“Tch.” 

A short click of a tongue echoed. 

Soon after, a series of sharp thud followed as several arrows embedded themselves in the trees. 

“…Ara!” 

A voice shouted, a strong foreign accent mingled with the language of the Empire. 

“Catch him!” 

“He’s a dog of Ilmos!” 

“Whoever captures a dog of Ilmos will be rewarded!” 

The loud shouts filled the air, a cacophony of chaos. The murderous intent emanating from the seasoned warriors felt like it could cut through flesh, stinging with palpable malice. 

In the next moment, a wave of heat cut through the oppressive atmosphere, blocking it out completely. 

“Don’t mind them.”

Kallian whispered, his voice calm. 

“…….” 

“They’re just scavengers that have crossed the border.”

He added, as if he were talking about nothing more than an annoying bunch of thieves. 

But through the crack in the shield, Elliope saw them. 

The men atop the canyon wore armor adorned with the emblem of the Kingdom of Seor, a neighboring country frequently at odds with the Empire.

‘They’re Seor soldiers.’

Judging by the fact that they bore the nation’s insignia, it was highly likely they were part of the regular army. Seor was by no means a militarily weak nation. These were in a completely different league from mere packs of petty thieves.

However, even upon seeing them, Kallian didn’t show the slightest hint of panic.

When Elliope cautiously turned her head to look at him, his furrowed brow held nothing but irritation, as though he found the situation nothing more than a nuisance.

But the moment his gaze met hers, his expression changed.

“Ah…”

When his darkened eyes seemed to pierce through her, Elliope felt as though she had been struck by an arrow, her breath hitching.

Kallian appeared to assume her silence was due to fear, thinking she was too terrified to speak.

“Gasp.” 

Kallian quickly reached out with the hand that had been holding the reins and wrapped it around Elliope’s neck. His fingers, firm yet measured, cupped her jaw between thumb and forefinger, gently tilting her head upwards. 

“Breathe.”

“Haah…” 

“Yes, just like that.” 

Her pounding pulse was fully within the grasp of his large hand. 

“This often happens near the borders of Ilmos.”

Kallian whispered, his lips still close to her ear. 

His voice was calm, almost cool. But Elliope could feel it – his heart, pressed against her back, was pounding fiercely. The adrenaline of imminent battle coursed through his veins, threatening to consume him. 

“Catch the dog of Ilmos -!” 

“Aaargh!” 

A piercing scream interrupted the call from above. 

Immediately, Kallian drew a dagger from his belt and hurled it with precision. The foreigner, who had been aiming an arrow from a distance, was struck and sent flying. The heavy thud of the body echoed through Elliope’s frame. 

‘Ah…’ 

It was as if Kallian’s wildly beating heart proved the chilling rumours – that he took pleasure in the act of slaughter. 

He tightened his grip on Elliope, almost as if he wanted to imprison her in his arms. Her small hips pressed roughly against his thick stomach, grazing the firm centre of his lower body. 

But instead of pain from the pressure on her back… 

Elliope swallowed a small whimper. The presence of the man pressing down on her from behind was overwhelming, his every move intensely palpable. She could feel the blood rushing to her temples, her body betraying her. 

“Get him! Get him, I said!” 

“Does it make sense that we can’t catch one man?” 

The shouts of her pursuers filled the air, but they seemed distant compared to the chaos inside her. 

“He’s not alone! He has a woman with him!” 

“What? A woman?” 

Chaos broke out again. Elliope could feel countless murderous intentions now targeting her. 

Kallian was one step ahead, shielding her body with his own and raising the shield in front of them. 

Thud-thud-thud. 

The sound of arrows piercing the shield echoed above them, the sturdy wooden barrier unexpectedly holding up well against the onslaught. 

“Hyah!” 

Kallian let out a mighty roar, as if unleashing the energy that had been building within him. His black steed lurched forward at full speed, racing through the canyon. 

“Shoot the horse! Aim for the legs!”

Bang!

It happened just as the Seor soldiers shouted. Kallian, pulling something else from the harness strapped to his chest, hurled it behind them. 

The moment it hit the ground, a small explosion went off. The sharp, acrid smell of gunpowder stung the air and enveloped the canyon. 

Rumble! 

“Argh!” 

“It’s collapsing!” 

A small grenade, its fuse lit, had exploded in the narrow canyon. The sound of crumbling rock echoed around them. Elliope stared blankly, her expression dazed. 

She had never seen a fighting style like Kallian’s. 

When she had only heard the rumours, the image that came to mind was always of a blood-soaked demon wielding his long, massive sword with brute force. 

But the Kallian she saw now was more like a cold, calculated strategist who would not hesitate to use any means necessary to achieve his goals. 

Even in the midst of the chaos, Kallian deftly deflected the incoming arrows with a single shield, never failing. To those who attempted to approach, he threw daggers mercilessly, stopping them in their tracks. His movements made it clear that he was a man of considerable physical discipline and training. 

“Haa…” 

Kallian exhaled just above Elliope’s neck, his breath hot and heavy. The warmth travelled down her neck, through the fine strands of hair at its base, and seeped into her scalp. 

It felt as if he might bite her neck at any moment. 

‘Just like that time.’ 

The fine hairs on her neck stood on end. A shiver ran down her spine, though she couldn’t tell if it was from tension or some strange anticipation. 

“Aaargh!” 

