Chapter 5

Suji wasn’t sure how she had spent the evening. The man, undeniably peculiar—or perhaps simply skilled, no, more like a walking enigma—had torn apart his meat with a knife in quiet efficiency before proceeding to repair the walls and ceiling of the shelter with practiced ease. What amazed her most was how he moved. Whether hanging effortlessly from the ceiling or leaping across walls like an acrobat, his agility seemed almost supernatural.

‘Is he a spider or a person?’

It wasn’t an unreasonable thought. His movements, sharp and precise, made it feel as if gravity didn’t apply to him the same way it did to everyone else. Despite his large frame, he moved with an elegance that seemed out of place for someone his size.

‘If I reported this, I bet the press would come running to document it,’ she mused, then laughed softly. ‘No, wait. I’m going to be a civil servant. I’d probably have to monitor someone like him to ensure he isn’t left out of society.’

The mere fact that she was entertaining such lighthearted thoughts was proof of her growing comfort. In some strange way, she felt thankful for his presence. In this eerie and hostile place, he was a reassuring constant.

‘I don’t know why, but I feel safe around him,’ she admitted to herself.

Even his austere demeanor had its perks here—it felt like a sturdy rope pulling her back from sinking into despair. Suji chuckled at her own metaphor, but her fatigue soon overtook her. The crackling fire and its gentle warmth lulled her into drowsiness. She vaguely thought she should stoke the fire so the man could share its warmth.

‘For him too,’ she thought, her eyes fluttering shut.

She barely managed to stir the embers before slipping into unconsciousness, hoping that when she woke, she would be back in her own world.

* * *

The night was bitterly cold. The swamp’s wind carried a damp chill, sharp and biting like a winter storm. The man listened as the wind howled, the sound eerily reminiscent of a creature’s guttural roar. The temporary shelter, built by swamp dwellers for hunting, shook violently under the gusts. The walls were fragile; if left unattended, the entire structure might collapse.

The man stood, fully aware he wouldn’t be able to sleep through such a storm anyway.

“…No… please…”

He heard a faint whimper and turned his head. Suji was curled up tightly, trembling, her fragile body almost pitiful in its vulnerability. She murmured something softly.

“Raeyeon…”

A name?

Was it a family member? A lover? The man stared at her, curious. Even his destined opponent, it seemed, had someone they longed for. His gaze lingered on the tears streaming down her cheeks, transparent droplets catching the dim firelight. He frowned slightly before shaking his head and returning to patching the shelter.

But when Suji’s quiet sobs turned into harsh coughs, he glanced back again. Her lips had turned a pale blue.

“Still stubborn enough to sleep in wet clothes,” he muttered under his breath.

Her soaked garments had clung to her all night, and now her body was losing heat rapidly. He stepped closer, noticing the faint chill radiating from her skin.

“Is it the poison?”

The toxin from the frog-like creature earlier must not have fully left her system. Clicking his tongue, he observed the bluish hue spreading across her pale skin. If he left her like this, her body wouldn’t be able to regulate its temperature, and she’d likely succumb to the cold. He hesitated, considering his options.

“…Mm.”

“!”

Suddenly, Suji’s hand shot out, grabbing his arm. The grip was weak but desperate. The man could have easily pulled away but didn’t. Her touch, cold and trembling, sent a strange sensation through him. Her small lips parted, and she murmured faintly.

“Don’t… go…”

It wasn’t the words—he didn’t understand them anyway—but the look on her face and the way her body instinctively sought warmth told him everything he needed to know. She was drawn to his heat, something she lacked in her frozen state.

Running a hand through his dark hair, he let out a dry chuckle. “Fine, but don’t regret this later. You’re the one who asked first.”

With a teasing smirk, he scooped her up and carried her to the makeshift wooden bed. His black eyes gleamed as he lay her down and slid in beside her, pulling her close. His bare chest pressed against her cold body, and as he wrapped his arms around her, a soft, involuntary sound escaped her lips.

She shivered, her fragile form as cold as ice. As the chill began to seep into him, he wasn’t startled. Instead, he savored the sensation of her soft, yielding skin against his own. Her warmth was faint, but her body’s curves—her smooth stomach, the subtle rise of her chest, the gentle lines of her waist—were unmistakably tender.

‘If death felt like this, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad,’ he thought wryly.

