[IYFILWATIP] Chapter 42

However, the old woman calmly applied the herbs to his wounds with rough hands. Despite his unconscious state, Jade groaned in pain every time she touched him. He was clearly in a lot of pain. 

The old woman paid no mind and instead looked at Kirona with concern. 

"And you, my dear, are you all right?" 

"I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt at all. He protected me and ended up like this. His injuries are worse than I thought. I feel so bad… How should I repay him…?" 

"Repay? There’s no need for that. No one expects a reward for doing what’s right. Who am I to refuse to help and look out for myself? I’d obviously take care to make sure no harm comes to you." 

"What…?" 

"Why, to the princess, of course." 

Kirona was stunned into silence. The old woman smiled slyly and gave Jade a hard slap on the back, causing him to scream again. 

"What are you talking about…?" 

"Please, don’t lower your speech. Just call me Sonia." 

The old woman’s green eyes stared directly at Kirona. Kirona blinked in confusion, her mind racing. The effects of the magical potion should still be active, right? How did she figure it out? If only there were a mirror nearby, Kirona would have immediately checked the colour of her eyes. But such a precious item was unlikely to be found in this forest, far from the imperial palace. 

"A crude potion, I must say. You should consider firing the mage who made it, Princess." 

"……" 

"How could I not recognize you? The eye colour of Theresia. Only the royal family possesses such beautiful amber eyes." 

* * * 

Jade Eclipse opened his eyes. All he heard was the crackling of the hearth, and the place was completely quiet. He quickly tried to sit up, feeling a burning pain throughout his body. It was still painful, but not to the point where he couldn’t move as when he was first injured. 

Where am I? Instinctively, he reached out to feel around for his sword. But nothing was within reach. 

Slowly, he got up and began to explore his surroundings. It was a shabby place, but it was a shelter nonetheless. He moved away from the fire and started searching for his sword. His mind was a mess, but he tried to recall the last thing he remembered before his vision went dark. 

He had been caught in the poison rain, fled the basilisk’s territory… but how had he ended up in that rain? 

Damn it. Yeah. He remembered the girl in his arms screaming "Eclipse," and suddenly, all the memories came flooding back. 

Did she drag me all the way here? 

Surely, she hadn’t run away, right? He wanted to believe she hadn’t made a reckless move, considering how he had threatened her about dying alone in the forest. But given her temperament, there was a good chance she had already left him and fled somewhere. 

Of course, if she had, she’d still be within his reach. While he specialized in hunting monsters, Jade was also skilled at tracking people. 

Irritated, he peeled off the herbs stuck to his body and moved toward the shelter’s exit. Just as he was about to step outside, someone blocked his way in the darkness. 

"Are you awake?" 

"……" 

"Where do you think you’re going? In that condition?" 

"You’re the one who brought me here?" 

"Yeah. Aren’t you grateful?" 

Jade didn’t answer and just stared at the girl. Dark brown hair. Gray eyes. She was his target. So, she didn’t run away. Smart choice. 

He looked at the girl, whose hands were now free, and decided he should probably tie her up again. He still felt uneasy about the situation. But as soon as he tried to move, a wave of pain made him freeze. 

Taking advantage of the moment, the girl struck him hard in his wounded area. This time, Jade couldn’t hold back a groan. 

"Behave, you kidnapping bastard. What do you think you’re going to do in that condition? You can’t even move on your own, let alone kidnap me." 

Jade sat down, clutching his side, glaring daggers at the girl. He should have looked for his sword first. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. He was in no condition to kidnap anyone; if anything, he was the one at risk of being kidnapped. He turned his head, trying to find his sword again, but froze once more. 

"Looking for this? Or maybe your sword? You carry a lot of weapons, don’t you? Do all mercenaries do that? It was hard work hiding them all." 

A cold dagger was pressed against the back of his neck. Jade gritted his teeth. He realised 

he had underestimated the girl. She knew how to handle a weapon, and her grip on the blade was far from amateurish. 

The reason she had been so easily captured before was probably just due to the surprise attack. Now, armed with a blade, the situation was different. 

But the girl didn’t do what he expected. Instead of cutting his throat, she just stood there, staring at him for a while before helping him back to his feet.