He sensed someone following him and was reminded of the situation at the time. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Evenel the truth. It wasn’t for Davian that he had stepped in, but rather to save her the trouble of taking off her shoes.

So, strictly speaking, it was for Evenel’s sake, not Davian’s.

Watching Shuher walk ahead, his back to her, Evenel suddenly had this thought. So, breaking her silent vow, she spoke.

“It seems you have gained a little bit of faith in me.”

Shuher stopped, but this time there was some distance between them, so there was no collision. She slowly walked to stand beside him, stopping as well.

His gaze was more serious now, and Evenel met it calmly with her own eyes. “Are you going to say that’s presumptuous of me?”

“If so.”

“Then you’re too late. You showed your back to me while walking ahead, even when I had a gun. A loaded gun, at that.”

Though there were only two bullets, so pulling the trigger wouldn’t fire them immediately, it was reason enough for caution. Still, he had confidently shown her his back.

“Doesn’t that mean you trust me to some extent?”

Especially on this sparsely populated night. In a situation where no one knew what could happen next.

Thinking about it, Evenel felt a strange emotion looking at his broad back. Could it be that, without even realizing it, Shuher had come to acknowledge her?

Until she spoke, Shuher hadn’t been aware of his own actions. Even though it was a situation where he should be cautious, he had naturally shown his back to her.

“You’re not saying ‘no’ this time.”

When she had asked about matters related to Davian, he had instantly rejected her, but now he neither confirmed nor denied, and Evenel wore a pleased smile.

“You shouldn’t get too excited.”

Feeling like she had seen through him, Shuher deliberately spoke more roughly. Inside, conflicting emotions about her clashed strongly.
Evenel, both the enemy and the savior of Karies.

It seemed as if two irreconcilable words were emanating from her.

“I’ll take that as advice. But let’s make one thing clear now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“From now on, the choice is mine.”

He instantly understood the meaning of her words. Just as she had chosen to stay here, she would also choose to leave according to her own will. Audaciously, she was now trying to stand on equal ground with him.

“Is this a threat?”

“Consider it a confirmation. As of now, I want to stay here. But as you know, human affairs are unpredictable.”

“So you’re saying your feelings might change.”

“Exactly. Human emotions can change in a very short period of time.”

Evenel couldn’t guarantee that this decision wouldn’t change. That’s why she wanted to nail that part down.

Shuher felt rather relieved that she was straightforward. It was far better than her hiding her true intentions.

“You do know that what I said applies to you as well, right?”

Shuher, too, could change his mind in any direction. Of course, he couldn’t be entirely sure that would happen.

An impulse to ruffle her confident expression suddenly surged within him. So, he grabbed Evenel’s wrist and yanked her toward him.

In an instant, Evenel’s face was filled with bewilderment as she was almost pulled into him. She tried to pull her trapped wrist away, but couldn’t escape his strong grip.

Then a dangerously low voice reached her ears.

“Remember this well. Once you’re in my grasp, you’re not getting away, Evenel.”

Lifted by the voice that seemed to penetrate the depths of her soul, Evenel slowly lifted her head to look at him. The moment she met his inscrutable dark eyes, she froze.

‘Too close.’

His hand on her wrist felt strangely hot, and unlike before, she couldn’t move. Shuher’s softly uttered name seemed to keep ringing in her ears.

Her heart beat slightly faster than before, but it wasn’t because she was afraid of him in front of her.

Regaining her senses belatedly, Evenel pushed Shuher away. Despite not using much force, he stepped back willingly. She then touched her ear, where his breath had touched, as she tried to speak calmly.

“I’m not scared of such words anymore.”
Despite her words, a slight tremor was contained in her voice. Evenel hurriedly moved away, leaving him alone.

Her agitation was apparent even to Shuher’s eyes. A sense of inexplicable elation filled him, as if he had won a game. Then, watching her retreating back, he muttered under his breath.

“If you put it that way, the same goes for you.”

Even with Shuher holding a sword, under the same conditions, she showed her back to him without hesitation. Could it imply, conversely, that Evenel also trusted him?

The moment that thought crossed his mind, a soft smile formed at the corners of his mouth. Unnoticed in the darkness.