It was an absurd notion, but one he entertained nonetheless. The man decided he would enjoy this moment. Even if the alchemist who had sent him here would be horrified, demanding her immediate execution, he dismissed the thought. Killing her now seemed pointless.

‘She doesn’t even know who I am,’ he mused.

And so, he chose to stay like that, indulging in her presence throughout the night.

* * *

Suji stirred, her body warm and relaxed. She stretched languidly, feeling more rested than she had in days. Her mind was clear, her muscles loose. Like a cat waking from a pleasant nap, she rolled her neck—only to feel something hard and solid beneath her.

“Uh?”

Her eyes flew open, and she froze.

Suji found herself lying on someone’s chest. Half of her body was draped over his, making it impossible to ignore the warmth of his skin, the texture beneath her fingertips, and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. She froze, her thoughts spiraling.

‘How did this happen? Why am I…?’

Her mind scrambled to piece together the events of the previous night. She had fallen asleep by the fire, cold and aching. He must have moved her to the bed. But why were they embracing each other, and why were they both unclothed? Suji’s cheeks turned a vivid red as she became acutely aware of the hardness pressing against her lower abdomen.

‘Don’t think about it. It’s just… a normal morning reaction.’

She tried to reason with herself, but her face grew hotter, and her breathing became uneven. Unable to calm herself, Suji decided to move away. She braced her arms against his chest, attempting to lift herself.

“Why?”

His deep voice startled her, and she glanced up to see him awake. His black eyes glimmered, sharp and intense, like a predator catching sight of its prey.

“Trying to escape after enjoying yourself all night?”

“W-what are you talking about? I didn’t—”

“You don’t remember? You kept pulling me closer every time I tried to move away.”

Suji didn’t understand his words entirely, but the confidence in his tone left no room for doubt. It wasn’t just his words that caught her off guard—it was his face. Now that the dim light of dawn illuminated him, she noticed features that had been hidden in the shadows: strikingly sharp eyes, a straight nose, a defined jawline, and skin so pale it seemed to glow against his dark hair.

‘He’s… younger than I thought.’

She realized now that he wasn’t much older than her, perhaps only three or four years at most. Yet, the aura he exuded was nothing like someone her age. He carried himself with a calm, weathered composure, as if he’d seen and endured far more than most people his age.

‘What a strange man.’

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, his lips curling into a sly smile. “Last night, perhaps?”

He leaned closer, his face inches from hers, his smile dry but oddly steady. In this damp, chaotic space, his presence felt disconcertingly stable. Suji, caught off guard, instinctively raised her hand.

“…”

“Sorry!”

Her palm pushed against his cheek, causing his head to turn slightly, giving him a view of the crooked reeds lining the ceiling. He said nothing at first, seemingly processing what had just happened. Suji, flustered, stammered out an excuse.

“You—you got too close all of a sudden! It was… overwhelming.”

Her words tumbled out awkwardly, like a bird chirping frantically. Yet, unlike the chatty alchemists he had met, her rambling didn’t irritate him. If anything, he thought he could tolerate it for a long time. Smirking, he reached up and clasped her hand, his touch firm yet oddly gentle.

Her delicate fingers twitched as he tugged her hand downward, pulling her closer until she fell back against his chest.

“What are you doing?” Suji gasped, feeling her nose sting slightly from the impact. The embarrassment of her face pressing into his bare chest was enough, but now their bodies were even more closely pressed together. She tried to avoid acknowledging the intimate position, forcing herself to look anywhere but down.

“If you’re not ready to take responsibility,” he murmured near her ear, his voice low and dry like a desert wind, “don’t act so bold.”

Suji stared at him, confused. She didn’t fully understand his words, but the warning in his tone was unmistakable. His eyes, cold and detached, held no warmth, only a stark reminder of the distance between them.

“I’m not the kind of human you think I am,” he said, his voice as sharp as his gaze.

“…”

For some reason, Suji couldn’t bring herself to speak. Perhaps it was the chilling finality in his tone or the detached look in his eyes. Whatever it was, she fell silent. Satisfied, the man finally stood, leaving her lying there.

Suji quickly turned her head away, unwilling to let her eyes linger on his exposed body. Her mind was still reeling from everything that had just transpired. She wasn’t sure what to make of him—of his words, his actions, or even his existence.