Cold heart -- 3

　'I am willing to take this path, no matter how steep it is, I cannot complain. If I get lost or get injured, it's my fault.' That's what Chizuru first thought when she woke up the next morning after she was embraced by Lukrov.

　The first thing she saw was that the bonfire was smoldering and disappearing leaving the smell of ash behind.

　The dry ground is exposed to the morning dew, being bathed in the sun. Chizuru slowly raised her squeaky body, looked around, and was about to make a short scream.

　Lukrov, who had piercing sharp eyes, was gazing at Chizuru from a few meters away. Instead of leaving Chizuru behind last night he is leaning against a tree, dressed in a suit, holding a helmet to his side, and ready to travel. His expression was so dark that it was gloomy, and it had a terrifying feel that made chizuru scared.

"Oh ... good morning ... Lukrov"

　Chizuru managed to greet him, but no reply was given, of course.

　The forest in the morning sun was much wider than what it was perceived in the darkness of the night, and the tall cedar trees that could not be seen when one looked up diminished. Instead, there are several trees with orange fruits, giving it a bright atmosphere.

　It was a refreshing morning landscape, except for Lukrov, who had a heavy air around him.

　You can even hear the chirping of birds from somewhere.

　For the time being, Chizuru corrects her posture and tries to maintain her dignity, pulling the front part of her dres,s which was torn in the chest area, together. However, there were few parts that could be hidden because it was brilliantly broken, and Chizuru turned red and had to sit down while biting her lips tightly.

　Lukrov continued to stare at her, but after a while he threw a lump of white cloth in front of chizuru.

"Wear this"

　When she spread out the cloth that fell in front of her, Chizuru saw that it looked like a shirt. It was a mere sewn piece of cloth with a hole so that the neck and arms were exposed, but this is normal in this world.

　Chizuru obediently said, "Thank you," and wore the plain white shirt over the torn dress.

　For the time being, she returned to a state where she could maintain her dignity as a person, so Chizuru stood up and looked around her surroundings.

　She saw Luklrv, and a horse with a bridle, tied to a nearby tree, that seems to be ready for the journey.

"Are you going to leave?"

　Lukruv nodded silently in responce to Chizuru's question.

"Um ... will you take me with you ... Is that okay?"

　In response to this question, Lukrov answered with a wrinkle between his eyes.

"Do you want to go with me ..."

　An angry voice that emanates from the bottom of hell is uttered by a strong knight with a handsome face. On his side is a helmet of silver-shining armor, with a long sword swinging around his waist. Any normal woman born and raised in modern Japan will surely tremble. Even Chizuru is no exception.

"Oh, I want to go. I want to go, but ... I just had sex with you ... so I wonder if I might be thrown away."

　Lukruv deepened the wrinkles between his eyes as Chizuru explained slowly. As if that was possible, though.

"Sex?"

"We had sex!" 

"Why do I have to throw you away for that reason?" Lukrov's lips were ironically distorted. "... it must have be your eighteenth time."

　Chizuru didn't find an answer to return and breathed.

　For the time being, she is no longer afraid to be left in this forest, but at the same time, it seems that lukruv does not trust Chizuru at all and feels angry with her.

　'Perhaps the reason why he was preparing to travel while staring at me with scary eyes was because he wondering if I would be gone again? If so, why is he angry? He shouldn't ... love me anymore.'

　Perhaps he perceived a number of questions in Chizuru's eyes, Lukruv stopped leaning to the tree and walked forward towards Chizuru.

"Before I bring you back to my mansion, let's clarify a few things."

　His voice had an office tone, one that gave warnings. Chizuru nodded, and waited nervously for the next word he was going to say.

"I paid a lot of money to get you ... one question, did you want to stay in that dirty village all the time?"

"Oh no!"

"Then, at least I saved you from a poor village. In the mansion, I'll give you good life. We even have one maid ..."

　But?

"It's just mercy what I am showing you. It's not right for me as a knight to abandon an old acquaintance to be buried in potato fields."

　'An old acquaintance.'

　It felt like a poison arrow stuck in her chest, Chizuru holds her breath and bites her lips. Lukrov continued speaking, quietly noticing her reaction.

"You stay in my mansion for a while. If you want to get out and leave after that, you may. You may tell me what you want to do.."

　Lukrov's dark eyes sharply grasp Chizuru. She felt like she was being challenged.

　No, no. Perhaps Lukrov is trying to identify what Chizuru will do.

　Chizuru took a breath and straightened her back to face the knight.

"I won't leave. At least until you force me to do so."

"oh?" Lukrov snorts, in mocking.

"I will remain as long as you wish for me to. I will never leave." Chizuru replied,  while they stare at each other.

　The ironic expression disappears from Lukruv's face, and he looks at Chizuru, whose head is small, up to each of its details. Chizuru looked at Lukrov in the same way.

　Lukrov, reflected in the sunshine, certainly made chizuru feel like 14 years had passed in this world. His slightly glossy black hair began to mix with a little of white, and the skin which has the redness peculiar feel of youth disappeared, and he came to have the face of an adult man filled with dignity.

　'If all the rumors I heard from Drothy were true, the fourteen years that he lived came across as being difficult and painful.'

　But even with his invisible past, Chizuru seemed to love him.

　Just remember. When she first met, Lukrov did not kneel in front of Chizuru so easily. Nearly half of her stay in the year Chizuru had unrequited love for Lukrov. At least Chizuru thought, so she won't give up.

"And let's clarify this one thing, Chizuru."

　After being called by her name, Chizuru's pulse, who was in a hurry, sounded even higher. However, Lukrov turned his back on Chizuru and began to move in the direction in which the horse was waiting. Then Lukrov tells her while facing the horse. 

"I don't love you anymore ... don't expecting any emotion from me."

　Then he slowly put his silver helmetback on his head.

　Even though she tried to put up with it, Chizuru bursted into tears wetting her cheeks. However, Chizuru wiped it off with the back of her hand before being scolded by Lukrov. ── My heart is already fixed, even prepared for it. I will mever give up.

"I know" answered Chizuru. "I know, don't worry."

　They started their journey together on the horse, just as they did last night. Lukrov held the reins and Chizuru was sitting in front of his chest. Even though they are so close, their hearts are far from each other.

　However, as I after riding through the forest for a while, Lukrov, who had been silent for a long time, whispered briefly.

"... No, you don't know anything. You know nothing."

T/N finally!! From here onwards it's new content!!