The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 71: A Pervert

Chapter 71: A Pervert

"Is this the right way? Oh, I’m so bad at the direction," Emily muttered to herself as she navigated the path to locate the nearby stream, carrying a kettle in one hand and a torch in the other.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the sound of running water, which indicated that she was on the right track.

Emily placed the torch on the ground and proceeded to the bank of the stream to collect water in her kettle.

While filling it up, she spotted a cluster of edible mushrooms on the other side of the stream bank and couldn’t resist the temptation. She lifted her skirt and carefully made her way across the stream, leaving the kettle, which was full, on the side.

With a broad smile, the young woman approached the bountiful edible mushrooms and marvelled at their abundance. She ingeniously fashioned a makeshift basket by tying up the hem of her skirt and cheerfully collected the mushrooms.

Satisfied with the gathered amount, she turned to head back to the other side of the stream. Suddenly, her attention was drawn to the falling torch that tumbled down the water.

"Oh, no! My torch!" she exclaimed in distress.

The young woman ran into the stream without thinking and lost her balance, letting out a yelp of fright as she fell into it. Luckily, the depth was shallow, and she only got half-soaked.

However, the mushrooms from her skirt scattered and were carried away by the water while the torch was extinguished upon falling into the stream.

"Oh, just great! So great!" Emily grunted frustratedly.

The darkness engulfed her, and she struggled to see anything in the inky blackness as no light emitted around her. She stood up and winced, feeling a sharp pain in her bottom from the fall.

The water sloshed around her feet as she went through the murky stream and hoisted herself onto the bank.

"Are you all right?" A sudden voice cracked out, shattering the stillness of the night, making her scream in surprise and fall back.

Her whole body was now fully submerged in the water. Panic set in as she struggled to resurface, gasping for air.

Then, she felt a firm hand grip her arm and pull her close to a towering figure.

Confused, she kicked and flailed, shouting at the man in fear, "Let me go! Let me go! Help! Help! Don’t hurt me!"

She struck his firm chest and attempted to resist.

"Lady Emily, it’s me, Sir Brooks," he said, and as she recognised his voice, a feeling of relief washed over her.

She ceased hitting him and placed her hands on his solid arms to steady herself.

"Oh, Sir Brooks! I mistook you for a bad person!"

"I heard your scream. What happened?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"I came to collect some water and then went to the other side of the bank to gather some mushrooms. That’s when I saw my torch falling into the water. I tried to save it but ended up falling into the stream," she explained, shivering slightly from the cold.

"Why are you picking mushrooms? We have enough rations for dinner," he asked, puzzled.

"I’m sorry. It’s a habit I picked up when I lived in the forest. Whenever I found anything edible, I would take it as it is a vital food source for me," she replied, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Where are the mushrooms now?" he inquired.

"They all fell into the water," she replied, crestfallen.

"Forget about them. Let’s get out of the water and return to the tent," he said.

"All right."

Emily’s eyes widened in shock as strong hands suddenly gripped her waist and hoisted her out of the water. She almost screamed in surprise but quickly stifled it. Water dripped heavily from her clothes as she shivered in the cold, standing at the stream bank.

"Wait here. I’ll get my things. It’s on the other side of the boulder," the knight instructed her, his voice reassuring.

Emily watched him disappear into the darkness, the sound of his footsteps gradually fading away. She shivered uncontrollably, feeling more alone than ever.

Soon, the knight returned, holding a torch in one hand and a tunic in the other. As the light illuminated the area, she realised that the man before her was half-naked, his chiselled chest and rippling muscles on full display.

Emily’s jaw dropped in awe, her eyes wide with surprise. She had never seen a man with such a well-defined physique before.

"Put this on. You’re already soaked," the knight said, handing her his tunic.

"Huh? Ah... yes, yes," Emily stammered, her thoughts interrupted by the knight’s order. She quickly covered herself with the tunic he had given her.

