She was so supportive, beautiful, and all that, Ethan really loved her. He was still thinking about her when he heard the voice of a certain knight,

"Look, a wild dog".

He didn't even notice the dog 'cause he was thinking about Emma. But the moment he heard the Knight's voice, he noticed it.

The dog was just standing on a certain spot glancing at them and growling, its face looked fierce. According to what they were seeing, seems like it was the only one, there weren't any other wild dogs around it.

..Or were they hiding?

Well, the dog began running toward them with speed, and a certain knight with the earth power element came down from his horse. He could handle the dog alone.

And he doesn't plan on taking it easy with the dog. As the dog had gotten close to him, he made use of his affinity.

He matched the ground as a certain slight crack began heading toward the dog. And the moment it reached the dog, it lifted it as the dog flew high in the sky without control.

And as the dog was coming down, the knight had already prepared his sword as he was holding it in his hands. As the dog had reached a certain height that was close to him, he swung his sword upwards slashing the dog badly in the air.

..The sword slashed open the dog's body as blood spilled out, and the dog's lifeless body landed on the ground.

Immediately, a certain warrior said to the knight, "You didn't have to give it that kind of death, damn!".

"I'm not smiling here, it deserves what it got. It would give you a really bad death when it gets the chance, so it deserves to receive a bad death as well". Uttered the knight.

And after he was done making that utterance, he began walking toward his horse. The moment he reached his horse and mounted it, they continued journeying.

The king just sat there inside the carriage as it was in motion. There were some warriors and knights behind the carriage to watch him from behind.

Meanwhile, the king wasn't just sitting in the carriage, a lot was running through his head. He was thinking of how things would go once he arrives in the Chuvulan Kingdom.

It's been long since he journeyed to another kingdom. And the kings before him don't journey to other kingdoms that much. He was doing this 'cause it has to be done.

Would the king of the Chuvulan Kingdom be calm-headed and listen to what he was saying? Would he change his mind about doubling the tributes the next time they come to pay it?

..This he doesn't know, he'd just have to keep hoping, all he knows was that he was gonna try his best to speak sense into the king's head.

But according to what the knights and warriors told him when they came back from the journey, it was based on a really big probability.

They tried their very best to talk sense into him, but he kept standing his ground, he was stubborn and annoying. A fight almost ensued 'cause of it.

Well, things might be different 'cause he was a king...let's see.

'He traveled to this kingdom despite the dangers on the road just to negotiate with me? Let me change my mind'.

..You know, that can be the reaction of the king.

But it was still based on a really big probability, they'd have to reach the Chuvulan Kingdom and see. They didn't stop, they kept journeying.

And by now, it had already gotten to complete dusk. They made sure to arrive at a kingdom before it got to complete dusk. I mean, the king wouldn't sleep on a hill?

Yes, they wanted the king to sleep comfortably in an inn. They'd napped numerous times on a hill while journeying, but they don't want that for their king.

According to them, it was too risky for him. So before complete dusk arrived, they made sure to arrive at a certain kingdom. They'd spend the night and eat in this kingdom.

They made their way to an inn, and the moment the people at the inn noticed that a king was among them, they showered them with respect.

They showed them different comfortable rooms where they'd spend the night which they'd definitely pay for. And they'd also give them food which they'd pay for as well.

Yes, they brought some food along, but they weren't that many. So they should eat in this kingdom and also take more which they'd eat after they'd resumed the journey.

Foods were brought to them which they munched with immediate effect...some of them were already really hungry. I mean, since they started embarking on the journey at noon, they hadn't eaten anything.

..And after they were done eating, it was about time to go to sleep.

They should go to sleep on time so they'd be able to wake up on time tomorrow and resume the journey. The king was given a really comfortable room which he also shared with some knights and warriors.

Now, the only difference was, all of them would be sleeping on mats on the ground, while he'd be sleeping on the bed.

..Yes, he was the king, they can't sleep on the bed with him? They respected him.

Even while the king was sleeping on the bed, a comfortable place, he didn't doze off immediately. A lot was on his mind, you know, the stuff concerning the Chuvulan Kingdom.

He was human, yes, these things would disturb him for a while. Well, he later slept off after the passing of some minutes.

******

The next day has arrived, and as early as, they had already started waking up and preparing for the journey. The king wasn't left out, he had also woken up by now.

In fact, none of the knights or warriors had to wake him, he woke up himself. He took this journey seriously, it was no play. So though he was sleeping in a comfortable place, he tried to wake up on time.

After they had prepared and eaten, they were fully ready to resume embarking on the journey. They were all dressed up, and the king didn't waste time entering the carriage he came out from.

And after that has taken place, the knights and warriors began mounting their different horses. And in seconds, they had put them in motion.

The people in charge of the inn waved them goodbye, and only a few of the knights and warriors waved back.

As they rode on the road, people were glancing at them, but it wasn't a new thing to them, they were used to it. They kept riding their horses until they were out of the kingdom completely.

..Right now, they were in a certain forest that was a little thick.

But they weren't exactly in the forest, they were in the middle of two forests. A certain path that had just a few grasses on the ground.

..Something was gonna happen in this place.

They were riding their horses peacefully when a certain rank-3 beast emerged. They first heard a certain roar before it emerged. Now, this was a rank-3 beast, it was gonna give them problems, bringing it down wouldn't be easy.

This one possessed two affinities including its strength, it was gonna be a tough battle...

They'd have to put effort into protecting the king at this moment. Apart from the king, they'd have to make sure none of their horses dies.

The king heard the roar from inside the carriage, and he easily discerned that was a magical beast, he knows what their roar sounds like. And the warrior riding him didn't waste time informing him about it.

'A magical beast has emerged, we don't know its rank. But don't worry my king, we'd protect you'.

The warrior rode the king far away from where they were so he wouldn't be affected at all when they'd be battling the beast. In fact, he wouldn't be joining hands to battle the beast.

He has to watch over the king, he can't leave him here? And a certain knight would even join him to watch over the king.

The horses were led aside as well by two warriors. And it doesn't end there, they'd be joining hands to battle the beast.

Well, they began battling the beast, and it was truly a tough battle, but none of them had died or gotten injured by now. And they'd make sure it stays that way until they'd brought it down.

All the horses were also safe, none of them had died, and that was the same case for the king. They kept battling the beast until they brought it down, they f**king killed it.

..Its lifeless body landed on the ground as little dust filled the air.

How were they able to bring it down? The same thing, by destroying its core. Before that, they gave it several injuries.