<Episode 81>

“I’ll go hunt.”

“Alright.”

Elkais knew that leaving Abellard alone might be dangerous, but for some reason, it didn’t feel like it would be.

It was because he kept doubting whether the Abellard he knew was truly the same as the one before him.

With that thought, he stepped outside the cabin after confirming the landslide had stopped.

His brows furrowed as he noticed the freshly fallen snow had covered any animal tracks.

In winter, it was essential to consume fat, and protein was equally necessary. In warmer places, hunger could be satisfied with tree nuts or small fruits.

But with snow blanketing the ground, relying on plants for sustenance was impossible.

Sword in hand, he trudged through the snow. His steps made a crunching sound, and in no time, the snow had piled up to his waist.

Thud.

Elkais looked up at the tree above him when a clump of snow fell nearby.

“Grrrr…!”

He stared indifferently at the snow leopard perched there. Without even drawing his sword, he slashed.

Crash!

The tree was instantly severed, toppling over, and the snow leopard fell lifeless to the ground along with it.

Hunting was absurdly easy for him. This was nothing.

He gazed at the snow leopard, now half-buried in the snow, and slit its throat with his blade.

Warm blood spilled out, steaming as it melted the snow around it.

After draining the blood, Elkais slung the snow leopard over his shoulder and made his way to a nearby lake.

After all, the carcass needed to be cleaned, and flowing water was far better for that than snow.

He began skinning the snow leopard near the lake, his movements precise. Normally, he would’ve stripped the pelt roughly and discarded it. But the thought of Abellard’s thin clothing gave him pause.

As an Alpha, Elkais’s body temperature was naturally high, and such cold wouldn’t kill him unless he slept bare in it. But Abellard, whom he knew to be an Omega, was dressed too lightly—only a white shirt and black trousers.

Reluctantly, he carefully skinned the snow leopard and prepared the meat.

The sound of flowing water told him the lake wasn’t entirely frozen; it seemed to have a slow-moving current beneath.

Judging by the sound of water descending the mountain, there might be an underground channel beneath the lake.

Elkais broke the surface ice and washed the meat in the lake, then carefully cleaned the pelt.

When he returned to the cabin, Abellard was asleep, curled up near the stove for warmth.

He thought, for a fleeting moment, that Abellard’s sleeping face bore a resemblance to Eveline Wilden.

“Hah…”

There was no way he’d ever seen such a sight before.

Elkais clenched his jaw, unable to make sense of his memories. He hesitated to drape the snow leopard’s pelt over Abellard.

Having been outside, the fur would be cold.

<Elkais.>

Suddenly, Eveline’s voice calling his name echoed in his mind. He couldn’t simply toss the pelt over Abellard like that. He didn’t know why he felt this way.

And yet, something in Abellard’s blue eyes reminded him of Eveline as he had seen her by the lake. He couldn’t bring himself to treat Abellard carelessly.

Even though Eveline Wilden might be plotting to kill Abellard.

Why, then, did the thought of her make him feel compelled to show Abellard kindness?

Frustrated, he frowned, holding the pelt close to the stove to warm it. Once it was heated, he carefully laid it over Abellard.

That was when Abellard opened his eyes ever so slightly.

“You’re back?”

“Yeah.”

Abellard wrapped the fur cloak around his shoulders and shifted to sit aside. Elkais began skewering the meat he had prepared onto wooden sticks and set them up near the stove.

“How did you catch this?”

“Somehow.”

Elkais answered curtly without realizing it and started roasting the meat.

“Thanks, Elkais.”

“Sure.”

He couldn’t understand why he was acting this way.

No matter how suspicious Abellard was, he was still Abellard, and they didn’t have such a bad relationship. Yet a strange, visceral discomfort made him reluctant even to engage in conversation with him.

And yet, when he looked into those flickering eyes, he was reminded of Eveline’s mesmerizing gaze.

“I must be losing it.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing. Ignore it.”

Elkais sighed as he flipped the meat over. For some reason, being around Abellard seemed to bring Eveline Wilden to mind even more.

