Chapter 121 -  Knight

Hazel knew that Aile was concerned for her and remembered the heavy soul pressure a few minutes ago when he risked injuring his own soul to get the healing herbs for her. She could not help but say, "You are forgiven this time, but you better not do this again."

Aile picked from her tone that the "you better not do this again" was referring to him risking his life for her. He knew that she cared for him and had seen her worried expression after he fainted in her room. Aile did not respond and just held her affectionately.

After a while, Aile's hand continued to roam her body. As they were heading towards their group.

"Are you not going to stop?" said Hazel in an agitated voice.

"Ok but only if you promise me three things."

"Say it? That was your intention from the beginning, right?" Hazel knew that Aile had something in his mind for a while now. She knew he was looking for an opportunity to request something from her.

"Promise to always prioritize your safety no matter how big the reward."

"Humph, you can risk your life for me like now, but I cannot, that is not fair."

"Yeah, it is not, from the day you made the vow to be with me, you should have known that things would not be fair."

Hazel's mouth formed a beautiful smile, and her eyes gather tears of happiness. She had always been used, by her clan, Duke White, the King... Although she knew that the words of Aile was not very romantic and something that most lovers whispered to each other, it still meant a lot to her. Nonetheless, these words were what she had been hoping to hear. She replied coyly, "Ok, I promise, but if you or Sara require help then..."

Aile interjected, "Only as a last resort you can even think of taking risks, and that is the lowest I am willing to accept."

"Ok.. fine.. only as a last resort, what is the second promise," said Hazel in a defeated tone.

"You should always come and meet me... so that I can heal your soul,"

Hazel nodded with a blush.

"I have not thought of the third promise I will tell you later."

They soon arrived close to the adventurers union's group. Before reaching them, Aile stopped Hazel.

"What is it?"

"I found something." Aile then took out something from her treasure box, and animatedly showed it off to her.

Hazel was blushing seeing it and gritted her teeth. She had forgotten that Aile could see everything in her treasure box now.

"I did not know you would be interested in this."

Humph, "I have kept that since I was a child, give it back," Hazel weakly protested.

Aile said with a disappointed tone, "I thought you had kept it for me. Ok, you can have it back then."

"Do you ... you want... You would be ok, with it having it with me?" said Hazel shyly.

At Aile's hand was a glistening cherry and this was what he found at the corner of her treasure box. He was also using this to tease her. The reason for it was that it was called the lovers promise. The cherry tree that it was picked from rarely has a pair of it.

The myth is if one finds the pair and eats it with their lover, they will be blessed with each other's love in this life and many lives to come. Therefore couples eat it together as a token of love. Aile never expected Hazel to be of the kind to keep such a thing.

After teasing her a bit more, Aile had one of the pair while Hazel had the other. She had her eyes on Aile, and when Aile looked at her, she diverted her attention. Then Aile leaned closer and kissed her dearly, and it soon was time to separate.

Hazel first went to take back the lead of their union. By now One, Two, Three, Four, Ellie and Violet had also joined them. As the large group travelled out of the sacred mountain.

***

After Aile was gone, Ellie and Violet were initially quietly riding, and mainly paying attention to One, Two, Three and Four.

However, soon they heard the sound of many mounts, and they were surrounded. What surprised Ellie and Violet was that One, Two, Three and Four did not run away or offer them to the enemy. Instead, they protected them by forming a wall on all sides, and they told them that they will create an opening and Ellie and Violet should leave, and hide until their boss gets back.

However, the other adventurers union's leader simply asked them to travel together, One agreed. Ellie and Violet had a better impression of them now and dropped their guard a little. Ellie thought Aile was reliable enough and a good judge of character to have such loyal subordinates, and so did Violet. Both of them had seen the mercenary lifestyle and knew how easy it is for people to change loyalty in hard times.

With a calmer mind, they started to converse as they no longer felt they were in danger. After a while, Ellie teased Violet about Aile.

At this time, Four who was listening to them snorted.

Ellie and Violet heard it, and they turned around and asked Four, "What is it?" Four just shrugged and did not say anything. After some persuasion, Ellie told him that they are not going to meet again. So he should just honestly gave his opinion. Four told them, they were unworthy of Aile and he will never pick them.

"Humph, what do you know? We are beautiful and strong, no one will reject us." Violet said.

"Maybe but there is a beautiful person that always listens to him, works extra hard and always pays attention. She has not been selected, the two of you who are lazy, and a burden to him will not be liked."

"We are on the third stage of cultivation, how many people our age do you know at this level. The person that is so amazing that you think should be with him, is she as strong as us at such a young age?" Said Violet coldly.

"Haha she is younger, and she is almost at the fourth level. Plus she is not a balloon, like the both of you."

Ellie asked, "What is a balloon?"

"He says that those that do not cultivate properly and rely on improving with resources and without proper training are like balloons. When a hard situation arises, they will deflate to their true self." Four was referring to how both of them were on Aile's embrace and did not even bother running with him.

One shouted, "That's enough!"

Ellie became dejected after that. Violet tried to console her and highlight her strong points. While Violet was mentioning them, Ellie kept her eyes on Aile's subordinates, hoping to see them get impressed, but there was nothing.

She and Violet continued to talk, but the conversations had less energy to it. She was thinking of a way to cheer her up. Many more minutes passed like this.

Then they heard an uplifting chatter from Hazel's adventurers' union side. Hazel had returned and taken the lead. Seeing the proud stature of Hazel, Ellie knew she was beautiful too.

She had that proud and unapproachable aura about her that made people want to follow her. She thought that maybe if I am like that, I would not be considered useless. The words of Four had really affected her.

Ellie gritted her teeth and moved her mount toward Hazel, and her people immediately blocked Ellie's way. Hazel noticed the commotion and asked about her identity. She found out that she was in Aile's group. Therefore she looked at her curiously, after seeing her beautiful countenance, she decided to investigate her and allowed her to come.

"What is it, young girl?"

"Miss, I heard you were checking the parameter, did you see a man wearing a face cover coming in our direction?"

Hazel thought, so she is worried about him, "No, I did not?"

"If someone comes, please do not attack him, he is with us?"

So she is concerned about him and willing to meet me to keep him safe.

Hazel found her very familiar, but she did not know where she had seen her.

"Oh, what is your name, and who is this person to you?"

"I am Ellie," she then looked at her, and she became melancholic and said, "He is my saviour."

Hazel immediately managed to connect the dots and recognized that she was related to Diana from her name. She realized that she looked familiar because she looked just like her, "Oh, I see. My team is already in a defensive mode unless your 'saviour' does something that will hurt them, they will not retaliate. But because of you, I will give them another warning." Hazel's concern about Ellie was immediately dropped.

"Thank you," said as she was pursing her lips to say more.

"Sorry, Miss Warden. Please forgive the young miss here for disturbing you," said One apologetically, as he arrived.

"Hehe, its fine the girl was just worried about her knight, and remember to tell your boss that he owes me one for escorting all of you back safely."

Ellie reddened after Hazel called Aile her knight. One said, "Thank you for escorting us, I will let him know."