The darkened mountain landscape was weighed down by a chill colder than usual.

The mountain air was cool like winter, and the dew clinging to some trees hurriedly fell as if trying to hide its presence.

Though it was still summer, the gate guards standing watch in the dawn dew wore thick coats as they gazed into the distance.

“It’s eerie.”

A guard who had been assigned here not long ago rubbed his arms.

Unaccustomed to such cold in midsummer, his clothes were not as thick as the other members’.

The squad leader, writing the log for the upcoming shift change, glanced at the newcomer’s face and chuckled.

He was just 20 years old, wasn’t he? The face of the rookie who had just completed training and been assigned here was youthful.

“Your first assignment being here. You must be quite unlucky.”

“No, sir. I volunteered to come here.”

“Here? Why?”

“Why else? There’s a rumor that the gate guard is the easiest post to serve, so it has the highest competition.”

One of the senior guards standing watch nearby chimed in with an explanation.

The squad leader nodded with a short exclamation of understanding, but it soon ended in a faint sigh. As if that wasn’t enough, he even clicked his tongue.

What an unlucky lad. Of all times to choose, it had to be now.

Rumors were rampant that war would soon break out. It would be fortunate if it ended at rumors, but many said this time the rumors wouldn’t just be rumors.

As if to prove it, the Benar family had been charged with treason, their assets confiscated, and that money was being used to purchase food and clothing.

If war broke out, this First Gate would be the first to fall.

They would try to defend it, but in the end, this fortress was designed to be breached.

It was a given that all the guards defending such a fortress would ultimately die.

“Until last year, competition was high here, but a few months ago it fell short due to rumors of war. I applied without knowing, thinking it was great…”

Though he felt sorry for the friend who had applied to such a place, a person’s life is unpredictable.

If war didn’t break out, it would be the best choice, but what were the odds of that?

As the squad leader clicked his tongue and shook his head, he turned his gaze back to writing the log when he noticed a shadow flickering in the distance.

“What’s that?”

At his words, the guards’ eyes fixed on the end of the road.

A red light hung in the air. The squad leader frowned silently at the light, then after assessing the situation, he quickly ran to grasp the bell rope.

“Wait a moment!”

The rookie’s urgent voice pierced the squad leader’s ear as he tensed, about to ring the bell at any moment.

The squad leader turned his head as the rookie stepped forward, narrowing his eyes.

“It’s a person. Looks like just one…”

His voice flowed coldly in the tense atmosphere. As they swallowed and strained to make out the face of the approaching person, the light wavered and the face of the approaching figure came into focus.

“Open, open the gate.”

It was then that the squad leader’s voice, still gripping the bell rope, was heard.

“Hurry and open the gate!”

His voice burst out roughly again among the guards who had been staring blankly at the scene.

At the same time, the guards, coming to their senses, hurriedly opened the gate. With the sound of the gate opening, the approaching light was suddenly within reach.

A man running while relying on a single torch. Benjamin, covered in blood, passed through the gate with a grim expression.

The door opened quietly in the deep darkness. The rainy night scenery was pitch black in every direction.

The only sound striking the ears was the noise of the pouring rain.

Unable to see or hear anything, Ludmila bit her lip hard at the loneliness of feeling like her home had become a deserted island.

As if denying that emotion, Ludmila held up the lamp high, casting light into the darkness.

But Aden was nowhere to be found within the radius where the building’s roof and awnings blocked the rain.

With the umbrella still leaning against the wall, Ludmila felt confused.

Surely he hadn’t left without a word? She thought it unlikely with two days still remaining, but recalling the tidy state of the room, she suddenly felt empty.

Though she had clearly wished for him to leave, now thinking Aden had gone, an indescribable emotion washed over her.

How could he leave like this? The unexpressed feelings pooled inside, turning to resentment, but only for a moment.

She had no right to think or say such things. This situation was no different from her leaving Aden.

Thinking she had no right to blame or resent Aden, she merely gripped the lamp handle tighter.

“Ludmila?”

It was then that a soft voice came through the sound of rain.

Startled, Ludmila quickly turned and held the lamp up to the darkness. Standing there was Aden, whom she thought had left.

