Chapter 201 The Villain Lady Arrives 29
Upon seeing this, the third prince curled up his lips into a gentle smile. He admired Alice's courage and wisdom, and was even more moved by her yearning for beautiful things.
"In that case, let's follow Alice's advice and set up camp outside the Magic Forest."
His words revealed an unquestionable determination, and he immediately ordered Gerald, "Gerald, lead the knights to find a flat and safe place, and we will set up camp."
Gerard took the order and quickly organized a team of knights. They dispersed, holding torches and swords, and carefully searched for a suitable camping site at the edge of the forest.
Soon, Gerard returned with good news, pointing to an open space far away from large trees, with a wide view and close to a water source: "Your Highness, this should be the best place to camp."
Following Gerard's instructions, everyone started to get busy.
The Knight Captain and Tariq were responsible for setting up the tents. Although they were not professionals, they quickly built several tents with mutual cooperation.
Alice also took out some hay and cushions from her backpack and spread them in the tent to ensure a more comfortable rest at night.
The third prince was directing the knights to set up a cordon. They surrounded the camp and placed torches at regular intervals to provide both illumination and warning.
At the same time, several knights took turns patrolling to ensure the safety of the surrounding area.
As night falls, the bonfire is lit, and the dancing flames shine on everyone's face, warm and bright.
Alice sat by the campfire, holding a piece of golden bread in her hand, took a bite and closed her eyes contentedly. Luna and Tariq were sharing their daytime fun, laughing.
The third prince walked over to Alice and sat down, handing her a cup of warm tea:
"Alice, your performance today was really outstanding. You made me realize your excellence again."
Alice looked up, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. "Your Highness the Third Prince, thank you for the compliment. I just did what I thought was right. Moreover, I would not have been able to do this without your help and support."
The Third Prince smiled slightly, with an imperceptible tenderness in his eyes: "Alice, you are always so humble. But you must know that your existence itself is a kind of power, a power that can inspire and encourage others."
Alice's cheeks flushed slightly when she heard this, and a warm current surged in her heart. She had never thought that she would be so highly regarded by the Third Prince. This recognition made her feel extremely happy and satisfied.
By the campfire, the warm glow swayed gently, illuminating everyone's face and also reflecting the delicate emotional fluctuations in their hearts.
Tariq's eyes kept wandering between Alice and the Third Prince, with mixed feelings in his heart. He knew that his feelings for Alice had already surpassed the boundaries of friendship, but every time he saw her and the Third Prince interacting so tacitly and harmoniously, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in his heart.
"Alice, you are always so dazzling and can attract everyone's attention no matter where you are." Tariq sighed in his heart, then took a deep breath and decided to break this subtle atmosphere with action.
He stood up and took a skewer of freshly grilled meat from the campfire. The golden fat gleamed attractively in the firelight, and the aroma filled the air, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
Tariq walked towards Alice with a smile and handed the barbecue to her, his eyes full of tenderness and expectation:
"Alice, try this. I baked it especially for you."
Alice looked up and met Tariq's affectionate eyes. She couldn't help but feel a warm current in her heart. She quickly stood up and took the barbecue with both hands, with a gleam of gratitude in her eyes:
"Thank you, Brother Rick. You are always so thoughtful." She took a bite of the barbecue, and the aroma instantly burst in her mouth, making her squint her eyes with an expression of enjoyment. "This barbecue tastes so good, it's worthy of being grilled by Brother Rick himself. I like your barbecue the most since I was a child."
Alice's words were like a spring breeze, filling Tariq's heart with an indescribable joy. He looked at Alice's satisfied smile, and all the troubles in his heart seemed to disappear.
However, this heartwarming scene unexpectedly touched the sensitive nerves of the third prince.
The third prince sat aside and witnessed the intimate interaction between Tariq and Alice, and his brows could not help but frown slightly. He had never seen Alice show such dependence and trust in anyone, which made him feel an unprecedented sense of crisis. Although he tried hard to keep a smile on his face, the displeasure in his eyes was difficult to conceal.
"It seems that my friend holds a high position in Alice's heart." The third prince thought to himself, and immediately decided to take action to break the atmosphere that made him feel uncomfortable.
He coughed lightly to attract the attention of the two people, and then asked in a gentlemanly manner: "Alice, this barbecue does look tempting, can I have a taste?"
After hearing this, Alice realized that her actions might have caused misunderstanding from the Third Prince.
She quickly turned around and handed the barbecue in her hand to the Third Prince with an apologetic smile on her face: "Of course, Your Highness. This is the kebab that Brother Rick grilled. It tastes really good."
The third prince took the barbecue, took a bite, and savored the delicious taste. He had to admit that Tariq's cooking skills were indeed extraordinary, but the taste of the barbecue made him feel the deep friendship between Alice and Tariq.
This made him feel even more uncomfortable, but at the same time it also strengthened his determination to keep Alice by his side.
"Well, it tastes really good." The third prince put down the barbecue and said to Alice with a smile, "Alice, you have really good taste, whether it's choosing friends or food."
Alice blushed slightly when she heard this, secretly thanking herself for having resolved the embarrassment in time. She looked at the Third Prince, her eyes flashing with gratitude and sincerity:
"Your Highness the Third Prince, thank you for the compliment. It's all because you're by my side supporting and encouraging me. Without you, I would have given up long ago."
A warm current surged in the heart of the Third Prince. He looked at Alice's clear and firm eyes, as if he saw the innocence and kindness deep in her heart. He couldn't help but reach out his hand, gently patted Alice's shoulder, and said in a brotherly tone:
"Alice, you don't need to thank anyone. Your excellence is a gift from God, and being able to walk with you is my greatest luck."
Tariq stood aside, watching the interaction between the Third Prince and Alice, with mixed feelings in his heart. He understood that the gap between him and the Third Prince was not just about status and position, but more about the unspeakable emotional entanglement.
He took a deep breath and tried to make himself look more calm and open-minded.
"Okay, everyone, stop standing. Come and eat something, otherwise the meat will get cold." Tariq broke the silence with a casual tone and invited everyone to sit around the campfire.