The Hero's Forsaken Princess
Chapter 40: Teasing

Chapter 40: Teasing

Eve sank to the bed, hugging her knees close to her chest as she watched Alaric move across the room. He was putting on his armor, preparing to set for a journey with the royal army.

Wearing his full-gear armor, Alaric turned in Eve’s direction. He was taken aback to see her solemn eyes staring at him as though she didn’t want him to leave.

He slowly traced his steps toward her and asked, "Do you still feel unwell?"

Eve pouted her lips, looking away as she ignored his question. She was like a kid throwing a tantrum.

"Your husband is going to set on a journey, why are you still sulking in the corner of the bed? Don’t you want to send me off?"

She absentmindedly shook her head in response to him.

Alaric took a deep sigh, rubbing the space between his eyebrows. He didn’t know whether to feel glad seeing her sad expression or not. For the first time, he felt as though Eve didn’t want him to leave her side.

Reaching for her quill pen and pad paper, Eve scribbled her thoughts.

[ How long will you be gone this time? Another year? Six months? ]

Alaric’s lips twitched fighting a smile upon reading her message. He moved closer to her, cupping her face.

"Princess, I’m not going to war. I’m just fetching the crown prince of Kingdom Eldara, escorting him safely to the palace. If they are already near the kingdom’s border, our journey will only take two or three weeks." He explained to her, his thumbs gently caressing her cheeks.

Eve’s expression finally brightened up at his words.

[ Please be careful. If you will get attacked by the beasts again, I’m not there to save you. ]

She wrote those remarks deliberately to tease Alaric and boast to him.

Alaric clicked his tongue and shook his head helplessly, his eyes glinting with humor.

"Princess, don’t be so arrogant. You just got lucky that the dire wolves didn’t devour you. Do you know why?"

Eve gazed at him expectantly, her eyes were asking him ’Why?’

Alaric smirked, his gray orbs raking her body... from head to toe. Then he leaned in and whispered, "Because you are so thin. They want meat, not bones. You have to eat more and get fluffy."

Eve glared at him, pressing her lips tightly in annoyance. ’How dare he make such a remark to a lady’s figure! Just wait, I’ll surprise you once you return.’

Eve’s frail and thin body was a result of the torment she endured while staying at the Lotus Pavilion. Unlike other princesses, she wasn’t treated well by the servants. Her food was limited, and she could only eat leftovers, as the queen treated her like a slave.

Alaric was clueless about this. Eve was never pampered in the palace. She didn’t even receive a formal education for a noble princess. She never experienced the luxury of being a member of the royal family.

But now that she was in Stormholt Manor, she could finally eat and sleep properly. She could replenish her strength and her frail body would eventually recover.

Her goal was to get stronger. She would use this chance to train herself to be a fighter, not a weak princess who needed protection from others.

"Come. I’ll introduce you to your personal maid." Alaric lifted her off the bed.

’Hey. Put me down. I can walk!’ Eve tried to hit his shoulder, signaling him to put her down.

But Alaric ignored her whimper of protest as he continued carrying her in his strong arms.

In the drawing room, Caleb and the other knights were already waiting for their young general. They stood unmoving while forming a line.

Soon, Alaric entered the room, carrying Princess Eve in his arms. Eve gasped upon seeing the row of armor-clad knights standing across the room.

’Damn! This is so embarrassing.’ Eve thought to herself, wanting to bury her face on Alaric’s chest.

"Don’t get embarrassed. You are my wife so my knights will get used to seeing you in my arms," Alaric whispered before putting her down.

Eve’s face reddened further at his words. She swallowed hard and shyly peered at the row of knights in front of them.

She instinctively grabbed Alaric’s hand when she noticed several piercing gazes directed at her. Some knights shot her with disapproving eyes as though they had hidden animosity toward the princess.

’Why are they staring at me like that? Do they hate me?’ Eve mused to herself.

"Where is Sera," Alaric asked the knight in his commanding voice.

"M-My Lord, I’m here..." A soft voice was heard from behind.

Caleb coughed and the other gasped upon seeing Sera in her feminine attire. The knights were not used to seeing her in a dress. As their knight commander, Sera often dressed herself like a man. Despite that, her beauty was mixed with masculine charm.

"Eve, this is Sera. Starting today, she will be your personal servant. She will tend to your needs while you are here in Stormholt Manor. She will take care of you while I am not around." Alaric introduced the two ladies to each other.

Eve put on a friendly smile as she greeted Sera with a nod. But Sera didn’t glance at Eve.

She just bowed her head politely and said, "I’m Sera. I’m at your command, your highness."

There was a moment of awkward silence. The knights still couldn’t believe that their respectable female knight commander had just become a personal servant of their young general’s wife.

Because of that, they had more reason to hate Princess Eve, without knowing the real reason why Alaric assigned this task to Sera.

Unknown to them, Alaric’s intentions were pure. Eve had just lost Annie, the only person she could trust.

With Sera around, he hoped Eve could build a friendship with his knight commander. He wished that Sera’s presence could fill the void left by Annie’s absence.

In a brief moment, the deafening silence was broken when another figure showed up, sprinting to Alaric’s side.

"Alaric!" Princess Thalia called out his name affectionately. "Are you ready? We are prepared to leave!"

Eve stared at Thalia with a deep frown. ’What is she doing here? What does she mean they are prepared to leave? Is she coming with Alaric?’

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