<Episode 33>

“And yet, Grand Duke, you left me there and came back alone just fine.”

“I sent others to fetch you, didn’t I?”

Rubellite Croppers scanned Eveline with his eyes, amused.

He seemed to find it odd that she was unharmed.

“Has the power of the Young Duke of Wilden returned?”

“No. I healed myself.”

“The Lady shouldn’t have divine power.”

“You never know.”

Eveline decided to hold out until she got her gun back.

The man who sent the red notes. When he returned, the gun would return too.

The gun that had disappeared before had reappeared, and based on his words, he was likely the one who provided the gun and assistance.

Maybe he was a magician?

“In any case, it’s a relief. I was really shocked, thinking the Lady might die.”

“You were shocked? You must have been pleased too.”

“Hoho, the Lady still has a sharp tongue.”

“Shut up, you fishy-smelling bastard.”

Abellard interrupted, glaring.

Eveline started to worry that Abellard might have overexerted himself using divine power again.

On the way down to the cabin, he had used quite a lot of divine power on her. He probably used it without realizing the toll it took on his body.

“Brother.”

“Yes?”

“Please lie down over there.”

“Don’t you need me?”

“I do, but you should conserve your strength a bit.”

“Oh, okay!”

Abellard smiled broadly, feeling that she was concerned for him, and lay down on the wedding dress she had previously taken off.

“Has he always been this obedient?”

“I’m not sure.”

Eveline shrugged in response to Elkias’s remark.

Rubellite lay down on the floor as well.

Eveline and Elkias began to cut the coconut in half, pouring the juice into a bowl and preparing the flesh.

It wasn’t easy to handle the soft flesh inside the coconut shell.

The sword Eveline held was a combat sword and quite large, making it unwieldy for handling the coconut. If it had been a bit shorter, like a machete, it would have been easier, but the sword was suited to Elkias’s height and was too big for her.

She struggled to handle it.

Meanwhile, Elkias felt a bit sorry for her, seeing her covered in blood.

“How about using some drinking water to wash off the blood?”

“Does the smell bother you a lot?”

“No.”

He found it awkward to admit he was worried about her.

Rumble!

Eveline flinched at the loud sound of thunder.

“Maybe you shouldn’t use the knife.”

“Ah…”

She reluctantly put down the knife, still maintaining the pretense that she was afraid of thunder.

“Here.”

He handed her a handkerchief from his pocket.

Eveline took it and went to the container of drinking water to wet the handkerchief.

“Let me do it.”

Abellard, who had approached unnoticed, snatched the handkerchief from her.

“I told you to rest.”

“Let me do it, okay?”

“I can do it myself.”

“You won’t do it thoroughly.”

At Abellard’s words, Elkias glanced back involuntarily, then frowned and turned back to the food he was preparing.

“I’ll do it myself.”

“Eve…”

Eveline sighed, seeing Abellard on the verge of tears again.

“Don’t cry.”

“Let me do it, okay?”

“Fine.”

She finally gave in. Abellard smiled brightly and began to wipe her face.

“Why are you crying while you’re cleaning me?”

“Because I’m upset.”

As he said that, his eyes welled up with tears. Feeling uncomfortable, she closed her eyes.

“Just do it quickly. I’m tired.”

“Okay.”

He wiped her face, neck, shoulders, and hands with quick but gentle movements.

“It would be better if you took off your clothes.”

“I’ll wash them tomorrow when I bathe.”

Abellard glanced at the clothes she was wearing.

“Alright.”

Drip, drop, drip.

The rain was lighter than usual, making the sound of raindrops more noticeable.

“Eveline.”

“Yes.”

“Can you help with the roasting?”

“Sure.”

Elkias could have done it alone, but he called her intentionally. Even he didn’t fully understand why, but he didn’t want to be alone. Calling Abellard would likely mean they wouldn’t get to eat at all.

Rubellite was snoring loudly, as if he was genuinely asleep.

“Did you find bamboo?”

“It’s up there.”

