Chapter 72: Never Give Up

No one answered, and a circle closed around me at the centre. Dory was shivering, but she hugged me and pretended that she couldnt see the man.

Fine, do it.

Haah.

Along with the mans voice, his follower grabbed the man at the front of the circle and dragged him out. He binded the mans arms behind his back and put a sword to his neck. The man who was caught was the one who always makes tea.

Woah, stop!

Dory held onto me tightly and turned her back on the scene. But, I could see the scene well from between the gaps.

Ill kill him if you dont give me the girl.

Ah, wah, uooah.

But, no one moved.

We dont have time. Do it.

The man who was pinning that person down put force into his hand.

No! The mans hand stopped when he heard me.

Dory, weth me go.

No. Leila-sama, be quiet.

Dory.

Shes there, the man said.

Dory, wethsh thaw, k?

Dory reluctantly let me go.

I met the mans eyes for the first time.

How rare. Are his eyes amber?

Oh, your violet eyes are easy to tell even if theyre light. So youre Albanss daughter?

We seemed to be thinking about the same thing, but I wasnt obliged to answer.

Ill let this man go if you come here.

Lei-sama, you cant. Uooah.

The catering Onii-san seemed like he wanted to say something, but his neck was suppressed tightly.

The sounds of a furious battle continued at the door, and there were no signs of anybody coming to help.

Even if I dont follow them now, Ill get people involved in this and eventually be taken by them. If thats the case, then theres no other way.

I stepped forward, and Dory stopped me, You cant!

Dory.

Speaking of which, I forgot that I was still holding onto the barrier box.

I gave Dory the barrier box.

Howd ith properwy.

Leila-sama

Howwowsh come.

When we leave, the Hollows will come through the hole in the wall. Then, everyone will be killed.

Leila-sama!

Ithsh oway.

I walked towards the man step by step as people kept calling me. Of course, I was tottering. At times like this, I can only stall.

However, I was scooped up in no time at all and lifted up.

A barrier box? Should we take it?

No! Chu promished. I began to struggle as I said this clearly when the man looked at Dory with disturbing eyes.

Tsk. The man glanced at the barrier box in annoyance and held the struggling me as he walked out of the hut.

Leila-sama! Everyones heartbroken voice followed me from the hut.

Its inevitable. Im sure well meet again someday.

Outside the hut, there were a few men, one holding a large mallet and another an axe who were gathered around a man who was holding a barrier box. There were also Rug Dragons, so it was narrow.

Dwagon!

Kyee! The Rug Dragon wandered around restlessly in response to my voice. There were five adults and five Rug Dragons. The inside of the barrier was very narrow. The Hollows around the barrier were repelled *WHIRR, WHIRR*.

You got her!

Yeah. Lets withdraw. The fark. The Rug Dragons are annoying.

The men jumped onto the Rug Dragons.

Dont leave the barrier! The Rug Dragons began to move when a man said that. The dragons had to move when they were told to even if they were worried about me.

Moreover, the Hollows were waiting for them if they went a little out of the barrier. The dragons couldnt move quickly. The group who were attacking the wall on the side of Lentforce headed in the direction of the fief capital, where we were going.

I was held on the left of the man who was controlling his Rug Dragon with one hand.

It felt uncomfortable, but Ill fall off the dragon if I struggle.

I remained still, but when we passed the entrance of the hut, ARRGGHHH! I raised my voice as loud as I could.

Damn baby! I thought she was going to stay still!

The man held onto me tighter, and I couldnt speak. However, the people around the hut noticed us.

Lei! I heard a voice say, so they at least knew where I was going. This was all I could do.

I heard that you were small, but jeez!

I didnt feel the need to answer and was jolted by the dragon.

It seems like its dawn. The sky is getting a little brighter.

The dragon quickly stopped. We could still see the hut. There was a group guarded by a barrier box where we had stopped. They had around five people and a lot of Rug Dragons.

Those dragons are probably for the men who attacked the hut. They didnt fit in a three-metre diameter barrier.

So, there should be two barrier boxes here. The attack team has three and the people who kidnapped me have one.

Five people kidnapped me. They have five people here, and there were probably 20 men who attacked the hut. It was a large-scale operation.

I was put down roughly by the man who descended the dragon. You could say I was abandoned here. I fell down.

Hey, thats the important violet kid, right? Dont be rough on her.

I know, but they noticed us because she caused a commotion.

What did you say?!

I got up but curled myself into a small ball as if I was frightened.

Is there anyone who could blame a toddler after seeing this?

W-well, it cant be helped. Prepare to withdraw, the person, who seemed like the leader, issued an order, and everyone divided into groups of five.

*Piririri* he blew a whistle.

Its not a glass whistle. Its a real whistle.

The men at the hut started coming back here when they heard the sound of the whistle. They were probably holding the barrier box as they moved.

Everyone at the hut had to protect the Prince, so they couldnt move.

Bart was right.

While he may have been right, I wasnt going to just sit around and wait for them to take me away.

I had observed my surroundings when I was thrown down. I looked at the hut. The sea was on the left, and the Wellington Mountains on the right. They were nearer to the mountain range because they had barrier boxes.

Fortunately, this group hadnt turned on their lights so that the people at the hut wouldnt notice them. Even though morning was approaching, we could barely see each others faces.

If I run away, Im sure Ill find a way back to the hut.

Then, I should hide in the dangerous mountains.

I crouched down and moved to the edge of the barrier little by little.

They hadnt paid any attention to me after the man had thrown me down.

Hes probably going to hold me with one hand while he controls the dragon with the other again. They didnt prepare any baskets. They seem more concerned about their allies who were rushing back here.

A little more until the edge of the barrier.

Hey, wheres the kid? A man noticed. I stood up and ran towards the direction where the sounds of the Hollows were. *WHIRR*