I do something this desperate?’ he thought.
Then, he was tripped by something and fell hard to the ground.
The pain from his wounds and the pain from the fall intertwined, making his body tremble.
Another sharp pain shot through his abdomen. Agony washed over him like a tide, and he collapsed to the ground.
The box in his hands flew out and was picked up by Eric.
