episode_0051

His consciousness had been intermittent, not consistently severed.

Occasionally losing his senses, yet regaining them upon some stimulus, like the slightly rough fingers brushing against his lips, was a recurring pattern.

However, the time it took for his mind to fully return lengthened gradually after tasting the bitter liquid that coated his mouth.

Was that liquid truly an antidote?

Within the returning consciousness, Eleanor pondered this possibility, if only briefly.

The oppressive energy enveloping his body seemed to recede slightly. Sensation returned to his fingertips and the tips of his toes within his shoes. Even his heavy eyelids could now be lifted ever so slightly.

As Eleanor raised his eyelids above his sky-blue irises, he found himself still cradled in Dimitri’s embrace, just like in his last memory.

Yet, both Dimitri’s posture holding him and the surroundings were different from before.

Previously, it was what one might call a princess-like embrace. Perhaps because he needed to be carried in her arms.

In contrast, now he was snugly nestled in Dimitri’s embrace.

Dimitri’s well-trained, sturdy arms encircled Eleanor, ensuring he wouldn’t slip away, while beneath his riding pants, the tense muscles of his thighs could be felt one by one.

The surroundings, tinged with red, were still faintly visible, though sensations hadn’t completely returned. Despite the hazy view, the swift passing landscape and the rushing wind against his face conveyed a sense of speed.

Being carried in Dimitri’s embrace, Eleanor realized he was being taken somewhere. What had become of the mine? What about the people left behind? Oejenee, and Domi?

Sighing softly, Eleanor whispered to himself.

“I’ve caused trouble again…”

In the gusty wind, Eleanor turned his head to the side, pressing his face against Dimitri’s flat, firm chest to avoid the wind laden with dust.

Beneath his thin t-shirt, Dimitri’s warm chest enveloped Eleanor gently with his body heat and the rhythmic thumping of his heart.

Was it due to the soft sigh Eleanor let out?

Or perhaps the unfamiliar sensation stirring on his chest?

Dimitri lowered his head, looking at Eleanor nestled against his chest.

“Hey, Gieun. Are you coming to your senses?”

At the familiar male voice, Eleanor gently raised his head to look at him.

The distance between the two seemed even closer than before. Looking at Dimitri’s slightly trembling lips, Eleanor tried to convey gratitude and apology.

However, whether unfortunate or fortunate, when he opened his lips, only the sound of swirling air emerged.

With no response forthcoming, Dimitri turned his gaze forward once more.

It seemed Eleanor’s mind was still not entirely clear. So, embracing her face against his chest might not be appropriate.

Contrary to Dimitri’s thoughts, Eleanor felt a strange pang as Dimitri’s black pupils avoided meeting hers. Of course, he was driving quite swiftly, so he couldn’t keep staring at her alone.

Feeling a bit hurt by this avoidance, Eleanor rested his face against Dimitri’s firm chest, much like how cats behave without reason.

His warmth and the steady beat of his heart were comforting.

Still not in his right mind, he reasoned.

All due to the venom of the spider’s bite.

With this excuse in mind, Eleanor’s platinum hair fluttered lightly within Dimitri’s warm embrace.

#.

As Dimitri arrived in the village, holding Eleanor’s delicate body close and wielding the reins, a dusky hue began to spread over the shabby roofs of the wooden houses.

The appearance of the man riding a black horse caused a commotion in the evening countryside village.

The first to greet him were the mischievous children of the village. With eyes filled with wonder and admiration, the kids gazed at Dmitri and his black horse.

Throughout history, horses had been considered quite precious assets.

Properly raising them required vast meadows and an unpredictable amount of fodder.

Naturally, horses were not animals that commoners could easily acquire and use as livestock.

Moreover, the horse the man was riding was not some ugly pack animal with useless muscles that even commoners could come across frequently.

It was an elegant riding horse with well-defined muscles necessary for running.

As the children chattered excitedly behind the sleek black horse, the men of the village, with wary eyes, approached and stood before the children.

“Where is the doctor? Where is the doctor?” the man on the horse asked, looking at the gathered crowd.

His voice sounded urgent. A girl… no, a woman, with a small face nestled against the man’s chest, was breathing heavily in his arms. It seemed understandable when you looked at her face.

Pointing towards a sturdy two-story house atop a hill, contrasting the humble dwellings around, a man among the crowd indicated, “There, under the blue roof by the pine tree.”

Without a word of thanks, the man on the horse turned his head towards the doctor as indicated by the man’s finger.

A gray-haired old man, slightly stooped and stained with gray, emerged from the now noisy surroundings upon opening the door.

“What’s all this commotion about?”

The answer he expected came from the opposite direction of his gaze.

