### Chapter 191: Determination (Part 2)
The hunter’s tent wasn’t exactly spacious; it was filled with assorted bits and bobs like bamboo baskets, firewood, hay, and old tools—things that took up considerable space. In one corner, there hung an assortment of axes, bows, and traps for hunting.
Lying on the only thing resembling a bed—a fur mat—was the injured cleric. Next to him was a small wooden table where a middle-aged hunter quietly ground herbs. The flickering light from a lamp cast thin shadows against the white curtain of the tent.
This tent, initially a makeshift home for a bachelor, could barely accommodate three to four people, as most items had taken up all the space. But at this moment, there were five clerics in that tent.
Adding the silent hunter, Grandma Claire was kneeling on the ground, wrapped in black armor was the Little Saint Pope Knight, and leaning at the entrance of the tent were Doug and Ryan. Behind them were villagers peeking in, even though most of them were half outside. Yet, with so many people crammed in, it felt as if the little tent had run out of room.
Thus, apart from the cleric lying down, the remaining four clerics were already shoulder to shoulder, standing in close quarters with no place to put their hands, which they had dutifully rested on their bellies. They were whispering among themselves when they suddenly saw Ryan and his companions arriving. A few of their brows furrowed, and one of them lifted a hand, likely to signal for them to leave.
Before they could even speak, the girl’s voice cut through the air with an accusing tone.
And they froze.
Faced with that impassive, doll-like face, the astonishment that briefly danced across the clerics’ faces was subtle yet caught Ryan’s eye.
It also caught the girl’s eye.
The clerics seemed unprepared for such a question. They exchanged glances before a middle-aged man, looking the oldest among them, spoke up, “Miss Silvya, we are from the Faith Organization of the Holy City, directly under Pope—”
“I already know that.”
The girl waved her hand, cutting off the cleric’s words. “What I’m asking is, how do you know that I’m here?”
She repeated her question, her stunning little face still expressionless.
“Cough, we were sent by Archbishop Ansiel to look for you, esteemed Pope Knight.”
The girl’s unreserved attitude seemed to stir a hint of displeasure among the clerics. Although the man speaking didn’t seem to mind, a younger cleric couldn’t help but interject: “We didn’t know you were here before. The search party sent by Lord Ansiel includes more than just us five; we just happened to arrive here. Ma’am, are you doubting our identity?”
“Not really.”
The girl narrowed her eyes.
She tilted her head, thinking for a moment, and then suddenly smiled: “I just find it a bit coincidental. I had a feeling someone was watching me, so I might be a little sensitive.”
Little Shay’s smile was enchanting.
But Ryan couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off about that smile.
He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but it vaguely reminded him of a time back in the village when he had lied to Little Shay, claiming he had found pretty rocks in the river but couldn’t retrieve them, hoping to push her into the shallow water and see her all wet and crying.
Back then, Shay had merely smiled at him and scampered off with her bamboo basket.
He recalled that moment.
The resemblance between her smile back then and her current one was uncanny.
It felt like she didn’t trust these clerics…
Why?
Moreover, she had just said…
“Watching?”
The village boy’s thoughts went unnoticed by the clerics, who stared wide-eyed at the girl: “Who would watch you? Could it be… those demons… Do they have more members here!?”
“Who knows?”
The girl shook her head, her bright eyes fixated on them without blinking.
But the clerics seemed not to notice and continued discussing: “If that’s the case… then we…”
“Miss Silvya’s feeling can’t be wrong; this news must be reported to Archbishop Ansiel immediately…”
After a few exchanges, the older cleric spoke gravely: “Esteemed lady, as you can see, my companion is severely injured. You know well what kind of person could have inflicted such injuries.”
He glanced down at the cleric lying there, trembling and grimacing in agony but trying to suppress any groans. Concern flashed across his face.
“Infernal fire has invaded his body; unless the Saint is here, the healing miracles we can perform will only have this effect. But with the right healing herbs, we might still be able to save him. We saw smoke coming from this gorge and thought to take a chance, and unexpectedly found you here. Now we have the herbs; it’s a miracle from the deity…”
The man clenched his fists against his chest, adopting a prayer-like posture, then spoke seriously: “I’m glad to see you are safe, Miss Silvya. But this isn’t the time for idle talk. I carry very important news; before I share it, could you ask this—”
“Shay… Miss Silvya…”
Suddenly, as the older cleric was mid-sentence, the injured cleric seemed to regain a bit of consciousness. He was clearly responsive to the older cleric’s words, struggling to push himself up with his elbow on the fur mat, faint and hoarse: “Are you okay… you’re alright… that’s good… our mission… heretics… heretics…”
“Ouch! Kid, don’t move! Oh my heavens!”
Grandma Claire was startled, hastily reaching out to help him lie back down.
But the cleric was in a daze, likely not fully aware of his surroundings, and perhaps not able to see the people around him. The pain intensifying made his limbs tremble, even his jaw quivered. But even in such a state, he clung to his mission, muttering: “We… found you… seeking help… they… entered the forest… found the ruins… bl**d pearl… Land of Dragons…”
His weakened voice was crystal clear: “The real demon… is about to descend… I beg you… stop it… only you…”
“Flair!”
