Seeing her stiff face, Leon also realized that something was wrong. After being lost in thought for a moment, he suddenly recalled one memory.

“Come to think of it, you mentioned that name when you proposed a contract relationship to me back then.”

While mentioning the cursed stone that had caused him to fall under the curse of lust, Kasha said she had heard the story from a wizard named Wolfbane. At the time, he had only thought the name sounded strangely familiar.

“But Kasha, wasn’t that a story you made up because you couldn’t tell me the truth about the cursed stone? Don’t tell me this Wolfbane person actually exists?”

However, Kasha did not answer Leon’s question. After being lost in thought with a grave expression for a while, she suddenly picked up the clothes scattered here and there.

“We can’t stay like this. Let’s get out of here quickly.”

“Kasha.”

At Leon’s call tinged with bewilderment, Kasha turned to look at him and gave an awkward smile.

“Everything is still… uncertain at the moment. When I have my thoughts sorted out, I’ll tell you then. That’ll be okay, right?”

After silently gazing at her for a moment, Leon slowly nodded.

“Of course. Whenever you’re ready.”

Leon didn’t say anything more and helped her put on her clothes before starting to get dressed himself.

Once Leon had finished putting on his armor as well, they were ready to leave the cave.

With a quiet expression, she folded the blanket and organized the baskets before looking around the cave.

Although until not long ago, she hadn’t even been aware that it was real. But this place, even if the memories weren’t good, was where the first memories of her life had begun.

Her mother, who was always crying or afraid. Perhaps her mother had wanted to end her days here instead.

Suddenly, that thought occurred to her. That her mother had probably left this place because of Kasha.

She couldn’t keep little Kasha confined to the cave every day as she grew up, and in the end, they had been chased by magical beasts because Kasha had gone out and wandered around.

If it hadn’t been for Kasha, perhaps her mother would have quietly passed away in this cave. Maybe that was all she had wanted, having always been unhappy wherever she was.

‘If that’s the case, maybe I shouldn’t resent you anymore.’

Kasha whispered inwardly.

She had always thought, if only her mother had been normal. If she hadn’t been a crazy person and had taught her magic properly, and had taught her to live with her head held high. Maybe then her life would have been different.

But in fact, maybe her mother had done her best for Kasha before leaving.

How unhappy must her life have been for her to walk into this insane world crawling with magical beasts of her own accord?

Maybe she had reluctantly lived on in this world she had no attachment to solely for Kasha’s sake. Even if it was only for 12 years, maybe she had protected her daughter with all her might before leaving.

‘Thank you. And I’m sorry.’

Kasha inwardly uttered words she had never said to her mother before.

‘For only realizing now… that it’s thanks to you enduring like that that I’m alive.’

Although her life after her mother left had also been a mess, somehow she had turned back time and survived like this again.

‘And so, now I’m in love with this wonderful man and living the life I want. I won’t let myself be taken advantage of like a fool anymore.’

The cave, with its gaping black mouth, seemed to be silently listening to her thoughts.

‘So rest in peace now. My poor mother, Camilla Ephrine.’

As if sensing what she was thinking, Leon’s warm hand patted her shoulder.

Outside the cave, magical beasts were probably still running rampant, but she was no longer afraid. With her shoulders straight and holding Leon’s hand, Kasha stepped out under the blood-red sky.

Of course, just because she wasn’t afraid didn’t mean everything went smoothly after that.

Slash!

Kwaaaaak! Thud!

“What should we do, Leon?”

“They’re persistently stubborn creatures.”

Leon gritted his teeth.

He was in the middle of cutting down a sixth magical beast that looked like a bald eagle.

It wasn’t easy to properly deal with them as they flew swiftly through the air, exposing their red and hideous flesh.

Darkness was descending before they knew it. They had to get out of this forest before nightfall.

Just in case, they had returned to the place where they first entered the barrier, but no matter how much they searched, the barrier stone that would let them out was nowhere to be seen.

Kyaaaa, kwaaaak!

Watching the huge magical beast’s claw that Leon had slashed graze his shoulder, Kasha felt a heart-scorching impatience.

She absolutely couldn’t bear to see him in danger again. Leon seemed more energetic than ever, but even he couldn’t endure forever.

At that moment, a desperate thought flared up in her heart.

‘I want to get out of here. We have to get out no matter what!’

But as soon as she finished that thought, she saw a glinting object next to the rock where they had first hidden. The size of a palm. With a mysterious pattern carved on it.

‘It’s a barrier stone?’

It definitely hadn’t been there when they had searched thoroughly a little while ago. Kasha bit her lip in confusion.

‘Could it be… reacting to my will to leave this place?’

