Cyril had to ride beside Algis now. Something he didn't expect at all. First because from the start he knew that Algis was the one who would kill him. Second, the pressure that comes from Algis' unilateral decision is very detrimental to Cyril's life in the future.
"You have a very bad look on your face, Knight Cyril."
Cyril turned. Borneo was beside him with his horse.
"I'm fine, Mr. Borneo."
Cyril was sure that telling Borneo what was in his head would not be profitable at all. He couldn't tell Algis' loyal servant about the curse he wanted to hurl at the crown prince.
"If you feel uncomfortable being beside His Majesty, you can say so, Knight Cyril!"
After that Cyril would be accused of being a dissident and his head would be separated from his neck. Not. Cyril didn't like the idea at all.
"Thanks for the advice," Cyril said with a smile.
They had entered the forest above the north of Freifau long ago. The trees are getting closer now. The line of horses that initially could be passed by three horses now became only one. The order is Guide, Borneo, Algis, and then Cyril. Behind Cyril was Fearish who was driving while casting a cursed glare at him.
It felt like someone was praying for me to fall and be trampled by a horse, Cyril muttered to himself, feeling the power of Fearish's gaze.
"How much longer can we get to the Evort Mine?" Borneo representing Algis asked the knight who was forced as a guide from the ruler's castle.
"Soon, sir!"
Cyril could hear the fear in the trembling voice as he answered. Being in front of the authorities and being a guide is different.
The word "Soon" said by the guide knight was accurate, from where they were riding now several other horses were tethered. There are five in total.
Having heard a lot of hooves, someone suddenly appeared and stood in the middle of the road. Looking at the hunting outfit that the person was wearing, Cyril immediately knew that the one who had just appeared was a noble.
"Your Honour! How did you get here?"
The man who appeared in the middle of the road bowed respectfully, before greeting Algis and company. The guide knight descended first, standing behind the man who appeared in the middle of the road.
Ah, Adriana's father, huh? Inwardly Cyril muttered.
The knights descended first as security guards against the crown prince. They made a circle around Algis and then the crown prince jumped off his horse.
"The Mistress of the Freifau Residence said that Adriana is here. Of course, as her boyfriend, I have to pick him up." Algis smiled, very handsome.
Even without seeing Adriana's father's face, Cyril knew that person is scared. Algis also seemed to say: If he doesn't believe Adriana's father brought his daughter into the forest like this. Cyril cursed him as a man in love.
"So? Even though you can send an envoy here."
"How can I send a messenger if Adriana misses me so much that she sends a message to be picked up?"
Algis' cheerful voice made the atmosphere tense. The sentence just now told Adriana's father that his daughter had sent a warning message to the crown prince.
But I don't understand why Adriana's father brought her here?
Cyril looked around. This place is just a dense forest that is not suitable for a picnic destination. Even if the black beasts weren't here, there were only ordinary beasts, it was still dangerous for a noblewoman to be here. Adriana had never been taught how to fight.
"So where's Adriana Count?" asked Algis.
After Cyril noticed, only Adriana's father was there. Let alone Adriana, the knight who was said to be going with the Count was also nowhere to be seen.
"They--."
A burst of magic power suddenly appeared from below with a very loud explosion sound. The ground around him also shook because of it. Everyone without exception, lowered their bodies to protect themselves from anything that might fall after the loud explosion.
"FER--DINANT!" Adriana's father immediately shouted, running away from Algis.
Their horses had galloped off due to the loud tremors and explosions just now.
Cyril drew his sword in an instant, as did the other knights on alert.
The knight who had guided their way to the mine jumped after Adriana's father, holding back the body of the man who had just shouted that name. "Sir! You can't go to the mouth of the cave! What if there's another explosion?"
"My son is inside! My son! That damn Adriana even did this to kill Ferdinand!"
"Who?"
Algis seemed to recover faster from hearing Adriana's name being cursed. He drew his sword and put it around Adriana's father's neck.
"Where is Adriana now Count? Then what do you mean by Adriana intending to kill your son? Where is she?" Just one curse for Adriana, the girl's father would lose his head instantly.
Adriana's father's face lost its fresh hue immediately. It seemed like someone had drained the blood from his entire body quickly. He looked down in fear. "My Ferdinand--I mean Adriana, my daughter is in the mines with her brother!"
The words were spoken slowly. The intent is definitely to dramatize the atmosphere.
What happened to Adriana's father also happened to Algis. The man's face turned pale. The sword that had been drawn at Adriana's father's neck slipped off and fell to the ground. He wanted to run but was quickly restrained by Borneo.
"Calm down, Your Majesty!"
"Adriana--She's in there!" cried Algis frantically.
Borneo was still holding Algis, then shook his head regretfully. "Even if the princess is inside, you must not enter carelessly. You could feel the magic power that exploded earlier, right?"
Algis was still staring at the hole where the explosion came out. Then suddenly he turned to Cyril. His eyes begged for help. "Please Cyril! Please bring Adriana here!"
Can Cyril complain now? He wanted to be rude. Although it won't change anything by doing that. But, at least he felt relieved because he had cursed Algis on his own.
"I'll go down with you!"
What else is this? Cyril suddenly felt bad. He felt Ferarish went down with him not because he wanted to.
"Good idea, Captain Fearish. More hands to help." Borneo chimed in with the idea.
Though Cyril wanted to refuse. He had fallen out of favor with Fearish since escaping to become a palace knight. There was no way a person who was even happier to see himself dead would suddenly help.
Fearish seemed to appoint a few more knights in addition. Then start getting ready to go down. That man, the knight captain named Fearish was waiting at the mouth of the cave.
Algis patted Cyril on the shoulder as he was about to catch up with Fearish. "Please, take Adriana no matter what."