Chapter 205
After several more days of travel under Reno’s guidance, he turned to address us:
“We’re almost there. Just cross this river, and we won’t have much farther to go.”
“……This river?”
“Yes.”
The river before us was massive—more akin to a wide channel than a mere stream, possibly even larger.
Despite my disbelief, his answer remained cheerfully unwavering.
‘There’s no bridge in sight—how are we supposed to cross this?’
If it were the sea, at least we could have procured a boat. But the river’s current looked dangerously swift.
They say even calm waters can sweep you away, so crossing this river—raging as it clearly is—would surely lead to disaster.
“What do we do……?”
Reno tilted his head at my muttering.
“Your Highness? Is something troubling you?”
“You said we have to cross. But there’s no bridge.”
“Couldn’t we just build one?”
“Build one?”
Was that possible? Even if it were, wouldn’t it take too long? Then again, perhaps constructing one was better than nothing.
Just then, the sound of falling trees echoed from behind.
Crack—THUD!
A towering tree tipped sideways and crashed to the ground, its leaves scattering noisily.
Startled, I turned to see another tree collapse in the same manner—both thick and ancient, their size a testament to their age.
‘What’s happening?’
Another attack?
Tensing, I peered through the rustling foliage and spotted a familiar figure.
It was Isaac. Amid the swaying leaves, he calmly raised his sword, its blade wreathed in a shimmering blue aura. With a single swing, the branches were cleanly severed.
Now I understood why the trees had fallen so silently.
After sheathing his sword, Isaac turned to Killis.
“Duke Yelpen, would you assist?”
“Of course.”
Killis nodded, and the felled trees levitated toward the riverbank, aligning to span the opposite shore.
‘Even so, walking across these would be dangerous…….’
As I worried, the logs began freezing over from one end, rapidly forming a smooth, solid ice bridge.
“Let’s hurry. Maintaining this won’t be easy.”
At Killis’s urging, we rushed across. The moment we reached the other side, the ice shattered and melted away. The logs, caught in the current, tilted precariously—one swept downstream while another lodged diagonally against the bank.
“Whew…….”
Killis wiped his brow, his already pale face now ashen. His sickly pallor made me ask with concern:
“Are you alright?”
“I’ll manage.”
Though he made it sound simple, his expression betrayed how taxing the spell had been. He looked as drained as when he’d collapsed after testing my mana earlier. Fearing he might faint, I turned to Reno and Isaac.
“Can we rest for a bit before continuing?”
“That would be wise.”
“Agreed. That spell must have taken a toll on the Duke. We crossed easily thanks to him, after all.”
“Don’t mind me…….”
“How can we not mind? You’re clearly exhausted.”
My chastising made Killis freeze. Realizing I might have been too harsh on someone already struggling, I softened my tone.
“Let’s rest a while. No matter how important the trial is, your health matters too.”
“Understood. Then…….”
Killis yielded without protest. Reno took the reins from him and tied his horse alongside the others.
Now that we were resting, Killis’s breathing sounded much louder—harsh, ragged gasps that made it clear just how much he was struggling.
‘Didn’t he calm down when I held his hand before?’
I thought so. But unlike last time, I couldn’t offer my hand so easily. The memory of his sudden spike in affection—and the impulsive behavior that followed—flashed through my mind.
Still, with Isaac and Reno nearby, it should be fine.
After a brief hesitation, I cautiously reached out to him.
“Killis.”
“……?”
“Will you give me your hand? I’ll hold it.”
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