Page 140 of I Ran Away to Evil
“Then it’ll be fine.” I nodded and walked over the bridge. Each step was met with heavier weight as the power of her skill bore against me. By the time I met Gerda at the middle of the bridge, I’d started taking physical damage. My Constitution took the edge off, but it was taking all my Strength just to stand there; a weaker foe would have been sent flying. I imagined that was the point.
I stopped at the edge of the bridge, staring at Sir Havork. He didn’t draw his blade…
I was hoping that he wouldn’t try to kill me, and I was glad to see I was right. Getting this close to him, even trapped in [Troll Magic], could have ended badly if he aimed to end me.
“Sir Havork.” I looked up at him, calling him by a familiar title.
His eyes softened. He’d become older in the months I was gone, with more gray hair along the sides of his head. Or maybe I just hadn’t realized he was an old man until now.
“I’ve come to take you home. Your parents—” he began.
“I’m not going.”
“Your parents have something important to tell you. They’ve sent me to bring you back.”
I shook my head. “They will only kill me—”
“I guarantee you that is no longer the case.”
“—but even if Iwantedto return, I wouldn’t. I’m happy here.”
The old knight stared at me for a long time.
Behind him, Sir Phineas confirmed my earlier suspicion when he yelled, “If the princess is here, grab her and let’s go! What are you waiting for?”
“Shut up, Phineas.” Knight Commander Havork lifted one hand and made a signal forStop them, or as I fondly remembered him joking,Deal with that annoyance.
Trevor happily took out the knight with a left hook to the gut, using a fighter skill to get through the man’s armor. Phineas hit the ground on his knees, clutching his stomach and wheezing for air. It looked like Trevor had even dealt Surprise Attack bonuses despite warning from the sign.
“It’s important,” the knight commander continued. “Your parents have something to tell you.”
“You can tell me.”
“Ican’t.” He looked pained. “You have to come home and hear it from them.”
“If they have something to say, they can tell me themselves. Havethementer the Dark Enchanted Forest.”
“No king would endanger himself …” He trailed off, his eyes flickering in Keith’s direction.
“Then I’m sure I’ll see them at Grand Duchess Calisto’s Spring Ball, if they have the nerve to show up.” I didn’t know where the strength to talk back was coming from, but I felt like the entire Dark Enchanted Forest was supporting me.
I repeated, “I’m not going.”
CHAPTER 84
What About My Experience Points?
Keith
The ring on Keith’s right index finger was warm against his skin, letting him know that it had worked.
There hadn’t been enough time to craft anything impressive last night, but his Mechanical Enchanter title wasn’t for nothing. And after the dungeon, he was being extra cautious of his own fragility.
So he only took five points of damage from Henrietta’s grip instead of twenty-six … That didn’t seem like much, but with his base hit points at four hundred, every little bit counted.
[Automaton: Luluhas completed the Task.Automaton: Luluasks if there is anotherCommand. Yes/No]
Similar notifications had been popping up all morning, and each made him smile a small, vicious smile. He mentally selected [No] and turned his attention back to the matter at hand.
