Chapter 52
“Why is the Saint so obsessed with taking the initiative among us?”
We had talked about this from the very first time we met, so the question naturally arose.
Whenever an issue that required a decision came up, we held meetings, and Yuanna’s say was never insignificant.
The reason Yuanna seemed to get more opportunities to speak wasn’t because she was domineering, but rather because she possessed special information—a sort of ‘key’ that made her input valuable.
Even she seemed aware that taking temporary control among a group whose loyalties could change at any moment didn’t have much meaning. I didn’t understand why she was so obsessed with it.
“Because it’s fun. Sitting above the heads of the nobles.”
Her answer was too blunt. She didn’t have to be so honest.
Yuanna’s face, as always, bore a smile. That’s what made her even harder to read.
Sitting above the heads of nobles… Margaret, a noble herself, could somewhat understand the sentiment. As a modern person, Ijinju, I could relate to it on some level.
‘But surely, that’s not the whole truth.’
There was a reason behind it. She just wasn’t saying it.
“That’s right. I’m a commoner, so I dislike nobles.”
Yuanna nodded in agreement. Everyone fell silent, having nothing to add.
Caiden, who had been yawning beside me for some time, wrapped his arms around me.
“Margaret, stop, and since we found soap, let’s go take a bath together.”
“Stop casually suggesting that and go away.”
I pushed Caiden off my shoulder, and Ruzef and Enoc simultaneously grabbed his arms and pulled him away from me.
Watching this, Yuanna made me an offer.
“Miss, would you like to go take a bath with me?”
I hesitated for a moment, resting my chin on my hand, and shot a quick glance at Diego.
“Ah, but I’m a little worried. What if some pervert steals my dress while we’re bathing…”
“Oh, I won’t steal it!”
Diego, the woodsman, shouted in surprise, and Yuanna and I burst out laughing at the same time.
I gestured to Yuanna toward the cabin.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
Yuanna nodded firmly.
After a long time, washing with soap felt incredibly refreshing.
It didn’t seem like I was the only one who felt that way; everyone else seemed in better spirits too, humming or moving about cheerfully.
Diego left to gather firewood, and Bishop Ruzef went to collect fruits and mushrooms.
Yuanna took care of tidying the cabin and preparing the meal, while Caiden stayed behind to guard the cabin. After all, Yuanna and Crown Prince Asdal weren’t entirely trustworthy.
Naturally, Enoc and I were left to handle hunting and scouting the area. As soon as Asdal saw this, he looked at me as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Miss Flone goes hunting?”
He pointed at the spear at my waist.
“It doesn’t seem like a very good idea. Why not just stay put? If you get hurt, everyone will be in trouble.”
At Asdal’s words, all eyes—Enoc, Caiden, and Bishop Ruzef—turned toward him.
“…And what will the Crown Prince be doing while Margaret is hunting?”
Caiden asked in a tone that made it unclear whether it was formal or casual, and Ruzef looked uncomfortable as he answered.
“Probably wasting the food Margaret brings back. Just leave him be.”
Enoc’s last remark capped the sarcasm perfectly.
Asdal shrugged as if everyone was being too sensitive and tried to play the pitiful act. But Yuanna caught him.
“Your Highness. Are you going to keep slacking off? You said you’d help me.”
Yuanna’s irritated scolding made Asdal hesitate. He stared at her with a face full of things he wanted to say, then sighed.
“What did you want me to help with, Saint?”
“Why are those two men so clingy toward me? I did something wrong, and they seem to feel guilty, so they’re just following along.”
While bathing with Yuanna, I asked why they behaved like that, but she didn’t explain further.
Well, just like I had my own dark reasons for surviving alongside Enoc and Caiden, they probably had their own hidden circumstances.
I loaded signal flares into my dress pocket and held a wooden sword in my hand, preparing to clean fish on the spot.
I considered taking explosives too, but since I had signal flares, I decided to leave them. There weren’t many bombs left after using some to deal with an anaconda, so it was better to save them for emergencies.
We left the cabin and decided to scout the area first. We needed to find a good place for hunting.
Enoc led the way, cutting through the bushes with his sword.
Watching his back, I cautiously spoke up.
“About living with those people… it’s necessary because of the key, but… it’ll be fine, right?”
So far, Yuanna didn’t seem to be scheming anything.
Also, we might only be able to make a proper judgment after checking where the key was found and understanding the circumstances that led Yuanna to pick it up.
Enoc glanced back at me.
“Don’t worry about it too much. Just do your part. I won’t let anything put you in danger, no matter what.”
“I still have to think about it. It’s a matter of survival.”
“…You really value your life a lot, don’t you?”
His comment made me flinch, and I avoided his gaze. I realized I probably talked too much about “survival.”
Enoc resumed walking ahead.
“It’s not about valuing life. You just don’t want to die in a place like this, right? What about you, Enoc?”
I asked, but Enoc gave no answer. Perhaps he was pondering the right response.
After a long silence, he suddenly stopped and turned to face me. I followed suit.
His black hair shone like the night sky, and his deep golden eyes met mine, impossibly intense.
His sharp nose framed a mouth that curved in a mesmerizing, almost artistic way.
“If you just don’t die, would staying in a place like this be alright?”
I couldn’t answer. That wasn’t what I meant, yet words failed me.
He slowly reached out, brushing my hair aside as his hand hovered near my cheek. His gaze burned into me so deeply that I couldn’t move, holding my breath.
“I’m curious. If the two of us were alone on this deserted island, how would things unfold?”
His languid voice echoed in my ears.
Still looking straight at me, Enoc said:
“As I’ve said before, I can’t do without you, Margaret.”
Enoc slowly lowered his head and pressed his forehead against mine, exhaling a tired breath.
“I thought you felt the same?”
Before me was a face perfect and beautiful as a sculpture. His strong, broad shoulders led to a collarbone rising and falling with tense breaths beneath the shirt’s collar.
‘You thought I felt the same?’ I realized he still assumed I was “Margaret, who’s madly in love with him.”
“Have your feelings changed?”
His golden eyes scanned me, searching.
“Am I lacking in some way?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“If it’s not that…”
Suddenly, his gaze turned cold, icy.
His expressionless eyes sent a chill down my spine.
“I don’t understand why your attitude confuses me so. So desperately.”
Overwhelmed by his eerily blank expression, I could only move my lips slightly.
I hadn’t expected Enoc to say something like that.
‘What should I say…?’
After a long moment, I replied calmly:
“I never thought you were lacking. If I could have only one companion on this island, it would be you, Enoc.”
It was the absolute truth. I trusted him that much.
Hearing this, Enoc made a proposal, as if he had been waiting for it.
“Then how about we just leave together, like when we first woke up on this island?”
Like someone tempting a child with candy, he coaxed me.
Tilting his head, Enoc gazed at me intently, bringing his eyes level with mine.
