Seeing that these four refugees truly seemed to want to help them from the bottom of their hearts, the two knights were practically overflowing with respect.
They nodded firmly and wasted no more words.
At a time like this, any words of thanks would have seemed feeble and hollow.
Yet to the knight beside them, whose only concern was escaping with his life, this deeply moving scene...
Was like a series of invisible slaps, mercilessly striking his deathly pale face!
By comparison, he looked like a pathetic clown with nowhere to hide his shame!
Even a handful of refugees could risk their lives without hesitation, while he, a proper knight who had received the Divine Hall's baptism, was begging for mercy in the wilderness like a stray dog wagging its tail!
The intense shame and his trampled pride completely unbalanced his already warped, selfish mind.
He sat on his horse, his face alternating between red and white, looking utterly wretched.
He looked at his two comrades, who were ready to face death, then at the four refugees preparing to return and fight for their lives. His lips trembled as he tried to say something.
"What?"
The young knight looked at him, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes. "Changed your mind? Ready to go back with us and save the captain?"
But the wavering knight's eyes shifted a few times before he actually avoided the other's gaze and stammered out a sentence:
"Well..."
"Since you've all decided to go back and get yourselves killed... could you..."
"Could you leave me the badge the captain gave you?"
He pointed at the faintly glowing badge clenched tightly in Ma Lou's hand and spoke as though his request were perfectly reasonable:
"You've seen it yourselves. It's almost dark!"
"This wilderness is full