《Marriage And Absente》 Chapter 0 - [Prologue] Chapter 0 ¨C [Prologue] What Swan found was a lump of ash, or more precisely, a scorched, dusty piece of armor. It belonged to a man who was most likely dead for he had traces of being wounded by fire. She stepped back in surprise. Even though she knew many people crossed borders, it was the first time she discovered someone who had disappeared into a world they could never return from. The stream sparkled in the warmth of the radiant morning sun. The fresh emerald green leaves of the evergreen tree gently rustled in the wind. The cool soft breeze swirled around Swan, clearing her mind of anxiety. She took a deep breath and approached the man. The man, who had his head submerged under the trickling stream, was remarkably tall. His shoulders were handsomely broad and his back was straight. Given the long limbs and large muscles, it would take a while for her to move the man. Swan dropped the basket she was holding near a rock and approached the man. Then she carefully flipped his shoulders and grabbed his long arm and with much difficulty, pulled the man out of the water. ¡°Huff.¡± This alone made her sweat. Swan wiped her forehead with her sleeves and looked at the man. In the morning sun, his face dazzled with beauty. Raven black hair, long thick eyelashes, sharp chin, and plump lips. Viridian-colored mud and ash clung to his cheeks, making him quite unkempt, but could not hide his attractive features. Swan, who was trying to look at his face more clearly in the morning light, groaned and lifted the man. She wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders to support him, but it didn¡¯t work. With limited stamina remaining, she continued dragging the unconscious man while whining. Suddenly, the man¡¯s head bumped into a mossy rock. ¡°Cough.¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± Swan, who was dragging his arm, yelped and fell on her behind. ¡®I thought he was dead!¡¯ Her teeth chattered as she shivered in fear. The man struggled to come to his senses as he kept coughing. Water spluttered from his chapped lips. Swan quickly tore off his armor, easing the airflow. She pressed the lungs area and rapidly pumped until he spat out all the fluids. ¡°H-Hey, a-are you awake?¡± Her hands trembled. It was confirmed, the man was alive. At first, she had thought he was dead and had plans to bury him or call uncle Tom from the valley to burn him with fire. If the man hadn¡¯t made any noise, Swan surely would have gone on to become a murder! With this thought alone, her legs abruptly lost their strength. The man¡¯s eyelids softly fluttered. Swan had never seen a patient like this before. She tried to move him in an upright position, ignoring her heart that raced madly with fear. Often, patients who came to her house were injured, but they were always conscious. This was the first time she found someone seemingly dead. Now she needed to take him back to her home to be healed. But how could she move such a heavy man? She could get Uncle Tom to help, but how? Swab sighed as she thought about her next course of action. Not long after she was pondering, she tried to lift his body, but there was no other part of his body except his arm that she could support on her shoulders. It would be nice to have Uncle Tom to help, but she knew that he would be at a widow¡¯s house or the bar at this time. Without grumbling, she continued her long journey. The pattern embossed on the silver-grey armor shined in the summer light. She focused on the design as she slowly trudged back home with the mysterious man. *** Swan just turned twenty. A girl, who was beautiful, pure, and full of energy, was as fresh as the greenery that covered the valley. She was even more innocent and shy than the girls in the villages that lived outside the valley. Tom always praised her soft eyes and cheeks that easily blushed, and her doe eyes that twinkled. He believed she was prettier than all the other youth people in the village combined. It was an unwanted compliment, but she stiffly smiled as a token of gratitude. However, Swan was truly extraordinarily pretty. Flawlessly radiant skin, small ears, rosy cheeks, silky blond hair cascading in lovely tresses. The white nape of her neck was always white and soft like a lily. Her peerless features made her one of a kind. Yet what stood out high above all the others, were her fresh transparent green eyes that were like glass. Absinthe. That was the name of the alluring color. It was the name of the liquor only nobles could afford. It was immensely rare for anyone to possess such an eye color, even more so for a young girl in the most remote part of the country. Thus, Swan¡¯s eyes were the most fascinating and unique part of her. Like a witch in the forest. Yes, a witch, that¡¯s what they called. Yet neither Swan¡¯s mother nor her mother¡¯s mother was one. It was common for people to say that the child grew from a seed and was raised without a father. It was just a ridiculous rumor. Occasionally, Tom, the carpenter of the village, checked on her every four days. Sometimes, he¡¯d bring a patient with urgent injuries for treatment. He did not inform the village of Swan¡¯s existence, so she was always isolated in the valley where she lived as a witch in her little hut. Swan stared at the man. No, it was right to say looking down at a man lying on the bed. Even if she yanked the sleeping man¡¯s hair back and forth, he didn¡¯t stir. He had completely lost consciousness. She brought the man into the cabin and laid him on her bed, took a breath, and began to assemble the needed dried herbs. After grabbing the useful medicines and the raw roots and leaves that could be used as medicinal material, she went back to the man. She took off his armor, exposing his drenched clothes that stuck to his skin. She looked down at the giant man. He stirred as if to wake up, only to completely stop moving again. It was long, hard work. Not only was she treating a man, but her personality was also shy. Swan couldn¡¯t even talk with the villagers near the valley. Uncle Tom was the only man she knew, and of course, the only person that she knew. Did she need to bring Uncle Tom? But something could happen if she left a patient alone¡­ Swan saw a bloody red stain beginning to grow, but wasn¡¯t quite sure what the cause was. She had no choice. Rolling up her sleeves, Swan swiftly tore down the armor covering his lower body. The man¡¯s long sword was flung on to the ground. Clang! As soon as she took off all his armor, his body temperature fell, and the man started to tremble with a pale blue face. Swan glanced at him and lifted his wet clothes. ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was a deep wound from a violent stab. Thick crimson red blood dripped from the long cut in the waist. Even if the outer layer of skin healed, it was obvious that a scar would remain. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± A groan leaked from the man¡¯s lips as the cotton soaked in the disinfectant touched his damaged area. Swan took notice and continued to wipe the area around the cut with cotton a few more times. After finding a sedative, she shoved it in his mouth then she put her hand on his forehead that was cold to the bone. As his fever started to cool down, cold sweat came out. Swan got up and diligently moved to the other side to work on the stab wounds. She brought in medical needles and threads for suture. ¡°It¡¯s better to treat him while he¡¯s unconscious.¡± This was the first time she had seen such a deep wound on someone passed out. Only Uncle Tom could compare. One time he was stabbed in the middle of the day for touching a woman down in the village who had a lover. Swan gulped and picked up the needle. The hands of the maiden pharmacist, who lived in a remote hut located in the Valley of the Waterfalls, trembled. With a deep breath, she gave strength to her slippery fingers. The man¡¯s wound continued dripping blood, his mouth open again. Please read this in the original site : mysticalmerries.com ¡°Phew.¡± With precision, Swan stabbed the needle into his skin. The man¡¯s beautiful eyelashes flickered. Swan lifted his head, observing him. Was he going to wake up? Swan¡¯s face flushed red as she examined the man¡¯s beauty that could easily make people faint. She couldn¡¯t concentrate like this. Swan lowered her head and started stitching. Fortunately, the man never regained consciousness during the suturing process. After closing up the wound, Swan carefully applied the ointment and then bandaged it. Then she calmly looked back at the man, ignoring the mess of iron armor on the floor. Normally with this kind of cut, it would have caused someone to boil with a fever as hot as the flames of hell. Yet, the person in front of her only murmured for a while before calming down. With all his might, the man must have desperately endured the pain without a sound. She raised her hand to examine his chest and abs. With her soft fingers, she traced the clearly defined abs and the scar that remained. Sturdy chest muscles and shoulders that were handsomely smooth. A straight neck and masculine collarbone, and his husky smell that lingered in the air¡­ Swan¡¯s heart was beating fast. The masculine body distracted her while millions of thoughts ran through her head. Swan shook off her messy feelings and stood up after confirming the man¡¯s pulse was back to normal. She picked up the pieces of broken armor one by one and looked at the man. A longsword and a red cloak, probably worn around his waist, gave hints to his identity, but it was too early to infer. However, he must surely be a certain nobleman¡¯s knight¡­ Swan didn¡¯t know what family he belonged to, especially because of all the wars lately¡­ At the very least, she was sure his rank was very high. She lowered her head with a weak face and left the hut with an armful of armor. Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°¡­. Leone .¡­. Leone!¡± A fiery fireball crashed to the floor like a shooting star. The smothering smoke clouding clarity of vision. It must have been caused by gunpowder. It exploded immediately upon contact with the ground and pierced the body of soldiers who couldn¡¯t avoid it. Sitting on a saddle while holding the reins of his horse, a man helplessly watched the soldiers slowly die as the enemy cut the necks of his allies with a knife. It was when he groaned and tore his eyes from the horror, that the scene changed. This time it was not an attack at the castle, but a small battle on the Swamplands. Again, he watched the destruction of his soldiers. Blood spattered from a young soldier¡¯s broken wrist. The man watched him in silence. It was time for him to swing his long sword and move forward. Suddenly, he was brought to another place. Before he had time to react, a gigantic boulder fell from the cliff and rushed towards him. The man panted as he desperately held back the unbearably heavy rock. It was all the more difficult because he had been swept off his balance. The constant feeling of sinking was like a cloth damaged by a moth. He stood straight and glared at a knight who was looking down at him. The knight¡¯s lips were thin and pale, and he wore a helmet. These lips of his cruelly sneered as he lifted the tip of his sharp sword high. He was aiming at the hands of the man who was holding back the rock. Just as the sword was about to slash down, it instead abruptly fell to the knight¡¯s side. The hands that barely grabbed the large stone started to loosen. Without a chance to come to proper sense, the weakened man collapsed, his back pointing to the sky. The knight that was wielding the knife, was already covered in blood. The man lying on the ground closed his eyes. His memory was fading away, broken fragments melting into pieces. Name, status, position, property, parents, and comrades. In the end, he was tumbling down an endlessly dark abyss¡­.. Falling down. He suddenly opened his eyes to reality. A puddle of blood was splattered on the floor. The warmth in it was terribly realistic. The surprised man jolted upwards like a fish pulled out of the water. ¡°Ugh!¡± His stomach ached. With his mouth open, he clenched his upper body in an attempt to ease the pain. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Blood was oozing outwards. ¡°You can¡¯t move like that!¡± He could hear a strict voice yelp. Slowly, he moved his gaze forwards. Outside the cottage, a woman¡¯s voice could be heard from the small window, where very little sunlight passed through. He stared at her with a bewildered expression. ¡°I said you can¡¯t move like that!¡± The woman, who was holding laundry, opened the brittle windows. Her face was evidently distressed. The way she tried to stop him with her head barely sticking out the door was very funny, but the man scarcely laughed. ¡°Also, take your hands off your waist.¡± He was momentarily distracted by the flapping sound of the fabric. On the spur of the moment, he removed his hands and stared at the woman. The woman, who was outside, quickly closed the rattling windows. A few moments later, she opened the door and came in with her wet laundry. ¡°Jeez, you shouldn¡¯t be sitting like that¡­.¡± The woman, who ran like a hen darting around, came and sat next to him with a hand reached out. He instinctively pulled on the woman¡¯s hand for support and stood up. The lady, who was making a fuss, suddenly looked at him with a frozen face. Her face turned pale as she feebly smiled. He watched her bite her dry lips. She lifted her hands to his wound before quickly pulling it back. The woman, who had fallen into a state of embarrassment, nervously blinked her eyes. ¡°Your wound¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± ¡°Let me check if the wound opened.¡± Different from before, the voice that came from her now was more soft and faint. The man nodded as he watched the woman shrink from his towering figure. She gently lifted his shirt and loosened the bandage. Then, she examined the wound. Based on her skill when opening the bandage, she must have dealt with this injury before. He looked down at the woman, who must have been the one to put the clean shirt on him. The woman¡¯s long wavy strawberry blond hair was tied up. At first glance, he could immediately tell she was a virgin with a baby face. Cute freckles on the top of her nose, long eyelashes, lush green eyes, coral glossy lips, and a small chin. But she looked practical thanks to her straight face. ¡°It looks like the wound opened a little bit, but if you are more careful in the future it will properly heal.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°For a while please don¡¯t move from the bed.¡± After she said that, she went to retrieve a new bandage and disinfectant. Without a word from him, she attended to his wound again. Her hands were fast and accurate as they applied the disinfectant and medicine and put on the new bandages. ¡°Um.¡± The woman hesitated. The man looked at her. The cumbersome pain that heavily clouded his head made him want to lie down again. He glanced at her with sharp eyes, as she shut her mouth again. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± ¡°No, nevermind.¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, do you need anything? Perhaps you feel uncomfortable somewhere?¡­.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Oh, alright.¡± The man stared at the woman, before turning his head away. She lowered her head and exited the room. After the woman left, he fell back onto the bed again. He observed the whole situation. It seems the woman had been living alone. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t know where it was located. In addition, this woman had a room filled with medicine. The fragrance of the medicinal herbs in the room was strong. Until he closed his eyes again, he kept looking around for clues that could help find the woman¡¯s identity. A pharmacist. A virgin. A cabin. Strawberry blonde hair. A young girl with freckles¡­¡­ *** The man woke up the next day at noon. He seemed to be recovering at an incredibly fast pace, could now get out of bed and move around. Normally, it would have taken 3-4 days to recover. The cabin had no specific bedding for patients. For more than two weeks, because the bed was occupied by the injured man, Swan slept on the floor. She was unable to sleep comfortably and constantly kept moving in her sleep. In the end, she woke up and sorted the laundry. The man, who usually was asleep at this time, was sitting on his bed as he watched Swan come in. Swan was surprised as their eyes met. ¡°You¡¯re awake now?