Chapter 122 Lighting the Campfire She cautiously tested it, and...
As the sun sets, the sky slowly turns orange, eventually disappearing into the dark horizon.
A procession of over a thousand people stretched out in a smoky line across the plain. Hundreds of young men rode spiritedly at the front, but upon closer inspection, it became clear that most of the people behind them were walking.
The difference between the beginning and end of the team is huge.
Each of the cavalrymen at the front wore ornate and flexible half-body armor, with plates protecting their legs. They carried longswords and sabers, and were accompanied by archer attendants leading their horses.
The main force trailing behind wore only crude leather armor, which was ill-fitting, mostly torn, and did not cover the entire body.
Only half of them possessed weapons, and those were things like stone axes that they could easily discard.
Tap tap, tap tap.
The galloping horse did not force those behind to hurry up and catch up; the cavalry quickly disappeared from sight.
If someone were standing on the hillside not far away, she would see that there were still a few horses left behind in the crowd.
Once the cavalry were completely away, one of the young girls on horseback patted her horse's neck to stop it and called out to the people beside her, "Alright everyone, don't rush. Let's rest here for a while."
"......"
Without the need for whips or shouts, the slaves stopped on their own.
They dared not look directly at their new masters, but a deep sense of unease still welled up within them: What exactly happened? Hadn't they agreed to take the opportunity to kill the slave owners? How could they all have been resold?
A few hours ago, two handsome young men arrived at the camp and, with a few words, exchanged gold and a scroll of parchment covered in writing for an entire legion of slaves.
The incredibly powerful Scarface Doni, in the eyes of the slaves, bowed and scraped before the black-haired girl, holding the scroll with shining eyes, spouting nonsense like, "You must pledge allegiance to this lord from now on!" and "I envy your bright future!"
Even though they hadn't received much education, the survival wisdom of humankind still made them feel a strong sense of unease.
Scarface is no pushover; why would she give up such a huge bargaining chip as the slave army? That would be like putting her head under someone else's knife.
Could it be that her superiors have fallen from power and sold them to a powerful and wealthy businessman, who is preparing to make a fortune abroad?
Everything was unknown. Before setting off, the new owner gave each of them a large piece of unleavened bread, but no one dared to eat it.
Who knows if it's a meal for one day or two? Perhaps she'll lead them to a dark, sunless mine, where they'll never escape again.
This unease was slightly delayed when the girl on horseback approached, for she was truly a radiant beauty.
Her black hair cascaded down her back, her lips were slightly upturned, and her clear eyes, though possessing a noble-like straightforwardness that didn't shy away from anything, held no malice whatsoever.
Even so, they still trusted their training partners from the past more.
The slaves moved slightly within the ranks, avoiding the gaze of the nobles, thus concealing the whispering among the squad leaders.
Eleanor and the few servants who remained rode on horseback and roughly counted the number of people, ignoring the commotion in the back.
They led the slaves to the water's edge, scare away the wild beasts, and then lit a roaring bonfire by the river.
Some of the knights who had gone far away returned. A dozen or so young men brought dry firewood and took out naan bread and handfuls of beans from their bundles.
Flames rose, and Eleanor sat cross-legged before the fire.
She waved to Salin across the firelight and said with a smile, "What's wrong? Why do you look so serious?"
The red-haired barbarian woman's muscles bulged, and her face flickered in and out of focus under the flames.
Her thick lips pressed together into a thin line as she bit them, and after a while she said hoarsely, "Where are you taking us? You...didn't you promise to let us go back?"
The fire crackled and popped.
Eleanor picked up a twig and drew a winding line on the ground. By the firelight, one could see the pattern of mountains and rivers, roughly outlining a long "escape" route.
"Salin, have you ever thought about how you would escape if I weren't here?"
The red-haired barbarian moved his lips, but the girl spoke first: "You mean - with everyone's strength, we can kill all the slave owners, then kill the city guards, and finally lead a large group of people over the mountains and hide in the old forest?"
Salin hesitated for a moment, then glanced furtively at the dark forest before nodding vigorously. "Yes! As long as we spread out outside the city, someone will manage to escape!"
Eleanor's smile vanished, and she nodded slightly. "No wonder, your original plan was to do your best and escape as many as you could."
Her tone infuriated Salin, who clenched his fist and said, "No, if we're lucky enough, we can do it together—"
"That's not a matter of luck."
Eleanor marked a few points between the lines she had drawn: "Here, here, and here, there are passes and cities. If you take the main roads with fewer wild animals, you will pass some farms."
She tossed the branch aside, her eyes shining even brighter in the firelight. "Your enemies are far more than just Doni. As long as there are many masters in this world, slaves will never be safe."
so what?
