The door opened, and the person who appeared with the warm light of candles that ate away the darkness and pushed in...
“Chloe.”
“Callius?”
It was Callius.
I sat on the bed and stared blankly at him.
The sight of Karl coming in holding a candle suddenly gave me the illusion that it had grown into Callius.
“Why are you out here in the dark, alone, without even turning on the fireplace? Aren’t you cold?”
Callius came over, wrapped a blanket around me, and quickly lit a fire in the fireplace.
He returned to me quickly and steadily, adding warmth to our nest without any hesitation, like I did.
'It's sturdy.'
He found the wound on my hand, looked serious, brought out some ointment and bandages, and quickly treated me.
'It's delicate.'
His careful, gentle hands tending to my wounds were ticklish.
What is it?
This warmth that seems to fill me from within.
“I thought Karl was coming.”
I whispered to Callius, who had finished the treatment and put the things back where they belonged.
The firewood crackled with a warm orange glow, adding a warmth to the air between us.
This time is good.
After work, I would lean against the headboard with Callius, listen to the crackling of the wood fire, and chat away. This time was always enjoyable and never got old.
Callius' face, illuminated by the fire that was neither too bright nor too dark, had a different feel from his face during the day.
Not everyone's Callius, who leads people like a noble beast under the sun, but the Callius that only I know.
'My husband.'
I once mulled over what Callius had said.
"The one and only companion who will be with you for life, the person closest to you, the one who is as one with you. That's me."
The adjectives he used resonated with me the most at this moment.
"Whenever I felt lonely and struggling, Karl would magically appear. I thought it had appeared this time, too. Just like always."
I expected Callius to ask about Karl, but instead he asked me how I felt.
“Were you lonely and had a hard time?”
I laughed softly.
“I couldn’t light a fire in the fireplace.”
Until Callius appeared, things were very unfortunate and depressing.
But now that Callius was by my side, it had become so trivial and insignificant to me.
“It’s funny. I feel that way just because I can’t light a fire.”
Then Callius raised his arms and hugged me.
My heart was pounding, and I looked down, but instead of avoiding him, I leaned closer to him.
"It's not funny. It's not strange or funny to feel any way in any situation."
Then Callius patted my shoulder and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
My heart ached.
“Callius.”
"Yes."
"You..."
I'm so glad you're my husband.
I couldn't bring myself to say the words that were on the tip of my tongue out of shyness, so I just said, "No!" and laughed.
Then, I suddenly realized why I was alone in the dark and started to cry.
Originally, it was Lamia's job to light a fire in the fireplace before going to sleep.
“Come to think of it, Granada and Lamia went hunting and haven’t returned yet. Did you hear anything?”
“I heard from Mainz that the horses the two men were riding on returned without an owner.”
“What could it be? You’re not in any bad shape, are you?”
"Seeing as the horses came back unharmed, I'm sure everything's fine. As soon as it's daylight and the blizzard clears, we'll send out some people to search."
“I hope both of you are safe...”
Callius patted me as if to reassure me.
"I'm sure they're somewhere safe by now, sheltering from the blizzard. Don't worry too much."
How firmly he said it would be okay, his firmness completely uprooted my wavering worries.
As Callius said, Lamia and Granada spent a cold night in a cave to escape the blizzard.
The two barely escaped death by breaking off dry branches and lighting a fire with the flint Granada had brought. As soon as the snowstorm stopped at dawn, they left the forest and headed towards the house.
As we approached the village entrance, we saw three boys, who looked to be about 15 years old, coming out of the village and heading towards the forest, carrying bows and quivers.
“Oh, Granada!”
A boy recognized Granada, who was the escort of Saintess Ilya, and greeted him politely.
“Where are you guys going so early in the morning?”
“Let’s go hunting! We need to hunt a lot before winter comes!”
The boy answered bravely.
Lamia clicked her tongue inwardly as she watched Granada and the boy briefly exchanging greetings.
'They say she started hunting when she was 10.'
“You by any chance...!”
But the confident voice was soon cut off.
