"Who is following whom here?"
Jaxon said and chuckled as he took another sip from the bottle, the warmth of it trailing down his throat like fire.
After traveling deeper than 30km into the woods, Jaxon and Lila finally stopped by a quiet stream. The soft murmur of water, the rustling leaves above, and the gentle chirping of distant birds wrapped around them like a forgotten lullaby.
Surprisingly enough, Jaxon had laid down his coat for them to sit on... as naturally as if it were something he always did. The gesture, though unspoken, hinted at a buried softness.
After a long silence, with only the sound of flowing water and the occasional crackle of leaves, Lila, too, reached a decision. She would drink—for the first time in her life.
Though she had just turned 27 recently, life had been harsh to her. Too harsh. She had never imagined sitting somewhere, just existing, not surviving.
"Uhmm"
Lila cleared her throat loudly to catch Jaxon's attention, the sound echoing awkwardly in the serene air.
Jaxon glanced sideways, then looked away.
"Can I have one too?"
Lila asked in a quiet voice, her fingers brushing the ground nervously. Jaxon turned fully, his attention locking onto her with unexpected intensity.
His eyes still simmered with resentment from what had unfolded in the pub.
"My... Aren't you the noble self, going to offer your treasure to me?''
Jaxon asked sharply, sarcasm cutting through his tone. Lila didn't flinch. She met his gaze directly.
"You wouldn't have liked that; that's why I didn't."
She spoke evenly, eyes steady, though earlier he had refused to meet them.
"Oh my! So now you're telling me you care about this lowly man's feelings?"
Jaxon replied, mockingly now.
Lila didn't respond. She just watched him, and he let out a frustrated hiss before shifting his eyes to the horizon.
"I do...
I care about every single one that is alive and especially those who are part of the knighthood."
She said this gently. Sincerely. But Jaxon didn't move. Didn't speak. He heard her though.
"Sure, go ahead.
I don't want to hear something like I couldn't even offer a bottle of liquor to my commander.
So go ahead and drink to your heart's content."
Lila flinched at his tone, but she pushed forward.
"Can I?
Really?"
Jaxon stayed silent. Lila reached out for a bottle. Before she could grab it, Jaxon swiftly snatched it away, her body freezing in place. He opened it and handed it back to her.
This man was the strangest.
Just like someone cold-hearted, she had once known... someone who never showed he cared.
With that thought still lingering, Lila brought the bottle to her mouth and chugged half of it in one go.
Jaxon gasped and immediately took it from her hands.
At this point, even he had put down his own bottle. Now he held her hand. They were close—barely a foot apart. Lila's head was lowered, her hair falling like a veil.
"Hey!
Are you okay?"
Jaxon asked, genuine concern finally breaking through his stern expression.
Then—
A hiccup.
And then, tears. Silent. Steady.
Jaxon stiffened. The air around him shifted. The woman he thought was made of fire and steel was crying. the demonic, cold-hearted commander was crying.
They stayed like that—locked in a moment neither of them knew how to break—until Lila looked up. Her face inches from Jaxon's. He flinched, startled by the nearness, tried to pull back, but she bumped her forehead into his chin.
He winced in pain, cursing himself for letting her drink. Still, his hand stayed on hers.
"First, you dragged me humiliatingly in front of everyone, now you're trying to injure me physically... What do you want, woman?"
He looked skyward, massaging his chin with one hand. It throbbed. It would bruise.
"I'm sorry..."
Lila whispered. And something about it—her voice, her eyes—sent chills racing through Jaxon's spine.
His mouth hung open. Words caught in his throat.
"Have you been possessed?
No—No—No"
He shook his head wildly in disbelief.
"Were you poisoned?
Oh! My! Gosh!
That explains your behavior!
Why didn't I notice?"
Jaxon cried out, frantic now, as he checked her pulse, her temperature, her eyes, her breathing.
Lila shoved him off. Grabbed his collar. Yanked his face close to hers.
