Chapitre 10: The Elf Named Reno
Hearing the noise, both Leo and Lilith turned their attention to its source.
A young man in light cavalry attire emerged.
He had emerald green pupils, delicate features, and a slender physique, unmistakably an elf.
"Oh, thank goodness. I thought I had run into some of those terrifying beastfolk!" The youth patted his chest, looking genuinely startled.
Leo narrowed his eyes, remaining silent. An elf's appearance in such a place was as caution-inducing as encountering a beastfolk.
"Greetings, we're adventurers too," Lilith acknowledged with a nod.
She wasn't typically swayed by appearances, but the elf's striking looks were hard not to appreciate.
"Hello, my name is Reno. Feel free to address me by my first name!" The youth extended his hand enthusiastically, introducing himself.
"Hello," Leo finally responded, nodding in return. He then inquired, "Mr. Reno, where are you headed?"
"Infernal Marsh. Have you heard of it?" Reno shrugged nonchalantly.
"Really?" Lilith expressed her surprise. She glanced at Leo; they were also headed to the Infernal Marsh.
"What a coincidence! It seems we can travel together," Leo said with a smile. Though smiling, his gaze grew more profound.
"It would be an honor!" Reno bowed slightly, exuding grace in every gesture.
...
This chance encounter turned the duo into a trio.
Leo had to admit that elves were a charismatic race, and Reno, as an adventurer, had traveled to many places across the continent.
He always narrated his stories in an engaging manner, eliciting a rare smile from Lilith.
For some reason, seeing Lilith smile made Leo feel somewhat uneasy.
"Mr. Leo, it's clear you hold a noble title. I didn't expect someone of your stature to be so passionate about adventuring," Reno conversed with Leo.
Turning to face Reno, Leo observed his radiant smile. "To protect one's own lands, one must not harbor fear. That's one of the principles of nobility," Leo responded calmly.
"As a distinguished noble, you have the most beautiful maid in the world!" Reno suddenly shifted the topic to Lilith.
"Reno!" Lilith's cheeks flushed a light shade of red.
"Lilith, you're so competent and beautiful. Surely your master treats you well?" Reno asked, smiling.
Hearing this, Lilith's expression turned complex.
Did Leo treat her well?
He allowed her to train as a knight, yet he humiliated her in every aspect of her life.
"Reno, why don't you tell us more about your adventure in the Dragon's territory?" Lilith deflected, not wanting to answer the question.
"Of course!" Reno nodded, his smile carrying a deeper meaning.
Leo turned his head, observing Lilith engaging happily with Reno, his face expressionless.
With the experience of two lifetimes, his perspective on people and things differed from the ordinary.
He could discern malice or goodwill just by looking into someone's eyes.
He didn't wish to say much at that moment; as long as things progressed as he anticipated, it was enough.
"Rustle! Rustle, rustle!" Suddenly, the sound of dense foliage being brushed aside mixed with the noise of running animals.
Before they could react, a series of growls approached.
Then, several enormous grey wolves leapt out from the forest, each with a half-naked jackalfolk mounted on its back.
They hollered and quickly surrounded the trio.
Leo and Lilith's mounts neighed in alarm, and the faces of the three travelers subtly changed.
"Lilith, come behind me, I'll protect you!" Reno declared in a deep voice, unsheathing his bow and arrow.
He positioned himself in front of Lilith, standing tall like a valiant warrior.
Lilith, observing Reno's back, felt a warmth in her heart.
Though she didn't need such protection, this was the first time someone had stood in front of her to shield her.
Leo, with a cold expression, drew his sword and lifted his shield, fixating his gaze on the jackalfolk before them.
These creatures, with their humanoid torsos and fur-covered bodies, bore a beastly visage and exuded a wild aura.
"Hand over your treasures and surrender to us!" the lead jackalfolk, brandishing a long knife, growled hoarsely.
"Surrender to beastfolk as an elf?" Reno chuckled, as if he'd heard the world's biggest joke.
"Then die!" the provoked jackalfolk snarled at him.
The grey wolves leapt, and the beastfolk charged at them!
Leo, expressionless, swung his sword.
Despite being only a basic knight, his combat experience from a past life made him a formidable opponent, perhaps even surpassing intermediate knights.
"Clang!"
The sound of his sword clashing with the jackalfolk's knife rang out, accompanied by sparks.
Leo skillfully deflected the blow and then, twisting his body, struck at the weakest part of the wolf's flank with a cunning angle.
"Thud!" The blade sliced through, drawing a spray of blood.
The grey wolf whimpered and was flung away.
Cornered and disheveled, the jackalfolk leaped off the grey wolf, crashing into a tree.
As it struggled to its feet, ready to confront the enemy, Leo was already upon him.
Without giving the jackalfolk a chance to react, Leo's sword thrust forward, piercing the creature's neck.
"Thud!"
In an instant, the jackalfolk's expression froze, eyes filled with despair and disbelief.
Leo smiled faintly, withdrew his sword, and turned to face another beastfolk.
Meanwhile, Reno had also slain a beastfolk.
Darting through the forest, his arrows dealt devastating blows, often critically injuring the beastfolk.
With Reno's cover, even the less battle-experienced Lilith could handle the beastfolk's assaults.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the fight ended.
Several beastfolk lay dead at their hands, and the remaining grey wolves whimpered and fled in disarray.
Lilith, pulling her sword from a beastfolk's body, flinched as blood splattered onto her face.
The excitement and tension of her first battle were swiftly replaced by a wave of fear.
She looked at her hands, hardly believing she had actually killed a beastfolk.
"You needn't be afraid; these dead beastfolk are your medals of honor," Reno said softly, approaching Lilith.
As Leo walked towards her, Lilith's expression turned icy. "If you're scared, you can cover your eyes or scream," Leo said coldly.
At his words, Lilith's demeanor grew even colder, her anger and pride now outweighing her fear.
"Don't worry, I won't disappoint you," she retorted in the chilliest of tones.
"Hey! You can't treat a lady like that; it's unfair and lacks gentlemanly manners!" Reno protested at Leo.
Leo mounted his horse, giving Reno a cold glance. "Beastfolk usually gather in tribes. Those wolves will surely bring more of their kind. If you don't want to die, we should move on instead of wasting time here."
With that, Leo spurred his horse, continuing towards the edge of the Sunset Forest.
Reno, furrowing his brows, spread his hands in exasperation.
"Thank you," Lilith said softly, mounting her horse and giving Reno a deep look.
"You're welcome," Reno responded with a bow, a smile on his face.
Looking up, Reno added, "But he's right, we need to leave this place quickly."
"Okay," Lilith nodded.
...
Perhaps due to sheer luck, they encountered no more beastfolk or other dangers, and smoothly exited the Sunset Forest, arriving at the edge of the Infernal Marsh.
This place was blanketed with swamps and shrouded in grey mists, casting a gloomy atmosphere.
Apart from the most powerful creatures of hell, no life could survive here, not even the mightiest divine knights.
The only viable paths were patches of green grass amidst the marshes.
"What a dreadful place!" Reno exclaimed, touching his forehead.
"You can choose to leave," Leo remarked, glancing at Reno.
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