ERTHMB Chapter 59

That Kind of Warmth

“I like horses.”

On a leisurely afternoon, Ian said this while stroking a horse’s mane with his hand.

Helena was beside him, trying to connect with her own horse as he had shown her. Her touch was gentle, but her expression was not.

It had been an hour since she had readily followed Ian when he offered to teach her how to ride. During that time, he had insisted she must first become friendly with the horse, and had immediately placed a handful of hay in her hands.

And various manipulative tricks disguised as instruction had continued until now. His recent comment was undoubtedly another one of those, but Helena reluctantly asked anyway.

“Why do you like them?”

Her face showed absolutely no curiosity. Of course, Ian answered without concern.

“Because when riding horses, you don’t complain when I hold your waist.”

He ignored the daggers Helena shot at him with her eyes and placed the saddle on the horse’s back.

Soon Helena also placed the dark brown leather as he had taught her and tied the knots.

“……Pervert.”

She muttered this, and Ian let out a hollow laugh.

“That’s the first time I’ve heard that in my life.”

“Lecher.”

“Ah, that one stings a bit.”

“Shameless.”

“Let’s stop here. If we go any further, I think I might cry.”

Ian, who had somehow moved behind Helena, grasped her waist and lifted her onto the saddle.

Though this was already the umpteenth time he had done this, Helena invariably let out a surprised gasp.

As if that sound were some pleasant musical performance, the smile on Ian’s lips never faded.

Helena complained quietly.

“If I didn’t know you, I might have at least pretended to believe you.”

“I’d be grateful if you did that even knowing me.”

Ian also mounted another horse behind her. Staying close to Helena’s side, he took one rein in each hand and pulled lightly.

Following his lead, the horses slowly moved toward the fenced clearing.

Feeling the small vibrations of going up and down, Ian glanced at Helena.

“By the way, this might be prejudice, but considering your swordsmanship skills, I thought you’d also know how to ride horses well.”

Helena’s hand, which had been carefully brushing the mane, stopped. Helena raised her head to meet Ian’s eyes once, then lowered it again and continued brushing.

“You’re right. Why… didn’t I ever think to learn horseback riding?”

Was it because she had nowhere to go, or because she thought she would never leave Evergale anyway?

She herself was no different from a horse tied to reins. When Eugene pulled, she would run as he directed, panting with thirst and becoming withered until she was completely dried up.

Helena finally looked down thoughtfully at the reins she now held in her own hands.

“It’s not difficult. Just gently guide it in the direction you want to go, and it will go there on its own. I’ll control the speed from beside you for now, so don’t worry.”

His voice, which had suddenly interjected, cleared her troubled mind.

Helena repeated his words like a mantra and put strength into the hand holding the reins.

“It’s not difficult.”

****

The cheerful sound of hoofbeats quickly passed through the reeds that came up to their knees.

Contrary to their original plan to stay only in the guild’s clearing, the two were now galloping without restraint.

Ian followed behind Helena, who was far ahead. Then Helena increased her speed a bit more and ran.

She’s excited. After letting out a hollow laugh, Ian drove his horse even faster and blocked her path ahead.

“Are you sure this is really your first time riding?”

Wild grass kicked up by the hooves scattered, and the horse’s small whinnying passed by once.

Helena quite skillfully pulled the reins to stop her horse. Her red hair, which had been fluttering while soaked in the sunset, gently settled back into place.

Her flushed cheeks glowed brightly. Between rough breaths, she said:

“Thanks to riding with you so much, it was probably easy to get the hang of it.”

“Is it fun?”

“Yes.”

Helena took a deep breath until her chest swelled as if she was about to run again.

However, Ian was firm.

“Still, let’s head back now. If you overdo it any more, you won’t be able to get up at all tomorrow.”

Ian soothed the horse that was perking up its ears and turned around. Helena’s face, now in the position of being dragged along, clearly showed disappointment.

“Can’t we go around just one more time?”

“Your bottom and thighs must really hurt right now.”

“I’m fine.”

Helena answered as if to cut off Ian’s words. As if her trustworthiness would be questioned if she didn’t answer immediately.

Ian’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her.

“……Do you know that when you’re being unnecessarily stubborn, you rub your thumbnail with your index finger?”

“When did you become so interested in me?”

“I think I always have been. I’ll continue to be even more interested, so get used to it now.”

With a faint smile, this time Ian took the lead. His silver hair sparkled as it was covered by the sunset glow.

Helena looked at his evenly broad back and put more pressure on the finger pressing her thumbnail.

‘How much more should I get used to it?’

Swoosh-.

The early winter wind swept across the vast reed field. The reeds swayed in the breeze, making a refreshing sound like rain as they moved.

Helena stopped in place and looked up at the sky. She kept her head tilted back like that until her flushed cheeks cooled in the cold.

A vast wheat field spread under the blue sky without a single cloud. And you and I standing on the golden waves.

