Chapter 94

His voice was low, deep, and unexpectedly tender. The weight of that sincerity sent ripples through her emerald gaze. Was this the second time now she’d felt as if time itself had come to a halt between them?

Thump—

‘Thump…?’

Her heart stirred, gentle as a ripple across a quiet lake, and a new, unfamiliar feeling began to blossom inside her.

‘What is happening to me…?’

Unable to hold his gaze, Evelyn quickly looked away. Only then did she become aware of just how close he was, and a warm flush crept up both her cheeks. A subtle, inexplicable silence lingered between them, stretching out like a fragile thread in the moonlit night.

For some reason, she felt she had to break the silence that had settled between them. She parted her lips, searching for the right words, and finally managed to speak.

“Thank you for helping me, Axion.”

Even if he’d come out of a sense of duty, gratitude was still gratitude. She didn’t even want to imagine what might have happened if it hadn’t been for him. The memory of those terrifying moments sent a faint tremor through her slender shoulders.

Watching her quietly, Axion slipped off his jacket and draped it gently over her shoulders. Then, leaning down, he tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.

Evelyn could scarcely breathe beneath the tenderness of his touch.

Meanwhile, without seeming to realize what he was doing to her, Axion spoke in a voice unexpectedly soft, almost sweet.

“I helped you because it was you.”

“….!”

Her green eyes darted, uncertain how to respond.

Axion’s signature dimple appeared, a subtle smile playing at his lips. Evelyn found herself staring, entranced by the subtle smile hidden within that small expression.

“Ahem… forgive me for interrupting.”

It was at that moment that someone cleared their throat nearby.

She turned quickly toward the source of the voice, startled. The elite knights of House Valentino, having arrived belatedly, stood at a polite distance, their expressions a mixture of relief and embarrassment. Avoiding the couple’s gaze, they bowed respectfully.

Realizing they’d been caught unintentionally clinging to her fiancé, she felt her cheeks flush a deep crimson. In contrast, Axion seemed entirely unbothered, arching one brow with calm indifference.

“What is it?”

“I think you need to check on the monsters for a moment, Young Lord.”

The aide, wearing a rather grave expression, lowered his voice as much as possible.

Sensing that something was unusual, Axion gave a short nod. He gently helped Evelyn to her feet and instructed the knights to guard her.

“Stay here.”

“Axion, wait—”

She hastily reached out and caught his sleeve, not wanting him to leave her behind.

“….?”

As he arched one perfectly shaped brow, she added in a voice barely above a whisper.

“I want to come with you.”

The man stared at her for several seconds, searching her face, then answered not with words, but by supporting her at his side.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

Examining the remains of the Lizardman, Axion and his men wore equally grave expressions.

‘What’s going on?’

Evelyn watched her fiancé’s expression closely as he murmured a short incantation.

As he finished the incantation, pale moonlight seemed to spill across the monster’s remains, and soon a mark appeared on its forehead—a black rose entwined with a Möbius strip. Although she had never seen such a sigil before, Axion’s face tightened with immediate recognition.

“Axion, what is it?”

When Evelyn could no longer contain herself and asked, the man instead turned the question back on her.

“How did you end up in this forest?”

At that, she bit her lip.

There had been a reason she’d entered these woods. Sensing the gravity of the situation, she gathered herself and replied calmly.

“One of the young ladies lost her necklace, so I came to help search for it.”

“And where is this young lady now?”

Axion’s voice was gentle, but his expression had gone utterly cold. Evelyn, caught off guard by the sudden chill in his eyes, felt a ripple of confusion spread across her face.

Come to think of it, where was Dahlia?