The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 59

As the carriage slowed to a stop, Sasha looked out the window and let out a quiet breath of admiration.

Though she could not see the full size of the forest from the entrance, it was clear that this was no small park. Even at a glance, she could tell the scale of Uhalin Forest was far greater.

“This is Uhalin Forest. It’s beautiful.”

The entrance did not exactly scream romance or a dreamy date spot, but Sasha trusted there must be a reason the maids had chosen it. With that thought, she stepped down from the carriage.

As she inhaled, the earthy scent of trees and soil filled her lungs. The moment she took in that rich, natural smell, her earlier concerns faded, replaced by a light, refreshing feeling.

But something had changed since Kyler stepped out of the carriage. A massive sword now hung from his hip. Sasha immediately understood the meaning behind it.

She began to question why the maids would recommend a place like this.

As she looked up at him with concern, he must have noticed her gaze. After locking eyes with her, he followed the direction of her glance down to his sword and answered her silent question.

“It’s just a precaution. Even if there is no visible danger, forests and mountains always carry some risk.”

“Then it’s safe, right?”

Kyler held out his hand to her. Several villagers nearby had taken notice of the fancy carriage, watching with curiosity, but he paid no attention to them.

Sasha gladly took his hand without hesitation.

Inside the forest, it was much less intimidating than it had looked from outside. Earlier, the shadows between the trees had made her hesitate, but now, walking between the trunks, it felt far more open and calming than expected.

“This forest is part of the mountain range, so the tree species here are different from those in typical forests. These are trees that usually grow in rocky areas, but since the environment here is rich, they grow thick and sturdy. The wood is strong and often used in making furniture.”

“Then there must be a woodworking village nearby.”

“You are exactly right. The village we passed earlier specializes in furniture. And they do more than just simple carpentry. Many of the artisans are masters. The Ignote estate has several pieces that came from there.”

“Really? When we go back, will you show me which ones they are? I’m curious.”

“Or we could stop by a workshop on the way back and pick out something nice.”

His calm and gentle voice matched the peaceful forest perfectly. When he mentioned visiting the workshop, Sasha felt her heart flutter.

It felt like he was offering her a gift. She had never once received something meant just for her.

Most children grow up with birthday presents from their parents. Even children in orphanages are given small celebrations. But growing up in her aunt’s house, Sasha had never heard anyone say the word “birthday” in her direction.

A gift. Just the thought made her excited. As they walked deeper into the forest, she barely noticed the trees or the trail. All she could think about was the idea of receiving something chosen just for her. Her fingers tightened around his hand as she smiled quietly.

“We’ve been walking quite a bit.”

She snapped out of her thoughts after realizing they had been walking for a long time without stopping. She looked around again, but there was still no sign of the stream. Kyler simply replied with a soft agreement but kept walking without turning or slowing down.

Thankfully, the maids had prepared her with comfortable shoes. Her legs were only slightly sore, but she still saw no trace of the stream.

Then, suddenly, something caught her attention.

“Wait. Is that water?”

She stopped and tilted her head, focusing. The faint sound of flowing water reached her ears. She looked up at Kyler with wide eyes and listened more closely.

Yes, there it was. The soft bubbling sound of a stream was coming from ahead.

Her round hazel eyes sparkled with excitement as she stared up at him. The color of her eyes seemed to match the peaceful forest around them. Kyler, looking into her gaze, gave her hand a light tug and started walking again, guiding her forward.

He found himself wanting to see the look on her face when she finally saw the stream.

The sound of the water grew clearer as they walked. Before long, the trees parted, and the view opened up.

“Wow.”

She had imagined a simple stream, perhaps a narrow trickle of water with a few trees nearby and a small pavilion overlooking it.

What she saw was nothing like that.

“You look like you like it.”

“This water is so beautiful.”

The stream here was different from anything she had expected. The water blended shades of blue and sky-blue, flowing gently like a small river. It was so clear that she could see the stones and branches at the bottom. The tall trees lining the stream stood reflected in the surface, their shapes mirrored perfectly in the calm water.