¡± She asked him to avoid awkwardness, but the man didn¡¯t reply. Swan put down the basket of laundry and turned around again. She was more at ease when he just slept quietly, for this was the first time she had taken care of a patient for so long. It wasn¡¯t long before she quickly became attached to this handsome man, and fell in love with him. Yes. She was in love. Falling in love was easy, at least for Swan. Radiant sunlight spilled through the window and shined on the man¡¯s dazzling face. The stunning man looked at her. ¡°Um, would you like something to eat?¡± At least, that¡¯s what she wanted to ask. She was going to start talking to him by saying this, but as soon as their eyesight crossed, her mind went blank. So she just blinked like a carp. She faltered as she tried to stick the words together, as a sharp gaze pierced through her. The man walked past Swan to the kitchen with heavy steps that made the floor creak. It¡¯s been more than 15 days since he had a proper meal. He barely managed to fit in the room because of his nearly 2 meters tall figure. Swan worried the food would not be enough to fill his appetite. After entering the kitchen, Swan took the oatmeal that she prepared before, and thin slices of stale bread and brought them in a tray. The man stayed still, like a rusty lump of metal. ¡°Here¡­¡± After placing the tray down, she prepared a glass of warm goat milk for him. The man walked to the table. It was a round table that was a perfect size for Swan, but to him, it seemed like it belonged to a playhouse toy. ¡°Do you perhaps¡­¡± That man, who had already swallowed a few spoonfuls of oatmeal, raised his head. Her heart started to beat faster when their eyes met. Swan looked at him with a pale face. ¡°I¡¯m really thankful for the kind hospitality you¡¯ve shown me. Do you perhaps know who I am?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± It was a stupid question. The man¡¯s eyes became darker. He thought it was an absurd question, so he quickly averted his gaze away. Swan didn¡¯t know what to say to the man who continued to eat his oatmeal. When the man finished, he cleaned his bowl while ignoring Swan who was standing. After eating his serving of oatmeal, Swan thought that he would eat the bread and milk also. In the end, the man didn¡¯t touch anything else. Swan suspected he was a picky eater. She felt a strange feeling. She had been waiting for the moment he opened his eyes, and now the situation felt funny. Her heart feels like it was cut into a million pieces. It was strange. ¡°In the yard¡­.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There was chopped firewood.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­ they¡¯re from Uncle Tom, but he has already gone back to the valley.¡± Swan lowered her blushed gaze, fearing her words were gibberish. It was hard to face a man, let alone even talk to. When he fell asleep, he looked like a doll, the only precious time she could pat his soft hair and squish his cheeks. ¡°Is it okay if I continue to chop it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I would like to return your kindness.¡± ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t have to do that¡­.. Your body hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The man stood up. Swan could clearly see his huge figure. This wasn¡¯t too surprising as Swan¡¯s height wasn¡¯t short either. The girls in the village mostly looked puny, but Swan, with a height of more than 160cm, made her look elegant and slender. Even the men in the village on average had a height of around 170cm, which made the height gap compared to Swan relatively small. Maybe that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t feel so overwhelmed when she walked or stood face to face next to his figure. In the end, he was still so big, that it could intimidate the average person. Things were certainly special. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 She had never seen such a big man. Which family¡¯s knight could be this tall? Swan, who only saw the back of the knight, had a feeling that he was different. Maybe that¡¯s why. Swan¡¯s heart was beating even more. She was afraid he could hear her heart beating crazily¡­ ¡°Can I use this ax?¡± The man asked from the yard. Swan nodded in a daze. Tom had brought the ax after the mysterious man came to the hut. He felt sorry that Swan had to sleep on the hardwood floor. In fact, he wanted to make a new bed frame for her. At first, Tom worked diligently but then he heard Swan talking to the man about his knighthood. So then he went to the village, carrying armor not belonging to him. Then there was no sight of him. This left pieces of wood, which were intended to be shaped into a bed frame, scattered on the ground. Now, this foreign man wanted to use it for firewood. ¡°Uhm, that¡­ was supposed to be the wood for making a bed.¡± The man, who was raising the ax, suddenly turned his head around. Swan rubbed her pink cheeks. ¡°That¡¯s¡­.. For a guest¡¯s-¡­.¡± Swan stuttered. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°That¡¯s for a guest¡¯s bed. Because in this cabin we only have one bed.¡± she finished. The man looked at Swan with fixed eyes before turning his head again. He started to cut the tree. ¡°Is it okay if I cut it around this size?¡± ¡°Hm? Yeah.¡± Actually, she didn¡¯t know. Only Tom would know since he was a successful carpenter before his right hand started to hurt. However, this man was surely a knight, and knights were noble. They didn¡¯t need to do anything except swing their sword. Yet Swan wondered. Should she just let the man do whatever he wanted until Uncle Tom came back? ¡°Seeing how your hand isn¡¯t very skilled with the ax, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a carpenter.¡± After a while, the man who straightened his back opened his mouth. Swan blinked her eyes. She stared at him, wondering what his next words would be. ¡°I don¡¯t remember my name.¡± ¡°¡­. Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even remember who I am.¡± he repeated. Where he came from. How he even came here. The ax that was in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter. There was an embarrassed look on his face. So was this why he always talked to her with honorifics? By the time he came to his senses again, he talked to her in an informal way¡­. His expression even changed, looking at Swan as if she was a maid. Swan stopped hesitating and opened her lips. ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± The man¡¯s blue eyes came back at her. A straight forehead, a long nose bridge, as a drip of sweat dripped down from his forehead. He had tanned, smooth skin. The wind softly blew. His black hair gently fluttered, enhancing his beautiful features. Two beautiful lapis blue eyes blinked under darkly defined eyebrows. His soft inner eyebrows and splendid features were more beautiful than the daughter of the lord. Swan swiftly covered her cheeks that were burning up. The man was not only beautiful, but strangely enough¡­exotic as well. Because his complexion was so pale, his plump lips stood out more. His lips were even more beautiful than Swan¡¯s. His features were strangely intertwined with his drowsy gaze, giving him a peculiar impression. Swan slightly twirled her skirt around. ¡° That time, when you woke up and suddenly started talking informally to me¡­ I thought you remembered¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Even though the sentence was offensive, the man did not show any agitation. Swan looked at his closed lips. His angular jaw and sharp eyes were so masculine, but his red lips were pure it all somehow made a woman¡¯s heart flutter. ¡°I was confused¡­ at that time.¡± He sealed his lips again. Swans nodded her head. He was acting a little strange. Yet in the end, it made sense, he was probably just confused. Moreover, his body had not properly healed yet. Swan, who generously understood the man, looked away. ¡°It is better to finish chopping the wood before the person, who was using it, comes back.¡± The man helplessly looked at the piece of wood as he muttered under his breath. He didn¡¯t seem to know how to make the bed frame from firewood pieces. Swan took the ax and put it on top of a pile of firewood. She didn¡¯t know when Uncle Tom, who went down the valley, would come back. But they would finish it before he came. *** The moment the man put down his ax, the memory of his belongings in the storage came to Swan¡¯s mind. Her heart started pounding faster. His belongings were full of blood and soot, so she put it away in the storage room. Especially since it contained a weapon. It was horrifying to look at. Especially when it came to mind how the sword had cut off the bones and flesh of a person. So Swan moved the items to the side of the storage where medicines were stored. But Tom, who was always more concerned about Swan¡¯s safety than his own, couldn¡¯t have just only looked at it. It was a knight¡¯s armor and sword. At first glance, it looked like something that couldn¡¯t be used by anybody, but actually, it was worth a certain price. While making the frame for the bed, Swan held an anxious expression, worried about the identity and affiliations of the knight. When Tom saw the patterns on the breastplate, sword, and gauntlets, he decided to go down to the village to find out about the man¡¯s identity. He thought, if the man was a precious protector of some high family, then the man could leave. Swan also thought similarlly. Even if he wasn¡¯t an aristocrat, some knights worked for aristocrats. It would be better if the mysterious man went back to his lord and received proper treatment. Even though she treated him well in this cabin, his underlings or family could come and threaten, or even intimidate her, for not directly sending him back. Hopefully, nothing bad would happen to Uncle Tom, who took the armor and went to town to gather information, right? But what if one day the man suddenly asked for his belongings? He was an injured man. There would surely be a better healer in a castle. No matter how famous Swan was, the fact that she was only a pharmacist, she was just a girl that followed her mother¡¯s research book. A girl that couldn¡¯t even learn it properly. A few days ago, Swan had thought ¡®what if he can¡¯t open his eyes?¡¯. After thinking about it, she had given Tom a piece of the armor. A lion and a crown were embossed, perhaps the seal of the family? In any case, she didn¡¯t give it all to Tom, so she thought when the man woke up and searched for his stuff, she could explain herself. Before he had completely come to his senses, Swan had already known when he opened his eyes. It was terrible, he woke up with a high fever. The man had not even remembered who he was. He had opened his eyes and sputtered nonsense. Swan had thought he lost his memory. Swan¡¯s mother, now dead, once said that patients could lose consciousness due to injuries and high fevers. Therefore¡­ Yet deep down in her heart, she was wriggling with a hopeful dream. She wished perhaps he would forget his past, meaning he wouldn¡¯t have a place to settle down¡­ Even though it was vain and useless, when she saw his fluttering doll-like eyelashes when he was unconscious, Swan wanted to keep all of him for herself. ¡°Are these the things that I brought?¡± a voice asked. Swan was suddenly brought back to the present, out of her deep thoughts. The man observed a couple of shoulder armors, pads for knees, calves, and a red cloak. Swan quickly awoke from her daze. Then she nodded slowly. Swan stared at him with an intimidating look and muttered. ¡°Uhm¡­. Uncle Tom took some of the other things for a while.¡± The man, who had been looking at the armor that could not connect again like scattered pieces of glass, looked back at Swan. Swan squeezed her hands together and dragged her feet like a child that was being scolded. ¡°Ah that, that. If he asked around, maybe someone who knows you or your master would see it¡­. So, if someone who knows about sir Knight¡¯s identity sees that, then sir Knight can be cured at your castle¡­¡± ¡°But you already treated me, Miss, why do I need My Lord?¡± ¡°Uhm, that¡¯s¡­¡± Swan was surprised by the emotionless voice. She could read his anger at once. Swan dropped her gaze. The eyes that came to her were hard and heavy like an iron ball. Her throat strung as if she had swallowed a hook. Swan lost her words and looked at him. She could feel that he was angry even if he didn¡¯t yell. Swan gave him a startled look and bowed her head down. The man had been striking a part of his armor, before putting it back to its original position and left the storage room. Swan slowly followed him back to the cabin. She hardly ate her lunch. He couldn¡¯t help but feel exhausted after beating dozens of firewoods with useless axes. Swan, who was afraid of silence, spoke to him, who was rubbing his shoulders. ¡°Uhm¡­ are you hungry?¡± She was asking about dinner. The man nodded at her. It was still a silent face. On the way back from the storage, she remembered the excuses she laid out saying that Uncle Tom would return it soon. Swan sat at the table and glanced at the man waiting for her. ¡°But, do you really not remember anything? Your name or your identity¡­..?¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¡°Yes.¡± After taking out the cooked dried fig bread, Swan turned towards him. Under the light of a hanging lantern, the man put one of his arms on the table before sitting with his back straight. Even though the cut on his side was pretty deep, his waist and shoulders were straight without any sign of tilting or bending. It seemed that he was familiar and comfortable with that posture. He was definitely not a commoner. Whatever he did¡­ it was very difficult. ¡°Please eat.¡± Swan served the hot bread and stew on a tray and carefully passed him a wooden spoon. She served the stew in the best bowl in the hut. The stew was made with carrots and a large cut of venison, a very valuable ingredient. She rarely got the chance to eat fish or meat, but she wanted to treat her precious guest with something precious, even though the man wouldn¡¯t know about it. But it didn¡¯t matter to Swan. Even though it would be difficult and tricky, she wanted him to stay a little longer. ¡°Thank you.¡± Being handed over the spoon, his voice became softer. While Swan was handing over the spoon, their fingers touched slightly as Swan lowered her head and her cheeks flushed. ¡°Should we light up the lantern more?¡± ¡°No, thanks. There is no need for you to work more.¡± ¡°But the fire is a little weak ¡­¡± ¡°Then I will do it.¡± The man got up and lifted a candle. Then, in an instant, he added more fire to the lantern. It was a quick and concise movement. Swan coughed and pressed her chest slightly to calm her beating heart. The body of the man who got up to light the fire was big. The outline of his robust and built muscles was visible through his thin shirt. Swan pulled her head down. She had a hard time getting that shirt. There were no men¡¯s clothes in the hut because only women lived there, including her grandmother, mother, and Swan herself. She wasn¡¯t expecting a man to stay in her house even if only for a short time. Anyway, Swan, who had never had a father, with the help of Uncle Tom, the only one who connected her to the village, borrowed the shirt from the blacksmith who was said to have the largest body size in the village. If that man had a normal physique, it would have been easy to find. She had a hard time borrowing clothes from the biggest man in the village. Suddenly Uncle Tom came to her mind. Usually, Uncle Tom visited the cabin once every four days. However, since she found the man near the cabin, he visited the cabin almost every two days to look after the man with her. It seemed that he was worried about a big stranger staying in the cabin where a maiden lived alone. Anyway, it was already 17 days since the man was found near the cabin. In the meantime, Uncle Tom came and went to give him the shirt and pants that he needed. Moreover, Uncle Tom also helped Swan decide what they would do with the man¡¯s belongings. At first glance, the man seemed to be a noble, so there were many decisions that she couldn¡¯t make on her own. It would be nice if Uncle came back quickly and saw that the man has already woken up. While thinking of Uncle Tom, who had not come to the cabin for two days after the man awoke, Swan looked at him. The tip of her lips trembled followed by her cheeks. She was frustrated that her red lips and cheeks wouldn¡¯t stay still. ¡°How is the taste¡­?¡± She shook her head lightly to come back to her senses. The man who ate a big spoon of the stew raised his head. Her heart felt like it was dropped on the floor. The man who didn¡¯t even say anything for courtesy looked dark. She felt like the soft part of her heart was being cut off for no reason. While analyzing his expression and mood she felt pathetic. Even though she woke up at dawn and served more milk than usual, his expression was dry as if he ate horse feed. ¡°Good.