In the deep night, Sion Belfast opened his eyes.

At first, it was pitch black and nothing could be seen.

But as time passed, slowly, sensation began to return from the extremities of his body.

His narrow and dark field of vision gradually became accustomed to the darkness.

‘······A cave.’

Yes. It was a cave where he had barely escaped after being caught by the demon beast.

He tried to look around. But at the same time, the torn wound began to cry out in pain.

Sion suppressed a groan and slightly turned his head, but.

On his right side, towards the cave entrance, a small person was lying down.

The face of that person, turned towards him, was close to his own face.

‘Esther.’

Her silver hair reflecting the faint moonlight illuminated her face.

Tightly closed silver eyelashes, a small face, a curled-up body.

Behind her, a bonfire was burning. Thanks to that, it wasn’t cold.

Sion sensed it.

‘Esther. You saved me.’

He recalled the strange sensation that often returned even when he had lost consciousness.

Clearly, although his body couldn’t move, he could feel someone placing soft lips on the wound on his shoulder.

The more it was repeated, the deeper he fell into sleep.

‘Did she suck out the poison?’

Although it was his shoulder that hurt, his heart ached.

Quietly······ making excuses in his heart that his body was in pain, Sion continued to gaze at the sleeping Esther’s face.

Come to think of it, his throat wasn’t severely dry either.

Suddenly, he also recalled the breath that touched his lips.

‘Esther, did you perhaps give me water······.’

Sion closed his eyes and tried to remember that sensation. However, it was too much to recall even that. Because he had been unconscious.

He gazed at Esther endlessly.

How could her sleeping form be so fragile and pure, like a butterfly?

A beautiful silver butterfly that seemed it would fly far away if he tried to hold it in his hand.

At that moment, a cold wind rushed into the cave.

She stirred, curling up a little more. The thin clothes worn under her uniform were all that covered her.

‘!’

Only then did Sion notice the thick cloak and small uniform coat covering his body. They were her clothes.

‘Afraid I might be cold, for my sake.’

He lifted the wide cloak covering his body.

It was extremely fortunate that he could at least move his right arm.

He covered half of the cloak over her body.

He wanted to move closer, but feeling that strange thoughts might arise if he did, Sion distanced himself a little from her.

Covering with one cloak, he gazed at her.

As if warmed, she wriggled her small body and exhaled a low breath.

Sion continued to watch her like that.

At eight years old, after losing both parents, he had lived only as the ‘Shield of the Empire’.

He had to fight like it was war even in places that weren’t battlefields, with adults trying to kill him.

Lying next to someone in such a defenseless state was something he had never even imagined.

Suddenly, ridiculously, he felt grateful to the demon beast that had brought him here.

Sion wished in his heart that this night still had much time left.

For this moment, he wanted to be not the Duke of the North, the Shield of the Empire, but an ordinary human man, Sion Belfast.

He pulled the cloak, covering Esther so she could be a little warmer. Her small, soft breaths touched his shoulder.

He couldn’t fall asleep. Because it was so warm inside the cloak. Because it was her face that he wouldn’t be able to see after this night passed.

[This is the timeline separator]

A morning sunlight like a gentle breeze blew in.

I opened my eyes. And as soon as I woke up, I froze in shock.

Right in front of my face was the sleeping face of the Duke, curled up.

I blinked without realizing it.

‘I fell asleep next to Your Highness······.’

Then I realized there was a cloak covering me. Even sharing it with the Duke. I was startled once more and sat up.

But I quickly lay back down. Afraid of waking the Duke.

What would His Highness think if he woke up and saw me lying next to him?

Carefully, very stealthily, I came out from under the blanket. And leaned my back against the cave wall next to him.

I wanted to let him sleep more, as he was still in pain.

Sitting quietly, I examined the Duke’s face.

‘His color has returned. His breathing is steady.’

Thank goodness, really thank goodness.

I wanted to thank God.

The Duke was in a deep sleep. With a defenseless face like a child’s.

Suddenly I thought.

‘His sleeping face is so······ beautiful.’

And then I was surprised at myself for having such thoughts.

It’s an irreverent thought.

‘Esther. You are this person’s subject.’

Scolding myself, I carefully got up.

In the distance, I could see Bran still sleeping.

Fortunately. That he didn’t see me covered by the same cloak as the Duke.

But at that moment, Bran raised his body.

Startled, I quickly moved the edge of the cloak that was still on me towards the Duke’s side.

Fortunately, Bran didn’t seem to have seen that.

“Esther?”

“Oh, oh, Bran. Are you awake?”

Bran came closer, rubbing his swollen eyes with one hand.

“Is His Highness the Duke a little better?”

“Fortunately, his breathing has returned.”

“Really?! Thank goodness!”

Bran was genuinely delighted.

“But Esther, did you stay up all night? I tried not to sleep but ended up dozing off.”

“Huh? No. I slept too.”

Come to think of it, it was a very cold night, but warmth remains in my body. Not just sleeping, but the feeling of having slept very deeply and well.

I looked at the sleeping Duke once more.

‘Did I crawl into the cloak covering Your Highness?’

Bran said.

“You did well.”

He stretched out fully and looked outside the cave.

“We should return to the castle soon. So we can properly treat His Highness.”

“That’s right. But in his current state, moving him might strain him more.”

“The knights must be looking for us, right?”

“Yes, we should let them find us. Or we find them.”

“······That’s cool. Reassuring.”

I felt unnecessarily embarrassed at his words of admiration.

“Shall we wake His Highness?”

