Episode 6. Found It.
Leon’s face was flushed red, beads of cold sweat rolling down his forehead. She touched his burning hot forehead and found it scalding.
The small cabin was filled with the sound of his heavy breathing.
Panic-stricken, Ar tried shaking him awake, but Leon couldn’t even open his eyes, only groaning weakly.
Desperate, she finally called his name—a name that had long hovered unspoken on her lips.
“Leon.”
Even her quiet plea couldn’t rouse him.
“Leon? Wake up. Leon.”
She couldn’t just sit and wait.
Driven by urgency, Ar recalled the apothecary in the village. Quickly gathering her belongings, she made up her mind.
Leaving Leon behind in such a state was risky, but so was taking him outside in the drizzling rain, which could worsen his condition.
“Wait for me.”
With those uncertain words, Ar mounted her mule and plunged into the dark, rainy forest.
Already weary from hauling the heavy cart earlier that day, the mule soon reached its limit and collapsed halfway through.
Ar didn’t hesitate for a second. Abandoning the valuable mule—a year’s savings for most farmers—she ran nonstop toward the village.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Her relentless knocking echoed through the apothecary’s door.
From inside, an annoyed voice grumbled. The door creaked open, revealing a groggy and disgruntled man.
“Who’s there at this hour…?”
“Someone’s sick at my house,” Ar said urgently.
The apothecary frowned, unimpressed by her desperation. He began closing the door, muttering complaints, but Ar quickly thrust a pouch of coins into his view.
“I’ll pay whatever it takes.”
The clinking of heavy coins made him pause.
Sizing up the pouch, he gave a faint cough, masking his greed.
“Fine. I’ll come by tomorrow morning.”
“He’s burning up. He needs help now.”
“It’s the middle of the night. You should be grateful I’m even agreeing to visit that far-off place.”
His dismissive tone grated on her. He made it as if to close the door, but Ar shoved it back open, glaring fiercely.
“Now. Move.”
In the dim, rain-soaked night, her eyes glinted like a predator’s.
Seeing the beast-like glint in his eyes, the apothecary sensed trouble and nervously released his grip on the doorknob, which hadn’t budged.
“Ah, understood,” he stammered.
Feeling Ar’s piercing gaze on him from behind, the apothecary reluctantly packed his tools and stepped outside.
***
When the apothecary arrived at the cabin, he was met with the sight of a remarkably handsome man.
This man possessed pale skin, as if untouched by the blazing sun, and golden hair that no dye could replicate—just like he’d heard of the nobles in the capital.
Despite his aristocratic face, his body was built like that of a knight, with broad shoulders and solid arms, suggesting a naturally large and robust frame.
Ordinarily, his tall stature might have been intimidating, but it seemed out of place as his large frame awkwardly spilled out of the small bedding.
The apothecary couldn’t help but wonder why a man who looked like a high-ranking noble, even from a hundred paces away, was in such a shabby shed-like place.
However, under the silent but menacing gaze of the hunter urging him on, he kept his questions to himself and began unpacking his tools.
The apothecary examined the patient methodically—listening to his heartbeat with a small wooden tube, checking his eyes and mouth for abnormalities, and finally drawing some blood to mix with various reagents.
After observing the changes in the reagents, he gave a nonchalant diagnosis.
“It’s flower poisoning.”
“Flower poisoning?”
Ar looked skeptically at the apothecary, who stated the diagnosis casually.
“He ate mel flowers, didn’t he?”
“…Just a few in the afternoon.”
“That’s it. You’re supposed to only suck the nectar from mel flowers; the petals are poisonous.”
“!!”
Ar was shocked at this new information.
“Locals here have eaten them for generations without issue, but they’re still technically poisonous. For an outsider, they can cause adverse reactions.”
Ar’s face grew serious, prompting the apothecary to add a few reassuring words.
“Still, it’s not severe. The toxins only cause fever or abdominal pain at most. With good food and a few days’ rest, he’ll recover quickly.”
“No antidote?”
“There’s nothing specific to counter it—it’s not that potent. Just give him some herbs to restore his energy.”
