Exordium

A week prior. 

After the monsters had been cleared up, Cassandra's group decided to rest near their rescuers, who were then very skilfully making a campfire. 

Veronica couldn't help but look at the handsome leader of the group. She heard that Garan was his name.

She combed her beautiful pink hair and approached the man, who was then observing how his team handled their meat. But she hadn't even felt close when her body shivered, both in coldness and fear. 

Unconsciously, she lost her balance and fell on her buttocks smack on the ground. 

She made so much noise that everyone turned their head to her. Her face blushed—as pink as her hair—as she sensed the many stares directed in her direction. 

Most of the soldiers lacked the usual empathy for a woman, and her guards were relatively far so she had to endure several grueling seconds of humiliation sitting on the ground until they got to her. 

Or so she thought—