IYAMD: Episode 65

Marsilia finished his meal and prepared for bed with Jaha’s help. Of course, Jaha hadn’t agreed to help so easily from the start.

But the moment Marsilia rolled up his tunic sleeve, Jaha’s gaze wavered. Seeing the dark bruise in the shape of his own palm on Marsilia’s forearm, he finally complied with Marsilia’s request.

After eating the food Jaha fed him and washing his face as Jaha wiped it down, Marsilia lay down on the blanket spread on the ground. He patted the spot beside him.

“We have to wake up before sunrise tomorrow, Jaha. That means we need to sleep early.”

It was only 9 PM—too early for bed. But with the search operation tomorrow and the possibility of heading deeper into the Deto Mountain, it was best to rest well.

Jaha let out a deep sigh before quietly lying down beside Marsilia and closing his eyes.

Come to think of it, he really was quite softhearted.

Marsilia watched Jaha, who was pretending to sleep, and smiled quietly.

Jaha could be stubborn, but he was surprisingly soft-hearted. The way he sparred with the knights and helped Gerald with his duties at the main camp was proof of that.

He was the type to take care of others.

Considering he had even nursed Marsilia when he was sick, he might be more affectionate than he seemed.

As Marsilia gazed at Jaha’s sleeping profile, he swallowed a quiet sigh.

He wanted to hear Jaha’s story.

How many family members did he have? How was his childhood? What was he like before Marsilia met him? What had he done in the Western Continent, and how had his body ended up in such a state?

What had really happened at the Viscounty of Setora?

There were countless things he wanted to know.

But he couldn’t ask any of them. Because he had no way of knowing how deep Jaha’s wounds ran.

Why had someone who had lived in the Eastern Continent crossed alone to the Western Continent?

Jaha was twenty now, which meant he had come over even younger.

Why had he wandered alone before even reaching adulthood?

Thinking about it, the answer was obvious. It wasn’t uncommon for people to be taken from other continents as slaves.

Perhaps he had come looking for someone important.

His family… or maybe even a lover.

Marsilia, resting his head on one arm as he looked at Jaha, suddenly frowned at the unpleasant thought.

No, it couldn’t be a lover. It mustn’t be.

He wanted to believe that.

But once the thought took root, it spiraled further.

Had he followed a woman he loved?

Marsilia, who had just decided not to ask, suddenly called out.

“Jaha, are you asleep?”

The man’s steady breaths continued with no response.

It was too soon for him to be asleep, but if he really was, there was no point in waking him.

And yet, the words left his lips before he could stop them.

“Do you… have another lover besides me?”

Why had he never thought to ask this before?

Because he had taken it for granted that Jaha was his.

Even though he knew Jaha hadn’t accepted that yet.

Marsilia bent his arm and rested his head on it, curling his shoulders slightly.

Jaha didn’t react.

Still, as if he could find an answer just by staring, Marsilia kept his gaze fixed on him.

Holding his breath, he waited for Jaha’s reply.

But instead of an answer, only the sound of Jaha’s soft breathing blended with the chirping of insects outside the tent.

Marsilia let out a long, frustrated sigh.

Just as he was about to give up and close his eyes, Jaha shifted in his sleep.

So he really had been asleep?

Perhaps it was because the night air had turned colder—Jaha curled up slightly, burrowing deeper into the blanket.

Shivering as if he felt the chill from the ground, he let out a faint sigh.

Marsilia reached out, and Jaha, like a little caterpillar, unconsciously inched closer.

Gently, Marsilia pulled him into his arms.

He held Jaha close, sharing his warmth with the trembling body.

The moment Jaha nestled into his embrace, the turmoil in his chest settled.

The anxiety that had been gnawing at him melted away like snow.

Marsilia closed his eyes tightly and buried his face in Jaha’s long hair.

As the unease faded, a strange tingling sensation spread through his chest.

Like dipping cold hands into warm water—not overwhelming, but not exactly pleasant either.

Yet even that feeling soon vanished.

Once the unease and the nameless ache were gone, only emptiness remained.

Marsilia held Jaha tightly, enduring the long night.

