Chapter 9: The Princess with the High-Powered Gaze

"That's it... It's all this tree's fault... This tree is to blame..."

"Your Highness?"

Dion frowned suspiciously at the mumbling princess.

"How dare you stick your root in front of my leg! What an impudent tree!" she suddenly shouted in a hysterical tone. Then...

Thunk!

She kicked the trunk. It was a very ungraceful kick, the kind you'd expect to see not from a princess but from some street thug. Immediately, a jolt shot up Dion's spine and he tensed, sensing malice from invisible gazes focusing in on Mia.

"Bloody hell."

He spat in annoyance, lunged forward, and drew his sword all in one motion. He landed directly in front of Mia and focused on listening to the forest. There it was. The unmistakable whistle of wood ripping through air. Then again. And again. And again.

Four arrows.

All dead-on accurate. I guess that's a hunting tribe for you. But thanks to that...

His sword arm blurred. Three arcing flashes encircled him like a shell, appearing and fading almost simultaneously. A second later, three arrows lay in pieces at his feet. As for the final arrow...

"...Eh? Uh... Huh?"

Mia blinked a few times. Then she looked up. A shaft was embedded in the tree trunk, barely an inch above her tiny, fragile head. Dion had purposefully let it pass, having accurately read the arrow's course. She continued to stare at it, her eyes going a little crossed.

"H-Hyaaaaaaah!"

She let out a piercing shriek and fell on her rear. The impact dislodged her hairpin and it landed on the ground beside her. Before she could do anything else she was scooped up by Dion, who cut down another arrow while carrying her under his arm.

"Captain!"

The vice-captain, his sword drawn, appeared slightly late to the party. He was quickly followed by Mia's guards. Dion glanced at them and barked out a curt order.

"Fall back! Out of the forest!"

Then he began to run, glaring furiously at Mia whom he still carried like a bundle under his arm.

"With all due respect, Your Highness, I'm going to kill you for this."

"E-Eeeek!"

Mia screamed again in terror. In the back of her mind, she muzzily noted that a murderous glare from Dion was even scarier than being shot at by arrows.

"I swear, I just told you to keep your hands away from anything in the forest... In case you were wondering, that includes feet!"

Tears welled up in Mia's eyes as she twitched in absolute terror. She managed to croak out in a hoarse voice, "R-Run away!"

"What do you think I'm doing, damn it? It's fine. I'll take you back to the camp."

"No, further! Back to the viscounty town! I won't feel safe until we're all the way back to the viscount's manor!"

Dion glanced down to find her looking up at him, eyes steady. Everything else was a quivering mess, but her gaze did not falter. He cocked an eyebrow and nodded. It just so happened that he preferred for her to stay put in town as well.

"Fair enough. In that case, feel free to head back to the manor with your two guards. I'll send a few more men with you as an escort."

He exhaled. At the end of the day, the princess was still a child. Just a selfish child who thought only about herself.

"Th-That's not enough!"

He glanced down at her again. She still held his gaze, and for a moment, he thought he saw a glimmer of something in her widened pupils. He frowned. Was that... determination?

"What's not enough?"

"A few men? Do you know who is normally tasked with protecting me? The Princess Guard! The elite of the elite! Do you truly think a few men will be enough to ensure my safety?"

"...And just what exactly do you mean by that, Your Highness?"

"Bring all of them! I want every last one of your men to guard me on my way back to the viscounty town!"

"Now hold on there, Princess." The vice-captain's voice could be heard even above their frantic steps. "I know you're upset, but that's going a little too far. Right, Captain?"

In any other situation, Dion would have immediately agreed. Instead, he said nothing. His eyes narrowed, but they remained fixed squarely on Mia. What was that glimmer he saw? He needed to be sure.

"Moving an army takes time, Your Highness... The camp needs to be taken down. Tents dismantled. Fences removed. Supplies need to be transported as well..."

"Are you implying there is something more important than my personal safety?"

They stared at each other for a while, neither conceding so much as a blink. Eventually, Dion let out a breath. Then he flipped her around and shifted both arms underneath her, carrying her no longer like a bundle of sheets but like a true princess.

"You know what? You're absolutely right... Vice-Captain, you heard Her Highness. Once we get back to camp, get the men and their horses ready to move as soon as possible."

"C-Captain?"

"It's not up to us," said Dion. "We just received a direct order. It would appear that Her Highness does not think very highly of our men's competence. We should, therefore, rectify this unfortunate misconception. Tell the men this is their chance to prove their worth. I want to see formation and lockstep. We're marching back in parade fashion." Then he looked at Mia, who had inexplicably closed her eyes and wore an expression of deep relief, and said, "My sincerest apologies for the discomfort, Your Highness, but please bear with us. We'll be out of the forest before you know it."

Th-That was absolutely terrifying!

Even as she relaxed in Dion's arms, Mia could still feel cold sweat dripping down her neck. Her plan had worked even better than she'd thought it would, but...

Sweet moons! I didn't think they'd actually shoot at me!

Back during the revolutionary war, there'd always be a whole lot of shouting first, which was then followed by some warning shots. She thought it'd be the same this time. Even worse was the way Dion had reacted. The way he glared at her, she knew without a shadow of a doubt — if she dared to even look away, he'd kill her right then and there. Therefore, she kept staring back. She desperately focused all her energy on forcing her eyes to stay open as she stared at him for dear life!

I-I'm so spent! I feel like I'm going to pass out!

Overcome by exhaustion, she allowed her eyelids to fall closed. Up above, she could still hear Dion going on and on about something or other, but she paid him no further attention. Her eyes hurt from all the staring, and she decided that they deserved some well-earned rest.