The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 83

Rose, dumbfounded, could only stare at her before asking again.

“Where are you going?”

The question was directed at Kyler, not her.

Kyler met her gaze but didn’t reply. Eventually, her eyes turned back to Sasha.

“I’m going to the Uhalin Forest. It was really pretty there.”

For a moment, Rose wondered if she had time-traveled back about two weeks. It was perfectly natural for Kyler to go to Uhalin. It was close to the mountain range where monsters appeared, and recently, monsters had even been appearing in the Uhalin Forest.

But Sasha, she had been attacked by a monster there just a while ago, and that incident had caused Kyler to go berserk and their relationship to drift apart, it was the very cause of those dark days.

As if understanding her reaction, Sasha’s smile deepened, and she reached out to take Rose’s hand.

“I know there’s no real need to go, but I want to. I want to be by Kyler’s side while he’s busy working. He’s going to the forest today instead of the mountains, so I’m just tagging along for today.”

Sending her to a place that wasn’t safe in any way seemed too dangerous, but Sasha looked so happy, and even Kyler wasn’t stopping her, so Rose could only nod.

“Then I’ll let Jeff know. Please tell me when you’re leaving.”

“Okay. Thanks, Rose.”

Ever since that day when Sasha went to the Imperial Palace and returned with Kyler, she had been spending her days smiling. She seemed to have forgotten all about being hurt and in pain, shining brightly.

Rose, feeling somewhat relieved, soothed her heart and hurried off to Jeff, who would prepare a delicious lunchbox for her.

After eating breakfast, they immediately finished preparing to go out. They packed the lunchbox Jeff had made into the carriage and set off. Jeff must have put his heart into it because the lunchbox seemed to have three tiers. It was so big that she struggled to lift it, but Kyler, who had come closer, lightly lifted it and placed it in the carriage.

Dylan followed on horseback from behind, and the carriage quietly departed. Inside, Kyler and Sasha sat side by side.

“But are you really okay with it? Taking me with you?”

Sasha had a different concern. She had said she was just following him out of her own desire to be by his side, but going to that forest together could be a big worry for him.

Besides, he had to protect her while doing his job.

She hesitated because she felt like she was causing trouble, but she had spoken with the thought that if he refused or showed even a hint of difficulty, she would withdraw. Sasha was surprised that he had agreed so readily.

“If there were a problem, I would never have taken you. I have been watching that forest closely, and I have determined that it is not dangerous.  Of course, even if it becomes like that time, I won’t let you get hurt.”

Because he was such a reliable man, she wanted to be greedy.

“I’ve only been able to see you in the mornings and evenings lately, so I was sad, I was worried that I might be acting like a spoiled child.”

He reached out and took Sasha’s hand. His large, firm hand, enveloping her small hand, felt reassuring.

“I was going to worry less and go with you because you told me you wanted to go together, but you still have a lot of worries.”

“It’s not because I’m scared!”

She had asked him to take her, but when it was time to go, she was pouring out her worries, so he seemed to think she was scared because of the memory of that day. It was a little different from that. Sasha patted his hand, which was holding hers tightly.

“I’m intruding on you while you’re going to work. Besides, it’s a place where monsters might appear.”

“We’re going to see if monsters are coming or not, so you don’t have to worry too much. It’s good for me to have you by my side, I feel stable.”

Ah, that’s right. She reminded herself of that once again, holding his hand tightly.

That thing that tormented his ears,  it didn’t reach him when he touched her. He had quite a deep sense of guilt because of that.

“Can you hear the sound now?”

Kyler nonchalantly let go of her hand and closed his eyes for a moment. Sasha also watched him intently, and he slowly opened his eyes.

The blue eyes that carefully revealed themselves from within the closed and opened eyelids were such a vivid color, like the deepening night sky, that she was momentarily lost in gazing at them.

“I can still hear it a little. This sound, it’s probably a monster.”

“Does that mean they’re coming down to the forest again?”

She knew from seeing it back then Kyler was skilled enough to handle one or two monsters on his own. If he fought more seriously, he could probably handle a few more.