Lamia muttered, clutching her hair.
“Oh, what was your name? I knew it. Ah... that redhead with no answer.”
The man, who flinched at the words 'red hair with no answer', jumped up and pointed at her with a gesture not much different from the one Lamia had just made.
“Are you Lamia Yeblak?”
“Yes, it’s me. What’s your name?”
“Luca. Luca Osijek.”
“That’s right, that’s right!”
Granada stared at Lamia as if wondering what was going on.
Lamia said with a hahaha laugh.
"He's a distant relative! He came to our house a few times when I was little. That unruly red, curly hair reminded me of someone from my family."
The man who introduced himself as Luca frowned and asked.
“But what happened to your hair?”
Lamia smiled, roughly brushing back her hair, which had lost a lot of its dye and was now a shade between black and red.
“There are circumstances.”
“I think there must have been some reason.”
He lowered his voice, mindful of others.
"You're wanted by Arrental, aren't you? There are tons of wanted posters out there."
Lamia shrugged and lowered her voice as she spoke.
"You were also wanted on the Magic Tower, weren't you? I used to hear about you wandering around, like a genius wizard or something, so I thought you were doing well, but it didn't last long."
Even though it was something that should have made him feel bad, Luca just smiled and shrugged.
“I have my own circumstances.”
Lamia whispered to Granada.
"He's a wizard. Unlike me, he's a true wizard who took the elite course and took root in the magic tower."
Although she grumbled and spoke as if it was nothing, a bitterness was evident in Lamia's voice.
Granada silently took out the pouch she had picked up in the valley and handed it to Lamia.
Lamia understood Granada's meaning and asked Luca.
“I found this. Is it yours?”
Luca took the bag.
“It’s not mine.”
As he looked at it closely, his expression became serious.
“I see there’s another wizard from the Magic Tower here.”
He pointed to the mark engraved on the end of the pocket.
“I think I know whose it is.”
His eyes were fierce as he looked down at the pockets.
“Chloe.”
“Callius?”
It was Callius.
I sat on the bed and stared blankly at him.
The sight of Karl coming in holding a candle suddenly gave me the illusion that it had grown into Callius.
“Why are you out here in the dark, alone, without even turning on the fireplace? Aren’t you cold?”
Callius came over, wrapped a blanket around me, and quickly lit a fire in the fireplace.
He returned to me quickly and steadily, adding warmth to our nest without any hesitation, like I did.
'It's sturdy.'
He found the wound on my hand, looked serious, brought out some ointment and bandages, and quickly treated me.
'It's delicate.'
His careful, gentle hands tending to my wounds were ticklish.
What is it?
This warmth that seems to fill me from within.
“I thought Karl was coming.”
I whispered to Callius, who had finished the treatment and put the things back where they belonged.
The firewood crackled with a warm orange glow, adding a warmth to the air between us.
This time is good.
After work, I would lean against the headboard with Callius, listen to the crackling of the wood fire, and chat away. This time was always enjoyable and never got old.
Callius' face, illuminated by the fire that was neither too bright nor too dark, had a different feel from his face during the day.
Not everyone's Callius, who leads people like a noble beast under the sun, but the Callius that only I know.
'My husband.'
I once mulled over what Callius had said.
"The one and only companion who will be with you for life, the person closest to you, the one who is as one with you. That's me."
The adjectives he used resonated with me the most at this moment.
"Whenever I felt lonely and struggling, Karl would magically appear. I thought it had appeared this time, too. Just like always."
I expected Callius to ask about Karl, but instead he asked me how I felt.
“Were you lonely and had a hard time?”
I laughed softly.
“I couldn’t light a fire in the fireplace.”
Until Callius appeared, things were very unfortunate and depressing.
But now that Callius was by my side, it had become so trivial and insignificant to me.
“It’s funny. I feel that way just because I can’t light a fire.”
Then Callius raised his arms and hugged me.
My heart was pounding, and I looked down, but instead of avoiding him, I leaned closer to him.
"It's not funny. It's not strange or funny to feel any way in any situation."
