“He slipped and fell in an accident?!”

    Iliya suddenly jumped out from her seat, completely freaking out.

    The news she received was like a bolt out of the blue. Just before this, she had been waiting for Dowd at the dinner table for a while, feeling bored because there was no sign of him coming. But this news just made her lose her composure instantly.

    “Then, did you find him—?!”

    “M-Milady, you don’t have to be so panicked.”

    The servant, Russ, tried his best to calm Iliya down in a flustered voice as she looked like she almost lost half of her mind.

    “All the available personnel in the territory are scouring through the surrounding area. They should find him by tonight at the latest.”

    “But still—!”

    “You don’t know Dowd well enough, it seems”

    At that moment, a composed voice came from next to Iliya, completely contrasting her flustered state.

    “This won’t be a big deal. There is no way that man would die just because of something like this.”

    “...”

    The woman who said that, Eleanor, was right.

    But, instead of agreeing with her, Iliya sized her up with narrowed eyes.

    Eleanor herself was leisurely pouring tea into her cup. But Iliya could tell that it was all just an ‘act’, because...

    “...Student Council President.”

    “What?”

    “Your hands are shaking. You’re spilling your tea.”

    “...You’re just seeing things.”

    “...”

    “I said, you’re just seeing things.”

    You know...

    I haven’t even mentioned that your clothes are soaked.

    Why is she drinking if she’s going to be all flustered like that anyway? Seriously, this woman...

    “...Look, I know that something like this won’t be enough to even trouble him.”

    Iliya said with a sigh.

    In the first place, Dowd’s safety was something that both Eleanor and Iliya were certain about. Considering that he had defeated some catastrophic-level threats, for him to die from a fall was extremely unlikely.

    It was just...

    “I can’t help it. I’m just worried about him.”

    ‘Because he’s someone I like,’ she purposely omitted those words.

    And at the same time, she was asking the other woman, ‘Doesn’t that make two of us?’.

    “...”

    Eleanor successfully read between the lines and narrowed her eyes.

    Making a face that clearly showed her displeasure for getting such words be thrown directly at her face.No?v(el)B\\jnn

    However, it was a relief that at least there was someone inside the room who specialized in treading through this kind of air.

    The moment he recognized the unusual atmosphere, he hurriedly added...

    “T-There’s something I have to tell you, Lady Tristan.”

    “...? Me?”

    “Yes.”

    After clearing his throat, Russ told Eleanor using his calmest tone possible that Beatrix’ whereabouts was also unknown.

    He also added that the last time they had seen her was when she mentioned that she was looking for Dowd, as there was something she had to tell him in private.

    “...”

    Hearing that, Elanor’s expression worsened in an instant.

    Iliya’s expression also noticeably turned more serious as she stroked her chin and dropped her head for a moment.

    It seems she can’t even act calm when someone close to her is in danger.

    “We have to find those two. Right now.”

    “...No need to worry, President. You said it yourself. Teach isn’t someone who’d even be troubled over something like this. Besides, from what I heard, Senior Beatrix is an intelligent—”

    “Who said I am worried about that?”

    “...”

    You’re not?

    ...Huh, you really are not...

    “I do not think that their lives are at risk at all. If it’s those two, they’ll be able to survive in any kind of environment they’re stuck in.”

    “Then what’s you’re worried about...?”

    “...Senior?!”

    Upon seeing Beatrix collapse on the snowfield while I was pondering, I screamed, clearly freaking out.

    Fucking hell.

    Seriously...

    “...”

    What choice do I have now?

    ●

    My mind went blank...

    Those were the only words Beatrix could think of as she felt her body swaying here and there.

    ...I should thank him again...

    Though her mind had gone blank, she could still remember vividly how this punk had somehow thrown his own body to make sure she wasn’t hurt from the fall.

    Even in such cold weather, so cold to the point where she couldn’t even control her body, the thought that she should thank the man, Dowd, properly was clear in her mind.

    ...Ngg...huh...?

    At that moment, through her hazy vision, she saw something.

    Everything else looked so blurry, and it was the only thing she could see clearly. It was to the point that she thought it was just a hallucination.

    “...”

    Actually, she was right on the money.

    Because the thing that she was seeing was her own grandfather, who had passed away a long time ago, beckoning her from across a river. Seeing this scene, she let out a hollow laugh, completely dumbfounded even though it was hard for her to think clearly.

    Seriously, why would you call your granddaughter over to that kind of place, Grandfather?

    “-?”

    And the next moment...

    That image of her grandfather turned hazy in an instant. In return, her blurry vision, which felt as if there was something in her eyes, returned to normal for a bit.

    “-”

    Warm...

    That was the first thought that came to her mind before she could even realize what was happening.

    It was the kind of warmth that one could only get from skin-to-skin contact.

    Said warmth dispelled the chill that was occupying her body from head to toe, the same chill that refused to go away no matter how warmly she dressed.

    It was only after she looked around for a bit that she finally came back to her senses.

    “...Dowd...?”

    The light of the burning bonfire that was sputtering cinders lit up the dark surroundings.

    However, Dowd was nowhere to be seen.

    “...”

    At that moment, fear enveloped her heart.

    She started to feel anxious at the thought that she might have been left alone in this place.

    “Where are you...?”

    She asked with a slightly trembling voice, clearly scared. Tears almost burst out from her eyes.

    Fortunately, the man’s reply came pretty quickly.

    “I’m here.”

    ...From behind her.

    “...”

    Huh...?

    Why did his reply come from that direction...?

    She blinked her eyes blankly before turning around to see...

    Dowd, completely topless, hugging her tightly, under a huge coat that he put around both of them.

    That was also when she finally noticed that she wasn’t wearing anything but her underwear. Her skin was pressing against the man’s.

    The first thing that came to her mind was, ‘So that’s why it feels so warm’. But almost immediately after...

    ...Wait...

    Her head was filled with question marks.

    “...”

    T-This...

    W-What kind of situation did I get myself into...?