Commander Iria quickly holds Klaus Ermias who involuntarily took a step back due to the force of the arrow. However, she can't do that for long as another arrow soon flew in their direction.

She quickly unsheathed her sword and strike the arrow before it could reach her. It was followed by another two arrows but she successfully fended herself. Where did the arrow come from? She wouldn't be able to hold on for long if this goes on!

However, all at once, the attack ceased surprisingly. Didn't they plan to kill her? Why did they stop before achieving their task?!

Klaus Ermias was now lying on the ground, grunting in pain. She didn't think twice before she bent her knees and hold his wound along with the arrow. She indeed went there to kill him but... she can't just ignore someone who got hurt to save her!

She glanced around their surroundings, searching for some medicinal herbs. When she spotted one used for a painkiller a few metres away, she rushed there and plucked the plant. Then she ran back to where the Captain was laying.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, trying to distract him from the pain.

"Because you're the Crown... Ahh!" He yelled and clenched his teeth in pain when Iria pulled out the arrow from his body.

She put the medicinal plant between her palms and rubbed it before she pressed against his wound. Having no other choice, she tore apart the cloth she wore on top of her white shirt and bandaged his wound with it.

"Can you get up?" she asked and hold him.

"I'll try," Klaus Ermias said and mustered his strength. With some help from Iria, he barely managed to stand on his feet again.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Klaus Ermias muttered, looking at Iria who was still holding him in the other side of his arm.

"You saved me. I should be the one to thank you," Iria said as she slowly led him towards the horse. "We should leave this place. We will be in trouble if they come back again."

"I don't think they will come back," Klaus Ermias promptly said and Iria looked at him with a confused face.

"How can you say that with ease?" she asked.

"Why bother to retreat if they plan to come back again? That's just a hassle," the Captain said. "But why do you want to meet me?" he asked Iria.

"Let's talk about that later," Iria said. "I don't think you will be able to ride the horse. Let's just ride my horse together."

Klaus Ermias nodded and Iria helped him to mount the horse before she mounted herself. Then they left the place in a hurry.

*

Iria was feeling a sense of urgency now. It had been a while since the sunset and it will soon be time for dinner yet... she was stuck in one of the rooms of Hudale Inn.

It's not like something was tying her down to this room but the man who was sleeping on the bed. With a troubled mind, she stood near the windows, glancing at him from a few steps away.

Even now, she could kill him with ease. That was her original purpose but... after saving her life and took the arrows in her place, she can't do that anymore. She wasn't that inhumane. She tried to convince herself, thinking that she would be able to make it work without taking his life. There must be a way.

She had summoned the doctor a while ago and his wounds were now properly treated. He was lucky that the arrow missed the vital points. If not, he won't make it. Now that the painkiller had taken effect on his body, he fell asleep a while ago.

There would surely be an uproar in the palace by now! Should she just leave him like this? But what if his condition gets worse? She didn't know what to do and ended up covering her eyes.

As she was too absorbed in her thoughts, she wasn't even aware of the fact that he had already woken up.

"Your Highness."

Iria almost jumped when she suddenly hear his voice. She quickly withdrew her hands and look at him. "You're awake? How are you feeling now?" she promptly asked him as she walked closer to his bed.

"I'm fine. You should return now. People at the palace will be worried about you," Klaus Ermias said in a low voice.

"It's not good for you to be alone in this condition," Iria argued. She let out a sigh, thinking of her helpless situation.

"I can ask the workers here to call for my friend," Klaus Ermias said. His eyes swept around the room as if he was searching for something. Then he shifted his gaze back to Iria. "I'll be fine. This wound is nothing for a soldier like me. I've survived many injuries more lethal than this."

Iria fell silent for a while, thinking of his suggestion. Then she finally gave in as she was also in a tight situation. "Alright. I will try to come back tomorrow." She paused and said, "Thank you for saving my life."

Hearing her words, Klaus Ermias slightly smiled. "Please don't mention, Your Highness. I'm a soldier under the Crown Prince. Protecting you is also my job."

"I know," Iria said. "But I also know that not every soldier can risk their lives to save others. That's for someone brave with a golden heart." For the first time, Iria flashed a small smile in front of him. "Goodbye, Klaus Ermias. I hope to see you again." Then she walked out of the room before the Captain could say anything.

The moment Iria left the room, the little smile on Klaus Ermias dropped all at once. With an expression that was colder than ever, he seemed like a completely different person. Then his eyes trailed to the small balcony on the right of his room.

"Show yourself," he muttered in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

With the two words escaping his lips, it wasn't long before one young man emerged from the balcony and walked towards him. Halting a few steps away, he got down on one knee before Klaus Ermias.

"Milord," he greeted the man who was on the bed with his eyes glued to the floor.....