“Are you the doctor?”

Dorio, the doctor and village chief, turned his head towards the man who answered quietly, with a thick and resolute voice.

Though Dorio was considered to have lived a long life, he had never seen a man sturdier than the one before him. To meet the man’s eyes, one had to raise their head considerably.

Clad in a single thin, tight shirt that boldly displayed his firm muscles, his jet-black hair was darker than the night sky. Anxiety filled his eyes.

Of course, seeing the delicate and pale woman he held in his arms, the contrast was stark.

“Ahem. I am indeed the doctor, but who might you be?”

“More important than who I am is the young lady here. She’s been bitten by a Shelob.”

At the mention of Shelob, Dorio’s words grew longer.

“If it’s Shelob, are you referring to that spider’s bite?”

“Yes. Fortunately, she wasn’t poisoned by the sting, but she was scratched on the shoulder by one of its legs. Seeing her unable to control her body, it seems like the venom may have seeped in then.”

“Quick, come inside. Jack! Fetch some water quickly! Eilie, come down and assist! She’s a precious lady.”

After ushering Dmitri inside, Dorio closed the door and shouted loudly.

“Over here, lay her on the bed.”

Carefully laying Eleonore on the seemingly hard bed that Dorio pointed out, Dmitri asked, “Do you have an antidote?”

“As you know, there are no venomous creatures around here, so we haven’t prepared any separately.”

The doctor replied as he unwrapped the blankets from the bodies of the girl and the lady who had hurried down the stairs.

“Fortunately, it seems like the lady has been blessed by divine grace, as a man with sandy hair brought the antidote earlier today and left.”

#.

Turning the clock hands back to the moment when Eleonore and her companions had just escaped from the water source.

In the majestic building of the Ministry of the Interior, constructed as grandly as the Imperial Palace where the Emperor resided, a spacious office stood tall.

The two pillars of imperial administration, the Military Headquarters and the Ministry of the Interior, competed by needlessly erecting grand and oversized offices for themselves.

While the Military Headquarters’ office exuded a linear and solid feel, the Ministry of the Interior employed many curves, giving it an elegant and soft touch in comparison.

On the 4th floor of such a Ministry of the Interior office, within the chambers of Councilor Julian Vallatier, appointed as the successor to Noël Saint-Omer Marquis, sat Security Officer Christian, who had been assigned to the Ministry. He lay on the sofa with his usual bored expression, staring blankly at a cruciverbal puzzle corner of the newspaper, absentmindedly chewing on his pen.

Unlike his long-time friend engaged in idle pursuits, across from him, Julian, seated at a large wooden desk, with his red eyes scanning the documents before him, was busily engrossed in the printed characters on the papers.

It was truly a quiet and peaceful morning. Amidst this silence, a cautious knock reverberated, signaling the end of the tranquil morning.

Knock, knock, knock—

Followed by the voice of a woman from beyond the door.

“Councilor Vallatier.”

Julian, tearing his gaze away from the documents, cleared his throat and glanced at Christian lying on the sofa. With a significant yawn, Christian lowered his feet and adjusted his posture.

“Come in.”

In response to his low voice, the secretary, the heroine of that day who had previously endured the sharp gaze of Countess Etienne’s wife alone, bowed deeply and entered the office.

“Councilor, Sir. Ernst is here—”

Her voice, as poised and respectful as her neat appearance, was abruptly cut off by the dark-haired man passing by her side.

Ignoring the introduction by the secretary, Ernst strode towards Julian briskly.

Observing this, the secretary let out a small sigh. It wasn’t the first time the emotionless man had behaved in such a manner. Julian gently nodded his head towards the sympathetic secretary, indicating for her to leave.

Finally, as the heavy wooden door of the office closed with a thud, Ernst raised his lips which had been tightly pressed together.

“My Lord.”

“Ernst, I believe I’ve asked you not to use that title within the Ministry of the Interior.”

“This is urgent.”

Despite the urgency in his Lord’s tone, Ernst continued without batting an eye, devoid of any emotion in his usual manner.

Julian placed the silver fountain pen he held to sign aside on the desk. This was the first time since Ernst had been with him that he had mentioned something being urgent.

“What is the matter, however?”

“You recall the abandoned mine where you brought the egg of Maus Silvra from the East. Do you remember?”

Julian nodded slightly, recollecting.

“Yes, I remember. Wasn’t it in the Beaune Valley? You mentioned that the abandoned mine was quite deep, damp, and dark, making it the most suitable place around here.”

“It is said that Eleonore Youngae is heading towards that abandoned mine.”

At this revelation, both Julian and Christian, who had now sprung up from his reclined position on the sofa, were taken aback.