Behind them, the aftermath of the latest explosion caused the canyon walls on either side to collapse. The Seor soldiers standing atop them were helplessly caught in the destruction, swallowed up by the chaos. 

But Kallian didn’t even give them a moment to recover. 

Whoosh! 

Something flew through the air again. 

“He’s throwing another one!” 

“Dodge it! Get out of the way, you idiots -!” 

The soldiers, seeing the object fly through the debris of the previous explosion, retreated frantically to the far end of the canyon, screaming at the top of their lungs. 

Bang! 

But what exploded next wasn’t the same grenade as before. 

“Ack!” 

“My eyes!” 

“I can’t see!” 

The new device unleashed a blinding flash that enveloped their vision in white. Chaos broke out among the soldiers as they covered their faces and stumbled around in confusion. 

A massive plume of smoke rose and quickly spread to cover the collapsed canyon. The strong winds that swept through the narrow gorge carried the thick smoke, blanketing the entire area. 

The figures of Elliope and Kallian disappeared into the thick mist, as if swallowed by the smoke. 

“The target is out of sight!” 

“Listen for them! Track them by sound!”  “The canyon echoes everything! We can’t pinpoint their location!” 

“Then shoot blindly if you must! Fire!” 

The desperate shouts echoed through the canyon as chaos reigned among the Seor soldiers. Weapons launched or fired blindly by the soldiers missed their targets, spun wildly and landed behind the horse carrying the two escapees. 

Galloping through the choking haze, Elliope became aware of her own ragged breathing. Each time she struggled for air, Kallian wordlessly reached out to tilt her head back, helping her to breathe more easily. 

“……” 

He did so with a calm, unaffected demeanour, as if the pandemonium around them meant nothing.

Each time he tilted her head back, his bright blue eyes locked with hers. Elliope parted her red lips slightly, but no words came out. Every time she met those piercing eyes, an unquenchable thirst rose within her. A strange foreboding came over her, as if at any moment it would crush her body and penetrate her completely. 

Thump, thump. 

The powerful pulse in her neck seemed to travel through Kallian’s hand and into him. Likewise, the fiery beating of his heart echoed through his chest and seemed to transfer to her back, as if their own heartbeats were synchronised and echoing in each other. 

“Breathe…” 

“Breathe.” 

The whisper came again, brushing against her ear, and heat surged through her body. 

“Look at me, Princess.”

“……” 

“Look at me. Don’t focus on anything else – just me.” 

As Kallian spoke, his fingers brushed down Elliope’s neck in a long, deliberate stroke before tilting her head back again. Finally, air rushed into her lungs, filling them completely. 

And then, after a brief moment, Elliope realised something. She wasn’t the only one whose body was heating up. 

The hardness pressing against her where her hips met Kallian’s lower body had become unmistakably hard. 

“……” 

His deep, rumbling voice growled as he ordered her to focus on him, and his intense face, shadowed with restraint and tension, came into clear view. 

Heat rushed to her own face, her cheeks flushing crimson, the colour spreading to the corners of her eyes. Her slightly furrowed, embarrassed expression would have been enough to stir the emotions of anyone, though Elliope herself seemed unaware of it. 

“Hiiing!” 

The next moment, the horse beneath them neighed harshly and reared abruptly. 

“Whoa, whoa.” 

Before they knew it, they had left the canyon, filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder and blood, and entered a deep mountain path. The sturdy horse, seemingly exhausted, shook its head and came to a halt. 

They had been so engrossed in each other that they hadn’t realised how long they had been riding. 

“Ah!” 

Elliope, finally aware of the stopped horse, began to fidget as she tried to dismount. The sensation of his body pressing so blatantly against her back and hips made it unbearable to remain in such close contact any longer. 

“……” 

Her awkward movements had the opposite effect. Instead of dismounting properly, she lost her balance and ended up sitting on Kallian’s thigh, her hips pressed firmly against him. 

The weight between her legs made Elliope’s body shake involuntarily. 

Kallian froze for a moment, his expression unreadable, before finally dismounting first, leaving Elliope to steady herself afterwards. 

Kallian held out his hand to Elliope. 

“I…” 

She wanted to say that she could leave on her own, but the words wouldn’t come out. She didn’t trust herself. The sensation of sitting on the powerful, uncontrollable beast beneath her was now all too real. 

The weary horse began to shake its head and stamp its feet again, clearly agitated. Elliope realised that she had to move quickly before the horse threw her off. 

“Thank you.”

She said, finally lowering her head and taking Kallian’s offered hand. 

“Be careful.”

“Yes.” 

Where had the confident princess gone – the one who had boldly challenged her maid earlier? All that remained was a girl overcome with shame, as if Kallian’s gaze alone had stripped her n*ked. 

No one else could make her feel like that – only Kallian. 

Without hesitation, he slid his hand under Elliope’s arm and lifted her as if she weighed nothing. Her full br*asts, wrapped in a black dress, brushed dangerously close to his hair. 

Her feet slowly touched the floor. The moment her black heels hit the solid earth, Elliope sprang away from him as if she had been burned. The recent contact had caused her abdomen to press against Kallian’s lower body, and the realisation made her reel. 

“……” 

Kallian, as usual, said nothing, just watched her intently. His gaze lingered longer than usual, his expression unreadable. 

When the silence became too much, he finally spoke. 

“…It seems you’re hurt.”