Salin's teeth chattered in her mouth; she seemed to know what the girl in front of her was about to say.
"Let me reintroduce myself, I am Eleanor, Princess of Norlana."
The girl rose, walked around the fire, and gently placed her hand on the shoulder. "Trust me, I can grant you the status of free people."
"...Why?"
Salin looked up and met her gaze: "Why would someone as distinguished as you help us?"
When she asked the question, her attention was completely focused on both sides, and she was so nervous that even swallowing saliva began to hurt.
It's too late, it's too late, Your Highness.
Whether you are truly "Your Highness" or some nobleman who suddenly had a whim, we cannot possibly follow you around everywhere.
Should we travel and enjoy the scenery together? Or should we really bring you to our hometown?
No, those are all too dangerous.
They had survived for far too long under the deception of their slave owners; one battle, two battles... countless battles had eroded their hopes for outsiders.
Rather than following a dubious noblewoman to the ends of the earth, it's better to do it here—outside the city, break through her sparse ranks, and head into the unknown but free night.
"Because I am arrogant."
Eleanor suddenly drew near, her long hair blending into the night, her body leaning forward abruptly. "I arrogantly despise this era that saddens most people."
What's the meaning?
Salin's eyes widened, and his hands instinctively reached for his belt, only to find nothing—his weapon had been taken from his waist at some point.
She used one hand to support herself on the ground and flipped over, just in time to meet the girl's smiling eyes.
Eleanor whispered in her ear, "There are many things I don't know yet, and I hope to get closer to you and change the world faster."
Salin could not understand this passage.
Only Eleanor seemed to be thinking about many things as she spoke.
In her previous life, she lived for a very long time and ruled this continent for nearly a century.
To put it bluntly, future history books will certainly dedicate several pages to her, and just listing her inventions and creations will involve many points of knowledge.
But she remained aloof until the very end.
Even though His Majesty the Holy King demanded that everyone treat her equally, and even personally "concealed his identity" to act as a wandering knight to uphold justice, she still had too many people around her who were willing to give their lives for her.
In this life, she has neither supersensory perception nor super memory, nor does she want to deify herself until the very end.
Eleanor looked into Salin's bewildered eyes and recalled the slave legions of her previous lives.
Except for that first life, she saved them every time.
They were sometimes led and trained by Andra, so they hesitated in battle, and even half of them "betrayed".
They sometimes brushed past Andra, belonging to Mysera or Manju, and were therefore extremely loyal to "Princess" or "His Majesty the Holy King".
She has raised the "chess pieces" several times, and now she wants to fight alongside them to break the chessboard beneath her feet.
"Can you help me?" Eleanor approached Salin, suddenly hugged her trembling shoulders, and gave her a big hug.
"...!"
Salin, Thorn, and Andra all widened their eyes in shock, and the bushes in the darkness rustled rapidly.
*Plop!* *Smack!*
Several men carrying wooden sticks and stone axes stepped on each other's feet in the darkness, or were pushed out by their unseen companions, scrambling and crawling in a sorry state.
Oh no, we've been discovered.
Salin felt a bitter taste in her mouth. As she gritted her teeth and raised her hand, hesitating whether to kidnap the princess, the sound of clattering hooves came from not far away.
They strung together like a sudden downpour, pounding on every restless heart.
"You—" Salin choked up, "You guessed everything! You...you're forcing us to take action?!"
A series of rapid hoofbeats approached from afar, and they were surrounded by far more than the original hundred people.
The girl walked up to her and gently wiped her eyes. At the same time, a sweet fragrance suddenly wafted from the surrounding forest.
Eleanor tilted her head and smiled. "Me? What's wrong with me? Today is your first day, so I had food and tents prepared nearby to give you a surprise."
The aroma of boiling soup and rich food wafted over, and Salin hesitated several times before finally relaxing his shoulders and burying himself in the food with his companions.
The moment the gravy entered their mouths, a chorus of gulping sounds filled the air.
A relaxed and satisfied atmosphere spread, and the knights surrounding the perimeter silently loosened their grip on their sword hilts.
......
"Your Highness, we owe you a great debt this time. Those dogs... those utterly treacherous slaves were indeed plotting something sinister!"
Scarface Donnie wiped the sweat from his brow and returned a large bag of gold coins to Eleanor.
Her Highness gestured for the servant to accept the money, and said gently, "Don't be nervous. I already had the information. I won't take this money for nothing. Consider it your first investment."
Donnie left, thanking him profusely.
Her Highness walked to her tent, lifted the curtain, and said to the person behind her, "Come in."
