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"Swordsmith" Chapter 91: Barefoot, Stepping on Thorns
🕑 Added 2023-06-25 17:41:11 +0000 UTCThe brave warriors successfully rescued the third princess, who had been kidnapped, unharmed. That's how it should be described, but in appearance, they looked nothing more than a group of defeated soldiers.
They trudged through the dim forest, their weary bodies mindful of their every step, along with the princess.
Ricardo played the role of the decoy alone, and he was on the verge of losing consciousness, constantly tense.
Jocel was covered in wounds from his battle with the enemy captain. Particularly, the deep gash on his left cheek continued to bleed through the cloth he had applied and stained it gradually.
Gerhardt always stood in the front, facing numerous enemies. Moreover, his hands were numb and not moving properly after beheading nearly ten people. He was also mentally exhausted.
Lutz, who engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy vice-captain, had relatively minor injuries. He was carrying Listille on his back.
Listille had insisted on walking on her own, but her legs trembled from being confined in the cell for a while and the fear of the tragedy, so she couldn't walk straight.
"Is it not too heavy?"
Listille asked hesitantly, and Lutz answered in a cheerful voice as much as possible.
"Compared to carrying charcoal or iron sand, Your Highness's body is as light as a feather."
"I have been relying on all of you too much..."
It wasn't just today. It began with the arrangement of her being sold in the peace negotiations with the Allied Nations.
"Yes, indeed. Now that it has come to this, we must make sure Your Highness finds happiness no matter what. We will stick by you until then."
"Well..."
"Clau... Claudia also worried about you. Please show her your energetic face."
Listille nodded slightly. Ever since she was encouraged that she didn't have to go through a political marriage, she had developed feelings for Claudia.
They continued in silence for a while, but suddenly Listille spoke anxiously into Lutz's ear.
"Um, Lutz-san, please put me down for a moment."
"What's wrong? We should try to reach the highway before sunset..."
"Well, um... Ah... Ah..."
Listille shuddered. A warm wetness spread on Lutz's back. Water droplets trickled down through the gaps between Lutz's hands that were supporting her small body.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry..."
Lutz couldn't see her face from his position, but Listille blushed and looked down.
"Don't worry about it. I've heard that it's normal for everyone to let it flow on the battlefield."
"Is it okay to compare it like that...?"
Although he didn't want to say something tasteless by thinking that she had been violated by the bandits, who were always hungry for women and would take anything available, especially a young and noble girl like her, Lutz comforted her.
"Come on, don't worry about it."
Gerhardt and the others noticed the princess's change, but they pretended not to notice, showing mercy.
They took a slightly roundabout route to avoid the spot where the carriage was attacked. There were the bodies of the knights who were killed, and it was not something they wanted to show the princess.
They finally reached the highway and could catch their breath. Everyone collapsed on the spot.
Ricardo took out a tinderbox from his pouch and prepared a bonfire.
"Why do you have something like that with you?"
Lutz asked, and Ricardo answered with an air of pride, as if saying, "I'm glad you asked."
"It's a basic item for adventurers. Ba-sic."
"Such an annoying guy..."
Although it was early spring, it was getting a little chilly as evening approached. Everyone gathered around the bonfire and warmed their hands. Listille, in particular, had several things she wanted to dry.
The bonfire seemed to have a calming effect on people's hearts, as a sense of relief appeared on the faces of everyone illuminated by the flames.
After resting for about five minutes, Lutz stood up.
"I'll go call Clau and the others. They should be in the nearby village. Let's have them bring the carriage here."
"Why, do you want to see your bride that badly?"
When Ricardo teased him, Lutz replied as if it were a matter of course.
"Of course."
And he answered and ran off.
Jocel said with a twitch on his left cheek.
"It's pointless to tease him. All we'll get is a serious face talking about his lovey-dovey stuff."
"...Seems like it."
Ricardo let out a sigh of exasperation.
When Lutz arrived at the village, Claudia, who had keenly spotted him, ran up to him.
"Lutz-kun!"
She rushed towards him and threw herself at Lutz, wrapping her arms around his neck. Lutz managed to withstand the impact without falling. It would be embarrassing to fall backward in this position.
"I'm glad you're safe..."
"Of course, I'm a man who keeps his promises."
"I see. By the way, what's that cloth wrapped around your shoulder?"
"Oh, just got bitten by a bug."
He tried to brush it off as a joke, but Claudia stared at him intently with moist eyes. The strength in her arms tightened, and he couldn't move.
"I'm sorry for worrying you."
"That's for sure..."
The butler stumbled over and ran up to them.
"Lutz-san! Is Her Highness, Listille-sama, unharmed?"
"She's safe. Right now, she's having a campfire with the other guys on the side of the highway. Let's go pick her up with the carriage."
"Oh, thank goodness... Really, thank goodness..."
The butler sat down on the spot. His entire body was drained of energy, and it was a miracle that he didn't collapse.
"Oh, and there's something... Probably an important matter for the royal family..."
Lutz said carefully, choosing his words.
"Her Highness's... um, virginity, I suppose. It's intact. It seems nothing happened to her by those bandits."
"What...?"
Listille was thirteen years old, but she had enough feminine charm.
In the presence of bandits who were always starving for women, it was inconceivable that she hadn't been treated like fresh meat thrown to wild dogs.
In any form, he wanted her to survive. That was the best news for the butler, who had wished for that more than anything.
"Because they're returning soldiers, right?"
Claudia asked while clinging to Lutz. Even in this position, it was a little awkward for Lutz to be asked with a serious face.
"Well, let's talk about that in the carriage. We don't want Her Highness to fall asleep before that."
Lutz, who was not good at handling carriages, handed the reins to Claudia.
Everyone boarded the carriage at Claudia's suggestion.
It was cramped. It couldn't be said to be comfortable, but Listille, nestled on Claudia's lap, fell asleep with a relieved expression, snoring softly.
