For the One Who Hates Me - Chapter 64

Aura chose an unfrequented mountain path. The surroundings became quieter and quieter.

Occasionally, animals like deer and rabbits passed by. Aura didn’t even take out her crossbow. She wanted to be careful with her arrows since she had a limited supply.

I wonder if Karl is still with Elise.

Aura unconsciously looked back. Then she shook her head. Why do I keep worrying about him? What can I do now, even if he is with her?

“Let’s go!” She urged her horse forward and went deeper into the forest. As far as she knew, this was the fastest way to get to the western gate.

“!”

Squeal!

Just my luck…

In front of her was a large wild boar. By its size, it looked like a fully grown adult.

Neigh! The horse, startled by the boar’s squeal, became agitated. Aura stroked its neck.

“Shhh… It’s okay, it’s okay.”

The wild boar was facing her, ready to charge at any moment. Aura didn’t flinch and skillfully took out her crossbow.

Thump, thump, thump, thump…

Her heart was pounding from her first hunt. She calmly loaded an arrow. She pushed the lever, and then quickly pulled it back.

Swoosh!

The arrow flew with a powerful force and hit the boar in the neck.

Squeal!

But perhaps because it was a large boar, it roared and charged toward her horse.

“Oh, no!”

Aura was in the middle of reloading the lever.

Neigh!

The startled horse reared up. Aura fell off.

“Ah!”

A scream escaped her lips, but she didn’t have time to feel the pain. She quickly shot one arrow after another.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Squeal!

One of the arrows hit the boar directly on its forehead. The boar staggered and then fell to the ground.

“…Haa… haa… Cough!”

The breath she had been holding burst out all at once. Aura looked around. The horse, which she thought had run away, was standing a short distance away, looking at her blankly.

That’s a relief. It would have been a problem if I had lost my horse.

Just as she was about to get up in relief. “Ah!” A sharp pain shot through her ankle. It seemed she had sprained it when she fell. It wasn’t a serious injury, but she had to bandage it to continue with her plans.

“Haa…”

Of course, nothing can ever be easy. Aura limped toward her horse.

Snort… snort…

“Good boy… You have to run fast today. It won’t be scared of a mere wild boar.”

She gently soothed the horse and with much effort, got back on it.

There’s a hunting lodge near the western entrance. I’ll get a quick treatment there and then leave.

The lodge wasn’t far. Aura tied her horse to a pole and went inside. The lodge was clean and elegantly decorated. There was food and water, as well as a small bed for resting. These were all things Aura had planned for the hunting festival.

Aura sat on the bed. Her body sank into the soft mattress.

“Phew…”

I prepared for this so diligently, thinking it would be my last time here. But I never thought I would be the one using this lodge.

The first-aid kit was in the closet across from the bed. But now that she was sitting down, she didn’t have the courage to get up again.

I’ll rest for a bit and then treat it. Let me just check the condition first.

Aura took off her hunting leather shoes. Her ankle was already swollen.

“Of all things, it had to be this foot.” It was the same foot that she had burned with hot coffee and had a hard time with for a while. It was something she had done without hesitation to get a scalpel. With that scalpel, she stabbed herself in the neck and ran away to Ansena.

Aura gave a self-deprecating laugh.

I haven’t changed at all. Still trying to run away.

“Karl would probably laugh if he saw me.” She muttered without realizing it.

“…”

Even when she tried not to, she kept thinking about Karl. She couldn’t control herself.

She curled up and lay down. She didn’t want to think about anything else. She planned to rest for a bit, treat her ankle, and then leave. Just as she had planned for so long.

Just then.

Knock, knock.

A knock sounded on the door. Aura quickly sat up and looked at the door. Fortunately, it was locked.

Whoever it is will go away when they realize the door is locked.

Aura held her breath.

“It’s me.”

Karl’s voice came from the other side of the door. The knocking continued.

Knock, knock.

It was as if he knew she was inside.

“Open the door.”

I can’t open it.

There was no worse choice she could make right now than to meet Karl. Could she get away from him and go through the western gate? It wasn’t impossible, but it would take a lot of effort. Aura held her breath, not even daring to make a sound.

For a moment, there was no sound. It seemed Karl had left. But Aura’s heart felt heavy.

This is really the end. This is really…

Knock, knock.

“Aura.”

The third knock sounded. Aura slowly got up from the bed.

One last… just one last time. I can send him away.

