She asked again, wondering if she had heard it wrong.
âOpen your mouth and stick out your tongue.â
Walter spat out his mangled voice again.
⌠Is this crazy bastard trying to pull her tongue out?
Her prediction seemed to be true. Eden shut her mouth in surprise as she looked at him approaching her and conorted her face.
Edenâs wide, dilated pupils reflected Walterâs angry face. His face got so close that she could see herself in his dark eyes.
âI warned you to open your mouth before closing it.â
It was when Walter, who seemed to have overturned eyes, let out a rough breath as he grunted, ready to bite her lower lip.
âNow! Both of you stop moving!â
It was Cedric, Walterâs maternal uncle and instructor of the Sernotti trainees, who appeared from the top of the hill clapping hands. A small swear word leaked from Walterâs lips.
âDamnâŚ.â
âWalter! Eden! Are you fighting again? I sent you to hunt, but you didnât do what I told you to do. When are you guys going to get your act together? Canât you just stop and come back quickly?â
Although only a year older than them, Cedric, who was like a natural old man, was nagging a lot to match his appearance. It was the first time that his nagging was so pleasant.
Eden struggled to calm her startled heart, thinking that her tongue might have been grabbed and pulled out by Walter. Her lips were still closed, as Walter was still crushing her.
âStop right now before I tell the Lord and throw both of you into the barn!â
Cedric was a serious, principled man. Tonightâs dinner was decided to be a roast wild boar, so they couldnât skip it by getting stuck in the barn. No matter how stupid Walter was, he didnât like it.
âYou are lucky today.â
He let out a low breath and loosened the strength in his hands that had bound both of her wrists.
âGet out of here, you crazy bastard.â
Eden rose from the spot, pushing his rock-like hard body, then hurriedly climbed up the tree to catch her breath.
âAhâŚ. reallyâŚ.â
Rather than the condition of both wrists, fortunately not broken, the attack method that Walter was trying to try was more shocking.
âCedric! If it werenât for you, Iâd really have my tongue pulled out by Walter! What kind of crazy guy is that? Put him in the barn. Alright?â
âWhat is it? This guy is huge, isnât it?â
She taunted Cedric, but Cedric seemed to be more interested in the boar that had fallen with its tongue out.
âWho caught it? From the looks of it, it looks like Walter had a fight with it.â
Cedric blew a whistle with a big smile on his sharp face.
âNo. Eden got it.â
Eden, who was momentarily bewildered by Walterâs unexpected words, glanced down at him.
âDid Eden catch it?â
âYes.â
Walter nodded again. Normally, they would have insisted on each otherâs merits. Eden thinks Walterâs head must have been a little weird because her thigh-choke had gone too hard earlier.
âReally? Then you can move it, Walter.â
âI thought you came all this way to help?â
âItâs the two of you on the hunt today, right? Iâm just here to confirm.â
After Cedric shrugged his shoulders, he leisurely disappeared down the hill.
âAhh, heâs always like that.â
âI never thought he would help anyway.â
âWell. Thatâs true.â
Walter looked up at Eden, giggling from the tree. It was a nice sunny day. His eyes were dazzled when he saw her sparkling face. Eden looked at him and smiled brighter than the sunlight.
âBut what are you up to?â
âWhat?â
After snatching his sword, which flew from its scabbard, and attaching it to his body, Walter reached out his hand and started climbing up a branch.
âYes, you. Why did you tell Cedric earlier that I killed the wild boar?â
âNow you are arguing with everything.â
Walterâs body swished and flew lightly in the air, then grabbed a branch a little higher. Hundreds of leaves from the old oak tree fluttered and danced as he ascended high.
âWalter, do you know that when you climb a tree like that, you look like a real big bear?â
âIf you find a bear this handsome, bring it to me.â
She easily climbed the tree with only the power of her arms, and after reaching the place where he was, she took a seat next to Walter.
âWow. If bad sense is a talent, it is a talent.â
Eden, who sat next to him on a sturdy branch, laughed lightly. The sunlight broke through the thick leaves of a tree well over a hundred years old, illuminating her smiling side face. She turned her head to meet Walter, who was looking at her with a deep gaze.
âWalter.â
Walter swallowed a gulp silently.
âWhat?â
Eden looked at him and smiled. Beneath the eyelashes that were naturally curled up, pale purple eyes were pointing towards him. Shortly cut, voluminous bobbed hair fluttered in the wind near her cheeks.
Walterâs long eyes widened even more. Sweat dripped from his forehead and stinged his eyes. He didnât even think to close his eyes.