Chapter 126
“I’m sorry, I didn’t consider that you weren’t feeling well.”
I blinked languidly, listening to Enoch’s murmur.
It was a bit small to cover all three of us, but we were all sharing Kaiden’s robe as a blanket.
The warmth of our bodies touching and the cozy feeling made me feel a little better.
As my reason returned, a wave of embarrassment washed over me, and I cleared my throat, offering an excuse-filled explanation.
“Come to think of it, it just feels like a cold. I haven’t been able to sleep properly for days, and I slept uncomfortably in the tree yesterday. I’ve been in a constant state of tension.”
Enoch glanced down at me, chuckled, and patted my head.
“Rest for now. We’ll keep watch.”
“Yeah. Rest, Margaret.”
Even if they hadn’t said anything, my eyelids were already drooping. And before I knew it, against my will, I fell asleep as if I had fainted.
\ \ *
I slept soundly for the first time in ages. It had been so long since I had such a refreshing sleep that I even felt a sense of fulfillment.
Judging by how light my body felt, the cold seemed to be completely gone. I slightly lifted my eyelids, feeling a bit dazzled.
I was still in Enoch and Kaiden’s arms. It was terribly cold at night, but now that I was completely recovered, I felt quite warm.
“Um……”
“You’re awake.”
“You’re up, Margaret?”
I had only quietly opened my mouth, but the two men asked me at the same time.
They must have shared their body heat with me without getting any sleep themselves. I felt a sense of guilt and apology.
“I’m fine now. Thank you.”
I carefully pulled myself out of their arms and sat up. The two men followed suit. Kaiden stretched and yawned, while Enoch rubbed his stiff neck.
“It seems like everyone couldn’t sleep because of me……”
Eunji, who had been curled up at my feet, blinked and crawled over. I stroked the little one as it climbed onto my lap and rubbed its face against my palm, then looked up.
The two men were looking at me with somewhat subtle expressions.
“What’s wrong?”
Kaiden scratched his cheek awkwardly and avoided my gaze.
“No, I just miss yesterday’s Margaret.”
‘Yesterday’s me?’
……Could he be talking about the time I babbled about wanting a hug?
Enoch didn’t say anything, but his face agreed with Kaiden’s words.
“I think I caused trouble for you two yesterday. I’m sorry.”
“Trouble? What trouble? It was great……”
“Lord.”
Enoch called out to Kaiden as if telling him to calm down, and he obediently shut his mouth and shrugged.
Enoch sighed and quietly placed his hand on my forehead. Then, he gently stroked my cheek.
“The fever seems to be completely gone.”
At Enoch’s words, Kaiden glanced at me and chimed in.
“Yesterday, your body was like an ice block one moment and burning hot the next. It was a mess.”
“Thank you, everyone. I’ll take the watch now, so you two can rest.”
At my words, Enoch and Kaiden looked at each other. Then, they shook their heads as if it were nothing.
“We have good stamina, so we’re fine. For a day or so.”
It wasn’t a lie that they had good stamina, so I had nothing to say. Besides, before I could say anything else, Enoch got up. He picked up the shirt that had fallen on the floor and put it on. Kaiden also put on the shirt he had taken off and got up, offering me his hand.
I picked up Eunji and took his hand, getting up.
“It would be good to look for Zenas's Cabin today. We can make plans after that.”
Enoch said to me, carefully scanning the surroundings.
“Margaret, if you’re okay with it, I think it would be good to look around right away. The effect of the Barrier will probably disappear soon too.”
At Kaiden’s words, I straightened my clothes, found my crossbody bag, and slung it over my shoulder.
“Okay. I can leave right away.”
Enoch, who gave a dry smile at my energetic reply, patted my head.
“Then, let’s get going.”
We searched the vicinity for Zenas's Cabin, but as expected, we couldn’t find it.
“How can it disappear so completely?”
