Silvara walked uphill along a narrowing footpath. The trees on either side grew denser, their green canopy filtering the late afternoon sun into soft shafts of light. Lucas followed behind her, feeling his leg muscles work a little as the ground sloped upward.
"Is this a forest?" Lucas asked, glancing around.
"Just a small one on the edge of the territory," Silvara replied without looking back. Her steps were light, as if the incline ant nothing to her.
"So where are we actually going?"
Silvara paused and glanced over her shoulder. "A bit higher. The view’s nice up there." She then turned away, muttering sothing so quietly it was almost swallowed by the whispering wind. "And it’s quiet..."
"What?" Lucas frowned, missing the last part.
"Co on. Hurry up," Silvara snapped, quickening her pace so he wouldn’t have a chance to ask again.
The higher they climbed, the cooler the air beca. The scent of damp earth and fresh leaves filled Lucas’s senses. It was far more soothing than the noise of the fields or the tension that lingered in the Voss residence. Without realizing it, his curiosity stirred. He began noticing small details around him with an enthusiasm almost childlike.
His gaze landed on a cluster of shrubs bearing round, translucent red fruits, hanging beneath the leaves like tiny jewels. Lucas stepped closer, curiosity overpowering caution.
"Silvara, what are these?" he asked, pointing at the plant.
Silvara stopped again and examined it. "Air Cherries."
"Air... cherries?" Lucas echoed silently, the na sounding absurd. He reached out and pinched one of the red fruits between his thumb and forefinger. The mont he pressed it slightly—puff.
The fruit burst without leaving any juice or pulp behind. Only a small gust of cold air escaped, leaving behind a thin skin that imdiately wilted at his fingertips. Lucas froze for a mont, then a soft laugh slipped from his lips. He chuckled, shaking his head at the strange phenonon.
"This world really is weird... hahaha," he murmured, genuinely amused.
Silvara watched him from a short distance away, leaning her shoulder against a tree. "You’re acting like a child who’s just stepped outside for the first ti."
Lucas turned toward her, a grin still lingering on his face. "Co on, don’t be so stiff. We’re taking a walk, aren’t we? Do we really have to be in combat training mode before you can relax a little—like a friend?"
Crack.
The sound of a dry twig snapping beneath Silvara’s boot rang far too loudly in the forest’s silence. Her body stiffened instantly. Without saying a word, she turned her back to Lucas and resud climbing, twice as fast as before.
A friend? What does he an by that?
Silvara’s thoughts churned. The word hit her like a sudden splash of ice water. mories from that dark, damp cave replayed in her mind—the rough rocking of her hips against him, their mingled breaths, the intimacy they had shared under the pressure of poison. To Silvara, that mont had left a permanent mark, altering how she viewed her self as a woman.
Annoyance welled up inside her. A tightness ford in her chest at the realization that the man behind her might truly see that incident as nothing more than a passing thing. As if that "mistake" had been rely a small part of a survival strategy, unworthy of further ntion. Silvara clenched her teeth, feeling that Lucas was utterly oblivious to the weight of emotions she carried.
anwhile, Lucas, walking a few steps behind her, failed to notice any of it. He was too busy enjoying the cool breeze brushing against his face. His mind was completely free of mories from the cave.
The path eventually opened onto a broad clearing atop a gentle hill. Short grass carpeted the ground, and from there, the horizon stretched wide and unobstructed.
"Whoa..." Lucas breathed in awe. His steps quickened as he moved toward the edge of the hill for a better view.
But his focus on the distant scenery betrayed him. His foot caught on a protruding tree root, and his body pitched forward.
"Whoa—!"
Before his face could et the ground, a strong yet gentle hand grabbed his arm, while another firmly braced against his chest. Silvara had moved in an instant, catching him in a pose that oddly resembled a knight rescuing a damsel from a fairy tale.
For a brief mont, their faces were very close. Lucas caught the faint scent of the forest clinging to Silvara’s armor. He quickly regained his balance, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Sorry, sorry. I wasn’t watching my step," Lucas muttered, scratching the back of his neck. Great. She’s probably about to scold again about my lousy balance, he thought.
But the scolding never ca.
"Be careful," Silvara said quietly. Her voice wasn’t sharp—low instead, almost like a sincere warning whispered under her breath.
Lucas let out a relieved sigh. He walked to the edge of the hill and sat down on the soft grass, letting his legs dangle toward the slope. Silvara followed and sat beside him, close enough to feel present, yet not touching.
"It’s beautiful, isn’t it?" Silvara said, eyes fixed on the view ahead.
Lucas nodded slowly. "Yeah. Really beautiful. I didn’t expect a place this peaceful to be so close by."
Silvara was silent for a mont, then turned slightly, studying the side profile of Lucas’s face—still concealed by his magical disguise. "Look at it with your own eyes."
Lucas frowned and looked at her in confusion. "What do you an? I am looking at it."
Silvara didn’t respond right away. She stared straight into his eyes, then repeated herself, stressing every word. "Look... with your own eyes."
Silence settled between them for several seconds. Lucas froze, his mind slowly processing the aning behind her words.
He realized that in this quiet place, atop a hill watched only by the wind and the trees, there were no other eyes upon him.
Ah... she wants to use my real face?
He smiled.
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