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU MEN!"
She shook him with all her might.
"Huh?"
"You men act so cold to me."
"... are always rude to me."
"... don't consider my feelings."
"... shout and scream at me."
"Huhh!?"
"You, of all people, were so cruel to me and didn't think your words and actions could hurt..."
"Huhh! Sorry?
That would be you!
You were the one who GRABBED me in front of all those people and DRAGGED me out!
And I'm the one who's rude?"
"Yes, you men only see what I do wrong.
I even apologized, and that's the only thing you remembered?"
"What?
You've really gone insane!"
"Me?
I've gone insane?
You belittled me!
Mocked me!
Doubted my accomplishments—no, you undermined my hard work and achievements!
Accused me of all kinds of schemes!
And dragging you is all you remember!?"
"Huhh?
Ridiculous... what do you want me to do then?
Grovel on my knees?
Beg you?"
"SEE!
THERE YOU GO, SHOUTING AND SCREAMING AT ME AGAIN!
DOING YOUR BEST TO HURT ME!"
"When did I do that?
It's you who's yelling at me!"
"Are you calling me a liar now?
Are you calling your commander pathetic!?"
Lila shoved Jaxon to the ground and straddled him. Her weight pinned him down.
"Oy!
Get off me."
Jaxon muttered, eyes flickering to the side, avoiding hers.
"Huh?
You want me to leave you?
You don't want to be near me or even be in my presence, is that it?
Is that what you're saying?
I will NOT."
She leaned closer, her chest nearly brushing his.
"What?
This is driving me crazy...
Then what does your majesty want me to do?
Huh?
I'll try to do just what her majesty commands."
Jaxon replied, drenched in sarcasm, his hand covering part of his face. His voice cracked slightly, almost as if he didn't know whether to laugh or scream.
Lila collapsed fully onto him, making him seize up. He didn't know how to move.
"Hey?
Oy?"
He gave her a light shake—
And she puked on his arms.
Just when he thought she had passed out, she stirred. Her head lifted, her eyes met his.
"Perhaps try loving me?"
She whispered.
And finally fell asleep.
Jaxon lay there, stunned. The words echoed through him, louder than any battlefield shout. He stared at the sky, one hand in his hair, his cheeks burning.
When she stirred again, he gently rolled her off, careful not to wake her. He reached for his coat and wrapped it tightly around her, tucking it beneath her chin. washed his arm and shirt. Then he moved two meters away and collapsed on his side, facing the other direction. Before that, he applied ointment to the red mark on her forehead.
"You are never drinking again, damnit!"
---
Dawn broke. Faint light spread across the forest floor.
Lila stirred awake, her horse nudging her shoulder with its muzzle.
She blinked against the morning haze. She was tightly wrapped in what unmistakably was Jaxon's uniform jacket. Her fingers clutched the edge.
She looked around and saw him sleeping near a tree, his arms folded, his face turned to the bark like he was hiding.
The bottles—gone. He had taken care of it all.
She stood slowly. Her head pounded fiercely. Still, she dusted off his jacket, folded it neatly, and placed it beside him like it was sacred.
She walked to the stream. Washed her face. Took a long drink.
But there was no time to linger. She had to kill the viscount before sunrise—or all would be lost.
With resolve hardening in her bones, she returned, grabbed her things, and walked to Jaxon. She nudged him awake.
He jolted, eyes wild.
"W-what now?"
"We must leave now or else we'll miss our target.
Come on, get up!
We'll have our breakfast in the Viscount's mansion."
"What?"
Jaxon squinted, still groggy.
Lila mounted her horse without another word, her expression unreadable.
"Great, you look like you don't remember the chaos you caused last night."
Jaxon grumbled as he slowly stood, dragging a hand down his face. He looked worn down, shadows heavy beneath his eyes, and clicked his tongue while rubbing the ache in his neck.
He couldn't believe his luck, and the demon commander had returned to her original self.