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84 Chapter

Slowly, I raised my hand, grabbing his shoulder and whispered just beside his ear.

“I’m tired.”

My overexerted right arm trembled, and my left arm, pierced by the fangs, was burning with pain. Facing disaster, the tension that had dominated my body suddenly released, leaving me feeling like a marionette with its string cut.

“Can I rest a bit now?”

I have no regrets about the choices I’ve made thus far. But it was tough. Very. For a moment, I wanted to lean against someone and take a break.

“Kashmir…”

Reiner, with a distorted face, sighed my name like it was an exhale. His calloused fingertips gently brushed against my eyelids, causing me to shut my eyes.

“You did well. Rest.”

His kind voice seeped into my ears, and I relaxed my body. I knew there were still many things to check, and that I shouldn’t rest here, but my poison-addled body simply wouldn’t listen.

‘A little break wouldn’t hurt, would it? After all, I have Reiner watching my back.’

His reassuring arm felt like the birth announcement of a reliable comrade, and even though I thought I shouldn’t let my guard down, the tension continued to fade. Once I shut my eyes, my eyelids did not heed my brain’s command.

“When I wake up, everything will be sorted out.”

Underneath the lullaby-like warm whisper, I slowly drifted into slumber.

Tap tap tap.

As the warm warmth against my skin and the peaceful sound enveloped me, I opened my eyes. The fever that had once boiled my body due to Harabana poison was now reduced to a gentle warmth. I felt my aching muscles calm down and, instinctively, I sat up, wary of my surroundings.

Slither.

As I moved, the black blanket covering me slid off. It wasn’t mine, so I tilted my head in confusion, but the scent teasing my nostrils quickly led me to guess its owner.

‘It’s Reiner’s.’

The deep, rich fragrance of rosewood matched perfectly with his upright and charming demeanor. I slowly glanced around, feeling Reiner’s presence close by.

I was lying in a cozy cave. Except for some moss and a few vines, it was a clean space devoid of any signs of beasts. It seemed Reiner had brought me here after I fainted due to the poison.

‘…It’s warm.’

Wrapping the fallen blanket around my back, I moved closer to the campfire burning in the center of the cave. Just as I was slightly dazed, Reiner stood in front of the fire, which was apparently made from his blood, basking in its warmth.

“You’re awake.”

I turned my head at the familiar voice that came from the entrance of the cave.

“Sir Einhart.”

At my quiet call, he walked briskly towards the campfire, faintly smiling.

“How are you feeling?”

“I think I’ve almost fully recovered, except for a slight fever.”

I swung my shoulders around to gauge my condition.

In the past, I would have had to either endure a toxic state with a high fever or brew an antidote to recover, but now, after just half a day, I was able to naturally heal. Since joining the House of Crisis and devoting myself to training while consuming sufficient nutrition, my recovery speed had noticeably increased.

“I’m glad to hear that. I was worried you might be hungry, so I brought some Harabana meat.”

“Oh, is there anything I can help with?”

“No. Young Lady, please rest well. I will handle it.”

Seeing Reiner’s expression—one that seemed like he would get angry if I even stood up—I decided to stay put. I watched him work for a while, leaning against the cave wall.

‘While Reiner’s help was significant, even disregarding that, my speed in taking down Harabana has greatly improved.’

Originally, I would have fought for more than an hour to take down Harabana. Yet this time, it only took about 20 minutes, indicating I had surely improved.

‘Moreover, I wasn’t even badly injured.’

If it were the past, after defeating Harabana, I would have immediately succumbed to the poison and been in no shape to move. I hadn’t defended myself, and I was weak. But the consistent defense training and conditioning had strengthened my body, and after just half a day of sleep, I had returned almost to my original state, leaving me filled with pride.

‘This is largely thanks to Reiner.’

I glanced sideways at Reiner, who was busily cooking in front of the campfire. He was skewering the green chunks of meat onto a stick and grilling it over the flames with a somewhat clumsily made stand.

‘If Reiner hadn’t been there, I might not have become this strong.’

Thinking back to the days we trained together weekly, I couldn’t help but smile. Thanks to Reiner’s earnest teachings, I was nearing the average level of a Sword Master, and I was also on the verge of surpassing Reiner in defense and stamina.

‘He’s a truly grateful person.’

Even though it was a command from his superior, it wouldn’t have been easy for him to help so earnestly. Looking at him with gentle eyes, he seemed to feel my gaze, and slowly opened his mouth in his usual impassive manner.

“Do you need anything?”

I always thought Reiner’s voice was quite blunt.

To an outsider, it might sound emotionally devoid enough to startle someone, but now I had grown used to his voice and knew it was just how he spoke. I faintly smiled and shook my head.

“No. I’m just grateful to you.”

Flinch.

‘Oh, he’s blushing.’

I tried to stifle my laughter as I watched Reiner’s ears turn crimson like someone had spilled red paint on them. With his chiseled features maintaining a machine-like demeanor, he certainly blushed easily.

Reiner turned his head and cleared his throat.

“…It’s not something worth thanking me for. If it weren’t for you, Young Lady, I wouldn’t have survived in front of Harabana.”

“I’m grateful not only for today but for all the help you’ve given me thus far. You’ve taken the time to assist me with my training.”

At my quiet whisper, his mouth twitched slightly. He always showed discomfort whenever I hinted at my identity as Mir.

