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Chapter 38 - Chapter 19 (Part 2)

At that moment, one of the knights who had been watching the tense argument between his lord and lady with a troubled expression cautiously interjected.

"Um... Your Grace. I think raising it as the lady suggests might not be a bad idea. Since it's a white marten, we could take it home, raise it, and use its fur..."

The knight who had been trying to take her side in his own way only then realized he had misspoken when he received Blair's contemptuous glance, and closed his mouth.

Herdin let out a quiet sigh and withdrew his hand from Blair's grasp, turning away.

Understanding his meaning, Blair carefully took the baby marten out of its nest. Even from this small creature no bigger than her palm, she could feel a distinct warmth.

The baby, unable to open its eyes yet, cried pitifully as if looking for its mother. Seeing this, her throat tightened.

'What happened to Asiel after I died?'

Only then did she think of Asiel, who would have been left alone after her death.

The assailant might have killed the child afterward. Even if he had been lucky enough to survive, he would have been a thorn in Herdin's side, who loved Miela.

Either way, it was clear it wouldn't have been a happy ending for the child.

Belatedly, she felt hatred for him.

Blair, who had been staring at Herdin's retreating back, snapped back to reality at the sound of the marten's cry. She took off her glove and put the marten inside it.

A knight watching this scene held out his hand.

"My lady, I'll take this little one. Please mount your horse first."

"No, I'll take it."

"But it will be difficult for you to ride in that state. It's dangerous too..."

"I'll walk."

Blair remained adamant despite the knight's concerned words.

As the knight hesitated, unable to decide what to do, Herdin, who had been listening to their conversation, approached leading his horse.

He strode over and lightly lifted Blair, seating her on his horse.

"Herdin...?"

Blair blinked in surprise at his sudden action.

Herdin immediately mounted behind her and ordered the knight.

"Take care of the lady's horse."

He supported Blair's waist with one arm in place of her occupied hands. With his other arm, he took the reins and slowly began to guide the horse.

His cold eyes were fixed straight ahead, not on her, but the arm holding her was firm, as if determined not to let her go.

Blair, looking at him as he avoided her gaze, lowered her head.

She should probably be grateful to him for willingly taking on this inconvenience for her sake, but hearing the pitiful cries of the baby marten, she couldn't find the words.

Even in this situation, she found it ironic that she instinctively felt safe in this cold man's embrace, which was warm.

The winter forest wind brushed past the two people shrouded in silence. As Blair coughed at the chill, Herdin pulled up the fur hood attached to her cloak.

"You said beasts would appear, so why did you come here? You could have stayed behind."

Rather than sarcasm, he seemed displeased that she had come along on the hunt at all.

'Come to think of it...'

The beasts hadn't appeared yet. Occasional sounds of birds taking flight could be heard from other directions, but there were no screams.

'Perhaps the future has changed since my participation in today's hunt is already different from the past?'

If so, it would be better to pass it off as a dream and avoid further suspicion.

As Blair was about to answer Herdin's question, having made this judgment, she saw something through the coniferous forest.

Blair's eyes began to shake violently as she spotted it.

What she saw between the trees was a giant eye.

At that moment, the pupil moved and met Blair's gaze. A chill ran down her spine.

Search "child" at redcatty [.] com to read ahead up to chap 170.

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