But how could such a thing be possible?

There was no time to even sort out her thoughts. More and more magical beasts were gathering from somewhere, increasing in numbers.

“Leon, over there. There’s a barrier stone over there!”

At her cry, Leon looked back. Already drenched in sweat, he looked in the direction Kasha was pointing and lifted the corners of his mouth.

“As expected. I knew you would find it.”

Scattering drops of sweat, he cut off the head of a magical beast with a single stroke and grabbed Kasha’s hand, shouting,

“Let’s go!”

Kasha also started running without hesitation. Dozens of magical beasts followed behind them like hellish demons, opening their mouths, but they didn’t slow down in the slightest.

Finally, their feet stepped on the boundary stone at the same time.

Flash!

In the bursting light, they faced each other.

There was not a hint of fear in each other’s eyes. Rather, they were smiling.

As long as they had the warmth of the hands they were holding now, nothing would be a problem.

Thinking that, they closed their eyes once and opened them again, and a completely different scenery from before greeted them.

“This is…”

It was the place at the village entrance where they had first stepped on the barrier stone two days ago.

Glancing down at their feet, the barrier stone they had stepped on had disappeared at some point.

The air that had instantly become refreshingly clean, the fresh sensation of the grass brushing their ankles, the stars beginning to twinkle in the sky above as dusk fell.

However, not everything was the same as before they entered the barrier.

Soldiers in armor were wandering around the forest here and there. Knights on horseback could also be seen sporadically through the trees.

The problem was that the armor these people were wearing was unfamiliar. They were not the castle knights they had parted with two days ago.

“Huh, what?”

Shing!

“Who are you? Where did you suddenly appear from? You there, reveal your identity!”

Leon and Kasha took a small step back, seeing the blades suddenly pointed at them.

A young soldier with a pale face, startled by their sudden appearance from the darkness, pointed his sword at them in a panic.

Judging by the trembling of the hand gripping the sword hilt, he was a novice who hadn’t held a sword for long. He wasn’t an opponent who would pose a threat to Leon, but Leon silently refrained from responding for now, as if to watch the situation.

“What’s going on?”

A loud shout was heard from the forest a short distance away.

“Pe-people suddenly appeared in front of me!”

“What kind of nonsense is that? Wilbur, you got scared and saw things again?”

“B-but it’s true, Sir Hansen!”

“You really… If you’re spouting nonsense again, be prepared to stand night watch for the next 3 days.”

A knight on horseback began approaching from over there.

Leon quickly surveyed the surroundings and pulled Kasha’s hand.

“Let’s hide for now. After we assess the situation−”

“Wait a moment.”

Then Kasha stopped him, shaking her head.

“Kasha?”

“I don’t think we need to hide.”

Kasha said with a tense expression, looking at the knight approaching them.

“What do you mean?”

Only then did Leon narrow his eyes and scrutinize the knight on the black horse. His expression gradually softened.

“Indeed, you’re right.”

He muttered that with a faint smile.

And they weren’t the only ones who were relieved.

“Oh my, could it be Lady Kasha? And is that Sir Leon beside you?”

The knight who had come close jumped off his horse in a fluster and ran to them.

“…I’m Kasha Lyuschino. And this is indeed Sir Leon.”

Kasha replied softly, keeping her body straight.

Despite her attire being a mess, covered in dirt and blood and torn here and there, a distinct dignity could be felt in her voice. Upon hearing it, the knight suddenly knelt down on one knee with a thud. The huge man even began to pretend to cry.

“My lady! You’re safe! What a relief! We thought we were really going to die at the hands of the count and be damned for ten years!”

“…?”

“When the count heard the news that you had disappeared like that! You can’t imagine how shocked he was! He immediately brought a whole unit up the mountain! Searching the mountain all day, really…”

“You talk too much, Hansen.”

Then, at the voice that suddenly penetrated the darkness, Sir Hansen, as he was called, flinched and hastily stood up.

“M-my apologies, my lord.”

Clatter!

A group on horseback rapidly approached them through the dark forest. Sitting on the white horse at the forefront was a middle-aged man who exuded a terrifying aura at a glance.

Red hair streaked with white here and there, and green eyes. Tanned skin, and a sturdy physique no different from a young man’s despite being middle-aged.

Recognizing him, Leon turned to look at Kasha. Kasha’s expression was noticeably tense.

‘That’s right. Count Lyuschino.’

The Guardian of the North. The Emperor’s Shield. The head of the Lyuschino family of the Red Bull, Malik Lyuschino.

“If you’ve found my daughter, reporting immediately should be the first thing to do.”

A low voice calmly broke the silence.