Reiner, silent with his head down, began to carefully prepare the well-cooked meat without saying a word.

‘He’s definitely a Cartel but why is he like this?’

He wouldn’t discuss our past. He never spoke of my identity as Mir either. I let my chin rest on my hand and sighed.

‘When I’ve become strong enough to fight by your side, I’ll come find you directly.’

I vividly remembered what he’d said on the day we faced off. The moment those golden eyes filled with mixed emotions gazed steadily at me.

‘Back then, the Cartel trembled at the thought of needing to protect himself. Is he embarrassed to reveal his identity because he’s still weaker than me? Reiner’s still a Sword Expert, and I’m just a Sword Master… would he finally share that once I became a Sword Master?’

Lost in thought, I barely noticed as Reiner, who had finished cooking, called me.

“Young Lady of Crisis. It’s time to eat.”

“Oh, yes.”

I snapped back to reality and stood up, only to freeze at the sight of my wrinkled dress shirt.

‘Huh?’

The shirt was far larger than the size I usually wore. It felt almost like I was wrapped in a blanket. I blinked rapidly, sweeping my gaze over myself. I now realized the straps of my original overalls had been broken, leaving only the pants, and my former harness was nowhere to be found.

Most notably, the overwhelming scent of rosewood enveloped me. I thought it was because I had covered myself with Reiner’s blanket, but now, it seemed the fragrance was coming from the shirt I was wearing.

“Young Lady?”

Reiner gave me a look that asked why I wasn’t coming over, his stance awkward as he stood up. I hesitated, then slowly opened my mouth.

“Sir, am I… wearing your clothes right now?”

Thud.

Something fell from Reiner’s hands. His face turned bright red in an instant. He jumped up and quickly approached me.

“That’s not what it is! You’re misunderstanding! I can explain everything!”

“No, I wasn’t thinking anything of it…”

“I did absolutely nothing disrespectful! Please believe me!”

Was he under the impression I thought he had done something inappropriate? Reiner, unusually flustered, babbled. As I stared at him, who couldn’t even touch my body but fidgeted with a deep blush, I couldn’t hold back my laughter and broke out into a big smile.

‘He really is unusual.’

I had thought this for a long time, but Reiner was actually quite cute. His face turned even redder as he stared at me, stifling my laughter.

“…I really didn’t do anything weird.”

Reiner, covering his mouth with his hand and avoiding eye contact, mumbled. The sight of him resembled a shy boy in love, and a mischievous grin formed on my face. I was about to get up, but instead, I sat back down, crossed my arms, and looked up at him.

“Well, the fact that you changed my clothes is already strange. What did you do?”

My voice was laced with childlike mischief, but Reiner, who seemed to be burning with embarrassment, didn’t seem to notice.

Thinking I was interrogating him, he trembled as his pupils shook, still unable to meet my gaze.

“When you fell asleep, I was going to carry you back to the Hunting Tournament camp. But that wasn’t possible.”

“Why not?”

Reiner’s previously confused expression became somewhat serious. He cautiously met my gaze again, still with a flushed face.

“There was a purple barrier set up on the way from where you and I were to the Hunting Tournament camp.”

‘A purple barrier.’

With just that one word, numerous scenes flashed like a panorama in my mind. My face stiffened.

‘I completely forgot about this.’

Frowning, I pressed my forehead. As time passed, my memories of my previous life faded, and similarly, I was gradually forgetting the content of ‘Fairy Night’, but I couldn’t believe I had forgotten about this incident.

“You could probably break it, Young Lady, but with my power, I couldn’t. I tried to track the source of the barrier, but it seemed like it wasn’t made from mana; it just emanated a strange energy without leaving any traces.”

‘Of course, the original said even a Sword Expert couldn’t break it. That barrier must have been created with black magic.’

Finally connecting the dots between the original story and the current situation, I pressed my temples. One thought dominated my mind as memories flooded back.

‘Alexandros; Leo is in danger.’

He was in danger.

“First, I understand. What comes next?”

As I hardened my expression seriously, I felt Reiner’s worried gaze brush against my skin. Trying to alleviate his concerns, I made an effort to smile and asked smoothly. He opened his mouth, still looking a bit flustered.

“You had a high fever from the poison. Your body was covered in Harabana blood, so I thought you weren’t clean… so I…”

“You washed me?”

‘No wonder I feel so clean.’

I wondered if he had simply wiped me down, but it seemed he had completely washed me instead. Reiner’s already flushed ears turned even redder. Despite being a knight, his skin was pale, and his bright silvery-gray hair made his reddening complexion stand out starkly.

I giggled at his reaction, looking at him with a teasing smile, causing his golden eyes to roll away from mine.

“…I found a lake shortly after and washed you there. At the very least, I thought it wouldn’t be good for the poison to remain on your skin.”

“Oh…”

“I covered your eyes with a cloth, and I didn’t touch your lower half. Please believe me.”

Knowing full well that Reiner wouldn’t lie to me, I struggled to stifle my smile and nodded. As someone who had lived as a mercenary my entire life, I didn’t mind showing my upper body. After all, I was bound with bandages around my chest anyway.

“I trust you, of course. You must have been exhausted after the battle; thank you for taking care of me.”

With a gentle whisper, Reiner finally met my gaze. The corners of his mouth lifted faintly, but certainly.

 

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