A dozen horses rushed forward like lightning, rolling up grass scraps and dust.
Meili woke up amid this extremely uncomfortable jolting, almost throwing up. She was wrapped in a blanket, held on a horse, and what she saw ahead were unfamiliar and blurry dark-green mountains, along with the low-hanging gray clouds.
“Oh? You’re awake?” Alex lowered his head to look at her, smiling as he said, “Woke up in just one day, seems Mr. Bole’s sleep magic doesn’t have much effect on you.”
Meili felt like she was about to be shaken apart. Her expression was blank as she stared at him, then her gaze moved upward to the top of his head—there was a very familiar owl flying there.
The owl was saying, “It’s going to rain soon, Alex, hurry and find lodging in the small town ahead, I don’t want to get my wings wet… Oh, our little girl, you’re awake!”
Meili: “You are… the talking owl I met in winter, the one who calls himself the forest’s messenger, right?”
Owl: “Oh, yes, that’s me, I’m so glad you still remember me.”
Meili: “So, you took me away, what do you want to do?”
She wanted to speak seriously, but because she was bouncing on horseback and facing the wind, her words came out broken, sounding not serious at all—actually quite funny.
The owl let out a laugh, folded its wings, and perched on Alex’s shoulder. “You’ll know in two days.”
Meili closed her mouth, her expression turning heavy as she recalled what had happened before.
Madam Pegg being torn and bitten by the fairy folk who had fallen into madness, and the melted swamp monster.
She had been terrified at the time, but now that she was sober and thinking back, she could guess that the swamp monster definitely wouldn’t die that easily.
This wasn’t his first time melting on the spot, so, it should be fine?
Thinking this through, Meili relaxed a lot.
And Hersa, she had seen her escape, and she was fine.
It was just that things were chaotic then, and later many people came shouting outside to kill the witch, even burning the house down… she probably couldn’t go back anymore.
Thinking this made her fall silent again.
As for this knight who suddenly appeared and that owl she had seen once before, Meili boldly analyzed that they probably didn’t take her for anything good. After all, Madam Pegg, the birth mother of this body, hadn’t done anything decent—were these people who came to pick up the scraps really coming to save her for nothing?
Anyone with toes could figure out that was impossible.
Suddenly, the hand holding her began groping up and down along her waist.
Meili: “…”
She looked at Alex, her expression changing. Didn’t expect someone who looked like a proper person to be such a pervert.
“If you want to fall off the horse with me, then keep touching,” she said.
Alex burst into loud laughter. “Don’t be nervous, I’m just getting familiar with you beforehand. After all, we are getting married soon.”
Meili: “Who is marrying whom?”
Alex: “You and me.”
Meili: “You and me what?”
Alex: “Getting married.”
Meili: “What marriage?”
Alex lowered his head to look at her again. Seeing the undisguised rejection on her face, he raised an eyebrow. “You don’t need to resist so much. When the time comes, the one marrying me will only be your body. Don’t worry, by then your soul should have already ascended to heaven.”
Meili: “……” Here it comes again—coming for this Meili’s body. So what secret does this body actually hold?
Judging from how he didn’t care about spoiling anything, either he was certain she couldn’t escape at all, or certain that even if she did escape, they could catch her back. That made things troublesome. Just out of the tiger’s den and now entering a wolf’s lair—was she supposed to sit and wait for death?
While Alex urged the horse into a gallop, he still didn’t forget to grope her waist again. “So, I’m just getting familiar with the body of my future wife…”
Before he finished speaking, Meili flipped her palm and shoved upward against his chin—
Right at that moment, the horse jolted again, perfectly assisting her force, making him bite down heavily on his own tongue.
Alex: “Uh…”
Watching his twisted expression, Meili stayed calm.
Heh, aren’t you here specifically to seize this body? Let’s bet that even if you’re furious right now, you can’t kill me.
Who’s afraid of who.
Once he got through the burst of pain, Alex bared a bloody smile at her. “Fine, fine, you’re pretty good!”
After that, his wandering hand finally behaved a little.
When the group stopped at a small town inn and everyone dismounted, Meili dropped her obedient act from the road and tried to break free from Alex’s hold.
But Alex didn’t let go, saying as he held her, “About what happened on the horse earlier, we should have a good talk.”
The way he said “have a talk” was especially ambiguous.
Meili jabbed her elbow into him, completely unreserved. “Do me a favor and let go. You’ve got fox-like body odor, don’t you know how suffocating that smell is? Stay away from me, okay.”
Someone among the riders couldn’t help laughing out loud.
Alex’s face darkened. He turned and glared at them, dragging Meili inside.
The owl still perched on Alex’s shoulder also laughed “kekekeke” at the fun, and before it could react, Meili grabbed its leg and dangled it upside down, making it let out a series of panicked shrieks.
Alex held onto Meili and refused to let go, Meili gripped the owl and refused to let go, and the owl could only desperately screech Alex’s name… truly a lively scene.
