After her initial shock, a look of joy washed over Isha's face.
This was because she spotted a pool of water at the edge of the greenery, along with a camp set up around it.
Several pitched tents, wisps of smoke rising from a campfire, and a dozen or so guards patrolling the perimeter—everything indicated that this group had been stationed here for some time.
But what caught Isha's attention most was a flash of bright red in the center of the camp. That fiery hair color was the symbol of the Imperial royal bloodline.
In an instant, Isha knew exactly who this person was.
“Isha, those three skeletal hounds are still following us.”
Lena's voice from behind pulled Isha out of her joy. She looked back; the three skeletal hounds were still trailing them from a distance not too far behind.
Only now, they had crouched down, their empty eye sockets staring intently at the caravan.
“Let's go to the oasis. The princess's camp is there.”
Knowing they were not out of danger yet, Isha spoke quickly, trying her best to keep her voice steady. “Everyone, head toward the oasis! We'll be safe once we get there. Move fast!”
At her command, the shouting of the drivers rang out once more, and the caravan immediately quickened its pace, sliding down the sandy slope.
Before long, their group drew closer and closer to the pool, and the greenery beside it became increasingly clear.
Although they still looked like saplings, they were neatly arranged, evenly spaced, and lush with leaves. Moreover, the closer they were to the water, the better the plants grew, with the innermost ones already forming thick bushes.
It was hard to imagine seeing such a sight deep within the desert of the Golden Sea.
Isha was well aware of the Golden Sea's nature. Its mana particles were turbulent and water was scarce, making it impossible for the vast majority of plants to even survive. Otherwise, it would not have been marked as a “dead zone” on the Empire's maps.
Yet, the scene before her forced her to believe that someone had achieved the impossible. Perhaps this person was even connected to the princess.
At this thought, Isha felt a surge of excitement. As a merchant, she instinctively sensed a business opportunity. But before she could ponder further, the caravan was stopped by the guards at the edge of the camp.
“Halt!”
A guard rested his hand on the longsword at his waist while raising his other hand to signal them to stop, calling out, “State your identities!”
Isha quickly adjusted her appearance to look composed and proper. She took two steps forward, placed her hand over her chest, and spoke in a calm voice, “I am Isha Val, the head of the Val Merchant Guild.”
“My caravan is crossing the Golden Sea. We were passing through when we spotted your camp, and we would like to request permission to rest and recuperate...”
At this point, Isha swallowed hard, then looked up at the two guards and added quickly with a highly serious expression, “Furthermore, I must inform you that there is a necromancer active in this area. We encountered undead creations on our way here.”
After saying this, she waited for their response. She had already envisioned them showing a vigilant look, which would allow her to propose a joint defense. This might help her establish a connection with the princess ahead of time.
However, the guard in front of her merely raised an eyebrow and gave her a highly peculiar look.
This left Isha bewildered, her expectations instantly shattered.
What she found even more unbelievable was that, after exchanging glances with his companion, the guard actually smiled. “A necromancer, you say... Understood. Please wait a moment.”
Is that all?
Isha blinked, momentarily at a loss for words. She could only look at Lena beside her, only to find that she was also frowning.
“Let them in.”
Just then, a female voice rang out from deep within the camp. Upon hearing the voice, the guards immediately bowed and stepped aside, opening up a path.
Isha looked in that direction and saw the princess walking toward her from the depths of the camp.
Locking eyes with the princess, Isha was able to observe a true member of the royal family up close for the first time.
Although she had met many noble ladies and even some distant members of the imperial family, none could compare to the princess before her.
The aura she exuded was like a Chinese rose in a garden—aloof, fierce, and sharp, completely different from those pampered ladies raised in the inner chambers of noble estates.
Upon seeing Isha, the princess sized her up from head to toe, then offered a faint smile. “The head of the Val Merchant Guild? I didn't expect someone so young.”
The princess's words snapped Isha back to her senses. Only then did she realize she had been staring at the princess for a long time, and her ears instantly flushed red.