Taking the opportunity, the apothecary sold a few herbs to the hunter.
Seeing how freely the hunter spent money without haggling, the apothecary felt his earlier displeasure at being dragged to this remote, unsettling house at night melt away.
After explaining how to administer the herbs, the apothecary returned to the village.
By the time he arrived, dawn was breaking, and the sky was brightening.
Ar slumped beside the bed where Leon lay, gazing at his still-closed eyes.
‘I shouldn’t have fed him those flowers,’ she thought, blaming herself.
“Sorry,” she whispered.
Leon’s eyelids twitched, but Ar, with her head bowed, didn’t notice.
Staring dejectedly at the floor, Ar suddenly heard a faint murmur above her.
“…Why are you sitting like that?”
She snapped her head up. Leon’s clear, sky-blue eyes were looking back at her.
“You’re awake?”
“I just opened my eyes.”
“Do you have a fever? Is your head hurting?”
“Hmm, a little dizzy, but I’m fine.”
As Leon calmly responded to her worried questions, Ar froze, mouth agape.
Tears welled up in her eyes and began falling uncontrollably.
“W-What’s wrong?” Leon exclaimed, alarmed.
Ar couldn’t stop the tears streaming down her face.
In a choked voice, she muttered, “I’m sorry.”
“…?”
“I gave you the mel flowers….”
Through her sobs, she explained everything. Leon, managing to piece together her tearful confession, shook his head and replied, “It’s alright. Don’t blame yourself so much.”
“But I gave you poison….”
“No. You tried it first before giving it to me, didn’t you?”
“And you collapsed after eating it!”
“That’s….”
Seeing her sinking into despair, Leon struggled to sit up despite his feverish body.
Grabbing a towel from the table, he gently wiped Ar’s tear-streaked face.
Even though his own strength was drained, the sight of her downcast eyes and drooping shoulders tugged at his heart.
“The flower’s nectar was sweet. You meant well—I just wasn’t used to it yet.”
He patted her head, trying to comfort her.
“It’s not your fault.”
At that moment, Ar’s heart skipped a beat.
The morning sunlight streaming through the window framed Leon in a radiant glow.
Mesmerized by his gentle gaze, Ar felt the warmth of his touch seep into her skin.
She instinctively nuzzled her cheek against his palm before impulsively pressing a kiss to it.
Leon froze in shock at her unexpected action, breaking into a nervous sweat as Ar stared at him intently.
Her eyes sparkled with newfound determination—like a hunter locking onto its prey.
***
Recently, Leon found himself in an awkward situation.
“Leon.”
“Yes?”
“You’re beautiful.”
“…”
It was because of Ar’s relentless compliments, delivered without any context.
When he cooked, she praised his cooking skills. When he organized hunting tools, she called him kind. And when he did nothing but breathe, she called him beautiful.
Lately, Leon felt he’d heard enough compliments to last a lifetime.
“Why do you keep calling me beautif—”
He stopped himself, realizing it might sound like he wanted to hear it.
Unable to figure out a response, he let her continue her barrage of compliments.
For Ar, her compliments were an extension of the kind words her late grandfather had often given her: “Well done,” “You’re kind,” or occasionally, “You’re pretty.”
Having only those phrases in her repertoire, Ar lavished them on Leon with sincerity.
“Beautiful.”
“…”
Though awkward, her affection came through. What truly unsettled Leon, however, wasn’t the words—it was her bold actions.
“Can I kiss you?”
“—!!”
The abrupt question almost made Leon spit out his drink.
Ar, undeterred, patted his back to soothe him.
When his coughing subsided, she leaned closer and whispered, “Can I?”
“W-What are you talking about?!”
Without waiting for an answer, she leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
“Like that.”
Leon was speechless, his mind reeling.
Ar, innocent as ever, simply waited for his response. Her unwavering gaze made it impossible for him to refuse.
Despite his protests, her straightforward affection had a way of disarming him.
Her honesty and warmth were foreign to him but irresistible.
‘This isn’t right….’
Yet, the real problem was that, deep down, he didn’t want to resist.
Did you figure out what the huntress found?😉
