"Why are you putting that ugly birthmark again?" Kira asked Emmelyn when she saw her come down from the second floor with her bag.

She noticed Emmelyn no longer put the charcoal on her face the past three days. So, why did she put it back on?

Did something happen which Kira didn't know about?

Kira furrowed her brows, trying to remember if something unusual happened between yesterday and today.

Hm... nothing too unusual, she thought. They just talked to a group of knights for hire. Those guys were looking for a woman. So what?

"I just forgot to put it on these past few days," said Emmelyn, ready with her excuse. "I feel safer if people think I'm ugly."

"That's a weird logic," said Kira. "Nobody bothers men, ugly or not. Besides, you're looking down on my sword skills if you are scared that people will dare to bother my travel companion."

Emmelyn hiccuped when she heard Kira's words. Welp. She really had no choice.

She didn't want to be forced to fight Kira if the pirate princess realized she was the woman that those knights were looking for. Kira seemed to really like money. So... Emmelyn would not take that risk.

Besides, even if Kira didn't realize Emmelyn was that woman from the bounty, who could guarantee that Kira could protect the both of them when more skilled knights in big number attacked them? Better not invite trouble.

Emmelyn was now a mature woman who wanted to go back to her daughter. She would not take stupid risks just for the sake of adventures.

The current Emmelyn was different from Emmelyn two years ago. Maybe once Kira had a child of her own, she would change too.

"Well, I am weird," Emmelyn replied indifferently. She didn't want to dwell on the matter and quickly settled their bills to the innkeeper and got ready to go. Kira had no choice but to follow her.

***

Finally... Lakeshire was right around the corner.

Emmelyn and Kira stopped by Froth lake and rested there for several hours while they ate lunch. The city that they wanted to visit was located across the lake. They just needed to ride their horses around the lake and they would reach Lakeshire.

"I am so hungry, I could eat a horse," Kira commented. When her horse looked at her funny, the woman burst out laughing. "I will not eat you! Gah! I am just joking."

She stretched her body and then cast her gaze around. She liked the area. It was really beautiful. There were many lush trees by the lake that made it look so peaceful.

The lake itself was very still and calm. The water was clear blue and there were some fishermen fishing on their small boats in the middle of the lake. She could actually stay here for days just to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

One old man who just went ashore with his small boat saw the two people and looked happy. He tied his boat to a big pole near the dock and walked briskly toward Emmelyn and Kira. He brought a small basket filled with fish with him.

"Hello! Do you want to buy fish? I just caught them today. They are fresh," he offered to them, looking hopeful.

Kira ate fish so much in her life and didn't want to buy, but Emmelyn felt pity toward the old fisherman who seemed really hopeful that he could sell his fish.

She nodded. "Yes, please. How much are you selling those?"

"How many do you need?" The fisherman asked back.

Emmelyn looked at Kira and saw her companion shake her head subtly. It seemed Kira didn't want to eat fish.

"I will take two," Emmelyn said. She took out one silver coin from her pocket and gave it to the fisherman.

"This is too much," said the old man. "You should take all my fish."

"No.. no, thank you. There's only the two of us. I won't be able to eat all your fish and they will not last. I don't have smaller coins."

"Well.. I don't have the change..." the old man looked distraught.

"It's okay. I don't want the change. I just happen to crave fish today and you came at the right time. I will enjoy this fish and you can bring the rest of the fish for your family, or you can give it to other people." Emmelyn took two big fish from the basket and held them. "These two are enough for me."

The old fisherman was so moved by Emmelyn's kindness, that he almost shed tears. The man quickly wiped his eyes and bowed his head to show his respect to the girl.

"Thank you so much for your kindness, young man," said the man with a hoarse voice. "My wife is currently very sick. I was told that the medication will cost me our house and boat. Now... with this money, I can pay for her treatment... Thank you so much."

Emmelyn smiled and nodded. She was touched too when she realized she had unknowingly helped the old man's wife to get treatment for her illness.

"I hope your wife will get better soon," said Emmelyn. "Thank you for the fish."

"No.. THANK YOU!" The old man finally cried and he bowed down one more time before he picked up his basket and went back to his boat. He untied it from the pole and sailed again to the other side of the lake to see his wife.

"You're too nice," Kira commented.

Emmelyn didn't pay her any heed. Of course, she would be considered nice if the baseline standard was a pirate princess. From normal people's point of view, Emmelyn thought what she did was nothing unusual.

She felt pity for the old fisherman and decided to make him happy by purchasing two of his fish. It was not an extraordinary thing to do, she thought. She didn't even go out of her way to help the old man. The fisherman came to her on his own.

"I want to get some firewood to make fire and grill the fish," Emmelyn said after he put down the fish on the grass, near her bag. "Will you stay here and watch over our stuff?"

Kira nodded. "Go ahead."

Emmelyn patted her hands that smell fishy and rubbed them on the grass to remove the smell before she walked toward the trees. She thought she could find some twigs or dry branches there to make fire.

She would clean the fish and grill them for lunch. After eating lunch and resting for a bit, they would continue their journey to Lakeshire.

CREAK

She jumped in surprise when suddenly she stepped on a dry branch that broke and a rope immediately wrapped around her ankle. She had accidentally stepped on an animal trap.

"Gosh...! Who put an animal trap here?" Emmelyn grumbled in annoyance. She bent down and tried to untangle the rope from her leg.

CREAK

Emmelyn immediately jumped and dodged when she heard the sound of another footstep from behind her, stepping on some smaller branches.

"Hey! What are you doing with my trap??"

Emmelyn turned around toward the direction of the sound to see who scolded her. Her right leg was still trapped in the animal trap and she was furious that the trap owner scolded her for trying to free herself.

Emmelyn couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the man who stood before her with his hands akimbo and his face showed an annoyed expression.

"Maxim?!"

.

------------

Yes! Finally, Maxim is here!

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the second male lead of this story, making an appearance after... 430 chapters. lol.