Then Callius patted my shoulder and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
My heart ached.
“Callius.”
"Yes."
"You..."
I'm so glad you're my husband.
I couldn't bring myself to say the words that were on the tip of my tongue out of shyness, so I just said, "No!" and laughed.
Then, I suddenly realized why I was alone in the dark and started to cry.
Originally, it was Lamia's job to light a fire in the fireplace before going to sleep.
“Come to think of it, Granada and Lamia went hunting and haven’t returned yet. Did you hear anything?”
“I heard from Mainz that the horses the two men were riding on returned without an owner.”
“What could it be? You’re not in any bad shape, are you?”
"Seeing as the horses came back unharmed, I'm sure everything's fine. As soon as it's daylight and the blizzard clears, we'll send out some people to search."
“I hope both of you are safe...”
Callius patted me as if to reassure me.
"I'm sure they're somewhere safe by now, sheltering from the blizzard. Don't worry too much."
How firmly he said it would be okay, his firmness completely uprooted my wavering worries.
***
As Callius said, Lamia and Granada spent a cold night in a cave to escape the blizzard.
The two barely escaped death by breaking off dry branches and lighting a fire with the flint Granada had brought. As soon as the snowstorm stopped at dawn, they left the forest and headed towards the house.
As we approached the village entrance, we saw three boys, who looked to be about 15 years old, coming out of the village and heading towards the forest, carrying bows and quivers.
“Oh, Granada!”
A boy recognized Granada, who was the escort of Saintess Ilya, and greeted him politely.
“Where are you guys going so early in the morning?”
“Let’s go hunting! We need to hunt a lot before winter comes!”
The boy answered bravely.
Lamia clicked her tongue inwardly as she watched Granada and the boy briefly exchanging greetings.
'They say she started hunting when she was 10.'
She didn't think Granada was boasting. Granada and boasting seemed like an odd combination.
But it was surprising to see the actual young hunters.
“Do you catch bears with your bare hands, too?”
When Lamia asked, the boys looked at each other, exchanged meaningless laughs, and then ran away shyly.
Granada shouted loudly at those boys.
“It’s a dangerous time, so don’t go too far. If you see anything suspicious, return to the village immediately!”
“Don’t worry!”
After saying goodbye to the boys, Lamia and Granada headed straight to the castle.
However, realizing that it was too early and the gates were not yet open, the two decided to go to Ronheim's only inn and warm themselves with some warm food.
The innkeeper recognized Granada and brought out a large bowl overflowing with soup.
Lamia gulped down the soup in a hurry.
“Ah, I’ll live.”
Only after filling her stomach halfway with warm soup did her body, which had been cold all night, begin to feel refreshed.
Granada frowned as Lamia patted her stomach and leaned back in her chair.
"Stay in good spirits, Lamia. Your actions will soon reflect on Madam's reputation."
"Yes..."
Lamia squirmed, sat up, and pulled the chair closer.
At that moment, a male guest came down from the second-floor room, yawning heavily.
The innkeeper glanced at the sight and hurriedly brought bread on a tray from the kitchen and approached Granada.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
She put the bread down on the table with her usual words, glanced at the other tables, and quickly whispered to Granada.
"A guest arrived late last night. A stranger. Could he be the one the Prince is looking for? I sent a child to bring the guard."
The order to report secretly, rather than chasing or guarding against strangers, was firmly established in every corner of Ronheim.
“Good job. Don’t show it until the guards arrive.”
Granada sat at the table, scratching her head, which was now covered in fur, and watched the man order food.
Lamia also turned her head and glanced at him, then unconsciously pointed at the man with her finger and said, “Huh?”
“What are you doing, Lamia!”
Granada harshly reprimanded Lamia for her impulsive behavior.
But Lamia didn't care and jumped up, still pointing at the man with her hand.
"What?"
The man frowned and glared at Lamia.
It seemed like she didn't know he was picking a fight.
Lamia shouted loudly.
But it was surprising to see the actual young hunters.
