* * *
He had no idea how long they’d been riding.
Just when the distance was starting to wear him down, a large tent came into view far off in the distance.
He couldn’t make it out clearly, but something in him just knew—it belonged to the Friedit family.
“That must be the one,” Melody said, confirming his instincts.
As they drew closer, a heavy look settled over Eren’s eyes.
He wanted to see Ashard immediately, but he was terrified at the thought that he might be badly hurt.
As soon as they reached the tent, Eren leapt off his horse—too hastily.
It was a height he normally couldn’t dismount from smoothly, and in his rush, he landed wrong, letting out a small involuntary groan.
Of all things, it was the ankle he’d previously injured—pain quickly flared up.
The artifact Eterion had made for him acted like a sort of magical cast.
It kept the ankle secure but didn’t completely shield him from pain.
Gritting through it, Eren limped toward the entrance of the tent.
“Ugh…”
His hand froze midair as he reached for the flap—inside, he could hear a voice twisted in pain.
Blood ran cold in his veins, and his heart began to race.
His hand trembled in the air just above the entrance.
To steady himself, Eren bit down hard on his lower lip.
When he finally mustered the will and stepped inside, the one he’d longed to see was right there—Ashard, staring wide-eyed in surprise.
“What are you doing here?”
“…Ashard.”
Only after hearing his voice did the relief wash over him.
It wasn’t until their eyes met—solid and unflinching—that it truly hit him.
He’s okay.
Thank God.
He’s alive.
Without a second thought, Eren threw himself into Ashard’s arms as he sat on the cot.
The warmth of him broke down the walls he’d held up, and emotion surged forth.
His eyes burned and blurred.
Hugging Ashard around the neck, clear tears welled up and dropped onto Ashard’s shoulder, soaking it.
“You’re okay, right? Are you hurt? Does it hurt a lot?”
“One question at a time. Slowly.”
As Eren slowly lifted his head, he saw the strain in Ashard’s furrowed brows—he was clearly enduring pain.
Alarmed, Eren quickly examined his condition.
He couldn’t see any injuries from the front, so he stepped around to look at his back—and instantly, tears began to flow uncontrollably.
“A-Ah…”
His entire back was soaked in bright red.
It was impossible to find a single patch that wasn’t bloodstained.
Eren had tried to stay strong, telling himself it was Ashard who was hurt, not him—but it was useless.
His narrow shoulders trembled as emotion overtook him.
Ashard gently pulled Eren into an embrace.
Just moments ago, the pain had been unbearable—but the second he saw Eren, it felt like it eased.
He wiped the tears off Eren’s pale cheeks, but they just kept coming, streaking down from the corners of his eyes.
“I’m okay, so don’t cry. If you make that face, it’ll seem like I’m the one who made you cry.”
Eren gave a choked nod, his breath catching in his throat.
Ashard lightly patted his small back.
“I didn’t know you cried this easily. I’ll have to make sure I never make you cry again.”
“Hnnn…”
“But… seeing you cry because you’re worried about me isn’t so bad.”
“Ashard!”
Eren shouted as if scolding him, and Ashard’s lips curved into a smile.
But his vision began to blur from the blood loss.
Sweat—cold and clammy—trickled down his face beneath his tousled hair.
“…Pardon me for interrupting your touching moment,” Melody said awkwardly, clearing her throat.
She had followed Eren inside and found herself witnessing the tearful reunion.
She had hoped they’d notice her presence on their own, but if she didn’t say something, she was sure this would go on all night.
“Ah…”
Just as Eren was about to pull away in embarrassment, Ashard swiftly caught his wrist.
Holding him close, as if to say “don’t go,” Eren looked up at him and spoke firmly.
“You need proper treatment.”
It was almost ridiculous, the way he said that so resolutely while still crying like a child with eyes like amethysts brimming with tears.
Ashard, too pained to pull him in tighter, simply clutched his wrist.
“Then at least stay by my side. I think I’ll feel better if you’re here.”
“…”
Eren hesitated, then sank down beside him.
He was trying to be firm, but his gentle compliance only made him all the more endearing.
Ashard turned so Melody could access his back, and she began casting healing magic.
Eren, watching intently, couldn’t stop his hands from trembling.
Sensing it through their clasped hands, Ashard gently stroked the back of his hand with his thumb in an attempt to calm him.
“Haa…”
He let out a quiet sigh—not fully healed yet, but clearly better.
Still, Eren fidgeted beside him like an anxious, abandoned puppy.
“Does it still hurt a lot…?”
“I’m getting treated right now. Don’t worry so much. You’ll ruin that pretty face of yours if you keep frowning like that.”
As if telling him not to frown, he lightly tapped between his brows.
How could he not worry?
Anyone who had seen his condition earlier would have been just as concerned.
Even though he said not to worry, there was no sign of reassurance at all.
“The wound is too deep. It’s likely to leave a scar.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“The treatment is nearly finished. But I still think it’d be best if you had a physician examine it later. There are limits to what healing magic can do.”
Ashard gave a slight nod as if to say he understood.
But despite his reply, both Eren and Melody could vaguely sense he would never actually go see a physician.
“But how did you end up so badly injured?”
Anyone spending a little time with Ashard would quickly realize that he was the type to endure as much as possible without complaint.
For someone like him to not only show his pain but also bear such visible injuries—it wasn’t just Melody who was curious; Eren was too.
Ashard had been about to answer calmly, but as he felt the gaze fixed on him, his lips closed.
Every time he tried to speak, he caught sight of eyes filled with tears, welling up and ready to spill.
Seeing that teary, about-to-burst look, Ashard wore a helpless expression.
Even that crying face was lovely, but it wasn’t as if he wanted to make him cry for real.
“……”
Reading Ashard’s unspoken thoughts, Eren’s expression hardened with newfound resolve.
Seeing Eren glaring so intensely—so unlike his usual self—Ashard let out a soft laugh.
But only when facing Eren.
As soon as his gaze shifted elsewhere, his face darkened.
“I don’t know why, but it suddenly attacked me out of nowhere.”
“What on earth—”
Melody, who had been frowning in confusion, followed Ashard’s line of sight—and went speechless.
At some point, a massive beast’s corpse had been thrown on the ground.
Its sheer presence made it impossible to overlook.
“What… is that thing?”
Melody stammered, her voice clearly laced with shock as she examined the creature’s body.
In response, Ashard shook his head.
“I don’t know either. It’s the first time I’ve hunted something like this. What I can say is—it definitely doesn’t belong here.”
The hunting grounds where the tournament was held belonged to the Imperial family.
To maintain fairness, only certain animals were released, and all native wildlife had been thoroughly catalogued.
In other words, it should have been impossible for an unknown creature to be here.
As the others’ expressions stiffened, only Eren—who recognized the beast—was visibly shaken.
‘Why is that thing here…?’
Anasil.
A creature that looked like a leopard but had the fangs of the ancient basilisk.
Its speed surpassed that of any living creature in this world, and a mere graze from its fang meant instant death as poison spread throughout the body.
It was known as a beast no human could possibly defeat.
Given its place at the very top of the food chain, there weren’t many of them.
Outside of the Dimid Mountains in the Empire of Epentel—its only known habitat—no sightings had ever been reported. So much so that some in the empire believed it was a myth.
It was that rare.
The chances of running into one by coincidence were astronomically low.
And this place?
It was the complete opposite side of the continent from Epentel.
Calling this a coincidence would be absurd.
* * *
