Thanks to their steady pace, by sunset they had finally reached the Sinai Plains, territory once belonging to the former Kingdom of Valto.
“We’ll make camp here tonight.”
Varkas surveyed the formation as he gave the order in a low voice.
Edrick stared at him with half-exhausted eyes.
Despite riding on horseback the entire day, Varkas appeared utterly unchanged from when they had first departed.
Dismounting with flawless composure, his superior scanned the surroundings sharply before speaking again.
“Set up barricades around the camp and post guards.”
The knights obeyed immediately.
Edrick also began helping construct the perimeter defenses around the camp.
For a brief moment, the measures felt somewhat excessive, but numerous monsters inhabited the Sinai Plains.
It was rare for a military force this large to be attacked, yet caution could hardly hurt.
He hauled out iron-spiked planks from the supply wagons and secured them into the ground before wrapping cords lined with tiny bells around the perimeter.
After several hours of tireless work, they finally completed the temporary defensive barrier encircling the camp.
Dusting dirt from his hands, Edrick headed toward the campfires.
While the knights had been erecting barricades, the Imperial Princess’s attendants had already finished preparing dinner.
Clutching his hungry stomach, he approached the fire where meat was roasting.
He snatched up a small slice of bacon and popped it into his mouth before addressing one of the maids.
“Has Her Highness’s meal been prepared and delivered?”
The young-faced maid stirring a large pot with a ladle looked at him nervously.
“Well...... She said she had no appetite......”
Edrick, wiping grease from his hands with a towel, frowned deeply.
So she intended to skip dinner after ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) practically starving herself all day?
Irritation surged up inside him at the childish stubbornness of the Imperial Princess.
Throwing the towel carelessly onto the ground, he grabbed an empty basket.
“Fill this with anything suitable to eat.”
The maid immediately packed it with a large slice of pie, stew with bacon, wine, preserved fruits, and various other foods.
Soon the basket was overflowing.
Tucking it beneath his arm, Edrick headed toward the Imperial Princess’s tiny fortress.
He knew perfectly well there was no reason to force food upon someone insisting they did not want to eat.
But the memory of how disturbingly light her body had felt would not leave him alone.
Cursing his meddlesome personality, he knocked on the carriage door.
“Your Highness, I’ve brought dinner.”
“I said I’m not eating.”
“You’ve barely eaten all day. How do you expect to endure a journey this difficult without proper meals? Even if you have no appetite, please try to eat something.”
“I said get lost!”
Edrick’s face twisted.
Even a hedgehog would not raise its spines this aggressively.
Gathering the last of his patience, he forced himself to speak calmly.
“Then I’ll leave it here in front. If you change your mind—”
Edrick bent down to place the basket on the ground—
Then abruptly recoiled backward.
Without warning, the door flew open, and a fiercely hardened pale face filled his vision.
Meeting those vivid blue eyes glowing clearly even beneath the crimson sunset, Edrick swallowed dryly.