Chapter 24 - We Should Run! (4)

"We can't stay like this," He mumbled in a low voice.

He saw Claire shaking with emotion and fear. Her body began to feel tired, not only physically but also mentally.

"We have to survive, I won't let any of us die."

Those words made Claire feel a little at ease. However, her despair was deeper than her trust in Ethan.

"I don't know what will happen next," Claire whispered, her eyes glassy with tears.

"This is all my fault, if only I listened to you and stayed in the cottage then we wouldn't be here now."

Ethan was silent for a moment, looking at Claire in disbelief. However, after a moment, his gaze became softer and deeper.

"It already happened, and hey … if you think that's the best thing you could do in that moment, you shouldn't regret it, learn from it."

His hand gently touched Claire's cheek, wiping away the tears that fell from the woman's eyes.

Claire was silent for a moment, feeling the gentleness given by Ethan. Claire hugged herself, feeling uncomfortable from the coldness of the cave where they were hiding.

She saw Ethan suddenly remove his robe, at that moment, Claire's breath stopped when the robe that Ethan took off was wrapped around her body.

Claire looked at Ethan, her curiosity gleaming in her ruby eyes.

"Wear this, you are a fugitive. How can you wander around exposing your identity?" Ethan said with a faint smile, his jovial tone hinted at his concern.

Claire also smiled faintly, returning Ethan's smile. Looking down, she noticed her striking appearance.

The white dress Sharon gave her was now shabby and full of dirt and tears. Then, her white hair was loose and tangled and dirty. At least, the robe she was wearing could warm her cold body even though it was too big for her.

"You wouldn't want the guard to question your identity, would you?" Ethan sarcastically said.

Claire answered with a small chuckle, though it sounded weak.

"I… didn't think about that," she replied softly.

Ethan smiled faintly, though his face remained tense explaining his vigilance to his surroundings.

"You have to be careful, Claire. We're already too far from the capital. I don't know who or what might be waiting for us here."

Claire nodded, a sense of worry would keep creeping in her heart as long as she was in the middle of this gloomy forest. Although Ethan was willing to protect her, Claire didn't know what intentions were hidden behind Ethan's friendly and caring attitude. Claire only knew that they were still far from safe.

Realizing the meaning behind Ethan's words, they might have left the forbidden forest behind, but new problems might arise once they were inside this cave. However, unexpectedly, the cave was connected to a regular forest where Claire could smell a smoky yet familiar aroma of someone baking from there.

Ethan walked in front of Claire, passing through the cave corridors that were not as deep and gripping as the forbidden forest. The walls of the cave were indeed made of stone, and the wild animals also started to show themselves. The bats were sleeping upside down, minding their own business. Occasionally Claire was startled by a cockroach passing by from the wall beside her, fortunately she didn't scream.

Claire pulled Ethan's cloak tighter around her body, hoping that the cloak would be able to protect Claire from those disgusting animals.

This time, she really put her trust in Ethan.

"Are you okay?" Ethan's soft voice broke the silence.

"Yes, I'm fine," Claire answered. Although there was a sense of discomfort because the place felt very foreign to her.

Claire remembered that she had once gotten lost in the forest, Vincent had even deployed ten knights to look for little Claire at that time. However, the forest where Claire got lost was not as terrifying as the forest where she was going to look for her family.

Fear certainly continued to infiltrate every pore.

Ethan nodded his head, as if indicating that he understood what Claire meant.

"We need to move quickly." Ethan warned, his voice full of concern and soft.

His brown eyes were still sharp, his alertness never diminished at every corner of the cave they passed through.

Claire just nodded her head. She was sure they would soon arrive in the city. They would get out of the forbidden forest that was filled with monsters.

Stepping carefully, trying to make a sound that was too loud to attract the attention of the monsters again. She passes through the dark cave corridors, only relying on her sharp eyesight and Ethan's guidance.

Claire was now lost in her thoughts. Thinking about how she ended up in this place. It was truly pathetic for a noblewoman who used to live in an abundance of wealth, now facing the threat of death almost every day.

"Seems like we have managed to get out of the forbidden forest." Ethan's voice interrupted her reverie, Claire turned her head forward. They can see a bluish source of light not long at the end of the cave.

Claire's stopped for a moment, she breathed in the clean air, fresher and lighter than the previous forest which was damp and unnervingly cold. She could see small houses made of stone, green fields, and people who lived their days quietly. The aroma of toast was clearly smelled in Claire's nose, making her stomach hungry after she came out of the old house.

'It has been a long day …' Claire thought. Her eyes darted towards Ethan, his wariness had faded, replaced with relief and relaxed expression.

"We've been in the forest for … around three days, maybe even more."

Claire widened her eyes. Three days!? That was much worse than she thought.

She only feels like she had been in the forest for a whole day with the never-ending pursuit of monsters. She bit her lower lip to suppress the bitterness in her heart.

"Thank you," Claire whispered, almost inaudible.

Ethan stopped, turning his head with a surprised look.

"For what?"

Claire stared at the ground. "If it weren't for you, I would have died on the first day. You've saved me… so many times."

Ethan raised an eyebrow before catching himself being disrespectful. He quickly replaced it with a warm expression.

"No need for gratitude, I am only doing what I must do."