Chapter 51

“…T-thank you.”

 

I awkwardly rolled my eyes away and slipped out of Freyer’s arms. He looked distinctly displeased.

 

“Take off your clothes.”

 

“…W-what?”

 

I was hugging myself to stave off the cold, and his sudden words made me jerk back.

 

“The wet clothes,” he clarified. “At this rate, you’ll freeze to death before we get back to camp.”

 

My hair and clothes were soaked, water dripping steadily. When I hesitated, Freyer shrugged off his outer coat and spread it over a rock to dry.

 

‘He really has no idea what he looks like right now!’

 

Rain-damp silver hair. Skin gleaming with moisture. Those green eyes. And the thin, white shirt clinging to his torso, outlining everything.

 

‘Abs.’

 

Even the fleeting glimpse was too much. Being alone with my favorite character was already overwhelming—seeing his body like this made my face and ears burn.

 

“Lilithia. Take off your coat.”

 

Trying to hide my embarrassment, I quietly shrugged off my outer layer. Thank goodness the shirt underneath was dark gray—if it had been light, I’d have refused.

 

Crackle—crackle—

 

Only the fire filled the silence. Desperate to escape the awkward atmosphere, I spoke first.

 

“May I ask you something?”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“How did you find me?”

 

The forest was crowded with tall trees. Even if he followed the monster’s cries, it wouldn’t have been easy. But Freyer had approached as though he already knew where I was.

 

“I found something of yours.”

 

He poked the fire as he spoke.

 

“…Something of mine?”

 

I hadn’t brought any personal belongings to the hunting festival. Something clinked as he reached into his pocket.

 

It was the amethyst necklace he’d given me.

 

‘Why is that here?’

 

I remembered seeing the necklace inside the powder room jewelry case that morning. I examined it carefully.

 

‘It’s definitely the one Freyer gave me.’

 

Winnie certainly wouldn’t have slipped it into my clothes. Unless the necklace had been possessed and followed me here…

 

‘Possessed?!’

 

A chill ran up my spine.

 

“…?”

 

Freyer raised a brow at my reaction.

 

Rumble—BOOM!

 

A loud crash of thunder and a violent burst of wind made me turn to the entrance. Freyer glanced toward the small opening too.

 

“It may rain all night.”

 

It didn’t look like this storm would calm anytime soon.

 

“…If it rains tomorrow too, we won’t be able to return to camp, right?”

 

“Most likely. The fog will be heavy.”

 

Meaning: we’d only return when the weather cleared.

 

‘Which means… I’ll be stuck here alone with Freyer for a long time!’

 

My chest tightened at the thought. Freyer narrowed his eyes at me.

 

“Are you going to keep standing like that?”

 

“I’m… just comfortable standing.”

 

I tried to take a step away, but pain shot up my ankle.

 

“Ah!”

 

Freyer rose and approached immediately. I tried to retreat but winced again.

 

“Put me down!”

 

He slung me over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

 

“Standing may be comfortable, but your ankle clearly isn’t well enough to.”

 

He set me on the stone he’d been sitting on.

 

“I should check your ankle.”

 

He knelt and reached for my shoe.

 

“I—I’ll do it!”

 

I bent down quickly, but his hands moved faster. Once the shoe came off, the swollen ankle was painfully obvious.

 

“And you thought you could run on this.”

 

He sighed, then pulled out a small glass vial filled with shimmering liquid.

 

‘What is that…?’

 

“The potion didn’t break. I can at least treat this.”

 

A potion. Straight out of an RPG.

 

He uncorked it and poured the liquid over my ankle. The swelling diminished before my eyes.

 

“Ugh…”

 

The icy chill shot up my leg, and the cold air seeping in from the entrance made me shiver violently.

 

“Achoo!”

 

My nose ran, and the small fire wasn’t enough to warm me.

 

“This won’t do.”

 

Freyer moved closer.

 

“A-a-achoo— Wh-what won’t?”

 

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

 

“You need warmth. Stay close.”

 

“I’m fine— Achoo!”

 

I tried to wriggle away, but his hold was firm.

 

“You don’t want to freeze to death, do you, Lilithia?”

 

“I don’t think I’ll die, so… if you’d just—”

 

“You never know.”

 

He held me tighter. His heartbeat was close—too close.

 

“This will help.”

 

Little by little, warmth seeped in. My body relaxed, and with warmth came sleep.

 

“You’re dozing.”

 

“…Yes. Guess I relaxed too much…”

 

“Rest.”

 

He gently patted my shoulder until sleep overtook me.

 

“…Just a little…”

 

The crackling fire, the rain outside, and Freyer’s warmth lulled me into sleep.

 

 

***

 

 

Something heavy pressed against my shoulder. I grimaced, tried to shift, but felt tightly held.

 

‘Right… I fell asleep in Freyer’s arms.’

 

I cracked my eyes open. Freyer was sleeping with his head resting on my shoulder.

 

‘Must be morning.’

 

The rain had stopped. The air was clearer. I heard no droplets.

 

“Huh? It’s not raining?”

 

Sunlight filtered through the entrance. The sky was bright and fresh—perfect weather to return to camp.

 

I turned to tell Freyer, but he was smiling faintly in his sleep, looking truly at peace.

 

“He must be exhausted… Better not wake him.”

 

He deserved rest after fighting orcs last night. I lowered my hand.

 

“I should check outside first.”

 

I gently eased myself out of his hold and leaned him against the wall. My ankle ached slightly, but I could walk.

 

I stepped outside carefully.

 

“Wow! It’s beautiful.”

 

The forest stretched endlessly below—clear, bright, sparkling with dew. I even saw the camp’s flag far in the distance.

 

“Thank goodness…”

 

Relief washed over me—and then my stomach growled.

 

“…I didn’t eat anything since yesterday.”

 

Hunger hit all at once. I crouched down—

 

A squirrel darted past me to a tree bearing small orange fruits.

 

“Food!”

 

I jumped up like a philosopher shouting “Eureka!” and plucked one.

 

“Delicious!”

 

Crisp like an apple, sweet like grapes, juicy and refreshing. I inhaled one instantly.

 

“Freyer must be hungry too. I should bring some.”

 

I gathered a bundle and hurried back inside—

 

Only to freeze.

 

Freyer was trembling, face contorted in pain, letting out a low groan.

 

The fruits slipped from my hands.

 

“Your Highness!”