It was darker in the water than outside.

Ariel, who had fallen into the water, took off her cloak which was hindering her swimming. Worried that she might be spotted by Ludvian if she surfaced right away, she moved a bit further. Fortunately, she had taken a deep breath when anticipating the boat collision, making this possible.

As she was running out of breath, Ariel carefully surfaced to find no one around. Swimming to the riverbank by the faint moonlight, she leaned against a large tree, gasping for air.

Though afraid of being alone in the forest, she had escaped the greater danger. Ludvian’s actions now were unexpected.

As her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, she could see herself more clearly. Her appearance was a mess, and her injured wrist stung. She chuckled at the sight of her pitiful state.

“It hurts.”

She noticed that her dagger seemed to have been lost in the water as well.

“Haa…”

Ariel sighed deeply and reflected on the recent situation.

The boat that suddenly appeared without any lights.

The large man standing steadily on the fast-moving boat.

The attack that showed no hesitation.

Though she couldn’t confirm the face, Ariel’s mind had already conjured someone.

Kaius von Elbartan.

She didn’t know what exactly was going on, but thanks to that, she was able to escape the crisis. The moment the boat collided, Ariel had jumped into the water.

What would have happened if she had been dragged away by Ludvian? Just a brief imagination sent chills through her body.

It was then, as Ariel stood up to return to the palace, that she heard the sound of footsteps on branches. The moonlight streaming through the large trees brightly illuminated Ludvian’s red hair.

Startled, she hid behind a tree and held her breath. She had to avoid encountering Ludvian now at all costs. Looking around, there was no suitable place to hide. At this rate, he would surely find her. If so, it would be best to flee while there was still some distance between them.

The time for deliberation was short, and Ariel began to run towards the opposite direction from where Ludvian had appeared.

At first, he had only intended to watch.

If he had just let her enjoy the fireflies and quietly escorted Ariel back to the palace, Kaius would have been willing to endure. It was Duke Beloas who crossed that line. Knowing that she was a good swimmer, he attacked the boat to capsize it.

Detecting the presence of people was not a difficult task for Kaius. It was even easier when the target was an ordinary person. If he concentrated, he could even sense breathing from quite a distance. Such a quiet night expanded that range even further.

As he was leisurely scanning the surroundings as if on a stroll, Kaius suddenly launched his body.

Rapid breathing.

Movements completely lacking caution.

Light footsteps followed by heavier running steps. From these, he could deduce that Ariel was being chased.

Kaius’s eyes, superior due to his martial training and already accustomed to the darkness, immediately spotted Ariel. Duke Beloas was closely pursuing her.

Should he step in front of Duke Beloas to save her?

Causing problems with a noble of the country while visiting as an envoy was highly unfavorable. Moreover, if it appeared as two men fighting over a fiancée, it would be nothing short of ridiculous. If news of this reached Emperor Hart’s ears, it would be even worse.

So this matter needed to be resolved quietly.

In an instant, Kaius sprang forward, wrapped his arms around Ariel’s back, covered her mouth, and ran swiftly. Startled nearly to the point of fainting, Ariel struggled with all her might, but to no avail as the force restraining her only grew stronger.

“Stay still.”

Kaius spoke quietly, his breathing not faltering even while running, but Ariel, already in a state of panic, heard nothing. She thought she had been caught by Ludvian who had been chasing her and felt like she was going mad. She struggled with all her might to break free from him.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Kaius hid in a nearby spot and began to whisper in her ear.

“Ariel. It’s me. Your fiancé.”

But when she felt the breath of the man who had kidnapped her close to her cheek, she shook her head even more violently as if in a frenzy.

“Come to your senses.”

His words did not reach her at all. Another low sigh escaped from between Kaius’s lips. She was quite a troublesome woman.

“Stay still.”

His voice, lowered further, carried a sense of pressure.

“It’s Kaius. The man who will be your husband.”

Kaius…? Even in her near-delirious state, only that word, Kaius, was clear in Ariel’s mind. As she calmed down a bit, he spoke quietly again.

“I’m going to let go, so stay quiet. Duke Beloas is close by.”

