* * *
Curious to get a better look, I leaned in slightly.
But before I could confirm, the ball of yarn he’d been holding suddenly popped up in front of my face.
I reflexively took it—and the next moment, his hands slipped under my knees and he lifted me.
“Wait—?!”
My legs dangled in midair, and the arm supporting my back held me firmly in place.
Without a word, Klen started walking forward in long, steady strides.
“Put me down! Aren’t I heavy?”
“This way is faster.”
…Can he really walk between the ravine like this?
I couldn’t be that light.
Still, he didn’t seem the least bit inclined to put me down.
He had carried me through the halls of the castle before, sure—but this position seemed even more demanding than that.
“…If you get tired, let me down.”
“Understood.”
I didn’t thrash or shout.
Knowing how stubborn he could be, there was no way he’d let me go just because I asked nicely.
Struggling would only make things more difficult.
He must’ve had his reasons for carrying me this way.
Once we passed the thick forest and the trees began to thin, the fairytale-like scenery faded.
It felt like waking up from a dream—everything looked sharper, clearer.
The bright sky had already turned red, the sun dipping low on the horizon.
‘What time is it?’
Maybe a full day, or even two, had passed.
As we neared the watchtower, we saw torches blazing in the distance, moving frantically.
And yet, the air wasn’t filled with noise.
It felt more like a loud silence.
The knights spotted us and rushed to open the gate, too stunned to cross the threshold on their own.
The captain of the guard ran toward us first, his eyes suspiciously red.
‘Wait… is he crying?’
His reaction was so over-the-top, I couldn’t help but be baffled.
“Sir Klen! You’re safe!”
“Sir Adrian!”
“I can’t believe you actually made it out together…”
The knight captain wasn’t the only one holding back tears.
The other knights looked exhausted, as if they hadn’t slept in days, their faces pale and drawn.
Were they that worried about the yarn breaking?
They had likely stood watch beside it the entire time.
‘…Was it because I told them to guard it?’
It was the only thread we had—literally.
I’d told them to keep it safe, just in case.
I’d never expected things to turn out like this.
Had I known, I wouldn’t have asked them to do it.
“We couldn’t even report to the higher-ups… We thought we’d die of worry.”
“Hm. We made it out thanks to you guarding the yarn. I appreciate it.”
Color slowly returned to the knights’ faces.
“Well done. Thank you all for protecting this place. I’ll ask you to keep this whole incident to yourselves. Oh, and… my wife seems tired, so I’d like to get him home quickly…”
“Say no more, sir! Please, go ahead!”
Startled, the knights quickly stepped aside.
So this was why Klen had carried me—he didn’t want to be detained.
Otherwise, we’d be stuck here answering questions for hours.
I felt a little guilty seeing the knights on the verge of tears, but praise could wait for later.
Klen walked calmly past them and stopped before the tree where the yarn was tied.
“Well then, Adrian. Let’s cut this thread.”
He said it in a tone you’d use to coax a child, which made me scowl a bit.
I shot him a glance.
The cold, aloof air he usually carried had melted away like snow, replaced by a gentle warmth, like spring sunshine.
He cradled me awkwardly, as if he might drop me at any moment, and still reached out to support my head like I couldn’t even lift it myself.
But rather than supporting me, it felt more like he was holding me down.
It was probably a signal to move in sync with his acting.
Even though the posture was precarious, I could feel that he was holding me securely.
I relaxed my body as much as I could and, leaning against him, reached into his chest and pulled out a small pair of scissors.
‘Snip.’
As I cut the yarn, not only did the long trailing thread disappear, but even the bundle I had been holding vanished as if it had been an illusion.
The knights around us looked wide-eyed, scanning their surroundings.
“I’ll take care of getting there myself. Just keep this a secret.”
“Yes! Understood!”
Snapped back to attention by Klen’s words, the knights saluted enthusiastically.
Still, they didn’t seem to fully trust his bright smile, hovering anxiously around him as he started to walk away.
When he deliberately staggered, the knights flinched with him.
Their hands were already halfway out, as if ready to catch him.
I could see the worry in their eyes, trembling slightly with the fear that he might actually fall.
What would happen if someone in frail health fell from a height?
Yet no one dared to say they would carry him.
That would wound Klen’s pride.
On top of that, I was a noble they couldn’t treat carelessly, and regardless of gender, lifting someone he referred to as his wife in front of him would be… sensitive.
In the end, the knights’ eyes followed us until we were far out of sight.
Had they already forgotten about him swinging swords and throwing things, claiming he was going into the forest?
“How did you even get here?”
“…I walked?”
He looked down at me in silence, his gaze slowly closing and reopening as if he’d expected that answer.
“Adrian. Would you mind closing your eyes for a moment?”
“Pardon? Ah… yes.”
I followed his request without a second thought.
“…?!”
Something lightly touched my lips and then pulled away.
A few days ago, I might not have realized what it was—but now, I knew exactly.
My eyes flew open.
“W-What was that all of a sudden?!”
“Seeing you with your eyes closed… I couldn’t help myself.”
Klen didn’t show a hint of guilt. Instead, his shoulders shook like he was barely holding back laughter.
With his acting skills, he could’ve easily hidden something like this if he wanted to.
So clearly, he didn’t want to.
Shouldn’t he at least feel a little sorry?
No—doing that without warning is just… not okay.
“Adrian. Please close your eyes.”
“…”
Maybe I looked full of doubt, because a small smile touched his lips.
“I’d like to live up to your expectations, but it’s not like that. The path we’re taking is one only known to Count Valuncion, so even you can’t be told.”
“…Understood.”
I shut my eyes tightly.
After a brief moment of tension, he began walking again.
With my sight gone, other senses grew sharper.
The warmth of his body seeped into mine like it was dyeing my skin.
I could hear his heartbeat, feel his breath against my ear.
“…!”
Leaning into his arms like that, I suddenly realized I was focusing on every little sensation.
It was a feeling only I was aware of—no one else could see it.
Still, it made my ears burn red, and I forced myself to turn my attention outward.
Soon, I heard the sound of grass being stepped on.
A slightly different scent tickled my nose, distinct from deeper in the forest.
Step—
‘Huh? That sounded different.’
I could tell his foot had landed not on earth, but stone.
I felt the change clearly as we began descending what must have been stone steps.
Even with my eyes closed, I could sense the light gradually disappearing, a vague picture forming in my mind.
“By the way… how do you know about a passage that’s only supposed to be known by the Count?”
If I focused too much, I might be able to figure out where we were.
To erase the mental image forming in my head, I quickly asked the question.
Why would a secret passage known only to the Count connect to the forest?
* * *