¡± The man who was chewing the venison murmured while lowering his gaze. Feeling the burden of Swan¡¯s gaze, the man avoided her gaze and just focused on chewing and swallowing the food. ¡°D-Do you want some more? I still have more stew.¡± She cooked a pot full of stew with venison, enough to feed one person for four days. She thought that the bigger someone¡¯s stomach, the more they would eat, but considering how he ate, she thought she would have to eat it all by herself later. ¡°Thank you.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything about the taste of the food after that. Following the man¡¯s example, Swan also just lowered her head. Throughout the meal, she was curious whether the stew was well seasoned or whether the meat had a fishy smell. She couldn¡¯t concentrate on eating. As the silent meal came to an end, Swan served biscuits and hot tea. She served it because she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep if the fishy smell of the meat remained in her mouth. The tea brewed with dried oat flowers was warm and fragrant. Uncle Tom, who hated tea, also delightfully drank Swan¡¯s tea. Even people who didn¡¯t like water and tea because they were addicted to alcohol happily drank it, so she wondered whether this would suit his taste. However, she couldn¡¯t help but feel discouraged throughout the entire process. ¡°What should I do? It looks like the stew doesn¡¯t fit your taste.¡± She hesitated and picked up the kettle. The man did not reply. The man held the white teacup in his hand as Swan poured the tea, thinking that hopefully, he would at least drink the tea. ¡°Drinking it at night will warm your body and make you sleep better.¡± She muttered while putting away the kettle. The man, who sipped the tea little by little, looked at Swan. Swan also gazed at him. It was thin, but the refined shadow was dark and steep without discoloration. He was a man who exuded a majestic atmosphere just by sitting down. The nature of his expression was ascetic but also heterogeneously delicate and colorful. His black hair was like graphite and his two eyes looked as if they were dyed in blue dye. He was impressive enough to make the heart of a corpse residing inside a coffin beat. Swan lowered her head like a sinner again. She had never seen such a handsome man anywhere in the village. He was the type of man that you would never meet again were you to part ways with him. She wouldn¡¯t be able to encounter anyone with a more beautiful appearance than the person in front of her if she let him go. Yes, it will definitely be hard. It was when Swan walked to the kitchen with an empty bowl that the man asked her. ¡°Where are you going to sleep?¡± ¡°Uhm ¡­¡± Turning back, the man¡¯s eyes were facing the bed. Swan had no idea as he scratched her chin. This is because she usually slept on the floor next to his bed. There was an armchair where her grandmother used to sit by the window, but it wasn¡¯t an option for a place to sleep. ¡°Where did you sleep before?¡± ¡°That¡¯s ¡­¡± ¡°I guess I took your resting place, right Miss?¡± ¡°I slept on the floor because there are a lot of mattresses here ¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what to say. Suddenly the man looked out of the window. He seemed to be thinking about what to do, but there was no way to know it for certain. ¡°Since there are no other houses, it seems that you¡¯re living here alone.¡± ¡°Yes ¡­¡± The man turned his gaze towards Swan. His eyes were sharp like the beak of a predator bird. Swan bit her lips because it sounded like an interrogation. All of Swan¡¯s family lived in this cabin. The mother of her mother and even her great-great-grandmother. The women of the Lophenin family never mingled with the villagers below the valley. She didn¡¯t know why. She didn¡¯t even ask. However, Swan has lived in this cabin since she was young. Born in this cabin, she considered this cabin as her own world and lived there. Even though she didn¡¯t expand the cabin, there was no difficulty in her life, but she was lonely. Considering the absence of her mother, she knew what loneliness was. That¡¯s why she was glad to meet Uncle Tom from the village. ¡°How long does it take from here down the valley?¡± ¡°Oh my, are you going down? Now?¡± Swan was surprised and opened her eyes wide. It was unexpected. The man who said he lost his memories and hasn¡¯t recovered yet says that he wants to go down to the village? Besides, it was almost midnight. ¡°No, but I can¡¯t stay here forever.¡± Her throat tightened as she looked at him without blinking. The words ¡°I can¡¯t stay here¡± stuck in her head and kept repeating. It is natural. Of course, he was someone that would have to leave someday. Still, she froze and stared at him. ¡°It takes about 30 minutes on foot.¡± ¡°I see. When does the person named Tom come?¡± ¡°Ah, once every four days? Actually, he comes every time he wants. But I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll return you your belongings; he¡¯s not a bad person ¡­.¡± ¡°If you say so, of course, he will.¡° He nodded. The man picked up the mattress on the rocking chair and looked at Swan. ¡°I will sleep on the floor. The bed is for the lady.¡± *** Chapter 4 Chapter 4 He wandered around and sometimes concentrated on the sounds surrounding him. The rustling of the trees, the birds chirping, and the roars. These sounds would make even a brave man feel eerie as if he was left alone in the mountains. He turned and looked at the hut again. Those eyelashes and cheeks that kept reddening. As he trembled over those overwhelming feelings, he suddenly remembered the feeling of those green eyes. He remembered the way she stroked and the area she touched as if these feelings had been burnt onto his skin by her fingertips. Then suddenly, he felt pressure around his stomach. He thought of the woman sleeping quietly with her mouth twitching as if she was biting on a bitter candy. It¡¯s reckless, but will it be bothersome? His nose reddened as she looked at her eyes. He tried not to react if possible. It wasn¡¯t a relationship that would last long. He walked to the storage to check his armor. However, it was locked with a latch. The door made a rattling sound, but it didn¡¯t open. He could easily open the door by force, but he didn¡¯t want to destroy her storage. Besides, he wasn¡¯t confident in his axing skills. He didn¡¯t remember anything about his status, age, or name, but at least he didn¡¯t lose his nature from birth. I am still myself ¡­ So there was nothing to be afraid of for not remembering a single name. ¡°Uhm ¡­¡± He was right about to turn back when he heard a soft voice in the middle of the night. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to come in. I was about to go out.¡± ¡°That ¡­ I¡¯ll give it back to you. It was difficult to put inside the house, so I put it in the storage, but I think you would feel more comfortable if you had it by your side¡ª¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± He cut her words. Perhaps because she sensed his stern and firm attitude, she didn¡¯t say anything more. She could feel him glancing at her. The overwhelming feeling came back to him. Before his insides felt suffocating again, he went back. Swan walked silently behind him. ¡°If you are uncomfortable sleeping on the floor¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Under the weak light, Swan stiffened. Her eyes resembled those of a frightened beast as she shook her head to avoid his gaze. It took him a long time to choose the right words to motivate his rejection. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just that have many things on my mind, so I can¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°I see ¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop here. Please, have some rest.¡± Swan whispered, breaking the silence. He nodded and then lied down on the thin mattress. She couldn¡¯t sleep, even on the bed. Thete was a continuous rumbling sound. When will I be able to sleep? When she opened her eyes again, the stillness of the night was gone, leaving no trace. *** Maybe it was because he spent the entire night on the floor, but he couldn¡¯t feel relaxed even though he was already stretching his body, twisting his shoulders from side to side, and pulling his arms. The hardness of the floor against his back and the cold temperature brought a refreshing energy to the whole body. He looked up at the table while touching his lukewarm forehead. A tray was on the round table. He scanned the empty house and walked to the table. It was breakfast. He was wondering what was in the basin, but it turned out it was just water to wash his face. His breakfast consisted of stew and a few pieces of fruit. Honestly, he didn¡¯t want to eat that much. His stomach was empty, but all the meals Swan served didn¡¯t fit his taste. He tried not to express it, but he thought she had already realized it ¡­ Still, she prepared it for him. He looked down at the table with a withered face, then turned his gaze and stared at the bed. Seeing a blanket and a fairly spacious bed, he began to get drowsy. He remembered how he stayed up until dawn because he was on the floor all night. As if he was possessed, he walked to the bed before laying down on it. Felling the softness of the blanket and pillows, he closed his eyes. How much time has passed? When he tried to regain his lingering consciousness and opened his eyes, Swan was beside him. Seeing a blurry, slender figure brought him to his senses. It was when she touched the corner of his mouth. The terrified woman stepped back and tried to get up, but he reflexively grasped her wrist, making her fall. ¡°Ouch!¡± A short scream rang in his ears as he let go of her wrist. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Swan blinked. The two looked at each other silently for a while, then turned their heads almost at the same time. ¡°You must have been tired.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t had breakfast yet ¡­¡± Swan looked at the table. The cold stew and the washbasin caught his eyes. He got up and walked to the table. He washed his face with cold water and wiped his face with a folded towel next to the washbasin. Meanwhile, the woman went to the kitchen with the cold stew and fruit. ¡°Please take a seat; I¡¯ll prepare lunch.¡± The woman put the basket in the corner and then turned around. He looked at her back as she started to heat the stew again after lighting up the fire. After preparing a meal with toasted bread, yellow fruit marmalade, and hot stew, Swan took out a small bowl with medicine. It was then that he remembered the wound on his side. He forgot that the cut on his side hadn¡¯t healed yet. He couldn¡¯t feel the pain enough to worry about it even though the tingling feeling still remained. ¡°Before eating, I will look at your wound. Then you¡¯ll take your medicine half an hour after lunch.¡± Swan approached him with ointment and bandages in her hands. He lifted his shirt naturally as she bent her knees and approached his side before trying to look closely at the wound. He felt tingly when her breath touched his skin. Her breath mixed with her scent seemed to reach the skin when the bandage was removed. The woman¡¯s fingers, which were thinner than usual, touched the healing wound. Did she just come after wandering through the grass? A bit of dirt on the end of her skirt came into his eyes. Suddenly, the smell of soil and grass arrived at the tip of his nose. Swan, who was carefully looking at his wound, was about to apply the ointment. Suddenly, their eyes entangled as Swan¡¯s nose reddened. The young emotions in her green eyes were as transparent as drops of water. Her eyes looked like they could burst at any moment. The hand holding the ointment hesitated. Her transparent green eyes were strangely dark. Even though they were transparent, the impression of them being dark and distant was stronger than the feeling of them being transparent. In addition, the corner of her eyes was not blunt, but sharp, which only further strengthened that impression. Her wild, wavy, strawberry blonde hair touched his side and tickled him. An unfamiliar, yet familiar scent mixed with her breath and penetrated into his nasal cavity. It was the scent that he smelled on the blanket. It resembled jasmine or a similar herbal scent. The smell of leaves was present from the top of her head to the breath that came out of her lips. ¡°¡­ Would you like to do it yourself?¡± ¡°No.¡± Swan passed him the ointment, but he looked at her hand before shaking his head. The side was a difficult position to see. As he shook his head, the woman¡¯s expression got noticeably brighter. Even though her expression was annoying, her scent that sipped into his nose made his mouth feel dry. The ointment-soaked finger touched his side. The fingers that touched his skin were white and thin. As Swan applied the ointment, she took a bandage and wrapped it around his waist. She seemed prudent as she carefully wrapped the cut. It looked like she was hugging his waist. ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°If you are feeling uncomfortable, please tell me.¡± He looked down at the woman without hesitation. Swan picked up the remaining bandages and ointment before getting up. After that, they both started eating. It was when they scooped a spoonful of stew in their mouths that Swan began to speak carefully while glancing at him. ¡°About the bed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, so you can use it until your body heals. So ¡­ at least until you go down to the village.¡± ¡°There is no need. I am fine.¡± Swan raised her head. There¡¯s no way to persuade a man who refused persistently. He was quite stubborn. He was indebted to her, so it was natural. In addition, it was the bed of a woman, so it could be uncomfortable that her bed would have other people¡¯s body odor on it. Besides, he was a noble. According to Tom, the nobles always regarded the common people¡¯s houses as no more than dwarves¡¯ dens, so this bed wouldn¡¯t be enough. But still, he was a patient. She couldn¡¯t let him sleep on the hardwood floor. Swan stopped hesitating and opened her lips. ¡°Sleeping on the floor is bad for your wound. For me, it doesn¡¯t matter, so¡ª¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s use it together.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say a guy named Tom will come and make a bed? We¡¯ll be sharing this bed until that person comes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ¡­¡± ¡°It looks like the bed can be used by two people anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but ¡­¡± Swan lowered her head while scratching the bottom of the bowl with the spoon. The bed was wide enough for two people. It seemed to have been made in order for a married couple or sisters to be able to use it. He gazed at the woman. No matter how noble he was, he was not such a shameless man to let a woman sleep on the cold floor. Anyway, he was a knight, while the woman in front of him was a lady. A knight has to value a lady more than their own comfort, even if she wasn¡¯t a noble lady. Even if she wore simple clothes, a lady was still a lady. Besides, no one knew how many days it would take for another bed to be made. He couldn¡¯t let such a fragile body sleep on the floor. ¡°If only one person can occupy the bed, it should be you, lady.¡± ¡°But ¡­¡± ¡°Letting a lady sleep on the floor is not an example a knight should give.¡± ¡°But, Sir Knight hasn¡¯t healed yet ¡­¡± Swan stuttered before closing her mouth while pouting. He looked at the freckles on her nose. Her young face was in anguish. After hesitating for a long time, Swan finally nodded. *** Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¡°Then, only for today. Tomorrow¡­ tomorrow Uncle Tom will be here. There must be something happening in the village that¡¯s why he has not yet arrived, these past few days¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± Does she seem to be unwilling to accept, or is she making excuses for giving her bed to a stranger man? The woman chattered incoherently. ¡°Anyway, anyway, he will definitely come up tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He answered carelessly and continued to eat the stew, chewing the stew that didn¡¯t have any flavor. *** Suddenly, He wondered why this woman did not go down to the village. Considering that she knew the way to go to the village, that means she had been there before. Nevertheless, this woman did not try to go down to the village to find a man named Tom or do anything more. In 30 minutes at most, the way down to the village would not have been very tight. Nevertheless, there¡¯s no sign of people that used this road. That¡¯s right, there was no reason for the woman to go down to the village, but there seemed to be no people coming up from the village as well. The woman who was snooping around saying that Tom might come, got away from the door only when the sun had completely set. They took turns using the wooden bathtub, and they finally went to bed at night. ¡°I used to share this bed with my mother.