The next day Isabella woke up feeling refreshed.
''Finally up? You sleepyhead.'' Artemia teased Isabella.
''Your highness?"
Isabella was surprised to see Artemia here.
''What are you acting for? It's natural to look, my sister.''
Artemia's words moved Isabella to tears; she hugged Artemia tightly, afraid to let her go.
''There, there. I'm here. I'm not going anymore, but you should thank a certain someone, if not for him, you would be dead by now.''
Artemia's words brought the image of a certain handsome boy to Isabella's mind.
At that time, the serious Alex armed with his silver gun looks like a prince in shining armor coming to her rescue. Recalling his face as he pressed the trigger to rescue her made Isabella deeply flush; her heartbeat quickly increased. She recalled everything that happened since their first meeting; it was him that made her slowly change her mindset. Thinking about all of these things made Isabella's heart,
Ba-dump Ba-dump!
'What happening to me?'
'Why is my heart beating so fast? And more importantly, why I can't get off that image from my head? All I can think of is Alexander.'
Isabella became quickly lost in thought; she was so focused that she didn't hear Artemia calling her numerous.
Noticing Isabella's unusualness, Artemia flicked the latter forehead.
''Ouch! That's hurt.''
''You should thank Alex,'' Artemia ordered, and when the name of Alex was brought, Isabella froze; her eyes started dating left and right before she finally managed to squeeze some words.
''I go- got it, I will go see him. He should be back by now after completing his morning exercise.''
As if running from a crime scene, Isabella disappeared, leaving a dumfounded Artemia who looked at the running Isabella's back before bursting into laughter.
''Eh? How unexpected, how interesting. I wonder how you will this with this Alexander.''
From Artemia's words just now, she seemed to have understood something from Isabella's behavior.
After collecting the tent, Artemia decided to check on Alex and Isabella; however, she was sauntering as if she wished to enjoy the morning breeze.
•••••
One kilometer from Artemia's current position, there was a waterfall. Alex had just taken a bath, so he was only dressed in his pants and was topless, a towel wrapped around his neck as he started to walk back to their camping location.
Just after taking his twentieth step, he heard the sound of a branch cracking.
Sighing, Alex asked, looking at where the sound came from.
''I say, Ms. Isabella, what are you playing at? Can you stop hiding?"
Isabella's body trembled; she didn't think she had been spotted already. She didn't want to hide, it just that the moment he was the topless Alex, her face got hot as if it was on fire, her heartbeat accelerated so much that she feared that from afar people could hear it, it why she decided to hide until it calms down.
'What is happening to me? This isn't the first time I have seen Alex topless, yet I can't control my heartbeat. I think it is going crazy; yesterday, images of him gallantly saving came rushing back. What should I do?'
Swoosh!
Isabella, who went into monologue mode again, was surprised to find Alex suddenly appearing right before her; she almost tripped and fell back; fortunately, Alex could catch her properly. Unfortunately, this made things difficult for Isabella as her heartbeat accelerated once more.
Ba-dump Ba-dump!
''Are you alright?" Alex asked in a normal voice.
However, in Isabella's, he had asked with a concerned face; this made our maiden blush.
In reality, Alex frowned when he noticed Isabella react like this; he rapidly concluded why she acted like that.
On the other side Silveria who was watching everything smiled.
〖Hehehe, my Master is such a dinner, to think you will have conquered this girl in just short three days, you amaze me.〗
Ignoring Silveria's ramblings, Alex helps Isabella up before saying in a serious tone.
''It's good that you are fine, but I want to clarify something. That feeling that started budding in your heart, you better crush it because it will only harm you. Nothing will happen between us; the sooner you discard it, the better it will be, and you won't get hurt.''
Alex's merciless words stabbed deep into the young maiden, heart-crushing the budding love; Isabella stood rooted on the spot; a single tear escaped from her eyes.
At that moment, Isabella understood what was happening to her, Alex's rescue triggered something inside her, and if this continues, she will fall in love with him.
〖How cold of you, Master. It would be best if you had phrased it nicely, no need to be that rude.〗
Silveria complained, she was disappointed as she had hoped to see something interesting, she wanted to see what kind of expression Artemia would make once Isabella became Alex's woman, she may no show any at first, but someday she will, Silveria was sure of it.
'Sorry to crush your expectations as I know what you are thinking.'
〖I dunno what you are talking about.〗Silveria started whistling.
'Fine. Forgot it. I don't have time to entertain you.'
Alex said before looking at Isabella, wiping away the tear on her face.
''Sorry, Mr. Alexander, I must have shown you something unsightly; I hope you will forgive me. And thank you for saving my life yesterday. I shall repay you someday.'' Isabella said before lowering her head; she then turns around to depart.
''No need to repay me as I did what a comrade should do.''
''Comrade? Huh! Thanks, Mr. Alexander.'' Isabella said one more time before leaving, going back towards the location where they spent the night.
After Alex watch Isabella leave, he turned his head in a certain direction.
''You can come out now, eavesdropping, princess.''
''Fufufu! As expected of you. To think you would find out so soon.''
Artemia came out from her hiding place,
''Why didn't you announce that I was spying on you?" She asked as she was curious why Alex didn't say anything.
''Isn't what you wanted?"
Instead of answering her question, Alex fired back a question; Artemia couldn't only helplessly shrug her shoulders.
''You are too cruel. To think you would say these words to a maiden experiencing her first feeling of love.''
〖That right.〗Silveria agrees with Artemia.
While buttoning his shirt, Alex declared.
''If you didn't wish for that, you should have deal with it before sending her my way.''
''And how can I do that? I don't have any experience in the matters.'' Artemia declared with an innocent smile.
Looking at Artemia with an expressionless face, Alex declared before leaving,
''Thanks for the unnecessary information. Let's depart.''
''How cold,'' Artemia said before chasing after Alex. Even though she said that she was smiling, she found Alex truly interesting as most men would have jumped on the chance of making Isabella, a close friend of her, their woman, and yet Alex never plans for that.