Lilline carefully looked Amel over.

“Yes.”

“If you feel uncomfortable while walking, tell me right away. All right?”

Amel waved her hand to show that she was OK. Truth be told, she didn’t have the energy to say anything.

She was completely drained.

Amel was still reeling from the shock of what had happened just moments earlier. She simply kept her eyes on the person walking ahead of her.

Cervel was walking a step ahead.

“Ah!”

Amel stumbled, her foot catching on something.

Cervel, who had been walking ahead, smoothly caught her.

“You’re still not paying attention.”

There was a rock sticking out of the ground. She hadn’t seen it because it was covered by fallen leaves.

“Thank you.”

Amel gave a small nod.

“Your face is red.”

“Yes. The sunlight is rather harsh.”

Since they hadn’t been able to take any of their belongings from the carriage, she didn’t even have a proper hat.

“Drink.”

Cervel handed her the flask he carried with him.

“Thank you.”

Amel accepted the flask and took a sip. The lukewarm water moistened her throat.                  

She closed the lid and handed the flask back to him.

When she looked up at him again, she saw that he was looking down at her quietly.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You look better than I expected.”

“What?”

Amel brushed her sweat-dampened hair away from her face.

“I don’t even have the energy to cry.”

In truth, she had already cried earlier. Tears had briefly welled up in her eyes out of shock, but she had managed to regain her composure.

At least things had turned out this way. They had lost their carriages, but she knew they were fortunate. They had witnessed a landslide right before their eyes, yet everyone had escaped unharmed.

“We were pretty lucky, all things considered.”

“Indeed. We can always find another carriage in the village.”

It would have been far worse if people had been seriously injured in the landslide.

That was why she had managed to recover so quickly.

“There’s no way we’ll reach a village today, is there?”

“No.”

Cervel walked ahead of her as he answered.

“Have you ever camped outdoors?”

“If you mean camping, I’ve done it in a carriage.”

“Then you haven’t.”

“Anyway, you’re saying we have to camp tonight, right?”

“Yes. Looks like we’ll be stuck camping for the entire day.”

Amel awkwardly scratched the back of her neck.

“…Then how long will it take to reach the nearest village?”

“Let’s see.”

Cervel spoke as though estimating the distance they had to travel.

“If we keep going without stopping, we’ll reach a village by early tomorrow morning. It’s just beyond this hill. However, it would be difficult to keep moving all day with Miss Amel, so to be safe, we’ll probably arrive sometime tomorrow afternoon.”

Amel rubbed the space between her brows.

There were thirty people in their group alone.

If she had been alone, she would probably have collapsed long ago. But since she wasn’t alone, she managed to endure it somehow.

***

“Young Master, welcome home.”

Daniel had just returned from a gathering. The deputy butler hurried out to greet him.

Daniel removed his coat and gloves, handed them to the deputy butler, and entered the house.

“Did you enjoy the gathering?”

“Yes. Was everything quiet at home?”

Daniel glanced at the deputy butler. The man seemed reluctant to speak.

Daniel thought back carefully. Ever since the broken engagement, there had been constant turmoil in the household. Despite his engagement to Liz going ahead as planned, the gossip and trouble had continued.

Consequently, he had become increasingly exhausted and was spending more and more time away from home.

Daniel let out a quiet sigh.

“Where’s Liz?”

The deputy butler added worriedly.

“She’s in her room. Perhaps you should pay Miss Liz a visit?”

“Why?”

“Miss Liz seems to be feeling rather depressed.”

“She seemed to be in a good mood this morning.”

“Your engagement ceremony was already a modest affair, and now that the wedding is being kept simple as well… I believe Miss Liz may be feeling hurt.”

Immediately after calling off his previous engagement, Daniel began preparing for a new marriage, holding a small-scale engagement ceremony.

Since they were getting married so quickly due to the pregnancy, there was no reason for the wedding to be lavish.

He had explained this plainly to her that morning, yet she had still expressed her disappointment.

Daniel went to Liz’s room. Since becoming pregnant, Liz had been sleeping much more than usual, so he was usually greeted by silence when he came to visit her.

