Page 3

By the time Vienna woke again, the sky was pitch black.
She tried to raise a hand to rub her head, but her wrists were bound tightly, leaving no room to move. Vande was tied beside her, eyes shut, his cheeks bruised.
“Care for another cup of knockout drug?”
Vienna grimaced. “We’re both working toward the same socialist rural revitalization. Why torment your people?”
Vande snorted coldly and finally opened his eyes. With a sudden jerk, he broke free of the ropes behind him and scooped Vienna up.
“Enough sleeping. Let’s go.”
His steps were unsteady, as if his injuries had worsened. Comfortable in his arms, Vienna suddenly realized they had long since left the clinic, they were now on a boat.
“Can you swim?”
“I—”
Before she could answer, she was set down and shielded behind him. Peering past Vande’s figure, she faintly made out several figures emerging around them. A young man in white led the group, his eyes curved in a smile.
“Why leave in such a hurry? Stay and share a drink, allow me to fulfill my duties as host.”
The man looked vaguely familiar. After a moment’s thought, Vienna remembered she had seen him before, he was the passerby who had given her directions earlier.
So it turned out he was in cahoots with the physician all along, waiting to ambush her from the start.
“I am Sam Muller, under the alliance leader’s orders to escort Miss Judd back to Brunel. After you.”
Vienna’s mind went blank for a second. “What did you say your name was?”
Seeing Sam’s puzzled expression, Vienna couldn’t help covering her eyes before continuing.
“Never mind, don’t pay me any attention. I just remembered I have a younger sister nicknamed Meme, and your handsome looks would pair perfectly with her.”
When Vande carried her into the river, Vienna was in the middle of a pointless argument with Sam. The sudden plunge into the water nearly sent her sinking to the bottom.
Clutching onto Vande like a flailing octopus, she was swept downstream in a chaotic tumble. He shielded her with his arms, and it wasn’t until much later that they finally reached calmer waters and dragged themselves ashore.
“They’ll definitely send people after us. Before they arrive, we need to find a place to hide. Can you walk?”
Vienna nodded and helped Vande up, noticing fresh blood seeping from his wounds.
“Hey, Vande,” she said hesitantly, lowering her voice, “you wouldn’t happen to be the legendary… weakling, would you?”
Vande stiffened, his voice tight with irritation. “Shut up!”
Even if he only half-understood, he knew she was mocking his martial arts skills. Ridiculous! If he ranked third in skill, the old alliance leader Judd would only be second at best.
He had just been careless this time, that was all.
A gust of night wind swept past, and Vienna shivered, pressing closer to Vande. “I’m cold,” she murmured shyly.
Vande replied flatly, “What a coincidence. So am I.”
She poked him with a finger, her cheeks flushed. “A great scientist once said that friction generates heat. Vande, why don’t we… rub together a little?”
Without another word, Vande yanked off his outer robe and threw it over her head. When he turned away, the tips of his ears were red enough to bleed.
“Sh-shut up.”
Vienna grinned, then suddenly sneezed, she had forgotten his clothes were just as soaked as hers.
Damn it. Now she was even colder.
Voices echoed in the distance, accompanied by flickering torchlight.
Vande immediately pushed Vienna down, rolling with her into a nearby thicket of reeds. The search party shouted as they combed the area, but eventually gave up and moved on.
“This isn’t the Judd family’s doing,” Vande muttered. “Vienna, I didn’t realize you were so popular. Some shady sect must be after you, too.”
Vienna hummed in agreement. “First, take your hand off me.”
Vande gave her a light pat. “You’re heavy, yet there’s not an ounce of softness on your back. Too bony.”
The moment he said it, he noticed Vienna staring at him with watery eyes, face-to-face.
He froze, his own face flushing. “N-no, what I meant was—”
Vienna cut him off indignantly. “Oh, your chest is soft. How impressive.”
“……”
“Oof.”
A woman’s voice suddenly rang out, neither too close nor too far, right behind them.
By the time Vande turned, it was too late—a spiked fishing net descended over them, trapping both him and Vienna.
A bright-eyed young woman stepped into view, her smile radiant as she gave Vande a kick and gathered the net.
“I knew such a lovely night wouldn’t be complete without a pair of shameless lovers. Look at that, caught in one go. I’m almost excited.”
A heavy silence fell.
Vande suddenly let out a soft grunt. Vienna carefully bandaged his wound, her heart aching. “You’re bleeding. It’s all my fault for not being gentle enough. Did I hurt you?”
Vande looked utterly drained. He rolled his eyes at her and decisively shut his mouth.
“Can you two stop being so clingy?”
A girl barged in from outside and slammed a bundle of dry rations onto the table with a thud.
Vienna quickly grabbed it and stuffed it into Vande’s mouth. Before he could even process why she was being so kind, he heard her ask urgently, “Well? Did you drug it?”
Vande’s face turned green.
Trembling, he shoved the entire piece of dry ration into his mouth bit by bit, then let out a belch before replying,
“No.”