Chapter 47: Peril in the Forest


    Ladi looked up and eximed, It seems someone is calling for help!


    Everyone tensed up instantly, worried about the possibility of bandits ambushing travelers in the vicinity. Despite the lord boasting about the effectiveness of his recent crackdown, there was always a chance of some slipping through the.


    Listening intently, no one else could hear anything. Quellerughed, Maybe Miss Ladi heard wrong?


    But the schr, Ladi, still looked concerned and pointed south, Its in that direction, my lord. May I borrow a horse to check it out? The members of the adventure group had been traveling in a cargo wagon and had no horses to ride.


    Paul nodded, Uh, sure! Take my horse, its the fastest of the lot, he said, offering her the whip.


    Ladi skillfully mounted the horse, telling herpanions, Wait here for me, Ill be right back. She lightly whipped the horse, but it merely circled in ce, ustomed only to Paul.


    Embarrassed, Paul said, I forgot this beast only listens to me. Let me ride it. As the situation was urgent, Ladi stepped down, and Paul climbed on in front, Ladi slightly taller than him.


    Hold onto my waist!manded Paul, whipping the horse into a gallop southward.


    Nearby, Bryce and Schroeder, hearing themotion, hurried over.


    What folly! Bryce eximed upon understanding the situation. They quickly gathered those with horses and chased after Paul to the south, followed closely by the adventure group.


    After a distance, Ladi announced, Were close! Paul, straining his ears, indeed heard cries for help. Urging the horse faster, they were fortunate that the trees here werent too dense.


    Suddenly, after circling several trees, the horse reared up abruptly, nearly throwing both riders off.


    Paul looked ahead and cursed, sensing danger.


    About a hundred meters ahead, a ck-spotted tiger confronted two people, one tall and one short. The taller person, wielding a sword, shielded the shorter one. The tiger, resembling an Earthly Siberian tiger but with different markings, was at the top of this worlds food chain.


    Fortunately, the tigers back was to Paul and Ladi, unaware of their approach. But the two people facing the tiger were in imminent danger. From a distance, their perilous situation was clear, making Paul empathetic. He quickly dismounted and started to blow into his fire tube, trying to light his handgun.


    Damn! Is the fuel gone? Why wont it light?


    As Paul puffed his cheeks, blowing hard to ignite the me, Ladi dismounted, unstrapped her short bow, and expertly nocked an arrow, aiming at the distant tiger.


    Paul internally scoffed at the idea of her hitting the target at such a distance. The tiger looked no bigger than a toy cat from here.


    As Ladi took aim, the tiger, tensing its hind legs, prepared to pounce.


    In a split second, Ladis arrow, swift as a shooting star, shot towards the tiger. Just as the beast was about to leap, the arrow pierced its right thigh.


    Roar! The tiger roared in sudden pain, startling birds in the surrounding forest into flight. Pauls horse, spooked, neighed and ran back the way it came.


    The ck-spotted tiger, enraged, swiftly turned around and spotted Paul and Ladi, the source of the attack. Abandoning its initial targets, it charged towards them. Due to the distance and the use of a short bow, Ladis first arrow had not inflicted a fatal wound.


    As the fierce beast thundered towards them, Pauls mind went nk. Holding the unlit fire tube, he looked helplessly at Ladi.


    Ladi, already fitting a second arrow, seemed to be muttering something under her breath. She fired again, and to Pauls amazement, the arrow hit the tiger directly in its right eye. The critical injury was too much for the animal, which copsed to the ground in agony. The arrow had prated deeply into the tigers skull due to the close range, and after a brief struggle, the beasty motionless.


    The sound of galloping horses announced the arrival of Bryce, Schroeder, and the others. They had heard the tigers roar and, seeing the dead beast, silently thanked the Lord of Light for their protection.


    Lord, please do not take such risks in the future, Bryce said sternly, his voiceced with a hint of anger.


    Embarrassed, Paul apologized, Sorry, everyone. I was too reckless.


    At that moment, the two people who had been facing the tiger approached to express their gratitude. Thank you immensely for your help. May we ask your names?


    Regaining hisposure, Paul observed the two women. The taller one, around 1.7 meters, had ck hair and a strikingly determined look, seemingly unshaken by the recent danger. The smaller woman, about Pauls height and seemingly close in age, had radiant blonde hair and fair skin. The flush on her face from the ordeal only added to her charm.


    Paul adjusted his hair and introduced himself, I am Paul Grayman, lord of the Alda Counts territory in the Northwest Bay of the Kingdom of Ordo. Wee to mynd. May I ask who you are?


    Weve reached the Northwest Bay? The two women looked at each other in surprise.


    Paul realized they must be lost.