“Do you catch bears with your bare hands, too?”
When Lamia asked, the boys looked at each other, exchanged meaningless laughs, and then ran away shyly.
Granada shouted loudly at those boys.
“It’s a dangerous time, so don’t go too far. If you see anything suspicious, return to the village immediately!”
“Don’t worry!”
After saying goodbye to the boys, Lamia and Granada headed straight to the castle.
However, realizing that it was too early and the gates were not yet open, the two decided to go to Ronheim's only inn and warm themselves with some warm food.
The innkeeper recognized Granada and brought out a large bowl overflowing with soup.
Lamia gulped down the soup in a hurry.
“Ah, I’ll live.”
Only after filling her stomach halfway with warm soup did her body, which had been cold all night, begin to feel refreshed.
Granada frowned as Lamia patted her stomach and leaned back in her chair.
"Stay in good spirits, Lamia. Your actions will soon reflect on Madam's reputation."
"Yes..."
Lamia squirmed, sat up, and pulled the chair closer.
At that moment, a male guest came down from the second-floor room, yawning heavily.
The innkeeper glanced at the sight and hurriedly brought bread on a tray from the kitchen and approached Granada.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
She put the bread down on the table with her usual words, glanced at the other tables, and quickly whispered to Granada.
"A guest arrived late last night. A stranger. Could he be the one the Prince is looking for? I sent a child to bring the guard."
The order to report secretly, rather than chasing or guarding against strangers, was firmly established in every corner of Ronheim.
“Good job. Don’t show it until the guards arrive.”
Granada sat at the table, scratching her head, which was now covered in fur, and watched the man order food.
Lamia also turned her head and glanced at him, then unconsciously pointed at the man with her finger and said, “Huh?”
“What are you doing, Lamia!”
Granada harshly reprimanded Lamia for her impulsive behavior.
But Lamia didn't care and jumped up, still pointing at the man with her hand.
"What?"
The man frowned and glared at Lamia.
It seemed like she didn't know he was picking a fight.
Lamia shouted loudly.
“You by any chance...!”
But the confident voice was soon cut off.
Lamia muttered, clutching her hair.
“Oh, what was your name? I knew it. Ah... that redhead with no answer.”
The man, who flinched at the words 'red hair with no answer', jumped up and pointed at her with a gesture not much different from the one Lamia had just made.
“Are you Lamia Yeblak?”
“Yes, it’s me. What’s your name?”
“Luca. Luca Osijek.”
“That’s right, that’s right!”
Granada stared at Lamia as if wondering what was going on.
Lamia said with a hahaha laugh.
"He's a distant relative! He came to our house a few times when I was little. That unruly red, curly hair reminded me of someone from my family."
The man who introduced himself as Luca frowned and asked.
“But what happened to your hair?”
Lamia smiled, roughly brushing back her hair, which had lost a lot of its dye and was now a shade between black and red.
“There are circumstances.”
“I think there must have been some reason.”
He lowered his voice, mindful of others.
"You're wanted by Arrental, aren't you? There are tons of wanted posters out there."
Lamia shrugged and lowered her voice as she spoke.
"You were also wanted on the Magic Tower, weren't you? I used to hear about you wandering around, like a genius wizard or something, so I thought you were doing well, but it didn't last long."
Even though it was something that should have made him feel bad, Luca just smiled and shrugged.
“I have my own circumstances.”
Lamia whispered to Granada.
"He's a wizard. Unlike me, he's a true wizard who took the elite course and took root in the magic tower."
Although she grumbled and spoke as if it was nothing, a bitterness was evident in Lamia's voice.
Granada silently took out the pouch she had picked up in the valley and handed it to Lamia.
Lamia understood Granada's meaning and asked Luca.
“I found this. Is it yours?”
Luca took the bag.
“It’s not mine.”
As he looked at it closely, his expression became serious.
“I see there’s another wizard from the Magic Tower here.”
He pointed to the mark engraved on the end of the pocket.
“I think I know whose it is.”
His eyes were fierce as he looked down at the pockets.
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