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Before that, it was a bed that my mother and my grandmother used to use.¡± It was when the two of them hesitated to lie side by side. The woman in thin pajamas whispered with a reddish face. He can feel how shy she was by watching how she tries to straighten the wrinkles in her skirt with her hand. The woman was not sure what to do even though it¡¯s really hard for her to look at the man, she kept repeatedly biting her lips. She pretends not to see him and first lies down in bed. The bed made a creaking sound and went down completely. She was worried that the wooden frame would collapse. But for now, he put his head on the pillow. The woman, who saw it, shook her eyelashes and grabbed her chest. ¡°Ah, good night.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The woman, who had been red to the eyes, barely whispered through her pillow. After answering with a small voice, The man closed his eyes. The body odor touches the tip of his nose. The man clenched his fists when an odd sweet scent tickled through his nasal passages. The breath of the woman, who was fluttering and tossing, touched his face. Breathing between her lips and her warm body temperature that crawled under her closed eyes, stimulated his lower part. A tight sensation in his stomach. Suddenly, the blanket crumbled and a weak voice came in. ¡°Uhm.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± ¡°Uhm, are you awake?¡± He opened his eyes. The round female body reflected in the thin pajamas glimpsed through the dark outline. The plum breasts in the sloping shoulders and the generous neckline. A lump of white, soft flesh in her breast seemed to wriggle. ¡°Are you awake¡­¡± When there was no answer, the woman quietly grabbed his shoulder. He bounced off the woman¡¯s hand in his shoulder and glared at her sharply. The surprised woman looked at him with her eyes wide open. It seemed she was completely scared. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it without permission.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± The stiffened woman looked at him and without blinking. His lower part became hot. The head of the thing that had been halfway up under the blanket that covered him was damp. He clenched his teeth. It was the first time he felt like that. It was clear that he never had been through this before. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, uhm, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb you. Oh, in the morning¡­¡± ¡°Please say it.¡± The woman lowered her head. The light of the lamp was so dimmed and exposed her collar bone. He grasped the chin of the woman who stiffed in the air. As he lifted her chin, the woman¡¯s hand followed and wrapped his hand. He grabbed her hand and pulled it down ¡°Is there a problem?¡± His eyes became red, he swallowed his saliva while staring at her trembling eyelashes. Her nose bridge that scattered with freckles furtively twitched. He could read the mixed feeling from the rolled lips. Her face is always like this. Feeling that didn¡¯t fade, even if she didn¡¯t try to express them, it could be seen clearly from her eyes. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± He wiped the tears under her eyes. It¡¯s unexpected for her to burst into tears. It¡¯s because it was like this every time he stepped back and pushed her away. A cry that seems to burst anytime. It seems like tears would overflow if he stabbed it. ¡°No, nothing¡­.¡± As the woman dawned to lower her chin that caught in his hand, He pulled her shoulder close to him. The woman, who was dragged with an unfamiliar face, opened her round eyes. The impudent feeling that overflowed his head choked him. Who is pulled as if tied to a snare¡­. ¡°Please, let me go.¡± He stared at her. She looked so delicious and made his lower part active. It was ridiculous that his manhood hardened just by taking on the odor of the skin that rubbed to his skin. He releases his hand that trapped the woman¡¯s chin. However, the hand holding her shoulder remained there. ¡°It¡­ just¡­. I still don¡¯t know the name¡­¡± ¡°I do not remember.¡± ¡°My name too. You¡­ you never asked for my name.¡± The woman looked down. The sleepy face was pale. Her flickering lips soon stopped moving. Swan twisted her shoulder, trying to get out of his grip. The crying did not stop. Suddenly his hand reached under the damp eyes. Instinctively, her shoulder trembled. He lifted her chin slowly. Her heart pounded quickly. The thumb touched the wet lashes and then fell. Swan blinked her red eyes and looked at him. He had a calm face. However, different from his calm face he was reluctant to do anything. The two eyes that looked like blue embers¡­. Unpredictable light seemed to wriggle in a lump. The fingers on the blanket trembled. Instead of twisting her shoulders, Swan stared at the front covered in a blanket. The wrinkled at the bottom part of his was clear. She quickly turned her gaze. Her heart pounded again. ¡°I will ask your name, so please give me a name as well.¡± There was an empty voice. Swan, turning her head as if closing her eyes, stared at him, biting her lips firmly. Unlike the bulging part in the front, his face was rather plain. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°May I have your name?¡± ¡°Uhm, it¡¯s Swan.¡± When she tried to say that he didn¡¯t need to say it in a very respectful way, she closed her lips off. The man was still dry. As usual, he never even tried to call her name. Her heart that rose up, sank again. ¡°What is your last name?¡± ¡°Lofenin, Swan Lophenine.¡± Her deceased mother¡¯s name is Petunia Lofenin. Her grandmother¡¯s name was Una Lophenine. Unlike the villagers who followed their father¡¯s surname, the Lophenine family followed the mother¡¯s surname. It was not now when this started, but Swan was Lophenine from birth. Probably because she doesn¡¯t have a father. ¡°Now, please give me a name as well.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway, only while I stay here¡­ No, I will only use it until I remember my name. Since this is the name you will call, I think it is appropriate for you to give it to me.¡± She raised her head. She wondered why he suddenly changed his words while whispering because he would only use it during his stay here anyway. Swan wiped her eyes and stared at him. Suddenly she remembered the neckline that didn¡¯t fit, and she drew a blanket and covered her chest. ¡°Well, then¡­ How about Theo?¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Swan smiled. The man who became Theo gently grabbed Swan¡¯s shoulder. With a smile, she looked at the man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about before.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Moreover¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Down there¡­¡± Swan turned her head and her eyes fluttered. Theo looked down at the place where that woman looked, which was a place where something swelled under the blanket. The burning sensation started to bother him again. He rose up from the bed and whispered a little. ¡°I will do it on my own, so please go back to sleep.¡± *** Is it because of the sweet smell of the air that came from her lungs? As dawn came after the night of turning over and over again, the lower part of him became wet. The liquid that leaked from the tip of the glans was not enough to wet the pants, but it wetted the end of the blanket. In his long-awaited dream, a woman with white and soft breasts came out and covered her breast with her small hand, and then rubbed his chest with her round shoulders. He hugged the woman¡¯s waist unconsciously, rubbing his nose around her neck and chest like a smitten man, and pricking his lips in the soft breast. In his flicker consciousness, he kisses her breast and sucks her nipples straight. And in his mind there was a woman who didn¡¯t reveal her face, she was just a ¡®female¡¯. As if he was hungry, he rubbed her chest and his manhood erected. The woman just sobbed. She buried her head on his chest and shed a sound like a small sob. Is this a seductive voice or sobbing? Whenever his hard chin rubbed against her breast, the woman who turned her back as if fluttering, suddenly stopped moving. Trying to find a position between her thighs while rubbing his erected manhood, he suddenly stopped moving and looked at the woman who was held tight by him. ¡°Face, lift up your face.¡± The woman, who was pressed against his chest with her head, grasped for his forearms. He stroked her softly like a child, staring at her long hair the flow down her shoulders. *Coralbell. Reddish blonde hair that covered her small ears. A familiar body odor came out from her long, reddish-colored hair. Before the woman could lift her head, her heart fell down. Rusty eyes, milky white skin, thick bones, like a witch¡¯s Absente¡­. ¡°Ah¡­¡± When she relaxed her arm, she pushed her soft chest into his chest. Panting and hugging her again, Theo grabbed her soft hips under her waist. Then he pushed his erect manhood into the cramped hole between her spread legs. T/N: *Coralbells: name of some flowers that have some reddish color. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6 Chapter 6 The woman who had been rubbing her plump mounds burst into tears with a short scream and pushed him away. He closed their distance again and thrusted as the woman groaned. She shook her head, her eyes wet with tears. Between her legs, which were spread wide, his manhood was clamped down by the thick inner walls that made it even more swollen. ¡°Stay, don¡¯t move. Stay still¡ª Ugh!¡± Every time he thrusted inside, she shrieked and her entrance would tighten. She couldn¡¯t figure out whether to stop or encourage him. Everytime he moved his hips and penetrated her, his length that had been digging shallowly gradually grew bigger. After a while, he managed to fit his entire length inside her, reaching into her deepest parts. The woman who had spread her legs tightly trapped his manhood. Every time he rocked his waist back and forth, she reciprocated by grinding into him in return, her cheeks wet with tears and her lips fluttering. ¡°What? I can¡¯t hear you¡­¡± Only inaudible bubbles came out of her red lips. It would have made more sense if she was making fun of his manhood due to how her lips moved but no sound came out. He exhaled harshly and groaned. Each time he thrusted, his seed would be released inside her, moving in and out. Her breasts were pert as she was aroused, the heart inside her chest pounding pounding wildly, as the bed shook violently. He picked her up by her arms, crossing them over to keep her closer to him. The woman shook her head, trying to keep her lips closed. Every time she trembled with pleasure, her fluids would come out even though she had yet to reach her climax. He pulled out and leaned down, taking in her scent as he placed his nose over her entrance, drinking in all of it. He sucked on her flower, teasing her expertly with the tip of his tongue. ¡°Ah, aaaah! Ugh! Aah! ¡± The woman moaned with a seductive voice, her chest heaving as she was out of breath. He gently bit her flower¡¯s hardened bud, then pierced her entrance with one finger. He rubbed her inner walls playfully, enjoying how generously she released her fluids. He rubbed her cl*toris vigorously, and she couldn¡¯t do anything by writhe in pleasure. He pulled her up to change her position. He still wanted to drink freely from her, to dip his tongue inside the entrance that had only been lying quietly. He made her sit on his face after she sat upright. The woman then tightened her thighs and swung her hips back and forth. As her bodily fluids overflowed, he lapped it all up with his tongue, thrusting his finger into her soaked folds. As he sucked on her bud to make her more wet, the woman moaned nonstop, a seductive voice wailing loudly as her own fingers reached down. He watched the woman play with her entrance in front of him, but at this sight, he finally came to his senses. He looked down. His girth, which had been so aroused below the duvet, was covered with the woman¡¯s sweet scent. It was still up. Hard. He thought it was shameful that he was grinding his hips until midnight, and even releasing his load once. Fortunately, there was no one next to him right now. He looked at her undershirt and blanket with a displeased expression, then got up and looked out the window. What he saw was a loquat tree and a green vegetable garden. When he looked at the carrots and cabbages that had been pulled out in advance, whether it was for breakfast or not, it seemed like the field that she cultivated modestly was a carrot and cabbage field. He stared at the colourful garden. There was no man in sight on the way to the warehouse. He was thinking about going out to try and solve it, but he thought it would be a bigger problem if he bumped into her. He looked down at the bulge that was as big as the horse¡¯s, and even as thick. Of course, he couldn¡¯t remember if he had ever used it in his life, or when was the last time he used it. The heat from his lower body rose, and he felt a tight sensation in his chest. He picked up the blanket, crushed it in his hands, and put it in front of his nose. After that, he spread the towel on the bed. He grabbed his length and bit his lip. The smooth tip filled his hand. ¡®No matter how desperate, how can you be this crazy¡­¡¯ A woman¡¯s thin, white hand appeared as an apparition overlapping his dark hand, holding the tip of his member. With that woman¡¯s hand, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold all of it in one hand. With that little hand¡­ He imagined how she would use both hands to stroke his manhood clumsily and poorly. At he thought of the woman gripping and playing with her own entrance to stimulate herself, his manhood got more aroused, erecting even further. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± His muscles became more tense, his rod stiffening with much vigour. His lips curled, and his brows narrowed. The breaths that huffed out of his lips were filled with heated desire. As he took a deep breath, he rubbed his length back and forth at a quicker pace. Suddenly, there was a clicking sound. The only thought that filled his mind was the woman who was approaching him. Her two plump breasts, him pounding into her, this heat¡­ The sound of her sobbing that flowed into his ears so sweetly, the teardrops that wetted her cheeks, and even her crying that crossed the threshold from reluctance to pleasure¡­ Creak. The man couldn¡¯t hear the door open, entirely concentrated on the illusion of the body of the woman who was constantly on his mind. When he finally reached his climax, a rush of opaque c*m soaked his hand. And at that time, when he took a breath and turned around¡ª ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°S-sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t say anything in return. Her green eyes wandered around and quivered violently. The woman immediately averted her gaze, her face flushing red then turning pale one moment after another. He hurriedly cleaned his torso and hand, grabbed the towels that had been piled up on the bed, and went outside. * * * She didn¡¯t know how to spend her time on that day. Long after the man left the hut, Swan headed to the valley. She was still confused by all the things she had witnessed, but she had a task at hand. To survive the winter, she needed to gather all the herbs she could to make medicine, then dry and steam them so she could sell some of them in the market. Usually, she did this at least twice in a month, but this time it increased to thrice. It was because of the patient that stayed in her shack. She had to forget about what she just saw inside the shack before, so Swan thought of other things. About Tom, who hadn¡¯t come back for 3 days, or about her financial state. However, while thinking about Tom, she remembered the thick and long rod that the man had. Even when she thought about firewood that she needed to gather for winter, she remembered the back of the man who had been stroking that large thing. She knew what it meant when a man did that. Occasionally, the widows, who lived with Tom as if they were married, would hold Swan and whisper so. Every time she walked down a hilly mountain road to Tom¡¯s house, she thought of the women who sprawled themselves at his house as if it were their own home, watching as Swan came in. They giggled and talked about Swan as if she weren¡¯t there, pointing out her innocence and her naivety when it came to men. In any case, since she was a ¡®woman who had experienced a man once¡¯ the widows did not take such blatant gossip seriously. Without hesitation, they warned her about the insidious nature of a man. Such a thing, even such a man as the one in the cabin also had it. She just thought he was a man who was as rigid as an ice wall. She thought he was a man who simply wore a lump of iron and gave off a cool glow from his eyes. Even that man would do that whenever he thought about a woman¡­ No. If he placed that over someone¡¯s lower body, that¡¯s how it¡¯s done, or so Nancy said, who¡¯s been with Tom for the longest time. When men wanted to hold women, when those desires weighed heavily on their lower belly, they all did that. But¡­ Her cheeks flushed red. Who was the woman he thought of when did that? Did he have some experience with women? If he did, then who¡­ She pursed her lips. She remembered the smooth skin that had rubbed her fingers as they lay down together. As Swan had only ever been close to women, she realized how different his body was. But of course. This was natural¡ªhe¡¯s a man. But for Swan, it was the first time she met a person like him. A man who was so big and hard, with no soft curves, really¡­ ¡°Ouch¡ª¡± She staggered as her feet tripped over cracks in the stone. Swan took a moment to catch her breath. This was a hillside. Her mind was scattered due to all the thoughts that had been swirling in her head. Swan blinked and looked ahead. A considerable amount of herbs were available in the lowlands. It wasn¡¯t difficult to do this because she cultivated and planted seeds in the garden by herself. However, the ¡®Fairy Eyes¡¯ that were ordered from the lord¡¯s castle was a plant that wasn¡¯t commonly and easily found. It¡¯s not only because of the benefits it had, but also because it was so difficult to obtain. As a pharmacist who studied medicinal herbs instead of learning how to read, she had the ability to find a herb that could rarely be found in the slopes, not by using her head, but by using her senses. It was difficult for ordinary people to learn the mountain¡¯s terrain. Swan gasped and caught her breath. Although she slightly sprained her ankle, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to move. She already gathered enough herbs, so she took a break after a few more stems. She reached out in search of stones and hard soil. She could feel the stinging sensation on her palm. She climbed up to the middle of the valley, prying hard on the hard soil. Since there was no road paved for humans to use, she had to do this kind of hard work to dig up the wild grass that grew in the wild like the ¡®Fairy Eyes.¡¯ But it¡¯s never taken this long for her to climb¡­. She caught her breath as she watched as the sky began to darken. The ¡®Fairy Eyes¡¯ bloomed not on flat ground, but on an uphill path that needed to be climbed. Swan wiped away her sweat and collected the herbs. Foolish thoughts kept entering her mind, and so she continued to trip over and over. She tried to control her feet, yet she did it again and again. When she saw a ball of dirt falling from a mossy rock, she wondered in her head, ¡®What should I say when I go home?¡¯ ¡®Did he leave? He left without saying a word¡­. But he can¡¯t do that¡­..¡¯ Swan wetted her lips and asked herself, recalling last night. She didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but it didn¡¯t feel good to be treated so coldly. He had never given her a friendly smile¡­ But she slept well just because someone filled the place beside her. He was a man who seemed like she would never get close to, but when she tossed and turned, she remembered the dawn when she embraced him. To tell the truth, she wasn¡¯t hugging him, only that she was leaning her head against his chest. Her cheeks flushed. Her strength loosened for a moment when her hand held a rock. But at that moment¡ª ¡°Ack!¡± The place where she was going to fall was damp moss. It was but an instant. Swan, who screamed, closed her eyes tightly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°A-ah¡­¡± The hand that supported her hips was very stable. The familiar scent of the man flooded her senses. Swan¡¯s shoulders shook as she heard his voice. ¡®How am I supposed to¡­¡¯ The bridge of her nose was red. Swan blinked and looked up. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 The first thing she saw was a smooth chin that caught her eye. Then, his ruffled black hair, his dark skin, and his golden eyes¡­ Her heart skipped a beat. Swan pursed her lips and shook her head. ¡°Um, how did you get here?¡± ¡°I was wondering where it is that you went.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Was that the truth? He said it so naturally, as if that didn¡¯t happen during the day, like she didn¡¯t open the door to see him doing¡­ that. His face betrayed nothing. Swan scooted away and twisted her body a little from his. It was a steep mountain path, and she was standing not just on a smooth rock, but a cliff. ¡°I-I¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re done with your work, then come down.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± She nodded, and the hand that held onto her buttocks to support her disappeared. Her foothold wasn¡¯t loose, so she might¡¯ve stepped on something slippery¡­ But when did he catch up to her? ¡°D-Did you follow me?¡± Swan asked the man. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d come¡­¡± ¡°You probably don¡¯t know that you killed my miracle.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± Swan trailed off, not having any idea what he meant. Was it possible to kill a miracle? There was a questioning look in the woman¡¯s eyes, but the man turned away as if he didn¡¯t see it. The two descended the mountain without saying a word. On their way back to the cabin, Swan looked at the man¡¯s aloof expression, and she wondered if it was only her who was being affected, that she only she was the one who blushed at the thought of what had transpired. * * * They ate dinner together as usual, but this time, Theo¡¯s appetite seemed to have gotten more robust. He chewed the dry bread that he hadn¡¯t eaten well before and ate faster than ever. Swan watched him finish his meal without leaving a single crumb from the loaf of bread. And it was mesmerizing how he ate with discipline. He held his utensils elegantly as he cut the bread, and he always ate his meals without any scraping or bumping. He seemed to be used to etiquette since he was young. Swan watched him chew with a constant speed, but she looked down when her cheeks went red again. At around midnight, Swan realized what had happened last night. She pursed her lips as they went to bed. ¡°Um. I¡¯ll sleep on the floor. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to the village tomorrow to get a bed. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to buy it? Or we could just hire a carpenter. And of course, since you¡¯re a lady, I¡¯ll have to let you¡­¡± Swan lowered her gaze. He¡¯s right. They wouldn¡¯t be able to wait for Tom forever, even though he was a known carpenter. It would be a hundred times better to find a diligent carpenter who isn¡¯t known compared to Tom who had drunken widows flocking to his house every day. ¡°Will you be alright?¡± Swan asked carefully. Didn¡¯t they need to talk about what happened earlier? She was wracked with worries. It was something that two grown adults could talk about, but it was still embarrassing to bring up. But then again, just moving forward without addressing the elephant in the room would also be a problem. ¡°If we wait one more day, it might be fine,¡± the man said nonchalantly. Swan nodded and placed his pillow beside her. The man also laid his lean body on the bed. There was a faint light being reflected from her eyes and she slowly grew drowsy, but she was rattled awake when she worried about the solid body beside her, which she could easily touch if she so much as tossed or turned. It wasn¡¯t a small bed. She used to sleep beside her late mother, and when she rolled here and there, she wouldn¡¯t bump into her mother or fall out of the bed. Come to think of it, it was because Swan was small and petite, and her mother wasn¡¯t a man with such a bulky physique. She thought of her slender mother, who Swan resembled very much. Her mother wasn¡¯t so different in size compared to her, so the bed wasn¡¯t the problem. Covered with a blanket until his chin, Swan glanced at the man. This time, it was him who turned his back to her and did not move at all. She couldn¡¯t sleep. The longer she closed her eyes, the more she remembered the sight she saw during the day. And at that moment, she turned around with her eyes closed, but her elbow bumped into his waist. Her shoulders flinched when he moved. Swan twisted away to widen the distance between them as he turned to face her, but the back of his hand grazed over her backside. Swan gasped in surprise, her body stiff. She couldn¡¯t sleep even when she¡¯d already turned away from him. Their positions were reversed this time, but her wrist was caught. She had no time to react when he pulled her closer to him. The soft moonlight illuminated his sharp features. Swan stopped breathing as she looked up, and she could see her own face in his blue, glass-like eyes. Her heart pounded heavily. With his shirt slightly open, she could see his collarbone and chest muscles, but she soon averted her gaze to his arms, feeling her cheeks heat up and her pulse fiercely beating. ¡°This¡­¡± She could barely mutter out the words she wanted to say as she raised her hand to push away from his chest. His hand that had been holding onto the bed suddenly went straight under her nightgown and headed close to the place between her thighs. Startled, Swan¡¯s hips turned over as if she had spasmed. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Stay still¡­¡± At the sound of his low, languid voice, Swan shuddered. She couldn¡¯t resist the hand that touched her, surrendering as the touch went closer and closer to her entrance. Everywhere he touched, it felt like he was leaving traces of a smouldering flame. Her heart was beating rapidly. She looked at him with a quivering gaze as his hand met with her folds. Pushing away the hairs that thinly veiled her most secret place, his long fingers finally touched her lower lips. ¡°Huk¡­¡± Goosebumps rose along her spine, and she moaned when the fingers bent as if they were searching for something. She bit her lips, trying to control the faint groan that accompanied her hot breathing. Reflexively, she pursed her lips as she looked up at the man. Just the same as during the day, he was still indifferent. It was when she was looking into his apathetic eyes that his thumb began to rub her stiff, hardened pearl. Her hand that tried to push his chest away now grabbed his shirt. ¡°Uh, huk¡­ Hnng!¡± The lips that she had been biting now opened wide as she moaned, her head leaning back as she shuddered from the tingling she felt from her lower body. She couldn¡¯t understand what it was that she felt, but she was so lost in it. ¡°Ah, aaung!¡± As she gripped his shirt tightly, she opened her crotch wide. She didn¡¯t open it because she purposely did so, but the sensations grew stronger every time she rolled her hips and opened her legs wider. Swan¡¯s hands trembled as she clutched his shirt, her entrance tightening every time he stroked the nub. ¡°Ha, ah, unng¡­!¡± As the place between her thighs grew hotter and tighter, she moaned the same time the man rolled his fingers over the entrance. Then, her back arched the moment the man inserted a finger inside of her. ¡°Hnng¡­!¡± She swallowed as she shook her head. It was a place that she didn¡¯t even think about before. As a matter of fact, she didn¡¯t know it felt this way when it was touched. The only person who could have taught her about it was her mother, but she had passed away long ago. It was strange how the part that she used only for normal bodily functions could feel like this. What a strange place. It was this man who appeared from the horizon who taught her. ¡®This is how a man makes a woman.¡¯ Every time his finger dug into her entrance, she was reduced to tears. She gazed at him and shivered as that foreign finger pushed deeper inside. The hand that was still gripping his shirt trembled helplessly. ¡°Ah, aang, heuk! This, it¡¯s impo¡­ sibble¡­ to go deeper¡­!¡± As he pushed into her inner walls, it felt like her insides were getting messed up. She was being ruined from the inside out. Truthfully, Swan was very frightened, and she shook her head as her back arched more. The man¡¯s other hand that held onto her hip grabbed it and abruptly pulled her closer. ¡°Aah!¡± As if possessed, she shrieked, then whimpered as she looked up at him. Under his disheveled fringe, there was an unreadable look on his eyes that made it seem like he was thirsting for something. The man, who had a pained expression on his face, started taking off his shirt, and Swan could only stare. Her heart was frantic. As he untied the front of his shirt, her eyes immediately gravitated to his muscular chest. It was broad and full, even though it wasn¡¯t a woman¡¯s chest. Embers seemed to have lodged themselves deep in her throat, which was very dry. His abdomen, then, was revealed as his shirt opened, and it was also firm and smooth. Swan blinked as she stared at the muscles. She saw it several times while she had changed his bandages, but somehow, his abdomen became brand new under her gaze. The muscles were dark and smooth, as if they were evenly divided into compartments. Swan tried to control her expression by biting her lips. It was weird that she responded to everything as if it were her first time seeing it. His body was truly incomparable, but it was just a human body after all. She saw it already when he was unconscious. She even touched him, too¡­ Nevertheless, everything became new once again to her. Breathless, she felt as though her heart was going to leap out of her chest. Because she found it hard to keep her eyes up, her gaze lowered, but the pant leg that wrapped around his right thigh was wrinkled, like there was a long, thick rod right there. Swan stared at the man with hazy eyes as the man reached down. Dazed, she didn¡¯t know what to do as the man suddenly became nude as he lowered himself, and his riveting solid chest muscles met with Swan¡¯s soft breasts. Swan jumped up reflexively to move away from him. But as the distance between them widened, he pulled on her ankle, which made Swan slip and hit her forehead on his firm chest. ¡°Ah¡­¡± After she hit her forehead, she quickly raised her head to see his eyes, dyed with a deep blue hue. It felt like she was going to die because of how fast her heart was beating from that penetrating gaze. It was almost to the point that her chest was hurting, making her wonder if she¡¯d gone sick. ¡°U-um¡­ Sir Knight¡­¡± Barely being able to finish saying two words, she tried desperately to control her pulse. Underneath her unkempt locks, her eyes glistened with tears. With her breath stuck in her throat, her flushed face felt as though it would burst from the heat. Swan bowed her head, shying away from his blue eyes. But now, her gaze was stuck on his red lips. For the sake of regaining her senses, she tried to turn her head so that she wouldn¡¯t see, but she just couldn¡¯t take her eyes off those soft, beautiful lips that were unlike any other man¡¯s. ¡°Sir Knight. Sir Knight, I-I¡­¡± No longer being able to bear it, her panicked gaze settled on his chin. ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t like it, spread your legs.¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Her heart was pounding so heavily that it felt like it was going to break in half. The man took out his hardened member and his lustful gaze glossed over Swan¡¯s body. One hand stroked his length and pushed the tip with his thumb. With her hands clasped together, Swan watched as he stroked himself. She¡¯s never looked closely at her own genitals, so she couldn¡¯t believe that she was seeing someone else¡¯s right now, and it was a man¡¯s. And his thing¡­ Her throat went dry. She wasn¡¯t sure, but the thought of seeing her own reflection in his eyes made her dizzy. Should she quit now? If she asks him to stop, he would stop. But no, she didn¡¯t want to disappoint him before that. She really didn¡¯t. Besides, maybe¡­ This might be the first and last time. Feeling a man¡¯s warmth, just like this¡­ It might really be the last time. If he gets bored of her today, then he might never approach her again. No. Swan pursed her lips and spread her legs a little more. Thinking that she wanted to make him happy, she suddenly couldn¡¯t wait to accept him inside her even though she was scared. The man¡¯s eyes were closed. Without him noticing, Swan put her hand over his member, and she rubbed the tip gently. It was a strange sensation. Maybe it was because she¡¯s nervous. Her entrance was heating up so much. Then, a big hand stroked her lower abdomen, gently touching the stiff little nub. Her cheeks flared up at the tingling sensation down below. ¡°Uung¡­¡± Her weak moans resounded through the room. The man grinned and prodded her entrance with the tip of his member. ¡°You¡¯re wet.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t even know what that meant. However, Swan smiled shyly because he looked so beautiful under the dim moonlight. He smiled as well after seeing her lips curling up. Swan liked his smiling face even more than the rod that was rubbing at her entrance, ready to go in. It was like a warm stone poking at her¡­ ¡°AH!¡± The hardened length thrusted into her right then. And every time he tried to push in the rest of his length, which was as thick as her wrist, it was like she was being suffocated. Even just a finger would have overwhelmed her already. As the surprised Swan was trembling, she grabbed his forearm and held on tight. ¡°Ah, i-it hurts! Ah, ah! Huk, ahhnngh!¡± She closed her eyes and gasped. His length that had thrusted into her inner walls was much too big. He had just entered her, but it felt like her whole body was being split in half. Her legs were quivering. Biting her lips, Swan opened her eyes and looked up at the man. He had a faint smile on his lips, and he was calm like his usual self. Swan stared at that smile, trying to memorize this expression. Then, she thought she could endure it. Maybe it¡¯ll feel sweet. ¡°Ah, hmmng!¡± His girth pushed into her inner walls more. Swan took in a sharp breath, then scratched his forearm. The entrance that was clenching over him was shaking. Swan couldn¡¯t stand it and started to cry. ¡°Shh.¡± A gentle whisper came out through his lips. Swan looked away, trying to control her tears. He was really far too large, but there was still half of him left that wasn¡¯t inside yet. She didn¡¯t want to think that he¡¯d push it all in, but the man¡¯s waist kept coming closer to hers. Staring at the manhood that couldn¡¯t go in at once, Swan put her hand unconsciously over his chest. Firm muscles wound smoothly under her fingers, and his pecs wriggled under Swan¡¯s touch. She stared at his body with a tearful gaze. His abdomen, which was clearly divided with strong muscles, looked as hard as bricks. The hand she had on his chest felt scars that seemed to be from several cuts. His body, which was torn and pierced with several scars, drew nearer to her own body. Swan felt the manhood that started to move and twist inside her lower lips. ¡°Ah, ah! Haaaungh¡­!¡± Every time his rod penetrated deeper into her, it felt like she was being torn apart. Her hand, which had been tracing his scars earlier, dropped down to the bed, but the man held her hand and put it over his shoulder. In turn, Swan closed her eyes as she clasped his shoulder tightly. ¡°I-It hurts! It hurts! Aahhngh! I c-can¡¯t do it!¡± ¡°Shh, just relax¡­¡± She was shaking her head. It hurts too much, she won¡¯t be able to relax. In fact, it would be better to say she couldn¡¯t do anything at all. Swan¡¯s lips, which were damp with tears, trembled. There was still more of his length that had yet to come in. Swan began to sob as she realized he had no thoughts of stopping. ¡°Swan, shh, shh, it¡¯ll be alright¡­¡± The languid whisper entered her ears with his hot breath. Swan opened her eyes and stared into his blue, glass-like eyes. He said her name so affectionately¡ªas if he was her lover, like a man who had given his heart to her a long time ago. With a tearful gaze, she looked at him as he caressed her cheek. She had the sudden urge to kiss him. She wanted to kiss his soft skin. Swan¡¯s hand, which was on his shoulder, wrapped behind his neck so that she could embrace him. The man in front of her was like a statue made of sugar. What he had down below had pierced into her so painfully that she felt like she was being broken apart, but all the other sensations were so sweet that it felt like she was going to melt. The fireplace was still lit, remaining as a solitary flame as it burned through the dry pieces of wood. ¡°It won¡¯t hurt anymore. You¡¯ll feel better soon.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll move now.¡± ¡°Your l-lips, c-can¡¯t you kiss me?¡± Embarrassed by her clumsy words, Swan looked down, unable to look him in the eye. Her cheeks, all the way to her nose flushed a bright red, and it was clear that she would look ridiculous. But she really wanted to be kissed. She heard that only lovers who made love to each other were supposed to bring their lips together. Swan had this on the back of her mind for a long time, even though she couldn¡¯t even remember anymore where she heard it from. Men only kissed the women they loved. So, even if men and women slept together, it was fine if they didn¡¯t kiss. A kiss was shared only between lovers. That¡¯s why¡­ that¡¯s why¡­ she faltered in front of the man. Her swollen eyes were earnest, still wet with tears. The man whose lust was apparent, even though he still acted in a relaxed manner, raised his thumb and rubbed Swan¡¯s lips. From her thick upper lip and soft lower lip, then, it grazed her front teeth. As she felt a shortness of breath, Swan grabbed the man¡¯s hand, which was tanned, long and sleek¡ªtough, yet elegant. Swan couldn¡¯t see clearly in the dark, but she could still make out the scars that were even on his hands. She traced over them for a while, then looked into his eyes. As she let go of his hand, his lips drew closer to hers. Then, when his lips finally covered hers, a small moan came out from her. She didn¡¯t notice it, but he was holding her chin in his hand. It felt like her mouth was being turned inside out, his tongue searching inside. Swan broke away and coughed. Her tongue felt numb because she didn¡¯t know how to use it well. And her chest was heaving, trying to catch her breath. Her pert breasts were pressed against his firm chest. She moaned and dug her nails onto his shoulder. With muscles as developed as his, his body was no different than a weapon. Swan moved closer to him and clung to his neck. His manhood, which had been immobile inside her, began to move slowly. Swan sobbed again and scratched his shoulders. This body of his was no different than a beast¡¯s. Then, he finally pushed all of his length into her. Shivering as she felt full, her mouth gaped open without a word at the shock of his thrust, and she didn¡¯t know how to close it. The man stared down at her and held her breasts, groping her voluptuous chest. He pulled out slowly as he rubbed one nipple in his fingers. ¡°Ah, hnngh! Heuk!¡± With one hand still on her breast, fondling her nipple, the man started moving, going back and forth as though he was looking for something inside. Swan tried to twist away as she recalled the pain that his member gave her earlier. It was too thick. Right now, all she could think about was that his member was hurting her. ¡°Ahng! Huuh, hnngh¡­ D-Don¡¯t move!¡± He was going in and out of her sporadically. Then, as his length was rubbing into her inner walls, it hit one particular spot, which made Swan arch her back and moan loudly. She was spasming under him, clinging onto his neck as he went in and out over and over again. He embraced her with one arm and locked lips with her once more. Rather than lying down on the bed, she liked it better when she was in his arms. Swan stopped mixing her moans into her sobbing when the man matched his lips with hers, and soon, their chests were pressed together. He traced his tongue over her red lips, and she opened her mouth to accept him at once. He deepened the kiss, tightly pressing his lips onto hers, their tongues intertwined. He went over her teeth, stole and exchanged fluids, and swallowed her hot breaths. He kissed her so thoroughly to the point that the woman wanted to reciprocate everything, and their lips made a moist sound that resounded in the room. As he kissed her, the man reached down and opened her legs more and rubbed her plump buttocks. The woman sniffed lightly as she caressed his chest as he stretched her further. It was no different from his dream¡ªthe kiss that they shared, her skin on his, her alluring scent that was overwhelming his senses. He couldn¡¯t remember, but it seemed like it had been a long time since he did this with a woman. After kissing her deeply, he let go of her lips and moved to her nape, leaving traces as he travelled down her neck, towards her clavicle, licking her there, then biting her. A loud moan escaped from her. He wanted to move his waist, but her inner walls were clenching too tightly over him. He looked down to see the woman¡¯s face, pale and overcome by hesitance. He opened her legs to see her entrance, and the images of reality and his dream overlapped. Her stiff cl*toris was poking out of the thin layer of hair around her entrance, and his throbbing member was still encased between her lower lips¡­ The woman who had touched herself and penetrated herself with her finger in his dream¡­ was now trembling under him and clinging onto him tightly. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Haa, heuk¡­¡± He put his arms around Swan¡¯s waist and kissed her cheek as she whimpered. Fear, exhilaration, excitement, hot breaths. They were all intertwined and reflected in her green eyes. Without a word, he pulled down the woman¡¯s waist onto his lap and let her sink down onto him. ¡°Hnngh!¡± She clung to him with her arms and legs as if she were having a spasm and began to rock her waist against his. There was one spot that gave her immense pleasure. As he thrusted into her secret, defenseless spot with his stiff rod, she moaned loudly. ¡°Heuk, ah! AH! Ahh! Aungh! I-I feel like I¡¯m, ah! dying! Heuuh¡­¡± His manhood that filled her completely went in and out of the sweltering inner walls. Her entrance was overflowing with both their bodily fluids and her blood. Like the chaotic white sheets under them, his eyes were full of tumultuous thoughts. The blood left a red stain on the sheets from the intrusion of his manhood. He stared at the woman who moaned every time he looked at her and moved his waist. Her eyes were half-closed. He covered her lips with his just as the woman wished and kissed her so deeply that her lips were almost crushed. A deep desire and a lustful frenzy¡ªthese actions were showing how much exactly he wanted her. It was an instinctive need. Every time she cried out, he wanted to suckle the tips of her voluminous breasts. He wanted to drive himself into her so hard that her plump bottom would turn red from their bodies moving together. It was an incomprehensible need. It was so sweet that his mouth watered, but every time he saw the woman sobbing, he felt a twisted desire. However, she was a virgin. When she whispered to him that she wanted him to kiss her, he complied and led her. Kindly, gently. He tried to do so by holding back. He should have prepared her, coaxed her to open up gently, and thrusted into her when she was ready. But as soon as he went into her narrow entrance, all he could think of was the craving for more¡­ He thought she would be very good at spreading her legs and rolling her hips, but that was just in his dream. She wasn¡¯t a girl who stuck her as* out like a dog and flaunt it around. ¡°Ah, hmmnngh, heuk! Hnng, aahh¡­!¡± After sitting fully on his lap, she threw her head back and her hips flinched, and only then did he place her back down on the bed and start moving again. Swan watched his waist move back and forth, and the man lowered himself as he spread her legs wider, then wrapped them around his waist. The two reached their climax while embracing each other tightly. ¡°¡­Leon!¡± A meteor-like ball of fire was flung above his head. If it hadn¡¯t been targeted intentionally, then that ball of fire wouldn¡¯t have fallen so precisely that a strong sulfur smell entered his senses. After avoiding the fire, he countered a n incoming man¡¯s sword with his and slit his throat without hesitation. Then, he climbed his horse, with a cape fluttering behind him, hung the dead man¡¯s head onto the saddle, then grabbed the reins. Beyond the helmet he was wearing, the world around him that he could see was full of chaos. And that chaos was exquisite. The cavalry and infantry stationed in the vanguard and the rear repeatedly scattered and arranged themselves in formation according to the loudly beating drum to signal them. ¡°¡­Lord Leon!¡± The voice was a young man¡¯s. He turned reflexively and saw the one who called out from a distance. His vision was limited because of the helmet he was wearing, and on the other side, the young man who was calling him took off his helmet first. ¡°¡­¡± Long hair fluttered in the wind. It wasn¡¯t a man. His surroundings started to shift again, and so he closed his eyes and opened them, trying to remember her. The person he saw at first in this scene changed. ¡°Swan.¡± Yes, that¡¯s the name. Thick blonde hair that had a red undertone, scattered summer lights, clear eyes¡­ The freckles on her nose, her pert breasts, the girl who clung onto his neck. She was so delicate. The woman who fell asleep with his chest as a pillow had her hair tangled up, and he combed his fingers through her disheveled strawberry blonde locks, the color the same as her long lashes. With her arms curled over him, she hadn¡¯t woken up yet despite it being noon, when the bright sun was high in the sky. He retraced his dream, which was slipping out of his grasp. Long hair, turquoise eyes¡­ A fluttering blue cape and a helmet, which hadn¡¯t been hit by the flying ball of fire, that was removed. Who could it be? In his struggle, he felt a pang on his head. Before he got more nauseous, he got up, then looked down at the woman. Then, he felt his manhood stiffening again. Even though he had fulfilled his desires all night long, he got hard again just by looking at the woman¡¯s full breasts and alluring nipples. ¡°I must be crazy.¡± He shook his head. He messed her up so much, but he still wanted to bury himself inside her¡­ He picked up his pants and went to the kitchen. Swan woke up three hours after noon had passed. She never got up this late before, so in her confusion, she was also embarrassed. She thought she woke up at the usual time, but it was already afternoon. It¡¯s only three hours before dinner. While looking around with blank eyes, she blushed when she saw the man, who prepared a meal on a tray. He carried the meal to bed, but put it aside first so that he could dress the naked Swan. She knew that her cheeks were terribly red right now, and her lips must be swollen and bruised, so she yelped slightly when she touched it. ¡°I think I should put some ointment¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Can your ointment be used for your lips and your private parts?¡± He asked this as he searched the drawers and took out the ointment. Flustered, Swan nodded roughly and reached for it. But the man didn¡¯t hand it to her. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do it¡­¡± She wouldn¡¯t be able to keep herself calm if he touched her once more. So whether it was her lips¡­ or her private parts¡­ She was sure that her heart would explode. She was overwhelmed just by seeing him bring her meal to her on a tray like this, but if he got more intimate¡­ ¡°I was the one who inflicted these bruises, so I¡¯ll treat them.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Lay down.¡± Swan blinked. The man stared at her and spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it all anyway, haven¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Well, still¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t just see it. I¡¯m responsible for it, and now you¡¯re sore.