For a moment, only the sound of the calm wind and the waves hitting the boat could be heard.

I still couldn’t muster the courage and just kept pressing my poor fingers.

There was no doubt that Hees was a really kind and nice person. But I never thought of Hees as more than a good friend.

The best friend who matched not only in personality but also in purpose.

So my lips were sealed.

Then a cheerful laughter came.

“You don’t need to think too seriously.”

It was Hees.

“I just wanted to say that you’re earning your pay well enough without working so hard.”

Hees was laughing over this moment, considering my frozen state.

I felt sorry for Hees, but I was able to momentarily put this confusion deep in my heart and my tension naturally loosened.

“So take it easy today. I brought you here to let you rest.”

Hees playfully messed my hair. Unlike Hees, who was always polite, I could only smile at his effort to ease my tension now.

Finally, I lifted my gaze from the hem of my skirt and looked at Hees teasingly.

“Phew, if I had known that, I wouldn’t have brought all this luggage.”

I poked various notebooks, writing utensils, and maps with a finger.

“I’m sorry. It turned out this way when I tried to surprise you.”

Hees was still smiling with mischievous eyes, but his words were tinged with bitterness.

When my lost eyes wandered again, Hees chuckled and covered my eyelids with one hand.

“Don’t look like that and let’s enjoy today.”

I leaned on the warm heat and closed my eyes, and when I opened them, my eyelashes brushed past Hees’ palm. His touch froze for a moment, but I purposely ignored it.

“Okay.”

Perhaps under Hees’s hand, my lips were drawing a clear arc.

“I’m going to play thinking that I’ll be compensated twice for the hardship I’ve had because of Hees. Get ready.”

“Yes. Okay.”

Hees’ eyes, having withdrawn his hand, were as gentle as ever.

(This is a time separator.)

Gerald was trembling in the midst of thunder and lightning on the mountain.

Though he had worn a thick raincoat, he had been soaked to his underwear by the pouring rain.

His legs had long stiffened from muscle pain, just from climbing the academy’s hill, let alone a rugged mountain like the Daneb range, but at this moment, he couldn’t feel the twinging legs or the stinging side.

All he could feel was his heart pounding like mad with fear.

“Ma, Master?”

Gerald’s pathetic voice echoed emptily, but of course, there was no reply.

‘I’ve hunted Elding in the Daneb range so much that Elding doesn’t try to come down in lightning just by looking at me.’

Kirian had spoken casually.

‘I will hide myself, so please wait here for a while, Your Highness.’

Kirian had left Gerald in the middle of the yard and disappeared in an instant.

Gerald looked around anxiously.

He was standing alone like a scarecrow guarding the field.

Almost like… bait.

At the thought, a chill overcame him.

It had been a journey undertaken with high spirits, but at this moment, whether it was Elding hunting or state meetings or whatever, he wanted to go back.

“Ma, Master?”

Gerald’s trembling voice was quickly buried in the heavy rain, but he felt that Kirian would hear even the slightest tremble in his voice.

“Ah, anyway, it seems Elding has noticed where you are, Master. We, we should go down and wait for the ne, next opportunity.”

Just then, a light that brightened the dark surroundings like daylight pierced through the dark clouds.

And a few seconds later, a terrifying scream drowned out even the resounding thunder.

His whole body’s muscles had stiffened with fear.

He couldn’t even lift his head, but instinctively, Gerald’s eyes looked towards the sky.
His eyes met Elding’s, which was falling with its huge mouth wide open.

Just before Gerald’s eyes were turned upside down, unable to flinch.

Thump.

The wind split at his ears with the light sound of a jump.

When his blurred vision returned, Elding was flailing in midair, emitting a sharp howl.

Kirian held Elding’s throat tightly and handed the spear to Gerald. Elding’s claws scratched Kirian’s flesh, but Kirian didn’t even flinch.

No, rather, it looked like a few of Elding’s claws were being pulled out.

“Kyaak!”

Gerald finally screamed like a mouse, more surprised by that strange sight.

Kirian raised an eyebrow slightly.

“You haven’t lost it, have you?”

“Ah, no.”

Just before fainting, Gerald fumbled with shaking hands inside his coat. He forcibly bent his freezing, unclenchable fingers and pulled out what he had hidden inside his coat.

“Ststab it?”

Kirian looked at the trembling Gerald with bored eyes for a moment but then smiled tightly and nodded.

“Yes. It’s good to stab the vital part, but if not, two or three stabs anywhere will kill most Eldings.”

Gerald looked at Elding, whose teeth had been knocked out from biting Kirian’s arm, with despairing eyes.

He now was confused about what to fear more.

“Ugh.”

Gerald screamed, squeezing his eyes shut.

It felt like the tip of the spear had hit something soft a few times before it fell, then a terrible scream split the sound of rain.