Heavy rain poured down outside. The group sat in the noisy hall eating, while Meili was locked alone in a room, eating by herself. The owl stood on a rack nearby, responsible for guarding her.
Meili quickly finished the not-so-tasty food and sat by the window, staring blankly at the heavy rain outside.
Ever since she met the swamp monster, whenever it rained, she would think of him.
Many fairies in the forest said that in the past, the swamp monster would only appear on rainy days. He liked to walk across the wilderness when it rained.
But after meeting her, he no longer appeared only in the rain. On clear moonlit nights, she had also been unable to sleep, quietly lifting a lamp to sneak outside to look for the swamp monster and let him accompany her on walks through the mountains and forests.
…She wondered how he was now.
She stared at the rain outside, perhaps with some indescribable expectation deep down, hoping to see that suddenly appearing tall and slender figure in the rainy night.
“Are you thinking about the swamp monster?” The owl flew onto the little table beside her, looking ready for a heart-to-heart chat.
Meili didn’t even look at him, muttering to herself, “He melted in front of me… I don’t know if he was hurt… when he’ll be able to return to his original form.”
Owl: “Under Madam Pegg’s magical interference, to return to normal takes three days, perhaps seven, I’m not sure. But if you want him to come looking for you, that’s impossible.”
He brushed his beak with his wing like an old gentleman. “Swamp monsters usually stay in one place. No matter what happens, they won’t travel far. Where we’re going is very far away, he won’t come find you. And Madam Freese’s magic has concealed your scent… Still, it’s my first time seeing someone become friends with a swamp monster.”
The owl’s big round eyes shone with curious excitement. “Are you not afraid of the swamp monster?”
Meili: “He’s so pitiful and cute, and he’s obedient and well-behaved. What’s there to be afraid of.”
Owl: “Uh—sounds like you seem to like him a lot.”
Meili looked out the window, her tone calm. “Yes, I like him.”
Ever since she woke up, she had said many things, but only this sentence lacked sharp vigilance. Instead, it carried an indescribable gentleness.
The owl stared at her for a long moment, finally understanding something. It muttered under its breath for a bit, then said, “I thought humans only liked humans—hey, you really are a strange little girl. Don’t human little girls usually like handsome men like Alex?”
Meili turned her head. “Ha? My taste isn’t that bad. A pervert who touches a strange woman’s waist and other places the first time he meets her…”
Alex happened to push the door open, almost forced back out by the sheer disgust in her words.
“Hey, hey, listen, I was just joking. As a man with outstanding looks, I thought you’d be happy that I was so ‘enthusiastic’ toward you.”
Meili clutched her chest and rolled her eyes. Ah, so greasy! Such a greasy man!
Thankfully she had already eaten. Otherwise she’d definitely lose her appetite from the oiliness.
As if unwilling to let his charm be questioned here, Alex struck a flirtatious pose against the doorframe. “Well? We still have two days together on the road. Open your heart to me, and you’ll come to appreciate my good points again.”
Faced with his posturing, Meili’s response was: “He—tui—”
There was no reply with greater destructive power.
Alex still refused to give up and wanted to flirt more, but the owl softly reminded, “If Madam Freese finds out, you’re done for.”
Touching his nose, Alex gave two dry laughs. “I’m just joking. Why would Freese blame me?”
Despite his words, for the next two days he didn’t dare lay a hand on Meili again. Occasionally he said a few oily lines, but Meili acted like she didn’t hear him, lost in her own thoughts.
On the afternoon of the third day, after they turned around a mountain, the view suddenly opened up.
Sitting on the horse, Meili saw a bay woven with deep blue and light green.
As clean as crystal, the shimmering sea stretched forward to the right, while on the left lay continuous mountains. In the distance, at the foot of the mountain ahead, many houses could be seen, large and small, gathered into a sizeable town.
The group of knights did not stop in the town, but dashed straight through the main road, rushing toward a farther canyon.
In that canyon there was an estate surrounded by forest, its pointed rooftops peeking out among green firs and pines.
The scent of sea wind and forest met here, a smell completely different from the place she had lived in for a year.
The knights stopped before the estate. Except for Alex and Meili, the others all left on their own.
The servants inside the estate bowed to them. Alex was very familiar with the place, and led Meili into the large estate.
The large fountain featured two mermaids embracing, spouting columns of water. Various flowers and plants were planted throughout the garden; the moment one stepped in, a strong scent of roses could be smelled. A small pond held water lilies, and by its edge stood a white domed pavilion.
A lady sat with her back turned to them in the pavilion, drinking tea.
Alex strode forward and hugged her from behind, giving her a passionate kiss.
“My dear Freese, I successfully completed the task you gave me and brought the person back!”
The lady who had been drinking tea set down her teacup, gracefully turning to look toward Meili.
She had a face almost identical to Madam Pegg, the same red hair and green eyes. Only compared with the sickly and thin Madam Pegg, she looked healthier, more full, young, and beautiful.
