Chapter 43: A Mess of Hearts and Swords
Amanda never thought she’d see the day where she’d be both a hero and a disaster at the same time. Yet here she was, standing in the middle of a battlefield with a sword in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other.
“Why do you have bread?” Elias asked, blinking at her with an expression of pure disbelief.
Amanda groaned. “Listen, I was hungry, okay? You dragged me out here before breakfast! If I die, I at least want to die with a full stomach.”
Elias sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You are the most unpredictable hero I have ever met.”
“Thank you,” Amanda said, stuffing the rest of the bread into her mouth just as the enemy forces started advancing.
The battlefield was a chaotic mess of soldiers, magic, and a whole lot of screaming. Amanda had seen many things since coming to this world, but nothing could prepare her for being in an actual war.
A knight charged at her, and Amanda instinctively swung her sword—only to completely miss.
“Oh, come on! Just let me have one cool moment!” she whined, stumbling backward.
Elias, who had been effortlessly slicing through enemies like he was taking a casual stroll, sighed. “Do you even know how to hold a sword properly?”
Amanda glared at him. “Not everyone was born with ‘Prince of War’ as their middle name, Elias.”
He rolled his eyes before stepping in front of her, blocking an attack from another knight. “Stick close to me.”
Amanda didn’t argue. She may have had some lucky wins before, but in a full-scale battle like this, she wasn’t about to test her limits.
They fought side by side, Elias cutting down enemies with precise movements while Amanda… well, Amanda tried her best.
At one point, she tripped over a fallen soldier, accidentally knocking over another in the process.
Elias turned his head just in time to see the chain reaction. “Did you just defeat three men by falling?”
Amanda huffed. “It’s called strategy, thank you very much.”
“Right. The strategy of clumsiness.”
Despite the chaos, there was a strange rhythm to their movements. Elias would block an attack, Amanda would use her unconventional methods (which mostly involved tripping, dodging, and throwing things), and somehow, they were actually making progress.
Then, a loud horn echoed through the battlefield. The enemy forces hesitated, and just as quickly as the battle had started, they began retreating.
Amanda exhaled in relief. “Oh, thank god. I thought I was going to die.”
Elias smirked. “You almost did. Multiple times.”
Amanda scowled at him. “You know, a normal person would say, ‘I’m glad you’re okay, Amanda. You did great, Amanda.’ But no, you just HAVE to be annoying.”
Elias laughed, the sound warm and genuine. “Fine. You were… adequate.”
“Wow, be still my heart,” Amanda deadpanned.
They made their way back to camp, exhaustion settling in their limbs. As soon as Amanda found a spot to sit, she practically collapsed onto the ground.
Elias sat beside her, handing her a waterskin. “Here.”
Amanda took it without question, taking a long sip. “Thanks.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the distant sounds of soldiers tending to their wounds filling the air. Then, Elias spoke.
“You really are something else.”
Amanda turned to him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Elias chuckled, resting his arms on his knees. “You’re reckless, stubborn, and you fight like you have no idea what you’re doing.”
Amanda rolled her eyes. “Wow, you sure know how to compliment a girl.”
“But,” he continued, his voice softer, “you don’t give up. No matter how ridiculous the situation, you keep going. And somehow, you make things work.”
Amanda blinked, taken aback by his sincerity. “Elias, are you… praising me?”
“Don’t get used to it.”
Amanda grinned. “Too late.”
They locked eyes for a moment, something unspoken passing between them. It wasn’t just the relief of surviving the battle—it was something deeper. Something Amanda wasn’t quite ready to name yet.
A commotion near the tents broke the moment. A group of soldiers were gathered, whispering among themselves. Elias frowned. “What’s going on?”
Before Amanda could answer, a messenger ran up to them. “Your Highness! There’s urgent news.”
Elias stood. “What is it?”
The messenger hesitated, then glanced at Amanda. “It concerns the hero.”
Amanda felt a cold chill run down her spine. “Me? What did I do now?”
“It’s not what you did,” the messenger said. “It’s what’s been discovered.”
Elias exchanged a look with Amanda before nodding. “Tell us everything.”
The messenger took a deep breath. “We’ve found a way for the hero to return to her world.”
Silence.
Amanda’s heart stopped. She had been fighting for so long, running from danger, struggling to survive—she had almost forgotten why she was here in the first place.
Go home.
That was the goal from the beginning, right?
So why did she suddenly feel like she wasn’t ready to hear those words?
Elias’ face was unreadable, his usual smirk nowhere to be found.
Amanda swallowed hard. “I… see.”
The messenger nodded. “The conditions aren’t simple, but it is possible.”
Elias finally spoke, his voice steady. “Then we’ll discuss it. Dismissed.”
The messenger bowed and left, leaving Amanda and Elias alone again.
Amanda stared at the ground, her mind a storm of thoughts. “So… I can go home.”
Elias was quiet for a long time before he finally said, “Is that what you want?”
Amanda opened her mouth—then closed it.
Was it?
She had spent so much time fighting to survive, making friends (and enemies), growing stronger, and…
Falling for someone she never expected to.
Her chest ached, but she forced herself to smile. “It’s what I came here for, right?”
Elias gave a small nod, his golden eyes unreadable. “Right.”
But somehow, it didn’t feel right at all.
And Amanda wasn’t sure why.