Jade did not know Ollie’s feelings and just had a worried expression.

“Is your cough still severe? I’ve already made some cough medicine! I’ll give it to you when you leave, so please drink it with warm water.”

“You’re so kind-hearted… Too good for anyone. Anyway, why did you ask if Axel is honest?”

Jade rubbed the bridge of her nose and shook her head.

“It was nothing. When you’re alone, you tend to have a lot of useless thoughts.”

It was her role to judge him. There was no need to borrow the perspectives of others.

Even if Ollie knew Axel well, sometimes even the closest people don’t know certain aspects.

Axel was secretly affectionate and definitely honest, so if she had been annoying while drunk, he would have scolded her immediately the next day.

He really just went to hunt a bear. He’ll be back soon.

“Alright. Come to my house tomorrow and help me with some work.”

“I will. Thank you for the soup!”

“It’s nothing.”

Ollie left, walking briskly with her hands behind her back. Jade watched her leave and then stood up solemnly.

It’s a waste of time to just have useless thoughts. Since I’ve had breakfast, I should tidy up the front yard and gather some broken branches. It’s a shame to keep using only high-quality firewood!

But the worries continued even after that.

Jade went outside and kept pondering endlessly while gathering branches broken by the strong wind into her basket.

Did I do something wrong? Was I annoying? Did I fiddle with his hands without permission?

“No, why am I worrying about this? He left hurriedly in the morning to hunt a bear! What bear takes this long to catch!”

She shouted like that, but then sat down and groaned.

“Blake clearly said I don’t get drunk and act up…”

Her limited social circle prevented her from making many assumptions.

She didn’t have time to attend the academy, or rather, she didn’t have the luxury, so she had few friends. She thought such relationships were a luxury because yesterday’s colleague could become tomorrow’s enemy.

But looking at it from another angle, it meant she didn’t have the opportunity to honestly clash with someone emotionally and develop.

Jade didn’t fully trust even Blake, whom she could barely call a friend. The outside world was that cold. It was like that even though technological advancements always kept her room warm.

But this forest was different. She didn’t feel cold even with just one fireplace. It was because the caring hearts for each other were affectionate.

The gloves Nina personally knitted were affectionate, the honey Pavel filled to the brim was affectionate, and the food Ollie personally cooked was affectionate.

So it’s not strange that these people are in this forest. It wasn’t odd that warm people couldn’t endure the cold outside.

However, Jade clearly thought something was strange. None other than herself.

Unlike the beginning, it didn’t seem like she would be driven out now. Even if not part of the ‘gang’ Nina mentioned, Axel trusted Jade. That’s why he entrusted her with the key, right? To protect this space while he was gone.

Then why was she worrying so much about whether he was angry or upset? Why am I?

“Because we’re friends…”

She mumbled as if making an excuse to the passing wind. It’s because I hope my friend isn’t angry.

Thinking like that made it seem right again. Jade tilted her head, watching an ant passing by her feet.

Every time she moved, the razulite he gave her clinked against the key he entrusted her with in her pocket. It was a sound that only added to her worries.

Looking down, the basket wasn’t even half full of dry branches. Considering the branches scattered by the strong wind, it was the worst efficiency compared to the time spent.

Scratching her head, Jade thought she’d ponder over it in front of the fireplace in the evening.

Winter days were very short and nights were long. There was plenty of time to fall into stupid thoughts again.

How leisurely.

She felt like the fierce days outside were fading away like a desert mirage. It felt like a past before she was even born.

But it seemed God had no intention of abandoning Jade, who was a favored child among magicians, in a forest beyond His reach.

Finally, as Jade stood up after filling the basket completely, she felt a weak vibration transmitted through her feet.

At first, it was so faint that it didn’t seem worth paying attention to.

But the amplitude of the vibration kept growing, and finally, the sound of horse hooves striking the ground heavily echoed around.

The unidentified group was advancing, breaking the thin ice that had frozen on the ground.

However, it couldn’t be Axel. Judging by the irregularly transmitted vibrations, there were at least five running horses.

Startled, Jade quickly tried to run to the house. Not knowing who they were, she judged that she should observe the situation from inside first.

But before she could take a few steps, they spotted her first.

“Lady Jade!”