The older cleric quickly crouched down, taking the injured cleric from Grandma Claire’s hands and gently laying him back down. “Don’t speak; rest.”
“Jeffrey Priest…”
“Shh…”
The man named Jeffrey, no, the older priest gently stroked the injured cleric’s hair, soothing his emotions. When he saw he had quieted, he looked up: “Miss Silvya, we were sent to find you. The time left for the Church is running short; we cannot delay a moment longer. At this time, could you please ask this lady and the villagers over there to step outside? We have matters to discuss with Miss Silvya.”
The girl’s expression was not particularly favorable, but she nodded at hearing this, her dark eyes looking at Ryan: “You let everyone leave.”
“Alright.”
Ryan quickly agreed.
Although he wanted to stay and listen, when Little Shay spoke, how could he refuse? Besides, he just learned that these clerics were part of the Faith Organization, high-ranking individuals in his eyes. They were discussing significant matters, not something he had the privilege to eavesdrop on. So he nudged his father and turned to the others, shouting, “Everyone leave! Important discussions are happening here; everyone else, go about your business, it’s too cramped!”
Upon hearing this, the villagers understood there was no drama left to observe and began to disperse, waving their sleeves as they left.
“Miss Shay is going to discuss matters with those esteemed gentlemen…”
“We should go…”
“Let’s not disturb the esteemed members of the Church…”
As Ryan and his father exited the tent and didn’t walk far, they saw Little Shay supporting Grandma Claire coming out too. Following them was the silent hunter, who had finished grinding the herbs, taken the priests’ silver coins, and temporarily had his tent requisitioned. However, he seemed joyful, weighing the coins in his hand, pocketing them happily, and heading towards the creek.
“Little Shay…”
Once Grandma Claire emerged, she took Little Shay’s hand, calling her name with a worried expression.
“Grandma, I’m fine.”
The girl smiled and shook her head.
She then returned to the tent and pulled the curtain down behind her.
Before long, faint voices could be heard from within.
The conversation was low, as if intentionally subdued. Ryan struggled to hear, wanting to sneak closer for a listen, but he ultimately lacked the courage.
“Well, there you go, kid; you’ve missed your chance.”
His father shook his head in disappointment: “Not that I expected much from you anyway…”
“Dad, stay back.”
Ryan felt irritated, nudging Doug aside and silently walking over to a pile of rubble. He heard his father calling after him, but didn’t pursue. When Ryan looked back, he saw his dad shaking his head, walking away to talk with a few villagers.
Although the villagers had left the tent, they did not venture very far. A few clustered together to talk, occasionally glancing toward the tent.
Ryan knew they were worried about the village’s safety, wanting to understand what was happening and when they could return. Their discussions likely revolved around such topics.
Disinterested in joining, he found a smooth pebble and sat down, picking up a small rock and tossing it towards the creek. The stone skipped across the surface a few times before splashing down with a “plop.”
Demons…
He picked up another stone and threw it, his thoughts lingering on the injured cleric’s words.
The real demon…
Ryan didn’t understand what that meant.
But he realized the clerics had come seeking out Little Shay to stop something.
Something that might be…
Particularly terrifying…
The afternoon sun gently warmed the shaded gaps in the gorge as flocks of birds with bright red beaks flapped their wings across the ridge. With a “thunk,” bird droppings plopped onto Ryan’s shoulder. He scowled and muttered a few curses while hurriedly plucking some grass to clean it off.
The conversation inside the tent didn’t last as long as he imagined; within twenty minutes, while Ryan was still wiping off the bird droppings, he spotted Little Shay lifting the white curtain and stepping out of the tent.
Her expression seemed a bit heavy.
Ryan couldn’t help but walk over.
However, the girl stood at the entrance for a moment and saw Grandma Claire. She walked over to her, opened her arms, and gave the frail old lady a bear hug. She rubbed her cheek against Grandma Claire’s wrinkled one, eyes squinting up like a spoiled little kitten. Watching this made Ryan freeze; his breathing quickened.
Perhaps afraid her armor would hurt Grandma, the little goddess hugged her lightly, gently patting her back before letting go.
As Ryan approached, he could hear her soft, melodious voice.
“Grandma, I’m fine. Barry is fine too, so don’t worry…”
Oh, they were talking about that guy Barry.
Ryan halted in his tracks.
He had never asked about Barry.
Back in the village, he occasionally heard people say Barry was doing well, almost becoming the hero of the village. People felt it was unfair for Little Shay to call him brother. Every time he heard such things, he instinctively avoided the topic because he wasn’t eager to hear praise for Barry, who was his rival.
He guessed that Little Shay must have run into Barry in the southern border. Who knows what kind of story had unfolded between them, possibly enough to evoke jealousy.
Ryan didn’t want to hear those things, so he turned and walked away a bit.
