I got Reincarnated but My Wife is Now My Mother! Chapter Eighteen
By the time the sun reached its zenith in the sky, we had successfully eluded the Royal Scouts. My strategy had unfolded just as I had envisioned, ensuring the safety of the others under the watchful care of my sister, Sophitia, and our mother, Lady Aiko. The atmosphere had settled into a calm rhythm, guided by Rosaniya and Leia's steady leadership. Orzella, ever vigilant, maintained a watchful gaze on our surroundings, her eyes scanning for any unexpected threats. A wave of relief washed over me, knowing the others were out of immediate danger. Still, my mind couldn't escape the nagging question of how the scouts had discovered our location in the first place. Orzella, attuned to my troubled thoughts, matched her steps with mine.
"Rest easy, Master," she whispered, a soft reassurance in her voice. "I'm confident we've shaken off the scouts."
I nodded, my response tinged with uncertainty. "Yes, you're probably right. It's just..." I trailed off, grappling with the puzzle. "How did the Royal Army find us, especially with such a strong force?"
Orzella pondered, then offered a possibility. "The ruins are obscure, rarely tread these days. Perhaps someone familiar with this path tipped them off?"
Her suggestion hung in the air, prompting me to delve into a deep contemplation. The only ones who would know such a path were those who had traversed it in the past, possibly during the days of my mother's youth. The thought of Lady Aiko as a young girl seemed almost surreal, clashing with the fragments of memories from my past life that often intruded upon my current existence. It was a jarring collision of two worlds - seeing glimpses of my wife in my mother, Lady Aiko, and in my sister, Lady Sophitia. Even the perspectives of my other sisters seemed to echo in my mind. Their safety was paramount, though thoughts of their possible whereabouts in the capital crept into my consciousness. I had to push these distractions aside, focusing on the immediate safety of Sophitia, Aiko, and myself, not to mention the well-being of my other companions.
The mystery of the Royal Army's discovery would have to remain unsolved for now. I adopted a facade of confidence, masking my inner turmoil. It was important that Orzella not be burdened with additional worries. I aimed to be the pillar of strength she and the others needed in these uncertain times.
In a sudden moment, Orzella's senses were alerted by something ahead of us. We quickly dropped to our knees and took cover in a dense thicket of bushes. As we waited, the sounds of the forest grew louder and more mysterious. Rosaniya, with her elven ears, was more attuned to the surrounding environment than the rest of us. But to our surprise, it was Orzella who picked up on the alarm first. Soon, we could hear the faint sound of footsteps approaching, accompanied by hushed voices. In anticipation of danger, I grasped the hilts of Sol's Edge and Sun's Blaze, my trusted weapons, ready to defend ourselves from whatever danger lay ahead.
As I gazed at the scene before me, three figures emerged from a dense thicket. Their golden blonde hair shone brightly in the sunlight, and their fair skin appeared to be untouched by the harshness of the outside world. Their strikingly blue eyes were like a clear sky on a warm summer day, and they accentuated their heart-shaped faces, soft cheekbones, and full, pink lips. The delicate arches of their short, thin eyebrows were adorned with a sprinkle of rosy red freckles, adding to their youthful appearance. Despite their stunning beauty, it was clear that they were no older than me.
The three women standing before me seemed to be related, possibly sisters. Their figures were striking, with ample curves that accentuated their toned bodies. Each possessed a set of voluptuous breasts and a bounteous derrière. Their hips and thighs were shapely and well-defined, drawing the eye to their long, lissome legs. They exuded a confident and alluring energy that was hard to ignore.
With my eyes focused on them, I couldn't help but be captivated by their armor. It was crafted with the finest materials, each piece reflecting the skillful artistry of the maker. The light armor, despite its delicacy, hugged their bodies in all the right places, accentuating their elegant and statuesque physiques. I could tell that they were scouts by the way the armor was designed for swift movement. The red cloak they wore was a symbol of their noble status, and on it was a white star with wings shimmering in the sunlight. As I observed them closely, I realized that their armor was not just expensive but also ornate, with intricate designs etched onto the metal. It was clear to me that these were not just any scouts but rather members of a privileged class who could afford the finest armor money could buy.