She limped to the door. And then she took a deep breath as she grabbed the doorknob.

Creak. She opened the door.

“Karl?”

When she called him nonchalantly, he looked at her intently. To be precise, he was looking at her ankle.

“If you came here to rest, I’ll leave. There are many lodges.”

Karl came into the lodge without saying a word.

Click.

He locked the door again.

“…Karl?”

Just then, Karl suddenly picked Aura up.

“Karl! What are you doing?”

He strode over to the bed and sat her down. He then opened the closet and took out the first-aid kit. Aura was speechless.

H-how did he know?

Karl brought a chair, sat in front of Aura, and without a word, took her leg and placed her foot on his knee. Her swollen ankle was exposed.

“Haa… Seriously…” Karl frowned. “If you don’t need a partner, don’t make me worry.”

“…”

“I would like to, but look at you.”

Karl took out an ointment from the first-aid kit. He generously scooped it out with his hand and rubbed it on her ankle. The cold sensation made Aura feel a little better.

“I was going to leave you alone when you were hunting the boar. I thought you would be okay without me. But then you started limping.”

As she thought, he had been following her. From the moment she was hunting the boar, he had been there for a while.

I thought he went with Elise. A sense of relief washed over her. It’s a good thing I didn’t go straight to the western gate, or he would have caught me.

“Did you hurt it when you fell off your horse?” Karl asked. Aura nodded. He took out a bandage and bit the end of it with his teeth. He was skilled at unrolling the bandage.

“You’re driving me crazy more and more each day. I try to take a breather, but I always end up back here.” The bandage was quickly, yet neatly, wrapped around her ankle. “It’s like you’re determined not to let me take my eyes off you.”

Suddenly, Karl pulled the bandage tightly.

“Ah.”

“Does it hurt?” Karl asked, startled by her gasp. “Did I wrap it too tightly?”

“No… It’s okay. You can tie it now.”

Aura suddenly remembered the morning of the coronation. Karl had bandaged her foot back then, too. With the same furrowed brow and gentle hands.

Back then, Aura had thought Karl was an enigmatic man. But now, it was different. She felt like she understood his heart all too well, and because of that, she had to be more cautious.

Karl said, “Let’s leave the mountain. You need to see a doctor.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been out here. I want to enjoy it a little longer.”

“Then stay with me. You can rest here since hunting is out of the question.”

“…No. I want to be alone.”

“If you keep saying things like that, I’ll have no choice but to carry you down.”

He didn’t seem to be joking. Aura was in a dilemma. She had to get him to leave somehow.

It’s my fault for opening the door when I knew this might happen.

Just as Karl was about to tie the bandage, he seemed to realize something. “This is the same foot you hurt at the coronation, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“…Seriously.” He sighed as if he couldn’t believe it. He then lightly kissed the top of Aura’s foot. Her eyes widened.

Where is he kissing me?

Karl cupped the top of Aura’s foot with both of his hands. “Don’t get hurt, Aura.”

Aura’s heart seemed to sink. This was an undeniable force. No matter how much she tried to ignore it, his true feelings were seeping into her without her permission.

…No. Stop it.

Thump, thump, thump, thump…

Her heart was beating on its own. Aura clenched her fists.

Last night, Ruan had said to her, “Why do you keep trying to avoid this?”

“Stop.”

“Just for once, face your feelings-“

‘If I face my feelings… I’m afraid this will happen.’

Aura felt like a sandcastle. A sandcastle that would crumble no matter how firmly she built it. If one part fell, everything would fall apart. Just like this.

“Karl.”

“What.”

“I… I actually remember, too.”

“…”

“That day, you had swordsmanship training in the morning. And you came to the library after a hurried bath. That’s why you had a faint scent of cedar on you. Your hair was sticking up in all directions.”

Aura lightly touched the area above Karl’s ear. “This part was especially sticking up. You were wearing a white shirt and navy pants…” Aura’s eyes grew wider. Her fingertip then went to Karl’s wrist. “Your body had grown again, and the shirt sleeve came up to here.”

Her fingertip went down to the back of his hand. “You had a lot of injuries from your intense training. Here, on the back of your hand.”

Next, it was his temple. “Your temple.”

Then his neck. “The left side of your neck.”

And the side of his mouth. “Here, too. You had injuries everywhere.”

Aura’s hand hesitated.

“And inside your mouth, too.”

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