But it was a different story if there was someone by his side who couldn’t fight.

“It will be in the mountains. The usual monsters are. If I can’t protect you, I even brought Dylan to entrust you to him and fight. I’ve prepared a lot, so you don’t have to worry.”

He had said so much that it felt rude to keep worrying him.

“Okay. I feel so, so secure knowing that Kyler and Dylan are protecting me.”

Sasha replied like that and pulled his hand, this time holding his hand tightly. She hoped that his ears would be comfortable, even if only for the journey.

As the carriage rolled on, Sasha was thinking about the monster she had met in the forest back then. She thought that if something like that happened again, she shouldn’t be surprised and should do what she could, and she was trying to recall it so she wouldn’t be surprised.

She didn’t remember being thrown down and fighting Kyler right away. She had been dropped on the ground and was disoriented, and she was so distracted by the sight of him fighting that she didn’t remember it well.

However, she vividly remembered the creature that had appeared afterward.

Looking back on it now, it seemed to resemble a dragon that often appeared in Western fantasy movies. It was a little too skinny, but it had wings, and the skin on the outside didn’t feel like ordinary livestock but like a solid suit of armor.

And terribly sharp teeth.

Even recalling it again, its appearance was truly terrifying.

But strangely, going back to the place where that monster was didn’t scare her. When everyone heard that I was going there, the first thing they asked was if I wasn’t scared, so I was actually a little puzzled inside.

“Ah!”

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

The carriage was slowly slowing down. It seemed they had arrived near the forest.

Sasha, who had unknowingly made a sound, shook her hand slightly to indicate no and fell back into thought.

While she was lost in thought, the carriage arrived right next to the entrance of the forest, and Kyler got out of the carriage and reached out to Sasha, who was sitting inside.

“Ah, we’ve arrived. I’ll get out, thank you.”

She gave him a bright smile and took his hand to get out of the carriage. And while she was checking her clothes, Kyler went to the back of the carriage and packed the lunchbox.

Kyler, looking at her slightly dazed face, silently put his arm around her waist and walked into the forest.

“Shall we go to that stream?”

Kyler, watching her seem lost in deep thought, silently stayed close to her and began to walk.

It had felt quite far the first time because it was the first time going there, but it was much closer than before when trying to find it again.

“It’s beautiful even the second time I see it.”

She had been excited since she heard the sound of the water, and she smiled brightly at the unchangingly beautiful scenery. The strength in Kyler’s arm around her waist lessened in response to her reaction. That strength seemed to signify tension.

Jeff’s lunchbox was spread out on the table inside the white gazebo. Sasha continued to admire it as she opened each one. She had thought there would just be simple sandwiches, but there was sliced steak, chicken salad, and bread and cheese.

“Wow, isn’t this more like a dinner menu?”

Kyler, who was watching her admiringly, smiled.

“Isn’t Dylan eating with us too?”

She had waited a little, but Dylan, who had been following from behind, was still nowhere to be seen. So she asked, but Kyler stared at her.

“Um? Why are you looking at me like that?”

She asked because she was curious about his gaze, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Oh, she saw him smile with his eyes for the first time.

“I told him to pack Dylan’s share separately because I thought you would say that. He’s probably found a comfortable place to eat alone.”

She didn’t know if he was able to prepare because he knew her well, or if he was originally someone who took good care of things like that, but either way, Sasha responded with a soft smile because she could see his thoughtfulness.

“Then let’s hurry up and eat, us. Jeff said it’s best to eat it as soon as possible.”

She found a fork from inside the bag and handed one to him.

“It really feels like we’re on a picnic.”

“I see. A picnic, if this is a picnic, I think it’s my first time.”

“Ah! Really? Good! It’s the first time I’m doing it with you.”

Sasha brightened the mood with a bright smile, preventing it from becoming slightly sentimental. Kyler’s lips curved into a defenseless smile, and Sasha’s smile deepened even more.

She liked being with him so much because even these small things they were sharing were all happiness.

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