“Don’t worry. Even if the lake turns upside down, not just the boat, I’ll save you.”

Bellota laughed at Seiden’s words, her tension easing.

The gently moving boat had already drifted far from the shore, and since the surrounding boats were all widely scattered, the lake where only the two of them floated was soft and quiet. The fireflies and lanterns twinkling over the lake, the beautiful music faintly echoing from far away, and the gentle breeze blowing made everything feel too sweet. Bellota felt she would never forget this moment.

“I enjoyed today.”

When Bellota gently confessed while watching the lanterns reflected on the water’s surface, Seiden’s eyes, which had been watching her all along, darkened. Bellota’s eyes, full of lantern light, met the eyes that held only her.

“It was your wish, but I enjoyed it more.”

Her face showed both embarrassment and joy at this realization. Seiden, who had been quietly watching her, held out the lantern to Bellota.

“They say wishes come true if you make them while releasing the lantern.”

The small boat had reached the center of the lake, which is said to be the most beautiful spot for releasing lanterns. The boat stopped on its own, gently bobbing in place. Bellota looked at the lantern he offered, then at Seiden.

“What about your wish?”

There was only one lantern.

“As you know, my wish has already come true.”

Seiden answered brazenly. At his nonchalant face that truly seemed to want nothing more, Bellota’s heart fluttered slowly. Bellota, who had taken the lantern, gazed down at its soft light. Her sorrowful eyes, slowly closing, revealed that she was earnestly wishing for something.

Seiden captured every moment of this sight, trying to guess what Bellota’s wish might be. She probably wished to find a way to break the curse. Thinking about Bellota’s situation, having to wish for such things, made his mood, which had been unusually elated during this dreamlike day, sink to the bottom of the lake.

Of course, feelings were just feelings, and if that was Bellota’s wish, he would definitely make it come true, so there was no need to despair. He only hoped that Bellota was thinking the same as him.

Soon, Bellota, who had placed her secret wish in the lantern, slowly released it into the sky. The two watched as the dazzling lantern floated up on the night breeze, joining the other lanterns that were embroidered like stars in the sky.

Seiden’s gaze quickly left the lantern and turned to Bellota, who was watching the sky with moved eyes. After silently observing her for a while, Seiden suddenly spoke.

“I have no relationship whatsoever with Her Highness Princess Hestina.”

It was such an unexpected statement that Bellota’s gaze, which had been following the lantern, immediately fixed on Seiden. As Bellota stared at him in confusion, unable to make any response, Seiden continued in his blunt voice.

“I won’t be going out with her in the future either. Nor will I sit here releasing lanterns with any other woman.”

At this added mumble, Bellota’s ears suddenly grew hot.

Bellota tried to recall if she had shown any reaction about Princess Hestina throughout the day. Perhaps her expression had been strange when the novice priests were talking about her and Seiden. Of course, it was true that whenever she heard stories about Seiden, something in her chest would flutter in a way that surprised even herself. But……

But even if they went out together, even if they eventually became the beautiful couple everyone hoped for, it wasn’t her place to care. She wasn’t in any position to comment on it.

That’s why Bellota hadn’t asked Seiden anything. Even though she had occasionally wondered if he had promised to go to the festival with Princess Hestina too, if tomorrow evening it would be the princess sitting in this boat instead of her, she never voiced these thoughts.

Yet here was this sudden confirmation…… As Bellota remained unable to respond in her confusion, Seiden added,

“I’m just letting you know. That’s all.”

Seiden looked at Bellota with an expression that seemed somewhat relieved after firmly stating his position until the end. The small boat, which had started cruising again, was moving softly and leisurely as if floating in the air.

“……I see.”

Bellota answered quietly, unable to look directly at Seiden.

She was afraid to figure out why her heart, which had been surging strongly from time to time, was becoming peaceful at those unexpected words. Come to think of it, since the premise of their outing had originally been that Princess Hestina would catch the kurkroll, it was natural that the two wouldn’t go out. That huge kurkroll was caught by Seiden, after all……

As she thought about this, Bellota suddenly remembered Seiden’s sword that had been embedded in the kurkroll’s left eye and quickly raised her head. Seiden was still looking at Bellota. Her heart beat nervously at that obvious gaze.

“I have a question.”

At Bellota’s quiet voice, Seiden tilted his head slightly. It meant she should ask. Bellota unconsciously gripped her skirt slowly as she met his gaze.

“How did you know…… that the kurkroll’s weakness was its left eye?”

A strange silence settled over the boat that was busily moving. While listening to the sound of the small boat gently cutting through the water, Seiden looked at Bellota, who held a faint expectation and fear in her eyes.

Until about ten years ago, the kurkroll had been such a rare monster that those who had witnessed it could be counted on one hand. Its appearance as the special monster for this hunting festival had been surprising even for Seiden. As Bellota said, Seiden exactly knew its weakness. Long before this hunting festival began. And the reason he knew that weakness was……

After hesitating for a moment, Seiden’s lips slowly moved.

“I found out by chance. When I encountered it during a subjugation mission.”

Ah….. At this calm answer, Bellota’s tense gaze dissolved into emptiness. It was natural. Seiden was a man who went on constant subjugation missions, so he could have encountered a kurkroll anywhere.

Bellota slowly nodded and smiled as calmly as the lake.

“I see. That’s good.”

Since it wasn’t clear what was good, Seiden simply stared at Bellota instead of answering.

Bellota recalled another incident that had occurred at the hunting festival while looking at the flickering lights from the opposite shore.

“Could the person who cursed you at the hunting festival be the same one who moved the moon?”

Seiden furrowed his brow at this complex question, unable to answer readily.

He was convinced that Geril was behind the person who cursed him at the hunting festival. Also, Geril was connected to the demon stone that moved the moon. However, Geril still seemed to have no clue about Bellota’s curse, making it difficult to be certain if he was the culprit. If he had found out, Geril wasn’t the type to remain quietly inactive like this.

Bellota’s thoughts were similar to Seiden’s. Nevertheless, what was clear was that someone was threatening even him.

“You need to be careful.”

When Bellota gently expressed her concern, Seiden’s furrowed brow softened. Although he felt pathetic for being incredibly pleased by Bellota’s single word of concern even in a situation where someone was holding a knife to his neck, there was nothing he could do about it.

“I will.”

By then, the boat seemed to have arrived at the dock. The boat, which had been moving so smoothly that it almost made them drowsy, hit something and stopped. Seiden skillfully stood up and extended his hand to Bellota. As she grabbed his hand and stood up, Bellota noticed that they weren’t at the same dock they had departed from.

The lanterns adorning the sky had long since become distant, and everything around was dark. Bellota realized that the dock was on the opposite side of the lake, and the boat had landed on a deserted shore with no sign of people.

“Sir……? I think the boat stopped at the wrong place.”

Although Bellota whispered in confusion, Seiden showed no sign of perplexity as he climbed onto the shore first and extended his hand to her again.

“We’re in the right place.”

The right place? Bellota looked at the dark forest spread out behind him. All that was on this shore was a dark forest where tall trees grew so densely that the interior was completely hidden. After hesitating briefly, Bellota soon grabbed Seiden’s hand and climbed onto the shore. Even after she had completely stepped onto land, Seiden didn’t let go of her hand. He simply held onto Bellota’s small hand as if it were natural and slowly began to walk.

Although confused by Seiden’s behavior, Bellota didn’t ask him to let go of her hand and followed his lead. The two passed precariously through the thickly overgrown bushes and entered the darkness-covered forest. Although the forest was still dark, Seiden stepped forward without hesitation, never once getting lost on the dark forest path.