1.7

“Mmm…”

She was gradually getting lost in the kiss when suddenly his lips parted.

“Don’t move. There’s a snake.”

A thick tree root protruded from the ground, creating a small hole underneath, from which a snake had extended its head, flicking its tongue. The hole was unfortunately right at their feet, making them easy targets.

The snake seemed agitated by the commotion in front of its home. Judging by its triangular head, it was a viper with venomous fangs.

Terrified, Vanessa instinctively hugged Julian. Her heart pounded wildly. A scream rose to her throat but didn’t come out, knowing that making noise would surely get them bitten by the snake.

In contrast, Julian calmly watched the viper without a hint of surprise.

“Step back. Very slowly.”

Vanessa, unable to take her eyes off the viper, cautiously stepped back. After retreating about five steps, Julian remained standing in place.

Was he planning to catch the snake? If it bit him, it would be dangerous. 

Her mind was racing when Julian pulled something familiar from his pocket.

Why do you have my handkerchief?

Before she could resolve her question, he swung the elongated handkerchief at the snake like a whip.

Ssshh.

Julian’s attack enraged the viper. It bared its sharp fangs and bobbed its head, ready to strike. Unperturbed, Julian continued to lash at the snake with the handkerchief, luring it out of its hole. Once the snake’s tail was fully out, Julian threw a dagger at it.

The snake, cut in half, writhed on the ground, its body twisting. After convulsing for about ten seconds, the snake’s movements ceased, and Julian retrieved the dagger embedded in the ground, severing the snake’s head.

“Donnie said he needed venom for his arrowheads. He’ll like this. The rest can be skinned and gutted, then roasted.”

Julian spoke triumphantly, pleased with his successful hunt. Vanessa had no interest in the fate of the dead snake. She picked up her white handkerchief from the ground. The initials ‘R’ were embroidered in green. The once clean handkerchief was now soiled with dried fluids and dirt.

Her fear quickly turned to anger.

“Don’t touch it. It might have venom on it.”

“This is mine. Why do you have it?”

Vanessa looked down at the handkerchief clutched in her hand and asked.

“Oh, I used it last night for cleanup… I didn’t have a clean towel, so I used it instead.”

She had only used it for wiping hands or sweat because she cherished it, and now it had been used to clean up after s*x. She was so angry that her whole body trembled.

“Why did you take someone else’s things without permission?”

“I didn’t take it. I just borrowed it for a bit.”

“Without my permission, and you dirtied it like this.”

“You’re so sensitive. I’ll wash it and give it back.”

“This is precious to me!”

Vanessa shouted so loudly that it hurt his ears. Her angry eyes were fixed on Julian. He was dumbfounded.

“You’re mad over a handkerchief? If I hadn’t used it, your body would still have s*men on it. I took care of you, and you’re not even grateful… Hey, where are you going!”

He was a man she couldn’t communicate with. Vanessa left him and returned alone.

The group looked puzzled as they saw Vanessa return alone, angry. 

Had Julian bothered the noblewoman too much, upsetting her?

Vanessa squatted by the stream where the horses were drinking and washed the handkerchief. She scrubbed it thoroughly, ensuring no dirt remained, and rinsed it several times in the flowing water until it was clean. However, her anger didn’t subside easily.

Meanwhile, Julian appeared with heavy footsteps. He seemed as displeased as she was.

“I picked this up on the way.”

Julian said, tossing the snake’s head and the prepared snake pieces to Donnie.

“Ugh! Isn’t this a viper? What are you doing throwing something dangerous like that!”

“You should’ve caught it properly.”

Julian replied indifferently, hopping onto his horse.

“Let’s go!”

Julian spurred his horse and rode ahead alone. Donnie shook his head, picking up the viper’s head with his index finger and thumb.

Pierre and Max hurriedly mounted their horses and followed.

“What’s with him suddenly snapping at Donnie?”

“Why else? He’s sexually frustrated.”

Max chuckled, and Pierre’s knowing glance turned to Vanessa. She felt a prickling sensation on the back of her neck.

The two quickly mounted their horses and pursued Julian.

Donnie didn’t follow but slowly applied the snake venom to the arrowheads he had taken out.

“Aren’t you going to follow?”

“It’s best not to bother him at times like this. No point in getting caught up in it. Are you alright?”

“There’s nothing to be alright about.”

“Still, it’s surprising. I didn’t think you’d come back.”