¡± Swan looked up with a thoroughly flushed face. But he looked more indifferent than she expected. The tone of his voice was so matter-of-fact that it was heartbreaking how much he expressed that this was just something he had to do. Swan¡¯s heart, which had been full just a moment ago, began to sink. The rough look behind his eyes stared sharply at her, and her heart stopped beating in excitement. At his lukewarm gaze, Swan laid down without another word. His large hands swept away her skirt and revealed her secret place. The area around her entrance, where he had buried himself deep the night before, was either red or starting to form bruises. He rubbed his index finger with the ointment against her, and her skin trembled. Her breath became heavy again. He looked at the woman who was clenching the blanket with her fist. When their gazes met for a split-second, she hurriedly looked up at the ceiling. The man stared at the place between her legs, which had been spread wide like a frog, and saw a persistently tight hole. After swallowing to wet his dry throat, he slowly rubbed the outside of her entrance. The woman¡¯s eyes closed when he touched her. The freckles on her nose reddened with a blush. He removed his hand from her and looked at her, then touched his stiff pillar. ¡°Show me your breasts.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The woman, who averted her gaze, looked back at him as she trembled. She was an innocent woman. He grabbed his member that had stretched his pants like a tent earlier before he pulled them down. It was smooth, erect, almost touching his navel. The way she looked at him was so innocent. Her ears quickly became hot when she saw how he licked his lips. Green, hazy eyes entangled with an unknown emotion. She was frozen where she was. That was the length that was in her last night. Her lips trembled as she removed her top. He touched the fluids that already flowed out of him and stroked himself, up and down the long column. Slowly, leisurely, he watched as her nipples hardened on her swollen chest. His mouth was dry as he turned his gaze below. It was the entrance that had been almost torn apart from being thrusted and penetrated into¡­ His mouth burned with thirst. He remembered the drops of blood on the blanket, the trace that he had left on her. Then, her breasts grabbed his attention completely. His length slowly got stiffer again. He lifted up his gaze and focused on her chest. His gaze was hot with a burning desire. He looked at the woman, then spoke. ¡°Come closer.¡± The woman looked up at him with panicked eyes. He touched his t*sticles as he met her gaze. The alarmed, hazy-eyed woman came down from the bed and approached him on her knees. The urge was driving him crazy. ¡°Your chest.¡± ¡°H-How¡­?¡± ¡°Put it in between your chest.¡± The woman was filled with hesitation, but the man felt like he had an obedient puppy at his feet. Such a pretty, innocent puppy. ¡°L-Like this?¡± The woman¡¯s breasts were like melons, as if they had been newly harvested from the field, but her mounds were full and soft. The woman, who had guided the man¡¯s hardened length between her warm breasts, looked up at him and stared as if she was waiting for a compliment. Instead of patting her on the head, he nodded and pinched her nipples. ¡°Shake it. Back and forth.¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± The woman stammered and held her breasts, then began to rock back and forth with his manhood between them. His tight friction created by her plump breasts made his toes curl. ¡°Huu¡­¡± The sensation clouded his mind, but it wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy him. Her clumsy movements weren¡¯t enough. The woman breathed heavily with her red lips open. As he stroked her long strawberry blond hair, he said¡ª ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Open up.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise, and her mouth gaped open as well. The man put his finger inside her open mouth and scratched her tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll put it in, so lick it.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± While she was blushing and stuttering, he inserted his member into her mouth and it immediately touched her uvula. He took in a sharp breath then whispered. ¡°Suck it in deeply.¡± The woman kneeled down because it was hard to breathe. The man¡¯s member was stuck in her mouth, making her shoulders tremble. Tears welled up around her eyes, but he continued to fulfill his lust by slightly thrusting into her mouth. When she was told to suck deeply, she obediently did so until her cheeks sank in. It was arousing, but nothing more than that. ¡°Hush now.¡± When he looked down with an unsavory expression, the woman touched his t*sticles. He shook his head in denial, not wanting her to touch it. So the woman closed her eyes and whimpered quietly in pain. The hand clasping her hair fell. ¡±¡­Your Highness!¡± The man wearing a helmet was calling out to him. A soot-stained metal breastplate. Smoke carried by the wind. He tried to match the pieces that were constantly eluding him. ¡±¡­Your Highness!¡± It was a desperate voice. Knights wielding swords with pitches looked back at him suddenly. At that moment, he came into the mouth that was sucking his member, and soon it was filled with his fluids. He looked down at the woman, feeling embarrassed. Unfocused green eyes were staring back. Tom came back to the cabin ten days after his last visit. He was a thin, short man with chestnut-colored hair who had a mustache. As he came to the cabin, he exuded the stinking smell of liquor. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re awake?¡± The man who looked like a rotten cabbage looked around. Swan greeted Tom as if she was greeting a father she hadn¡¯t seen for a long time, delighted to meet him again. She asked about the armor, at which Tom scratched the back of his head. ¡°Goodness, how could this happen?¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± After drinking a cup, the man who lost his memories smiled slightly. Swan left the two men in the living room and went to the warehouse to pick up some medicine. Tom looked at Swan¡¯s retreating figure with nervousness. Apparently, he was afraid of being left along with Atlion. ¡°I heard you¡¯re keeping my stuff.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± Tom scratched the back of his head again and coughed. Atlion stood up and looked at the man who was trying to sneak back. Atlion was his name. He furrowed his eyebrows. In the past ten days, the only memory he recovered was the name ¡®Atlion¡¯. Arrowheads, the sound of metal clashing, swords and torrents of fire, and a cliff¡­ death everywhere¡­ and the faint image of a fair-skinned face standing before him¡ªand that was all. Would his missing armor uncover more of his memories? What he could remember right now were all too fragmented as they swirled in his mind. On the day Swan removed his armor from the man¡¯s body and fiddled with some individual pieces of armor, Tom suddenly remembered his gauntlet on her lips. That night when the man was still unconscious, she went to the warehouse to show him the armor. If she hadn¡¯t led Tom there, he would think it was nothing but a chunk of scorched metal. Tom recounted the memory of the woman who was on her knees, stroking the surface of the gauntlet. Like grains of white rice, traces of the past that were meaningless and dull flowed, like memories that flooded without increasing volume. If you don¡¯t look back, then the past would be nothing but an empty shell. It was like that piece of mottled iron. ¡°W-Well, I wouldn¡¯t even know what it looks like if I saw it.¡± Tom replied with a puzzled look, but Atlion only stared at him. Swan once went down the valley where she first saw that armor. And that was four days ago. ¡°So?¡± ¡°S-So what e-else? Of course, I showed it to someone I know well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Swan, who went to the village, returned three hours later. Tom¡¯s forehead was full of sweat and his breathing was uneven. He looked like a frightened man being hunted. After drinking a cup of water, he returned to normal, but there were still signs of his anxiety. Meanwhile, Atlion thought, why doesn¡¯t this woman live in the village? Why does she go there by herself? ¡°I-I¡¯m telling the truth. I showed it to someone who knows a lot about armors. He¡¯s still probably inspecting it now. Any-anyway it¡¯s not with me right now! In a hurry to pour out excuses, Tom lowered his eyes. His face was pale. Atlion stared at the man who rapidly became more polite. ¡°Y-Your memories, you don¡¯t even remember, do you? Right?¡± Tom lifted his gaze with a glimmer behind his eyes. Atlion didn¡¯t respond. He still couldn¡¯t remember anything about his last name or his blood ties¡ªhe just knew the name Atlion. It was all blank. Even so, he didn¡¯t think that his memories were gone for good. Because occasionally, some fragments would come back to him. And this was whenever he held Swan. Yes, it was like that whenever he held her. The same was true when he enjoyed the warmth of her breasts over his member, and when he released a load into her mouth. Ever since then, he didn¡¯t avoid Swan. But it was a little different after Swan went to town. After the time he had bruised her so much after laying in bed with her, he had remembered not just fragments, but full scenes from his memories. Ever since feeling that, he didn¡¯t have any desire to do anything that would make him be overcome by a temporary sensation. Did Swan realize this? Two days after she went down to the village, the woman climbed under the covers and rubbed her naked body over his chest. The bright pale skin that blushed under the moonlight caught his eye at once. He tried to push her down in an embrace. He knew that there was no reason to refuse. And why should he restrain himself¡­ when the tender touch of her breasts was on his manhood. He thrusted into her and came inside her. The memory of her soft chest bouncing as she wrapped them over his member would make his member throb relentlessly. At the point of disarray and exhaustion, the memories would resurface. Arrows, swords, severed necks, burning oil, and howls of pain. The warzone¡­ He reached down to wrap his arm around the woman, who snuggled easily into his embrace. Then, she looked up at him with her head on his chest. When her face turned bright with redness, it meant that she was expecting him to match his lips with hers. Even if it was considered to be something special. Swan whispered hesitantly every time even though it was of no importance to the man. ¡±Is it alright i-if you kiss me?¡± He didn¡¯t really feel like putting much effort into that. Besides, it seemed like he didn¡¯t enjoy the act of kissing very much. He tried to look through his fragmented memories to see if he had been with a woman before meeting Swan, but nothing came to mind. Perhaps that was why he didn¡¯t enjoy kissing whenever he held Swan. He wanted to avoid exchanging saliva as much as possible if she wouldn¡¯t ask for it. Apart from that, Swan¡¯s lips were pretty, but he found it better to bury his face onto her breasts. In fact, he felt that the most attractive part of Swan were her breasts. Her narrow waist and voluminous hips were also satisfying, but Swan herself preferred to match lips. No, she seemed to think there was something special about it. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be blushing so much. Anyway, it didn¡¯t matter because he was reluctant to initiate something that he didn¡¯t enjoy. But he had no reason to refuse the maiden who warmed up the bed at night and kept him up. So, Atlion¡¯s lips overlapped with Swan¡¯s whenever she asked for it. He grazed his tongue over hers and caressed her hair as he kissed her forehead. If this was her preference in bed, then he could give as much as she wanted. ¡°Really? That, y-you don¡¯t remember¡­¡± Atlion looked at Tom. It was pathetic to see him stuttering as he tried to find a way to survive. Why was Swan acquainted with such a pathetic man? Just because she needed to have a connection with the village didn¡¯t mean it had to be this man. And yet Swan waited for him everyday. Except for Atlion now, she had no one else to talk to. ¡°I-If anyone recognizes the armor, they¡¯ll know who you are, and then you¡¯ll remember¡­¡± ¡°Does that mean you sold my belongings?¡± ¡°What do you mean I sold it! Ahem! No matter how you say it, that child just asked me to find a man who might know you. Ahem!¡± Tom shouted as he tried to mask his trembling. But it was still obvious. The man before him was intimidating even with just a single look. Tom had never met such a man in his more than fifty years of life. When the amnesiac man was suffering from a fever just recently, he was like a prince under the curse of a witch. Swan must have acted foolishly and angered him. Tom turned his head with a cough. The man in front of Tom seemed to think that he sold his belongings. Since Tom couldn¡¯t show it right away, it would seem like he had sold it at the black market, but in fact, the armor was in Tom¡¯s house. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 At first, Tom took the armor to the blacksmith after Swan entrusted it to him. The blacksmith was a man who had the trust of the town¡¯s lord, and he was a pretty good craftsman. That¡¯s to that, not only the lord but even the nobles who lived beyond the territory. Knights often commissioned him as well. That¡¯s why when it came to armor and insignias, Tom thought the blacksmith would know everything. However, when the blacksmith looked at the insignia on the armor, he just stared at it for a long time and told Tom he didn¡¯t know whose house it was from. Tom sat motionless as the blacksmith just lugged the armor back into his arms then told him to return it to the owner. The blacksmith sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that insignia before, but the iron and the tempering technique used to make it aren¡¯t a joke. The way the metal was melted isn¡¯t something that lower nobility would do for a knight. I don¡¯t know, but I think you¡¯re dealing with a prominent aristocrat or some such.¡± The blacksmith quickly chattered and poured out what he wanted to say then promptly kicked out Tom from his smithy. That¡¯s why the armor was still at Tom¡¯s house. If Swan hadn¡¯t come to his house four days ago and asked him to keep it for her, he would have come to return it already. But Swan¡­ Tom sighed. Swan loved the man in front of her. She was in love, and now Tom was at a loss. It had always been like that for Tom. Even if it was wrong, he was always willing to help Swan with everything. Besides, he didn¡¯t want to see that crying face again. He already felt guilty enough that he was lying to this man. ¡°You asked around?¡± ¡°Of, of course. It¡¯ll take a long time and the blacksmith might have lost track of it, but it¡¯s there.¡± Tom closed his mouth, intimidated by the glare pointed at him. In the end, he couldn¡¯t return it. Another excuse was that the blacksmith had lost it. Atlion looked at Tom with anger behind his eyes. This was the man who hadn¡¯t looked for Swan for a long time. Swan said that this man wasn¡¯t at his house the day she visited him, so whatever he did that day, it was suspicious, especially when it looked like he was avoiding Swan. Atlion narrowed his eyes. Tom was meant to come every four days, but he hadn¡¯t visited the cabin for more than a week. But what if it was beyond avoiding Swan? Atlion reigned in his temper and stared at the man. Even if it was a special armor, it could still be reproduced. He didn¡¯t think his memories would return so easily, but it was still worth a shot to look at the insignia and try to remember the noble¡¯s name that insignia belonged to. The past was always just beyond his reach. ¡°H-He said that once he recognizes it, he¡¯ll give it back right away!¡± Tom got down on his knees. His shallow-looking hawk nose trembled. Atlion glanced down at the man who had his hand on the floor, bandaged with an old cloth that seemed to be covering quite a deep laceration. Atlion raised his foot and trampled on the hand. ¡°Aack!¡± Tom cried out in pain as his joints cracked under Atlion¡¯s foot. Suddenly, the door of the cabin swung open and Swan came in. After crushing the finger bones of the man, Atlion removed his foot. Tom trembled and groaned, holding his hand. ¡°W-What are you¡­¡± Swan, who had ointments and bandages in her arms, looked at the two men with a pale face. Atlion made eye contact with her, his expression cold, then kicked the man on the face. ¡°Urk!¡± The man was still holding his broken hand as he laid panting on the floor. One tooth splattered out of his lips, seeming to be one of his front teeth. Swan was startled out of her stupor and immediately rushed to the man¡¯s side. ¡°Mister!¡± ¡°Ack, ahh! My, my hand!