Episode 10: The Moment of Love at First Sight
“…What was that sound?”
That was the precise moment when Luke perked up his ears.
Whoa!
A gray mass darted through the air, and Luke instinctively twisted his body in surprise.
“A wolf!?”
Landing silently right in front of him was a wild wolf covered in gray-brown fur.
He had seen wolves in books, but this was his first encounter with a real, live one. The wolf’s back was dark, while its belly was white.
With its triangular ears perked up and the low growl that had been echoing earlier, the wolf stared intently up at Luke. Its eyes gleamed sharply, reflecting light with a ferocious intensity.
“…Ah…”
At that moment, he unconsciously took a step back.
With flashing teeth and bared fangs, the wolf let out a massive roar and charged straight at Luke.
Whoa!
As Luke took off running, the wolf pursued him closely. With its long tail held high, the wolf sprinted at incredible speed.
Desperately, Luke dashed through the forest, leaping over fallen trees and ducking under the gaps in giant trunks, trying to evade his relentless pursuer.
He raced down a sloping mountainside, crossing over a stream bubbling with spring water. Suddenly, the ground beneath him bulged and dipped significantly.
“…An ambush?”
Luke was stunned. As if they had been waiting for him to enter the hollow, several more wolves raised their heads and appeared gradually, moving leisurely.
“I was cornered…!?”
Wolves hunted their prey by herding them toward their allies, surrounding them from both the front and back.
He had read in books that wolves hunted in packs, but he couldn’t help but marvel at their teamwork. Even in such a dire situation, he found their cleverness impressive.
“What should I do…?”
The wolves encircling Luke slowly inched closer, taking aim at him.
With their long, slender legs, the wolves walked on their toes, which explained why they made no sound as they moved or sprinted, even in a moment like this.
The largest wolf in the pack leaped high into the air with a fierce roar.
Whoa!
Just then, Luke instinctively shut his eyes.
“—Don’t move!”
A dignified voice rang out.
At the same time as the voice, a single feathered arrow was shot, soaring through the air like a shooting star.
The arrow whisked by, brushing against Luke’s honey-colored hair, and then plunged deep into the throat of the wolf that was charging at him.
“…!”
The moment Luke opened his eyes and turned around, everything in the surroundings—the sounds, the air, time itself—seemed to freeze.
Standing before him was a tall, graceful woman.
Her posture was dignified, back perfectly straight. Not only was her bow held ready, but her gaze was unwaveringly fixed ahead.
With long black hair flowing behind her, she reached for the quiver strapped to her back.
Despite the beast closing in with its fangs bared, the woman didn’t flinch even slightly.
Without showing a hint of nervousness or fear, she maintained her steady gaze and calmly aimed as if she could read the wolf’s movements.
Keeping her left arm holding the bow raised, she deftly pulled an arrow from the quiver with her right hand, nocked it on the bowstring, and drew it back in a straight line.
Every movement was smooth and skillful, with no wasted motion, lacking even a moment’s hesitation.
The second arrow found its target as it struck the wolf squarely between the eyes, just as it was about to leap at Luke.
Caught in her spell, unable to tear his gaze away, Luke simply stared at her.
“…!”
He didn’t want to blink.
Not even a second or a single moment could he bear to miss.
“Are you alright?”
The woman who asked this wore a dark jacket that blended seamlessly with the forest.
The design, intentionally leaving one side of the armpit unstitched, seemed to enhance her shoulder mobility, allowing her to shoot her bow with ease. She also wore fitted pants that didn’t hinder her movement, showcasing her long, elegant legs.
Luke had rarely seen a woman dressed without a skirt, but it suited her so well that he could do nothing but admire her beauty.
“Are you hurt?”
Her voice, which repeated the question, sounded like a divine announcement echoing from the heavens.
As she looked at Luke, her eyes were clear blue, reminiscent of the azure sky above.
“…”
Luke found himself at a loss for words.
It felt as though he had been struck by lightning, his entire body tingling.
Even though he was numbed to the point of immobility, he simply couldn’t look away.
A very simple thought spilled from Luke’s lips.
“…I love you…”
Until now, he had never truly considered what type of woman he was attracted to.
He wanted to cherish Natalia, whom he had been engaged to by chance. Even if it wasn’t the fiery passion of a true romance, he had planned to treat her sincerely and with all his heart.
He had never really analyzed what type of woman he liked or thought about wanting to be with someone like that.
And yet, at this moment…
It became clear that the woman standing before him was exactly his type.
With silky black hair flowing like obsidian, strong yet gentle blue eyes, and a fierce look that suited her hunting outfit, she embodied everything he had silently yearned for.
The mere presence of her made the mountains, the forests, the lakes—everything—appear beautiful.
“Um… would you…!”
Luke rushed forward with single-minded determination.
Before he knew it, he was already kneeling on the ground with one knee.
Once before, he had knelt in a similar fashion before Natalia.
Even though the engagement had been arranged between their families, she had insisted that he propose properly, which meant he had practiced diligently to fulfill her request.
At that time, he had carefully rehearsed his movements in his head, but now, they flowed naturally without a hitch.
It was as if his body was moving on its own, his mouth speaking as if it had a mind of its own. Luke knelt, extended his hand, and proposed to the woman in front of him.
“Please marry me!”
For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still.
“Huh?”
She looked back at Luke with a confused expression, as though she didn’t quite understand what he had said.
“Hey!”
A large man, who had been standing behind her, stepped in angrily instead of her. He was also dressed in hunting garb and rugged boots.
Furious, the big man’s intimidating face twisted into a frown as he strode up to Luke, swinging his clenched fists dangerously.
“Don’t you dare approach her!”
Whoa!
Luke dodged the man’s iron fist and stumbled backward.
He stepped on the grass, still damp from the recent rain, and the soles of his worn-out shoes slipped in the muddy muck.
“—!”
It happened so suddenly, he could hardly make a sound.
Luke held his breath as he unexpectedly tumbled down the steep incline.
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