Chapter 23 — “Into the Back Mountain”
With both Ber and the coachman coming along, Heidi finally made up her mind—she’d bring Theo with her after all.
“…But if anything dangerous happens, you have to run away, okay? You’re fast, remember?”
It was her way of setting a safety rule. Surely Theo would agree to that much.
“No!”
Theo’s answer came sharp and instant.
“Why not?”
“How could I leave you behind, Heidi?!”
The little creature jumped into her arms, pressing his face against her chest as if declaring he’d protect her no matter what.
Oh, dear… what am I supposed to do with him?
He was so small and fragile that the thought of him “protecting” her was almost funny—and yet it was touching enough to make her eyes sting a little.
It reminded her of a loyal puppy standing between its owner and danger, barking with all its might.
“Don’t worry about me. Ber will protect us.”
Heidi said with a half-suppressed laugh.
“Hmm… I don’t know. Ber looks weaker than me!”
Theo’s world was still small—he had no idea what “first-class mercenary” actually meant.
“Come on, look at his build. Any monster that shows up would be sliced in half before it even blinks.”
“Uh, excuse me? I’m here too, you know?”
The coachman’s voice chimed in.
“Oh, right! You’re a sixth-circle mage, aren’t you?”
“Yup~! A high-ranking mage, thank you very much!”
He replied proudly, chest puffed out.
Heidi had seen his identification before, so she knew his magic rank was legitimate. But still, for some reason, she couldn’t quite picture him as reliable as Ber.
“Well… I’m sure you can at least protect yourself!” she said diplomatically, looking away to avoid lying outright.
“That’s kinda mean, you know…” he mumbled, pouting softly. She pretended not to hear.
***
The group set off in the ostrich-drawn carriage toward the back mountain.
It was quite a distance from Lioum, so riding was far better than walking.
When they finally arrived, Heidi climbed down and took in the scenery.
From the very base of the mountain, tall trees crowded together, their canopies so thick they cast everything into shadow. Even though it was morning, it felt like early evening.
The mountain air was cool, almost damp—and a chill crept up her spine.
“…Creepy. So this is what they mean by a ‘Demon Forest,’ huh.”
She hugged Theo tightly for comfort.
Fwoosh—
Suddenly, warm light flickered beside her, chasing away the darkness. The smell of burning oil drifted through the air.
Ber had lit a torch and handed it to her.
“You looked cold. This should help.”
“Thanks! You’re always so prepared, Ber.”
A worker who could anticipate her needs before she even said them—what a perfect employee! She grinned and looked up at him… and accidentally locked eyes with him.
‘Oh no. Was I staring too obviously?’
She quickly looked away, cheeks heating up.
When she sneaked a glance again, Ber’s expression was calm as ever—professional, serious, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.
That somehow annoyed her a little. She was so easy to read, while he hid everything behind that scarf wrapped around his face.
Of course, there had to be a story behind that scarf.
Maybe he has scars. He’s a mercenary after all, probably fought in wars. Having a few sword marks wouldn’t be strange.
If that was true, it’d be rude to ask him about it. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder what his face really looked like beneath the fabric.
Does he ever smile? she thought suddenly. Would it look awkward? Or… nice?
This man was impossible to read, and it made her imagination run wild.
“Ber, what are you thinking about right now?” she asked, half teasing.
“…I’m watching for monster tracks. Just in case. The coachman was right—this area seems relatively safe.”
“I meant in everyday life!” she protested.
Was this man even capable of small talk?
Her puzzled green eyes blinked at him.
Only then did Ber realize what she’d meant—and how completely off his answer had been.
He thought back to the moment earlier.
When they’d stepped off the carriage, she’d murmured something to herself and shivered slightly.
The sunlight had caught on her neck, pale and delicate, tiny hairs standing up from the chill.
She looked so small and fragile compared to him that before he even thought about it, he’d lit the torch to warm her.
“Thanks! You’re always so prepared, Ber!”
And then she’d looked at him with those bright, lively eyes of hers—so full of energy it was almost dazzling.
How can she always look so alive? he’d wondered.
His own eyes in the mirror always seemed so tired.
He’d gotten lost staring at her… until their eyes met.
His heart had skipped violently, like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t. Panicked, he’d quickly looked away.
And then she’d asked—
“Ber… what are you thinking about?”
His brain had gone blank.
He couldn’t very well say ‘about your eyes’, so the first thing that came to mind spilled out.
“Watching for monster tracks…”
Thankfully, his voice was naturally even, so it hadn’t sounded as flustered as he felt.
But then—
“In everyday life?!”
He realized he’d completely misunderstood her.
Perfect. I sound like a malfunctioning wooden doll.
Her confused look deepened, and silence stretched awkwardly between them.
He opened his mouth, searching for some kind of explanation—
Groooowl—
A deep, guttural cry echoed from somewhere in the forest.
“What… what was that?!”
“Likely a mid-tier monster,” Ber said calmly.
And just like that, Heidi forgot all about the awkwardness and went pale.
Sure, she’d known there were monsters in this mountain—but hearing one up close was something else entirely.
“Mmhm~ hmhm~”
The only one unbothered was the coachman, who hummed cheerfully as he loosened the straps connecting his ostrich to the carriage.
“Uh… what are you doing?”
“Letting Tasoon go for a walk~!”
“A walk?! In a monster forest?!”
“Monster meat is good protein for him~! See? He’s happy!”
Kwooook!
The ostrich flared its massive wings and let out a fierce cry, eyes sparkling with excitement.
“….”
Heidi’s brain froze for a moment.
Wait. Is that thing even a real ostrich?
Her gaze slid down to its enormous legs—muscles bulging like carved stone. That thing could probably kick a bear into orbit.
“Be honest with me. That’s not really an ostrich, is it?”
“W-what? How could you say something so mean~!”
He stammered, which only made him look guiltier.
Before she could press further, Ber spoke up.
“Shall we get moving?”
Tasoon had already disappeared into the woods like it owned the place.
“Right! Let’s go.”
“Wait, before that—spray this on yourselves!”
The coachman pulled a small pink bottle from his pocket.
“Huh? Perfume?”
“It’s monster-repellent perfume~! Some monsters can detect human scent, so this will help cover it up.”
Heidi blinked, half-impressed, half-wary.
Leave it to the eccentric coachman to bring frilly pink monster repellent.
