As Veronia said, no matter how much they looked around, there was no adult who looked like a teacher anywhere.

“You’re right. It seems dangerous. Especially playing in the lake. Since we’re on the topic, shall we go closer and check?”

“Yes.”

Veronia and Judith walked towards the lake. As evening approached, the air was getting quite chilly, but the children didn’t seem cold as they jumped splash, splash into the lake.

Watching the children laughing carelessly, smiles also appeared on Veronia and Judith’s faces.

That’s when it happened. Judith flinched and pointed her finger to the back of the lake.

“Nia, look over there! That… is that flailing? Not splashing?”

“Ah…”

Veronia turned her head and looked where Judith was pointing. Far out in the lake, it looked like a child was flailing.

Veronia immediately ran to the lake. She threw off the robe she was wearing and jumped splash, splash into the water.

The depth of the lake wasn’t very deep. But the bottom was uneven, so some places were shallow, and others suddenly became deep.

She didn’t stop walking. The water depth was gradually increasing, now past her waist. Just a little further and she would reach the child.

“Blub! Blub! Help… blub! He… blub!”

Hearing the child’s weakened voice, Veronia clenched her teeth and pushed forward.

“Ugh!”

That’s when it happened. Suddenly the bottom gave way, the depth increased, and Veronia also had to flail.

But soon she regained her balance and started swimming. It was awkward swimming after so long, but it seemed her swimming skills hadn’t completely left her as it soon became easier.

The child now seemed to have lost all strength to flail and was sinking gurgle, gurgle under the water. Finally reaching the child’s side, Veronia wrapped one arm around the unconscious child’s neck.

Veronia immediately started swimming back towards the shore. Her heart raced, knowing she had to get out of the water before it was too late.

Swimming while holding the child was difficult enough, but her flowing clothes were also a problem. Her body felt heavy, making it more tiring, and her feet kept getting tangled in the skirt hem, making it hard.

‘I should have taken off the skirt and just jumped in in my underclothes.’

Late regret washed over her. But she caught her breath and kept moving her arms and legs tirelessly.

“Ugh!”

As feared, her skirt hem seemed to have caught on something. She tried pulling the caught skirt with her free hand, but it was in vain.

‘What should I do!’

Her strength was draining more and more. She feared that if her strength was completely depleted like this, she would sink into the water along with the child.

Just as she was about to use her last bit of strength. A large hand grasped hers.

‘Killian!’

His strong arm pulled up both her and the child at once. Veronia felt relieved in his firm embrace.

‘We’re saved!’

Killian’s embrace was the safest place in this world. It was a situation that felt familiar.

‘I think I had this thought before while being held in this person’s arms…’

Was it because the tension had eased, or because she had used up all her remaining energy struggling alone? Veronia’s eyelids slowly closed as she was held in Killian’s firm arms. Her consciousness gradually scattered.

“Your Excellency!”

“Chancellor, are you alright?”

As Killian carrying Veronia and the child came ashore, people who had been waiting anxiously rushed over. Killian laid the two unconscious people on the ground.

“Nia! Nia! Are you okay? Nia!”

“Oh my! Marco! What on earth happened!”

Judith used her specialty heat magic to dry Veronia and the child’s bodies. Others brought blankets to cover the limp bodies and continuously rubbed their arms and legs.

But neither Veronia nor the child showed signs of opening their eyes.

“…Nia, open your eyes. Nia!”

Killian was struck with fear. He held her tightly in his arms, rubbing her shoulders and arms while calling her name repeatedly.

“Cough! Cough!”

Finally, Veronia opened her eyes while coughing up water.

“…Nia! Thank goodness. You’ve opened your eyes, that’s enough! You’re alive, that’s enough…”

Killian hugged Veronia tightly. Still not fully aware of the situation, she had a dazed expression while in his embrace. A moment later, having fully regained her senses, she asked.

“The child? Is the child okay?”

“…”

Unable to answer her question, Killian turned his gaze towards the child.

“Marco! Open your eyes! Marco! Child!”

“Big brother Marco! Sob! Brother, wake up! Brother… don’t die! Waaah!”

