“…”

Unlike Irene, who had eyes like a rabbit, Carlos remained indifferent.

Feeling that she must have seemed strange for being surprised while looking at his expression, Irene lowered her gaze and asked, “Why… did you touch me?”

“This.”

As Carlos moved his hand as if to show something, Irene’s gaze naturally followed.

In Carlos’s hand was a maple leaf stained red.

“It was stuck to your neck.”

“Ah.”

Irene lowered her gaze again and wiped her neck.

While the other areas felt cold, the place where Carlos’s hand had touched was warm.

“If you had told me, I would have taken it off…”

“Do it next time.”

After Carlos sent the maple leaf flying in the wind, he reached out his hand.

Thinking he would naturally grab her, Irene instinctively shrunk her neck like a fawn.

“…”

When Carlos’s hand passed her, grabbing the reins, Irene bit her lip in surprise.

It was ridiculous to be the one waiting alone, drinking tea, while the one who had the snack line was not even dreaming.

“Look ahead. We’re getting separated.”

At the chilling advice, Irene quickly turned her head to look ahead.

Perhaps because of the recent incident, Carlos’s chest against her back felt more noticeable than before.

“…”

The awkward and uncomfortable silence between them was filled with tension.

There was no way to avoid their chests touching unless they lowered the reins, but Irene wanted to break this silence somehow.

After contemplating with her dry lips pressed against her tongue, Irene cautiously opened her mouth.

“I… I’m thinking of learning horseback riding too.”

Carlos, with Irene’s small head leaning against his chest, looked down and asked, “Why did you suddenly think of that?”

“Well… it seems like I’m causing trouble every time I ride a horse, bothering His Grace each time.”

“I’ve never thought of it as trouble.”

I do.

And riding with His Grace is uncomfortable.

Unable to say these words, Irene played with her fingertips, unable to utter the words she couldn’t say.

Although she brought up the horseback riding story to break the awkward silence, she secretly harbored a desire to learn.

But when Carlos appeared skeptical, Irene gave up.

“If you want to learn horseback riding, you can.”

However, unexpectedly getting permission, Irene turned to him with a slight surprise.

Carlos, looking directly into Irene’s eyes, warned her with a hint of caution.

“But you will never go out alone riding.”

After the horseback riding story ended, another breathless silence flowed.

Irene wanted to say something to break the silence, but fearing that the conversation might end up strange again like before, she couldn’t open her mouth willingly.

“Aren’t you curious where we are going?”

Then, unexpectedly, Carlos asked first.

Since she was curious where they were going, Irene nodded briskly.

“Yes. I’m curious. Where are we going?”
“We’ll first head to the square in the western part of the territory. Do you remember when the incense festival was held?”

“Of course.”

Irene had gone there during the incense festival, played darts, and received the mermaid’s tear hairpin as a prize. She couldn’t forget it.

“There is a shelter helping the residents of the territory who suffered from the demon riots. After confirming that it operates properly, we’ll go to ‘Solace.'”

“Solace, is that referring to the entertainment district?”

“You catch on quickly.”

To Irene’s ears, it sounded as if he knew something he shouldn’t, and she unintentionally tried to explain herself.

“I, I read it in a book. A street where places like bars and pleasure quarters are gathered is called Solace…”

“No need to make excuses.”

“…”

As Irene lost her words and closed her mouth, laughter was heard once again.

Feeling like she was being teased, Irene bit her lip in frustration. Then, a soft laughter sounded above her head.

It seems I’m right to be teased.

Although Irene felt a bit unfair to be teased just because Carlos knew the meaning of Solace, she was about to complain when Carlos continued his serious talk.

“There is also a shelter in that place. The goal of this inspection is to check if that shelter is operating properly and if there are any issues.”

“I see.”

She thought it would be an easy matter to go together, but it turned out to be more significant than she expected.

‘Is it really okay for me to accompany him?’

Irene worried that she might just be a hindrance.

The horse that had been running diligently stopped in front of an alley.

“We’ll walk from here.”

Carlos, who dismounted first, held Irene’s waist and helped her down.

The sensation of touching the ground with her feet, even for a moment, felt a bit unfamiliar.

Irene straightened her disheveled coat and looked around.

If it weren’t for the broken buildings here and there, the street was clean enough to not know that there had been demon riots.

There were no deep shadows on the faces of people walking back and forth on the street.

She worried about how people were struggling, but fortunately, it seemed okay.

“Wait here.”