<Thank you, Elkais.>

“Elkais?”

“What is it?”

“Your face is really red.”

“It’s because… I’m near the fire.”

Elkais frowned again and turned the meat over.

—

“I’m so hungry.”

Eveline’s headache persisted, but it wasn’t bad enough to stop her from moving.

By morning, she ventured outside. The cold was still biting, but the absence of wind made it tolerable. While her cheeks stung, it wasn’t unbearable.

“Let’s look for something to eat as we go.”

In response to the Crown Prince Ferite’s complaint of hunger, Eveline replied calmly.

Her body warmth transferred to the gun holstered against her thigh, creating a faint comfort. Even so, she tried to sense Abellard’s pheromones for their pursuit.

“By the way, thank you.”

“For what?”

“For this.”

Ferite was referring to the fur cloak Eveline had given him.

Eveline had offered him a cloak made of white bear fur. Although he was still wearing ceremonial attire, it didn’t appear to provide much warmth, so she had shared hers.

Her own cloak was lined with wolf fur, and even the decorative tails on her skirt hinted at its origins.

“Careful, you’ll slip,” Ferite said, catching Eveline’s arm as she almost stumbled on the icy ground. She nodded in thanks for his quick support.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes?”

“Could you hold up my skirt?”

“Pardon?”

“When I tucked the gun under it yesterday, it didn’t feel this heavy, but now it’s too much for me to manage.”

“Hahaha.”

Ferite laughed and lifted her skirt gently.

“That’s enough. Just hold it there.”

While Ferite held up the hem of her skirt, Eveline retrieved her gun. Her body felt devoid of strength.

“You shouldn’t push yourself too hard, my lady. I’ll handle the hunting.”

“Have your magical powers returned?”

“No.”

At his response, Eveline gave a bitter smile.

“Then it’s better to move together. If we’re both weak, splitting up will just make us prey.”

“You’re right, my lady.”

Eveline struggled to stand straight, her head spinning as if her inner balance was broken.

“My lady.”

“Ugh…”

Her dizziness became so overwhelming that even standing was a challenge. Ferite quickly grabbed her to prevent her from collapsing.

“Just… a moment…”

She took a deep breath, and slowly, her senses returned enough to steady herself.

“You’re not alright, my lady.”

“We just need to find my brother.”

“…I suppose.”

Ferite’s wry smile didn’t escape her notice. Eveline couldn’t determine whether her inability to sense pheromones was due to her current state.

But she could no longer pick up Abellard’s scent, nor could she detect the strong pheromones of Elkais.

“I can’t smell anything right now.”

“It’s not you. It seems the pheromones have disappeared entirely.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve seen such a case.”

Ferite let go of her, and Eveline scanned her surroundings with an uneasy expression.

“Perhaps if we keep searching—”

“Let’s rest and hunt first. Regaining our strength will make the search more effective. You’re clearly unwell.”

“But…”

“No buts. If you push yourself, you could die.”

Eveline barely managed to respond, her head pounding and her body devoid of strength.

“Let’s head back. Once you’ve rested, I’ll go hunt.”

“But the beasts…”

“The fire will keep them away.”

With that, Ferite lifted Eveline onto his back. She thought to protest, but she lacked even the strength to resist and eventually succumbed to unconsciousness.

* * *

When Eveline opened her eyes again, she found herself in a familiar cave. A fire crackled nearby, but Ferite was nowhere to be seen.

She couldn’t tell how much time had passed, but the headache was gone, and she felt well enough to stand.

“Your Highness?”

Grabbing her gun, she stood up unsteadily. A brief dizziness passed, and once upright, she felt stable again.

“Your Highness, Crown Prince.”

Snow was falling once more outside the cave.

Eveline stepped outside and looked around. In the distance, she spotted Ferite wearing the white fur cloak she had given him.

“Your Highness!”

She saw him backing away, as if cornered, and then collapsing onto the ground.

“Duck!”

She shouted, seeing a massive bear charging toward him.