"Lord Ramius, is something wrong?" Zilel asked, noticing the sour expression and the slight change in color on the man's face.
"I'm… fine. I felt a little dizzy, that's all."
"I think we should hurry back to the inn, we all seem very exhausted." Krazel stood, stretching his arms over his head, watching the direction of sunrise. 'I can't believe I survived. This all feels like a dream.'
"You're right, let's hurry." Ramius straighten his back, trying to appear calm, however, he could not hide the expression on his face. Right now, what he wanted was to quickly lie down.
'It looks as though he's going through immense pain. Is it a backlash from the incantation?' The caster observed Ramius closely but said nothing, following close behind.
After walking for several paces, they began to hear the noise of the buzzing town.
"By the way, what is going to happen to me? Will there still be Thornsleepers after my head after this incident?" The merchant asked just as they entered the town. One thing was certain, he didn't want to go through this incident a third time.
"A hunt is a hunt, and we failed. The death mark on you will disappear on its own. We've failed twice. We know when to take a step back and when to move forward." The caster glanced around as he spoke.
Soon, the four men entered the inn they had paid for.
"Make yourself comfortable in the eatery while I attend to someone from upstairs."
On hearing Ramius's words, the man turned towards a nearby table before he could respond. 'My body is just moving on its own. Is this the effect of the spell he used on me earlier? To be bound by the words of another man, how unpleasant.' The caster sat near the window, his eyes already scanning around. The eatery was eerily quite, with only one other person besides the four.
"Is it alright to leave him there. Not that I doubt your judgement, but those vermins are full of tricks and deceit." Krazel could not hide his uneasiness about having to stay in the same inn with someone who could behead him when given the chance.
"It's fine. Right now, he's no more than a slave, he'll only do what I say." Saying those words, Ramius turned to face the pair.
"I'm afraid our encounter ends here. I have to make haste. If something were to happen to Aeloria, I'll have to live with the potato's gloomy expression for the rest of my life. However, before I leave, could I trouble your guard for a moment?"
"It's a shame, but we'll also be heading to Runevale in a few days. As for Zilel, you needn't even ask. After all, it was only thanks to you that we are all even still alive." Krazel spoke with a forced smile.
"I see. Very well then, could I trouble you to purchase two horses for me. It would be best if I could get them this instant." Ramius turned slightly towards Zilel who stood to Krazel's right.
"I will do as you say." Zilel bowed towards Krazel before he left.
…
Meanwhile, Jerice sat on a chair by the bedside wearing a jade gown with a white thin scarf wrapped around her neck when she heard the door creak open.
She turned her head towards the direction.
"I thought you weren't coming until evening." She stood gently but took no step forward.
"It sounds as though you are not happy to see me." Ramius took confident strides towards the maiden as though he owned the room.
"That was not what I was implying…" it was at this moment that she noticed the changes on his body. There was dried blood on his thumb and also his cloak was nowhere to be seen.
She walked over to the table set by one of the maids on the overseer's orders. She took a white rag and poured hot water to partially wet the tip.
"Are you trying to dodge the question, wife?" Ramius had a sarcastic grin on his face as he approached the table.
"I told you that until the engagement rituals had been performed, I'm not yours, at least not entirely." Jerice said as she took his hand into hers, holding his injured thumb.
"So what you're saying is that you're partially mine? Then who does the other half belong to?"
She gently wiped the dried blood with the warm towel, ignoring the man's questions.
"At least are you not going to ask what happened to my scarf or thumb?" Ramius looked at how she gently wiped off his thumb as he asked.
She then tore a tiny part of her scarf and wrapped it around the wound.
"Just as I said before, I have no intention of prying any deeper than I have to. But please be careful." Jerice looked up at the man, letting go of his hand.
After a moment of silence, she asked. "Are you not going to thank me for treating your wound?"
"Do I need to? That was entirely your doing, I never asked for it. But in a sense, no matter the reason or purpose, you did treat my injury. So then, how about this? Come with me to Runevale, and let's perform the engagement rituals with Lady Nyxelene as our witness." Ramius suggested instead.
"That is a very long way to say thank you. But you did promise to take me with you. So when exactly are we leaving for Runevale?" Jerice took off the scarf, folding it gently and placing it on the bed.
"Right now."
"Right now?" She wanted the engagement more than he did, but she didn't think they would have to leave immediately.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Ramius asked, a little confused.
"No, not at all." Jerice waved her hand frantically, taking closer steps towards the man.
"Shall we?" Ramius stretched out his hand towards the maiden with a bright smile.