Donnie said, tossing the snake head into the bushes. Vanessa didn’t want to talk about the unpleasant subject, so she kept her mouth shut. Thankfully, Donnie didn’t press further.

The three weren’t far ahead, so they quickly caught up.

They rode in complete silence, keeping a certain distance. Occasionally, Julian looked back, but Vanessa’s expression didn’t brighten as time passed.

Was it because she was a noblewoman, sensitive and picky? Or was that handkerchief truly precious to her? Who is this initial ‘R’? If it were her husband’s name, it would be ‘M’. Is it a hidden lover’s name? But she said herself that she hadn’t slept with anyone but her husband. She didn’t seem like the type to lie about that. Then, could it be her son’s?

Her son. At five years old, he’d be losing things all over the place, needing many handkerchiefs. If it were a handkerchief for her son, it made sense why Vanessa was so upset.

But it was all for her sake. He couldn’t understand why she was so angry. Yet, he couldn’t just leave it alone; it kept bothering him. Perhaps because they had shared a night, even just once, that he felt his heart soften.

By midday, they emerged from the forest path. A low hill and wide pasture spread out before them. Julian disappeared among the yellowing autumn grass under the fall sun.

“Where’s he going now?”

“Leave him be. He’ll be back before sunset.”

As Donnie said, Julian returned to the campsite they had set up by sunset. He carried two brown rabbits.

“I thought you’d catch a deer since you took so long.”

“If you don’t want it, don’t eat.”

“No, thanks for sparing us from snake soup.”

Pierre said, skewering the snake meat he was about to put in the pot onto a stick.

“Anyway, it must’ve taken some skill to catch rabbits with stones without a bow. You always leave the hunting to me. What made you go through the trouble?”

Donnie grinned as he skinned the rabbits.

“Why do you think? Seeing how she rode earlier, her stamina isn’t great. If we feed her roots, she’ll probably faint halfway through. Meat is the best for building strength.”

Julian immediately smacked Max on the back of the head for his vulgar words. Although he was at fault, Max glared at Vanessa. She thought he deserved it and pushed a branch into the campfire.

They chopped carrots and turnips they got from the village into small pieces and boiled them with the cut rabbit meat. Seasoned with finely ground rock salt using a dagger handle, it turned into a decent meal.

Unlike the three who hurriedly filled their hunger, Vanessa and Donnie clasped their hands together, offered a prayer of thanks, and then began eating.

“Have you ever tried this?”

Julian offered Vanessa a well-cooked snake skewer.

She could have ignored him, but doing so would ruin the atmosphere of the meal.

“No, never.”

“Try it. It tastes just like chicken.”

The snake meat was repulsive, but seeing everyone else holding and eating it, she mustered the courage. When she took a bite, it really did taste like chicken.

“It’s edible.”

“Right? When you’re living as a mercenary, you end up eating all sorts of things.”

“Is that so?”

“When I participated in the Holy War 8 years ago…”

Since Vanessa responded, Julian excitedly recounted the exotic meats he had tasted, from squirrel and bear to crocodile. Vanessa politely engaged with stories of meats she would never eat in her lifetime and had no desire to seek out.

Pierre frowned at the silly conversation between the two.

Julian seemed oddly excited. He appeared completely infatuated with that woman. Pierre worried he might do something he’d regret again. But he knew that no matter how much he tried to dissuade Julian, it wouldn’t make a difference.

“This is driving me crazy. Hey, Donnie.”

“Why, Pierre?”

“Try to stop him. He’s at it again.”

“Ah… right.”

Donnie chewed on rabbit meat and glanced at Julian and Vanessa.

For Julian, most women were just one-night stands, but there were exceptions. Donnie recalled that there was only one special woman in Julian’s life, and it hadn’t ended well.

“Why can’t that bastard resist widows? I don’t get it. A pure virgin is better than a worn-out woman.”

Donnie gave a bitter smile without answering Pierre’s contradictory words, who himself was second to none in being worn out. Having watched Julian for a long time, Donnie could vaguely guess the reason.

Before being entrusted to the Arenshen family, Julian grew up poor under a single mother. Despite the difficult situation of raising a son alone without a husband, his mother cherished and loved young Julian dearly.

Perhaps because of that, even after losing his mother early and becoming an adult after a long time, Julian often seemed to project his mother’s image onto widows. Coincidentally, Vanessa was also a widow and a devoted mother, making her presence particularly dangerous for Julian.

Donnie sincerely hoped Vanessa wouldn’t become the second woman to ruin Julian’s life.