[Episode 4]
The next morning, sunlight streaming through the narrow crack in the cabin window flickered on Rahi's eyelids.
"Mmm…"
Rahi shifted in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes. The unfamiliar scent of leather and the cool, crisp air of the forest tickled her nose. Still dazed, she turned her head—and froze.
Across the living room, she locked eyes with Luke, who was sunk deep into the old sofa.
Luke sat with his arms crossed, his long legs stretched out. As if he hadn't slept a wink all night, he was staring intently at Rahi with hollow yet piercing yellow eyes. Even though he was just sitting there quietly, his gaze was so intense it felt as if he were counting every single one of Rahi's breaths.
Wherever Luke's gaze fell, fine goosebumps rose on Rahi's skin. Even after seeing that Rahi had woken up, he didn't look away. Instead, he tracked her every movement with a subtle twitch of his eyebrows.
"Hey, kid. You awake?"
Kai, who had been sleeping on the floor, sat up with his hair tousled. He opened his mouth wide to yawn, then spat out the apple seeds left over from yesterday into his palm. With a dazed expression, he rummaged through his empty pockets.
"I'm starving. Sis, we're out of food, aren't we? My stomach's been rumbling since dawn."
Silka stood by the window, peering outside through a crack in the shutters. She frowned as she watched the villagers passing by the entrance.
"Look at them. It wasn't just the innkeeper yesterday—everyone's on edge. If we go out looking like this, we'll get stoned before we even reach the market."
Silka clicked her tongue and turned around. Luke still hadn't answered. Leaning back on the sofa as if he hadn't even heard her, he simply continued to stare intently at Rahi.
Luke himself couldn't understand why he couldn't take his eyes off this tiny human girl. He felt an inexplicable thirst welling up deep within his chest, and every one of her subtle tremors felt as vivid as if they were piercing his own skin.
When Silka sighed and stepped between him and Rahi, his brow finally furrowed.
"Snap out of it. This isn't the time to be spacing out."
Silka muttered under her breath as she picked up the leather pouch on the table.
"You said they never take outsiders unless it's festival season, right, Rahi?"
"Yes… The market vendors probably won't want to sell us anything either. Hair this unusual… really stands out in our village."
Rahi answered, her voice strained as she squeezed the words out from beneath the blanket. Silka nonchalantly tossed the heavy pouch of silver coins onto the table in front of Rahi.
Clink.
"It's obvious that if we all go out, it'll just cause a bigger commotion. You'll have to go buy what we need. Food, and the winter gear we'll need for the trip north."
"...Huh?"
Rahi's eyes widened as she looked up at Silka. Even then, Luke's yellow eyes were relentlessly scanning Rahi's face over Silka's shoulder.
It was the gaze of a beast watching over a creature that might vanish the moment he looked away.
"But… that's way too much for me to carry alone."
No sooner had Rahi finished speaking than Kai crawled up from the floor and chimed in.
"Don't worry! I'll come along as a porter! If I just cover my head, no one will notice, right? I really want to go!"
Kai ruffled his hair and gave a goofy grin. Silka slapped him on the back.
"What's so ordinary about your size, you idiot? No way. Just stay here quietly and don't cause any trouble."
Silka crossed her arms, falling deep into thought.
"Then should I go? At least I'm the best at—"
It was then. Luke, who had been as silent as a corpse, slowly rose from the sofa. As he stood, a massive shadow stretched out across the low ceiling, completely engulfing Rahi.
Without a word, Luke picked up his old black coat from the corner. Then he strode over and stood beside Rahi.
"...."
Instead of speaking, he gestured toward the door with his chin. It was a silent signal: he would go. Silka pressed her hand to her forehead in exasperation.
"Luke, are you serious? With a build like yours, the guards will swarm you immediately."
Ignoring Silka's protests, Luke pulled his hood down tightly. His yellow eyes flashed from the shadows as he looked down at Rahi.
Luke couldn't explain why he had to go. His instincts simply refused to let the girl leave his sight. It was a strange fear—that if she were even a single step away, the thirst in his chest would flare into an unmanageable fire.
Silka shrugged, giving up.
"I guess there's no helping it. You'll just have to go with Luke."
"Ugh, I want to go too…" Kai grumbled, but Luke was already standing right behind Rahi, clinging to her like a shadow.
Rahi paused, glancing at Silka and Kai. A momentary doubt flashed through her mind: was it right to leave these strangers alone in her home? But she quickly shook her head.
