Chapter 25
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Chapter 25
I froze in shock, my body going rigid. I'd naturally assumed Enoch would take a step back. Instead, he moved two steps closer.
Was he always this reckless?
I forced myself to regain composure. To survive on this harsh Island, I couldn't let myself be swayed helplessly by others.
Especially not by such an uncertain feeling that amounted to nothing more than "being bothered."
So I decided to be more resolute.
"You said you'd never develop feelings for me. You told me not to harbor false hopes."
My words struck a nerve. Enoch's brow furrowed, his expression confused and conflicted.
That look confirmed it. This was nothing more than a fleeting distraction, nothing substantial.
I resolved once more: I would never let him sway me again.
Of course, the harsh words he'd spoken to me were deserved by Margaret as she was before—he didn't need to blame himself for that.
"If this goes any further, it'll become troublesome for both of us, just as you said. So shall we stop here?"
This time, I returned his own words to him. Being timid by nature, I remembered every word that had wounded me.
Enoch fell silent, unable to speak. Seeing him blame himself so uncharacteristically, I felt a pang of sympathy and opened my mouth again.
"Enoch. I want to live. I hope you survive too. I mean that sincerely."
My words seemed to catch him off guard. His golden eyes widened in surprise, trembling sharply.
"So for now, let's focus only on survival. We can worry about other things later, can't we?"
Hearing this, Enoch closed his eyes tightly, as if suppressing some overwhelming emotion.
* * *
Unable to bear the awkward atmosphere with Enoch, I left the Cave, only to find Kaiden sitting outside.
He sat quietly atop the fallen log we used as a makeshift bench, gazing out at the darkening brush.
I sat down beside him.
Though he still made me uneasy, I couldn't be so heartless as to not thank someone who had searched for me.
"I'm sorry for worrying you. I heard you went looking for me."
Kaiden turned to look at me.
"It's enough that you're safe."
He studied me with eyes that revealed nothing of his thoughts.
"Strange magical circles bloomed in the sky, the sun was setting and you were gone... The Crown Prince acted like he had separation anxiety, desperately searching for you like a madman. It was maddening."
Ah. So the Cave being in such disarray was indeed because of Enoch.
Separation anxiety... Was it because I could control his rampage that such a bond had formed?
As I pondered this, I glanced at Kaiden. Unlike before, his cloak was filthy. He really must have searched hard for me.
"Are you alright?"
Kaiden didn't answer, instead resting his chin on his hand and staring intently at my face. That gaze, laden with unspoken meaning, flustered me.
"What?"
"I heard everything you two were saying inside."
"...Oh, you did?"
He heard all those embarrassing conversations?
My face burned. I tried to look away while fanning myself, but Kaiden gently tilted my chin up with his fingertip.
As a result, our eyes met once more.
"But you know what? What am I supposed to do? I've become interested in you too."
At his words, I simply blinked and stared at him.
Enoch and I had spent time together, but why Kaiden...? And as if the two men had conspired, they both confessed in remarkably similar ways.
"Don't joke around. Why are you taking interest in me? When have I ever said I didn't dislike you?"
Perhaps it was because his first impression had been poor. Or perhaps because I knew what kind of man he was. No matter what Kaiden said, it never felt sincere.
His blood-red eyes gazed at my face with crystalline clarity.
I quietly watched as his lustrous silver hair swayed gently in the warm breeze.
Kaiden's sharp feline eyes curved as if amused. He was smiling with his eyes.
Why was he smiling here? Bewildered by his inexplicable smile, I could only blink.
"No matter how I look at it, you're different from the Margaret I've heard rumors about. Different from what the rumors said. That's why my gaze is drawn to you. That's why my eyes follow you. I can't help that."
His face drew closer.
His skin, perhaps even paler than mine, and his blood-red eyes filled my vision.
I leaned back. Of all people, I had let my guard down around Kaiden.
As I tried to rise from my seat, he grabbed my wrist.
"Let go."
When I furrowed my brow as if in pain, he immediately released my wrist.
"I'm sorry. And I'm sorry for threatening you before. For saying I disliked you."
He spoke in a disgruntled tone. Of course, his words still didn't resonate with me.
"Never mind that...."
As I opened my mouth, Kaiden waited for my next words with an expectant expression.
"You don't like me anyway. And that won't change in the future."
