episode_0027

As soon as Dincia, who sensed the vast magical power of the monster, quickly got up and headed outside, Hahyunt was also clearly taking care of the work he had to do inside the mansion.

“Did you check Dahein’s room?”

just as expected. In response to Hahyunt’s question indicating the urgency, the female knights who were escorting him soon lowered their heads and began to open their mouths as if to reassure themselves.

“Currently, Mr. Master’s exclusive driver, Janes, is always on standby.”

＂Although she may be a bit inarticulate, we all believe in her skills.＂

Despite the confident words of the female knights, Hahyunt, who felt an uneasy feeling, took her own initiative and quickly began heading to Dahin’s room to check on her safety.

***

Turf.. plod.. plod..

Hahyunt, who was moving with the female knights, began to move faster, but…

For some reason, Janes, Dahuin’s exclusive engineer who was supposed to be guarding the door, had disappeared everywhere, and the door, which was supposed to be closed, had also been left wide open by someone.

In such an urgent situation due to a monster attack, Hahyant decided that it should never be left open because the [security device] would be activated in real time, making it safer inside. So, leaving behind a trembling heart, Hahyant urgently looks into the door.

Crash!!

＂All.. All white..!!＂

As if a bad premonition had come true, there was no trace of Da-hein anywhere, and the female knights who followed immediately grasped the situation and began to move quickly.

“Ascertain the location of the master right now and report this to the lord as soon as possible!!”

All the female knights and servants guarding the inside of the mansion became busy looking for Dahyin, and by the time Dincia, who sensed a bad premonition, arrived, it was already too late.

***

The sharp wind of midwinter passes by…

Tap, tap, tap, tap..

Despite the bitter early morning wind that felt like it would cut off his entire body, Janes was riding a horse and heading somewhere, holding Dahyin in his arms.

＇This sound is…＇

As the efficacy of the unknown herb began to wear off little by little, I began to regain consciousness, albeit slightly. Of course, the dizziness did not completely go away.

In a state where he was barely able to come to his senses, he began to wriggle little by little in Janes’ arms and tried his best to look around, but…

No matter where I looked, I was covered in thick blankets, so I couldn’t see what was going on around me.

Just Janes’ heavy breathing and the clatter of a galloping horse! Only the sound of horses’ hooves could be heard in the street… no further information could be gathered.

＇Janes.. why are you doing this?＇

‘It’s stuffy..’

Was this a side effect of the unknown herb that was wrapped around my mouth before I lost consciousness? My whole body was wrapped in a warm blanket, so I didn’t feel cold at all, but after spending a while with my hands and feet tightly tied, I began to feel extreme anxiety and frustration, accompanied by claustrophobia that I didn’t know I had.

“haha..”

Therefore, it has reached a dangerous situation where breathing cannot be done evenly.

＂J.. Janes.＂

Janes, who was somewhat aware of Da-hin’s situation, once again used a small amount of [Heavenly Palace Herbs] to prevent him from suffering anymore.

After running all night for a day or two, the horse Janes was riding was so damaged that it could no longer run.

Just… Janes, who was gently closing the eyes of the muttering words, left the cold words, “I’m sorry,” picked up the luggage he had packed, picked up Dahyun, and began to run somewhere hastily.

Turf… plod… plod…

Janes’ pale face can be seen through the gap where the blanket was wrapped.

Her face was already completely ruined, as if she had run while being hit by the cold wind.

The skin was cracked and blood flowed and froze, and the area around the face was frostbitten due to the extreme cold. It was such a miserable sight.

Maybe… I looked at Janes, who was kidnapped without knowing why, and was showing a more distressed face than me, and began to gather strength and open my mouth again.

“Janes… why are you doing this?”

At Dahuin’s quiet words… Janes stopped for a moment…

With tears streaming down from the corners of my already dry eyes, I just took another step and didn’t make any excuses. I just looked at her pitiful tears.

I had no idea why Janes made this choice, but I could recognize that something unavoidable had arisen for her.

Obviously… it’s something I don’t know about.

After running for two days without stopping, we finally arrived at {Diriol Forest}.

{Diriol Forest}

This is a forest where beast-type monsters, [Tululpo], live in groups and there are many trees, so movement is restricted.

It is a forest that many adventurers avoid because it is a forest where many adventurers lost their lives.

A few days ago… even though I arrived at the location suggested by the mysterious shadow of unknown identity, it seemed to show no sign of appearing at all. It seemed like there was no more time for Janes.

After spending several days in a state of sleep caused by an unknown herb, I found myself in Janes’ arms, in an unknown forest.

just as expected. Janes’ body was already trembling, as if he was going to collapse at any moment, and I could feel the trembling throughout his numb body.

To avoid the snowstorm that pours down like a storm, Janes goes into an unknown cave and tries to escape the wind for a while.

＂Ah… no… I’m sure… I’ll come..＂

After running for two days without a wink of sleep, Janes’ body and mind were experiencing extreme fatigue and mental pain, and he was showing severe symptoms of anxiety.

“Boo.. I definitely said it was here..”

Janes was overcome with great anxiety and muttered in a flushed voice. That trembling voice could be heard even inside the tightly wrapped blanket.

Her usually calm and cautious appearance had disappeared everywhere, and she seemed to be waiting for something. I had no idea what was waiting for me.

All I could do was watch her strange behavior through the gap between the blankets, trying to figure out whether she was hallucinating or not.

“I.. I wasn’t wrong..”

As I watch Janes gradually going crazy, my heart tells me.

After looking at it for a while… she continued talking to herself as she looked at the two rings she took out of her pocket.

He kept saying that he wasn’t wrong… and was acting like he was scolding himself. So cruelly.

But Janes never knew.

The promised place to meet the mysterious shadow was not {Diriol Forest} but {Diggle Forest}.

In this way, Janes’ cold night became deeper and deeper.

Meanwhile..

Barely able to maintain my sanity to some extent, I tried to twist my bound body little by little and move around to loosen the rope, but perhaps because of the side effects of [Heavenly Herbs], I could not feel any sensation in my hands and feet, nor did I even feel like I was putting in any effort. I stopped listening.

＇I don’t have any strength..＇

Still, I couldn’t give up, and as I wriggled for a while and tried my best to break free, I was able to sense a mysterious warmth in my arms.

＇Could this be..?＇

It’s none other than…

Not long ago, I gave Janes a gift… a [portable hand warmer]…

It was a moment when I became convinced that Janes, the dedicated driver who was warmer and more caring for me than anyone else, was not the kind of person who would do something like this to himself.

It means that he is clearly being threatened by someone.

It was that moment.

The cries of a group of [Tul Wolfo] coming from an unknown forest rang out quickly, like wolves howling, and gradually the sounds began to get closer.

[Tululpo]

It has a size of about 2m, has no sight and follows its prey using smell and vibration of the ground.

They usually move in groups of 3 to 4, and hunt by keeping their prey at bay.

It has high intelligence and has a habit of following through to the end and taking revenge when an attempt is made to attack or harm its group.

Jaynes, who had been concentrating on sounds and signs in fear of someone coming, urgently took out his dagger at the sound of [Tululpo]’s cries, lowered his posture, and soon began to take a guard posture.

Inside the cave, which was so quiet and cold that not even a breath escaped, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of slowly falling water drops.

As a result, Janes’s temper became even sharper, and she began to move little by little to check the situation outside the cave.

Sharp… sharp…

Red blood oozed from Janes’ leather boots. It was clear that he was injured to the point where it was difficult to move due to frostbite. It caused such a big wound.

Seeing her not being able to rest even for a moment, I wanted to stop her right away…

No voice comes out.

‘Janes.. please..’