Gorgeous Jewel
Chapter I Chapter 2

" Haha... Haaaah..."

The sound of their breathing began to pant, especially Alice who had never even run this far in her life.

'Is it far enough?' Alice who could no longer run suddenly stopped with an irregular breath. "I... I don't want to run anymore." Prattling

" But miss..."

" enough. " Alicia then took a deep breath and fixed her standing position. " I don't think they're chasing us anymore. Those two knights might succeed."

That was how he hoped, but the one thing they forgot was that the assassins numbered 3 people while the knights who confronted them were only two.

When the two kstarians were tired of fighting against two assassins. One of them then immediately jumped away and chased Alice.

"Damn it!" Angered by a knight.

" ha... It seems like inevitably the girl has to die tonight. " Good talk to one of the killers.

The assassin who escaped from the two knights continued to run very fast. Until finally he saw his third figure. Alice, Ronald and the maid were seen stopping and resting.

The assassin immediately threw the dagger towards Alice.

Ronald, leaning against a tree, suddenly saw the figure of a man hiding behind one of the trees. In an instant the person, took something out of his pants pocket and threw it towards Alice. "Miss Alicia!" Seeing the dagger fly towards Alice, Ronald swiftly moved using his body to protect Alice. Ronald was injured on one of his shoulders in the back.

Alice screamed in fear and fell to the ground. His heart beats unbecoming. Almost, yeah, almost got the dagger on his head.

"Take the lady out of here! Protect him." Ronald firmly on the maid while holding her injured shoulder.

" B-Good! " The servant immediately pulled Alice and left Ronald.

Seeing the target of the hunt move away from the killer again seemed increasingly upset. " Cih! Again he lost "

" I won't let you through "

The killer stopped and saw an old man in front of him. He laughed softly "You? Stopped me? Is it not wrong?" Then he laughed out loud. "Well... At least I'm gonna vent my frustration on you for getting in my way."

Ronald looked back and saw Alice was gone behind the trees. Then he pulled out a small knife from behind his pocket.

" What is that? Kitchen knife? " The killer laughed again at Ronald's gun .

Ronald knew he wouldn't win against him. Even if it was the sword he had brought. He knew he had no chance at all to win. A coachman fights an experienced killer. It's a joke if he wins that an old man in his 40s.

Actually he just wanted to buy a little longer so that Alice could stay away from the killer.

" Go on!" Ronald pointed the small knife at the killer.

" seriously? Well, if you're that's what he meant. " The killer said casually and then he lunged quickly at Ronald.

When the killer was near him. Ronald suddenly throws a small ball into the ground that turns out to be a bomb.

" uhuk - uhuk. " Superficial smoke appeared and blocked the killer's sight. "What'sthis? Uhuk. Damnit damnit! I underestimated you old man! " reservedly.

Opportunity. Ronald, who was sneaking around while covering his nose with a piece of cloth, stuck his knife into the killer's thigh.

The killer was screaming in pain. Reflesk he kicked Ronald into the back of "Fucking old grandpa! Uhuk "The hunter got more upset and got on the blackboard.

Ronald did not expect that the smoke bomb given by Duke Strongfort would be very useful at this time. Ronald still has one in his pocket. Without a responsibility he throws it again at the killer and immediately runs away following Alice.

~

Alice and the maid had already run far enough away to leave Ronald, but they did not realize at all that they were too far into the forest. The main road is not even visible anymore and the trees are getting busier.

"No-nona seems we're lost." The maid's voice trembled after she realized her surroundings.

After stopping and breathing, Alice finally realized that they were really lost. "Cannot be. L'm... I want to go home." Alice was sad and scared. " You! Your fault! It's all your fault! You are not becus! It's free for my family to hire and pay you dearly! " It's upset.

The female servant could only submit while apologizing in a soft voice.

"Aaghh!.. Never mind I'm tired. I want a break."

Alice who had rested in her shabby clothes walked back with the maid.

" Hey! can't you think of anything?" Alice asked annoyed.

" I'm sorry, miss. I really don't know where we are. "

" It's useless. "

Alice and the waiter continued to walk down the bushes and trees.

" Haha... My dress is so broken like this "

In this kind of situation? The female servant could only shake her head at Alice's behavior.

When the sound of bushes around them suddenly rang, Alice and the maid were immediately startled and turned towards him.

"W-what's that? "

Alice's heart was pounding no more. " You! Go and check "The order is rude.

The female servant gasped for a moment with what Alice said. He was also afraid, how was this? Is it the killer or...

The female servant inevitably slowly walked towards the bushes.

As he got closer, his eyes widened. A large boar was chewing something right in front of him.

The waiter swallowed his saliva. He tried to pull back his legs which suddenly felt so heavy. Unfortunately when he stepped his legs back, he accidentally stepped on a twig and sounded broken just like that.

The boar spontaneously raised its head and turned, their eyes meeting each other. The lady's servant was trembling. His heart rate stopped for a moment.

Because of his fear, he immediately ran backwards. "No.. Missis! We gotta go! " His voice gasps.

" What-what? What was? " Alice panicked to see her servant.

The boar's thunderous voice suddenly sounded in their ears.

" He-beast beast! "

Alicia and her servant ran back as fast as they could.

This time it was no longer a human or a killer but rather a dangerous wild boar. It does not look like an animal in general. Her size that was twice that of Alice made them completely panic.

Not an ordinary wild animal but that wild boar was a wild animal that had been contaminated with dark miasma from somewhere.

Alice and the waiter ran together in a hurry. But as the trees got bigger as well as the bushes getting busier kept the two a few meters apart. The boar did not think long, which was more evocative in his opinion, that's what he was after. Yep. It was as if there was something that made him interested in Alicia.

