He looked back and forth between the cold back of his superior and the faces of the citizens looking at him with reproachful eyes, then let out a heavy sigh and spurred his horse on.
The Second Princess, who had been locked in the carriage as if in a silent protest, only revealed herself when it was time to leave the capital and rest by the riverside.
The servants, who were preparing to set up camp and barracks, looked at Thalia with nervous eyes.
It seemed as if her words about changing clothes several times a day were not an exaggeration, for instead of the dress she had worn when leaving the palace, she was wearing a silk dress embroidered with gold.
In addition, around her slender, white-shining neck, she wore an expensive necklace that could easily buy a castle, and her wrists, which were as thin as birch branches, were also adorned with splendid jewelry studded with diamonds.
Edric, who saw the sight from afar, made a face of surprise. They were about to have dinner and go camping. What on earth was the reason for dressing up so much? He was already feeling exhausted by the behavior that he could not understand at all.
He swallowed a sigh, handed the bridle to the knight, and approached the Princess. Then, the woman who had been looking around turned to him with a fierce gaze.
For a moment, Edric felt his throat tighten. Surrounded by the light of the setting sun, Thalia appeared to be a creature made of fire and gold.
Her wheat-colored hair, blown by the strong river wind, created lush golden waves around her face, and her flawless agate skin radiated a pale glow even in the fiery sunset.
He took a step back without realizing it. Everything that made up the woman was so delicate that it seemed as if it would shatter into pieces at any moment, scattering sharp shards everywhere.
He swallowed dry saliva with a vague feeling that he couldn't explain in words, and a nervous voice leaked out from between her bloodshot lips.
"I don't like it here. Let's move the campsite."
He barely came to his senses after hearing that absurd instruction.
He stiffened his spine. This woman was a poisonous mushroom with a flashy appearance. If he lets his guard down, bewitched by her beautiful appearance, he will suffer a terrible fate.
He took on a businesslike manner and answered bluntly.
"This is the campsite the guards have chosen for their safety. We cannot look for another location now."
"Who asked your opinion?"
The woman gave him a frosty look.
"I gave the order to move the camp. You just have to obey my orders!"
Edric had to take a breather to gather his patience.
"All decisions regarding this expedition rest with Lord Sheerkhan. I repeat, you cannot arbitrarily leave the ranks."
"So you're saying that all I need is Barcas' permission?"
The woman who had cut him off abruptly turned around. It seemed like she had been looking for an excuse to pick a fight with Lord Sheerkhan from the beginning.
Edric hurriedly followed the Princess. He could not understand why the woman was so anxious about not being able to cause trouble on the first day of her trip. He outran her in one swift stride, his strides long.
"What on earth do you dislike about this place?"
"I just hate everything."
The woman walked briskly, her steps making a clattering sound.
"I don't like being near water, and I don't like being near the forest. There will be bugs swarming everywhere."
"How can you camp in a place without water? Besides, griffons and harpies sometimes appear around here. The forest is a natural defense against large monster attacks..."
"What kind of safety is this? I've already been bitten twice by flies! If I spend the night in a place like this, the worms will eat all my skin off. And what about that sound coming from the forest? I don't even want to hear the rustling of leaves, and if the birds are chirping like that, how am I going to grow?"
Edric looked down at the Princess with a face of astonishment. Even a five-year-old would not throw such a tantrum. He desperately suppressed the irritation that was rising in him.
"We'll have to camp for the next few days. If we don't start acclimating now..."
"Just move the campsite! Why do I have to endure something I don't like?"
The woman shouted in a new voice and galloped forward like a galloping racehorse through the camp. He had to clench his fists to keep from stopping her with his strength.
"Everyone is exhausted after a long day of marching. We can't tear down the barracks and search for a new campsite for such a ridiculous reason. Stop talking nonsense and go back to the carriage and get some rest."
As he blocked the woman's path and spat out sternly, her eerily beautiful face distorted faintly. Immediately afterwards, a sound like the cracking of a whip was heard, and a stinging pain ran through his right cheek.
He glared at the woman with a fierce gaze. From the moment he was assigned to be this woman's bodyguard, he had been prepared for a light slap. However, this feeling was even more unpleasant than he had vaguely imagined.
"Where did you get the courage to give orders?"
He barely managed to swallow his sense of insult when the woman grabbed him by the collar and began to shout at him fiercely in his face.
"I am the Emperor's daughter, and you are there for my convenience. If I tell you to walk all night, it is your fate to walk until daybreak. So stop talking nonsense and get out of here."
The woman who had pushed him away started walking along the riverside again.
Edric stared at the back of the little head with a hardened face. He wanted to hoist the damned woman onto his shoulders and throw her back into the carriage like his superior had done.
However, he did not have enough support to be able to touch the body of a royal family member without permission and get away with it.
Edric, who had been staring intently at the back of her head as it quickly disappeared, let out a bitter sigh.
He wondered if he could handle that villainess's tyranny until the end of this trip. His back was already aching.
As I walked along the river, I felt a cold gaze on my back.
Thalia shot a sharp glance over my shoulder. I saw the people who had been spying on me turn their heads and pretend not to notice.
It was a reaction that was not much different from usual. Didn't people always treat me like a powder keg that could explode at any moment? However, the gazes that sneaked up on me while they were protecting me seemed suspicious today.
'Surely, there must be a spy among them planted by Senevere.'
I looked through each of the attendees. Maybe they were all spies. If she were my mother, she would do that.
My thoughts began to drift in increasingly far-fetched directions.
Senevere has been trying to undermine Gareth's support base for many years, and this may be her chance to remove any obstacles standing in her son's way.
My heart was beating unsteadily.
If my mother's target was Gareth or Ayla, then it was fine. If necessary, I would even consider joining her plan. However, if by any chance Senevere was after Barcas...
Thinking that far, I looked around the densely packed military barracks with anxious eyes.
Of course, we need to separate the campsites. If we keep a physical distance, it will be difficult for Senevere's spies to maneuver all night long.
I quickened my pace. Soon, I found Torque, Barcas's beloved steed, tied up in front of a large tent. I stepped into the dark tent, past the gray stallion that snorted loudly as it recognized me.
The inside of the tent was neatly arranged like a temple. I scanned the candles emitting a dim light, the luxurious cabinets, and the arm or display cases, and then noticed a dark shadow behind the curtain. I walked forward without hesitation.
"I want to move my camp to another location. But my great knight says I can't go anywhere without Lord Sheerkhan's permission. It seems like your men think the leader of the Knights of Roem is superior to the royal family. How did the royal guard become such a pitiful group that doesn't even know the order of hierarchy..."
I, who had been rambling on and on about what I wanted to say while removing the curtain, froze stiffly the next moment.
Barcas had taken off his top and was wiping the moisture off his face with a towel.
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