Chương 86: I Can’t Protect Her

The five of them ate a hot stew of meat and vegetables in silence, sitting in a circle around the campfire. The meat had been hunted by Felicity that morning, while the vegetables had been gathered along the journey from fields they had passed through over the previous days. Agnes devoured her portion enthusiastically. She plunged her spoon into the stew, took huge bites and chewed noisily. She barely had time to swallow before filling her spoon again.

"Do you like it?" Xia asked with a smile. The little girl nodded happily.

"Yeah. You're way better at cooking than Ethan". Ethan didn't reply. He kept eating as if he hadn't heard her. Once she had finished the meat and vegetables, Agnes lifted the bowl with both hands and drank every last drop as though it were nothing more than water. Then she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and rubbed her stomach.

"I'm still hungry".

"Don't be so ru-" Ethan began. Xia interrupted him before he could finish.

"It's no problem. She's still a child, she's growing. More than any of us, she needs proper nourishment". With that, she handed Agnes her own bowl, still half full. Agnes accepted it with both hands.

"Thank you so much". Then she shot Ethan a dirty look. He sighed and calmly went back to eating, choosing to ignore her. Once the meal was over, Leah and Felicity immediately resumed their training. They sparred with increasing intensity, never wasting a single movement. Every strike was blocked or dodged with precision as the clash of their blades and the sound of their footsteps echoed through the small clearing. After quite some time, Leah finally lowered her sword.

She was breathing heavily, sweat streaming down her face. She grabbed a cloth and wiped her forehead.

"Don't hate me, Feli, but I'm exhausted…I think I'm going to sleep for a few hours". Felicity nodded. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Rest is as much a part of training as exercise. If the body doesn't recover properly, progress will come much more slowly. Go ahead". Leah offered her a faint smile before retreating to her tent for an afternoon nap. Not far from the campsite, Xia was spending time with Agnes, entertaining her by demonstrating a few simple spells.

"See that tree?" the mage asked. Agnes nodded. Xia slowly raised one hand. A faint violet glow enveloped the branches, and before the child's wide eyes, leaves began multiplying one after another. Within seconds, the tree's crown had become far denser and more lush.

"That's incredible…" Agnes whispered. She stared at the tree for another moment before turning back to Xia.

"What else can you do?"

"I can teleport, open portals and sense things even from very far away". The little girl's eyes sparkled.

"Can you create things too? Like clothes or food?" Xia shook her head with a smile.

"No, unfortunately. I can't create matter out of nothing. But I can store objects inside a magical case and summon them whenever I need them".

"So it's like having an infinite backpack?" The mage laughed.

"More or less". Agnes smiled back.

"You're amazing".

"Thank you, Agnes". The sun was beginning to sink behind the trees, painting the sky in shades of orange and crimson. Ethan leaned against the trunk of a tree, his gaze lost in the forest as it slowly darkened. Felicity approached without making a sound and stopped beside him.

"Something terrible happened to you, didn't it?" Ethan barely looked away from the trees.

"What makes you say that?"

"I can see it in your eyes. When someone goes through trauma…their eyes change forever". Silence settled between them for a few seconds.

"That's life", Ethan finally said.

"Sometimes it hits harder than usual". Felicity didn't press him.

"That little girl…how did you meet her?"

"By chance. I saved her life before some goblins could kill her. She seems to get along pretty well with your friend".

"She does". After another brief silence, Ethan spoke again.

"Can I ask you a favor?" Felicity looked at him seriously.

"Depends".

"Your friend can open portals, right? Couldn't she take Agnes to a family willing to adopt her? I can't keep bringing her with me anymore. She's expensive, noisy, and most importantly…she's not safe with me". Felicity held his gaze.

"I can ask Xia. But is that really what you want?" Ethan hesitated for only a moment.

"Yes. It's what I want. With me…" For an instant, his mind drifted back to Elrohir's tribe. He saw Renlin again, the slaughtered elves, and Xarath standing over him while he lay helpless on the ground, unable to do anything. His hand unconsciously clenched into a fist.

"I can't protect her". Felicity remained silent for a few moments.

"And is that what she wants too?"

"She's just a child. She doesn't know what's truly best for her". He lowered his gaze slightly.

"I can't wait to part ways with her and continue my journey alone. It's the best choice for both of us". Hidden behind the trunk of a tree, Agnes had heard every single word. Her eyes began to fill with tears. She clenched her fists so tightly that they hurt, held her breath to keep herself from sobbing and silently slipped away into the forest. The following morning, birdsong echoed through the branches as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the leaves. Ethan walked over to the tent.

"Agnes? Are you still asleep? Wake up". No response. He waited a few seconds.

"Agnes? I'm coming in". He pulled aside the tent flap. It was empty. Xia approached him almost immediately, studying a set of footprints on the ground.

"She ran away. There are tracks leading that way". Ethan clenched his jaw.

"That damn brat".