Tely and Molt exchanged a glance, and in that moment, both reached the same grim conclusion: kill the girl and flee Frostmoon territory before word could spread. They both got down from the horses and took out the sword from their sheath.
Maria’s expression darkened. She had gambled everything by revealing her identity. If before they had wanted to capture her, now they would surely try to silence her permanently.
But just as the situation reached its breaking point, an arrow whistled through the air.
It struck Tely squarely in the head, dropping him instantly.
Molt barely had time to react before a second arrow flew toward him. He twisted instinctively, avoiding a fatal blow, but the arrow still pierced his shoulder, sending him reeling.
Aaron, calm and focused, nocked another arrow and let it fly. This time, it struck Molt directly in the chest, puncturing through bone and flesh. The bandit collapsed with a grunt, his sword clattering to the ground.
Silence fell over the clearing.
Aaron descended from the tree with practiced ease, his bow still in hand. He walked toward Maria, his eyes scanning her for injuries before meeting her gaze.
"Miss Maria," he said, voice steady, "My name is Aaron, a pioneering knight."
Maria looked at Aaron with a slightly dazed expression. The person who had saved her, was a young pioneering knight.
Despite her exhaustion and torn clothes, her noble upbringing surfaced. She dismounted gracefully, bowed her head with quiet dignity, and said,
"Thank you, Aaron."
Her voice was soft but sincere, carrying the weight of gratitude and relief.
Aaron nodded, his expression calm.
"You’re safe now, Miss Maria. But we should leave this place before more trouble finds us."
Maria nodded and replied softly, "Indeed."
She paused, then asked with a hint of curiosity, "So... where shall we go?"
Now that the immediate danger had passed, she allowed herself to relax. Her guard lowered slightly, and her attention shifted to Aaron, not just as her savior, but as someone who might know what to do next.
Aaron turned to her and asked, "Miss Maria, do you know the route out of the Dark Forest?"
Maria shook her head.
"I don’t," she admitted. "But I can say this, it’s been barely an hour or so since I entered the forest."
Aaron felt a wave of relief. That meant they hadn’t ventured too deep. With the horses, they could likely retrace her path and exit the forest before nightfall.
He glanced at Elly, Maria’s white horse, then at the bandits’ steeds.
"If we ride swiftly, we can be out of here before the forest turns dangerous."
Aaron nodded thoughtfully, then asked,
"Miss Maria, do you know anything about a bandit named Spider?"
Maria shook her head, her expression uncertain.
"Nope. This is the first time I’ve left the Raven Shore on my own. It hasn’t even been two hours, and I was already being chased by a group of bandits."
Aaron’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Miss Maria... you said a group of bandits. Doesn’t that mean there were more than just the two we encountered?"
Maria’s face paled as realization dawned.
"Yes... there were more. I saw at least five when they first ambushed me. But only two chased me into the forest. The others might still be nearby, or waiting somewhere ahead."
Aaron subconsciously opened the map and scanned the area. The red dots, had vanished from view, likely out of range. But he knew that once they left the Dark Forest, the chances of encountering them again were high.
Still, with his map’s detection radius extending up to a kilometer, he felt reassured.
"As long as I stay alert, they won’t catch us off guard."
Just then, a soft sound broke the silence.
"Grrr..."
Aaron turned toward Maria, who immediately blushed, her face turning a shade redder than the setting sun. Her stomach had betrayed her.
She looked away, clearly embarrassed.
She hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast, and after being chased through the forest all day, her body was finally demanding nourishment.
Hearing Maria’s stomach rumble, Aaron couldn’t help but feel his own hunger stir. He glanced at her and said,
"Miss Maria, I’m going to hunt some prey. Would you prefer to stay here or follow me?"
Maria’s eyes widened in panic.
"Hey, don’t abandon me!" she blurted out, stepping closer.
"I’ll follow you. Don’t worry, I won’t make a sound."
Aaron nodded and said calmly,
"Then please follow behind."
With that, he walked over to the corpses of the fallen bandits and retrieved the arrows he had fired. Inspecting the arrowheads, he found them still intact. He wiped the blood off with a broad leaf, then returned them to his quiver with practiced ease.
His gaze shifted to the two horses still standing nearby, their reins loose and their eyes calm. Without hesitation, he mounted one and turned to Maria.
"Miss Maria, please follow behind me."
The previous owner of his body had learned horseback riding at a young age. Though the terrain was uneven and the ride bumpy, Aaron handled it with ease. His posture remained steady, his focus sharp.
Maria quickly mounted Elly and followed behind.
As they rode through the forest, Aaron glanced over his shoulder and asked,
"Miss Maria, what’s the closest town or village near the Dark Forest?"
His voice was calm, but inside, his thoughts were tangled. Most of the information in his mind was a mess, fragments of his previous life, scattered memories from the body he now inhabited, and little else. The only thing he remembered clearly was that he had left Grey Town four months ago.
Maria looked thoughtful for a moment before replying,
"I’m not entirely sure. This is my first time venturing out of Raven Shore alone. But I think there’s a small village called Brindle Hollow somewhere near the forest’s edge. I’ve only heard about it from the servants."
Aaron nodded slowly.
"Brindle Hollow... that might be our best bet."