TFSAWE - Chapter 236: Reassured (Patreon)

Iris gazed at the still form of Aslan, lying motionless as if dead. Of course, she knew he was not truly dead. Yet, ever since he had fallen asleep, not a single strand of his hair had moved, occasionally giving rise to such misconceptions.

"Indeed."

Having observed him for quite some time, Iris rose from her position. Beside her lay a tree fruit, carefully placed upon a large leaf.

"Today, I must search for something to eat."

The food that Aslan had provided had been consumed not long ago. She had intended to ration it, but it was unavoidable. Leaving it as it was would undoubtedly result in spoilage, and besides, all the food Iris had eaten until now had been flavors she had never experienced. Hence, she devoured every last scrap without any thought of conservation.

She wondered if Aslan would awaken and prepare more food once it was all gone, but he remained in a deep slumber.

Caution in her every movement, Iris approached the cave entrance. In doing so, she became aware of a few things. Firstly, since Heksa's departure, no more evil spirits had ventured into this place. Secondly, the wandering beasts in the vicinity were incapable of entering this sanctuary. These realizations were reassuring.

Iris, with her head raised, surveyed her surroundings from the cave entrance. The sun had risen not long ago, and it was the perfect time for dangerous creatures to have returned to their lairs. Of course, there was a possibility that some still lingered, but now was the best time to venture out and gather provisions.

"My throat is parched."

Fortunately, not far from here, there was a small stream. After quenching her thirst there, Iris tore a piece of fabric from her skirt and dipped it into the water, using it to cleanse her body. The refreshing water quickly dispelled any lingering discomfort.

"Now, let's see."

Iris carefully collected the fruits she had seen the previous day near the stream and placed them in her pouch. She filled one pocket to the brim, and then proceeded to fill the other pocket with the fruits, which were larger and more ripe than those she had initially collected.

"They may not be edible, but..."

Every day, while searching for something to eat, Iris would also gather food for Aslan. She would leave the provisions by his side as he slept. Although she doubted that someone as powerful as him would consume such things, considering his ability to conjure food with magic and his immense strength that had defeated Heksa, Iris felt she had no other choice.

"At first, it was frightening."

Now, when Iris opened her eyes in the morning, the first thing she looked for was Aslan by her side. Since losing her parents and being alone, she had never had someone next to her. It felt good for some reason. However, Aslan seemed to consider her more of an annoyance than anything else.

"If I possessed such strength, I would fear nothing."

Recalling Aslan's power on the day the village was destroyed, Iris couldn't help but envy him. How wonderful it would be if she too possessed such strength.

It was in the midst of these thoughts that something caught Iris's attention.

At the peculiar sound, Iris held her breath.

"Could it be an illusion?"

Ever since coming to this place, the sounds she heard were limited to the melodies of birds and the cries of insects. Occasionally, there would be the distant echoes of beasts. However, now she heard something different. Iris lowered her body and inclined her ears, attentive to the sound.

"Here!"

It was no illusion. Clearly, it was the voice of a human. As time passed, the voices she heard became more numerous.

"Who could it be?"

In such a remote mountainous terrain, where even those who gather herbs would find it difficult to enter, and where leisurely visitors were scarce, who would dare venture here? After all, there would be no one in this region with such leisure.

Although Iris heard the voice of a person, she could not fathom what she should do. They could be dangerous individuals. However, if she intended to leave this place and seek refuge where people dwell, this might be her chance.

While Iris hesitated, the voices drew nearer and nearer. Soon, Iris could discern that the approaching individuals were knights. She could tell by the clashing sounds of armor and the steady rhythm of their footsteps. The voices of the nearing group reached Iris.

"How is Lord Latvan's condition?"