"Let’s go," he said, gesturing towards the direction of their tent.

Emily paused momentarily, remembering why she had come to the stream in the first place. "Oh, wait! The kettle!" she exclaimed, realising she had left it behind.

"I’ll get it," Noah offered, striding over to where the kettle sat on the bank.

He returned with the kettle, and the two of them walked back to the tent, their footsteps crunching on the gravel path. Despite the earlier mishap, Emily felt a sense of safety and reassurance in Noah’s company.

The young woman’s gaze was drawn to Noah’s robust body as they approached the campfire. She couldn’t help but admire his chiselled chest and muscular build, which resulted from his strenuous training as a knight and mercenary.

However, her attention was soon pulled to the numerous scars, both large and small, that crisscrossed his chest, back, and arms.

Despite the scars, Emily found the knight even more attractive than before. She had never seen him shirtless, and seeing him in such an alluring pose left her feeling breathless. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, admiring how the firelight danced across his skin.

Clara, who had been watching the young woman intently, couldn’t help but notice that she was drenched beneath the tunic.

"What happened?" she asked, puzzled by her condition.

"I accidentally fell into the stream," the young woman replied.

"Oh, my! You should be more careful, Emily!"

"Yeah... Luckily, Sir Brooks was there," Emily smiled shyly.

Noah called out to the young woman, his hand outstretched towards her, "Lady Emily..."

She looked at him with enchanted eyes, unable to tear her gaze away from his bare, glistening pectoral muscles, which seemed to glow in the dim light of the campfire. His outstretched hand felt like a calling to her, and her thoughts ran wild with soaring imaginations.

"Can I have my tunic, please?" Noah’s voice broke through her reverie.

"Huh?" Emily was momentarily confused, lost in her thoughts.

"My tunic," Noah gestured with his hand, looking directly at her.

The fluttering emotions inside her died down at the sudden realisation.

"Ah, yes! Forgive me!" She hastily removed the tunic draped across her shoulders and returned it to him, feeling slightly embarrassed by her distracted behaviour.

"Your tunic might be a bit damp. Sorry for that," she said.

"It’s fine," he curtly replied and put it on.

Noah’s sleek appearance after his bath made him look more appealing than before, and Emily didn’t bat an eye at the sight. Noticing the peculiar stare, he asked her, "Is there something wrong, Lady Emily?"

"Oh, no! Nothing at all!" The young woman quickly averted her gaze.

"I believe it would be wise for you and Dame Verns to freshen up with a bath and a change of clothes, considering you are already drenched. I don’t want you to fall ill, which could affect our travel plans. Meanwhile, I’ll take care of dinner," suggested Noah.

The two women agreed and headed to the nearby stream while the knight prepared the meal.

As Emily walked, helping Clara along, she couldn’t help but gush about Noah’s attractive physique.

"Oh, my gosh, did you see his body just now? He’s so gorgeous! I felt like my heart would burst out of my chest!" Emily blushed, feeling a warm sensation spreading across her face.

"He does have a nice body, but it doesn’t really attract me," the knightess responded casually.

The young woman rolled her eyes.

"You really don’t know how to appreciate the beauty of a man! God, his muscles are so sexy! He pulled me out when I fell into the stream, and I could feel his firm body. If I had known he was that hot, I would have squeezed him more and tasted every inch of him!"

Emily narrowed her eyes and licked her lips as her brain began to imagine again.

"Ugh, you’re such a pervert! What kind of a maiden are you?" Clara teased the young woman, shaking her head.

"Oh, come on! Give me a break!" Emily laughed.

"Lower your voice! He might hear you!" warned the knightess.

"Don’t worry! We’re already this far! He won’t be able to hear us!" The young woman patted Clara’s shoulder to assure her.

"Some experienced knights have an excellent hearing, you know. Even at this distance, they can still hear the conversation very well," added the knightess.

"All right! All right! I’ll keep it down!" The young woman gave in as she led the way with a giggle.