"Miss...! " The waiter stopped, turned to Alice and shouted anxiously. He was grateful that he was no longer pursued by the beast but his own lady had not survived.

Alice ran without direction. Stumbling and falling. He rolled over and fell onto a steep cliff.

"Miss!!!" The waiter screamed hysterically to see Alice fall into the abyss along with the beast.

~

A gallant man with a sturdy posture was standing face to face with Ernard. The brown hair and green eyes were so dazzling with the look of a handsome face and looked masculine.

" I don't expect His Majesty to do such a thing" Ernard said politely to the man.

The man is none other than Kevin Ries Solus, the crown prince who will inherit the kingdom later.

" so apparently... Sorry if I trouble you a little. "

After exchanging words and saying goodbye. Kevin left Strongfort's residence and headed straight for his carriage.

" How? Is anything suspicious? "

A black-robed man suddenly appeared from the window of his carriage.

"No Sir. It doesn't seem to be here." Report the man in the robes. " I'm sorry I can't go too far. Their safety is too tight. " hereinafter.

" As expected of the Strongfort family. If they don't do it, it's better. I don't want to fight them myself. " Said him while putting one of his hands under his chin.

Moments after Kevin left Strongfort's residence. Ronald and the maid approached Ernard in disarray. With haste and gasping breaths, they approached Ernard.

"Master! " Call Ronald.

Ernard who had just stepped in through the door was suddenly shocked to see the appearance of the two of them, especially Ronald whose arms were covered in blood and the state of his body that the female servant had to support.

" Ronald, Elli. " Ernard rushed to them. "What happened to you guys?" Ask panicked.

Ernard carefully observed Ronald's condition . The wounds on his body were quite severe for people his age. Then... What about Elli. Just her tattered clothes and a few small scratches.

Ernard then regained consciousness. Where's her daughter, Alicia? He also did not see the two knights of Alicia's guard.

" Alice? Where's Alice? Is she okay?!" His face looked very worried.

A confused Ronald doesn't know what to answer. Honestly, based on what Elli told him. Alice has a high chance of not surviving.

Ronald could only shut up and bow. Meanwhile, Elli bites her lower lip trying to brave herself to answer Ernard's question.

" Pardon us, sir. Miss Alicia... He fell into the abyss "

~

Liana and Ernard felt extremely desperate. Both do not know what else to respond. After hearing Ronald and Elli. Liana as her mother cried sobbing at the loss of her daughter.

Liana's tears just kept wetting her cheeks, Ernard as husband even took quite a long time to calm her down.

That night, Strongfort's residence was very busy. Lanterns, candles and all lighting in the Strongfort residence remained lit. With the resources he has. Ernard deployed so many knights to search for Alice in the last place she disappeared.

The first day of the search was long and exhausting. The soldiers almost said they had no time to rest.

Ernard decisively ordered them to look for him to each side of the forest without giving any rest orders at all.

The knights had not seen him like this for a long time. His face might be sad but that determination was so clear in their eyes. The last time they saw him was only when in war.

The second day, the search began to be narrowed down to several regions. Especially the parts of the forest.

Meanwhile Liana with slightly swollen eyes was still slumped in her grief.

" Maybe... We have to let it go. " Say Ernard softly.

Liana looked at her husband wide-eyed yet teary-eyed. " relieved it? I haven't even seen his body. I'm sure Alice must be alive. " Requivocally hopeful.

Seeing his wife's condition. Ernard then clasped tightly onto Liana. "alright. I'll look for him again." In that room they felt drowned holding sad.

And so the third day of the search went on. Once the knights get enough rest. This time the search began during the day and will end until night.

Some of them shouted Alice's name, some of them traced shrubs and trees, some of them using tracking abilities however.

The day is late, the sun is sinking indicates the moon is time to shine the night.

" Wait! Whatisit? " Say a knight as he saw a rag tear and some bloodstains around the river side.

The knight called out to several others. Using a torch in hand, they walked down the side of the river. Follow the trail they found. They finally arrived at a small lake.

The slightly dry and seemingly fading patches of blood were visible on the ground near the lake as they illuminated it with torches. They were shocked by what they found.

The next day, at Duke Strongfort's residence. Some doctors just came out of Alice's room.

Seeing the look on Ernard and Liana's face, one of the doctors started to say. " The wound is very bad. It's lucky the lady is still alive, but maybe the chances will be very small."

Liana was surprised and held her breath for a moment. What's...Alice is leaving him?

Liana was back in tears. He hid his face in Ernard's arms.

" Tear wounds on some parts of the body, possibly due to twigs or other sharp objects may be healed but.bleeding on the head and bruises around the heart is quite difficult for us. " It was clearly the doctor. He paused for a moment and thought "Maybe if it's the people from the temple. Young misses will have a higher chance of living. " hereinafter.

Temple huh...?

In terms of medical science the doctors are experts. But very few of them had healing abilities like those in the temple.

The healing magic itself was quite a step to find. Its nature is not only to recover, depending on the ability of the person, their magic is even like turning back time where making a wound as if it never existed. But not many people can pay them, because the number of people who are experts in recovery magic in the kingdom of solus is only small.

" all right. I guess I'll ask the temple to send one of their two priests "

After delivering the doctors. Liana who had been holding back her tears ran into Alice's room.

He saw his daughter lying on the bed with a body full of wounds.

White bandages could almost cover his entire body.

Liana pulled out a chair and sat down beside him. He grabbed Alice's hand slowly and stroked her.

" dear... Wake up... Don't leave mom. " Hopefully full of anxiety.

Although Alice is somewhat difficult to manage and stubborn but Liana still loves him.