Chapter 123

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Chapter 123: Rain and Distress and First Discoverer

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After rolling down for a while, I crashed into a large bush of leaves and stopped. My whole body was plastered with mud.

 

(Uu… so painful. Good thing I didn’t hit a hard tree or a rock.)

 

I braced my hand on the ground and lifted my body up. I didn’t know where I was.

 

(When I rolled down, it seems that I got away a bit from the top of the cliff where everyone was. I can’t see the top of the cliff from where I am.)

 

Although I shouted “I’m alright-!”, I couldn’t hear any reply. My voice was drowned out by the sound of rain.

 

(How far have I fallen? I have to go back soon and tell them that I’m fine.)

 

But when I tried to walk, I felt a sharp stab of pain on my foot.

 

[Wha, what?]

 

Looking down, my leg was swollen red just right after my knee.

 

(Ee, this is terrible!? Let’s move while avoiding putting a strain on this leg for the time being.)

 

The rain became increasingly violent and my surrounding was becoming dark.

I walked while searching for a shelter, I could hardly move due to my swollen leg though.

I wanted to mourn about my unfortunate circumstances, but I couldn’t afford to stop moving.

It was dangerous to move in the dark, and even a search party would only be dispatched tomorrow.

It was impossible to move along the mountain path with this leg and return to the original path. I didn’t know the road, and I couldn’t move when it’s dark.

I thought that it’s better not to move that much, and it would be better to get through the night safely. Although I was disheartened, I was alone.

 

(I troubled Marlow-sama and Ryuze-niisama…)

 

Surely, they were stuck because of me.

I was in a hurry, but I felt sorry for myself.

 

(I hope they will send a search party and I can return back quickly. I don’t want to bother them any further.)

 

As the swelling of my foot getting worse and worse, I applied a splint with the ribbon of my dress and a nearby branch.\n 

(I’m in trouble if I have a broken bone.)

 

In addition to self-defense, I learned first aid from my grandfather.

When Hakusu territory was attacked by the soldiers of northern country, I knew the importance of initial response to injuries.

 

Fortunately, there was a large tree that could shield me from rain and wind. The entrance was narrow, but it had decayed and the inside was hollow, so it could fit in two adults.

I packed in my body inside and waited for the rain to be over.

 

(Alright, I managed to fit my butt in! I don’t know what to do if I can’t fit in the entrance and became stuck.)

 

I squeezed my muddy dress, took off my heavy coat and leaned back on the tree.

I was cold and wet, but I didn’t have a tool to make fire, and the branches of trees that could become firewood were wet with rain.

I didn’t know how to make a fire in such conditions, so I could only wait until morning came.

 

※

 

How long had time passed…

It was late at night, my surrounding was completely dark, but then I felt little signs of living being, so I raised my face slowly.

Something was approaching. It was mixed with the sound of rain, but I could hear small footsteps.

I became frightened, so I curled in further and trembled in the back of the tree hollow.

 

(What if it’s a wild beast? There is no way for me to fight if it discovers a plump prey like me.)

 

Anybody would find it to be unpleasant if they’re eaten by a wild beast in the mountain alone.

I felt anxious, I wanted to blame Merrill who was the cause, and various unpleasant feelings were brewing like a storm.

However, my strongest feeling was that I wanted to see someone.

 

(…Ricardo.)

 

The footsteps stopped near my tree. It’s hopeless, there’s no way I could fight with this injured leg.

When I prepared myself and looked back to the entrance, a familiar voice called me.

 

[Britney?]

 

When I peeked outside the entrance, I saw a person holding a lamplight in the darkness. On the back of the body, they were carrying huge luggage.

 

(It’s a lie, why is he here?)

 

Covered by a rain hood that was dark enough to blend in the dark night, the person called me — it was Ricardo.

 

[Wha, Rica… ho, how?]

[O, calm down. It’s alright.]

 

While I was confused, Ricardo placed his hand on my cheek and said “it’s alright”, seeing his smiling face, I felt like I would cry at any moment.

 

[Have you been looking for me? How are you able to find me?]

[Aa, from the point where you rolled down, I could roughly estimate where you would fall. Princess Merrill explained the situation in detail. But it took a while to get down here.]

 

I had thrust her away will all my strength, but I felt relieved that she was safe.

 

[I was lucky to find fresh footprints as I was searching the area. And there was a lot under this tree.]

[Wasn’t it hard to find footprints in the dark? It’s raining too… thank you very much.]

 

One change, and Ricardo could have been caught in an accident.

 

(No, unlike me with my heavy body, he seems to be prepared!)

 

He dropped his large luggage to the ground and he took out a simple tent framework from inside.

Due to its small size, it seemed to be able to be assembled between trees.

I received a lamplight from him and the hollow of the tree was illuminated. I wondered if I should go out, but my huge butt could be stuck in the entrance and my leg was hurting so much, so this position was my limit.

I was worried about my leg, but I felt relieved that I was not alone in this wilderness.

 

[Ricardo, are you alone?]

[Aa, other members can’t come. They’re the crown prince and second princess after all. Ryuze wanted to join me, but Prince Marlow stopped him.]

[…Tha, that’s right. If something happens to onii-sama, it will be bad to Hakusu earldom.]

[For that point, I am free. I was stopped, but I forced them. The search party can only move when it’s bright.]

 

After finishing setting up the tent, he took out a cylindrical object this time and lighted it with a stone he brought.

 

[That is?]

[It’s a signal fire. I was told to light it when I discover you or when I meet an accident. Since it might not be visible in this darkness, I would light it up tomorrow morning. I brought about five in total. I came here in advance, but other relief party will come tomorrow.]

[That one?]

[It’s a portable meal, the knights gave this to me. Prince Marlow tried to pack a large amount of confectionaries in my luggage…]

[U, un.]

 

Although it’s a bit crushed, objects like these were also packed. Although I fell down, I laughed at this occasion.

Ricardo who threw a large amount of luggage into the tent turned to me, illuminating the inside of the tree.

 

[Britney, can I come inside? If we spread out a rug, it should be calmer inside the tree compared to the tent.]

[Of course, it’s impossible to fit in a large baggage, but it can fit in two people.]

 

Moving to the back, Ricardo took off his wet hood and smoothly came in while carrying the rug. It’s a big difference from me who had struggled to come inside due to my big butt.

Inside, there was little extra space as there were two of us. I could feel Ricardo’s presence beside me and my heart pulsed loudly.

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