She hurriedly lowered her gaze and bowed once more. “Forgive my rudeness, Your Highness! I am Isha Val, the general head of the Val Merchant Guild. It is my honor to meet Your Highness here...”
Perhaps due to nervousness, Isha stumbled slightly over her words.
But the princess did not mind at all. She waved her hand dismissively and said, “No need to be so formal. But you mentioned a necromancer is nearby?”
Hearing that the princess took her warning seriously, Isha's spirits lifted. She raised her head and said solemnly, “Yes, Your Highness! We came from the southeast, and we saw three undead creations along the way. They—”
As she spoke, Isha suddenly noticed that the three skeletal hounds had reappeared in her field of vision, right around the perimeter of the camp. She stared at the princess with wide eyes.
However, the princess before her showed no change in expression upon seeing the terror in Isha's eyes. She merely glanced around before withdrawing her gaze, acting as if she had not seen the three skeletal hounds at all.
“Your Highness!”
Although she found it strange, Isha could not help but warn her aloud, “They... they are right there, and they could attack at any moment! You...”
“Yes, I see them.”
Once again, the princess's reaction was completely different from what Isha expected. She remained calm, then turned to her attendant and said, “Go call Instructor Elon, and have him bring Leynas over as well. Tell them a merchant has arrived.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The attendant turned and walked away quickly. Isha stared blankly at his departing back, a sudden realization dawning on her.
Elon! The druid, Elon Windrunner!
Of course!
The mentor of the Third Imperial Princess, a famous druid and a priest of the Church of Life. He was said to have slain many renowned necromancers. With him guarding the princess, it was no wonder she had no fear of a necromancer's presence.
Isha let out a quiet sigh of relief, simultaneously feeling annoyed at her own loss of composure.
Ultimately, she was still too young. Seeing traces of a necromancer had made her panic, and losing her composure like that in front of the princess would likely leave a poor impression.
Isha bit her lip, silently telling herself to act more composed from now on.
After all, she carried the future of the entire Val Merchant Guild on her shoulders. If she could not even handle a situation like this, how could she discuss cooperation with the princess?
As she was thinking, footsteps approached from the direction of the camp.
Isha looked up and saw a middle-aged man with green hair walking toward them.
His steps were not fast, but each one was incredibly steady. In particular, the natural aura radiating from him made Isha realize at a glance that he was indeed Elon Windrunner.
With such a powerful expert guarding them, it was no wonder Her Highness has no fear of necromancers.
Isha's heart eased a bit more.
However, in the next second, her gaze caught the figure behind Elon.
It was a young man. He was thin and pale, wrapped in a sand-resistant robe, and looked completely harmless.
Isha felt a hint of curiosity at this person's appearance.
This person had to be the Leynas the princess had mentioned. To appear alongside Elon, could he be some important figure by the princess's side?
Just as she was wondering, Lena suddenly stepped in front of her, shielding her behind her back.
“Lena?”
Isha looked at her maid in confusion, only to find her staring sharply at the young man, her aura incredibly sharp. Immediately after, Lena's voice, suppressed to a whisper, sounded in Isha's ear: “That man... is a necromancer.”
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
Isha stiffly turned her head, her gaze falling upon the young man once more.
At this very moment, the young man was walking into the center of the camp behind Elon. He raised his head and glanced at her—just a casual, fleeting glance before looking away.
But Isha felt the blood in her entire body turn ice-cold in that instant.
For she saw Elon chatting and laughing with the young man, as if they were old friends of many years.
Most of the surrounding guards ignored him completely, while some attendants even greeted him with warm smiles.
Isha's lips began to turn pale.
She turned her head to look at the skeletal hounds around the camp. They sat on their haunches, like loyal dogs waiting for their master's command.
In an instant, Isha understood. No wonder the guards' reactions had been so strange. No wonder the princess did not care about the undead creations around them.
Because the necromancer controlling them was standing right in the middle of their camp.
And she had just walked right in of her own accord.
At this thought, Isha's legs began to go weak.
Rate on N.U.
