Chapter 29
My plan to hide from the male leads had completely failed. I'd already met three male lead candidates.
Yeah, it was a failed plan from the start anyway.
If I think about where it all went wrong, it was probably from the moment I met Enoch.
When I opened my eyes on this island, I should have kicked Enoch the moment I came to my senses and ran away!
Of course, even if I had hidden alone, it's questionable whether I could have survived the Monsters. Well, it's all useless thinking now.
But what on earth was Luzef doing on the mountainside at sunset?
"Margaret!"
I carefully packed the Flares and came down to the cave, and Enoch, who was standing in front of the cave with a weapon, ran to me and hugged me tightly.
Just when I thought I was going to suffocate, he let me go.
"I saw a strange magic circle in the sky. So I thought you...! I thought you...! Haa..."
Enoch's voice was very agitated.
Because of that, I missed the timing to talk about Bishop Ruzef.
"I'm sorry for making you worry."
Even with my apology, Enoch didn't answer, as if he was very angry.
I wanted to ramble on with some lame excuses, but I really didn't have the strength.
'I came back from the dead. So please don't be too angry.'
There were so many things I wanted to say, but my legs gave way. I knew this would happen. I really won't be able to get up tomorrow and will suffer from muscle pain.
My legs gave way and I collapsed on the spot. Then Enoch picked me up in his arms.
I don't know how many times this is since I came to this island, being held by him like this. Being wrapped in his firm, warm chest, I felt a sense of relief without realizing it.
I really couldn't have imagined this in the Langrid Empire.
"...But what's wrong with the cave?"
The cave was a mess. There wasn't much furniture to begin with, but even the Spears and coconut bowls that I had worked so hard to make were all shattered.
It was as if a storm had swept through the cave. Or did we get robbed?
"That's..."
Enoch scanned the cave without batting an eye and answered briefly.
"It just turned out that way."
What does that mean?
The only thing that remained intact in the cave was my bed.
Enoch put me down on the large leaves that served as my makeshift bedding. Then he knelt down in front of me on one knee.
"Where did Kaiden go?"
"To find you."
Enoch replied in a curt tone.
I felt sorry and uncomfortable that even Kaiden had gone out to find me in the dangerous night. I'm causing trouble.
"I went hiking. I thought I could come back soon, but since it was my first time hiking in a while, I guess I lost my sense of time."
I rattled off excuses. But it's true. I really intended to come back before sunset.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
I nodded obediently, then frowned because my soles were stinging. It seems the blisters burst again.
Enoch, who had been watching me quietly, grabbed my ankle. His large hand wrapped around my ankle at once. I was a little nervous.
He carefully took off my flats from my feet.
There were more than one or two blisters. Moreover, my feet were scraped and torn, and there were quite a few wounds. After all, flats are not suitable shoes for the wild.
Enoch was silent as he looked at my ruined feet. I showed my bare feet for a long time, then cleared my throat out of embarrassment.
Should I be glad that Enoch can handle seeing this much injury?
"I jumped down the mountain behind that cave in one go. Monsters were chasing me. I'm so lucky to be alive. Ha, ha, hahaha..."
The more I talked, the more ominous Enoch's expression became. So I eventually trailed off and closed my mouth.
Enoch brought the medicine kit and asked me which one was the disinfectant, and I explained to him which medicines I used often.
When the explanation was over, an uncomfortable silence fell again.
I'm going to die. Please, just get angry.
Enoch obediently applied disinfectant to my feet and then applied ointment to treat the wounds.
"Ouch. It hurts."
"Bear with it."
And he answered me with a firm word when I whined that it hurt. He is angry.
Enoch put bandages on the scraped wounds and gauze on the burst blisters. After watching me do it a few times, he now knew how to use the tools skillfully.
"Just get angry."
I couldn't stand it any longer and finally said to him.
Enoch knelt on one knee and looked up with my foot on his knee.
"I'm not angry."
He lowered his head again and gently caressed my foot. It seemed like he did it unconsciously, but the sensation of his skin touching mine was really strange.
"Then why are you doing this?"
"I'm sorry. I'm not angry with you. I'm angry with myself."
I frowned because I couldn't understand Enoch's words. What on earth does that mean?
"I should have made it so that you could live comfortably without doing anything, but my abilities are lacking and it seems like I keep hurting you..."
"No, wait a minute, Enoch. What are you talking about?"
I hurriedly cut off Enoch's words.
He looked at me with a calm face, but his eyes were somehow sad, making even me feel a tickle in my heart.
He was definitely the same person who criticized and hated me so harshly when we first met on this island.
"I'm hurt because I'm stupid, why is it Enoch's fault?"
I sighed involuntarily and paused for a moment. And Enoch listened to my words obediently.
"This time... it's my mistake. Enoch has no obligation to take responsibility for me in the first place."
Is that why? Because if we return to the Empire, he will have to be properly questioned about this situation?
'That makes some sense.'
"Thank you for worrying about me. But I don't intend to live comfortably in this wilderness."
Living comfortably is fine after escaping the island. If you live too complacently here, you're likely to die a meaningless death.
I can't die meaninglessly twice.
"And don't think about protecting me, worry about yourself first. You can't survive a day on this island without me, right?"
Of course, that's not true, but I deliberately exaggerated. But unexpectedly, Enoch agreed with my words.
"That's true. I can't survive on this island alone without you."
Huh?
I was flustered and just blinked at him. Did I mishear just now? Or did Enoch eat something wrong today?
Enoch smiled self-deprecatingly at my expression.
"I didn't know I would turn out like this."
My bare feet were still on Enoch's knees. I was embarrassed and tried to take them away, but he was holding my feet, so the timing became awkward.
"It's driving me crazy."
And I was surprised and looked up at Enoch's next words.
"...Pardon?"
Enoch's golden eyes were quietly directed at me. There wasn't a shred of falsehood in his eyes.
"Margaret, I'm worried about you too."
Enoch's low voice was pleasant to listen to. Maybe his voice sounded better because we were in the cave.
'But wait a minute... Me too, he said?'
That's like assuming that it's natural for me to care about him. It seemed like Enoch was still mistaken that I still liked him.
I understood the meaning of Enoch's words and racked my brain. So, he's saying that he's also concerned about me as a woman. No, why suddenly. Why me all of a sudden...
Of course, I'm also human, so I've grown fond of him while living together.
There was quite a bit of physical contact, but it was unavoidable while going through life and death situations, so it didn't feel special.
That's all for now. More than anything, I wanted to live. That was all I was thinking about.
"I understand. It's only natural to be concerned when you live together."
In the end, I deliberately answered like someone who didn't catch on.
Of course, I had no intention of denying the fact that Margaret liked him. Now that's also a past I have to deal with.
Enoch looked at me with a troubled face.
"Margaret, that's not what I meant..."
"But Enoch, if you waste energy worrying about such trivial feelings, it will interfere with your survival, so... wouldn't it be better to refrain from it?"
I thought I gave a rational answer. This was a pretty good answer, right?
However, Enoch's expression was not good after hearing my words. After a long, uncomfortable silence, Enoch opened his mouth again.
"If only I could control it."
He quietly reached out and stroked my cheek.
"Would I be like this right now."