Ludmila’s eyes wavered at the sight of him standing in the rain without an umbrella.

“What on earth are you…”

Ludmila, staring blankly at him with bewildered eyes, slowly began to speak but quickly opened an umbrella for him.

As she approached Aden and held the umbrella over him, his face became a bit clearer with the shortened distance.

“What are you doing out here? Not sleeping and getting soaked in the rain! And what’s that?!”

Worry, scolding, and questions. Her voice passed in an instant, and Aden, with dazed eyes, burst into laughter.

With no answer, only laughter, Ludmila’s eyes sharpened, and Aden obediently bowed his head.

“It seems I caused you worry. I’m sorry. I thought you were sleeping.”

“It’s not worry, this is…!”

Frowning as she shouted, Ludmila hesitated as if realizing something.

As Aden tilted his head, smiling quietly, Ludmila bit her lip hard.

“…I meant that if you were going to leave, I wanted you to at least say something before going. I know I don’t have the right, but I still want to say goodbye.”

How ridiculous and detestable you are, Ludmila.

Not having done so yourself, yet expecting it of Aden.

Though she knew how selfish she was even to herself, her selfishness still ended up speaking out.

Silence fell. A midsummer night. The sound of rain hitting the umbrella and the humid air.

The cool scent of cologne and warmth of sweat from the man who had been who knows where. And the relationship between that man and herself.

Not one thing was pleasant. What exactly was she doing here with Aden?

Their undefined relationship, flowing day by day, sank Ludmila into endless confusion.

“I’ll do that. I promise.”

Ludmila raised her head at the voice coming through the stillness. In the darkness, clear golden eyes held a calm smile.

“When I leave, I’ll say goodbye before going. So you don’t need to make that expression.”

Quietly stroking her head, Aden’s eyes silently gazed at Ludmila as her lips parted again, but in the end she couldn’t say anything.

Just waiting for the night to deepen, buried in the sound of rain.

Ludmila simply nodded silently.

The rain that had fallen all night stopped around dawn.

Unable to fall properly asleep, tossing and turning, Ludmila finally had to get up early at the sound of birds outside the window.

With a tired face, she sighed with her hand on her forehead, then sighed again seeing her disheveled appearance in the bathroom she’d entered to wash up quickly.

The events of the night, just hours ago, were making her state of mind even more complicated.

What exactly did she want to do with Aden?

The man’s proposal.

Though she could have ignored it and driven him away if she’d been forceful, she hadn’t done so and had accepted everything.

In the end, this situation wasn’t anyone else’s fault. It was her own. The result she herself had created.

Ludmila washed her face repeatedly, but unable to shake off her unresolved worries, she finally gave up and undressed to enter the bathtub.

Maybe she’d feel better after washing up a bit. Watching the water fall as she turned on the faucet, Ludmila quietly closed her eyes.

By the time Ludmila, her wet hair dried, stepped onto the stairs, the sun had just fully risen.

Did I wash for too long? The checkered shadow cast by sunlight streaming through the window made Ludmila feel even more rushed.

“I’m sorry, Aden. I’ll make breakfast right…”

As Ludmila, tying up her hair, hurriedly came down apologizing and about to continue speaking, a sweet scent brushing her nose cut off her words.

Heat could be felt from the kitchen. Moreover, a person’s figure came into view.

“Aden? What are you doing there?”

The large man turned around, wearing an apron that didn’t fit his body.

Blinking at the incongruous sight, Ludmila asked blankly, and Aden slightly raised the corners of his mouth as he held out the pan he was holding.

The vegetables she had prepared in advance to eat this morning were appetizingly stir-fried.

“I’ll give you breakfast, so sit there.”

“What on earth…”

As Ludmila stood silently, seemingly at a loss for words in confusion, Aden led her to sit at the table.

After personally placing cutlery in her hand, Aden neatly plated the food and brought it over.

Steaming vegetable stir-fry with wisps of white vapor rising, soup beside it, and even bread baked yesterday.

As she silently looked at the ordinary meal, Aden took off his apron and rummaged in the wall to take out a toolbox.

While feeling confused about how he knew there was a toolbox there, he promptly turned and headed for the backyard.

To where the broken fence was.