Chapter 209 (1/2)

Chapter 209

They were significantly delayed because of the troll attack that, by the time they stopped to hts stood guard holding torches, while priestesses focused on the wounded Most of their conditions worsened due to traveling continuously despite their weak bodies

Max ith Idcilla to fetch water fro, so they could use it to boil herbs for theit to the wounded soldiers, they went to prepare a h to pass out, but there was no time to take even a short rest Only after they took care of the injured and handed out food to everyone, could they finally settle down to eat their ownof whatever bread and soup was left

Max didn’t think it was unfair When the battle broke out, the soldiers risked their lives to protect them, noas their turn to help nurse theer meal in the dark and went to lie down on a blanket near the campfire Idcilla, who had also worked without a word of complaint, came to lay by her side After aaround

She asked her in a whisper “A-are you alright? Are you hurt somewhere…?”

“N-no It’s just… it’s ht it would be…” Idcilla blew her nose on the blanket, her eyes glittering with unshed tears “I’m sorry I’ you to come with me…”

“No, i-it’s not I… made my own decision” Max responded quickly, then added hesitantly “Do you want to go b-back?”

Idcilla shook her head “Nothing like that No, honestly, I want to go back But still… I won’t do it”

She bit her lip lightly before continuing “You reht?” Max nodded Idcilla’s voice was as weak as the wick of a dying candle “Elba did not join the war tofroh he claimed it was to maintain his honor… in truth, he did it to raise money for my dowry My family is one of the oldest faeneration, our wealth and influence has been in constant decline And ion…”

“In that r-region… do they ask for a large amount of dowry?”

Idcilla nodded stiffly “I told theement, butan engagee is the same as a death sentence… Elba didn’t want me to be subjected to such a dishonorable situation So, to earn my dowry, my father sold the little land we had left and Elba was forced to join the war I knew this… I just pretended not to know and did nothing to stop it If I had just walked into the monastery and become a priestess earlier… If Elba… ended up like those soldiers buried in the ground today… If soiveTo think that Idcilla was struggling with guilt all that time… it all made sense now, she could understand why she came up with such a reckless decision She was very unfamiliar with it all A brother ould risk his life for his little sister, or a father ould sell his land for his daughter; it sounded like so out of a storybook

“Sorry You must feel uncomfortable from what I just revealed”

“…It’s fine”

“To will be better” Idcilla wiped away her tears with her sleeves and claimed defiantly “I must be very tired because my emotions became vulnerable”

“…sleep now When d-dawn coain”

Idcilla nodded and covered her head with a blanket No irl had to be really exhausted since she fell asleep very soon Max rolled onto her back and looked up at the starry sky with a griined that she would be loved If she were smarter, prettier, and didn’t stutter, would have the Duke of Croix treat her differently? She felt her heart freeze at the thought

Max curled up and pulled the blanket over her chin There’s no use inyourself to others

She had Riftan now Even when she was tattered and covered in dirt, he loved her Just having him by her side hat she would probably ever need Max closed her eyes and tried to erase the memories of her miserable past

The next day, the preparations to depart began even before dawn broke Max, feeling her ic to the wounded The injured soldiers were not surprised as they thought they were receiving divinein relief, Max went to the streaot there, she was the only priestess around Perhaps the other priestesses already brought water

Max turned towards the camp, when she suddenly saw her reflection in the water She had been wearing the suffocating robe since the beginning of the expedition, so the exposed part of her face and neck were sticky with sweat She hesitated for a moment, then quickly sat down near the water, pulled back her hood, and splashed the cold water over her face and neck Her clothes were getting soaked, but she didn’t care Rolling up her sleeves, she washed her ar up

At thatsound above her She looked up and froze, as her face paled: it was Sir Quahel Leon, perched on top of a steep rock He looked down at her with an expressionless face as he bit into his apple It suddenly dawned on her that no one was around there to avoid disturbing his rest She hurriedly covered her head with hood and quickly went to leave, but a

“What were you thinking co all the way here?”

Her heart fell to her stoht threw the core of the apple into the bushes and leaped off the rock

“I’ve been snooping around and noticed that the Archduke knows nothing about this… just how did you sneak in?”

“Wha-what… are you talking about…”

Max pulled the hood down to her chin and played ignorant Thefor a while and stared at her, as if pro her to answer his question

Max felt herto do…”

“I have delivered your letter”

As soon as he said that, Max couldn’t ht in a snare It occurred to her that he , but the temptation was too hard for her to resist, she wanted to know from him