Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Elysia alternately looked at the robe and tried to say what she said, but Cassian turned the subject.

“Do you know how to ride a horse?”

“That’s... no.”

Elysia was belatedly missed. She should have learned beforehand.

Cassian raised his hand and touched her lower lip, where Elysia was biting.

If it were as usual, she would have reacted even at the small contact, but she was not in her right mind.

“We have to ride together.”

Cassian unfolded the map and explained how they would be going.

“We have to ride a horse from the eastern border to Jericho Mountains for about two days. It would be nice to use a Road Warp, but this is where your family is expected to be. It’s faster to ride a horse.”

“I got it.”

Elysia nodded her head, admiring his quick judgment.

‘If she went alone, would she have asked Ryan to ride the horse?’

When Lloyd’s voice said that the preparation was done, they left the mansion, Elysia’s eyes saw the horse in front of the two of them.

She opened her mouth, looking at a horse much taller than her. The difference between horses leading carriages and the usual horses she saw was too great.

Cassian reached out his hand, helping her up.

“I can do this by myself.”

Elysia jumped lightly and sat on the horse.

Cassian smirked at her smooth movements.

He climbed on the horse and settled down, reaching out his hands to either of her sides and held the reins.

Seeing Elysia sitting with her back straight, he pulled her waist closer.

“You will be riding a horse for a long time, so you better lean comfortably.”

***

He picked only roads without humans and rode quickly.

Elysia felt her mind subside a bit, confused by the fast passing of the surroundings and the sound of the wind in her ears.

She had nothing to do until she arrived, so she was trying to keep herself as calm as possible.

They rode for a long time without saying anything. Suddenly, the question she wanted to ask from the Imperial Palace leaked out of her mouth in a muttering.

“But why are you coming with me?”

Did the question in a small voice really reach his ears?

She’s been wondering how good his hearing is.

“Let’s investigate. As it was, there shouldn’t be any attack by the monster.”

If this type of attack occurs again, wouldn’t it make sense to proceed with subjugation?

“Ah... thank you, though.”

“Don’t mention it. And I have an obligation to protect the person that I’m keeping watch.” Cassian said playfully.

“Thank you for that.”

Cassian continued to talk to Elysia again. He decided that the current speed is not burdensome, and increased the speed even further.

The horse, which only rode in wartime, was able to speed up enough even with two people on board.

At the sudden pace, Elysia flinched her body, and she leaned more onto him.

She was buried in Cassian’s scent.

Elysia swallows her saliva and tastes his scent

“Why do you keep doing that?”

“Have you never been like that?”

“Huh. Does that mean the smell of my body is tempting?”

Elysia bit her mouth firmly. She wasn’t even hungry, but she kept reliving her appetite.

How does she endure swallowing unconsciously?

Elysia crept away from him, feeling guilty of what he had said.

Immediately, she was held back by Cassian and buried as she was before.

“It’s dangerous. Don’t move suddenly.”

“I have a good sense of balance.”

“Don’t, because I’m anxious.”

She didn’t get a return answer.

Elysia gently leaned on him, and she captured the surrounding landscape quickly passing by.

She thought that if she opened her mouth now, it seemed that she would talk nonsense so she thought that she should be quiet.

The sky began to darken, and her tension was relieved little by little thanks to the regular sound of the horseshoe and warm body temperature behind her back.

She was nervous all day long, but when she faced the situation, her eyelids became heavier.

Elysia’s head was buried in her Cassian chest.

‘Did you fall asleep while running at this speed?’

Cassian concentrated on his arm wrapped around her waist, fearing that Elysia would lose her balance in her sleep.

‘I’m in trouble.’

Elysia noticed that the robe she received from him was enchanted with cold protection magic, so she omitted all of the clothes she was trying to wear over her shirt.

Besides, what she was wearing was a female shirt, which was thinner than her regular shirts.

As she was holding it with care, she remembered the soft skin that was wrapped around her hand, and Cassian frowned.

***

The smell of dry blood stimulated Elysia’s sense of smell.

Various scents mixed up, making her insides upset.

She lifted her eyelids, thinking that this kind of smell of blood was not at all pleasing.

Elysia was embarrassed that she had fallen asleep, but she did not express it and brazenly opened her mouth.

“This is...”

As she woke up and looked around her, the appearance of the bizarre town caught her eyes.

There were no people around, and red puddles were seen all over the place without even the buildings being intact.

It was the village where Cassian explained that he would take a break.

“It looked like it’s been attacked by a monster.”

