An impressive line of a homecoming envoy of a general was seen at the small road outside the recuperating village.
Coming back from a distant border after four years guarding there, the hearts of the envoy were in anticipation to rejoin their households. A small diversion to their itinerary, handling the bandits was nothing to them, just count it as a side activity to their journey home. But the eagerness to come home never faded even a millisecond. As soon as everything was settled at the village, they departed in an organized manner.
A small carriage appearing from the side joined the line naturally, as if completing the missing link of the puzzle.
Inside the small carriage, seated three people. The air was tense and uncomfortable.
"Sister, I thank you for letting me on board."
The girl broke the silence first as she felt that she was the culprit who turned the atmosphere awkward.
"This brother has nowhere else to go as my last family has passed on…"
Lying through her teeth so obviously. Hadn't her face and gender exposed during the time they had spent together at the temporary center, albeit a short one?
But she had also asked for her help for the burial of her grandmother. So, she had taken a closer look to that girl; everything of her screamed 'I am a female!'
Now, seeing the girl being adamant with her hoarse voice in that getup, she could only shake her head and follow her flow. Perhaps, her lies were directed to her master, the stranger to her. But, her master had permitted her to bring someone into the carriage… provided that she is a girl.
"Sis- a, no. Little brother."
Maybe the disciple wanted to give a hint to her master so she had wrongly addressed the girl deliberately.
"Looking at your tender age, with no one supporting you, I pleaded with my master here to let you join our medical sect in Springwater City." Especially a young girl living alone, wasn't that like leaving a rabbit out in the open to be devoured by the predators?
At the mention of her master, she glanced at the person and noticed the person's rigid body had relaxed.
Although her master was wearing a half mask, leaving only the mouth open, an amused glint could be seen passing in the eyes.
"My disciple said that she found a suitable talent for the sect. Tell me… what's your name?"
A gentle and entrancing voice came from the half-masked man, or so she thought.
Sitting across each other, she had only now observed the supposed man in front of her to find that how luscious red his lips are. How graceful his jaw are… How there are a bulge in front of his chest…
'Wait, he is not a male?'
She failed to register her shock at not knowing her own name. More like, the goddess in front of her had her fully captivated by her beauty.
"Pretty…"
"… Your name's Pretty?" Her curled lips were so mesmerizing as she chuckled softly. This girl is so naïve, she wouldn't be able to survive on her own.
'Consider the debt even.'