Isolation Period, Part 4: New End of Isolation

~] CHAPTER - START [~

When Elfrieda woke up, she felt like she had a better rest than when she slept at the middle of the night under some trees, and proceeded to recall what happened yesterday.

"Had a good rest, sleepyhead?" Oersted said in a less held back and slightly more fluent tone. It was a little too sudden, but in reality, he just used his magic to automatically translate what he said to her. He could completely learn more about the language way later, at their hometown. (So that the author doesn't have to translate Basque wrongly using GTranslate and then confuse the readers who know a jumbled alphabet version of basque.)

Surprisingly, that intimidating aura was mysteriously gone, and a slight feeling of comfort and trust only came from that person. What happened?

Then, the same person looked over to the bonfire near him, and proceeded to watch over what he was cooking while her mouth watered due to the smell of the food that was being cooked.

And she realized something, how can he even cook that good?

Hans Oersted glanced at Elfrieda, and when their eyes met, Elfrieda looked away in slight embarrassment. Without that strange, deadly aura that she now thought was a hallucination, she was getting a little closer to him immediately.

"We are leaving this cave. Your family might be worried sick of you and declare you as... lost." Hans spoke, before immediately started to pack all of his stuff.

Elfrieda, realizing this, had became horrified.

"Oh no...." While Hans's strength was really extraordinary, probably as strong as a Sword Saint or Sword Emperor's level, the Boreas Greyrat Heiress's family is completely worried sick.

The soldiers whom she had literally left behind just to find Hans Orsted just due to a mysterious tug would all report to her parents and the same guards would then start searching for her all around the forest.

Without her realizing, her skewered meat and vegetables were all consumed by her, making her burp slightly.

How embarrassing!

Anyways, she stood up and noticed that Hans gestured her to follow him, as if she is used to being commanded, yet he kind of looked condescending towards her.

This boy....

She calmed down by making a long sigh as she started to follow him out of the cave.

Meanwhile, with Hans Orsted....

He breathed out a sigh of relief, as he'll definitely miss this cave soon, and he would also "break out of his shell" for certain reasons.

Elfrieda rubbed her forehead in deep thought, before pointing out the way where she supposedly walked to.

"I have been walking for two days just to lead myself here, Hans. It's just a hunch, but we need to encounter search parties from my town." The heiress explained, pointing the path she came from.

"I see. Are you sure we would be safe upon encountering them?" Orsted looked sceptical, and Elfrieda realized that he still might make everyone around him feel intimidated and scared until unconsciousness overtakes them.

..... Well it might be better to just find her family's town.

What could go wrong?

~~~~~~∆~∆~∆~~~~~~

It turns out the only thing that would go wrong was that they took twice as much as Elfrieda managed to find Orsted just to locate her town and a lot of breaks had to be done by Elfrieda, such as letting out steam on a poor tree, destroying it in the process.

They have carefully avoided the attention of search parties, and it actually turned out to be the greatest thing both Elfrieda and Hans had done as for some reason, they noticed that the search parties were talking to each other about something dangerous.

Hans put down his massive backpack containing their daily needs, and eavesdropped on their conversation.

It turns out that they don't really plan to return Elfrieda back to her parents, but only kidnap her and sell her to the black market for a lot of gold coins.

And what did Hans do?

He straight up paced back to Elfrieda and carried her towards the search party.

A few stuff happened afterwards, such as the seriously intimidating and oppressive aura coming from Hans returned and made her realize that it was no hallucination and Hans literally made them admit that they would rather sell Elfrieda than return her before dying from the intense pressure the aura had given to them.

Another day passed, and they located the town, and entered it.

Of course, Orsted did not forget to use magic to deactivate the oppressive aura that would surely garner unnecessary attention from others.

However....

".... I'm leaving you here, El." Hans spoke, as Elfrieda was immediately shook from those words alone.

"W.... what are you talking about?" She said in disbelief, turning around to face Hans immediately.

Several people were approaching the area, and it was noticable that they came from the manor several hundred feet away.

"I cannot be a burden to you, nor to your family. Please understand, and forgive me... though it may hurt you."

Those words felt like tasting betrayal secondhand, as the girl took a step forward towards Hans and was about to grab him in anger.

The young Dragon God took a step sideways and tripped her down before stabbing her sword at the road near her head and turning around to leave.

"Surround him, now!" A man commanded, pointing at Hans, and several guards did as told, pointing their swords or spears towards Hans.

Yet, Hans only vanished soundlessly and without trace, heavily confusing the guardsmen.

Did he use some artifact to get out of here?

Elfrieda stared at where Hans originally was while she remembered that they only met for several days. Her feelings had quickly developed for him, but....

She shook her head and stood up, wiping a tear that came down her eye.

'Hans..... I'll find you someday...!'

[ ~ Line • Break ~ ]

Hans glanced behind him, before grumbling out loud.

"..... Somehow, I need to do something about what happens if I fave Hitogami.... wait a moment..." Hans gained a really bright idea.

".... How about I begin planning to replace Hitogami instead of killing him? Even though I have to find out how, that would be better." With a small smile on his face, he began to move forward.

His journey... or wandering, begins now.

[ ~ Chapter • End ~ ]