Jade turned her head. Someone had jumped off a horse and was running towards her urgently. She stupidly just gripped the basket handle tightly.

It took a while before she remembered the name of the person running towards her. It was Bernard, who used to work as her assistant.

“Oh my, you’re safe! Thank God. Hurry, we need to leave before the path changes.”

“What?”

Bernard urgently grabbed her shoulder and pulled her.

“Hurry! I said the path will change soon. My goodness, it’s really lucky we met you here. Hurry up and move!”

Branches fell from the basket she was holding in her arms.

Only after hearing that sound did she come to her senses. Ah, I’m not Jade of the Athanase Forest, but…

“Jade Broen!”

I was Jade of the Broen territory.

“L-Lady Jade. Why are you acting like this? Are you not feeling well?”

“Perhaps you have a fever.”

“What’s with this rustic hat? Who on earth gave you such a hat? They must be blind. Anyway, we don’t have much time. We got a bit lost on the way here…”

“Why did you come here?”

Jade frowned as she looked at the young-faced magician, Rigel Hias.

“Magicians are useless in the Athanase Forest. You’re even worse at physical activities than me and can’t even ride a horse.”

The young man who came to rescue her and unexpectedly received honest criticism blushed. His pale and thin cheeks turned bright red.

“This is too much! Who brought all these knights here! We didn’t leave many suitable knights in the territory for Lady Jade to use… This cursed forest. Damn, we’d better leave quickly. This place is truly the worst for magicians.”

Jade suddenly came to her senses.

“No, no. I can’t leave right now.”

She had been so desperate to leave before, but now she was suddenly angry at the people who came to find her.

If only they had waited a little longer, I would have left on my own, after I was mentally prepared, after meeting with the merchant!

Why now? Axel isn’t here right now. There’s no one to protect the house!

Someone should be here to welcome him warmly when he returns. He might be lonely. He might be surprised if I’m not here.

But these words could never leave her mouth. This wasn’t something they would understand. No, even she could hardly understand it.

“Lady Jade, what nonsense is this? Are you really out of your mind with fever? Your unruly relatives are causing a commotion outside. It’s the kind of vulgar behavior you’d never see from the House of Hias.”

Rigel’s tone, unclear whether it was concern or sarcasm, remained the same. Bernard quickly interjected.

“Lady Jade, you don’t know how hard we’ve searched this forest. Anyway, according to the merchant, the paths change very frequently in midwinter. Fortunately, today the air currents are stable, so it’s a bit better…”

Then a weathered man who appeared to be the merchant hesitantly cut in.

“Um, we only have about three or four hours left. As I said, I’ll leave when the time comes…”

Bernard beat his chest. For a man who generally acted calmly, it was an extremely intense reaction.

“Lady Jade! We must go!”

Jade could feel the heavy key and razulite hanging in her pocket. At the same time, she met the gaze of many people looking at her.

Even excluding Bernard, Rigel, and the merchant, there were a few people whose faces she could barely glimpse behind the unnamed knights, whom she had personally brought to the Broen family.

Reliable people she had barely managed to bring in, avoiding interference from her relatives.

They must have been very surprised when Jade disappeared. Because she had asked them to do their best for the development of the Broen territory, trusting in her.

But in the castle where Jade Broen had vanished, they would have been the first targets for expulsion.

Nevertheless, they had participated in the search, holding onto the hope that she was still alive, and came all the way here, only to meet Jade Broen saying she couldn’t leave, looking dazed.

She couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Even so, Jade didn’t want to leave right now.

“If you have any luggage, please gather it quickly. Hurry.”

Bernard pleaded with an anxious voice. Rigel urged her with furrowed brows.

“Come to your senses! Hey, Bunny. Did you take some kind of drug? This wretched forest probably has a lot of poisonous herbs, you know.”

“It’s not Bunny, it’s Bernard. And please don’t say such things!”

Amidst all the commotion, Jade felt as if her feet were floating. She didn’t feel like she was touching the ground.

In this farcical situation, she felt detached from reality, as if she had become a spectator.

Then she faintly heard the sound of footsteps treading on soil. The sound of sand grains crumbling. A sound unsuited to snow-covered ground.

The path where the ice had been cleared led to Ollie’s house. Jade turned her head.