Chapter 121 She arrived in haste; everything will change in this life...

Sunlight caressed her cheeks, and Eleanor opened her eyes, her arm unconsciously reaching towards the pillow.

She was all alone.

Realizing this made me feel a little melancholy.

After all, every time she returns to her childhood, her mind and "memories" quickly revert to their original state.

Throughout her life, Andra has been a constant companion during her childhood and adolescence.

As for this time...

Eleanor stroked the clover pendant on her chest and shook her head helplessly.

Everything will change, and in this life they will experience many "firsts".

Andra's reaction to witnessing her defeat Ophelia and the sword fight was completely different from the lover she remembered.

The boy's eyes held no trace of past affection or longing, only a burning desire to fight.

She had long known that Andra loved fighting strong opponents, and now she was experiencing it firsthand.

Ding ding.

The bell rang cautiously, and Eleanor looked up to see Coral leading her servants, pushing a cart to the door.

The gentle older sister pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, then stood by the door, bowed respectfully, and asked, "Your Highness, would you like us to help you dress?"

Eleanor paused for a moment, then a happy smile spread across her face.

In each of her past lives, she discussed with Coral about being able to dress herself and was not used to being taken care of by others.

However, firstly, her body was weak before adulthood, and secondly, Coral insisted on reasons such as "Serving Her Highness the Princess is our honor" and "Your long hair and skin need special care".

Therefore, in most timelines, she only gains the "right" to take care of herself after marriage—either after Coral's death or after she hands over her work.

Perhaps it wasn't that her freedom was restricted, but rather the care and protection she received from Coral and her original servants. Yet, Eleanor still felt a deep joy at this small "gain" that came early in this life.

"No need, I can do it myself."

She neatly combed her hair and tied it behind her back, then opened the wardrobe and selected a nightgown from a whole closet full of new clothes to change out of.

......

Whoosh.

Andra took a step back and launched another attack from a tricky angle.

Clang!

"Ouch, ouch, I'm not playing anymore!" Mysella cried out, clutching her wrist, and moved aside. Andra didn't chase after her, after all, a bunch of people had already collapsed around them.

She held her sword, thoughtfully recalling the swordplay patterns from the previous duel.

This group's swordsmanship is far inferior to Eleanor's, including her own... No, something seems off.

Andra's fingers tapped the hilt of her sword: the greatest pressure the little princess felt when fighting her was from her power.

She had never encountered an enemy of equal strength before, and coupled with Eleanor's dramatic transformation, she was suppressed and intimidated.

On the contrary, although Eleanor's swordsmanship was swift and skillful, it did not give her a feeling of being "invincible".

Could it be that she harbors resentment because those sword skills were bestowed by the gods?

No, she was unusually excited the moment she clashed swords with Eleanor. So that feeling was more like—an intense sensation.

She instinctively believed that she could rely on her own talents to gradually close the gap between them in the future.

Andra slowly exhaled, then gleefully raised his sword and slashed horizontally once more.

Crack!

This cleaved the wooden figure in two, causing Mysera to shudder.

Tap, patter.

The sound of unfamiliar footsteps made everyone turn around at the same time.

Eleanor strode into the training ground, her hair neatly tied in a ponytail, her gait elegant. She wore fitted long-sleeved shirts and trousers, one hand resting steadily on the hilt of her sword.

All eyes were fixed on her, and it took several seconds before they noticed the person next to Princess Eleanor.

"Good morning, everyone." Eleanor greeted them politely, and then briefly introduced the new swordsmanship instructor: "This is Instructor Vivian, the strongest swordsman in Norlana, and also our future swordsmanship teacher and captain of the Marigold Guard."

Marigold Guard?

The guards suppressed the urge to exchange glances: They were coming. The princess could not possibly have a "princess guard," so the Marigold Guard was likely the princess's direct armed force when she was the crown princess, and was a reserve force for the future royal guards!

They couldn't help but straighten their backs in front of the princess: No matter how noble a prince is, there can only be one, and the positions of palace guards, generals, adjutants... can accommodate all the personal guards!

Eleanor nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Andra and Myrcella, who stood awkwardly at the edge.

She walked up to Andra and extended her hand to her: "Your Highness Andra, you possess great strength and exceptional talent. I would like to invite you to be my personal guard and my temporary adjutant."

Almost without hesitation, Andra firmly grasped her hand.

However, in the next instant, Princess Hetuya smiled shrewdly: "Your Highness Eleanor, you mean 'temporarily'?"

"Yes, with your strength, you certainly won't stop at that position." The girl smiled slightly.

She seemed to be saying that she would continue to promote Andra in the future, but the two people looking at each other at this moment knew what she really meant: the princess of Hetuya would return to Hetuya and would never be loyal to the king of Norlana.

"It is my honor to be able to follow such a powerful person as you."