The child’s body lay limp in the director’s arms. Though the director was vigorously rubbing the child’s body, the child showed no response.

Crying could be heard here and there. Frightened children were shedding tears like chicken droppings.

Veronia immediately ran to the child.

“Let me try.”

Receiving the child from the director, Veronia laid him on the ground.

‘He seems to be over 10 years old. Holy power won’t work. Then…’

There was only one way. Artificial respiration.

Veronia joined her hands and pressed the child’s chest several times, then blew air into his mouth. She repeated the chest compressions and breath blowing.

The people gathered around Veronia and the child watched with surprised eyes at her unfamiliar treatment method. Her arms were shaking more and more as strength left her hands. Still, she gave it her all until the very end.

“Cough! Cough! Cough!”

Finally, the child opened his eyes while coughing up water. Joy spread across Veronia’s face.

‘He’s alive!’

The director and friends who had been watching nearby rushed to Marco.

“Marco, you’re alive!”

“Big brother! Waaah! Brother!”

The lakeside area turned into a sea of tears.

As Veronia sat limply, having used up all her strength, something warm settled on her shoulders. Looking up, she saw Killian covering her with a robe.

“Can you walk?”

To his worried question, Veronia shook her head. She was in such a state that even moving her head was difficult as her body couldn’t muster proper strength.

Without hesitation, Killian picked up Veronia. Nestled in his arms, Veronia murmured in a small voice.

“Thank you.”

“I should be thanking you. For being alive.”

“…”

She looked up at him. His face looked stiff, as if tense.

Meanwhile, Windler’s eyes widened as he followed the two a step behind. A face resembling Veronia’s, fully exposed in Killian’s arms, suddenly came to mind.

‘I remember! The person who resembles Ms. Nia!’

Before drawing a conclusion, he hurriedly moved his eyes to scan her face once more. No matter how many times he looked, his thought seemed to be correct.

‘She resembles Her Highness Princess Veronia who passed away 5 years ago…’

Though her hair and eye color were all different, her unique aura was similar.

In fact, he couldn’t remember exactly what the noble princess’s features looked like since he had never met her in private, so his memory was hazy. But he vividly remembered her unique aura.

Come to think of it, even the voice seemed similar.

‘Ah, so that’s why… That’s the reason His Excellency’s heart was captivated by this commoner woman!’

He had thought it was strange.

He was someone who had never shown interest in the opposite sex other than the princess, but suddenly one day he became interested in someone. Moreover, the fact that the woman was a commoner with a child was even more perplexing.

‘So this all stemmed from longing for the princess. That’s why he fell in love at first sight when he saw Ms. Nia.’

Lost in his own thoughts, Windler slowly nodded as if he now understood everything. His eyes, capturing Killian and Veronia, were already becoming moist.

Crackle, crackle-

Red flames were constantly flickering in the fireplace filled with firewood. Thanks to this, the air in the infirmary had become quite warm.

Veronia and Killian were lying quietly on small beds placed side by side. Though their bodies were completely dry thanks to Judith’s heat magic, it was a measure following the nurse’s diagnosis that they needed some rest.

Marco, the child who had fallen into the water, was said to be resting back in the living room.

“I think we should go now too.”

Veronia said as she slowly sat up. Outside the window, twilight was already setting in.

Killian, lying on the adjacent bed, reached out and gently pressed her shoulder.

“Just 5 minutes. Let’s stay like this for 5 more minutes.”

“…Alright.”

At his suggestion, Veronia nodded and lay back down. Crackle, crackle- Only the sound of wood burning quietly echoed in the silent infirmary.

Killian turned his head while lying down to look at Veronia. She was staring blankly at the ceiling.

“It was… dangerous. You could have died.”

“…”

As the low baritone voice was heard, Veronia turned her head to look at Killian. Their gazes intertwined at close range.

Killian opened his mouth again. This time his voice was filled with deeper reproach.

“What were you thinking jumping into the water?”

“I didn’t have time to think. I had to save the child.”

At her sincere confession, Killian rubbed his forehead and let out a shallow sigh.

“Next time, it would be better to think a bit. You have a child and family waiting for you. You should value yourself more.”