Just then, the woman turned around at the sound, and Davos couldn’t help but widen his eyes. Her beautiful blonde hair was simply coiled into a bun, resting softly at the back of her head like clouds, revealing a snow-white, slender neck. Beneath her smooth forehead were two curved, delicate brows; her bright eyes were as blue as the Aegean Sea, their light veiled by long, curved lashes, adding a touch of hazy allure. Her nose was not perfectly straight but had a slight curve, which lessened some of her heroic air and added a bit of playfulness and softness. Her lips, neither too thick nor too thin, bore a vivid red color, and her tender, fair face was as smooth as an egg, finally forming a perfect arc that outlined a slightly pointed chin.
Even though he had seen countless beautiful women on television in his past life, this woman’s beauty still left Davos dazzled.
She parted her lips slightly, revealing white, even teeth. "Respected leader Davos, my name is Cheiristoya."
"...Uh...uh..." Davos responded instinctively, not even thinking: who is Cheiristoya? Do I know her?
Clearly, Cheiristoya was used to many men losing their composure before her. Without showing any hint of contempt, she stepped forward and spoke softly, "I am the daughter of Proniphus, a noble of Miletus, and a concubine of the Persian prince Cyrus the Younger. Now I seek your protection!"
Concubine of Cyrus the Younger?! Davos snapped to attention, suddenly recalling what Olivus had told him earlier, and blurted out, "You're that woman who escaped from the Persian soldiers when Cyrus the Younger was killed!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he had misspoken and quickly said, "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have—I shouldn't—"
"It's alright... This is all the arrangement of the goddess of fate." Cheiristoya's expression dimmed. "I was lucky enough to escape, but the other sisters were all..."
Her sorrowful, delicate demeanor as she lowered her brows stirred Davos's heart again. He silently cursed himself for being so spineless: in his past life, he was about to get married, not a virgin!
But still, this was the first time he had been alone up close with such a beautiful woman. He cleared his throat awkwardly and asked, "Where were you before?"
"Clearchus was a trustworthy leader. Out of regard for Cyrus the Younger, he gave me shelter. Unfortunately..."
Although Davos was attracted to Cheiristoya's beauty, his mind was still clear. So he continued asking, "Clearchus may be dead, but Timasion has become the new leader. You could have let him continue to shelter you. Now that we are at war with the Persians, you have nothing more to fear."
"But Timasion doesn't have the same prestige in the camp that Clearchus had. He can't control those who want to... to humiliate me." Cheiristoya's face flushed with shame, as if on the verge of tears.
Davos, however, had no heart to appreciate her beauty. By now he had calmed down and naturally thought more deeply. He mused to himself: I openly advocated unity at the full army assembly, and the moment I return, a beautiful woman from Timasion's camp has run to my tent. Anyone unaware would think I'm after her looks, disregarding our allies, and have kidnapped her!
As he pondered silently, Cheiristoya grew anxious when Davos did not respond. "I heard you are the 'God-Touched One' of Hades, and all the soldiers in the camp fear and respect you, which is why they chose you as leader. So I took advantage of the lax discipline during your full army meeting and sneaked over here. In the name of the gods, you must help me!" In her desperation, she stepped forward, grabbed Davos's hand, and pleaded.
They were now inches apart. Davos could smell the faint fragrance of her hair. He suppressed the urge to embrace her and said, "Don't worry, I will help you." As he spoke, he stepped back and called out, "Asiastes, come in!"
Cheiristoya let out a soft gasp, hurriedly backed away, and her face flushed red again.
As Davos's herald, Asiastes had been waiting outside the tent. Upon hearing the order, he immediately entered, and the scene inside left him stunned.
"Go find Cheirisophus and tell him, 'Cheiristoya of Miletus, the concubine of Cyrus the Younger, wishes to march with our camp. Ask if he agrees.'"
"...Asiastes! ...Asiastes! Did you hear me?"
"...Oh...oh... I understand." Asiastes snapped back to reality, hurriedly averted his gaze, and replied hastily.
"Then go, now that you understand!"
"Yes! Yes!!" Before leaving, Asiastes couldn't resist stealing another glance.
"This little brat!" Davos scolded with a smile. "Don't blame him—it's your fault for being so enchanting! He couldn't help but tease a little."
Cheiristoya chuckled softly. "Leader, you seem even younger than him, yet you didn't act like that."
Davos gave an awkward smile, and the tent fell into silence for a moment.
"Will Cheirisophus agree to let me stay?" Cheiristoya spoke first, her tone somewhat worried.
"I think it should be fine. You are free, no one's slave. You have the right to choose where you want to go." Davos comforted her. "Actually, seeking shelter from Cheirisophus would be the best choice."
"I don't like Spartans!" Cheiristoya replied curtly.
For some reason, Davos felt a sense of relief.
Hearing the words, "You are free, no one's slave," Cheiristoya suddenly felt like crying. Her gaze lingered on Davos. After a moment, she asked softly, "Leader Davos, where are you from?"
"Just call me Davos," he corrected. Lingering memories surfaced. "I am a Thessalian, from a village near Macedonia."
"You're so young to become a mercenary. Aren't your parents worried?"
"They passed away long ago."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know..." Cheiristoya apologized repeatedly.
"It's nothing." Davos waved it off. He didn't really mind. He had no feelings for the parents of this body, having been reborn across time, but Cheiristoya's question reminded him of his parents in his past life, and that brought a hint of sorrow.
Cheiristoya watched him silently, a sudden tremor in her heart. On one hand, the leader's youth and his parents' death stirred her maternal protective instincts; on the other hand, his remarkable composure beyond his years made her feel as if she were speaking with an older, steadfast leader. This contrast highlighted Davos's mystery, which greatly attracted Cheiristoya.
"They all say you are the 'God-Touched One' of Hades. Is it true?" As soon as Cheiristoya blurted out the question, she realized she had been too forward.
But Davos paid it no mind and instead asked in return, "Do you believe it?"
"I do!" Cheiristoya quickly tried to make up for her earlier mistake.
Davos smiled and said slowly, "In times of hardship, people always find a god to rely on, so they don't stay in constant fear and lose their minds. But if you rely too much on the gods instead of using your own efforts to escape the困境, all you'll get in the end is hastened destruction..."
Cheiristoya parted her lips slightly, lost in thought...
...
For some reason, the two of them ended up talking quite congenially.
For Davos, the suppressed frustration and gloom he had felt since his time travel were finally released.
For Cheiristoya, this daughter of a Milesian noble had lost her mother as a child, and her stepmother never cared for her... When she grew up, Miletus was besieged by Cyrus the Younger. To preserve his family and power, her father—the only one who loved her—gave her to Cyrus. Cyrus treated her tenderly, but privately, the other concubines made things difficult for her out of jealousy. After Cyrus died, she fled to Clearchus's camp, where every day she faced the lustful gazes of the baggage camp guards and several company commanders, making her deeply uneasy... Today, for once, she poured out all the pent-up misery she had been enduring to a stranger she had just met...
Just as they were getting into the swing of the conversation, Asiastes entered, followed by the army's herald, Tolmides.
Cheiristoya