Andra hesitated for a moment, then lifted the curtain for her, looked around somewhat awkwardly, and followed her in almost immediately.
rustling. The curtains quickly closed.
Andra released her grip, initially at a loss, but seeing Eleanor sit calmly on the blanket, she relaxed and sat down as well.
"Your Highness, there are some things I don't quite understand."
The boy looked at her curiously, and Eleanor readily nodded: "Please speak, and you don't need to call me Your Highness anymore. It's too strange for two princes to call each other Your Highness. Just call me Eleanor."
“Okay, Eleanor.” Andra didn’t realize how smoothly she said it, and they unconsciously moved a little closer.
"What happened to you today...?"
She originally wanted to ask, "Why don't you just subdue them by force today?"
No one understands the power Eleanor wields better than Andra.
She could have easily used her superior status and power to completely intimidate those slaves when she bought them, making them kneel down and let her mold them as she pleased. Why bother with this roundabout, appeasement-style approach?
But before he could even utter the words, Andra swallowed the question back.
Looking into the girl's gentle eyes, a unique warmth welled up in her heart.
[That's just the kind of person she is] You're inherently different from others.
So she casually changed the subject: "You bought an entire legion today and took so many noble ladies out of the capital. Isn't King Norlana worried?"
Eleanor nodded easily: "No problem, my mother and I got the right to tour the whole country."
"..." Andra didn't quite understand Nolana's maternal love and filial piety, and asked with a sour tone, "So what are you going to do next?"
It wasn't that she looked down on Eleanor, but a young princess traveling around with an army of slaves seemed very strange.
Eleanor had been contacting some scholars in the city over the past few days, and this morning she recruited a slave named Hudora.
These people could at least say, "I want to build Enlin to lay a good foundation for future rule," but what was the purpose of forming a legion?
For some reason, Andra felt that Eleanor "should" develop her fiefdom, but at the same time, she also felt that Eleanor would have other ideas.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but ask, "Wait, where do you want to go next?"
Sure enough, the girl smiled slyly: "I think I'll teach some incompetent city lords a lesson along the way, and then... go to Belai to see the sea."
"?" Andra pondered for a moment, just about to ask what he was going to Belai for, when the princess hooked her arm around his shoulder and pressed against him affectionately.
A faint fragrance lingered in the air.
"Okay, okay, we can talk about the big principles later. You must be tired today. Good night."
Eleanor patted the blanket and pulled her shoulder to lean against the pillow.
Whoosh~ The girl blew out the candle, and darkness enveloped her like a bed curtain.
Andra leaned against the pillows, her body gradually relaxing.
Eleanor wrapped her arms around her, her soft embrace tightening like a teddy bear hug, until it went from a starfish shape to a figure-seven.
The two leaned against each other familiarly, letting sleepiness creep in.
Everything was so warm and gentle, as if it had returned to its proper course...
After an unknown amount of time, that sense of comfort and familiarity was suddenly pierced by a strong sense of unease.
Wait! Andra suddenly opened her eyes.
She slowly turned her neck in the darkness, her hair rustling as it rubbed against itself.
She cautiously probed around and found that her head seemed to be... resting on Eleanor's shoulder, brushing against her cheek.
wrong.
Andra was sweating profusely; she was so frightened that she dared not move.
Something seems off!
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Author's note: When writing this beginning, I originally planned to write: Eleanor gained great power, so in this life she took the initiative to attack before Andra, using her great power to intimidate all sides, and everyone worshipped Eleanor.
When I was halfway through writing, I wanted to insert a scene where Eleanor and Andra talked about how they would cooperate with her, because I was worried that I wouldn't do it well enough—but when I was actually writing, I found that Eleanor didn't actually do that.
She did not draw her sword and fight Salin, or any of the slaves who disobeyed her, nor did she subdue all the squad leaders beforehand.
She simply and naturally led them away from the bustling capital and away from the slave owners as quickly as possible, and then treated them to a meal with meat broth by the campfire.
Eleanor didn't offer much explanation or have a heart-to-heart talk beforehand. Instead, in the tense atmosphere, she simply said a couple of sentences—"Well, this feels fine."
That's good, that's enough.
She used to envy Andra for having that strange aura that allowed her to easily win the trust of her soldiers. But she herself possessed that same quality: sincerity.
And Andra's reaction, hahaha, was also different from what I had prepared to write.
I initially thought Andra would definitely be smitten, and she certainly was... but she seems a bit allergic to intimacy with people who are stronger than her, haha [rainbow fart] Even Eleanor made her a little allergic! I saw an interesting scene~
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