<Episode 65>

“If I count to three, my lady, you run alone.”

Crown Prince Ferite was using his left hand to thicken the ice wall while preparing to summon the wind with his right.

“Three.”

“Don’t do this.”

“My lady?”

“Eveline.”

Eveline turned toward Elkais as he called out to her.

Seeing her move toward him, Elkais slashed through the ice barrier with his sword, shattering it.

Ferite didn’t create another barrier, merely watching as she acted.

“Are you alright?”

As the barrier disappeared and Eveline drew closer, Elkais gently took her hand. She let out a relieved sigh as he held it.

“I didn’t want to see you.”

“…Why?”

“My mind was in a mess.”

“Eve… were you avoiding me too? Not just this idiot Elkais?”

“Yes.”

At her response, Abellard began to cry. He kept his lips tightly sealed, but tears poured down as if a faucet had been turned on.

“Why?”

“My head was a mess. It was overwhelming to meet both of you.”

“How did you end up here?”

“I don’t know. When I regained consciousness, I was on the beach.”

Elkais smiled with relief, still holding her hand.

“As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters.”

“Eve… it’s because of this guy, isn’t it?”

Abellard pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing his head against her back without hesitation.

Eveline’s worries only felt heavier. Yet, she sighed, realizing that worrying wouldn’t change anything.

She knew she wouldn’t be able to kill either of them.

Perhaps it would be best to spend the time they had left together peacefully. With a bitter smile, she resigned herself to that thought.

* * *

“It’s raining here too. And just like the rain on the other side, getting caught in it seems to trigger a heat or rut cycle.”

“Are you sure…?”

“I haven’t experienced it myself, but I figured it out by watching how the animals disappear when it rains.”

“I see.”

In response to Abellard’s worried question, Eveline answered nonchalantly.

Elkais silently walked into the cabin. Seeing how similar it was to the one on the other island made him frown slightly before entering.

Rumble.

Regardless, this was their only option. Night would soon fall, and the rain was coming.

Growl.

“Ah… that’s….”

“Eve’s hungry? I’ll go hunt something!”

Abellard spoke cheerfully, as if he had already forgotten his earlier tears.

Eveline smiled in relief at his lightheartedness.

“Brother, what kind of hunting are you planning? Let me go instead.”

“If you’re going, then the two of you should go together.”

“And what about me?”

“Brother, why don’t you and His Highness stay behind and repair the cabin? The roof is leaking.”

“Alright!”

Abellard cheerfully agreed, and he and Crown Prince Ferite headed toward the cabin.

Elkais, on the other hand, felt his heart pounding as if he had just sprinted, seeing Eveline’s somewhat relaxed expression as she looked at him.

“I want to hold your hand.”

“You seem awfully carefree. What if a wild animal shows up?”

“Are you afraid of animals?”

“It’s more terrifying that you’re asking that so casually, Elkais.”

Eveline hesitated for a moment, debating whether to take his hand or not. Then she remembered that Elkais had never made such a request before, so she took his hand first.

“You didn’t dislike it?”

“I didn’t dislike it. I just weighed whether holding your hand would be practical.”

“So, you concluded that holding hands was more efficient?”

“No. I figured if Elkais asked, there must be a reason, so I did it.”

As she said this, Eveline looked at him directly. Her lips appeared even more striking in the setting sun, their redness almost beckoning him.

He wanted to press his lips to hers, explore her mouth, and hear her breathe his name in that breathless, fevered tone…

“Your hand is really warm.”

He realized she was speaking so casually as she held his hand and continued walking.

“Wait a moment.”

“Yes?”

Eveline stopped, and Elkais, without a word, sheathed his sword and swung it behind her. The energy from the blade curled like a whip, neatly cutting off the heel of her shoe.

“Wow, Elkais. I must have missed you more than I thought.”

“Why… is that?”

He asked, half-expecting something more, as she grinned excitedly.

“Because now I don’t have to limp anymore.”

“Ah.”

Embarrassed by his own misplaced expectations, Elkais gave a short, awkward reply and turned his head away.

Every time their eyes met, his heart felt like it would explode.

He reattached his sword and resumed walking beside her. Then, suddenly, a piece of paper materialized in his hand.

