Chapter 45

Light snowflakes were scattering in the air. Karina approached the railing and brushed off the thin layer of snow with her fingers. It didn’t feel real that today was already her last day here.

‘So much has happened in such a short time.’

Even after the competition had ended, Karina had to stay at the Marquis’ residence for a few more days due to the injuries and mental aftereffects caused by the accident. Still, she was glad she could see the northern snow on her final day.

As the snowfall began to stop, the sound of footsteps grew closer. Soon, Karina was met with a face she wasn’t happy to see.

“Phyllis……”

Before she could even finish speaking, Phyllis had already come to stand near the railing. For some reason, his expression was stiff. Karina closed her mouth and met his gaze.

What had happened back then was simply an act to save someone in danger.

‘That’s really all it was.’

After repeating this to herself, Karina turned her body away.

“Why did you do it?”

A hoarse voice rang out from behind her. Even though she walked away without hesitation, Phyllis didn’t stop and continued to speak.

“Why did you save me? You should’ve just left me.”

“……”

“Like you said, that’s the kind of relationship we have.”

His twisted words stabbed painfully at her heart. In the end, Karina turned back around. Phyllis was still standing in the same spot.

The snowflakes, which she thought had stopped, began to scatter more heavily again. In the silence that had lasted for a long time, Karina finally spoke in a low voice.

“I would’ve done the same, no matter who it was.”

It was a childish answer to match a childish question. At the same time, it was the truth. No matter who it had been, Karina would’ve drawn her bow.

‘There’s no such thing as a friend like that.’

It wasn’t because it was Phyllis. Even if it had been, it shouldn’t have been.

“Don’t lie.”

She couldn’t bear to look at Phyllis, who said this with reddened eyes.

She knew that Phyllis had deliberately not left the Marquis’ residence. She also knew very well that it was because of her.

“Even so, you shouldn’t have done it.”

That’s why Karina couldn’t stop Phyllis as he approached her. His hand slowly came up and carefully held her left arm.

“You got hurt.”

At those words, as if a dam had burst, large teardrops began to fall from Phyllis’ eyes.

“Phyllis.”

“Because of me… because of someone like me.”

Phyllis said this as he clung to Karina’s arm and cried.

Karina didn’t say anything.

She didn’t comfort him as he cried, nor did she push him away. She just stayed still.

Maybe it was pity for the man in front of her. Or perhaps, she had wanted him to cry and cling to her in the first place.

It was a cruel thought. Knowing this herself made it all the more miserable.

“I’m sorry.”

His tear-soaked voice spoke the words she had grown tired of hearing.

Only then did Karina come to her senses and lift her head. Phyllis was still looking down, unable to meet her eyes.

‘He shouldn’t have said anything.’

Seeing him like this reminded her of when Phyllis had once apologized to her. She felt both bitter and strangely calm at the same time.

“And I’m sorry again.”

The next apology turned Karina’s feelings in a slightly different direction.

“I guess I can’t do it.”

His touch, which had been soft at first, now let go of her arm. But unlike his actions, Phyllis’ gaze had subtly changed. The tears lingering in his eyes began to dry little by little.

What remained was a mix of slight emptiness and various complicated emotions.

“I don’t think I can stay in that kind of relationship with you.”

Before she could fully understand his words, Phyllis stepped back from her. And before she knew it, he was speaking again amidst the intensifying snowstorm.

It seemed like he had said something, but it was unclear due to the wind. Whether Phyllis realized this or not, he turned around without saying anything further.

Even after he left, Karina stood there blankly for a long time. It wasn’t because she was curious about what he had said.

‘Maybe we really weren’t friends after all.’

If what she thought she had heard was correct.

If that were really the case, she only wished that all of this was a dream.

***

Karina left the castle and got into the carriage. Footprints were left in the snow-covered path. Adolf had already returned to the Marquis’ residence due to work, and Kate and Della had boarded the carriage ahead.

“If you feel uncomfortable, let me know anytime! I’ll come over!”

Della’s voice came from outside the window, but Karina pretended not to hear. After being overwhelmed by excessive kindness for the past few days, she thought being alone would be more comfortable.

‘It’s only until dinner anyway.’

Left alone in the carriage, Karina leaned back. She was a little tired from waking up early in the morning.

“Lady?”

Out of nowhere, Kaya appeared, pressing her face against the window and shifting her eyes. Since there weren’t many people left, they had decided to combine their group for the return trip. Of course, there were others besides Kaya as well.

“Miss Karina?”

Noah appeared at the opposite window, tapping on it as he looked at Karina.

“Are you both riding horses?”

“Not the captain, just me.”

