Chapter 111 Cotang Forest
Veronia slept like a baby bird, breathing steadily and evenly. After watching her for a long time, Killion was jolted awake by a cold breeze on his forehead. If he left her like this, she might catch a cold.
“Nia, let’s get you to bed.”
Killion’s gravelly voice did little to rouse Veronia from her slumber. He gently scooped her up, and though he shifted her heavily, she was still sound asleep.
“You must be very tired.”
A pity flashed across Killion’s face as he looked at Veronia’s sleeping face. Not wanting to disturb her sweet rest, Killion walked as slowly as he could.
Finally, he reached the bed and gently set Veronia down.
Regretting that there were two beds, Killion stooped to reach the one next to his, and then felt a tug at his collar. Veronia was clutching his collar in her sleep.
“She must have been holding on tight because she was afraid it would fall off.”
Killion smirked, thinking that Veronia, still asleep, was a baby bird. Killion took her hand by the collar. Her first instinct was to pull her hand away, but he quickly changed his mind.
“Nia, you grabbed me and wouldn’t let go, not because I wanted to, but because you wanted to.”
Killion smiled mischievously and lay back down next to Veronia.
“Good night.”
Kissing her forehead lightly, he closed his eyes tightly and drifted off to sleep, the scent of her flesh lulling him into a restful slumber.
***
Veronia’s eyes fluttered open as she awoke. The unfamiliar ceiling startled her for a moment, but she was soon relieved to realise that she was not in her bedroom, but in Count Eidenbenz’s castle. But only for a moment.
‘No… Why would I…?’
Veronia asked, startled again by the sight of her in Killion’s arms. Her heart was pounding. Then she remembered that she had fallen asleep on the balcony couch last night.
‘Killion moved me.’
As she looked at his face, so peacefully asleep, another question popped up.
‘Wait… surely there are two beds in this room, so why are we sleeping in the same one?’
Veronia’s eyes narrowed at once, but she didn’t feel like waking him up to question him. Things were fine the way they were.
Veronia glanced over at Killion. His sleeping face was curiously boyish, looking much younger than his years.
‘He’s handsome in his sleep.’
His dark eyebrows were coolly arched, and his prominent nose was not lopsided in the slightest. His lips were a vivid red colour, connected to a sharp in-jungle.
‘He’s handsome as a whole, but he’s just as handsome individually.’
Looking at Killion’s face, she couldn’t help but smile. Veronia pouted her lips and began to rationalize with herself.
‘Well. I mean, he’s really handsome.’
This handsome, sweet man was going to be her husband. Veronia smiled all the way to the bank and burrowed into Killion’s arms. Here, in his arms, she felt safer and warmer than anywhere else in the world.
How much time had passed.
Killion’s eyes snapped open at the unfamiliar sound of chirping, the chirping of a mountain bird. The blinding morning light that flooded the bedroom made it difficult to open his eyes.
When he finally opened his eyes, he found Veronia asleep, snuggled in his arms.
‘Veronia…!’
Overwhelmed, Killion hugged the tiny birdlike body gently.
He closed his eyes again, but her image lingered on his retina. He could hear her breathing, quick and even, and the scent of her fragrant flesh still tickled his nostrils. Her skin felt like silk against his hand.
‘At this point, I wonder what… she might taste like.’
He felt a little ridiculous as he realized that if he did, he would be able to savor her presence with all five of his senses, and he was already making wild plans to kiss Veronia as soon as she opened her eyes.
“Mmm…”
The wait wasn’t long. Veronia immediately started tossing and turning.
“Nia? It’s morning. Time to get up.”
“…”
“We have a lot to do today, you need to get up.”
“… Okay.”
There was a sigh in her voice, but her eyes remained firmly shut. The sight of her fighting sleepiness was so adorable that Killion froze for a moment.
‘Ahh!’
Kilion, remembering the wild plan he’d made just a moment ago, snapped and kissed her forehead. Startled, she finally opened her eyes.
But Killion’s kisses continued. His lips lingered on her cheek, then on the corner of her eye, then on the bridge of her nose, then on her lips.
“… It’s ticklish, now stop, I’m all awake.”
“I wasn’t trying to wake you up, I was trying to fulfil my own selfishness.”
“What?”
“Because I wanted to taste you.”
“…”
Veronia’s face flushed brightly at the sweet whispers of the morning, and for a few moments afterwards she had to endure tickling kisses; it was the sweetest morning ever for the couple.
***
The priests, maidens, and soldiers were ready and waiting in the Count’s courtyard.
They were issued with helmets and gloves. It was the least they could do because of the possibility of skin contact or respiratory infection.
“Remember, your health and safety is a vital asset to our Empire of Asnerdom, far beyond the South. It is important to complete your mission, but you are not a true soldier until you have taken care of yourself. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand. Your Excellency!”
“Yes, sir!”
Everyone responded to Killion’s command with a roar.
The group decided to split into two groups. Most of the soldiers would accompany Killion and Evangelina to the forest of Cotang to check for demons and pollution.
And most of the priests and priestesses would go with Veronia to the healing facility to tend to the patients.
“There, my goodness… the state of the forest is beyond… words, how can this be!”
Evangelina said in a nearly sobbing voice as she looked around the forest. The acolytes following her hunched their shoulders and shivered with chills.
Killion and his men were speechless at the sight of the blackened, dead trees and bushes. Even the soil on the ground seemed to be dying, parched and twisted.
“We’ll start the clean-up over there.”
Evangelina pointed to the beautiful tree. It was a tree thicker than the combined arm circumference of all ten of the elders, and half of it was already blackened and rotten, but thankfully the other half still had green leaves.
“Yes, I see, then we’ll have to explore around a bit more.”
Kilion left five soldiers to escort Evangelina and headed deeper into the forest. Count Eidenbenz, familiar with the geography of the forest, accompanied him.
As the dozens of soldiers disappeared, the surroundings soon quieted. Taking a slow, deep breath, Evangelina approached a beautiful tree. Placing her hands on the tree, she closed her eyes and silently recited a prayer.
“Merciful God, please have mercy on this lowly land and bend down to look upon us. We are but insignificant beings without your grace, so please…”
As the prayer continued, the faint light emanating from his hands grew brighter and brighter. Wherever the divine light touched, the trees and bushes slowly returned to their true colours and life.
The soldiers left behind to escort Evangelina, as well as the priestesses who stood at her side, marveled at the rapidly purifying forest.
Meanwhile, Killion’s party travelled at a brisk pace deeper into the forest.
“We’ve already secured enough of the creature’s carcasses, so our goal is to capture it alive. I want each of you to coat your weapons with an anaesthetic.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Divide into groups of five and spread out to search.”
As soon as Killion gave the order, the men divided themselves into groups, marked off sections on the map, and set off quickly to their assignments.
Killion’s group was in the deepest part of the forest. He led the way, followed by his aide Windler, Count Eidenbenz, and two soldiers. They moved at a brisk pace, almost running.
They had travelled for some time when suddenly Killion signalled for them to halt. He had heard a strange noise up ahead.
Buk, buk, buk.
It was the sound of heavy animal footsteps. The problem was, it wasn’t just one or two, but several, and judging by their footsteps, they were definitely medium-sized or larger. Killion ordered in a low voice.
“There are demons up ahead. At least five of them. Fire the signal and prepare for battle!”
“Yes, sir.”
