The campfire crackled. Erich turned the spider legs roasting over the flames, sending a scent akin to grilled crab meat wafting through the air.
The trees of the Withered Bone Forest completely blocked out the already dim light of the Abyss, leaving only the campfire to carve out a small pocket of warm light amidst the twisted, pitch-black trunks surrounding them.
The little princess sat on a tree stump opposite him, staring blankly into the flames. Her once-exquisite dress was now filthy beyond recognition, yet she hadn't uttered a single complaint. This made Erich view her in a slightly different light.
“What is your name?”
Leonora suddenly looked up, staring straight at Erich.
Erich's hand paused as he turned the spider legs. This was the first time she had actively asked. Back in the mine shafts, they had been too busy running for their lives, and they hadn't spoken much during their flight either. He hadn't even realized he had never told her his name.
“Hilet,” he said.
This was his alias. Because the name Erich was too widely hated, he always went by a pseudonym.
“Hilet,” the little princess repeated, tilting her head. “What a strange name.”
“Is it?” Erich handed over a roasted spider leg. “I think it's decent enough.”
Leonora took the spider leg and stared down at it for a long moment.
“If we make it out of here alive, would you be willing to become my knight?”
The moment she finished speaking, the little princess quickly lowered her head, nervously twisting the fabric of her skirt between her fingers.
Erich silently turned another spider leg in his hand.
During their flight, he had already dug up the history between Erich Edmond and the little princess from his host's memories. It had happened a year ago at a noble gathering. Glasses had clinked in the banquet hall of the Edmond family in Frostfire City. The original Erich, dressed in a finely tailored suit, had stood among a crowd of young nobles, right across from this very princess. She had been surrounded by a crowd back then, but anyone could see that while their words were respectful, their eyes held nothing but contempt. The original Erich had probably drunk too much and said something in public. The exact wording was hazy now, but the gist of it was mocking her as a mere trophy, a “Golden Bough” raised by the imperial family for show, whom nobody actually cared about as a person.
It was harsh, but it had hit a sore spot.
The current emperor of the Radiant Empire had two sons and two daughters. Leonora's mother was merely a concubine with no family background and had no voice in court. The little princess had been raised from childhood to be the public face of the imperial family, wearing the most magnificent dresses and the most expensive jewelry, but no one cared what she actually wanted. Her brothers were busy fighting for the succession, her older sister had joined the church early on, and absolutely no one cared whether this “Golden Bough” lived or died.
Thus, after the original Erich's words spread, she gained a new nickname in noble circles: the “Princess of the Golden Bough.”
That was why she had chased Erich into the Abyss the very moment he was exiled. It wasn't just to seek revenge on the bastard named Erich, but also to prove that she was more than just a pretty trophy.
Only she had nearly lost her life in the process.
Erich chuckled. He pulled his hood down a bit further to conceal most of his face and said, “Let's talk about that after we get out, Your Highness.”
The little princess snapped her head up, a genuine smile breaking across her face.
She took a cautious bite of the spider leg and then began eating it in small, delicate mouthfuls.
The texture of the spider leg meat was somewhere between crab and chicken, with a faint earthy taste, but being able to eat hot food in the Abyss was already a luxury.
Erich picked up a leg of his own and began to gnaw on it, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding dead woods. The danger level of the Withered Bone Forest wasn't particularly high, but he didn't dare let his guard down. He had no idea how many companions those men in black had; it would be troublesome if they caught up.
There was no night in the Abyss, but the human biological clock didn't lie. Before long, the little princess's head began to nod off, and the spider leg in her hand nearly dropped into the fire. She forced herself to stay awake for a bit, only for her head to droop again, repeating the cycle several times.
Watching this, Erich said, “Get some sleep. I'll keep watch.”
They weren't far from the Return Platform now, so taking a brief rest wouldn't be a problem. He could still hold out, but Leonora was different—after all, the little princess was essentially a weakling.
The little princess hesitated, then lay down on her side on the log beneath her. But after lying there for a short while, she sat back up and looked at Erich.
“What's wrong?” Erich asked.
“Could you sit next to me?”
Erich remained silent for a moment before getting up and sitting down beside her. The princess shifted, scooting closer to him inch by inch, and then gently rested her head on his lap. She fell asleep almost instantly.
This wasn't actually very safe, as it would prevent Erich from jumping up immediately in an emergency. But after some thought, he let her be. There was hardly anything in the Withered Bone Forest that could pose a threat to him anyway.
The campfire burned for an unknown amount of time before gradually dying down. Erich didn't add any more firewood, preparing to move. He gently tapped Leonora on the shoulder. She startled awake almost instantly, a flash of panic in her eyes before she recognized who was in front of her.
“Let's go,” Erich said as he stood up, the wings on his back unfolding once more.
Leonora nodded, rubbing her eyes, and naturally reached her arms out, waiting for him to carry her.
The rest of their journey consisted of flying and stopping. The terrain of the Withered Bone Forest was utterly monotonous, filled with twisted trees and grayish-white soil. Occasionally, a few low-level bone spiders or goblins would pop up, but he easily dispatched them. The little princess remained quiet in his arms, occasionally looking up at his face, but his hood covered him too well for her to see anything.
Roughly two days later, they were very close to the Return Platform. Erich decided to take one last rest in the forest. Having gone without sleep for several consecutive days, his body was starting to protest. His reaction time had visibly slowed down, and continuing like this would only make him a liability if they ran into real danger.
After finding a massive hollow tree, Erich ushered the little princess inside. He did a quick patrol of the perimeter, then blocked the entrance with a few large stones, leaving only a small gap at the top for ventilation.
The little princess was already leaning against the hollow's wall waiting for him, clutching his sword in her arms.
Erich took the sword from her hands and placed it within arm's reach. Leaning against the wall, he slowly closed his eyes. Exhaustion rushed over him like a tide, and his consciousness began to sink.
Suddenly, he felt someone gently drawing his sword. Erich didn't move. There were only the two of them in the hollow, and he didn't believe she had the strength to harm him, even with a sword in hand.
But what happened next caught him by surprise. The sword was drawn, and its flat tapped gently against his left shoulder.
“Today, in the name of the Princess of the Golden Bough of the Radiant Empire, I dub you my knight.”
A second tap, this time on his right shoulder.
“Your sword need not fight for the kingdom, but only protect me alone. Your courage need not be offered to the throne, but belong solely to me.”
The sword was gently set aside, and then she lay back down on his lap, nudging her head around to find a comfortable position.
Erich waited for a long time, only opening his eyes after she had completely fallen asleep.
He looked down at the girl curled up in his arms. She looked entirely different asleep than when she was awake. Awake, she was always tense, like a small animal ready to bolt at any second. But in sleep, her brow had finally relaxed, as if she were having a pleasant dream.
Erich sheathed his sword, leaned back against the wall, and closed his eyes.
He slept for a very long time. When Erich woke up, he felt completely refreshed. He gently woke the little princess, moved the stones blocking the entrance, and set off once more.
During their flight, the little princess suddenly asked, “Hilet, did you dream when you were asleep?”
“No, I was too tired and slept like a log.”
“Oh,” the little princess murmured, her tone carrying a trace of something hard to define—perhaps disappointment, or perhaps relief. She didn't ask anything else.
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