Hmph, so what if he’s a knight? What’s so great about that?
He was quietly dissatisfied, but he also understood the guy was indeed doing better. However, he felt he wasn’t too far behind, just lacking the luck to have a father who was a knight and died heroically. Ryan thought he merely hadn’t had the chance to join the Knights Order, apart from that, he was better than Barry.
If he joined the Knights, he’d surely become the captain in no time… Then Little Shay would see him in a new light…
He mulled over this as his irritation gradually increased, but suddenly he heard footsteps. Distracted, he looked up and saw Little Shay’s stunning face approaching.
What’s she doing here…
Ryan began to feel nervous.
“Shay…”
He awkwardly greeted Little Shay, raising his hand halfway when she was already right in front of him, her expression serious: “Ryan, I’m leaving. Can I ask you to do something for me?”
“Uh…”
Ryan’s brain momentarily short-circuited.
She was leaving…
But they hadn’t even eaten yet; why the sudden announcement?
His gaze drifted around, finally spotting the clerics emerging from the tent, four of them. The injured cleric was likely to be left behind. They approached the horned horse, untying it and mounting in succession, leaving one massive beast behind. The older cleric held the reins and looked over in their direction.
“You, you’re leaving?”
The village boy’s voice felt a little dry.
“Mm.”
The girl nodded slightly and said, “Grandma says you always help her, running around taking care of things, so she trusts you. She thinks you’re a good kid. I want to ask you to continue looking after her, okay? There’s gold; Grandma has some.”
“Ah?”
Ryan was momentarily baffled. Once he grasped her meaning, it felt as if someone had stepped on his tail, and he frantically waved his hands: “No, no need—I mean, you don’t need to give me gold. I’ll take care of Grandma—that’s, that’s only right. It’s tough for Grandma on her own; I want to help her. You don’t need to say that—your grandma is like my grandma… uh, no, wait, what I mean is…”
Ryan babbled incoherently, not even knowing what he was saying anymore. “Your grandma’s my grandma,” that sounded like a confession. He felt his face growing hot, but just then, the girl burst into laughter.
That smile was like a blooming field of flowers in summer, instantly seeming to drain all the color from the world around him.
“In any case, I’m counting on you.”
After her laughter, the girl robustly patted Ryan on the shoulder: “Now, before I return, my grandma is your grandma—this is your promise. Treat her like your own grandma, and I’ll be very thankful… oh, and what I ask can’t be, you know, told to her.”
Her expression turned serious.
She glanced toward the clerics, as if confirming something, and upon seeing they were waiting at a distance, her little head leaned in closer to Ryan’s ear, whispering: “After I leave, tell everyone to get away from here—go as far as possible. If… I mean, if unexpected events arise, you take Grandma and find a way to contact… Shanter Castle, or the Queen of Ethanbel, and say you’re my friend. Remember, absolutely do NOT seek out the Church.”
A fragrant breeze wafted over, filled with the refreshing scent of lilacs.
Ryan was enveloped in the girl’s sweet fragrance, and it took him a long moment to grasp her meaning.
“Got it?”
The girl stood close, tiptoeing as she smiled at him.
“…Yeah!”
Ryan nodded firmly.
Even at this moment, he couldn’t understand the weight of her words or the complicated conflicts they carried.
But he remembered.
“Well, I’m off.”
The girl lightly laughed, waved goodbye to Ryan, and gracefully turned to walk away.
In that moment as she turned, Ryan caught a glimpse of her eyes.
They shone with determination and an unshakable belief in something he had never witnessed before, a remarkable willpower that had driven her to make this decision.
Ryan stood there, transfixed, watching her retreating figure, seeing her communicate something to the hunter, then return to Grandma Claire, looking at the old lady with a sense of reluctance yet a joyful smile.
Suddenly, Ryan remembered he still hadn’t returned the handkerchief.
But Little Shay didn’t mention it. Perhaps…
She might have meant to leave it for him.
Ryan dreamily contemplated.
And then the girl was leaving.
As their goddess rode off into the sunset, Grandma Claire stood trembling in the sunlight, tears brimming in her eyes, waving goodbye. Ryan couldn’t contain his emotions, breaking into a run in front of the girl atop the horned horse, catching her slightly perplexed expression and taking a deep breath.
“Little Shay, I actually want to say something I should’ve said a year ago.”
Ryan’s voice wasn’t loud but was no longer stammered, so the girl could hear him clearly: “Thank you for saving me.”
She paused for a moment, unable to resist rolling her eyes.
“Is that it?”
“Yup.”
Ryan smiled.
The village boy’s grin was now an expression of pure contentment.
The hooves of the beast thundered away, racing towards the horizon, with the girl’s silhouette clad in dark armor glowing under the warm afternoon sun.
Ryan stood on the hill watching until she disappeared around the bend, remaining there for quite a while.
He felt a deep sense of loss.
And somehow, a part of him suddenly sensed that for a long, long time ahead, he might never see this beautiful and kind girl again.
Ryan felt a tear welling up.