Through the slow, dragging hours, he quietly swallowed that emptiness bit by bit.

Until the morning light broke, until Jaha woke, he lay there with his eyes closed, patiently waiting.

—

The next morning, the search for the missing knights began.

The knights split into groups to search the mountain ridges and foothills of the Deto Mountain.

Jaha, along with Marsilia and a few knights, was assigned to search near the valley.

As they approached the mountains, the ominous energy felt even stronger than the day before.

Jaha shivered at the eerie sensation prickling his shoulders.

“I can feel it today, too,” Marsilia said gravely, dismounting.

The horses refused to move forward, leaving them no choice but to continue on foot.

Their team consisted of five knights, including Sasha, Joshua, and Ian.

The other two were unfamiliar to Jaha, and whenever their eyes met, they awkwardly averted their gazes.

Marsilia tied all their reins to his own horse and sent them away.

Jaha watched the scene in disbelief.

“Are you sure that’s okay?”

Marsilia smirked, resting his hands on his hips.

“Cecilia will make sure they return safely.”

“Cecilia?”

“My horse’s name.”

Jaha had a more pressing question.

“If you send them all away, what are we supposed to ride back on?”

Jaha could get back in no time with his qinggong, but what about the remaining knights?

“Oh.”

Marsilia blinked with a vacant expression before scratching his brow. The blank look was a stark contrast to the pride he showed when boasting about his horse, making Jaha shake his head.

“I can’t tell if you’re smart or just plain dumb.”

As Jaha walked deeper into the forest, Marsilia quickly caught up and responded.

“Smart people are always a little lacking in some way. They get trapped in their own intelligence.”

“Why is being smart a trap?”

“Because it leads to arrogance.”

Jaha tilted his head at his words as they followed the mountain path. A strange, fishy scent lingered in the air.

Despite the dense trees, the stench—like animal hides—was overwhelming.

“…That smell…”

As Jaha muttered, Marsilia picked up where he left off.

“Smells like a beast.”

Sasha, who was following closely behind, interjected.

“What smell?”

“You don’t smell that?”

Jaha turned to look at him, then shifted his gaze to Marsilia.

All five knights behind them wore puzzled expressions, as if they had no idea what he was talking about.

Marsilia glanced at Jaha before tipping his chin in the direction they were heading.

“I can’t tell if we should go further or not.”

His voice was calm, as if he were merely pondering what to have for dinner.

He exhaled through his nose and tapped his fingers against his thigh, showing no sign of tension whatsoever.

After a brief moment of thought, Marsilia turned to the knights and gave his orders.

“Jaha and I will scout ahead. The rest of you wait at the foot of the mountain. Sasha, if we don’t return within an hour, join General Des and report back to the main camp.”

Marsilia paused before adding,

“Wait at the main camp for two days. If neither of us returns, retreat to the capital.”

Sasha looked at him in shock.

“What do you mean by that?”

“We don’t know what’s ahead, but it’s likely far more dangerous than a Minotaur.”

Marsilia shrugged, turning to Jaha.

“We’ll approach cautiously, but I can’t guarantee we won’t be noticed.”

Then he smirked.

“Well, if things get desperate, Jaha can just carry me and run.”

Jaha gave a small nod.

“That much, I can do.”

Marsilia’s eyes curved with amusement.

“How reassuring.”

The man who usually doubted him at every turn had suddenly changed his tune. Feeling oddly self-conscious, Jaha averted his gaze to the path ahead.

After sending Sasha and the others back, Marsilia returned to Jaha.

Now that he had given his cloak to the knights, he was dressed lightly.

Apart from the sword at his waist, he looked no different than when he idled around the palace.

Of course, Jaha was similarly dressed.

When their eyes met, they both let out a quiet chuckle.

Marsilia’s green eyes gleamed as he stepped closer to Jaha.

With his large hand, he gently cupped Jaha’s cheek, giving it a slight squeeze.

Then, in a hushed whisper, he murmured,

“I’m glad you can smile now.”

Jaha could hear the sheer joy in his voice.

A quiet, soft tone overflowing with an undeniable happiness.

The same happiness shone in his eyes.