CH 29

(athanasiafrost)

I held my breath for a moment.

“…You can’t tie a bandage roughly like this.”

Although the circumstances were entirely different, it was hard to believe that he was still the same person.

A strange mix of sadness and embarrassment washed over me, and the fact that I felt such emotions in his presence made me feel isolated. Swiftly pushing those thoughts aside, I inquired.

“Uh… Why are you here so soon? I heard that you will definitely arrive at the border in two days… .”

“Eloise.”

Ignoring my question, Johannes calmly remarked.

“Are you shy?”

“Umm.”

I hesitated a little, then sighed. And since I was really confused, I asked seriously.

“In this situation, can I answer ‘no’ to that question?”

“Normally, no,”

Johannes replied without hesitation, emphasizing the word ‘normal.’ I nodded, well aware that ‘normalcy’ was a trait I lacked.

“Then I will answer yes.”

“All right.”

Johannes turned my ankle slightly before continuing.

“Then why don’t you answer my question first?”

Johannes, who carefully wrapped a bandage around my ankle, looked up at me in that position. His composure remained intact, even after the commotion that had occurred earlier.

“A, a question?”

Johannes spoke slowly, contemplating what he wanted to ask.

“Yes, a question you should answer…”

Johannes locked his golden eyes onto me, a gaze that felt like it could pierce through my very soul, leaving me somewhat unnerved.

His expression was inscrutable, yet anyone with an understanding of the situation could likely surmise his thoughts. He was probably irritated by my foolish actions that had led to this predicament.

From his point of view, it was natural. He would be unaware of my abilities or the underlying motives that drove me to confront the demons.

To him, it likely appeared that a woman stood alone in a field, struggling to wield a dagger properly, and confronting a malevolent force, ultimately injuring herself in the process.

This was common in ‘Ace’. When doing something as a group, incompetent team members make the situation even more complicated. And whenever that happened, ‘Ace’ taught me that it was the most stupid thing to do. At least in a combat situation, not to cause trouble to others was the basic of the basics.

I could anticipate the nature of his question, such as ‘Why did you come to meet me?’ or ‘Why not return to the South?’ The answers to these questions were not difficult. I had not foreseen this particular situation, but I could still affirm my fondness for him and my desire to stay in the North.

“Eloise Renoir.”

But, as always, Johannes exceeded my expectations.

Johannes, who didn’t even address me ‘Eloise Noavik’ asked calmly.

“Have you ever met me before you proposed to me?”

His piercing gaze fixed upon me, causing my heart to skip a beat.

“Do not tell me it’s some absurd notion where you fell in love with me from afar,”

(athanasiafrost)

“That, so… Did the Duke follow her? Are you sure?”

As the dawn approached and the battle concluded, the welcome party and the procession from the capital finally converged.

“He must have saved Eloise, right? They didn’t get hurt?”

After greeting everyone, Leo repeatedly grasped Pagan’s arm and asked.

Despite the cool day, Pagan’s black hair glistened with sweat as he firmly held the young Duke’s shoulder and spoke with conviction.

“Yes, the Duke followed her. You don’t have to worry and…”

Pagan showed them the demon’s fragmented heart and small emerald, which he had found after searching the woods all night.

“This is how the demons were exorcised. Seeing that its heart wasn’t shattered, it seems that he finished them off with a few critical hits without much struggle.”

“But… why weren’t the jewels retrieved? What about the pack of wolves?”

“Prince, you should understand.”

Pagan replied, looking into Leo’s worried eyes.

“This is the Duke we are talking about. The only thing he cannot obtain is the Blue Ruby.”

As the morning star ascended, sleep eluded them. Pagan empathized with Leo’s anxiety but comforted him by gently patting the boy’s trembling back.

Unsurprisingly, Braeden sighed lightly. It was not once or twice that Johannes proceeded with his work without revealing his mind to others.

Johannes had a knack for keeping his thoughts to himself, even though he was affable and open to jokes and small talk.

However, Johannes was not someone who acted strangely for no reason. Just looking at it now, it was Johannes’ timely arrival that had given them hope that Eloise might return unharmed.

At least, it was all thanks to Johannes that he had hope that Eloise could return alive and well. Without his intervention, they might have already been searching for her lifeless body.

“He said there were strange things happening one after another, so he felt the need to resolve them quickly, even if it was annoying,”

Pagan continued, admitting that even he didn’t fully comprehend Johannes’ cryptic explanation.

No one knew what the ‘strange thing’ Johannes was referring to was. Besides, what the hell does annoying mean?

Despite his reassurance, Braeden couldn’t help but grapple with his own inner turmoil. Eloise hadn’t been in the North for some time, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she might be a burden in such a dangerous situation.

But how innocent of her to jump off the horse without hesitation, prepared to make such a noble sacrifice in an imminent crisis?

Even if Johannes came to rescue her, Braeden pondered whether Eloise would still wish to remain in the North after experiencing such a harrowing ordeal.

“but… Perhaps we should prepare ourselves to bid farewell to Eloise.”

Leo’s eyes widened at the idea, and he hesitated for a moment before quietly nodding in agreement.

“Yes, I guess. There’s no way she’ll still stay here after going through something like this.”

It was a rational decision, but no matter how cold-hearted he pretended, a child was a child. Braeden turned a blind eye to Leo’s youthful expression that he couldn’t hide.

(athanasiafrost)