As he pulled back the blanket, thinking she was asleep, he found her curled up inside, crying quietly.

“Liz.”

“Go away. I hate you, too.”

“Don’t cry, dear. Hmm? You’re not alone anymore. How can you cry like this?”

“Isn’t your family being too cruel?”

“Did something happen?”

Liz let her curly red hair fall loosely around her shoulders. Her eyes were red and swollen as she pleaded with Daniel.

“Daniel! I think your family is ashamed of our child. Why does everyone keep trying to hide and conceal everything? Are you ashamed of me, too?”

“That’s not it. How are you supposed to get through the whole wedding ceremony while pregnant? Especially when you found the engagement ceremony difficult.”

The pregnancy itself wasn’t the issue. They needed to formalize their relationship by getting married as soon as possible.

That was why they were trying to get it over with quickly, even if it meant having a modest wedding. Besides, theirs was hardly a relationship they could openly acknowledge.

“I want everyone to know that there’s nothing shameful about our relationship, but Mother says I’m just being childish.”

“All right. I’ll talk to Mother.”

“Of course, you’re the only one who understands how I feel, Daniel.”

Liz had been lying down, but she struggled to sit up and wrapped her arms around Daniel.

Daniel hugged her briefly before letting out a sigh.

“And I heard you sent away the servants Mother sent you.”

“I have people from my family who can take care of me, too.”

“Even so, once you’re married, they’ll be people you can rightfully have at your disposal. You need to adjust, too, Liz. I also heard you brought your own doctor from your family.”

“I’m pregnant. I’m still in the early stages. Can’t you be considerate of me until I’m safely past this stage?”

“I understand. I know it’s difficult for you. All right, all right. You’re not alone anymore, so don’t cry. Hmm?”

Liz whimpered softly into her pillow, crying.

Daniel sighed and spent quite some time trying to soothe her.

***

They finally arrived at their campsite.

They found a suitable clearing and set up camp.

After walking for seven hours straight, it was already dark.

Amel was completely exhausted and barely aware of her surroundings. Strands of hair clung to her forehead, and the color had drained from her face.

Everyone except Amel was busy preparing the campsite.

They had settled in a suitable spot in the mountains and decided to camp there for the night.

“Your Grace.”

Amel sat on a rock and called out to Cervel, who was standing nearby.

“How is your wrist?”

Cervel turned around.

He had taken off his coat and rolled his shirt sleeves up to his forearms.

“My wrist?”

“You said you sprained it.”

Amel pointed at his wrist.

He was wearing a wrist brace.

“Is it all right?”

“It’s fine.”

“I’m sorry. Because of me.”

“It wasn’t your fault, so don’t worry about it.”

“Still……”

“It was sore for a little while, but it’s completely fine now.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’m only wearing the brace for a day, just in case.”

Cervel answered calmly.

Then he gently moved his wrist, casually flexing and rotating the joint.

“Is this your first time camping?”

“Yes.”

“Even so, you followed along without complaining.”

Truth be told, Amel was so exhausted that she didn’t even have the energy to complain.

She was tired and worn out, yet she found herself smiling involuntarily.

It was a strange feeling.

Initially, she had been flustered and unsettled, but now she couldn’t help but laugh for no apparent reason.

As Amel absently smoothed her wind-tousled hair, Cervel came to stand beside her.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because it’s so ridiculous.”

“Hmm?”

“This whole situation is just so absurd.”

It really was absurd.

That was why she found herself laughing without even realizing it.

“It’s so ridiculous that I actually feel strangely relieved, too.”

Amel stared blankly up at the sky.

The sun had just begun to set, dyeing the sky a vibrant shade of yellow.

It looked as though someone had poured yellow paint across it.

As the sun went down, everyone became busy.

They were all hard at work preparing the campsite.

Amel looked around the campsite.

They had chosen a suitable clearing.

‘My knees are aching.’

Amel firmly kneaded her legs with both hands. They were stiff and knotted from all the walking she had done.

She had only eaten a piece of jerky for lunch and had been on her feet ever since.

The cool breeze that blew in as the sun set had already dried all the sweat from her body.

Amel shivered, and Lilline came over and gave her a blanket.