Chapter 102
After much back-and-forth, the old man pulled a worn map and compass from a deep drawer. He pointed out the campsite’s location, explaining the route again and again. He didn’t just show her—he pressed the map and compass into her hands as she left. The old woman even packed a cloth-wrapped bundle of potatoes.
“I don’t know how much it’s worth, but it’s all I can give.”
Roseline unfastened her necklace and pressed it into the woman’s hands. Though the old woman stubbornly refused, Roseline’s resolve was stronger. With repeated thanks and promises not to forget their kindness, Roseline finally set off.
Roseline walked for a long while with the map in hand. Having barely slept, her stamina was in tatters—it was nearly sunset by the time she reached a familiar area.
“…Ugh, what in the world—”
She staggered back at the sight of scattered corpses. The bodies of infected, still bound by thick chains, reminded her of Toma’s words: They used the infected to intimidate people and extort money. God. The living were far more terrifying.
“……”
Rooted in place, Roseline stared blankly in the direction of the campsite. It was almost laughable to hesitate now, after coming this far—but she still hadn’t made up her mind. Should I turn back? Or leave the mountains before it’s too late?
Her thoughts seesawed wildly in the span of seconds. Taking a step forward made her heart pound; turning away filled her with guilt. But she had to go. The weight of abandoning the knights still searching for her was heavy, but more than that—the thought of Valen made her feet refuse to move.
He wasn’t as tender as before. He still demanded marriage with that incomprehensible possessiveness, and all of it only tangled her heart further.
What was he thinking when he pushed me away, telling me to run when danger came? The image of him—visibly flustered when he saw her cry, refusing to let her out of his sight only to shove her to safety—made her chest tighten. That was just like him.
“Haaah…”
Just as Roseline took a deep breath and stepped forward—
“Why hesitate?”
The icy voice behind her made her jolt. With a stiff creak, she turned.
“There’s nothing to hesitate over.”
It was Valen. Still atop his horse, his expression cold as he looked down at her before dismounting in one fluid motion. She’d been so lost in thought she hadn’t even heard him approach. Frozen in place, she could only watch as he closed the distance between them.
“Did you think I wouldn’t find you if you ran?”
“…I’m not going.”
“You were about to.”
“I can at least think about it.”
He stopped just a few steps away. Crunch. Fallen leaves shattered under his black boots. His gaze—quiet, relentless—scoured every inch of her. Just like when they’d reunited at the castle after the plague, he studied her for a long moment before finally lifting his arms slightly.
“Then come here.”
It was a demand for her answer—the conclusion of her turmoil. Roseline blinked slowly. Just as he had done, she studied Valen carefully in return. His eyes, bloodshot from sleepless nights, looked even sharper than usual, his lips chapped and cracked. And those small, telling details drew her in.
All the agonizing she’d done since last night suddenly felt pointless. Without hesitation, Roseline stepped into his embrace, pressing her forehead against the familiar breadth of his shoulders. His scent—worn leather and winter wind—wrapped around her, and a strange relief swelled behind her eyes just as his arms locked around her waist, pulling her flush against him.
“You drive men to madness.”
The words were a sigh against her crown, his lips brushing her hair as he tightened his hold.
“Will you hesitate like this every time you’re given a choice?”
“…No.”
Her quiet answer seemed to please him; the tension in his frame eased, his mouth curving faintly.
“Good. Don’t.”
“…”
“It’s not as though I wish for every step you’ve taken, every place you’ve been, every person you’ve met to turn to ashes.”
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