The Duke looked at the cliff below, estimating it to be over twenty meters high. Jumping might lead to survival, but not jumping would surely mean death.
His physical resilience was already far superior to that of an ordinary person. In peak condition, jumping from this height likely wouldn’t be fatal.
However, in his current state, the outcome was uncertain, especially with Vivian on his back.
The Duke had no time to think. The piercing pain deep in his brain told him he was at the point of collapse.
He took a deep breath, summoning the last trace of Fighting Spirit within him to protect vital areas, then leaped off the cliff.
The sound of wind, water, and cold river water—these were the Duke’s final memories before he lost consciousness.
...
The winter snow began to thaw, cold and warm alternating, and many parts of the Moonlight Forest remained blanketed in white.
In the withered yellow grass, an occasional touch of green could be seen. Beside the grass, the river flowed gently, and two figures lay by the riverbank.
A squirrel emerged from its tree hole, standing on a branch, nibbling a pine cone while looking at the people lying below.
Fragments of the pine cone fell, landing on the Duke’s face.
He slowly opened his eyes, feeling pain all over his body, as if he’d been beaten by eighteen strong men.
After taking in his surroundings, the Duke refrained from moving, wary of broken bones.
Seeing no immediate danger, he spent some time examining himself.
The Duke discovered no major wounds and no broken bones.
He couldn’t help but marvel at his body’s resilience—a fall from such a height without fractures was likely due to his high Basic Attributes.
The Duke’s bone density and muscle strength far surpassed ordinary levels, greatly enhancing his resilience.
He even suspected that his unconsciousness was entirely due to overuse of his Brass Ring; otherwise, he might have remained conscious after the jump.
Though still experiencing some brain pain, it had lessened greatly, and he no longer felt faint.
Unsure how long he’d been unconscious, the Duke estimated a considerable period, but his Spirit had recovered well from the sleep.
After lying for a while, the Duke got up to check on Vivian.
After examining her, he found she was breathing, albeit slightly rapidly, indicating poor condition.
Vivian’s breastplate was blackened and fragmented, revealing scorched and tattered clothing beneath.
The Duke lifted Vivian, carrying her to the nearby withered yellow grass. Lying on the soft, dry grass would be more comfortable.
He began to remove Vivian’s armor, which was far too heavy. It was no hindrance in daily wear, but after being severely injured, it became a burden.
The armor’s design was intricate, with internal structures allowing for easy removal.
Carefully, the Duke removed Vivian’s armor, finding it even heavier than expected, though each part was independently detachable.
He felt awkward after removing the breastplate, realizing that Vivian had suffered an attack from a Thunderball by a two-headed ogre, which blackened and damaged not only her armor but also her clothes.
Vivian’s inner garment was white, now torn, revealing her smooth, pale skin underneath.
With one glance, the Duke saw it all, exuding the vibrant essence of youthful femininity.
He hadn’t expected Vivian to be so well-endowed. While armored, it was impossible to notice, but now her development was apparent. One hand wouldn’t suffice.
In contrast, Vivian’s slender waist was elegant, with defined abdominal lines, an excellent physique.
The Duke didn’t linger, beginning to treat the wounds on Vivian’s chest, suspecting a couple of broken ribs.
Vivian had chopped off the ogre’s two heads with an axe while simultaneously getting hit by its club, seriously wounded.
If not for Vivian’s Knight Level physique, she would have perished.
The Duke searched the area, using previous-life knowledge to find common herbs.
Luckily it was spring; if it were deep winter, even herbs would be scarce.
He found thistle, mugwort, dandelion, etc., washing them by the river before chewing them into a pulp to apply on Vivian’s abdominal wounds for bleeding and inflammation control.
After finishing, he realized leaving Vivian lying there wasn’t ideal as certain views were too distracting for him to work.
The Duke removed his linen clothes, carefully dressing Vivian.
The clothes were loose on Vivian, giving her a homely, girlish appearance.
Looking at the helmet on Vivian’s head, the Duke decided to remove it.
The moment he took off the helmet, he froze at the sight of Vivian’s extraordinarily beautiful face, with lips that glistened invitingly.
Having seen countless beauties online in his previous life, it was his first time seeing such an almost perfect face up close.
Rumors had it that Vivian was the most beautiful girl in the Jade Province, and seeing her in person confirmed it.
He hadn’t expected Vivian to have such beauty while she long kept it hidden under her helmet.
Gently, the Duke placed Vivian on the grass, removing her leg armor and shoes.
Her right leg had a noticeable fracture, and the Duke took off her white socks, revealing her soft, fair feet.
The Duke searched around for dry grass and sticks, then splinted Vivian’s broken leg.
He didn’t expect that despite Vivian’s long-term training, her feet were so soft and elastic.
Her legs had perfect curves, long and rounded.
After doing all this, the Duke’s stomach growled, making him realize his intense hunger.
The severity of the hunger indicated he’d been unconscious for at least a day and a night.
Sleeping by the river for so long without catching a fever was indeed fortunate.
The Duke glanced around, suddenly noticing the squirrel above.
The squirrel stopped nibbling its cone, sensing danger, and quickly disappeared with a few leaps.
The Duke climbed up the tree, reaching the hole and found numerous pine nuts and even some mushrooms.
These mushrooms were edible, some dried, others showing squirrel bite marks.
The Duke had no qualms, taking everything he found, filling his belly with some.
The distant squirrel peeked from behind a branch, chirping angrily, seemingly accusing the shameless thief.