CHAPTER 31: 28: AMBUSH.

"Thank you for the hospitality." Edward bowed to the duke and duchess who were standing at the main door, seeing them off.

They smiled in return, and after a exchanging a final bout of pleasantries with them, he followed Calen and climbed into his carriage.

He silently got on without looking back, and then maintaining as much as dignity as he could muster, sat on the cushioned seat.

He waited until the door was closed, and the carriage was far enough from the Verdigris estate to finally let his body relax.

He sunk into the seat. Letting out a small groan, and rubbed his face.

He sucked in a few breaths, letting all the tension in body go, and sat up.

He looked out of the window to his left for a while, gazing at the passing scenery of the lush meadows and green valleys.

And then, slowly, when he started getting bored of it, he started taking off his gloves.

They had been bothering him since earlier, making his fingers itch a little.

He took them off, and crunched his fingers together a few times, relishing the feeling of air touching his skin.

He took in the moment, and then finally, let out a quiet sigh.

Finally...

He could finally let his guard down.

It had been tense, being in the Verdigris estate all alone. Playing envoy for his father in a political scandal... or whatever the real Edward had gotten him in.

He had almost bombed everything because he was nervous, it was only thanks to Calen that he could reassure himself that everything was fine.

He had also ended making a promise...

Royal ball huh...

He decided to deal with it when it came, whatever it was.

And most importantly of all perhaps,

He had almost gotten caught...

A shiver ran up his spine when he remembered what had happened yesterday.

"That could’ve been bad." He fidgeted with the gloves in his hands, unknowingly pouting as he recalled everything that happened.

"Damn it..."

He exhaled.

Then shaking off the anxiety, he looked out of his window once more, trying to clear his mind from the suffocating thoughts.

They were passing through a forest now, and the sunlight had dimmed a little, the dark shadows resting between the foliage seemingly a little eery to Edward.

He stared at the trees for a while, then a thought occurred to him.

This was not the way they had come.

And then-

[ Caution! Dodge! ]

Before Edward could register what was happening, the door to his carriage disappeared, literally. Something had torn it off and threw it aside.

A glint of light caught his vision, and in came an arrow, flying towards his shoulder.

[ Skill Activated. Catwalk step. ]

Instinct took over his body, and it moved on its own. He twisted his shoulders, letting the arrow pierce the wall of the carriage.

Before he could form another thought, another arrow came whistling towards him. This one aimed at his right at his thigs.

Edward jumped from where he sitting, and it barely managed to graze his socks. When he heard the sound of bowstrings being pulled, like a spooked cat, he jumped through the door to the outside... for some reason.

He stared at the trees in front of him for a moment.

Now that he thought about it.

"Maybe that wasn’t a good idea..."

He had done that because of instinct, and the stupid skill from the system aiding him.

Before he could think more, another arrow came flying. It took all of his effort to dodge this one. And then immediately, he started running. Somewhere. Away from this place.

Unfortunately, while running for cover, he ended tripping on a vine and falling face first into the ground.

ow ow ow

He winced, stunned at the pain in his forehead.

[ Dodge you idiot! ]

[ Activated: Catwalk step ]

Another arrow came whistling towards him, and he barely managed to roll away, the arrow lodging itself into the ground where his shoulder had been just a moment ago.

He dazedly glanced up.

What even is...

Then as another arrow flew towards him, he heard the sound of metal hitting the sold ground. And in a moment’s breath, a knight clad in dull metal appeared in front of him, swatting the arrow away.

"Take cover young master!"

Calen’s loud voice startled outward out of his body, but he still ducked beneath Calen’s large frame, taking cover in the large mountain of steel. The shing of metal hitting metal reached assaulted his ears from Calen’s sword deflecting every arrow that was coming at them.

[ Passive effects triggered: Femboy aura, Allure ]

For a short moment, the raining of arrows towards them stopped.

And that was enough for Calen.

"Apologies young master."

"Wh-"

Before Edward could protest, Calen picked him up with one hand and dashed towards a nearby boulder with inhumane speed, the closest place to them offering any kind of cover.

"H-huh!?" Edward squealed in surprise, and before he knew it, his surroundings blurred, and he was sitting in the ground with his back to a large rock. Calen was by his side, holding his sword tightly in one hand, and peeking over into the woods.

"Wait-" Edward turned his head at where the carriage was. "What happened to the driver-"

Calen placed his palm on Edward’s mouth, shushing him before he could finish the sentence.

His eyes widened when he realised.

He had been led into a trap.

The driver was an accomplice!

[ Emergency objective: Escape alive with Calen. ]

Edward swatted the interface away, slightly irritated.

Why do you even want me to live so badly,

Scorning the system that was getting in his face, he turned his attention back towards Calen who was already....

...gone.

"Huh?"

A loud scream erupted from the woods beyond the road, startling Edward.

Then came another one.

And another.

Only after seven screams did it finally stopped.

Edward peeked out with terror stricken eyes.

The leaves in front of him rustled a little.

And then,

Calen walked, looking like he had just gone on a morning stroll, a satisfied expression on his face like he had just won some game.

He stayed silent for a moment, inspecting the surroundings, then looked at Edward.

"I’m sorry young master, but it seems that we were ambushed."