The next morning, as I took a sip from the glass of water on the nightstand, the memory instantly came rushing back.
I hid my face behind the crumpled documents. A blurry vision of his sharp jawline and the curve of his throat flickered in my mind.
The deep breath that brushed against the back of my neck sent a shiver down my spine. That husky, lazy voice still lingered in my ears…
‘Ah, I should have just drunk straight from the bottle. Or maybe smashed the bottle over my head instead.’
If I had done that, at least I wouldn’t be feeling this awkward now. But if I admitted the truth, my embarrassment would only double.
Keeping it to myself was the best option.
‘It’s not a flaw, Edmund.’
I had spoken so casually, dropping the honorifics and even offering him unwanted comfort with a sense of arrogance.
Lowering the documents slightly, I stole a glance at Edmund.
The breeze from the carriage window lightly rustled his shirt collar. His sharp, hawk-like yellow eyes met mine in an instant.
The moment our gazes collided, Edmund frowned and, as if to make a point, lazily buttoned up his shirt with both hands.
‘Wait, what…?’
It was as if he was saying I had no right to look.
At that moment, I felt a strange sense of unease, as if there was some misunderstanding between us. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something was definitely off.
As I sat there, stunned and speechless, the carriage came to a stop.
Edmund got out first and extended his hand toward me. Even in moments like this, he didn’t forget his manners, a testament to his inherently kind nature.
“Thank you, little brother,” I said with a bright smile as I took his hand and stepped down.
The scene before me was unfamiliar.
The Lebron Mine site was bustling with workers, carts, and mining tools. Baron Totair and the site manager approached us.
“You’ve arrived.”
“Am I late?”
“You’re right on time. We’ll start by familiarizing you with the site and meeting the miners. After that, we’ll begin the full inspection of the Lebron Mine.”
“Understood.”
“Then, this way—”
Baron Totair turned to lead the way but suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed on Edmund standing beside me. His eyes narrowed as he studied Edmund intently. Then, leaning slightly toward me, he whispered,
“Did you say he’s a knight from the Mipedian Duchy?”
“Yes.”
“I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before…”
Of course, he had. Edmund’s face was regularly featured in the Imperial Gazette as one of the most influential figures.
However, no one expected someone of his caliber to be here, acting as an ordinary knight.
And it wasn’t just Baron Totair.
Even the mine workers, who had gathered to welcome the lord’s arrival, were whispering among themselves. The presence of such a striking knight at my side seemed to fuel their curiosity.
Fortunately, Baron Totair merely tilted his head in confusion before turning back to lead the way, and the others’ gazes soon followed suit.
‘Good.’
I sighed in relief and glanced up at Edmund, but to my amusement, he looked completely unfazed.
Being too handsome had its downsides at times like this.
Then, Edmund gestured toward Baron Totair with a nod.
“Aren’t you going to follow?”
Feeling his gaze on me, I looked up. He was staring down at me, motioning toward Baron Totair with his chin.
I quickly picked up my pace and followed, Edmund keeping stride beside me.
We had deep discussions with the site workers about ways to improve conditions at the mine’s entrance.
As we stepped into the dimly lit tunnel lined with gray stone, Edmund remained close behind me, acting overly protective. The workers exchanged subtle glances as they observed his behavior.
Later, Baron Totair and I moved farther from the mine to discuss improvement plans.
“We need to ensure a steady supply of drinking water and ice,” I said.
Baron Totair nodded and jotted down notes in the documents he carried, likely double-checking supply quantities.
“The most important thing is maintaining safe working conditions. Please make sure there are no shortages. Well, I trust you and my uncle will handle things perfectly. How is it working with my uncle?”
“He’s calm, but there’s a fire burning inside him. He’s been holding late-night meetings with the management about Lebron’s refining process. And, might I add, he never stops praising his niece, calling her a genius.”
That made me feel a little guilty. I laughed awkwardly.
Baron Totair scribbled additional notes, then glanced at me.
