Normally, Cloé would have been busy asking about the meaning, but today she fell silent for some reason.

It wasn’t a new signal indicating rejection. Instead of hesitating, Cloé decisively took his hand.

While she kept her hand inside her coat, his hand, left exposed to the wind, felt as cold as ice. The perpetually strong man seemed susceptible to the cold, and his hand was chilling like ice.

Strange.

Her palm was only touched by the cold, yet the reason her heart warmed up remained unclear.

Lost in a maze where the answer couldn’t be easily found, she realized when Koon’s hand became slightly warmer.

His consideration, a small sacrifice, tickled Cloé’s heart.

The first thing she learned was how to shoot a bow. Among them, she began with the most fundamental part, posture education.
Explaining passionately with words had its limitations when it came to things that were not visible. Therefore, Koon decided to demonstrate first.

He slowly connected the movements from holding the bow to pulling the arrow for demonstration.

Even for a novice like Cloé, his posture was neat. Straight back, focused gaze, and the arm pulling the bow and the arrow extended in a straight line.

The arrow, released by a flick of his fingers, flew straight, hitting a tree precisely in the center.

“Like this.”

In fact, Cloé was too impressed to concentrate properly.

Koon, realizing this, lightly tapped her forehead. It was a signal to focus.

He decided to show it once more and took out another arrow. This time, he explained the movements with force, breaking down the actions rigidly. As she examined it slowly, the unfamiliar movements gradually became familiar.

Cloé, who was clumsily imitating Koon’s movements beside him, inadvertently released the bow forward.

They ended up going into action. Recalling the demonstration she had seen a little while ago, Cloé began to mimic the posture awkwardly.

“Ugh…”

“Spread your legs about as wide as your shoulders.”

For a moment, a gentle voice infiltrated Cloé’s ears.

“After nocking the arrow, lift the shoulders evenly until they are horizontal.”

His restrained touch corrected her posture. Thanks to it, her sloppy posture gradually improved.

“After that, place the hand near the chin and keep your gaze fixed on the target.”

His hand, which touched her body with a firm grip, felt impure. The thick knuckles brushing against her skin emitted desire.

Although it was supposed to be for educational purposes, it was a bit…

‘Close.’

Close.

His body next to hers, his warm breath wandering in her ears.

Everything was intimate.

“Let’s see it properly.”

Due to embarrassment and ticklish feelings, Cloé tilted her head slightly. The warmth of her opponent returned threateningly as her posture wavered.

“Hmm?”

“…”

“Since it’s training now.”

He spoke as if he sensed Cloé’s fleeting thoughts. However, the strength of the grip holding her became even firmer.

Cloé hastily pulled the bowstring. Feeling pressed, she forgot her fear and shot the arrow recklessly.

And as a result, the arrow fell after traveling only a short distance.

“Huh?”

Very weakly.

Now, there would be no more weaknesses of a beginner fearing failure. After experiencing a fall, Cloé’s enthusiasm surpassed it.

She corrected her posture diligently while pulling the bowstring without an arrow. Later on, she succeeded in hitting the tree without arrows. Adjusting the arrow in the desired direction might still be challenging, but with diligent practice, she would achieve it someday.

A momentary cold liquid fell onto Cloé’s cheek as she observed the target discreetly. Soon, drops of water began to pour onto the ground.

“It’s raining.”
Koon sighed briefly and recited with a firm voice. Although his tone was stern, his hand wiping away the moisture on Cloé’s face was gentle.

“What should we do… Shall we go back?”

“Going back might be difficult.”

The raindrops falling steadily indicated that it wasn’t just a light shower. Soon, thicker and more resolute rain would greet them.

Returning to the palace with Cloé through the rain was unrealistic. She might slip off the horse, or they could be caught in the damp stream of water.

Come to think of it, there was a stream near the forest. If they followed that path, there was a cave where they could hide until the rain stopped.

Koon, who packed their belongings, placed Cloé on the horse. After draping his own robe over her, he quickly lowered the reins.

Fortunately, the cave wasn’t far away. By the time the rain intensified, they reached their destination.

The horse was left waiting at the entrance of the cave, where the ceiling was relatively high. The two decided to go a bit further inside for some rest.

Bending slightly at the waist, they walked into the cave, and the damp, echoing interior welcomed them.

Koon tried to start a fire using a branch he quickly gathered. However, perhaps due to the rain, the wood, soaked and stubborn, didn’t respond to his efforts.

“Since Koon must be tired, let’s sit down for now… Cough.”

As Cloé, holding onto his clothes, suggested a break, a cough escaped from her small mouth. It escalated to sneezes, clearly indicating her discomfort.

Koon, with a stern face, promptly untied his shirt. He effortlessly wrung out the moisture from the shirt and then placed it on Cloé’s chest.

“…Koon?”

As a result, the man before her was now shirtless, leaving him in a semi-naked state.