Free Web NovelChapter 31: The Welcome He Didn’t Expect
As the bronze knights heard her voice, one of them spoke in a respectful tone.
"Our master is the Lord of Blackstone Highlands." After that, they left the two knights to defend them while remaining moved toward the battlefield, as most enemies were already dead.
"Blackstone? Isn’t its lord that exiled princess?" Sophia muttered confusedly while looking toward their departing figure.
Then she sighed and sat down beneath the tree while leaning, because she was also hungry and exhausted from the previous battle. "Here," one knight approached her and gave her dried bread and meat strips; she smiled and thanked him before starting to eat.
"Lord of Blackstone" She muttered with curiosity while looking toward the battlefield; there, a big giant in black-blue armor with long dark-blue hair was killing enemies like swiping the dust.
---
Finally, after twenty minutes, we have killed all the bandits, even though many surrendered.
"Nah... all of you have done too many crimes, numbering in the hundreds."
While their leader threatens me with his backer, which he didn’t say even on his last breath.
I shook my head while stabbing the last bandit.
The battlefield fell silent.
Looking around, every enemy was dead. The knights were already cleaning the battlefield while some sorted through the loot.
After that, a quick inspection of my condition followed.
"No wounds..."
A faint smile appeared on my face.
"But it seems the First Titan Form, along with all three Shadow summons, can only be maintained for around twenty minutes."
I waited for five minutes before they were able to finish everything, and then we headed toward the rescued people.
"Thank you, sir, for saving us." Everyone starts thanking me with a grateful smile with tears in their eyes.
"It’s fine." After taking their thanks and telling them to rest, I approached the bright blue-eyed woman.
"Sir" She straightened after seeing me and hastily replied as the small bread crumbs were still left on her lips.
A small smile appeared on my lips after seeing this. And I brought my hands to her lips, on which she got startled at first but didn’t move, and then I removed the bread crumbs, while showing her, "It was there."
A faint blush appeared as she shook her head. "It’s ok," then she continued.
"Sir, I am Sophia, the daughter of Blackriver Merchants. We are famous for our wine, if you have heard about this."
She paused, then asked with a pitiful expression, "Can the sir take us back?" She pleaded and added, "We don’t have any horses and guards left with us."
Then she put her hand on her chest while saying, "And traveling alone in this dangerous forest, I am worried someone took advantage of us."
My gaze followed as she moved her hand from her chest to above, as I could see those cleavages.
"Gulp." I instinctively gulped at this and didn’t notice that a small smile appeared on Sophia’s face.
"Ok, you can come with us to our territory first; after that, you can decide what to do."
After that, we packed up everything, and knights also arranged those ten carriages on which all women settled down, except one.
While readying my horse for the return journey, as the sun is already starting to set down, a hand tapped my shoulder.
I turned around and saw everyone is ready; only Sophia is standing behind me.
"What’s happened?" After hearing my question, she approached closely and said, "Sir, can I sit with you?"
My expression changed as the thought came, "What with her?" but she added another sentence with a pleading look.
"Sir, I don’t like travelling in close space; that’s why please let me sit with you."
After seeing again those heart-melting looks, I sighed and mounted the horse while pulling her upward.
She settles down in the front part facing sideways and holds my neck to steady herself.
I felt her body was too close as a subtle fragrance of grapes and expensive perfume drifted from her body, but she was looking at the front excitedly, so I didn’t say anything.
"Hold tight."
HIIIIIINNNNNN!
The horse let out a loud neigh before charging forward. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
THUD THUD THUD.
Its hooves pounded against the road as we sped toward the territory.
Finally, after traveling for an hour, we reached the territory before dark fully covered the surroundings.
"Here is the fruit."
"It’s good those gangs are gone."
"Did you see the princess?"
As I enter the main gate, I can see the market is lively with merchants and adventurers; many torches are burning fiercely, which makes the surroundings look bright, and vendors are selling their goods while some people are talking.
"It’s a lord."
"Wow, he looks so majestic."
After traveling some distance, many people identify me and start shouting while looking curiously at the girl on my horse. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
Sophia just looked around normally, as she had come into this territory before as well, but she still felt happy because living in a house is better than living in the wilderness.
The knights behind followed silently, but girls from the carriages looked outside with relieved smiles, while some were laughing and talking to each other.
I nodded at everyone and kept moving toward the lord’s estate.
Soon, we reached the gate, and the five bronze knights, whom I previously ordered to guard the main gate, opened it with a loud announcement.
"Lord is back!" Soon many maids and guards that were patrolling and transporting food stopped to look at the gate with a smile as their lord arrived back with his victory.
In the distance, Aurielle, now wearing a luxurious white dress with purple patterns woven into it, smiled upon hearing the news.
The dress highlighted her graceful figure and accentuated her natural beauty.
Beside her stood Margaret and several other maids, towels in their hands.
"Margaret, I am looking good, right?" Aurielle asked her while looking nervous.
"Yes, my lady, you are looking very beautiful; I am sure the lord will not be able to take his eyes off you," Margaret said with a repeated voice, as this is the fifth time she has asked this; other maids beside her giggle at this. But Aurielle’s face becomes less nervous.
"The Lord is back." Soon they heard the guard’s voice, and a smile appeared on everyone’s face.
But the next moment, Aurielle’s face became cold, and she asked Margaret with a chilling tone.
"Margaret, do you have a poison that can cripple a man?" Margaret got startled after hearing this and looked toward Aurielle to see what happened, but she got shocked.
Aurielle’s eyes now have become darker purple than before, and she is smiling, but this smile definitely doesn’t look good.
She gathered her courage and said.
"My lady, I don’t have this poison, and you should not think about this type of thing again."
Aurielle’s face didn’t change after hearing her reply; instead, she said to Margaret.
"Every time he separated from me for a few hours, he brought one woman after another, and now..."
"Did you see that a woman is sitting on his horse and clinging to him, like a loach?"
Margaret turned toward the front and then focused. Yeah, there was a beautiful woman with brown hair. "Yes, my lady."
"Let me tell you, Margaret, what would have happened during his journey."
"He definitely fought with the bandits and rescued these women."
She paused for a breath and continued. "But that woman definitely saw a prince in knight’s armor come and rescue her; that’s why that bitch is clinging like a koala to my husband." She finished while gritting her teeth.
Margaret gave a speechless look at her lady, then said with a sigh, "My lady, you are thinking too much; maybe those women just lost their horses, that’s why Lord help them—"
Margaret’s words were suddenly cut off as Luke’s voice echoed.
"Aurielle, I have returned early, but those bandits captured these women, so I saved them as well and brought them here."
Luke smiled after getting down and then helped Sophia as well in getting down; after that, he approached us.
---
"You look so beautiful, Aurielle." I smiled at her after reaching toward Aurielle, Margaret and the other maids.
But those maids’ eyes were wrong. "Like, seeing a lamb to be slaughtered?" I shook my head at these foolish thoughts.
Then, "Lord, please be okay," Margaret’s slightly worried voice came, and then, along with other maids, she left.
Only Aurielle remains, whose face has now become "Frosty?"
"Huh? What happened, darling?" I approached her and tried to hug her, but—
"Today you are going to sleep outside." She slapped my hands away and left while doing "humph."
"What the hell is happening?" I said while standing alone, as Osric, who was patrolling, gave me a pity look and then also left.
[Chapter End]
