Lukas and his companions reached the outskirts of the Forest of Darkness just as the sun began to set. They had intended to be out of the area before nightfall, but things had taken longer than expected.
“If the night deepens, the monsters will grow more aggressive,” Keaton warned Lukas, scanning the surroundings.
If they hadn’t been escorting the carriage, they’d have already cleared the forest by now.
“Don’t lower your guard,” Lukas commanded.
“Understood, Your Highness.”
“Grrr!”
But before Joe could even finish his reply, snarling sounds erupted as monsters began leaping out one by one.
“Monsters!”
The horses reared and neighed in panic at the sight of the swarm.
“Shield the carriage and take them down one by one!”
“There are too many of them!”
Lukas yanked the reins, shouting orders. Keaton drew his sword, while Joe gripped his blade tightly, watching their flanks.
“Grrrr—!”
Slash!
“Stay close to the carriage!”
“Die, you filthy beasts!”
Slice!
“Gahh—!”
The three of them fought back-to-back, guarding the carriage from the wave of monsters charging all at once.
“Hahaha—Argh!”
“Grrrr—!”
Monster after monster was struck down by their swords. Severed limbs and heads spilled dark crimson blood that splattered in every direction.
Adrienne was paralyzed with fear.
The terrifying creatures rushing toward them, and Lukas mercilessly cutting them down—her heart thudded wildly, and her eyelids trembled in fear.
“Grrrr…”
No…
It happened in an instant. Amid the chaos, one of the dark monsters lunged straight for the carriage, its jaws wide open.
“No!”
“RAAHH!”
Everything happened at once. The monster sprang forward, Lukas spotted it and threw himself at it. His blade split the creature in half— And at that moment, Adrienne’s necklace lit up in a brilliant flash.
Pa-shooom!
The light exploded like a burst of magic. The monsters that had been relentlessly charging forward began to disintegrate in midair.
“What in the world…”
Joe stared blankly at the fragments of monsters scattered across the ground.
“What was that just now?”
“The light… from inside the carriage… Your Highness, did you see that?”
Keaton and Joe turned toward Lukas, shouting.
“Is this… what Darrin was talking about?”
“So it’s true. She really is a mage…”
Lukas remembered the day he first rescued Adrienne. Tessa’s words echoed in his mind.
“Magic of Kiel.”
But Adrienne didn’t know the extent of her powers, nor how to use them. Lukas had only observed that the magic sealed within her necklace seemed to activate whenever she was in danger.
No—it was certain.
“You okay?”
Lukas peeked into the carriage.
“Adrienne!”
He immediately shouted, alarmed by what he saw. Keaton and Joe recognized the shift in his expression—something was wrong.
“What’s happened?”
“Your Highness?”
Without answering, Lukas flung the carriage door open. There lay Adrienne, collapsed in a faint.
“Your Grace!”
“Your Highness!”
“Hey, are you alright? Adrienne! Wake up!”
Lukas climbed into the carriage and held her limp body in his arms, shouting.
He felt completely miserable. There he was—a grown man, hunched over in a cramped carriage, holding a girl who had passed out with exhaustion.
And there was no healer nearby. If only Tessa were here… things might be different.
Even so, he couldn’t have left Tessa and Adrienne alone in the carriage if she had been unconscious. Just the thought made his anger flare.
The carriage was far too cramped. Leaning in even slightly, he could feel Adrienne’s breath rustling his hair.
She didn’t even know what she had done—just slumped in his arms, fast asleep.
“Sigh…”
It was hopeless. In this situation, with everything uncertain and danger still lurking… Why in the world was he thinking about ‘that’?
I’ve lost my mind.
A descendant of Kiel, indeed—she had clearly cast a spell on him.
“Tsk.”
Clicking his tongue irritably, Lukas turned his head away, avoiding Adrienne’s face.
The night was pitch-black, but they had no time to rest. To escape the monsters, they had to get far away from the Forest of Darkness.
Clatter.
The carriage rattled noisily over the gravel road. The area was deathly still and ominous, and yet, Adrienne’s warmth was oddly comforting. Lukas’s thoughts grew more tangled.
“Ugh… mm…”
Adrienne began to stir in his arms. She was waking up.
Lukas quickly turned his eyes toward her face.
“Adrienne.”
Her eyelids slowly opened. Her blue eyes blinked in and out of focus, trying to regain clarity. Then she suddenly pushed herself upright and backed away against the wall of the carriage. Her wide, horrified eyes trembled like a trembling leaf.
“Ha…”
[… ]
“You fainted.”
[I’m sorry.]
“There’s nothing to apologize for.”
[Still…]
“No need. The monsters are gone. We’re almost out of the forest now.”
Nod, nod.
Still pressed against the wall, Adrienne nodded vigorously at Lukas’s explanation.
“That necklace of yours.”
[……]
Lukas motioned toward her neck. Adrienne’s gaze followed.
“It happened again. The light burst out. The monsters were torn apart, just like that.”
[Really?]
“You’re asking me that?”
Nod.
“Yes. Really. Why would I lie to you? It was exactly like back then—when I first found you near the stone hill.”
The magic from the necklace had acted then, too—protecting her. Without that magic, the fight would have dragged on much longer.
Yes. In the end, the one who saved them… was Adrienne.
“You might not remember, but you saved us—yourself included.”
The carriage kept rolling endlessly along the dark mountain path. There was no time to waste. Even though they’d exited the forest, monsters could still be lurking nearby.
Adrienne thought of the first time she’d traveled to Rantschka. Back then, too, she couldn’t sleep, couldn’t rest—just pushed on through the rough terrain.
Clatter, rattle.
[I’m sorry.]
The carriage jolted violently, and though she had been keeping to the far edge, she tumbled slightly toward him.
Adrienne bit her lip in embarrassment and gestured awkwardly.
“What exactly are you sorry for?” Lukas asked, noticing her trying to scoot away again.
[Well, I…]
“Anyone watching would think I’m trying to do something indecent in here.”
With a dry chuckle, Lukas added.
[It’s not like that…]
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Actually—”
Lukas looked directly at her, but suddenly turned his face away. Adrienne couldn’t catch all of what he’d meant to say.
But still… why were Lukas’s cheeks red?
Holding her own flushed face, Adrienne turned to look out the opposite window.
Rattle, rattle.
The carriage shook so hard it made her bottom ache. Her brows furrowed more and more with every bounce.
Tap tap.
Lukas tapped her shoulder. Adrienne turned her wide eyes toward him.
“Hold onto me. If this keeps up, you won’t have much of that pretty backside left.”
[…]
Reading his lips, Adrienne’s cheeks turned redder than peaches. His downturned eyes sparkled mischievously. She quickly looked away.
“Grab on. Tight. It’ll stay like this until we’re off the mountain.”
Lukas leaned in and took her hand, placing it on his arm. Startled, Adrienne clung to him, her ears now burning.
“Hold on tight. So that cute butt doesn’t get bruised.”
He grinned slyly as he added the tease.
It felt like standing naked in front of him. Her lips moved silently as her face blazed red. She jerked her head away—but Lukas’s gaze lingered.
Why is he like this?
Clatter. Rattle. Thunk.
There wasn’t even time to dwell on it. The carriage rocked violently again.
Adrienne, bounced around like a rag doll, gripped his arm tightly.
He’s like a rock.
Well, she had thought that from the beginning—when she first fell into his arms. Lukas’s body was as solid as if he hadn’t even taken his armor off.
“Breathe through your nose, Addie.”
The memory of his voice whispering to her resurfaced. Her face, which had finally begun to cool, burned hot once more.