“No, let him sleep a little more for now. He’s in recovery.”

I quietly examined the sleeping Belfast’s face.

Bran gulped down the water collected in a stone bowl and came to my side. Then he sat down, leaning his head against the cave wall.

I refilled the bowl with water again.

“Esther.”

“Yes?”

“Will the castle be alright? That red caterpillar fellow······ did it really escape?”

I had completely forgotten about the caterpillar.

A sigh came out involuntarily.

“Who knows. I hope not.”

“Not showing up on the transfer stone means it got out of the prison, right?”

“Probably.”

I didn’t want to admit it, but probably.

“Nothing bad will happen at the castle, right? If something does······ what should we do.”

Bran’s face was instantly filled with worry.

He’s concerned about the distant castle, not the knights on the nearby walls.

Suddenly, a question arose.

“Is there someone you’re worried about?”

“!”

“If it did escape, that red caterpillar, that fellow is an assassin. Someone might have been hurt.”

I bit my lip.

I hope not, but we have to face it calmly.

“An assassin?”

Bran’s voice trembled.

“Yes. I hope Yora is alright.”

It doesn’t matter if we don’t catch the caterpillar, I just hope my people aren’t hurt. And the head maid Rewine too.

I recalled giving my vision stone to her.

Before coming here, I activated the vision stone. And I entrusted it to the head maid.

I asked her to record everything she shows from now on with this stone, to leave evidence if anything happens.

I made this request thinking there was no one who knew the Northern Duke’s Castle as well as the head maid.

But was it the right thing to do?

I hope she hasn’t been put in danger.

“Hey······. Will Lady Julia be alright? Since she’s confined to her room, she should be safe even if that thing went on a rampage, right?”

At Bran’s sudden words, I looked at him.

“Julia Nugent?”

“Yes, Lady Nugent.”

Bran let out a long sigh, that always bright Bran Ophilit.

“Bran.”

“Yes?”

“Do you perhaps like the young lady?”

“Wh-what? Hey, wh-what are you saying all of a sudden?”

He’s very flustered at the words I asked just in case.

‘Does he like her?’

It’s something I never even imagined.

But suddenly Bran became sulky.

“What’s with that expression? Are you thinking I’m overreaching?”

“Bran.”

“Sorry.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

“?”

“I’m glad, Bran.”

“About what. What are you saying?”

“······.”

“What do you mean? Sometimes you say things I can’t understand, you know?”

“Liking someone means a new future is created, so I’m glad. That such a future has been created for you too.”

“······Future?”

“Yes, future.”

I’m glad, Bran.

I’m really glad I came back and met you again.

I’m happy to know that you might have another tomorrow. Although I’m a bit concerned that it’s Julia.

Bran sniffled awkwardly.

“It’s not a future that suddenly appeared. I’ve······ liked her for a long time.”

He trailed off at the end of his words.

I turned to look at the sleeping Duke.

‘Sleep well, Your Highness. Still······ it seems small hopes are blooming.’

Julia from the previous life was probably an unloved woman.

But in this life, Bran is alive. Perhaps the future of the Duke and Julia won’t be as tragic as in the past life.

‘I’m glad, really.’

“Bran, we need to find our people.”

I said energetically.

His eyes widened.

“How? Do you know where they are?”

“They’ll be looking for us. So let’s let them know we’re here. It’ll be quite a noisy method though.”

Meanwhile, the stone bowl was filled with clean water again.

Leaving Bran curious about the method, I once again held cold water in my mouth. Then I swallowed that water.

‘He might be more conscious than yesterday.’

I carefully brought the bowl to the Duke’s lips. And slowly poured in the water.

But he drank the water.

‘Thank goodness.’

I see hope for myself too.

“Bran, he might wake up soon! I’ll go up the mountain and be right back, so put water in his mouth. Carefully, okay?”

“Leave it to me!”

Bran nodded vigorously.

[This is the timeline separator]

I hurriedly climbed to the top of the rocky mountain.

Below, an endless expanse of vast land spread out. Fortunately, no demon beasts were visible in the surroundings.

I drew my sword from its sheath.

‘If they can’t find us, we’ll make them find us.’

The summit of the rocky mountain was not as pointed as I thought, but rather close to a wide flat ground.

I went to the edge of the flat ground, as far away as possible from the cave where the Duke was.

‘The vibrations shouldn’t travel too much from here.’

I told Bran to protect the Duke with his whole body if anything happens.

I infused the sword with sword energy.

About four times longer than usual, the iron sword lengthened.

With all my might, I thrust the sword into the edge of the flat ground, at the bottom of the cliff.

One corner of the huge rocky mountain began to crumble. Slowly but steadily, making a huge rumbling sound.

‘Please, if you see this, come find us.’

I quickly returned to the cave.

[This is the timeline separator]

When I returned······ the Duke was awake.

Leaning against the cave wall, he smiled at me like sunshine when he saw me. It was a warm and beautiful smile.

Ah······.

I couldn’t run straight to him and stood at the entrance of the cave.

With what words, with what face should I welcome this person?

The Duke spoke.

“Thank you, Esther. Are you alright?”

“Are you alright, Your Highness?”

He was the one who was in pain, yet he asks if I’m okay. I felt like crying but also laughing at the same time.

“Now that I see you like this, I’m fine too.”

I ended up smiling brightly.

Then he smiled brightly too, towards me. More radiantly than any smile I had ever seen.

For the first time, I saw Sion Belfast smiling like that.

I slowly approached the Duke.