Chapter 20: A Life-Saving Grace

After Rayan fainted, he vaguely heard people arguing, but couldn't make out what they were arguing about.

He felt someone picking him up and then placing him somewhere soft. He struggled to get up, but his chest felt as if it was being crushed by a mountain, rendering him immovable.

He smelled a floral fragrance nearby, but his scattered consciousness could no longer distinguish whether it was flowers or someone like flowers...

Sitting inside the carriage, Lady Spring Rain, young as she was, always had a touch of sadness on her moon-like face, perhaps due to unfortunate experiences. She wore a pristine white dress adorned with Tranquil Sea pearls, each as large as a horse's eye, along the lengthy hem. The dress's off-shoulder neckline revealed her delicate collarbone, and her soft golden hair fell in front of her chest, just covering her high breasts.

She slightly lifted the beautiful hem of her dress and bent down as close as possible to Rayan, her moon-bright eyes carefully examining his body. Her movements were gentle and quiet, filled with sacred care, as if she was visiting a newborn baby.

She had an innate elegance about her, every movement, every glance was dignified and graceful. Only when she bent down, her hair fell onto Rayan, inadvertently revealing the pure white breasts and the deep cleavage between them.

Her hair brushed over Rayan, like a warm spring breeze. He tried to grab it, but with all his strength, he could only make his fingers twitch.

Seeing Rayan's body react, Lady Spring Rain immediately opened her jade-carved palm and softly recited a basic fire magic spell.

She was identified as having magical talent from a young age and had attended a women's magic academy. Though she had to interrupt her magical dreams for family affairs, she never forgot the basics.

As she chanted the spell, a gentle red flame formed in her palm, flickering continuously.

Rayan's body was cold, and the flame could ward off the chill. But as soon as her palm moved above Rayan's body, the red flame immediately extinguished.

"Eh?"

Lady Spring Rain inhaled sharply in surprise, causing Archer, the loyal servant outside, to become anxious.

"Madam? Are you alright?"

Archer now regretted putting the unknown vagabond in Lady Spring Rain's carriage.

Duncan took the opportunity to mockingly say, "If the madam is injured, it's all your fault."

"If something happens, I will protect the madam with my life, not like you, always trying to shirk responsibility!" Archer disdainfully said.

"Old fool! Why do you always oppose me!"

"Stop your babbling, I'm ready for a duel anytime!"

"You—"

Lady Spring Rain pressed her temple and sighed lightly, "Both of you, stay away from the carriage. Otherwise, I can't concentrate."

Archer hurriedly said, "Madam, let me stay. I must ensure your safety."

Duncan also said, "Madam, I should be the one to stay. I was personally appointed by Marquis Hart to protect you!"

"Both of you, stand back."

Lady Spring Rain's voice became unusually stern, "Stand a hundred meters away and don't let me hear any sound from you."

Archer opened his mouth, not daring to disobey the lady's command, and glared at Duncan before walking a hundred meters away.

Duncan smiled slyly and turned in the opposite direction from Archer.

After dismissing the two noisy servants, Lady Spring Rain cleared her mind and started reciting the basic fire magic spell again. The flame rose from her palm, but as it approached Rayan's body, it disappeared without a trace.

Lady Spring Rain slightly frowned. Using magic required spiritual energy, and as someone with only a basic understanding of magic, her spiritual energy was very limited. Two attempts at fire magic nearly exhausted her spiritual energy, and she couldn't use it a third time today. Lady Spring Rain sighed tiredly and softly said, "I'm sorry, I don't know how to save you."

Her tone was filled with sincere sadness, not a hint of falsehood.

She gently sat back in her seat, pityingly looking at Rayan, and began thinking of other ways to save him—although it seemed slim, the kind-hearted her still didn't want to easily give up on a young life.

Rayan's clothes were very thin and already soaked with sweat. His body, covered in wounds, reeked of decay, and his handsome face was all bloodstained. In just a few minutes, the smell and bloodstains made the beautiful carriage filthy.

Lady Spring Rain didn't mind these. She noticed that Rayan, although unconscious and barely breathing, still held a pile of tattered clothes tightly in his arms.

She was moved and, disregarding the filthy blood, reached out to pull the pile of tattered clothes to see what it was.

The Twilight Blade suddenly fell out of the clothing, startling Lady Spring Rain.