'If they had intended to harm me, they would have done it last night while I was defenseless.'
Once she was certain they had no immediate ill intent, Rahi felt a small weight lift from her heart.
"...Yes, I'll be back."
The moment she opened the cabin door, the cold morning air hit Rahi's cheeks. The walk to the market, which should have been light, felt like it weighed a thousand pounds today. It was because of Luke's massive presence looming behind her.
Luke had his hood pulled low, and his footsteps were eerily silent. It was unsettling; despite his large frame, not even the sound of crushing leaves could be heard as he followed her.
"Um, excuse me… Mr. Luke."
"...Just call me Luke."
His low, gravelly voice brushed against the back of Rahi's neck. Feeling the unspoken pressure, Rahi swallowed hard and nodded. She wondered if it was appropriate to address this man so familiarly, but she lacked the courage to go against him.
"Yes, Luke… When we enter the village, please stay right behind me and keep your head down."
"Got it."
"The people in the market are very sensitive to strangers. Especially… someone as big as you. You'll stand out immediately."
"...."
Luke didn't answer. He simply adjusted his stride to match hers. He stared at the back of Rahi's head, obsessively observing the fine hair on her nape and the tremors of her slender shoulders. To him, this trip was less about food and more about monitoring a creature within his territory.
The village square was bustling with festival preparations. Rahi fretted that Luke might bump into people, but he followed silently, his hood low. Still, every step he took drew the lingering gazes of the crowd.
"Oh my, isn't that Rahi? Out grocery shopping?"
A woman at the vegetable stand greeted her warmly. Rahi smiled awkwardly, stepping in front of Luke.
"Ah, yes, ma'am. I'm here for some potatoes and onions."
"Sure, sure. I'll pick the fresh ones for you. But… who's that behind you? He's incredibly tall. Doesn't look like he's from around here."
The woman looked at Luke with curiosity and reached out toward his coat. Startled, Rahi quickly thrust the basket of potatoes forward before the woman could touch him.
"Oh! He's here to help me with some work. He's just very shy… Please bear with him if he seems a bit gruff."
Rahi gripped the hem of Luke's coat behind her back and twisted it—a desperate signal to stay still. Instead of answering, Luke stared down at her small, trembling fingers. He merely turned his head away as if annoyed.
"Oh, he's a sturdy young man. If Rahi brought him, he must be trustworthy. Here, I've thrown in some extra potatoes."
Only after taking the bag was Rahi able to move on. As soon as they entered a quieter alley, she leaned against a wall and gasped for breath.
Luke murmured quietly from under his hood.
"...It's cramped."
"Huh?"
"It's too narrow. People are too close."
Luke glared at the spot where the woman had stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Rahi. It seemed that, more than the suspicion directed at him, the very idea of strangers bumping into Rahi was an unbearable irritation.
"Sir, I'd like some dried pork and five sausages. The kind that keeps as long as possible."
"Alright, Rahi. Expecting guests for the festival? You're buying quite a lot of meat."
As the shopkeeper sliced the meat, Rahi glanced at Luke and answered cautiously.
"Ah, yes. I have someone helping me, and he eats quite a lot."
"Heh heh, you mean that friend back there? He's got the build of a laborer! A guy
like that could polish off a whole pound. Here, this is on the house."
Luke stared at the piece of jerky the shopkeeper handed him as a sample. When Rahi gave a slight nod, he finally took it and put it in his mouth. Every time his jaw muscles twitched as he chewed the tough meat, Rahi's heart pounded.
After stopping by the general store for a woolen cloak and boots, their shopping was done. Luke's shoulders were laden with sacks of barley and supplies, yet he carried them as if they were feathers.
Rahi let out a sigh of relief. All that remained was to reach the forest path. But before that relief could fade, the familiar sound of leather boots came from around the corner.
"Rahi? What are you doing here?"
It was Alec. Clad in light armor on patrol, his expression shifted from puzzled to suspicious as he looked between Rahi and the massive shadow behind her.
"Ah… Alec." Rahi's voice trembled.
"I've been patrolling since yesterday. Heard things have been getting sketchy near the forest. But…."
Alec stopped and scanned Luke from head to toe. His knight-in-training intuition kicked in, and his brow furrowed.
"Who is this guy? I've never seen anyone this big in our village before."
A tense silence filled the alley. Luke's low breathing echoed in Rahi's ears like a storm. Rahi swallowed the scream rising in her throat and stepped forward, blocking Luke's path.