Crying in the middle of the forest?

Honestly, fear started creeping in.

Fortunately, it wasn't yet dark, otherwise, I would have run away as fast as possible and sought shelter where only I could be present. However, since the sun was still visible, I tried to dismiss the fear and searched for the source of the sound.

The crying was heard again, and this time it was much clearer.

I quickened my pace, worried that something bad might have happened to a child who was in need of help. I would never forgive myself if I didn't save a little child, which was also a question I had when I was still in the city.

Why didn't I see any children there?

Only teenagers aged 18 and above. It might sound harsh, but I'm grateful they weren't there, or else I might have lost my life trying to save them.

As I climbed up a fallen tree trunk, I finally caught sight of a little girl, about 8 years old, sitting on the ground, crying while holding her leg. There was a wound on her knee, most likely from falling.

She was wearing a bright yellow lace knee-length dress and a cute hat of the same color.

From her attire, I could guess that she was either a nobleman's child or at least from a well-to-do family. The question that arose was, why would such a young child be in the middle of the forest?

I jumped down, startling her, and she moved away cautiously, wary of my slightly disheveled appearance from maneuvering through the bushes. I instinctively raised both hands to show that I had no ill intentions, and I hoped she would understand.

I slowly approached, bending my body and eventually kneeling in front of her at a distance of 2 meters to make her feel safe. "I apologize for scaring you, young miss. May I ask why you are in the middle of the forest like this?"

"I'm not a young miss! I'm Papa's child!" she replied curtly, but she seemed less wary now, although still casting suspicious glances.

"Oh, I see. I apologize. How should I address you then?" I asked softly, accompanied by a warm smile.

"Um, just call me young miss. You're still not entitled to know my name, and Papa wouldn't want me to tell my name to a stranger," she quickly responded.

My smile widened, and like a knight, I bowed my head to her. "Very well, young miss. Your knight is ready to protect you and bring you back to His Majesty, your Papa!" I replied firmly but with a touch of gentleness to indicate that I was half-joking, which she seemed to accept.

The girl beamed with joy, giggling softly before giving me a command. "I command you to provide me with transportation immediately because my feet are hurting. I am a strong princess, you know? But for now, I want to relax."

"Oh, of course, young miss! Please climb onto my shoulders, and we shall depart!" I helped her onto my shoulders slowly and then stood up, trying to suppress laughter at her excitement because a knight should be serious, shouldn't he? "Which direction should we head, young miss?" I asked again, observing her sweet face, slightly dirtied.

"I don't want to go home before finding Mr. Ted!" she insisted.

"May I ask who Mr. Ted is?" I inquired.

"He is my number one knight. The bravest knight who always accompanies me while I sleep, chasing away every nightmare so I can have peaceful sleep!" she proudly replied, her face beaming with a wide smile.

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A stuffed toy, huh?

Well, that shouldn't be a problem.

Perhaps we'll encounter a few wild animals or one or two goblins. Nothing major. But to ensure her safety, I had to take her back to the city as soon as possible.

"Don't worry, trust me! I will definitely rescue Mr. Ted! But allow me to take you home first. His Majesty, your Papa, must be worried," I assured her.

"I have to make sure that Mr. Ted can truly come back! It's the only thing I have from my mother..." she said, trying to hide her sadness despite failing miserably.

I reached into the pocket of my black cargo pants, retrieved something, held it in my hand, and then handed it to the young princess, who looked at it with curiosity but still accepted the object.

"Please keep this for me, Your Highness. It is also a precious item to me, just like Mr. Ted. It holds the last memories of my past. I will retrieve it once I find Mr. Ted, so you don't have to worry, Your Highness. I will definitely bring him back to you," I assured her firmly.

She examined the unfamiliar object in her hand once again and then asked, "Are you sure? This item is valuable to you."

"Of course. I trust you, Your Highness, so may I ask for your trust in return?" I asked gently.

The little girl looked at the thing, glanced towards me, and nodded confidently. "Alright, I will keep it safe for you, but promise me that you will return with Mr. Ted," she requested.

"I promise, Your Highness," I assured her.

She giggled happily, pointing to the right and exclaimed, "Let's go back to the city! I'm sure Papa- His Majesty is waiting for us there!" Then she giggled again.

The journey back to the city was much faster than I had anticipated, thanks to the young princess. Without her, I might have taken much longer, trying to guess which direction to go.

During the journey, the young princess told me various things, from her aspirations to become a renowned Mage to her favorite foods, all of which had a sweet taste.

I believed she would also enjoy chocolate like me, as I had a preference for sweet treats over salty ones. That was one of the reasons why I brought plenty of chocolate snacks in my bag.

I know, I know, it's not a wise choice considering I have to venture into dangerous places and should prioritize survival equipment.

But! I also needed something that would bring me comfort! It was an important aspect to keep my mind from going mad, okay!

As we walked further, the sky began to turn orange, and we emerged from the forest onto a vast meadow with a wide pathway that could accommodate two horse-drawn carriages. How did I know? Because we had encountered a few of them along the way.

The carriages we saw were similar to the ones I had seen in movies, games, and comics. They were made of wood and had white canvas roofs.

However, one particular carriage caught my attention with its beautiful carvings and gold embellishments on its surface which is completely white. The horses pulling it appeared healthier and more robust than the previous carriages, and there were four of them instead of just two.

It was likely owned by a noble visiting or perhaps even the mayor's family. I didn't know for sure. I hadn't yet learned about the workings of politics in this world.

However, who would have thought that the beautiful carriage would stop in the middle of the road.

Blocked by two rows of mounted knights, each consisting of four individuals, with four spears pointed directly at me.

The young princess shouted at them, telling them that we were not evil and just wanted to return to the city.

They withdrew their spears, but not because of her, rather because of a muscular man dressed in a blue military uniform adorned with numerous service emblems on both sides. His face resembled someone from Europe, with bright blue eyes and neatly combed back blonde hair. A beard of the same color grew on his strong jaw, also neatly groomed.

He emitted a strong aura, the kind that only people in high positions and with extensive connections possess. Every step he took instilled both worry and calmness in me. Calmness because I knew I was safe in his presence, worry because I realized that my life could be in danger if I made a mistake.

He stopped in front of me, staring without shifting his gaze for a single moment, even when the young princess called him.

"Papa!"

Wait! Papa!?

"Papa! Papa! I'm back!" she exclaimed happily, spreading her arms wide, oblivious to the tense atmosphere that had caused several city guards to rush here on horseback, led by a seasoned knight clad in silver armor, bearing the marks of past battles.

"Explain to me why Luna, my little princess, is with an Outlander like you," he asked in a casual tone. A tone that somehow made all the hairs on my body stand on end, as if signaling that I was his prey.

"She is my new knight!" Luna proudly answered, folding her arms.

Her father stared at me with a sharper gaze, and now a blue aura began to emanate from within his body.