Everything was dazzling. Even the air penetrating her throat was clear.

The world she had always thought she was alone in seemed turned upside down. The world she stood on was the same world as before and now, yet it felt different.

While she was absorbed in the scene spread out like a painting, he turned his horse’s head diagonally and called out cheerfully:

“Shall we make a bet on who arrives first?”

Helena rubbed her lower abdomen unnecessarily with the hand not holding the reins.

The tip of her nose was red from sniffling due to the cold wind. Winter was coming.

And yet, why…

‘When I’m by your side, it feels like thousands of springs are sweeping through my belly.’

Helena kept that ticklish feeling and calmly drove her horse to stand beside Ian.

“Have you thought about what we’ll wager?”

“Hmm…….”

Ian fell into quite serious contemplation. Meanwhile, Helena, who had firmly gripped the reins, kicked the horse’s flank.

Leaving behind Ian’s voice shouting that it was cheating, Helena ran again.

By the time they returned to the guild, a drinking party was underway.

To the rhythm of drumming on rum barrels, the cheerful keyboard sounds of a hurdy-gurdy and the melody of folk guitar harmonized.

The first to greet Helena as she lifted the curtain and entered was not the usual Angri, but a minstrel. He unexpectedly had considerable skill in playing instruments.

Angri circled around Helena with bouncing footwork as if dancing. Meanwhile, his hands never stopped plucking the rough guitar strings.

“You’re late! Sit down quickly!”

With the boisterous noise, the music became even richer.

Helena was pushed along with Ian to a corner table and sat down together. It was two seats that were empty as if by arrangement.

At the central table, Gelda and Flam were already in full swing.

“Drink in moderation. Have some pity on your liver.”

“My liver hurts less than my back, which you just hit. Have some pity on this old body that can barely wash away the day’s fatigue with just a few glasses of rum.”

“Just a few glasses? At least put some sincerity into your excuses. Are your glasses orc barrels?”

Gelda once again left a handprint on Flam’s back. Helena turned her head, feeling like she might burst into laughter.

Meanwhile, cold ale was placed on the table.

Seeing the yellow surface with foam, thirst suddenly surged. Helena immediately moistened her parched mouth with the cool liquid.

Encouraging herself like this, the glass quickly emptied. Befitting an occasional feast, the empty glass was immediately replaced with a new one, and Helena, caught up in the atmosphere, continued drinking.

Then, as she reached for her third glass, the still glass suddenly moved.

‘Huh……?’

Helena slowly blinked her somewhat heavy eyelids and tried to grasp the glass handle again. But the glass escaped again as if teasing her.

“……What.”

Above her head as she exhaled heated breath, laughter that cut through the noise fell down.

“You’re drunk.”

“Mmm- I’m fine.”

“Then I’ll stay still, so try to catch this.”

Ian rested his elbow on the table, made a fist, and raised only his thumb upward. As he wiggled his thumb as if daring her to catch it if she could, Helena reached out without hesitation.

However, what was caught in her grasp was only the ripened air.

Ian’s low laughter deepened.

She grumbled quietly and leaned her upper body forward toward him. Purple eyes came close to his face. For some reason, even the noisy music seemed to have quieted.

At this distance, she was confident she could easily catch it.

“Ouch.”

A sharp pain was felt on her forehead. When did he say to catch it, and now he’s flicking his finger?

Helena lifted her eyelashes covering her eyes while rubbing her furrowed brow. He was looking at her.

She thought he would be making quite a mischievous expression. But it was somewhat mysterious for that.

“Wait a moment.”

He pulled back and stood up from his seat. The music that had seemed to quiet also returned to normal.

Helena followed Ian’s rising height with her gaze, then turned it to the hall. She immediately met eyes with Angri.

He looked somewhat disappointed. In fact, all the others had similar faces. Several people could be seen sighing quietly. Even Lily, who had been sipping orange juice next to Flam, was the same.

‘What……?’

To Helena, who was blankly exhaling heated breath along with her question, Ian approached again. In his hands was a small wooden cup instead of rum.

Thunk, as soon as the wooden cup hit the table, a sweet chocolate scent spread widely.

“You like sweet things.”

Helena didn’t refuse the cocoa pushed toward her and wrapped it with both hands.

“How did you know that too? Did Sakin tell you?”

“Do I look like someone who would learn about you from others?”

“……No.”

Helena fidgeted with her fingers covering the cup. It was warm.

As she stirred the thick fudge chocolate with a teaspoon, she felt her stomach tickling again.

‘What should I call this?’

It was strange to keep accepting a feeling she couldn’t name. So Helena decided to finally give a name to the warm sensation she felt every time she faced him.

Too faint to be called a flame, yet too persistent to be dismissed as mere friction,

Warmth.

Neither hot enough to burn upon contact, nor so faint as to feel puzzling, but a gentle warmth.

He was exactly that temperature to her.

It had to be so.