Princess Mia’s Intuition!
The Sealence Forest is the home to the secluded Lulu Tribe. Their settlement, which is home to nearly 200 people, is known as a place of tragedy in the previous timeline. A village destroyed by the selfishness of Her Highness. The Imperial Army suffered massive casualties against the great archers of the Lulu Tribe. Soon after a large army was dispatched to quell the unrest for good. They burned down the entire forest and slaughtered the entire tribe once and for all.
The only survivors of the Lulu tribe were those who migrated for work before the events happened. These survivors throughout the Empire threw themselves into the Revolutionary Army with anger directed against the imperial family. and became skilled. They were deadly sharpshooters to which many Imperial Soldiers lost their lives to.
Lulu village would be remembered as the bloody land from which bitter vengeance would arise.
However, at least for the time being, everything was quiet. The veteran warriors of the tribes knew that this won’t last forever. There was a tension in the air. It was the calm before the storm.
“Is it true that the imperial soldiers retreated?”
The chieftain moaned at the report from the guard on the front line.
“This could be a trap to lure us out, isn’t it?”
One of the warriors asks the question…
“I also thought of that possibility… However, they left behind their tents, food, and supplies, and I think it’s a bit strange.”
The scout was not a clueless young man. He is a man who is entrusted to bring the first reports once war breaks out. So, he is a trusted sentry. Any foolish attempt of ambush would not escape his notice.
“In any case, we wait and see.”
The chieftain folded his arms and stroked his long beard. Then he said seriously to the young girl who was standing by his side…
“I’m sorry that you came all the way here. I wanted the commander of the Imperial Army to hear the outcount’s message but…”
“No, if it’s our clan’s crisis, it’s natural for me to rush…”
The girl nodded with a quiet expression.
“I was thinking of asking Miss Tiona to talk to someone higher up to mediate the situation…”
“Asking intervention from someone higher, huh? That might be an option depending on the situation. Sadly, there aren’t a lot of nobles who are like Outland Count Rudolvon who is noble enough to be willing to help us.”
The Lulu tribe is only a small tribe residing in a section of a forest near the border. There is no reason for the nobility to bother helping them. At least that’s how the chieftain thinks so…
“The chieftain is too pessimistic. There are some nobles who are good and respectable… Besides…”
“Excuse me, chieftain! A girl who came into the forest dropped this…”
“What … Mmm! This hairpin is…”
The moment he saw what the sentry was holding in his hand, a deep wrinkle carved between the chieftain’s eyebrows.
Uh, uh, why is this happening…
On top of a shaking horse, Mia was stiff as a board. In front of her, she could see a slender, tall figure which just mad her more tense. Riding at night is dangerous, so Mia is currently riding with Dion. So, it’s just her and Dion and the great outdoors.
He also told her to hold on tight, but she didn’t know where or what to hold on to. She was scared of holding the wrong place and making him angry. So, the only thing she could think of doing is freeze and hope she didn’t fall off.
“We’ll stop by the camp, Your Highness.”
“The camp? Why?”
“Because we need to get more torches. Did you mean to look for something in the forest at night without light?”
Then Dion let out a long sigh.
“Your Highness, your acting is getting sloppy. The details are missing.”
Acting? Huh? Missing details? What on the moons is he talking about?
Mia tilted her head, wondering what Dion was on about…
“Your whole story is so amateur. Sure, it may fool my vice-captain… But… Looking for something in the middle of the night? Who would do that? And if you want to go with that story, at least stick with the details to make it believable. Like how are we going to find anything without torches?”
With that said, Dion turned around over his shoulder.
“You can drop the act now. The truth is you are going to meet the tribe chieftain directly to talk, isn’t it?”
“…Eh?”
“Or am I wrong, and you pulled me out from my drinking just for nothing?”
Suddenly, Mia felt pressure rising from Dion’s back. Something cold started running down her spine. Mia hurriedly opens her mouth…
“O… O… Of course, you’re right. I mean, you’re not wrong in your first assumption. That is why I need your cooperation Captain Dion.”
“It’s just as I thought! You’re an interesting one, Your Highness.”
Dion laughs happily. At the same time, the pressure dissipates.
“Well, I don’t know what you’re going to do, but rest assured. I’ll accompany you even to the depths of hell.”
Looking back at Dion’s face, Mia noticed it too late.
What? Bloody moons did I just put myself in a dangerous situation?
Then she remembered. The man in front of her was the man who killed her in the previous timeline.
What in the moons am I doing?
She could only claim that she let her guard down. She thought that after pulling the soldiers out then everything was done. This was supposed to be just looking for the hairpin as a precaution…
It seems her relief has blinded her senses and she has exposed herself to danger once again.
This is that! It’s like when the appetizer is really tasty and you eat too much of it that you miss the whole point of the meal; which is of course, the delicious desserts! And you can’t eat the dessert anymore because you’re too full…! Gaaahh! No… Focus!
It’s not a very good metaphor. In the first place, it’s not even a metaphor that describes her situation. But Mia was so confused that she muttered something she didn’t understand.