At The End Of The Hidden Greenery

Chapter 57 - Substitute

“Hiic. Hiiicc…”

“Did I make you wait too long?”

“No. It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m glad you’re safe…”

Jiwoo shook her head. As she rubbed her face against his chest, the sweet smell of fruit mixed with the smell of the forest.

Jiwoo, intoxicated by the scent, suddenly raised her head.

“Ears, show me your ears…!”

“What?”

Before Tevon could say anything, Jiwoo checked his ear.

The Crown Prince put his sword to it, wanting to cut it off before. There were no major wounds, but the blood scabs were already dry.

She was relieved, but also very sorry. If it wasn’t for her, this scar wouldn’t have existed in the first place. No, should she be thankful just for being alive? Jiwoo let out a sigh of relief.

“…Seo Jiwoo.”

Tevon said in a low voice. For someone who sneaked into the mansion after running through the night, his face was clearly blushing.

“I… didn’t come here for that today, so if you seduce me like this, it’s troublesome.”

“T-That’s not what I meant.”

Jiwoo hurriedly removed her hands from his ears. Tevon grabbed Jiwoo’s shoulder with both hands. It was a subdued and serious voice unlike him.

“I’m sorry Seo Jiwoo, but listen carefully. I can’t get you out of here today. I barely managed to come see you myself.”

Jiwoo didn’t expect to be able to get out of here either. It was nice just to see his face.

“Yes… Is everyone okay? Lanceil? Callan? Enci?”

Tevon said calmly as he gently stroked Jiwoo’s back, who seemed emotionally unstable.

“Don’t worry. Everyone is fine. Rather, we were all worried about you.”

She was glad he said that. However, Jiwoo was thinking about them as well as what they thought was most important.

“Then what about Helka?”

“Not yet. He hasn’t come back yet… Seo Jiwoo.”

Tevon shook Jiwoo’s shoulder, who kept asking for the safety of the children of Elandos.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes… Yes”

She was really okay, but perhaps Tevon was seeing her differently. Well, no matter how hospitably they treated her here, Jiwoo thinned up a lot in the last few days. She might have looked unstable as she asked urgently because it was a relief to see him and she has a lot to ask.

“How did you find me? How did you know I was here?”

“On the day we got separated, I followed the scent that I had told you where the group could go find you.”

Jiwoo reflexively touched the back of her neck, which Tevon had pressed down after he had bled on it that day.

“Does it last that long?”

“Close enough.”

Tevon grinned.

“More than that…”

“Huh?”

“I heard on the way, but the situation is more chaotic than before, and rumors are spreading throughout the capital that a new Akarna will appear.”