The trees surrounding the area were closer to conifers than broad-leaved ones, giving the forest an atmosphere that felt more like the space between autumn and winter, rather than the freshness of summer.

Sasha was completely enchanted by the strange, seasonless beauty of the scenery.

“Wow…”

Still caught in awe, she stood admiring the view until Kyler gently pulled her hand again to lead her forward. It was not time to be impressed just yet.

When she turned to the right, she saw a small white pavilion. Its columns and roof were all painted white, looking as if they had just been washed clean by the rain. It gleamed so brightly it seemed freshly built.

Inside, benches had been placed so visitors could sit comfortably and enjoy the view.

“Here.”

Kyler pointed to one of the seats. But unlike the view outside, the seat was a bit dusty with scattered sand and twigs. Sasha, without hesitation, reached out to brush it off with her hand.

“Huh?”

“Here.”

In the blink of an eye, something moved past the seat. When she looked again, she saw Kyler dusting off the spot with his hand before sitting down beside her.

“I didn’t expect you to do something like that. Wow. You’re actually a very thoughtful man, Kyler.”

He cleared his throat in reply and continued looking straight ahead without turning to her. Somehow, that made him look even more endearing.

“So you like places like this.”

Just as Sasha was settling in and beginning to enjoy the view framed by the pillars of the pavilion, Kyler spoke.

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

“I never imagined places like this even existed. For me, everything used to be just the inside of a room. Moving around only led to trouble…”

She had spoken without thinking, caught up in the beauty of the moment. Only after the words came out did she realize how casually she had revealed a piece of her past. She glanced at Kyler nervously, worried she had said too much.

Luckily, he didn’t seem to notice anything unusual. His eyes remained fixed on the landscape in front of them. In truth, Sasha had not been much different. Living in the attic, that tiny room had been her entire world.

She probably crept down at night, trying not to be noticed. And even then, she must have been nervous about getting caught. No one would have brought her meals properly if she had been locked away like that.

She really is a lot like me. Sasha had never truly tried to understand how the real Sasha had lived, but now, a sense of empathy welled up in her chest.

“There are many beautiful places in the empire. Even among the knights, there are those who love these scenic spots. When we travel, they often say they wish they could visit places like this with their wives or bring their parents along someday.”

“That makes sense. When something is pretty or peaceful, you naturally want to share it with someone you love.”

That was probably why this place had been included on a list of romantic date spots. The idea of seeing this breathtaking view alone, or with someone who upset you, seemed to strip the beauty away.

She felt thankful that Kyler was here beside her. Even if she had come alone, she would have been deeply moved, but in that case, she probably would have thought of him anyway. Moment by moment, she was coming to understand more clearly how she felt about him.

“I’m glad we came here. If I had come alone, I think I would have ended up thinking about you.”

Even though he was not holding her hand at the moment, Sasha felt a small electric thrill, as if something had touched her fingertips.

Knowing they were thinking the same thing made her feel even more connected to him. Kyler was not someone who said much, but she felt a similarity between them.

She used to deny it whenever that feeling arose, unsure how someone like him could be anything like her. But the more she looked closely, the more she sensed that his life had not been an easy one either.

That must be why she felt such a strong bond with him.

“I need to thank the maids for planning this. It was so wonderful. I was worried you might not like it, but I’m really happy you did.”

Sasha hoped this peaceful moment would stay in her memory forever. Even if one day things became difficult or painful, even if she had to return to her original world, she felt like she could live for a while just holding onto this memory.

She didn’t want her thoughts to spiral into the dark places of the past. So she gently took his hand and held it tight, then looked toward the direction he had been watching.

“It’s beautiful. I want to bring a small gift back for the girls.”

She wanted to thank the ones who made this time with Kyler possible. Thinking of the maids putting their heads together to plan this outing brought a smile to her face.

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