Episode 32: The Final Sweetness #2
It had been nearly a week since Yohan and Rudella departed for Sanburk.
Sensing something unusual, the imperial court quickly dispatched officials and knights.
There had been no response to the carrier pigeons they had sent, and communication from the other side had been completely cut off.
Thus, a reconnaissance team was formed.
Many volunteers joined the team, led by the newly appointed Deputy Commander of the Bureau’s Second Division, Ricard. These were individuals who had volunteered to rescue Yohan.
“This is the right route, but it’s troublesome,”
Ricard said as he rode at the front, surveying the surroundings. Heavy rains over the past few days had erased all signs of movement.
“For now, let’s keep moving forward. We’re nearing the border and getting closer to Sanburk. If communications have been cut off to this extent, something must have happened.” suggested one of the officials riding beside him.
Ricard nodded and focused once again on the search. However, they weren’t making any progress. Even the detection-type mages hadn’t found anything.
Then, suddenly—
Da-da-dak!
A knight who had gone ahead to scout the path came rushing back.
“Deputy Commander! The bridge connecting the cliffs has been destroyed.”
“The bridge has been destroyed?”
Ricard’s expression hardened. A foreboding sense of dread crept up his spine.
“We’ll head there immediately. All units, ride to the bridge at full speed!”
“Yes, sir!”
With every gallop, their armor and helmets clanged fiercely. Above them, golden banners fluttered in the wind, marking them as members of the Rozino Empire.
Finally, they arrived at the bridge.
Ricard stared grimly at the cliff. The traces of an explosion were evident.
“There’s a high chance they fell down below.”
“That seems likely.”
“Hm…”
Ricard rubbed his chin. To be honest, the chances of survival were close to zero. How could anyone survive being caught in an explosion and falling from such a cliff?
Even if Yohan Harsen was a highly skilled mage, surviving here seemed nearly impossible.
Although he hoped for survivors, even that hope felt faint.
“Let’s investigate below.” a cold voice suggested. It was Francia.
“…We should. At the very least, we need to recover their remains.”
Ricard did not believe that those who had gone to Sanburk could have survived, but Francia thought differently.
“Yohan is definitely alive.”
She wasn’t sure about Rudella Bismarck, but Yohan wouldn’t die here. Not with Rubion.
An artifact that could avert near-death situations seven times—if he had that, he could ‘luckily’ survive even after being caught in an explosion and falling from a cliff.
“Spread out! Find a path leading down the cliff!”
“Yes, sir!”
Following Ricard’s orders, the officials and knights quickly moved into action.
***
At that moment, Yohan, who had been hiding in a cave below the cliff, judged it was time to come out and check the outside.
It had been six days since they had left the imperial palace. Rescue teams should be arriving soon.
“Should I shoot a big spell into the sky?”
Yohan muttered quietly as he gazed blankly at the sky. The best way to reveal their location would be to release a spell into the sky.
A strong magical shockwave would make it easier for detection mages to locate them, and it would also provide a clear visual signal of their position.
“I guess I’ll just fire a rupture point.” Yohan said, raising his fingers. A dark sphere formed at his fingertips, vibrating violently as it shot into the sky.
Boom!
The black sphere exploded brilliantly in the sky, scattering remnants of magic like fireworks and painting the sky with its glow.
“That should have revealed our location.”
Although there might still be assassins who destroyed the bridge lingering around, they hadn’t appeared earlier even after traces of magic had been left behind. It was safe to assume they were gone.
Yohan returned to the cave. Inside, Rudella was quietly sitting with her knees drawn up, dozing lightly.
“Lady Bismarck.”
“…Mmm.”
She rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked up. Yohan gestured outside the cave.
“It’s time to leave.”
“Does that mean we’re going back…?”
Rudella let out a small sigh and stood up. Was it just his imagination, or did her face carry a hint of regret?
“Today marks exactly five days since we arrived in the cave. I’ve notified our location, so the rescue team should be here soon.”
“I see…”
She slowly nodded and moved closer to Yohan. As she discreetly held his hand, he didn’t pay much attention to it.
Rudella, growing increasingly anxious, could only stabilize herself this way.
Yohan and Rudella returned to the spot where Yohan had fired the flare. While they were sitting on a smooth rock, waiting—
“We found them!”
A government official climbing down the cliff came into view.
***
With the help of the officials, Yohan and Rudella safely climbed back up the cliff.
As soon as he appeared among the gathered officials, Francia’s eyes widened, and she ran toward him.
“Yohan!”
“Francia.”
Francia ran into Yohan’s arms. At that moment, the tension she had been holding back melted away. She buried her face in his chest and whispered in a trembling voice.
“I’m so relieved. Truly.”
The faint scent of lilies was oddly unusual, but the familiar voice and the warmth enveloping her confirmed he was alive. She fought back the urge to cry.
Yohan, looking slightly troubled, gently patted her head.
“I probably smell.”
“Not at all…”
Even though he hadn’t washed for days and had been soaked in rain, Francia refused to let go of him.
“Bloodstains…”
Only then did Francia notice the blood on Yohan and asked with trembling eyes.
“Are you injured?”
“My side is… slightly.”
“Let me see.”
Without waiting for his response, Francia skillfully unbuttoned his shirt and unwrapped the black dress fabric that had been tied around his waist.
“Oh my god.”
There was a large wound on Yohan’s side. While it wasn’t deep enough to expose internal organs, it had bled quite a bit.
“I’ll heal it right away.”
Francia clasped her hands together, emanating a warm magical light. It was a rare healing spell that would be difficult to find anywhere in the world.
The wound healed rapidly.
Was it because she was the heroine? Her abilities were truly exceptional.
“Your face is pale.”
“I’ll be fine with a little rest.”