When Ariel nodded, the hands restraining her fell away. As she slowly turned around, Kaius was indeed there in front of her. Seeing him brought relief, and her eyes began to redden. Not wanting to show him such a sight, she turned back around. Finally, the tears that had welled up flowed down her small chin.

“…”

Kaius was quite surprised by her crying. He never expected to see such a vulnerable side of her.

“Thank you…”

Kaius carefully examined Ariel’s appearance. Her dress, soaked through, revealed the curves of her body, and her disheveled hair was in complete disarray. When Kaius’s hand smoothed her hair, Ariel’s shoulders flinched.

Slowly gathering Ariel’s hair into one hand, Kaius pulled out a golden ribbon from his pocket.

Buying the ribbon had been an impulsive act.

While looking around the festival grounds waiting for Ariel, he had come across a cart selling ribbons, and soon after, a golden ribbon was in his hand.

“…”

She couldn’t understand what was happening. Kaius tying her hair? Ariel unconsciously raised her hand to touch the knotted part of her hair. It was definitely the feel of a ribbon.

Soon after, a warm sensation was felt on her previously cool shoulders as Kaius turned her body to face him. He tightly wrapped the cloak around her and tied the knot, his gaze fixed solely on her. During this time, Ariel also quietly observed him.

“We’re going to move quickly.”

Ariel understood the meaning of his words through his actions. Kaius lifted Ariel onto his shoulder. He couldn’t carry her on his back due to her dress, nor could he hold her sideways due to the branches spread out in all directions.

Held by the large and sturdy Kaius, Ariel felt physically uncomfortable, but her heart was even more uneasy.

Not only was her entire body pressed against him in an embrace-like manner, but Kaius’s arms wrapped around her back and thighs were also very distracting. She just wanted to get down from him as quickly as possible.

“Where are we going?”

Was it too quiet to hear? Ariel, who was about to open her mouth again, decided to stay quiet. She thought that it might be difficult for him to talk while running, especially while carrying her.

It was fascinating how he ran without hesitation despite not knowing the geography of this place at all. That question was only resolved after Ariel’s body was lowered onto a boat. He had brought Ariel to the boat he had come on.

While Kaius approached the boatman after setting Ariel down at the front of the boat, she checked her hair, which she had been curious about since earlier. It wasn’t the blue ribbon that had tied her wrist before. As he finished his conversation with the boatman and sat down across from Ariel, the boat slowly began to cut through the water.

Their knees kept touching due to the boat’s movement. Bothered by this, she turned her gaze to the dark river water, then glanced back at him from the corner of her eye. Kaius seemed lost in thought as he gazed at the river, quiet.

Could it be that he had been watching me all along…?

“Why.”

He turned his head to look directly at Ariel.

Meeting Kaius’s gaze, Ariel pulled her long, damp hair forward.

“Did you buy the ribbon?”

This wasn’t what she had wanted to ask.

His brief nod raised even more questions, but strangely, unlike usual, she found it difficult to ask easily.

Did you buy it for me?

Earlier at the festival?

Why is it gold? You don’t like gold, do you?

…No. These were all trivial questions. What she really wanted to know was just one thing.

Are you accepting the marriage? Is it okay for me to think that way?

She wanted to ask, but she knew well that continued pressure would only lead to unfavorable results. We agreed to meet tomorrow anyway, so let’s be patient for just one more day.

Feeling uncomfortable under his direct gaze, she lowered her head slightly, only to find herself trapped between his two legs. Thinking about how long his legs really were and how uncomfortable it must be for him not to be able to stretch them, his legs that had been upright suddenly extended towards Ariel.

A bit startled, Ariel raised her head, and their eyes met again. Kaius’s warm breath tickled her face. As they stared at each other silently, his hand moved towards Ariel’s face.

Surprised, she flinched and pulled her head back slightly. The memory of the day Kaius had touched her lips came to mind. A chuckle was heard from him.

“The river wind is cold. Your hair is wet, so let’s put on a hat.”

While she turned her head away, embarrassed by her own misunderstanding, Kaius’s hand leisurely pulled up the hat from behind her shoulders. It was then that his hands, which had been touching both ends of the hat, moved to Ariel’s cheeks.