The unconscious Rayan felt the pressure on him suddenly lift, and he abruptly opened his bloodshot eyes, finding himself inside a carriage, opposite a woman fragrant as flowers. He didn't notice the woman's appearance, only seeing her bending her soft body to pick up his Twilight Blade, her eyebrows slightly furrowed in scrutiny.

My sword!

Rayan's throat made a hoarse sound, but his numb tongue couldn't articulate a complete syllable.

Lady Spring Rain, surprised, raised her head, "You're awake..."

Before she could finish, Rayan abruptly jumped on her, pinning her to the soft seat. One dirty hand pressed on her flawless chest, preventing her from moving, while the other reached for his Twilight Blade.

Lady Spring Rain instinctively screamed, beginning to resist and struggle. She wasn't a true magician, nor a fighter or assassin. With only a frail woman's body, she couldn't push the frenzied Rayan away.

As soon as Rayan's hand touched the hilt of the Twilight Blade, he felt the world spin. He tried to endure, but his rapidly weakening body couldn't support him, and he fainted again. The Twilight Blade fell aside, and his body heavily pressed on Lady Spring Rain's dress.

Lady Spring Rain struggled in panic, accidentally pulling down the low neckline of her dress. One snow-white breast popped out, and the other was half-exposed, almost bursting forth.

"Madam!?"

Hearing the lady's scream, Archer immediately ran towards the carriage, gasping, "What happened?"

"Nothing!"

Lady Spring Rain hastily responded. Such an embarrassing scene could not be seen by Archer and Duncan.

"Madam, I heard strange noises inside!" Duncan spoke, even he noticed something odd in Lady Spring Rain's tone.

Lady Spring Rain suppressed her racing heart, took a deep breath, and then said, "It's nothing, I can handle it."

Hearing this, Archer and Duncan could only wait outside the carriage. Entering the master's room without permission was a serious offense.

Lady Spring Rain pushed Rayan's body away and quickly pulled her dress up, covering her full bosom. Her whole body trembled, half from shame, half from fear.

Rayan awoke again, his first thought was to control Lady Spring Rain, but his body was still in an extremely weak state, and he couldn't move. He could only stare with a pair of black eyes, warily watching Lady Spring Rain.

Anger appeared on Lady Spring Rain's fair face. As a lord's daughter, she had never encountered such disrespect. Not even a vagabond, let alone other lords, would dare to treat her with such irreverence. Her exceptional noble demeanor disappeared in the moment her chest was exposed. Blushing, she angrily asked, "Do you know what you just did?"

Rayan opened his mouth, uttering indistinct syllables.

Lady Spring Rain blinked in surprise, "What are you saying?"

The numbness in his tongue hadn't subsided, Rayan sighed helplessly, pointed at the Twilight Blade, then at himself.

"So you're mute..."

A touch of pity added to Lady Spring Rain's heart. Since he was mute, even if he had seen the scene, he couldn't speak of it, which somewhat eased her mind. The flush of embarrassment on her face gradually subsided.

"Listen, I don't know what injury you've suffered, but from the situation just now, it must be related to this sword."

To prove this point, while guarding against being jumped again by Rayan, Lady Spring Rain carefully bent over to pick up the Twilight Blade, forgetting to guard the generous view of her chest, which Rayan sitting opposite saw in full.

But Rayan had no time to appreciate it; his eyes were fixed on the Twilight Blade, uncontrollably wild.

Lady Spring Rain picked up the Twilight Blade, placing it further away from Rayan.

With the Twilight Blade moved away, Rayan's body felt much lighter, and his face gradually regained some color.

Seeing that Rayan didn't make any rash moves, Lady Spring Rain sighed softly, "See, I didn't lie to you. You need to stay away from this sword."

These words hurt him more than if she had stabbed him with the sword. He finally understood, the problem wasn't with the Twilight Blade, but with himself. Realizing this, his dry mouth tasted only of bile.

Since Rayan was no longer in danger, Lady Spring Rain found it inappropriate to stay with him. She opened the carriage door and called to her loyal servant, "Archer, come take care of him for a bit, and take this sword further away."

Archer was about to step forward when Duncan cut in, "Madam, leave this minor task to me. Archer is the coachman. If he focuses on driving, we can make it back to Stonerock City before dark."

Duncan's proactive attitude surprised Lady Spring Rain, but she didn't think much of it and confidently handed the Twilight Blade to Duncan.