At Karina’s question, Kaya pointed to herself with her finger.

“How could someone with a sprained ankle ride a horse?”

Kaya shrugged her shoulders and quickly mounted her horse. Karina, feeling slightly somber, closed her mouth. When she asked if there was a separate carriage prepared, she received an unexpected answer.

“You’re riding in the supply wagon?”

Karina doubted her ears and asked again. Unlike her, the others nodded nonchalantly.

“Yes.”

“What? How can people ride in a supply wagon…?”

“We came here that way too.”

“It’s actually quite comfortable.”

Watching Noah smile brightly as if it were no big deal, Karina started to get a headache.

‘Injured and unable to ride a horse, so they’re supposed to ride in a supply wagon?’

She almost wanted to meet the person who had made such an absurd decision.

After some deliberation, Karina got out of the carriage. She approached one of the knights at the rear. The knight, hearing her request, asked back with a reluctant expression.

“Pardon? Those two?”

“Yes. One of them is injured. Could you allow it?”

Since it wouldn’t inconvenience anyone else, there wasn’t much reason to refuse. In the end, she got permission, but the problem arose elsewhere.

“I don’t want to.”

Kaya responded indifferently, lying flat on her horse.

“What?”

“I suffered so much on the way here that I feel like throwing up just looking at a carriage.”

“But it’ll be much more comfortable than before.”

No matter how much Karina tried to persuade her, Kaya stubbornly stuck to her decision.

It couldn’t be helped. Karina left her alone and climbed back into the carriage.

“Thank you.”

Noah, who followed her into the carriage, smiled brightly and expressed his gratitude.

Feeling awkward, Karina shook her head slightly and looked out the noisy window. The carriage began to move slightly as if they were about to depart.

“Oh, right, here!”

At that moment, a hand suddenly reached through the open window and handed Karina a golden key.

“This is yours. I almost forgot. Take good care of it.”

Leaving only those words, Kaya disappeared to the back of the carriage.

Karina leaned out to look for a moment, but eventually closed the window and examined the key. The small key, about the length of her little finger, gleamed brightly in the sunlight.

“What wish are you going to make?”

Noah asked curiously, as if he genuinely wanted to know.

Karina, fiddling with the key, looked at him with a troubled expression.

“Well… I don’t think it’s a wish I can use.”

As she already knew, the key had been found around the neck of the rabbit Kaya had discovered.

At the same time, it was the only prize from the competition, which had been full of disappointments.

She didn’t know where or how it had been found, but Karina had no reason to receive the prize. If anything, it should’ve been the other way around. After all, her life had been saved by the two of them.

“I didn’t do anything. This belongs to the two of you.”

Once during the standoff with the wolves, and once again with Noah—Karina had no reason to take the key, either logically or morally.

Noah, who had been staring at the key Karina held out, eventually took it and brought it close to his chest. Or so she thought, until she saw him take out a necklace.

Noah removed the pendant from the necklace and attached the key, creating a new necklace.

“This way, it’ll be easier for you to carry.”

“…Did you even hear what I said?”

His attitude made it seem like he had no intention of listening to her.

Karina sighed softly and was about to firmly reject him when Noah’s hand reached behind her neck.

“I heard you.”

Perhaps because he was too close, his voice, which was probably the same as usual, sounded different.

Frozen in place, Karina blinked only after Noah moved away.

“Still, please accept it.”

“……”

“That’s what we want from you.”

Noah made a request that Karina couldn’t refuse. In the end, she had no choice but to hold the key in her hand. The cold metal touched her skin.

‘I feel like Kaya would react the same way.’

Even if she didn’t show it, Kaya seemed to carry a significant sense of responsibility for Karina’s kidnapping. Especially since Noah, who had gone to rescue her, had returned severely injured.

Of course, that was just Kaya’s perspective. Karina knew very well that it wasn’t the case. But knowing how stubborn they were, trying to explain would be pointless.

‘Maybe I should make a wish for the two of them. What could it be?’

Lost in thought, Karina suddenly looked up.

Noah was leaning against the window with his eyes closed. Despite his body still being covered in bandages, his face looked peaceful and clean.

Unconsciously, Karina leaned against the window and stared at Noah. Her slow-blinking eyes gradually closed. The rattling sound of the carriage grew faint.

When she opened her eyes again, the carriage was traveling along a road bathed in the light of the setting sun. She noticed Noah’s hand wedged between the shaking window and her head.

It was a large, warm hand. Karina stared at Noah, who was sitting across from her, for a long time before closing her eyes again.

Whether it was a dream or not, it didn’t matter. Somehow, this moment felt good.