Chapter 23: Pursuit

On the Road to the Holy Kingdom

At the village entrance, Norn stood waiting with two horses. When he saw Vera and Renee approaching, he smiled warmly. “There you are.”

“Yes. Sorry to keep you waiting,” Vera said.

“No problem. Oh, this must be...” Norn’s eyes fell on Renee, who was hiding behind Vera. He instantly understood why Vera had been so distracted. Renee’s beauty, though she was still young, was breathtaking. He thought she might one day be hailed as the most beautiful woman on the continent. He composed himself and greeted her with a smile.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Saint. I’m Sir Norn, a Lieutenant under Sir Vera.”

“Ah, yes... It’s nice to meet you, too,” Renee said, bowing slightly toward his voice. Norn’s words surprised her. Lieutenant. She knew that was a high rank for a Paladin Knight. Sir Knight is a more important person than I thought, she realized. She had always seen him as an honest, simple man, not a leader. Her hand, still in Vera’s, suddenly felt awkward.

Vera spoke to her then. “Sir Norn and I will escort you to the Holy Kingdom. Our pursuers are getting closer, so we can’t take our time.”

“Yes,” she replied.

“We’ll travel on horses. You will ride with me.”

Renee trembled. “I’ve never ridden one before. Will it be okay?”

“It will be fine. I’ll handle the horse; you just need to hold on tight,” he said.

“Okay.”

“Let’s go.”

Following Vera’s instructions, Renee climbed onto the horse. She was stiff with anxiety. Her body swayed with the horse’s movements, and without her cane or a clear path in front of her, she felt vulnerable.

“I won’t fall, will I?” she asked.

“You don’t have to worry. Even if you did fall, I would catch you,” Vera promised.

He mounted the horse behind her, pulling her close so her back was against his chest. “You’ll have to hold on tight. I’ll be moving fast.”

“Oh, yes.”

Renee wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. Then she heard it: a rhythmic thump, thump. She felt a burning heat, a heartbeat that was so close, she couldn’t tell if it was hers or his.

---

Three days passed. The journey to the Holy Kingdom should have been quick, but Renee’s exhaustion and the constant threat of their pursuers had slowed them down. Fortunately, they were now close to the border.

Vera sat beside the horses, looking at the setting sun. Dusk, he thought. Just half a day more. Once they crossed the border, the pursuers would be forced to give up. He wanted to leave immediately, but he looked at Renee, resting against a tree. She looked pale and exhausted. Riding a horse for three days, even with his support, had taken a toll on her.

He walked over to her. “I think we should rest here for the night.”

“Oh, okay,” she said.

“If we leave early tomorrow, we should arrive by the afternoon,” he explained.

Renee nodded, then looked at him apologetically. “I’m sorry. Is it because of me?”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. We must travel at the Saint’s pace.”

His reassuring tone made her feel that familiar, peculiar tickle in her stomach, a sensation she had felt often these past three days. Her cheeks flushed red, and she quickly lowered her head. “Okay! I’ll leave the rest of the schedule to you!” she said nervously.

A low voice then came from beside her. “Alright. I’m going to make dinner. Is there anything you want to eat?”

“Ah!” she squeaked, her voice cracking. Her face burned. She clenched her fists. “Anything is fine.”

“Okay, wait here.”

She heard his footsteps move away. She sighed, wondering why she was acting so foolishly since leaving the village.

Am I nervous? she thought. Was it because she was leaving her home for an unknown place? It was a logical explanation. She couldn't blame it on Vera; they had talked so easily in the village. But his attitude hadn’t changed, so the problem must be with her.

She tapped her leg, and a sudden sensation made her blush again. It was the memory of being pressed against Vera on the horse—the heat, the scent, the sound of his heartbeat. It was a feeling of warm comfort.

A trustworthy adult is different! she decided. Yes! I'm nervous because I've started relying on him without even realizing it! She didn't know his exact age, but his voice and his body, which she had been holding onto for days, made him seem much older. The new environment and unfamiliar situation had made her anxious, and she was subconsciously leaning on Sir Vera. That’s why she felt so strange whenever he was near.

Just as she was lost in thought, a rustling sound came from nearby. She thought it might be Vera returning.

“Lady Saint, are you alright?”

It was Norn. She relaxed. “Oh, yes. Thank you for your concern.”

“We’ll reach our destination tomorrow, so please hang in there.”

“Yes, I will.”

Silence fell between them. A new thought crossed her mind. “Sir Norn?”

“Yes, Saint?”

“Is Sir Vera a high-ranking Paladin Knight? You said you’re his Lieutenant, so...”

Norn chuckled. “I guess you could say that. He’s an Apostle, carrying the stigma of the Oath. It’s a very prominent position. Though, it’s still below you. You should be treated the same as the Holy Emperor.”

“An Apostle?”

“Yes, he’s an Apostle.”

The new information surprised her. Of course, Vera had never told her much about himself, so she had no way of knowing. But it made sense. They wouldn’t send a lowly knight on a mission to retrieve the Saint.

Norn continued, his words shocking her. “Isn’t he great? Willing to go through so much at such a young age.”

Young age. That phrase made her incredibly flustered. “Wait, young age?”

“Oh, didn’t he tell you? Vera is eighteen this year.”

Eighteen... a four-year difference. Her mind stopped. Her body stilled. She didn't know why this information affected her so much, but it did.

Norn kept talking about Vera’s past, how he became an incredible swordsman at the same age she was now, but she couldn't focus. Young age. Eighteen. Four years. Only those three things echoed in her mind.

“That’s great, isn’t it?” her mouth said without thinking.

Badump. Badump. Her heart began to beat wildly. It was a new and strange feeling. She wiggled her fingers, flustered and confused, unable to understand what was happening to her. Her expression turned strange.

“Lady Saint, dinner is ready,” Vera’s voice called. His footsteps drew closer. Badump. Badump. The louder his footsteps, the faster her heart beat. She still didn't know why.

---

Later, in the dead of the night, Vera glanced at Renee, who was sleeping soundly, then turned back to the bonfire.

She seemed nervous, he thought. Her face had grown paler since their journey began. He clenched his fist. She was probably nervous because she felt inadequate.

I should have paid more attention to her, he thought. But he couldn’t. Their pursuers were getting closer, catching up to them little by little. He knew they needed to leave at dawn to keep her safe.

“Sir Vera,” Norn’s voice came from the bushes.

Vera looked up. “What is it?”

“There was no trace of the Dragonians. But...”

“The Followers of the Night,” Vera finished.

“...Yes.”

Vera frowned and clicked his tongue. “We have to leave immediately.” The Followers of the Night were a huge problem. Powerless in the day, they were a major threat at night.

He stood up. “I’ll wake the Saint. Prepare to leave.”

“Yes.”

After giving the order, Vera sighed and smothered the bonfire with soil. I thought our journey would be easy, he thought. But now, they were in a troublesome situation.