Chapter 76

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Shanil looked both surprised and dismayed at Ellea’s flawless ability.

‘This is not going to go according to plan.’

“I can’t believe those words are true.”

At the tea party they had before, Ellea said she would show Shanil her skills one day, and today Ellea had proven herself to be a very capable person. It was difficult for Shanil to disagree.

When Shanil looked cautiously at Terban, he was still staring only at the front with an unsure expression.

It was as if he didn’t even hear what Ellea had just said to her.

“Terban?”

She called out, but he didn’t seem to hear her or show any reaction. Shanil followed his gaze as he was staring at somewhere for a long time.

And at the end of his gaze was the target where Ellea had hit precisely.

When Shanil put her hand on his arm curiously, Terban finally turned to her.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, nothing.”

When she called him, Terban was able to come back to his senses as if he had awakened from an illusion. However, the afterimage of El remained in his mind for a long time.

Even though he knew he saw it wrong. 

Ellea was laughing and talking with Heris, and she didn’t look as serious as she did when she drew her bow earlier.

And those who were convinced earlier that she was going to lose had changed their stance and were busy praising her.

But Ellea passed them by without a second glance.

Shanil looked at Ellea as she moved away, and her gaze landed on Heris beside her for a moment.

‘Then, I have no choice but to change the subject.’

No matter how Ellea comes out, it was never going to be a big problem.

Once the little disturbance had passed, the three of them, including Chaylen, gathered in the tent and rested for a while.

They were more comfortable with each other than expected, and they conversed easily as if they were friends for a long time. Naturally, no one complained about Ellea.

In fact, they avoided her. For it was enough for one person to be publicly humiliated in front of so many people.

Chaylen said, thinking of Ellea’s ability to completely overwhelm her opponent.

“I think you were too merciless. Couldn’t you cut him some slack?”

“They’re the kind of people who can communicate only when you show them clearly.”

“I totally agree. If he could talk to communicate, he wouldn’t pick a fight in the first place. Anyway, Ellea was wonderful.”

Seeing Ellea give the people who had been ignoring her a shot made Heris feel refreshed to the core.

The conversation was short-lived, because Heris was now interested in riding the horse, and she asked to ride it again before the end of the day’s schedule, and Ellea was happy to go.

As they were walking in the direction of the resting horses, they heard Shanil’s voice behind them.

“Princess.”

Ellea turned around and saw Shanil approaching. Then she said something unexpected.

“I would like to apologize again for what happened at the tea party last time.”

Her sudden apology made Ellea rather doubtful. Heris also thought the same.

“I heard from Terban that the ladies spoke misleadingly about the Princess.”

After hearing that much, she understood why Shanil was apologizing. Because Shanil would be in the same trouble if this matter became bigger.

“I accept Lady Shanil’s apology. I hope you’ll be careful next time.”

“Thank you for accepting my apology.”

With that last conversation, Ellea walked away with Heris. She didn’t notice that Shanil was smiling crookedly behind her.

‘It’s definitely going to be more fun than before.’

***

Heris rode all day today until she was riding alone on a horse.

Ellea decided to go into the forest with her this time. Since she was by her side, she didn’t think there would be anything to worry about.

As they entered the forest, the trees were thick and cool, and she felt refreshed.

She wanted to run through this spacious forest and enjoy the fierce wind, but she decided to postpone it for the next time since Heris was here today.

“It’s so nice. I spent so much time just in the tent so far, and now I think it’s such a waste of time.”

“Isn’t it? I know it’s scary to ride a horse, but it’s not a big deal when you try it. You just have to be brave enough to take one step and the world will open up.”

“Ellea, that’s what I feel every time I see you.”

Heris honestly said what she felt when she saw Ellea looking good in the cool wind.

“What is it?”

“You don’t seem to be an imperial princess. I don’t mean in a strange way, but you’re just different.”

Ellea felt guilty at Heris’s  accurate assessment of her, but pretended it was nothing.

“I’ll take your compliment. Perhaps it’s because I wasn’t feeling well, I wanted to learn many things. Freely, I mean.”

“I’m sad too. If I had known you from an early age, I would have tried many things as you did.”

“It’s not too late. Just do one thing at a time, slowly. I’ll help you.”

“That’s very reassuring.”

Ellea also felt good to be with Heris. Heris treated her like a friend regardless of her status as an imperial Princess.

She had often wondered why she became an Imperial Princess when she actually had no connection to any of them. After some time, it occurred to her that the real Ellea, who was weak, must have led her.

To fulfill her sincere wish to move freely, to learn, to meet people.

Or maybe it was her own selfish idea to lighten her guilt.

“Ellea?”

“Yes?”

“What are you thinking about? I think you’re in a daze.”

“It’s just the weather is nice.”

It was almost the end of the event, so the forest was quiet and there was no one but the two of them.

So they were able to enjoy a more relaxed and comfortable time.

They talked for a while, and then the incident happened suddenly on the way to the exit of the forest.

