Chapter 97

“······.”

Adrian sighed as he looked unsure of what to say.

“That’s true.”

“Right? Even if you use the spirit to catch me off guard······. Well, I don’t think you’ll get me so easily.”

No matter how hard she thinks about it, she can’t picture herself being stabbed helplessly and saying, “Oh······. How did this happen?”

“Besides, just having that kind of dream, it’s just that, dreaming. But can you actually do it?”

Adrian took Nina’s hand that was wrapped around his cheek.

“You’re right.”

“Right? As soon as I had that dream, I thought, ‘What kind of crazy dream was this?’.”

Adrian felt relieved by her refreshing tone. And Nina said.

“And if Adrian really wanted to kill me, he wouldn’t do it himself.”

Adrian raised his eyes.

“Why would I kill you?”

“Then why did you stab me?”

“That’s-.”

For a moment, Adrian stopped talking, and Nina’s eyes narrowed.

“What? Is it mentioned in your dream too? But then again, I’m sure Adrian wouldn’t stab me just because he hates me.”

“How could I hate you?”

“I know right!”

Nina asked quietly again.

“So? What was the reason in your dream?”

“To protect you.”

“······Uh, you do know I am stronger than you right?”

“No, not in the dream. Moreover······.”

Adrian blurred the end of his words, and his eyes drooped.

“Adrian, look at me.”

He looked up at her words and stared at Nina.

“That won’t happen. And I’d rather······.”

Nina’s golden eyes were strangely burning.

“Are you worried that I will leave you? Adrian, you are so precious to me.”

She blinked and sighed.

“You’ve already thrown me away once.” (Adrian)

At that time, it seemed that that was the only way.

They could have just run away together. But somehow, she had to prevent that already big accident from collapsing further to his already ruined axis. She had to protect him.

That’s all she could think about.

Fortunately, things ended up well.

“Don’t do that again.” (Adrian)

He clenched his hand so tightly to the point where Nina’s hand that was held by him hurt.

“I know. I will never do it again. If ever Adrian thinks I’ll-.”

Suddenly, Nina opened her eyes wide as if it were strange.

“How did you never hit me when I came back?”

“Because it’s been two years.”

He was absolutely angry at first. Then sadness seeped into his heart. Then he missed her, then he felt resentful. The only thing he could feel in those two years was the endless abyss-like darkness in front of him.

Adrian leaned down further, and the two foreheads touched.

“Thanks for coming back, Nina.”

“Thank you for waiting, and for not being angry.”

Nina grinned.

He pulled himself aside and said.

“Now that I have talked about it, I think I’ve had some really silly concerns.”

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes.”

He might have planned to travel alone with her because he wanted to have this time.

After breakfast, the two put out the fire with sand and water. As she cleaned up her seat and loaded her luggage into the unicorn, Nina asked small questions.

“Why aren’t they coming?”

Speaking of enemies, Adrian answered easily.

“I think we should go somewhere more deserted.”

“Well, then let’s buy dry goods in the next town and move quickly.”

“All right.”

The two made a plan and moved quickly to buy dry rations in a nearby village. They ran along a long road with the unicorn, side by side.

Even living without a roof and camping out in the open, everyday was fun. Summer nights with Nina were cool and there was no worry about bugs.

Adrian wished he could run like this forever.

It was good to sit in front of the campfire on a moonlit night and listen to her stories endlessly, and it also feels good to tell his own stories as if it were not him.

It was great to run side by side during the day, and it was good to see her long hair flying. The rough bed and dry food were sweet enough too.

Adrian knew that he really, really needed Nina too much.

He felt that his inner self was getting richer everyday, as quickly as the seeds in the rough desert bloomed out when they met the rain, he had been waiting for her.

He felt it was a waste that the distance to the Silver Lake Castle decreases day by day.

“Why aren’t they coming?”

Nina frowned as she accepted the grilled fish Adrian handed her. Sizzling oil was boiling on the surface of the fish that was now in season.

“It’s hot.”

“Yes······. Oh, it looks delicious.”

Looking at the greasy flesh sprinkled with salt and the crispy yellow skin, Nina blew the fish.