¡± ¡°Why¡ªwhy is your hand¡­¡± The man raised his quivering hand as Swan leaned down to hug him. Somehow, Atlion felt dirty. Whether he was like a godfather or stepfather to Swan, it was unpleasant to watch them. His eyebrows wrinkled as he bit his lip. He stared at the man who was floundering on the ground and breathing hard. After looking at the woman who was half hugging the whimpering man, Atlion left the cabin. Eyes that were either lukewarm or cold. A manner of speaking that rarely offered reassurance. Even though she knew it, Swan looked forward to it. Her heart fluttered on its own even though she tried not to get excited. What did it mean to like someone? She couldn¡¯t figure out what it was that made her so shaken. After barely treating Tom, who had been rolling on the ground with his crushed hand, she sent him back to the town. Then, the man did not speak any more. He was a man who never spoke to her first, but after the incident, he blatantly avoided Swan. He seemed to think that his armor was intentionally disposed of. It was natural that he got angry. Even though it was damaged, the armor was still valuable and it was precious. Knights of nobility, no matter what their rank was, would think it unacceptable that their armor had been sold just like that. Whether it was melted down to erase the seal or to coat it, the value of the precious metal wouldn¡¯t change, so it was easy to think that Swan and Tom were determined to sell it. Her heart leapt up to her throat. She couldn¡¯t say anything as she was being ignored. She just wanted the man to look at her again. If she continued looking at his back, perhaps he would return her gaze. Air blew out of her lips as she sighed. Earlier, Tom couldn¡¯t even see two inches beyond his nose after his hand got crushed. The man had gone in and out of the house frequently just to see the place where he was first seen by Swan. He always said that he would be back soon. ¡°Do you remember anything?¡± They were together in such a small space, but they did nothing together except entangle their bodies for worldly pleasures. If Swan didn¡¯t talk to him first, he would go through the day without ever opening his lips to speak. If she was away to dig for herbs or to clean up her fields, they would only face each other at night. Was it tiresome for him to spend time like this? She was worried that he didn¡¯t like living like this. Should she offer to dig up herbs together? But she wasn¡¯t sure if knights liked doing stuff like that. She would only be getting herbs from the fields, but he might dislike it and think that she was ridiculous for bringing it up in the first place. Swan looked down and waited for him to answer. She wouldn¡¯t even know if he¡¯d answer that he could remember something. And it seemed like he was the kind of guy who would leave as soon as he¡¯d find a lead, too. Swan didn¡¯t exist in his future. Swan would not be one of his choices. She was sure that he didn¡¯t like anything about living with her. She was nervous. She liked him so much that waiting for his answer made her tremble. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Th-then I hope you remember something soon. That way, you can go back, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was a dry, insincere answer. However, Swan continued eating, holding onto her pounding chest. The man who, at first, would refuse her food and say he had no appetite, ate his oatmeal quickly and got up from his seat. Swan raised her head and looked at him. She prepared wine and turkey today, but he touched nothing but the oatmeal. ¡°You¡¯re done eating? Try the turkey, too. There¡¯s also wine¡­ I-I went down to the village because of business I had to take care of at dawn, but I thought of Sir Knight¡­ It¡¯s also from the brewery that Tom likes¡­¡± With a flushed face, she babbled on. She went down to the village early in the morning because she had something to do there, and it was hard to say that she thought of him, that¡¯s why she bought turkey and wine. It was like her tongue was twisting over a foreign language. More so because she wasn¡¯t telling the whole truth. She didn¡¯t have proper food to give to the muscular man in front of her, so she went downtown just to get some food rich in calories for him so he could move more nimbly. But he ate nothing but the food Swan prepared herself, and so he chewed the dry piece of bread like it was meat. Was he truly particular about the way his food was prepared? What did nobles usually eat? She was worried about what to do and went down to the village early in the morning, determined to buy some ingredients quickly and come back right away. But she was afraid of going to the brewery by herself, so she stopped by Tom¡¯s warehouse and asked him to buy wine with her. Before that, she wandered into a butcher¡¯s shop to get some poultry. Except for Tom, who she had known for as long as she could remember, it was the first time in a while that she spoke with other people. She felt so flustered that she barely got to buy any turkey after stuttering several times in front of the shop owner. She worked hard to prepare this meal. The turkey dish was something that reminded her of the last time she celebrated her birthday with her mother. She couldn¡¯t remember eating turkey any other time. Meat itself, including poultry, was not common food at all. Still, it might be common for him. The way it was cooked might not be to his standards, but she thought that one piece would be enough¡­ It was difficult to guess what he was thinking because he was a man who never revealed his emotions, either through his expressions or through his body language. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. Sorry.¡± ¡°Oh, um, I-I see. What¡¯s wrong? Is your s-stomach upset?¡± Did the food go bad? Or maybe he got a stomach ache? Swan was the one in charge of his meals. Except for the breakfast they had after their first night together, Swan was always the one preparing their meals. There was nothing for a man to do in this cabin. There wasn¡¯t much to do except to wander to the spot where he was found unconscious. She thought about giving him a task to do, but she couldn¡¯t say it out loud because she was afraid that he would be offended. ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡± With a pained smile on her face, she continued to stare at him, hoping that he would look at her as well. But the man turned a blind eye and didn¡¯t continue speaking. There was a clear look of abhorrence on his face, then, he left. Swan looked at his retreating figure and dropped her head. The baked turkey and wine lay untouched on the table. It was a table that was twice as abundant as usual. It took a long time for her to prepare all of it, and so it was even more difficult to throw it all away considering the time and effort she put into it. ¡®But he said he didn¡¯t feel well¡­¡¯ Chapter 12 Chapter 12 It didn¡¯t seem like he was going to eat at all. Her eyelids became hot, and so she rubbed her throbbing eyes and bit her lips hard. Suddenly, the man who got up from his chair just now looked back at Swan. To hide her tear-stricken eyes, Swan turned away. Her heart pounded as she continued to bite her lips while blinking desperately. As a habit, she was overthinking. Perhaps he would comfort her, or perhaps he would say something at least out of courtesy. Actually, she wanted this, but¡­ She had already expected him to thank her for the food just now, and expected to see him smile as he ate deliciously. She just wanted to hear one word of appreciation. It¡¯s already been over a month. It¡¯s been a month and fifteen days since she spent her first night with him¡­ and the last time she saw Tom was also over twelve days ago. Over time, relationships were bound to change. Whoever it was, Swan believed that the relationship between her and the man could change. But¡­ She didn¡¯t know it would be like this. Compared to when he would still show some kindness as some form of polite gesture, right now, it felt like her heart was slowly being torn to pieces. What had she done wrong for it to turn out this way? Her eyes fluttered and hot tears moistened her eyes, but she clutched her apron and tried to keep herself from shedding those tears. The man who had turned his back on her looked back at her. Swan met his eyes in surprise, waiting to see if he would approach her. Come here, lift her chin, wipe her cheeks. However, the man only stared into her bloodshot eyes. The gaze that she met was unbearably calm. He was someone who was always aloof. Swan¡¯s face became flushed, and the lower lip that she had been biting started to sting. Tears pooled at her eyes even more. Her fingers couldn¡¯t stay still as she fidgeted, and she continued to bite her lip. The man, who was staring at her without a word, silently turned away. As he walked away from her, the tears fell. She sobbed and wailed inside that cabin alone. She had never cried like this ever since her mother died. She wiped her eyes as she looked at the door from which the man left. Her heart, which began to pound, couldn¡¯t calm down. She wondered why she had burst into tears, but the only thing she could think about was the afterimage of the man¡¯s back as he walked away. And those unfeeling blue eyes. At one point, it was those eyes that pushed her off the cliff. Her hand was trembling slightly as she wiped her eyes, her head down. Her lips quivered. She wanted to embrace him. She wanted to have her hands over his neck as she leaned over his wide chest¡ªfor her not to be pushed away. And I turn, she wanted him to embrace her as well, to have both his arms warmly wrapped around her, too. Didn¡¯t they match their lips? As if they were a couple, he was so sweet¡­ He had made Swan moan so much even as she smiled shyly, even when he had such insensitive eyes. If he really didn¡¯t like her, he wouldn¡¯t have slept with her. He must have been attracted to her even a little. But what was Swan to him? What kind of woman was she in his eyes? Did sleeping together with her bring him any comfort? They said that kissing was only done between people who loved each other, but this made it clear. He didn¡¯t love her. Still, she hoped that he liked her even a little bit¡­ Her heart ached. She knew what the answer was. She knew, even if she didn¡¯t ask. It felt as though her beating heart was pulled out of her chest. In the end, she wouldn¡¯t ask because she already knew what he would say. ¡®I¡¯m scared¡­ If he says that he really doesn¡¯t like me at all, then¡­¡¯ She dropped her hand from her eyes and breathed in deeply. Her pounding heart wouldn¡¯t calm down. She had asked to match lips only to reassure herself, and that when the gap between them would close, she believed that it was a sign of his affection. There was no sign of him not liking her as he kissed her sweetly and gently. In fact, he was always hard to read, but it never looked like he loathed her¡­ Raising her head, she clenched both of her hands into fists. She was dizzy because her heart had been beating so fast all this time, but Swan got up and walked forward slowly. The man who had left through that door¡­ He was called Theo, but it wasn¡¯t his real name. When she opened the door, she felt the night breeze blowing in from the hill. Swan stared at the vacant lot where darkness fell after the sun had set. She couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°Si-Sir Knight! Where are you?!¡± She couldn¡¯t call him Theo, so she called out like this instead. Truthfully, it was the same for her as well, that even after he asked for her name, he only ever called her Swan a few times. Even other people would call her just ¡®you¡¯ or ¡®woman¡¯ without using her name. Neither of those were what she wanted to be called. ¡°W-Where are you¡­ Hic, hiic¡­¡± She searched everywhere and walked for as far as she could, but there was no trace of him. It would have been better if the autumn rain hadn¡¯t been pouring nonstop. Only the scent of rainwater was left in the air. ¡°What should I¡­ What should I do¡­¡± Swan¡¯s slender body was soaked in the drizzling rain. She had searched far and wide, but the autumn drizzle, as it brought the cool breeze of the season¡¯s evening, was colder than snow. Suddenly, she felt nauseous. Even after walking all this way, Swan was only barefoot. As she stopped in her tracks, her stomach turned upside down because she hadn¡¯t eaten anything. The rain mercilessly beat down on Swan¡¯s back as she hunched over. What did she do wrong? Was there a reason why he was so cold today? Swan blinked, her eyes stinging from the thick rainwater. She clutched her stomach while sobbing. What if she had been abandoned? What if she became alone again¡­ If that person had already left her, then¡­ Time passed and the moon rose higher over her head. She couldn¡¯t think straight. She could feel a fever taking over her. Her pounding heart along with her aching stomach seemed to wrack her entire body. As she opened her eyes slowly, she saw a pair of feet in front of her, as though they were never affected by the soil and rainwater. She raised her head. The man had the atmosphere of sharpened iron just as usual even under the rain. He was a man who seemed to be capable of tearing flesh, as though he was a sharp chisel himself. Swan looked up at him with a ragged breath. The outline of the man who leaned down was dim. She could see his blue lips clearly as the rain poured over her face. Swan hurriedly wiped her eyes with the back of ear hand. People said that one of the reasons why men would get tired of women was because of tears. Maybe that¡¯s why he was sick of her. Swan wasn¡¯t the kind of woman that a man would want. Even if his memory wouldn¡¯t return, he had no reason to stay with her. But she still hoped that he would stay. It was frightening to be alone again. She had endured loneliness before because it previously wasn¡¯t something that she knew. Even if she was alone, the day would pass by quickly as long as she did her chores. Even if it was a hard day of work, she didn¡¯t think that it would be bad to spend the rest of her life like that. She thought that even if she would get a chance to have a husband and have children that would look like him, she would already be incredibly fortunate. But if such luck wouldn¡¯t come to her, then it was fine. The dream of having a family was kept hidden away in her heart ever since her mother passed away. That¡¯s why if the man hadn¡¯t appeared in her life, she wouldn¡¯t have dreamed about it again. She wouldn¡¯t have had such a useless hope again. ¡°W-Where did you..¡± Her entire body was chilled by the rain. The air that dug into her skin was as cold as ice. The man answered Swan¡¯s question plainly. ¡°I tried to go down to the village, but it suddenly rained, so I turned back.¡± ¡°Ah, I-I see.¡± After she nodded, she tried to stand up despite her shaking knees. However, her ankle gave up under her weight, making her stumble. The man reached out and steadied Swan without any difficulty, holding her hand. Her lips, which had been tightly shut, trembled. She felt that she might cry out loud at any moment, but because she couldn¡¯t retract her hand from his grip, she only looked at his collarbone. It was the collarbone that Swan¡¯s teeth had bitten down on that night. She tried repeatedly to pull away from him, but his hand suddenly moved to her waist. Was love overwhelming, was he just too much¡­? She didn¡¯t know. This was the first time Swan felt anything of the sort, so she had nothing to compare this experience to. Even if she felt scared to lose him, she only felt an emptiness that she couldn¡¯t fill¡­ She would rather be cold all the time rather than misunderstand and hope. She wouldn¡¯t have to see his actions and think that it was love. She wouldn¡¯t have to lean into him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t see you earlier, so¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I t-thought you l-left¡­¡± She thought that she had been thrown away, that she would be alone again¡­ Swan tried to even out her ragged breathing, but her sorrow had already burst out. The way he was looking at her now was still so cold. ¡°Let¡¯s return. The rain is freezing.¡± After a long time, this was the only thing he said. A large hand grabbed Swan¡¯s wrist, and she shook her head, not wanting to be dragged away. Reluctant to raise her eyes, she cried with her head down as she looked at the ground. Loving him was her misfortune. Perhaps it was the biggest misfortune of her entire life, perhaps more than her mother¡¯s death. At least after her mother had passed away, she didn¡¯t feel as though she was abandoned. But with him¡­ She raised her head. Had her mother been abandoned when she was pregnant with Swan? How did her mother love such a man who created Swan with her? Not everyone in the village liked Swan and her mother. They didn¡¯t even consider letting them build a hut on the outskirts of the village, so they were forced to live in the valley. They didn¡¯t live this way because they wanted to.