After ensuring she was adequately dressed this time, she called out to Leslie, who seemed relieved when he looked at her decent appearance.
"Priestess, the Emperor said you want to check on your guard, so I'm here to escort you."
Aisha beamed upon hearing that. "Really? I can see Maya now?"
"Yes. If you are ready, I can take you there now. Let me show you the way."
Aisha didn't expect Archibald would fulfill his promise this fast. Or should she say she was surprised he actually kept his promise?
Before they could change their mind, she rose from her seat and asked Leslie to lead the way. Then, she followed him outside and walked past several tents. Unlike last night, many men were busily running around, so the atmosphere was pretty lively.
"Leslie, did something happen last night? How come I didn't see anyone outside then?"
"Yes. Everyone is busy preparing for our departure this afternoon. The Emperor ordered them to rest early so they could work from early dawn."
"What? We will depart to the Roseau Empire today?" Aisha asked in astonishment.
"Yes. Didn't the Emperor tell you that last night?"
Archibald said nothing about that. But then again, there was no use in telling her since she would still have to follow him either way.
Aisha smiled faintly, and they finally stopped in front of a wide tent. This one was thrice bigger than Archibald's tent but much simpler than his extravagant one. It seemed like a medical tent, looking at a few soldiers who came in and out with bandaged limbs.
"This is where our injured people receive their treatment. Miss Maya is also one of them."
Aisha unknowingly felt nervous. She heard that Maya was injured pretty badly, but how bad was it? She really hoped it wasn't anything particularly serious.
"I shall wait for you outside and leave some room for you two to talk." Leslie bowed before politely retreating.
Aisha took a deep breath before entering the tent. A strong smell of herbs and medicine immediately entered her nose.
The tent was designed to accommodate a lot of people in the room. It looked even wider inside.
On one side, there was a section where the nurses who wore blue robes worked on the potion and bandage for the patient, while on the other side was rows of makeshift bed. Some of them were occupied, and some were empty.
Aisha didn't have to look around; she immediately spotted the only woman lying weakly on one of the beds.
"Maya!" She cried out in relief while running towards her guard.
The female guard, who had her eyes closed up until a moment ago, was startled awake to hear the familiar voice. She turned her head and was pleasantly surprised to see Aisha running towards her.
"Priestess!"
It wasn't until she got closer that Aisha noticed how badly hurt Maya was. Bandages were covering her forehead and her left eye. Beneath the oversized clothes she wore, there were other bandages, indicating other injuries on her body.
Aisha felt heartache just seeing her condition.
"How can this be? You are in terrible shape!" Aisha raised her hand but didn't know where she should touch it. She was afraid Maya would get hurt if she touched her.
Maya smiled sheepishly. "The wounds are not as severe as they look. These people are exaggerating the treatment."
Aisha knew Maya deliberately said that so she wouldn't worry about her, but how could she not? It was a miracle that Maya could still survive simultaneously after fighting with so many men.
Aisha clenched her skirt. Her tone was remorseful as she spoke with lowered gaze, "I'm sorry for leaving you behind like that."
"Priestess, what are you saying? My duty as your guard is to ensure you are safe and sound. Now that I see you are fine, I have no regrets or worries anymore! I was anxious that something had happened to you."
Aisha wasn't comforted at all. On the contrary, she felt even more guilty. "Tell me the truth. What happened to your left eye?"
Maya's smile instantly stiffened. "Err… I injured it a little."
"How bad is it? Can you see normally after the wound is healed?"
"That's…"
"I knew it," Aisha's eyes got teary. "You won't be able to see from your left eye anymore, right?"
"Priestess, losing an eye is not a big deal! And the scar is like a medal of honor for a guard. As long as I still have my limbs, I will always protect you no matter what!"
Maya desperately tried to comfort her, but Aisha felt even sadder.
"You shouldn't be thinking of protecting me in that condition." Aisha's lip quivered as she gently held her hand. "Think about yourself more. I would be very sad if something were to happen to you. Please tell me if there's something I can do for you. I won't be able to face your brother otherwise."
Maya was touched by her kindness. The Priestess was just too kind. Protecting her was Maya's duty. In fact, she should have blamed her for not doing her job well. Yet the Priestess cared for her well-being so much.
"That's my line. My brother will scold me if you get hurt." She chuckled before asking seriously. "But why are you here, Priestess? Those people didn't do anything to you, right?"
Maya and Ren were both Aisha's childhood friends. He stayed behind to help Maya and Aisha escape from the shrine during the invasion. He even gave her a dagger to protect herself.
Aisha wondered what Ren was doing? Hopefully, nothing happened to him.
"Yes. They didn't do anything to harm me. Although, I have bad news to tell you." Aisha bit her lips before continuing, "We must follow them to the Roseau Empire today. However, there is a chance that we probably won't be able to return to this land."
Aisha didn't tell her about what Archibald had done in detail as she didn't want to agitate Maya. But she still had to tell her what would happen from now on. Unlike her, Maya had a family that she loved in this land. That was why Aisha felt bad for making this decision by herself.
However, contrary to her expectation, there was no resentment or disagreement in Maya's expression. Her eyes shone with clarity as she responded, "I will follow you no matter where you go, Priestess. I swear upon my and my family's honor that I will do everything it takes to protect you."
Aisha bit her lips. "Maya, aren't you going to ask me anything?"
"There's no need for that. I have decided that I will follow you no matter what choice you make. Besides, I believe the Priestess won't make such a difficult decision rashly."
There wasn't even a shred of hesitation or doubt in Maya's words. She believed her thoroughly and was prepared to face any kind of risk while following her.
Aisha was very grateful and happy to have someone as loyal as Maya by her side. She wanted to say that they wouldn't have to stay with these people forever, but there were too many people in the medical tent. She couldn't afford to say such things carelessly.
"Thank you, Maya. Just like how you believe in me, I also believe in you. Let's get through this together."
"Yes, Priestess!" Maya put her fist on top of her chest firmly. "By the way, I have been meaning to ask, but what happened to that boy?"
"Unfortunately, I was cornered while running away. I have no choice but to hide the boy somewhere safe. Hopefully, someone from the village will find him."
"That boy got your blessing, so I'm sure everything will be fine."
"I hope so." Aisha sighed.
Based on what Leslie told her, the villagers who got captured were already released. If they went through the mountain road, they were bound to pass through the rock where she hid the boy. She could only hope that those people would find him.
"Priestess, what kind of place do you think the Roseau Empire is?"
"I don't know either. But it is surely a much livelier place, with many things and kinds of people we haven't seen before."
Maya chuckled. "It's like we are back to old times when we would venture outside behind my brother's back. Then, we will get scolded together."
Aisha smiled, but there was a hint of bitterness in it. "Yes. This one will be a long and difficult adventure. We won't know what will happen, so please stay alert every time."
"Yes, Priestess."
"Anyway, I'm glad you are still alive, at least. Maybe I should ask Leslie if you can be moved to my tent instead. It must be hard for you to sleep in an area with mostly males."
"I'm fine. Some of the nurses here are female. But I certainly will be happier if I can stay by your side."
Aisha felt so much lighter when she talked to Maya. "Yes, I will try asking him. For now, you should rest more. I'll see you again later."