Bamboo was resistant to fire. Elkias remembered this and skewered the coconut meat on a bamboo stick before handing it to Eveline. Knowing bamboo’s heat resistance, she took it and stood in front of the stove.

“The fire…”

“I’ll handle it!”

Knowing Rubellite was asleep, Abellard stepped up, channeling divine power into the stove, and the fire flared up, lighting the area.

“It’s always amazing to see you start a fire.”

“Hehe.”

Abellard was pleased with the compliment, scratching his temple and then his nose as if it itched, which made Eveline chuckle.

“Eve, are you laughing at me?”

“Pfft…”

She found it amusing that Abellard didn’t realize he had soot on his face, making him look like he had an awkwardly grown mustache.

“That’s funny.”

“Why are you picking a fight?”

“Judging by your attitude, I guess staying like that until morning wouldn’t be so bad.”

“What?”

Elkias lost his desire to explain and went to the fire, slowly roasting the coconut meat.

“Brother, you have soot on your nose and here.”

“Oh!”

Abellard quickly rubbed his face in surprise.

“Pfft, haha.”

Which only made the soot smear more.

“What are you doing, really?”

“Eve…”

He worried that Eveline saw him as an idiot. But Eveline picked up Elkias’s handkerchief, wetted it with the drinking water, and roughly cleaned Abellard’s face.

“I can’t deal with this.”

“Hehehe.”

She handed him the handkerchief.

“Clean your hands yourself.”

“Okay.”

He cheerfully responded and cleaned his hands.

Eveline picked up a skewer and began roasting the coconut meat next to Elkias.

She desperately wished for her gun to reappear.

Grand Duke Rubellite Croppers, who had pushed her off the cliff, was someone she couldn’t forgive.

His intention to kill her was clear, and now he was pretending ignorance while mocking her. There was no reason to hold back.

“Eveline.”

“Yes?”

“If you roast it that close…”

“Oh, I’ll be careful not to burn it.”

He was worried about her getting hurt, but she thought he was concerned about the food and took half a step back.

Elkias frowned, feeling an odd mixture of emotions, and decided not to correct her.

As the coconut meat started to cook, the sound of crackling flames and the smell of roasting filled the air.

“Eveline.”

“Yes.”

“I’m really glad you’re safe.”

“…Yes.”

Not knowing how to respond, she focused on roasting the coconut meat.

Once the meat was done, they spread it out on banana leaves and sat down. Eveline glared at Rubellite, who looked shameless, and decided to eat quietly.

“The smell coming from the Lady is quite unbearable.”

“Shut up and eat.”

Eveline couldn’t hold back and spoke up. Rubellite shrugged and replied.

“The smell of blood is too strong. I didn’t mean to be unpleasant. But is coconut meat usually this greasy?”

“If you don’t like it, don’t eat.”

Eveline’s sharp remark made Elkias glance quietly at Rubellite. Then he spoke.

“I believe I mentioned before, this isn’t the Croppers Empire, Grand Duke.”

“Lord De Robein, you seem oddly supportive of the Lady.”

“And you, Your Grace, why are you speaking so rudely?”

“Yes, I suppose I was sensitive because I was hungry. I apologize.”

Eveline was also annoyed by how quickly Rubellite apologized at Elkias’s words.

The four of them had to eat their meal quietly, listening to the sound of the rain.

Eventually, night fell, and Eveline had to sleep facing Elkias with Abellard clinging to her back like a koala. Rubellite was positioned behind Elkias.

By dawn, the rain had stopped.

Eveline woke up feeling something in her hand.

A cold, hard, and solid grip.

“Ugh…”

She quietly got up and loaded the gun. Then she pointed it at Rubellite’s head.

He opened his eyes and looked at her.

Eveline gestured for him to come outside. He slowly got up and headed for the cabin door.

She was ready to shoot if necessary.

She tucked the red note that had appeared with the gun into her clothes and followed him outside.

After walking a bit into the forest, she stopped and aimed the gun under his chin.

“Regret that I didn’t die?”

Rubellite gave her a wry smile at her cold voice.