Chapter 304: Chapter 62: Legend! Legend! (10)

A late summer mountain wind swept across the wilderness at the northern foot of the Iron Ridge Mountain Range, carrying the faint, distant scent of sulfur and rusted metal.

The army of the Monte Territory formed a winding column, marching toward Blackstone Fortress to the southeast along a dirt road packed down by countless wheels and hooves.

They were now less than twenty kilometers from the battle-scarred fortress.

At the very front of the column, Aurora sat with an erect posture, riding a steady-gaited, gray mare.

The summer sun shone through a thin layer of clouds, falling upon her.

Her thick, flowing golden hair was skillfully woven into a neat braid, tied at the back of her head with a deep blue, silver-embroidered silk ribbon.

She wore a well-tailored, light-gray, linen-blend shirt with a stand-up collar.

Below, she wore a pair of dark brown leather riding breeches, their form-fitting cut perfectly accentuating the lines of her legs.

On her feet was a pair of well-worn, dark brown calfskin boots that reached mid-calf.

She wore no extra adornments, save for a simple silver ring on her left ring finger and the Knight’s Sword at her waist, which proclaimed her status as an Official Knight.

At thirty-two years of age, time itself seemed to have slowed its pace for her.

This was partly due to her natural beauty, but the deeper reason was that she had long since secretly stepped into the realm of a Great Knight.

The nourishment of Life Energy kept her skin firm, and her face and figure retained the youthful vitality of an eighteen-year-old girl.

Of course, to the outside world, the mistress of Monte Castle only displayed the abilities of an Official Knight.

Her strength as a Great Knight was a secret known only to her and Murphy.

Just as Aurora was gazing intently into the distance, a tiny black dot abruptly entered her line of sight.

Aurora spotted it almost instantly, and for no reason, her heart gave a slight flutter.

Its trajectory, its speed, and even a certain indescribable sense of familiarity...

She suppressed the sudden surge of emotion, her expression remaining calm as she turned to her aide-de-camp, Davis, and said peacefully:

"I’m leaving for a moment to scout ahead. You will lead the column forward at our current pace. Remain vigilant."

"My Lady, for you to go alone..." Davis hesitated.

"It’s nothing. I’ll be right back." Aurora’s voice was gentle, yet it carried an air of unquestionable authority.

Before her words had even faded, she gently spurred her horse. The gray mare shot forward like an arrow from a bow, gracefully breaking away from the main column and galloping ahead along the dirt road.

The mountain wind whipped at her braid and the hem of her shirt, but to the soldiers, the sight of her galloping figure was still that of their calm and elegant mistress.

「After leaving the sight of the main column.」

The pure Life Energy within Aurora began to circulate silently. Spurred on by this Life Energy, her horse flew across the rugged wilderness at a speed far beyond the ordinary, closing in on the black dot.

The distance closed rapidly.

The black dot gradually came into focus, transforming into a deep blue figure seared into the depths of her heart.

It was Murphy. He wasn’t on horseback, but running on his own two feet. His deep blue robes streamed out behind him in a straight afterimage. Every step was light yet explosive, kicking up faint clouds of dust, his speed astonishingly fast.

The hot summer wind seemed to part before him.

Finally, at the bottom of a gentle slope dotted with sparse wormwood and low shrubs, the two met face to face. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Aurora reined in her horse and, in almost the same instant, leaped gracefully from the saddle.

Across from her, Murphy’s sprinting figure abruptly shifted from extreme motion to absolute stillness, coming to a steady halt a few paces away. His breathing was even; only the hem of his robes still fluttered slightly.

Without a word, Aurora strode forward, opening her arms in her final two steps.

Murphy reached out to catch her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

His familiar scent instantly enveloped her, bringing an immense sense of peace.

"Brother." Aurora buried her face deep in the crook of his neck, her voice carrying a barely audible tremor as her arms wrapped tightly around him.

"Aurora," Murphy responded in a low voice, his own arms tightening as he gently patted her back.

The wind howled across the wilderness, whipping up dry dust and blades of grass that tangled in their clothes and hair.

They held each other in silence, exchanging no words.

After a moment, Aurora pulled back slightly, tilting her face up to gently touch Murphy’s cheek.

Her fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly as she carefully traced the lines of his brows, his eyes, and his jaw, taking in every detail.

"Brother," she called softly, "did you... run the whole way? Are you alright?"

"Yes, it wasn’t far." Murphy took her hand, his palm warm and steady. "The journey was smooth. And you?"

"We’re all fine," Aurora answered quickly, though her gaze lingered on his face, taking in his every expression. "Kaiden and Eleanor are safe at the castle, the territory is running as usual, and the army’s morale is high. It’s just..."

She paused, her fingertips gently brushing over the faint, almost invisible shadows beneath his eyes. "You must not have rested well."

Murphy shook his head slightly and led her to a flat rock jutting out from the ground, where they sat down.

The gray mare, as if understanding, ambled nearby and lowered its head to graze on some relatively fresh blades of grass.

"After I left Monte Castle..." Murphy began to speak slowly, recounting his experiences to the person closest to him, just as he had countless times before. "...I encountered the Royal Family’s convoy on the way. Her Highness Princess Elizabeth was under orders to travel to the fortress..."

His tone was calm as he recounted everything he had seen and heard along the way.

He mentioned venturing deep into the Iron Ridge Mountain Range, where he happened to rescue the Royal Family’s convoy at Silent Pass.

He spoke of entering Ximu Town, where he killed a Giant Scorching Beast to rescue the townsfolk.

He told of gathering at Eagle’s Beak Peak, where he was ordered to venture deep into the Deep Red Wilderness alongside other Great Knights.