Moreover, the closer we got to the cabin, the more we were enveloped in a deeper fog, so we had no choice but to stop.
“It would be dangerous to go inside like this.”
“Can’t you do something with Magic?”
At my question, Kaiden rested his chin on his hand and stared at me, then looked around.
“I can, but…… the Magic formula I use is a bit elaborate, so it requires a lot of Mana.”
“Then, what about using Magic that isn’t elaborate but still effective?”
“Hmm, I can do that much.”
At Kaiden’s answer, Enoch drew his sword and stood guard around us, then said to us.
“Eunji and I will keep watch around here, so you two take care of the fog.”
Eunji, who had been wrapped around my arm, flinched in surprise when its name was called, then cautiously crawled down to the floor. Then, it took its place next to Enoch and licked its tongue at me.
I smiled at it and took Kaiden’s hand. Light Manifestation from our clasped hands, and Kaiden began to draw a Magic formula in the air. Kaiden quickly completed the magic circle and infused it with Mana.
But the problem was that even though the magic circle was activated, nothing happened.
“What? The Magic isn’t working?”
Kaiden frowned and muttered with a puzzled expression. Feeling the fog getting thicker, I tugged on his sleeve.
“I think it would be better to get out of here for now.”
Kaiden glanced at me. Enoch agreed with my words and opened his mouth.
“Yeah. If Magic doesn’t work, then it would be better to retreat as Margaret says.”
Enoch scanned the thickening fog, put away his sword, and picked up Eunji from the floor.
In the end, we had to come out to a place where the fog was thinner and have another strategy meeting. On top of a tree, no less.
I sat sandwiched between the two men, fidgeting with embarrassment.
“But, do we really have to come all the way up here to have a meeting? We can just put up a Barrier.”
Kaiden clicked his tongue at my words.
“Don’t waste your Mana like that. Conserve it. You need time to recover. You’ll collapse again if you keep doing that.”
At his words, I obediently nodded.
Enoch quietly watched us, then put his index finger to his lips and gestured for us to be quiet. Knowing immediately what that meant, Kaiden and I held our breath and looked down at the base of the tree.
A strange Wolf Monster with long rabbit-like ears and six legs was sniffing around on the ground. I held my breath.
At that moment, I remembered Zenas saying that Monsters liked me.
‘Could it be that they followed my scent?’
The creature sniffed around, searching for something, and finally disappeared after a long time.
“Zenas might be borrowing the eyes of those things. It’s better to avoid them.”
Kaiden, who had been lost in thought, muttered in a low voice, and Enoch nodded as if agreeing with those words.
“We should decide on a plan of action first.”
As Enoch quietly opened his mouth, Kaiden leaned back against his clasped hands and nodded.
“Whether it’s Zenas or Anata, we need to go to the cabin to find out what they’re hiding, but it seems impossible to find it now……”
“Should we look for other clues first? Or find The Saintess.”
The two men nodded at my words.
“The Saintess had a map with the location of the supplies marked on it, right? Isn’t it on the way down to the Southern Island?”
Kaiden, who had a very good memory, said to me with a look of sudden realization. Come to think of it, that was right. I’m sure the location of those supplies was marked near the Bunker.
“Margaret, didn’t you draw a map a long time ago?”
Kaiden asked me. I shrugged and sighed.
“It’s all wet.”
Then, I suddenly remembered Enoch opening my crossbody bag to treat my wound.
He must have seen the notebook and the piece of cloth that looked like a Bunker map that I found in the cabin back then.
Why didn’t he say anything?
I glanced at Enoch. He raised his eyebrows as if he didn’t understand, meeting my gaze.
‘I guess I have to reveal the Bunker now……?’
The Bunker could no longer be my Plan B. I feel like crying. The fact that there’s no escape. I cautiously took out the Bunker map from my pocket and unfolded it.
“I have another map.”
Kaiden crossed his arms and looked at me with a surprised expression.
“Where did you get this?”