At that moment of peace, the horse that Heris rode suddenly cried out and excitedly lifted its front legs high in the air.

In no time at all, it galloped forward at a fast speed.

“Ahhh!”

Ellea was also confused by the sudden situation, but at Heris’s scream, she sped up her horse to chase after her.

As the horse went at a fast pace, a frightened Heris grabbed the reins and ducked down so that she wouldn’t inevitably fall off.

“What in the world is going on?”

The previously meek horse suddenly changed. However, it was more urgent for Ellea to save Heris than to investigate the cause.

If Heris fell off her horse at that speed, she would be seriously injured. Moreover, as a beginner, she could be fatally injured.

“Heris! Can you hear me?”

“Ahhhh, I’m scared!”

“Don’t worry! I’m following you. Don’t ever let go of the reins. Keep your body as close to the horse as you can.”

Heris managed to do as Ellea had said, but there was no way she could stop her already panicked and excited horse.

The best she could do was to hold out so that she wouldn’t fall off the horse somehow.

Ellea tried to get close to the side of the horse that Heris rode, but even that was difficult in the forest where trees were everywhere.

If she forced it too hard, she could endanger herself as well.

In the meantime, the horse made its way through the forest at a fast speed. When they reached a clearing, they saw people gathered in one place.

Heris was bowing her head, so she couldn’t see it, but the horse was running to a place where people were gathered.

They didn’t notice it at first, but when they saw the horse running towards them, they felt strange.

“Hurry up and run away! The horse has gotten out of control!”

Ellea’s  shout had the people moving in a panic.

It was a chaotic situation with many people moving at the same time in a hurry, bumping into each other here and there, and one of them lost their balance and fell.

She was so panicked that her body froze and she just sat there, unable to move, and stared at the horses as they approached.

Realizing that the person was Shanil, Terban and the knights, who were some distance away, moved, but the horse was running much faster than them.

At this moment, it didn’t matter to Ellea that the person was Shanil. All that matters was to get the horse to stop somehow.

And the only person who could do that was Heris, who held the reins.

“Heris! You have to turn the horse to the left. You remember I taught you that?” 

“But ………………..p”

“There is no time. Only you can do it. Don’t be afraid, you did well earlier. I’m right behind you.”

Hearing Ellea’s urgent cry from nearby, Heris remembered what she had learned earlier, even in the perilous situation where she didn’t know when she would fall.

And she pulled on the reins with all her might, narrowly turned the horse’s direction before it hit Shanil.

Elllea saw this and quickly sidled up to Heris’s horse.

Seeing Heris’ trembling hands and knowing that she didn’t have much time left to endure, Ellea had to make a decision.

It was the only way.

Meanwhile, the knights were moving in a rush, as if it was a serious situation, but time didn’t even exist for Ellea to wait for them.

She shouted so that Heris could hear her.

“Heris! Sit up straight when I tell you, you understand?”

“But I’m scared….”

“Don’t worry. I’ll save you somehow. Do you trust me?”

Heris nodded bravely as Ellea spoke.

As soon as Ellea saw it, she got up on the running horse and bent her knees, as if she was preparing to jump.

Those who were watching the situation from afar could not help but be astonished.

People shouted loudly when they saw her dangerous appearance as if she would fall at any moment, but Ellea couldn’t hear anything that was going on around her.

All she could see was Heris trembling in horror.

“Heris, now straightened your back and let go of the reins.”

Heris calmed her trembling body, sat up straighter at Ellea’s words.

Ellea didn’t miss a moment of the slight delay in the speed of her horse, and stretched herself toward Heris.

Then she launched herself at Heris. She immediately snatched Heris and threw themselves to the ground without hesitation.

On their way down, Ellea wrapped Heris’s face and body, keeping her safe and protected.

They fell off the horse and rolled a few laps, feeling pain all over her body, but Ellea never missed Heris, who was wrapped in her arms.

The horse that Heris was riding fell straight down as if it had run out of power as soon as they fell, and the horse that Ellea was riding stopped beside it. 

Ellea had no time to feel the pain because she had to check Heris’s condition.

“Heris! Heris! 

But Heris was already fainted.

She wanted to take Heris to the palace doctor right away, but she had no strength to do so.

When they fell off the horse, she tried to keep the impact to a minimum, but that didn’t mean Heris didn’t get injured.

At that moment, Chaylen, who had been watching the whole situation, was the first to come over to them.

“Ellea, are you okay? What the hell is going on?”

“I’ll explain later, but you need to get Heris to the palace doctor as soon as possible. She’s fainted.”

“How about you?”

“I’m fine. Quick, take Heris first.”

At Ellea’s insistence, Chaylen had no choice but to pick up Heris. 

Watching Ellea barely able to get up, Chaylen reluctantly walked away with Heris in his arms.

When the horses stopped, the panicked people finally let out a breath of relief.

Ellea was relieved to see that no one was injured, and looked at the horse that showed no movement at all.

The horse had foam in its mouth and had already lost its breath. Her eyes as she watched it coldly subsided.