The four of us huddled together, our hearts racing as we watched the three blonde scouts scour the area. They came dangerously close to our hiding spot, and we held our breaths, praying they wouldn't find us.
"Tsk! Damn it, Wynnefreede, sister! They're not here!" The frustration in the Irish-accented voice of one of the scouts was palpable.
"But they have to be, Elizabethe, sister! I know they were around here somewhere," retorted Wynnefreede, her voice tinged with desperation.
"Katheryne sister, can you sense anything?" Elizabethe turned to the third scout, who had been standing quietly by her side.
"I'm sorry, sister Elizabethe. I lost my sight sense," replied Katheryne softly, her voice barely audible over the sound of our pounding hearts.
'I have heard of sight sense before.' My mind raced with memories of my past self. Sight sense was an extraordinary and rare gift that only a few individuals possessed. It was similar to being born with the ability to wield magic, and those who had this gift were called sense users. It was just one of the many gifts that existed, but it was coveted by many.
Now I understood how they had tracked us. The trio of siblings we had encountered must have been the ones who led the group to the ruins. 'But the question was, why were they out here searching alone?' An idea occurred to me, and it was a risky one, but our survival depended on it. I looked at Orzella and pointed to Wynnefreede, who was on the right. Then, I gestured for Rosaniya and Leia to target Elizabethe, who was in the middle. That left Katheryne on the left for me to handle.
We had to wait until they were closer before we could ambush them and take them captive. As I observed them further, I realized that each of them had one golden iris in one of their eyes. The other iris was silver, which gave them an ethereal aura, making them even more unique and rare. This trait could mean many things, and I wondered what it was that they were after.
The moment the three scouts were nearly on top of us, I gave the signal to surprise them. The four of us leaped from our hiding spot and tackled the scouts. None of the three blonde vixens had a chance to react before we had them pinned to the ground. The scout named Katheryne put up a half-hearted attempt to escape. On the other hand Elizabethe almost went bersek. If it hadn't been for Orzella's impressive strength, she would have foiled my plan. Wynnefreede tried hard to break from Leia and Rosaniya's grasp, but they proved to have her pinned down effortlessly.
Elizabethe was furious and demanded to be released as she shouted. "Unhand us, you rogue brute!" To make her point clear, she added, "Elizabethe isn't pleased!"
Wynnefreede, who was pinned beside her, scoffed and said, "Tsk, neither is Wynnefreede, for that matter!"
Katheryne, who I had pinned, whispered, "Oh, yes... Katheryne is unhappy as well."
"Katheryne, sister! Be more shocked by this ungrateful bunch," scolded Elizabethe.
But Katheryne had a different perspective and pointed out, "But Elizabethe, sister... these are the marks we are hunting!" Katheryne pointed out.
Wynnefreede replied, "Ah... indeed, Katheryne sister, they are indeed."
Orzella, Leia, and Rosaniya stared at me with uncomfortable expressions. The three vixens’s manner of speaking was peculiar, as they referred to themselves in the third person. But that was not my immediate concern. We had captured them, and we needed to extract information.
"Why don't you tell us who you are?" I ordered firmly.
"Why should Elizabethe tell you who we are?" she snapped.
As she spoke, Katheryne whispered, "We are the noble Rowe sisters of House Rowe... You would do well to... um... release us."
Wynnefreede interjected, "You tell them, sister Katheryne... um... what? Katheryne, sister... did you just?"
But before she could finish, Elizabethe cut in, "My goodness, Katheryne, sister! You just gave them the information they wanted to hear!"
Their unusual way of speaking aside, it was clear that these were no ordinary sisters. They seemed to be hiding something, and I was determined to find out what it was.