Cassian wondered why the report that the town had been raided didn’t come to him.

The village was located just ahead of the eastern border. The fact that the monster came all the way here could only be thought of as the eastern border had collapsed.

It felt weird, she didn’t feel anything strange in the village until she arrived.

She broadened her senses, but neither human nor monster presence could be felt.

“Wait a minute.”

“I know.”

He got off the horse with Elysia.

‘Does it make sense that there is no one?’

Cassian recalled the head of the knights in charge of this place.

The second prince was the general manager of the villages around this area, including the eastern border.

Once he couldn’t feel the presence of the monsters anymore, Cassian looked inside the security building, it seemed that the situation had been taken care of.

Cassian immediately thought that he should reprimand them for not reporting him, and returned to Elysia.

“Let’s get out of this town and rest. It’s deserted. Are you okay with it?”

“Yes, it doesn’t matter.”

The two left the village and took a short break in a suitable place. They climbed onto the horse again early in the morning after three hours of sleep.

***

As time passed, Elysia became nervous, and she spoke less rapidly.

On top of that, her back was tight as she rode the hose nonstop.

It hadn’t been a long time since she drank blood, but his scent was so stimulating that Elysia leaned in vaguely, and she now became like this.

As Elysia rolled her body in discomfort, Cassian laughed low and opened his mouth.

“You can lean more comfortably.”

“No, it’s still very comfortable.”

It was very difficult.

She was worried about her family, and the situation is not very good.

Gradually, the trees around became denser, and the temperature decreased.

“Is the blood easy to endure?”

“I’ll be tired for the next few days, but we could be in trouble.”

“Is that because of my scent?”

“That’s it... but.”

It seems to be useless to try to hide the facts from someone who already knows. Cassian had already noticed that Elysia was struggling because of her physique.

Elysia turned the subject of the conversation.

“If we go into the mountains, is it colder than here?”

“Yes. It’s always winter there.”

Why are vampires not strong against the cold?

After continuing with miscellaneous thoughts, she finally wondered if her family would be all right.

Whatever she was thinking, it was reaching a conclusion. Elysia sighed a little.

Cassian patted Elysia’s head.

“I don’t know if you’re friendly or not.”

“I’ve never heard of friendliness.”

Gradually, the trees became denser and the rugged mountain path began to emerge.

Elysia looked around here and there at a landscape she had never seen before.

‘I would have been completely depressed if I came alone.’

She once again felt grateful for Cassian’s company.

“Let’s get some rest here.”

Elysia nodded her head.

About half a day ahead to her destination, she got off the horse to rest.

It was originally scheduled to take half a day longer, but they were able to ride at full speed every night, thanks to the reduced breaks and Elysia’s endurance.

Elysia settled in a suitable place and cast a warning spell around herself, lit with magic. She then took a seat in front of the fire and hugged her knees up.

Sparks fluttered in her red eyes.

After a long time, Cassian opened his mouth toward Elysia, staring at the sparks.

“Get some sleep. You dozed off for a while on the way out and haven’t slept at all.”

“It’s okay if I don’t sleep for a few days.”

Perhaps because her head was filled with thoughts, an honest answer just popped out.

Cassian touched his chin and asked questions with a quiet voice.

“Then, what about a meal? Isn’t food not enough?”

He was asking if she needs blood.

Elysia usually didn’t answer Cassian whenever he asked about such things, so now was an opportunity for him, who was full of curiosity.

“It’s all right. I don’t have much appetite.”

Cassian, who wanted a more specific answer, clicked his tongue.

It seemed that she had to continue to suck blood.

“It’s difficult.”

Elysia wondered what he was saying, raising her head and looking at Cassian.

The purple eyes that looked at herself showed a clear presence even in the dark.

“Because I know very little about you.”

“...About me?”

Only then, did Elysia grasp the intentions of the questions Cassian posed to her.

Cassian might have thought that she prefers human blood, even though she drinks animal blood.

He has already experienced her ridiculous powers and movements so he probably knows that her resilience is good.

‘There’s nothing more to ask for, but why are you...’

Why are you looking at me with that face?

“I have a lot of questions. Will you tell me if I ask?”

Cassian’s languid eyes were bent, and his lips, which looked unusually red today, drew a line.

Because of his robe, placed roughly over the shoulders, the nape of his neck and chest were visible through his slight unbuttoned shirt, caught her eye.

Cassian looked at her while slowly blinking his eyes.

Elysia shook her head in refusal, but she was still embarrassed by his face.

‘Beautiful. You must be trying to bewitch me.’