‘It will get colder when night falls.’

Suddenly, as Alicia looked outside, she noticed the sun was already setting.

She needed to somehow keep him warm so his body temperature wouldn’t drop further, but for that she needed fire.

‘Eric said monsters appeared, but I haven’t seen any in here. Maybe they can’t enter this place.’

Even if there were monsters, Alicia’s deliberation wouldn’t have been short.

Right now, saving Eric was the priority, and in the worst case, she was prepared to use herself as bait to lure out the monsters.

‘With Eric’s sword, we can hold them off for a while. If we can just endure until he regains consciousness, we’ll manage somehow.’

Though anxious inside, Alicia tried to calm her unease with such thoughts.

Alicia carefully opened the door and went outside to gather some dry wood.

Fortunately, she also found a flint near the broken fireplace where she had first opened her eyes.

She placed the gathered branches near Eric and lit a fire.

Soon, warm air began to fill the inside.

‘He’s still pale.’

When she touched Eric’s face and neck, they were still cold.

‘What should I do?’

After contemplating, she began boiling water in the earthenware pot she had used earlier to fetch water.

It seemed a good idea to wipe his body with hot wet cloths.

[This is the timeline separator]

‘It’s warm.’

Though his whole body had been shivering from the cold just moments ago, Eric’s face relaxed as his body gradually warmed up.

His body still felt heavy and he wasn’t sure if he could move, but as his body temperature rose, Eric’s eyes slowly opened.

“!”

When Eric opened his eyes, he felt his breath catch at the sight of Alicia’s face close to his.

That wasn’t all.

‘Why am I undressed with Alicia like this?’

He felt dazed, either from not being fully awake or perhaps still dreaming.

Even so, he tried to think rationally.

Surprisingly, the answer came simply.

‘Ah, it’s a dream.’

It couldn’t be reality.

There was no way they would be like this here, with monsters roaming around.

Realistically, it was impossible.

Thinking that way, his mind became rather calm.

No, he thought he had become calm.

With Alicia looking down at him, her image burning into his eyes to the point his whole body felt hot, it was impossible to actually be calm from the start.

‘Since it’s a dream.’

Thinking that way, there was nothing to hold him back.

So Eric captured Alicia’s lips.

As her lips were drawn in and released, he pushed between her parted lips, wanting more.

With each entangled breath, his body grew hotter.

‘It’s not enough.’

Eric pressed Alicia more firmly against his body, exploring more forcefully inside and grasping the soft flesh nestled within.

‘Just a little more.’

Eric’s hand carefully caressed Alicia’s bare back.

The feeling of her skin under his hand was so soft, it felt even better than the finest silk.

A taut tension spread through his body that had been nearly lifeless just moments ago, making him feel alive.

But then, as the heat in his body overlapped with the wounds from the monster attack, his mind began to waver and his vision started to blur.

Alicia’s form gradually became hazy.

In desperate unwillingness to let her go, Eric tightened his arms around her.

Don’t go.

The sensation of smooth, warm skin under his hands and the soft, pliant lips entwined with his began to fade away.

Don’t go.

Despite Eric’s cries, both his vision and senses gradually faded until they completely disappeared.

[This is the timeline separator]

The next day, Eric opened his eyes with a frown.

The sunlight streaming in from all directions was dazzling.

The sunlight pouring down from the ceiling he saw through narrowed eyes looked so unnaturally mysterious that for a moment he mistook it for heaven.

Still groggy from sleep, he stared blankly for a while until he gradually came to his senses.

When he tried to move his body to get up, pain shot through him and he involuntarily let out a groan.

“Ugh.”

Eric sat up and examined his wound.

Though blood had seeped through and stained it, it was tightly wrapped with white cloth.

‘Has the bleeding stopped? It seems I should be able to move like this.’

Sitting up, Eric slowly looked around.

Beside him were some half-burnt firewood or branches, and the poker Alicia had been holding yesterday was also visible.

“Are you awake?”

Eric immediately turned his head towards the sound.

As their eyes met, Alicia smiled brightly with relief, entering with a water-filled jar in one hand and Eric’s sword in the other.

Eric quickly scanned Alicia from head to toe.

Though her gait was slower than usual, thankfully she didn’t seem to be injured anywhere.

Then, noticing his sword in Alicia’s hand, Eric smiled.

“Still, a sword is better than a poker, right?”

“Ah.”

Alicia also smiled, looking at the sword she was holding.

She approached Eric, handed him the sword, and sat down in front of him to examine his wound.

“You didn’t have to use it, did you?”

“No, I didn’t. No monsters appeared either.”

“That’s a relief. Was it manageable to carry?”

“It’s heavy, but more or less okay?”

“I think I should give you your own sword as a gift someday.”

Eric continued with a smile.

“From a rusty statue sword, to a poker, and now my sword. You need your own sword.”

“Hmm. Come to think of it, you’re right.”

“When we get out of here, let’s go make one together.”

“Sounds good.”

While talking, Alicia gently wiped Eric’s forehead with a small cloth dampened with water.