*Penalty imposed for unauthorized proximity to the target. The penalty will take effect tomorrow at noon, following the end of the current penalty period.*

He crushed the white paper in his fist and tossed it far away.

Eveline noticed the white paper and how nonchalantly he discarded it, making her chuckle.

If his goal was the same as hers, it meant he didn’t intend to kill her either.

“I’m really glad I came to this island with you, Elkais.”

She realized now that the loneliness she’d felt was not because she was alone, but because she hadn’t had someone who shared her goal. Being with him filled the emptiness inside her, giving her a sense of satisfaction.

“So am I.”

He spoke quietly, interlacing his fingers with hers.

His thick fingers fit between hers, creating a sense of pressure.

*Rumble!*

“Maybe we should stop holding hands and focus on hunting. It looks like it’s about to rain.”

“Eveline.”

“Yes?”

“Together…”

Together in the rain.

He almost said it but stopped himself. He wasn’t sure if she felt the same way. After all, she had once said she wanted to be an Alpha.

Now, she was the only Omega among three Alphas. The weight of her unease must be heavier than his anticipation and excitement.

“Walking together makes me happy.”

“Me too.”

And so, he didn’t say it aloud. He knew that if she ever feared or rejected him, he wouldn’t be able to survive.

They continued walking in silence for a few minutes.

Grrrr…

The sound of a leopard growling echoed from somewhere nearby.

“I’ll catch it.”

“I’ll handle it.”

“You don’t even know where—”

*Thud!*

Before Eveline could finish, Elkais swung his sword effortlessly, cutting through a tree. The leopard that had been perched above fell lifelessly to the ground, having sustained a fatal wound.

Eveline suddenly recalled Ferite’s words: *What do we do? If it’s Duke de Robein, I don’t stand a chance.*

Elkais’s strength was unmatched on this island. Without a gun, she knew she couldn’t escape him. If someone as powerful as him decided to defy the gods, it would be the most dangerous situation imaginable.

He slung the leopard over his shoulder with ease.

“Aren’t you going to drain the blood first?”

“No time for that.”

He was right. Eveline realized that the sun was almost completely set.

“We need to run.”

“We’re too far now.”

They had walked too far away from the cabin.

Eveline wondered why she had walked so thoughtlessly, only to realize it was because she trusted Elkais. That mutual trust had led them to wander further than they should have.

Rumble! Crash!

The thunder grew louder, signaling the approaching storm.

“This won’t work.”

“Ah…”

Elkais remembered that Eveline was afraid of lightning and spoke with concern.

“There’s a small cave nearby.”

“How do you know?”

“If the geography here is the same as the other island, it’s definitely there.”

Trusting his instincts, Eveline followed him.

Despite carrying the leopard, he moved faster than her, and she had to work hard to keep up.

When they finally reached the cave, they took shelter inside.

Whoosh!

Almost immediately, the rain began to pour.

“This place is really narrow.”

“It is.”

The cave was small, barely enough space for the two of them to lie down.

Elkais gestured for Eveline to move further inside. Understanding his intention, she complied without resistance.

To keep her from feeling nervous, he busied himself by puncturing the leopard’s neck to drain the blood. He moved with the focused precision of someone preparing a meal.

“Where did you learn to butcher animals like that? I heard you gained experience from battlefields, but…”

“Well… I’ve always preferred duels to straightforward military tactics. Does that make sense?”

“Oh, I think I’ve heard about that. You were known for winning battles by fighting directly rather than relying on troop strength.”

“Exactly. It often led me to be separated from my men. And since it was more useful for me to act alone, I became skilled at survival. So, being stranded became a regular occurrence.”

As he spoke, Elkais used the sword to ignite a fire by rubbing it against a tree root protruding from the cave’s ceiling.

“I was going to get the firewood—ouch—”

In her rush, Eveline accidentally grabbed his hand at the same time, their fingers intertwining. Elkais, surprised by her touch, unconsciously tightened his grip. Without thinking, he spoke what was on his mind.

“I want to kiss you, Eveline. Will you allow it?”

His serious gaze left Eveline momentarily confused, and without fully realizing what she was agreeing to, she replied softly.

“Yes.”