Kaiden's lips hardened rigidly.
Both Enoch and Kaiden seemed like they might change once they met the heroine....
I thought that perhaps only after that point would I be able to trust and judge them.
"I don't understand what you're saying."
Kaiden answered, feigning ignorance. I nodded as if resigned to it.
"Think about it. We haven't known each other long, and you openly said you disliked me with contempt. So how could I possibly develop feelings for you?"
At my words, Kaiden flinched with a look of realization. Then he smiled with an unbothered expression. It was difficult to discern whether it was genuine or false this time as well.
I pointed to the earring hanging from his right ear and spoke.
"I know you can't control your emotions well. That earring is supposed to regulate your emotions, but it's broken now."
Kaiden looked genuinely shocked.
"You... How did you know that...!"
"I know the person who made that earring. Anyway, what matters is that you need to properly control your emotions here without relying on the earring's power."
Of course, I didn't directly know the person who made the earring. I simply remembered what Kaiden had said to Yuanna in the original work.
At my words, Kaiden lost his voice and stared at me blankly.
"I understand saying such strange things to someone you don't even like. It's because of the earring."
It had been somewhat difficult to be cold to Enoch, but not to Kaiden. Unlike Enoch, he hadn't spent much time with me.
"But this can't go any further. Don't say things you'll regret later."
I released his hand and turned away. But Kaiden urgently grabbed my wrist again.
His face, which seemed somewhat angry, drew close before me.
"Yeah, you must find this ridiculous too."
He looked at me with an amused smile playing at his lips.
"But Margaret, whether I take an interest in you or not is my own feeling, isn't it? So that's my decision to make. That little lecture of yours was rather presumptuous."
He flashed a beautiful smile, dimples deepening charmingly, then pressed his lips gently against the back of my hand for a lingering moment.
It was a greeting in the Langrid Empire's style, but when Kaiden did it to me, it felt somehow different. The soft, tender sensation left an impression that lingered long after.
I pulled my hand free from his grasp and scrambled to my feet in a fluster.
"You're the presumptuous one. Completely willful. Understand?"
"I do."
Kaiden nodded brightly, his expression serene. I had no idea what he was thinking.
Watching him with a vague sense of unease, I awkwardly rose and retreated into the Cave.
And there I ran directly into Enoch, who was standing at the entrance.
...Had he heard my conversation with Kaiden?
But at that moment, I was far too exhausted to care. So I paid it no further mind, returned quietly to my spot, lay down, and closed my eyes in silence.
"But Margaret, whether I take an interest in you or not is my own feeling, isn't it? So that's my decision to make. That little lecture of yours was rather presumptuous."
Kaiden's voice echoed in my ears. But I had only said what needed to be said.
I could only hope that when they met the heroine, they wouldn't come to regret the words spoken today.
* * *
As expected, I fell ill the next day—not with a cold or fever, but with severe muscle soreness.
When I opened my eyes, I worried about how I'd face Enoch and Kaiden, but such concerns seemed trivial now. My entire body felt as though it might shatter.
As I writhed in such agony, Enoch grew anxious, hovering about me and attending to my every need.
I didn't refuse his help. I truly felt as though I were dying.
Margaret's body was remarkably fragile. Once I recovered even slightly, I'd need to begin physical conditioning immediately. How else could I survive on this harsh Uninhabited Island?
In the end, it took a full four days of muscle soreness before I could move again.
When I finally emerged from the Cave after so long, I saw Enoch building a campfire at the entrance. Beside him, Kaiden was carefully shaving bark into thin strips and twisting them into cord.
As the novel had described, Kaiden truly possessed many remarkable skills.
"How are you feeling?"
Enoch approached and placed his hand on my forehead to check my temperature. Then Kaiden carefully drew near and examined my complexion.
"Rest more."
I shook my head at Kaiden's suggestion.
"I'm fine."
And I emphasized it while looking at Enoch as well.
"Really."
Enoch's face remained full of concern as he caressed my cheek once more before reluctantly stepping back.
We sat gathered before the campfire, our faces weary, watching the flames crackle and burn for a long while.
"We need to find a way to escape the Island, but I haven't the faintest idea where to begin."
Enoch sighed, his expression uncharacteristically troubled.
"Kaiden, have you seen any other people on the Island?"
I asked Kaiden casually, as if merely probing.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org