piratefiction Chapter 78 Running Away!
Chapter 78 Running Away!
"The royal court is no longer the same as before." Amber looked outside the shed. "I will leave my seal, and the Sacred Tree Ritual will also be sealed. In case of major events, the Gray Domain Elders Council and the representatives of the Cat Territory will discuss them together."
Grandmother finally sighed.
"Alright," she said. "Young people always have to go out and explore, while the old folks stay home to mend pots and pans."
Although Amber is over a thousand years old, she is indeed a young person in terms of her almost endless lifespan.
Yinye's nose tingled with emotion: "Grandmother..."
"Don't cry," her grandmother interrupted immediately. "You look ugly when you cry."
That night, the royal court was noisy and disruptive.
The Grey Elves looked around the old site of South City for a long time. Some said it was a good place to set up a jerky stall, some said it should be a place to open a tavern, and some insisted on hanging a big sign at the entrance that read, "Compared to the Royal Court, I still think the Grey Domain is more awesome."
Chu Sheng found it very amusing, so he quietly gave his approval.
Arthur was busy checking the charter, Silverleaf was pulled aside by her grandmother to whisper something, and Ella volunteered to move the timber.
Amber stood at the edge of the central square, gazing at the sacred tree in the distance.
"Reluctant to part with it?" Chu Sheng asked.
"Yeah." Amber was quite frank. "I've lived here for so long, even though it's collapsed like this now, I still can't bear to part with it."
Chu Sheng stood beside her: "Are we still leaving?"
Amber looked down at him, her long dress clinging to her mature and voluptuous figure in the night breeze.
"Didn't you invite me?" she said softly, gently lifting his chin with her fingertips. "Are you having second thoughts now?"
She was very close, and Chu Sheng swallowed hard: "There's no way I can regret it now. I just want to stay on top of you forever."
"Then let's leave early tomorrow," Amber smiled. "Don't let them see us off."
"Tomorrow?" Chu Sheng blinked. "Your Majesty, you still don't quite understand the speed at which our Hero Squad can run."
Amber blinked too.
Chu Sheng lowered his voice: "We'll leave tonight."
Amber paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "Naughty boy."
"Don't keep calling me that," Chu Sheng protested. "It sounds really exciting."
Amber leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Let's make it exciting then. Don't you still call me 'Mom'?"
Yinye was passing by carrying an account book when she saw this scene and immediately turned around.
"I didn't see anything," she murmured. "I'm just a poor musician responsible for moving ledgers."
After midnight, the hero team began packing up.
Chu Sheng put the letter he wrote to Audrey into a sealed wooden tube, released the carrier pigeon, and left behind three brocade pouches containing letters.
One for the Gray Domain Elders Council.
One of the first batch of aid workers to help the cats.
One for everyone who wants to contact them tomorrow.
The last and shortest letter read: "Don't bother looking for us, you won't find us anyway. The first phase of the market project is the priority; anyone who slacks off is a coward. — Chu Sheng"
Ella was shocked after reading it: "Why is it the puppy that's being lazy?"
"Because saying that a kitten would offend Audrey."
Ella thought for a moment: "Would mentioning the puppy offend me?"
Chu Sheng patted her head: "No, you're a big dog."
Ella was overjoyed. Chu Sheng had said that big was good, the bigger the better, and he liked big things.
Arthur slung his bag over his shoulder and said in a low voice, "Is it really appropriate for us to just leave like this again?"
Chu Sheng looked at her: "Of course it's inappropriate. What are you thinking?"
Arthur opened his mouth, but couldn't refute it.
Amber stopped alone in front of the sacred tree path for a while, placing her palm on the trees at the edge of the path.
The wood grain shimmered slightly, as if in response to her.
Yinye stood not far away, carrying a large bag on her back, looking somewhat awkward in the direction of her grandmother's temporary residence.
Chu Sheng walked to her side: "Aren't you going to say goodbye?"
"I've already said goodbye," Yinye said softly. "If I go back, she'll definitely scold me, and it'll also disturb the elderly person's sleep."
Chu Sheng nodded: "Very filial."
The group quietly drove the carriage away along the Gray Domain Hunting Trail.
The group marched for more than two hours in the darkness. By the time the first rooster crowed in the Gray Zone, they were already far from the royal court.
Grandmother sat at the table, clutching the brocade pouch left by Chu Sheng in her hand.
Outside the residence, several young grey elves were making a fuss.
"Chu Sheng and the others escaped!"
"His Majesty has also fled!"
"Silver Leaf ran away too!"
"They ran away, so they ran away!" Her grandmother opened the window and yelled outside, "They ran away, but did you break your arms and legs too? Have you finished inventorying the timber in Nanshi? Have you submitted the list of trading companies?"
There was a brief silence outside, but soon someone whispered, "But Chu Sheng left a letter scolding us, saying that anyone who slacks off is a dog."
Grandmother sneered, "Then why aren't you getting to work? Are you waiting for your tails to grow long?"
The young grey elves were scolded and scattered.
Grandmother closed the window and sat back down at the table.
"Chu Sheng," she whispered, "you'd better protect my blockhead son."
As dawn broke, Chu Sheng and his companions had completely left the Sacred Tree Forest and were now resting by a stream not far from the border with Pegasus Territory.
Ella was the first to plunge into the water, splashing water up to waist height. Silverleaf had just put down his backpack when Ella splashed water all over his face.
"Ella!"
Ella stood in the stream, soaking wet, her linen clothes clinging tightly to her wild and alluring curves.
Chu Sheng watched this scene without any desire, but instead felt a sense of foreboding.
Whoosh!
The next second, Ella started shaking water like a real dog!
Chu Sheng wiped his face expressionlessly, while Yin Ye frantically tugged at her wet braids.
Arthur sighed, holy light shone in his palm, and he skillfully dried Silverleaf's hair.
Seeing this, Chu Sheng also moved closer to An Bowen: "Your Majesty, would you like me to dry this too?"
Amber reached out and placed her hand on his chest.
Her palm was warm, pressing against Chu Sheng's soaked clothes, the moisture slowly evaporating. But instead of immediately withdrawing her hand, it slowly slid down his chest.
When she slid down there, she playfully pinched it.
Chu Sheng stood frozen in place. Ambowen looked down at him and smiled, "Are you still cold?"
"It's not cold," Chu Sheng said, his voice trembling. "It's even a little warm."
Arthur, who couldn't stand it any longer, walked over and grabbed Chu Sheng's wrist: "I'll do it."
A holy light shone forth. Chu Sheng felt a surge of heat rush from his wrist to his shoulder, instantly drying most of his clothes.
"Arthur, Arthur, turn the heat down!" Chu Sheng quickly interjected, "It's not grilled fish!"
Ella poked her head out of the water: "Grilled fish?"
"No grilled fish!" Silver Leaf roared. "Get out of the stream! If you keep splashing around, you'll scare all the fish away!"
Ella lowered her head: "Then I'll catch fish first."
After she finished speaking, she plunged into the stream.
Half an hour later, Ella caught three fish, two crabs, and a frog that was so frightened it rolled over belly up.
Chu Sheng set up a fire, Arthur was in charge of processing the fish, Silver Leaf was in charge of scolding Ella, and Amber sat on a rock by the stream, bending down to take off and clean her gold-threaded stilettos.
Chu Sheng was whittling wooden sticks when his gaze involuntarily drifted over there. As he whittled, he almost cut his finger.