“I think we should go a little further. No, rather······.”

Recalling that he couldn’t feel any signs of presence since yesterday, Adrian said.

“I think they went ahead for an ambush.”

Nina opened her eyes wide and took a big bite of the fish.

“Oh, hot, hot, fuu, fuu.”

“Eat slowly.”

“It’s delicious. It’s very chewy.”

When she ate the fish that had been cut in half and peeled well, Adrian stuck out another one. There were already five or six fish being baked around the campfire.

It was the fish he caught during the day. They were taking a day off, wondering if it was because they couldn’t catch up with them.

Nevertheless, they can’t feel any signs.

Of course, they may be masters enough for them to be unaware of their presences, but it was unlikely. Even if it is outside the range that Adrian and Nina can feel, they cannot avoid the wind, air, and especially, The North Wind.

Nina searched within 3 kilometers of every direction, but she only found animals.

The two were running along the deserted mountains and forests. It was a terrain that was normally difficult to run on a horse, but it was possible because of the unicorns.

“Then maybe tomorrow? I know they’ve been waiting for us to enter the duchy on purpose.”

But at this rate, they’ll arrive at the Silver Lake Castle in no time.

“Don’t tell me they’re after the castle, are they?”

“That could be a possibility, too. Because–.”

“If we think we’ve accomplished your mission, we’ll loosen up our guard.”

So you should always be careful, particularly on the last step. The same goes for cooking in the kitchen, coming down from the mountains, and fighting.

The moment you lose your attention, it’s all over.

You could get hurt because of carelessness.

So always pay attention to the end, until the next moment when everything is done.

“But wouldn’t that increase civilian damage?”

“If they cared about that, they would not be a cult.”

“I’m sick of them······.”

Nina sighed loudly. Adrian said.

“So, from tomorrow, it would be better to go by a proper route.”

Nina nodded, accepting another fish.

“Let’s do that.”

She was quite happy to speak to Adrian in a commanding tone.

────── •❆• ──────

“Kell······.”

“I know.”

Nina looked at the gravely dented public road and the hollowed-out, broken walls.

There were also a lot of stones all over the road, so the cart that was passing by had its wheel about to fall out.

A well-paved road is a symbol of good public management.

“Are we not rich······?”

“Not yet.”

“Ugh······.”

Nina tilted her head back. But the faces of the people working in the field were bright. They were full of expectations for the future.

She felt proud when she saw the green wheat field.

She’s the one who gave that tip.

Of course, it’s Adrian and Kirill who were in charge of it and increased the volume of the seeds. The farmers they encountered took off their hats and bowed deeply. At least, there was no one who didn’t know what black uniforms meant in the duchy.

The Silver Lake Castle could be seen from far away. The Silver Lake was fairly large, extending into a fountain in the mansion.

When she came back, it reminded her of their childhood. When she was eight and Adrian was nine, they met in this castle and stayed for five years.

“Nothing has changed.”

“You can only see the walls.”

“Still, nothing has changed.”

“It’s only a short time before the walls change.”

The two set up their last camp by the lake. The red sunset was mixed with the navy purple clouds, creating a majestic color.

Against that backdrop, a castle was seen across the lake. Adrian, who was collecting firewood, stopped moving and straightened his waist.

“Nina.”

“I know.”

Now, there is no need to hide that Adrian is Adrian, so the two had no qualms.

A cool fog rolled over the floor.

“Poison cloud?”

“No, it’s just cold, very.”

If they continue to stay in the fog, they would die of hypothermia or their movements would slow down.

The two slowly backed away from the foggy lake. Then something soared up in the fog.

Bluish and translucent······.

Nina’s expression hardened. Adrian also frowned.

“Human?” (Adrian)

“Uh, but humans don’t become bellacs.” (Nina)

However, what was in front of them had a human form. Its whole body was rotting all over under a ragged dress, and had its hair loose.

Blue flames flew out of its eyehole, its jaw had fallen off and its long tongue was serpentine around. It also seemed like a ghost because its form blinked in a translucent state.

Nina pulled out her sword.

She has a hunch that it will be a pain in the ass.