Their clasped hands shook, then separated.

Their conversation was polite and respectful, and Andra was confident that Eleanor would not be able to discern the complex emotions churning within her.

Eleanor was completely unaware that she was comparing the kneeling boy in her memory to Andra in front of her.

"Your Highness, I am willing to become your sword of protection."

Those sparkling eyes... I really miss them.

She quickly snapped out of her daze and said with a smile, "Alright, then Andra—and everyone, let's begin our first mission today."

"Mission? Where are you going to play? Go hunting together?" Mysera listened for a while, then put her hands behind her head, seemingly unconcerned.

The little princess walked over with a smile, grabbed her sister's ear, and pulled her so hard she almost fell to the ground.

"That includes you, sister!"

......

As the sunlight dispelled the night haze, dozens of spirited young boys rode out of the palace in single file.

Each of them was dressed in a magnificent uniform, with swords and knives at their waists, and attendants carrying bows and arrows following behind them.

Curious eyes peeked out from the two-story buildings on both sides of the road, and they quickly locked onto the front of the group.

She was a beautiful young woman with a glossy black ponytail. She stared intently at the road, occasionally pulling on the reins to slow her horse down.

"Who is she?" the citizens whispered among themselves. They had never seen this young girl before, and judging from her clothes, she must be a person of noble blood.

"Where is she going?" someone asked softly. "That direction...aren't they going hunting in the mountains?"

Of course not. The group of spirited young people rode off on their horses and disappeared from sight, their direction clearly leading to the outskirts of the city.

There was a slave market there.

......

A young woman named Hudora is trapped in a closed room and continues to work endlessly.

Rustle, rustle.

The pen tip was spitting out ink, and it had to be dipped in every now and then before it could continue writing.

Her eyes were bloodshot; she should have fallen asleep hours ago, but she just couldn't fall asleep.

Soon...soon? What's coming soon?

The accounts exploded into shattered pieces before her eyes, and Hu Duola slammed her hand on the table with a thud, leaving a red mark on her forehead.

Ugh... Why? Why do I keep feeling like someone... someone is coming?

"You poor wretch, pshaw."

"No, stop hitting me...!"

Tears welled up in her eyes, and Hu Duola covered her mouth, sobbing and shaking her head.

No, don't think about these things anymore. They will survive, they will...!

Two strange spirals seemed to appear in her mind: one leading to the image of her wife and daughter's tragic deaths, and the other leading to the unknown she was constantly running towards.

Besides that, there was a voice that was both strange and familiar, but I couldn't remember it no matter how hard I tried.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

Hudora wiped away her tears and asked softly, "Who?"

"Teacher, it's me!"

It's Elsa's voice.

Hudora got up to open the door, but suddenly realized something was wrong: Elsa would never be so elegant!

She hesitated for a few seconds, then smiled wryly: Who would scheme against a slave like that? Elsa is that man's daughter.

As she walked to the door, the strange premonition in her heart grew stronger.

But finally, he steadied himself and forcefully pulled open the door—

The sunlight shone on her face.

"Long time no see, Hudora." An old friend, whom she had never met before, smiled broadly in the sunlight, her arm linked with Elsa's.

......

The tall, red-haired barbarian sat in the shadows of the cage, listening to the chattering noises around him.

Wow, she's really tall!

What else could these people say?

Salin was too lazy to move. She didn't have time to pay attention to the group's shouts, because she was waiting for her companions to come to her aid... Hmm?

A pricking intuition made her open her eyes and involuntarily look towards the door.

There were no special guests there.

If you really want to name one, there were only a few tall young men swaying back and forth at the entrance.

She lowered her eyes and sat back down, continuing to wait for her companion to bring her food.

Knock knock.

What's that sound? Is Scarface trying to persuade me again? Ha, I'll chop off her head sooner or later.

Salin raised his head and glared fiercely, but the sunlight made him squint.

She blinked twice and opened her eyes again, only to see a well-proportioned young girl holding onto the cage, waving her right hand to greet her.

"Good afternoon, Salin. Come on, it's still early, let me take you away from here first."

The girl's posture was so natural that she didn't realize what was happening until the other person took the key from the respectful slave owner.

“Miss, I’m too expensive. You can look at other people.”

She bit her lip, determined not to leave. Just one more day, and she could save everyone and lead them into the mountains and wilderness. Even if it aroused Donnie's suspicion, she couldn't let everyone's efforts go to waste!

The girl listened patiently to her finish speaking, then walked into the open cage door and inserted the key into the lock.

With a clang, the shackles snapped in two and slammed heavily to the ground.

Eleanor gripped the key and tossed it into the distance.

Ding-dong.

The girl half-squatted down and gently patted the seated woman's shoulder.

"Come with me, this time I will truly lead you—"

She looked at the tall little giant without fear, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

"Wandering through mountains and wilderness."