“Really…”
Francia once again buried her face in Yohan’s chest, rubbing her cheek against him.
“I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“I’m glad I could see you again too, Francia.”
Yohan’s response was blunt and lacked much enthusiasm. Sensing this, Francia met his gaze.
His eyes were dull, and he looked visibly exhausted.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been keeping you too long without realizing.”
As Francia helped Yohan toward a carriage to rest, a voice called out—
“Special-Class Mage Harsen.”
It was Rudella Bismarck. Unlike Yohan, she looked fine, albeit slightly haggard.
“Ah, Lady Bismarck. Is something the matter?”
Yohan turned to her with a stagger. Rudella seemed like she had something to say but hesitated, her lips parting without a word.
“Um…”
Rudella averted her gaze and stroked her wrist nervously. Her reddened ears betrayed her emotions.
“…Can I still call on you like this?”
It was a brave question. Though she couldn’t say everything she wanted, her intentions were clear. Rudella, unable to hide her anxiety, pressed down hard on her wrist.
“Of course. Don’t forget what I told you—take it easy.”
Hearing this, Rudella’s eyes widened slightly. She looked at Yohan and answered hurriedly.
“Y-Yes, of course.”
“Then, do so. I’ll be waiting.”
Johan’s faint smile made Rudella clutch her chest.
A subtle trembling spread from her fingertips, surprising even herself.
Inside Rudella’s heart, an unfamiliar longing and desire were beginning to stir.
“…”
Realizing the unusual atmosphere, Francia narrowed her eyes, glancing between the two of them.
This was unmistakably suspicious.
Rudella’s eyes, fixed on Yohan, were filled with sweet emotions—an attraction only a fellow woman could recognize as romantic interest.
“What is it…?”
Her voice dropped, cold and subdued. Yohan tilted his head with a softened expression.
“What do you mean?”
“Lady Bismarck and… never mind.”
Francia shook her head, swallowing her words. It wasn’t the time for trivial talk, given Yohan’s condition.
“Let’s get to the carriage quickly.”
With Francia’s support, Yohan climbed into the carriage the officials had brought. It was no ordinary carriage but one designed for transporting the injured.
“Please rest well.”
“Thank you, Francia.”
“There’s no need for thanks.”
With that, Francia departed.
Yohan, lying on the bedding, finally felt the tension leave his body. Exhaustion washed over him, and his heavy eyelids naturally closed.
“…”
Sitting beside him, Rudella found her gaze drawn to his face, her expression hardening.
The sight of his tired eyelids slowly closing and the gentle curve of his lips captivated her.
‘To be his lover…’
Her mind flashed back to the image of the Lady Fervache in his arms earlier. Honestly, she envied a woman who could share such a bond with a man like Yohan.
‘I want to take him away.’
The thought startled her, and she involuntarily swallowed a gasp. A suffocating desire rippled within her chest, but she suppressed it with her icy rationality.
‘It’s impossible.’
Her position as the Crown Princess, the constraints of the Bismarck family, and the reality that he was the Lady Fervache’s man were etched deeply into her being. Reality bound her tightly.
“Aren’t you tired?”
Just then, Yohan turned his gaze to her, his tone casual. The unguarded look in his drowsy eyes caught her off guard, and she swallowed hard again.
The languid look in his eyes, vulnerable and unguarded, shook her composure once more.
“…Why would I be tired? You’ve done everything for me.”
“It’s my duty to protect Lady Bismarck.”
His offhand remark shattered her composure. Feeling her face heat up, Rudella hugged her knees and hid her flushed cheeks behind her long silver hair.
Yohan added casually, “You must be stressed, though. Now that it’s safe, you should rest.”
“Yes, I suppose I should…”
Watching Yohan close his eyes again, Rudella pressed her trembling heart with her hand.
No matter how hard she tried to suppress her feelings, seeing his face made it difficult to hide her desire.
Gulp.
Her throat moved heavily.
In that moment, Rudella felt her reason begin to crumble.
If she weren’t a Bismarck, could she have been with him?
Even now, if she broke off her engagement with the Crown Prince and severed ties with her family…
Could she live her life alongside Yohan Harsen?
Such reckless questions swirled in her mind, stirring both anxiety and longing in her heart.
‘…No.’
But Rudella shook her head firmly, dismissing the thought as absurd.
This was a forbidden emotion, even to imagine.
She was the Crown Princess.
He had someone he loved.
Her mind replayed the scene of Yohan and the Lady Fervache looking at each other, their unwavering trust in each other, and the resolute affection he showed for Francia.
To Rudella, it all felt like an unattainable reality. Jealousy, like an unquenchable thirst, rose from the depths of her heart.
She envied the Lady Fervache.
She envied her so much.
So much that it was maddening.
Never before had she felt such intense desire.
Even when the Crown Prince was tangled with other women, she had been shocked, yes, but never jealous.
‘…I’ve gone mad.’
Spending just a week with Yohan seemed to have turned her mind upside down.
Rudella hid her feelings.
She was used to swallowing and suppressing emotions.
But.
But perhaps, as he had suggested, she could steal a moment or two of his time.
Rudella indulged her selfishness for the first time. It wasn’t crossing the line, she told herself. Just for a moment, it would be fine.
As she stared at his face, she convinced herself.
For this fleeting moment with him, Rudella accepted her desires.
“Rest well, Yohan.”
Closing her eyes slowly, Rudella wished that this brief impulse would not transform into an eternal longing.
* * *
Access 20 advance chapters with the 'FL's First Time Rofan' Tier ($5).
Link: https://ko-fi.com/Post/TOC-I-Took-the-Female-Leads-First-Time (Paypal payments)
Buy me a coffee Link: https://buymeacoffee.com/galeriakrish/membership (Cards Payments)
* * *
Comments
Post a Comment