“Would you like to visit the storage cave for supplies?”
“Sure.”
Since I was here, I wanted to thoroughly inspect the working conditions of the estate’s people.
The storage cave was a small one in the forest behind the Lebron Mine. Just as Baron Totair stepped inside, I moved to follow him—but Edmund, who had been trailing me, suddenly stopped and stared at the cave entrance.
“What’s wrong, Edmund?”
Edmund furrowed his brows and kept glaring at the cave. From inside, Baron Totair waved for us to hurry.
“…It’s nothing. I must be mistaken. This is the Buell estate, after all.”
Shaking his head, Edmund stepped back. I chuckled lightly and headed inside, with Edmund sticking close behind me.
The way he had been following me around like a large dog since yesterday made me laugh.
I smirked secretly and stepped into the cave entrance.
Light from the large opening illuminated the interior. I looked around with Baron Totair at the supplies stacked in the corner.
Meanwhile, Edmund remained alert, scanning the surroundings with tension. His unease made me instinctively stiffen.
‘What’s wrong?’
I tilted my head in confusion but turned my attention back when Baron Totair called me over to the ice storage cart.
“This is it.”
“Yes, now if you’ll excuse me for a moment.”
Baron Totair pulled out his communication device, which buzzed loudly. Seeing him sigh deeply at the caller’s name, it seemed like the issue wouldn’t be resolved quickly. He gave me a quick glance before stepping out of the cave to take the call.
At that moment, a strange light flickered from the ice storage cart.
Was I imagining it? I rubbed my eyes and looked again. The cart trembled slightly before shifting violently, ice rattling against each other.
It sparkled with an eerie glow, like a gemstone.
‘A magic stone?’
I narrowed my eyes. No, it wasn’t a magic stone.
‘A purification stone?’
Just as I realized what it was, I turned sharply to Edmund.
“Edmund, in here—”
Before I could finish, a brilliant light burst forth, and the cart overturned.
Chunks of ice tumbled out, one striking Edmund’s feet. A deep, guttural growl echoed through the cave as a massive shadow loomed overhead.
A chilling sensation ran down my spine. My entire body went cold, as if my blood had drained away.
Slowly, I tilted my head back.
A towering beast, radiating overwhelming presence, stood before me. A monster—one I had only heard about in stories.
Its glowing red eyes locked onto mine, and my body trembled uncontrollably. Thick saliva dripped from between its jagged teeth as it let out a chilling, gurgling sound.
Ah. A breath of cold fear escaped me.
In the next moment, the beast lunged.
“Etricia!”
Edmund’s voice rang out like a gunshot.
In an instant, he grabbed me and rolled backward. The spot where I had just stood was crushed in an instant.
Still pressed against his chest, I stared blankly ahead, paralyzed by the terror of seeing a monster for the first time in my life.
Without realizing it, I grabbed Edmund’s arm, which was wrapped around my waist, with trembling hands. I could feel him lowering his chin to check on my condition.
I should have said I was okay, but my lips wouldn’t move. I didn’t even dare to make a sound.
Fear, shock and confusion, resignation—so many mixed emotions poured into my head without order. I could see Baron Totair outside, frozen in shock with the communicator dropped at his feet. Since he wasn’t a knight, he couldn’t recklessly jump in.
In the end, I saw him rush down the mountain, shouting that he would bring the knights.
I wanted to run after him right away, but any sudden movement could provoke the monster.
At that moment, Edmund seemed to think the same thing. He pulled me behind him, shielding me with his body while keeping his eyes fixed on the monster.
“Count.”
“……”
“Count.”
I wanted to answer, but no sound came out. My lower lip trembled, and I just nodded instead of replying.
Then Edmund turned his head slightly and whispered low.
“From now on, just listen to my voice and look at my back. Do you understand?”
I nodded slowly again. Right then, the monster’s bright red eyes gleamed viciously, and it licked its lips greedily with its fat tongue. The eyes of the monster, which had found two prey, narrowed.
