The Land of the Death (1)

The river was small but stretched far as its trough embraced the foot of the mountain. The water was crystal clear, but icy cold making it suitable for drinking. Suin had a few mouthfuls and found the source to be refreshing with just a hint of sweetness.

She carefully took her shoes and socks off and tried to dip her feet in the water. The water was freezing, but she managed to bear the unpleasant feeling for a bit. It would be perfect if she could take a bath in this crystal water, but the winter made her drop the idea quickly.

The best shot was to heat a little bit of water on the fire and then dip a small towel in. Once wet, she could at least wipe herself from the sweat. This was the downside of travelling, as hygiene had to be compromised. Even though it was uncomfortable, Suin did her best to stay clean, as she was basically touching the knight every day.

Despite all the hard work, he still smelled like fresh rainfall and grassy fields, making her jealous as she was conscious own her cleanliness.

Splash!

Something entering the water's surface rang through the riverside, catching the interest of the resting girl. It sounded like something had fallen into the river and wild ideas popped into her head, as she turned to the source.

Luan was standing on the rocks watching the river life calmly. He took off his armour entirely, and the black shirt revealed his toned body. He never wore the chest plate during their journey, as it would be uncomfortable for her to lean against the metal all the way. But watching him now in casual clothes, he looked exceptionally charming.

The water splashed again, and Luan skilfully caught a fish with his bare hands.

"Amazing! Mister, how did you do it?" Suin clapped her hands in excitement. Hunting was her weakness, and even catching fish was an impossible feast for her. To witness someone catching the trout without any tools, she was simply amazed.

Luan's lips curved into a small smile, after hearing her compliment. He quickly caught another one, waiting for more praise from her. Now, holding fish in each hand, not only did Suin think he was capable, but somehow was reminded of a bear. A bear with dark blue fur and mysterious eyes spoke of the ocean.

"Pcht!" She couldn't help but let out a laugh. It was simply hilarious, how a handsome man can look so funny during a simple task as catching their dinner.

Luan was confused. Did he do something wrong? Wasn't she admiring him just a second before, but now she was trembling with laughter?

It was actually the first time, he tried to catch fish with his bare hands. He didn't even know that he could use the reflexes gained during training his swordsmanship this way, because he wanted to provide her with a warm dinner before crossing the mountain.

Arianell wasn't eating properly, because the food of commoners didn't suit her. Little did he know that she didn't get better food, even while staying at the count's castle. The quality of food in this world was just horrible, be it cooked by the chef in the mansion or by street vendors in the market.

The fish were stitched to the branch and grilled over the flame. Suin impatiently looked at the mouth-watering scene as she genuinely looked forward to their meal after a long time. She tried to not show her disappointment with food too much, as she knew Luan was doing his best to feed her properly. But sometimes, it was hard to hide one expression.

"Are you just going to roast it like this?" She asked while swallowing her saliva.

Luan was confused. What could he possibly do more with their meal? It was still a winter without a single grass sticking out from the frozen ground, to season it with salt was the best he could do.

"Wait a moment…!" Suin took her back and revealed its content. The maid Martha has packed some long storable food for her, but the rest was bought in the market in the last city they stopped at. She took out several seasoning bottles and a piece of butter. When the fresh herbs were missing, she must survive on these overpriced spices she had for now.

Luan frowned. She always had a small bag with her with a single spare dress, but was the rest of the space taken by the food? Usually, people travelling will pack the necessities like useful tools, but that was the first time he had met such a big glutton.

"Be careful to not catch a cold," he told her and brought her socks and shoes over. She left by the riverbank as she soaked her feet before, but was so surprised by him hunting in the river, that she completely forgot to put on the footwear again.

"Oh… thank you!" She took the socks and wanted to put them on, but Luan stopped her. She raised her eyes, looking confused.

"Not like that, you need to dry the skin properly first…" He took out a small towel and proceeded to wipe her feet, his action is more ambiguous than riding a horse together and staying in close proximity.

Suin's heart skipped a beat, and her lips grew apart, as she was in agape. Does he even know what he is doing? Maybe it was due to her upbringing in the conservative Asian society, but wiping someone's else feet was too intimate of an action reserved for lovers and family members only.

But why there was no change in his stone expression? Like he thought nothing special of it.

Does he decide to treat her like a child now? Her heart thumped with a slight disappointment. But if he decided to draw a line in their relationship, she should also follow. Fortunately, after a few days of racing heart, she learned to control her emotions better.

"Done… If your socks are wet, it would be bad for your health," he reprimanded her like a baby.

"Now, should we eat the fish?" He smiled lightly and tucked the towel away.

Now, he definitely looked down on her, as she was younger! Suin fumed.

But Luan was just pretending to tend to the flame and checking the fish's doneness, as he was trying to hide his racing heart.

What has he done?!

It was the first time he touched her bare skin, and it was feet, no less! If she was like other noble ladies, he should not be surprised if she slapped him.

But Arianell seemed to be unbothered, which shocked him even more. She wasn't seeing him as a male, after all…