“?”

“You had quite a high fever yesterday.”

“Ah, was that so? No wonder my body felt so hot yesterday……”

Suddenly, Eric’s dream from yesterday flashed through his mind.

His face flushed with heat, and he covered it with one hand, avoiding Alicia’s hand trying to wipe his forehead.

“Eric? What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

“No, it’s not that—”

Eric couldn’t bear how pathetic he felt.

When she was kidnapped, Alicia must have been anxious and scared.

And yet, to have such a… dream about her.

And that too, after getting injured and fainting when he came to rescue her.

Seeing Eric’s face turn red with despair, Alicia’s expression grew worried.

“Are you really alright?”

“I’m just despairing at how pathetic I am.”

“Ah.”

“And doing some self-reflection too.”

Feeling like she should keep her mouth shut, Alicia silently waited for Eric to finish his self-reflection.

Honestly, she didn’t know what he was reflecting on, but it seemed like the kind of atmosphere where she shouldn’t ask.

“……”

“……”

“……Are you done reflecting?”

“I don’t think it’s been even 30 seconds yet.”

Eric lifted his head and looked at Alicia.

“!”

Only then did Alicia’s attire catch his eye.

Seeing her dress torn and her petticoat ripped, he felt a chill run from head to toe in an instant.

“Alicia…… your clothes…… why are they like this?”

Wondering if something had happened to her, Eric’s hand trembled as he reached out to Alicia.

“Ah, there were no bandages.”

“Bandages?”

Alicia pointed to Eric’s wound.

Finally realizing the identity of the bandages wrapping his wound, Eric let out a sigh of relief.

“Ah. This. Thank goodness.”

“What is?”

“No, it’s just something. I despaired and then felt relieved.”

“If you’ve finished reflecting and feeling relieved, can we leave now?”

“Huh?”

“We don’t know when monsters might appear. The sun is up, so I think we can go out now.”

Alicia handed Eric the shirt she had removed to bandage him.

“The blood has dried, but it’s a bit torn.”

“Can’t be helped. We need to leave anyway.”

Eric draped the tattered shirt over his shoulders.

As he bent his injured arm to button up, he winced slightly from the pain.

Seeing this, Alicia grabbed Eric’s draped shirt.

“I’ll do it for you.”

Alicia started buttoning Eric’s shirt.

Looking down at her doing this, Eric’s heart fluttered for no reason.

“I’m sorry.”

“?”

“For leaving you there alone.”

Alicia paused while buttoning.

“I’m sorry for making you go through this.”

“It’s not your fault. Who could have known it would turn out like this, right?”

“Still.”

“Rather, I—”

Feeling like she might cry, Alicia quickly shut her mouth.

It’s not Eric’s fault.

If she had been more careful, this wouldn’t have happened.

She felt pathetic for not being able to distinguish the real Eric, of all people.

“I guess I should have been the one reflecting.”

“?”

“And despairing a bit too.”

This time, Alicia buried her face in Eric’s chest, still holding onto his shirt.

“……”

“……If you’re done reflecting, could you finish dressing me now? I know you’ve always liked my body, but now isn’t the time for that.”

“When did I ever?”

Alicia raised her head, bristling at Eric’s mischievous words, gripping his shirt tighter.

The tears that were about to fall quickly retreated.

“Don’t you remember? That time in my bed—”

“What are you saying, really! You’re the one who said that on your own back then?”

Alicia pouted.

As soon as Eric’s eyes caught her quivering red lips, he abruptly stood up.

“Eric?”

“The shirt’s so tattered anyway, buttoning it won’t do much good. Just give me the jacket.”

“……Are you really okay? Your ears are red too.”

“I’m fine. Just still a bit feverish.”

“Then you’re not fine at all.”

“That’s why we need to get out of here quickly.”

Eric put on the jacket, avoiding Alicia’s gaze that was half worried, half suspicious.

In his current state, he felt he couldn’t look at her face, so he changed the topic to something more serious.

“Do you remember the person who took you? The shop owner said I took you.”

“That’s what I remember too. But I saw something red.”

“Something red?”

“I didn’t realize it then, but thinking back now, it was a really chilling feeling.”

‘Did they use a magic stone? Or perhaps—’

Eric furrowed his brow, thinking it was likely not an ordinary human but possibly a magician.

Moreover, considering the number of monsters they had encountered on the way here, it was clearly no ordinary level individual.

‘Let’s get Alicia to a safe place first, then think about the rest. The Zero Knights should be moving now too…… I wonder if those guys are still alive?’

Though the Zero Knights should be accustomed to monsters and likely still alive, it wasn’t completely reassuring.

Feeling the need to confirm quickly, Eric extended his hand to Alicia.

“Take my hand.”

“But that will be hard on you. You need to hold your sword too.”

“It’s because I have trouble walking. Take my hand.”

As Eric insisted again, Alicia hesitated for a moment before taking his hand.

Gently stroking the back of Alicia’s hand with his thumb, Eric murmured softly.