Chapter 31
“Safe travels, Edwin. Come back without trouble.”
Perhaps it was because of those unusually gentle words from Annette, spoken with a soft gaze that followed him as he departed.
What’s going on?
Normally, she would have given nothing more than a casual wave. Yet today, her farewell carried a strange gravity.
“This is a gift. Open it when things get hard.”
She had even prepared a gift for him.
Edwin hefted the backpack she had placed in his arms.
It’s oddly heavy.
What could possibly be inside? Annette was an exceptional scholar, known for creating astonishing inventions from time to time.
Is it another one of her strange contraptions?
He unbuckled the flap and opened the bag—only to freeze in surprise.
Curled up inside was a small, snow-white creature.
A rabbit.
Emergency food?
But it was alive. Did she expect him to eat it when he grew hungry? The thought darted through his mind for the briefest of moments.
When he finally grabbed the rabbit by the scruff to lift it, he met a pair of wide, watery pink eyes he knew all too well.
“Y-you… could it be…?”
Startled, Edwin quickly lowered the limp rabbit.
Its paws, ears, and even body sagged weakly, completely drained of strength.
Of course—being crammed into a sealed bag for hours without fresh air would do that to anyone.
“What in the world is this…!”
He swallowed the curse that rose to his throat. Now wasn’t the time to rage.
“Wake up, Lady Sharie.”
He reached out to massage the limp creature back to consciousness—but froze.
Her body was so tiny, soft, and frail that he feared pressing even slightly too hard would crush her.
Stay calm… steady hands.
His memory flicked back to his youth, when he had bought his first street snack after turning twenty. A sugar candy pressed into a star-shaped mold. If one broke it along the lines and brought it back intact, the vendor gave out extras.
With Edwin’s clumsy hands, snapping the candy without shattering it had been almost impossible. Sharie now was no different—fragile as spun sugar, ready to crumble.
As gently as possible…
Suppressing the tremor in his fingers, he softly kneaded her tiny arms and legs.
It worked. Slowly, Sharie stirred back to life.
“You’ve finally awakened.”
The moment her eyes focused, she squeaked desperately at him.
“Squeak! Squeak!”
Arms folded, Edwin stared coldly.
“What exactly are you doing here, my lady?”
Though unintended, his voice came out colder than he meant.
The rabbit flailed its forepaws wildly as though to explain.
“Do you have something to say for yourself?”
“Squeak! Squeeeak!”
“…So you do?”
“Squeak squeak!”
Edwin pressed a hand to his forehead. He was beginning to feel like an utter fool for even attempting conversation.
“Just turn back into a person first. Then we can talk.”
Sharie seemed only now to realize she was still in rabbit form. With a small, defeated thump of her paw against the ground, she gave in.
He ushered her into the tent to change. Edwin himself turned away. Even if she had come out stark naked and performed a tap dance, he would hardly care—but she was still his lord’s wife, and basic courtesy must be upheld.
“I’m dressed.”
She emerged, cheeks flushed red—whether from cold or embarrassment, he couldn’t tell.
Edwin blinked. The weight of the bag suddenly made sense.
She wore a thick fur-lined cloak with a hood, layers of clothes beneath, warm gloves, and sturdy leather boots designed for snowy mountains.
Quite the unexpected sight, considering she had spent all her life in the mild climate of Rahol. From what he remembered, this rabbit-tribe lady was neither the type to prepare thoroughly nor the kind bold enough to sneak into another’s pack.
Unless…
Annette.
At once, the pieces fit.
“Good grief, Annette.”
From the very first class, Annette had shown him an oddly soft expression. She must truly care for this rabbit-tribe woman.
He had intended to send Sharie back immediately. But if Annette had personally entrusted her to him, that changed matters.
So that was why Annette had seen him off with such unusual kindness.
Edwin sighed inwardly. There’s no avoiding this now.
“The rain has stopped. Let’s get moving.”
When they returned, he fully intended to extract proper compensation from Annette for this.
“By the way, my lady… do you plan to ride in my bag again this time?”
Now that he knew the truth, he doubted he could run properly with the constant worry of crushing the fragile rabbit inside.
Sharie frantically waved her hands.
“No, no! I’ll follow you on my own this time—promise!”
She raised a tiny fist in determination. Edwin eyed her with deep suspicion, then rose to his feet.
There was nothing for it but to continue.
The Ascent
“The mountain monsters have all gone down to raid the village. Ironically, that makes our current location relatively safe.”
Still, the climb was brutal.
Frost coated the frozen dirt path, glittering like shards of glass. The rain that had fallen earlier had already turned to ice under the bitter cold.
“Stay close and careful. The path is treacherous.”
Edwin scanned the terrain, then pressed on, walking as smoothly as if the steep slope were level ground.
“I’ll go ahead to scout.”
In moments, his back grew distant.
I need to keep up…
Sharie forced her weary legs to move faster. She couldn’t afford to slow him down with her sluggish pace.
The wind whistled through the thick branches, cutting into her lungs with cold air. Her breath grew ragged.
Why… why am I doing this?
Her mind replayed that reckless moment.
“He is my husband!”
Why had she shouted that at Annette? Hadn’t she sworn she would separate from Edwin before the true heroine appeared, cleanly and quietly?
Now here she was, acting foolishly again.
Her magic was weak. She would only burden Edwin, never strengthen him. She knew herself better than anyone—this kind of venture did not suit her.
“Ah—!”
Lost in thought, her foot slipped on ice.
“Haah… haah…”
She clutched a tree trunk and barely regained her balance. Thanks to the snow-boots Annette had packed, she avoided disaster.
Sharie looked upward. The climb seemed endless.
I’m such a fool…
Yet no matter how pathetic or powerless she felt, she could only move forward.
Kai’sa.
She had to see with her own eyes that he was safe.
The fiery need to confirm it—to know—burned within her, impossible to extinguish.
I won’t regret this.
Even if she could turn back time, she would choose the same path.
Bracing herself, she pressed on.
The Caves
“This way.”
Edwin appeared through the brush, waiting for her.
Despite her slowness, his face bore no impatience nor reproach.
“Here is the cave district.”
Behind tangled vines and moss stood the yawning mouth of a limestone cave. The opening was so dark and deep, its end invisible.
“Let’s go in.”
Sharie swallowed nervously and followed.
“There are twelve caves here in total, all connected. Many forks in the path—stay close.”
The torchlight flickered across jagged stone walls as they entered.
Step by step, their footsteps echoed through the cavern.
The air was heavy, suffocating, as though they moved underwater.
Sharie’s eyes darted warily about. Just then, Edwin muttered:
“Too quiet.”
Her spine stiffened.
Normally, caves of this size teemed with life—bats, insects, wild animals.
Here, there was nothing. Not even a frog in the pools of stagnant water.
“Wh-what if… a bear appears?”
Her voice trembled.
A bear, with its savage claws, could swat a person aside like paper.
And if one lurked here in the unnatural silence…
The thought alone chilled her blood.
