TFM 21

Chapter 21

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He alternated between looking at his superior's cold back and the reproachful glances of the citizens, then sighed heavily and urged his horse on.

The second princess, who had been holed up in the carriage as if staging a silent protest, finally emerged when they had left the capital and were resting by the river.

The servants, who were busy setting up tents and preparing for camp, looked at Talia with tense eyes.

It seemed that her claim that she would change her clothes several times a day was no empty promise, as she was wearing a silk dress embroidered with golden thread, not the dress she had worn when she left the palace.

On top of that, she wore an expensive necklace around her delicate, white neck that could easily buy a castle, and her slender wrists, like birch branches, were adorned with gorgeous jewelry studded with diamonds.

Edric, who had spotted her from afar, wore an astonished expression. They were about to have dinner and set up camp. Why on earth had she dressed up so elaborately? He couldn't understand her behavior and already felt exhausted.

He sighed, handed the reins to the groomer, and approached the princess. The woman, who had been looking around, gave him a fierce glare.

Suddenly, Edric felt his throat tighten. Surrounded by the setting sun, Talia looked like a creature made of fire and gold.

Her wheat-colored hair, blown by the strong river breeze, formed a rich golden wave around her face, and her flawless white skin glowed pale even in the fiery sunset.

He took a step back without realizing it. Everything about the woman was so delicate that it seemed as if she might shatter into sharp fragments at any moment.  

Swallowing dryly at an inexplicable premonition, a harsh voice emerged from between her blood-red lips.  

"I don't like it here. Move the campsite."

He finally came to his senses at that absurd order.

He stiffened his back. This woman was a poisonous mushroom with a beautiful exterior. If he let his guard down, seduced by her beauty, he would suffer a harsh fate.

He responded bluntly, adopting a businesslike attitude.

“This campsite was chosen by the guard for safety reasons. We can’t start looking for another location now.”  

“Who asked for your opinion?”  

The Princess shot him a piercing glance.  

“I ordered you to move the campsite. You just have to obey my orders!”  

He had to take a moment to gather his patience.

"All decisions for this expedition are made by Lord Shiokan. I repeat, you cannot leave the group on your own."

"So all I need is Varkas’s permission?"

The woman impatiently interrupted him and immediately turned away. It seemed she had been looking for an excuse to pick a fight with Lord Shiokan from the beginning.

Edric hurriedly followed after the princess. He couldn't understand why she was so anxious to cause trouble on the first day of the trip.

He quickly caught up with her with long strides.

"What exactly is it about this place that you don't like?"

"I just don't like anything about it."

The woman walked briskly, her footsteps sounding stiff.

"I don't like being close to the water, and I don't like being close to the forest. There will be bugs everywhere."  

"How are we supposed to camp in a place without water? Besides, griffins and harpies sometimes appear in this area. The forest is a natural defense against attacks by large monsters..."

“What safety are you talking about! I’ve already been bitten by insects in two places! If I spend the night here, the bugs will eat all my skin. And what about the sounds coming from the forest! I don’t even want to hear the rustling of leaves, and if the birds keep chirping like that, how am I supposed to sleep!”

Edric looked down at the princess with a stunned expression. Even a five-year-old spoiled child wouldn't throw such a tantrum. He desperately suppressed his rising irritation.

"We have to camp out for the next few days. If you don't start adapting now..."

"Just move the campsite! Why do I have to endure something I hate?"

The woman shouted in a shrill voice and charged through the camp like a racehorse, staring straight ahead. He had to clench his fists tightly to resist the urge to stop her by force.

“Everyone is exhausted from the day-long march. We can’t dismantle the tents and search for a new campsite for such a ridiculous reason. Please stop making such foolish remarks and return to the carriage immediately to rest.”

As he blocked her path and spoke sternly, the Princess’s face, which was eerily beautiful, twisted slightly. Immediately, there was a sound like a whip cracking, and a sharp pain shot through his right cheek.

He glared at the woman with a fierce look in his eyes. From the moment he was assigned as her bodyguard, he had been prepared for a light slap. But it felt worse than he had imagined.

"How dare you give me orders?"

As he struggled to swallow his humiliation, the woman grabbed his collar and snarled in his face.

"I am the emperor's daughter, and you are here to serve me. If I tell you to walk all night, then walking until dawn is your destiny. So stop talking out of turn and get out of my way."

The woman pushed him away and started walking along the riverbank again.

Edric stared at her small back with a stern expression. He wanted to do what his superior had done and throw that insolent woman over his shoulder and toss her back into the carriage.

But he didn't have the backing to get away with laying a hand on a member of the imperial family without being punished.

Edric stared intently at her receding figure and let out a bitter sigh.

Would he be able to endure that wicked woman's mischief until the end of this journey? His neck was already aching.

As Talia walked along the river, she felt piercing stares on her back.

She shot a sharp glance over her shoulder. She found the people who had been staring at her quickly turned their heads away and pretended to be busy with something else.

It was no different from their usual reaction. People always treated her like a powder keg that could explode at any moment. But today, the glances that lingered on her despite her efforts to avoid them felt suspicious.

‘There must be a spy planted among them by Senevere.’

She scrutinized each of her attendants. Perhaps all of them were spies. If it were her mother, she would have done just that.

Her thoughts began to spiral in an increasingly far-fetched direction.

Senevere had been working for years to undermine Gareth's support base. Perhaps she intended to use this opportunity to eliminate all obstacles standing in the way of her young son's future.

Her heart beat erratically.

If her mother's target was Gareth or Ayla, it didn't matter. If necessary, she was willing to go along with her plan. But if Senevere’s target was Varkas...

Having thought that far, Talia looked around the densely lined military tents with anxious eyes.

She had to separate the camp. If she put physical distance between them, it would be difficult for Senevere’s spies to work their magic during the night.

She quickened her pace. Before long, she found Varkas’s beloved military horse Torque tied up in front of a large tent. Talia passed by the gray stallion, which recognized her and snorted loudly, and stepped into the dimly lit tent.

The inside of the tent was neatly arranged like a temple. Talia glanced at the candlesticks emitting a faint light, the luxurious storage cabinets, and the display stand with armor, and then moved forward without hesitation when she noticed a deep shadow behind the screen.

"I want to move my camp to another location. However, my distinguished knight says that I cannot go anywhere without the permission of Lord Shiokan. It seems that your subordinates believe that the commander of the Roem Knights is superior to the royal family. How did the royal guard become such a group that does not understand the hierarchy...?"

Talia, who had been speaking freely while removing the curtain, suddenly stiffened. Varkas was standing there with his upper body bare, wiping the moisture from his face with a towel.