I am Being Chased by My Husband

(athanasiafrost)

Leo and Braeden screamed.

“Ms. Eloise!”

“Lady!”

Having been thrown off a galloping horse, I rolled several times on the cold ground. Despite my injuries, I knew Leo and Braeden had no choice but to keep running.

Coming back for me would have been suicidal. Leo had a duty to inherit the land, and it was sensible for him to prioritize his own survival.

‘Leo will be shocked, but… Once they escape safely, Braeden will take care of him.’

The higher demons ignored me on the ground and immediately targeted Leo, likely deeming him weaker than me.

‘I found it strange, considering I was the injured one and would have been an easier target.’

However, no matter how strangely the demon behaves as if it were a creature with will, it would be difficult to ignore the absolute premise that it reacts when attacked.

‘…Without a gun, dealing with this demon quickly will be a challenge.’

Analyzing the situation, I took out a dagger, infused it with holy power, and hurled it at the demon.

“Kieek!”

Climbing trees was another skill of mine, so I sought out the tallest tree in the vicinity. From a high vantage point, I could calculate my attacks better.

“Follow me.”

I said, my usual smile fading as I adopted a more serious tone.

“Your opponent is me.”

And then he turned around and started running. The demon, which also received the first attack, gave up on Leo and instinctively began to come towards me.

As I ran, I looked for the tallest tree with my eyes. If there’s one thing I’m good at besides sniping, it’s climbing trees. It was because it was a habit to secure a view from a high place.

‘If I go up high, I can throw the dagger vertically, so it’s easy to calculate the direction.’

Despite my injured leg, I made my way toward the tallest tree, near the cliff. It was a tree that looked like it could be climbed enough without running fast.

It was when I was measuring the distance with the one remaining dagger in front of the marked tree.

“Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh”

Startled by the sudden sound, I turned around. It was a loud roar of a demon that was incomparable to the short scream that passed by my holy power earlier.

“Uh, what… .”

I was about to climb a tree, but I stopped in a daze. The demon that was fiercely pursuing me suffered a fatal blow.

“Really, Eloise Renoir…”

Then, I saw a man holding a sword from behind the demon, I was so flustered that I dropped the dagger I was holding.

“An unpredictable opponent.”

Johannes’ unexpected appearance caused me to drop my dagger in fluster.

Of course, I shouldn’t be surprised. I pointed behind him and shouted loudly.

“Hey, over there! An demon!”

In the aftermath of the battle, as remnants of the demon still lingered, I found myself reaching down to retrieve the fallen dagger. Only then did I realize that I had inadvertently injured my own ankle with the very same weapon. Though the pain wasn’t immediately apparent, blood was now seeping from the wound.

It was a really stupid mistake. However, in a way, it was a mistake that had to be made because the opponent was Johannes Noavik. His mere presence had the power to humiliate me in ways no one else could.

Despite my efforts to conceal my identity and even being married, Johannes had pursued me relentlessly for years. I knew that my hair turning white in his presence was unavoidable.

Johannes looked at me coldly, likely deducing that my lack of skill had led to the dagger’s mishap.

“Stay still. You’ll get in the way.”

It was a rare occurrence for someone like me, the most esteemed demon hunter in the empire, to be told that I hindered the demon exorcism process.

As I stood there, stunned, Johannes swiftly dispatched the demon by thrusting his sword into its heart.

The creature dissipated, leaving behind a mysterious jewel, which I had no time to inspect.

Through the trees where the demons disappeared, a series of animal cries were heard. The glittering eyes of the beast began to appear here and there.

“This, this… .”

Goosebumps ran down my back. I involuntarily took a step back. A pack of wolves was approaching, clawing from behind a tree.

“They must have smelled blood.”

Johannes glanced at my ankles and muttered. I couldn’t control my expression, so I bit my lower lip.

My heart raced with fear, for while I could face demons without hesitation, I dreaded encounters with beasts. Holy power was ineffective against living creatures, rendering me defenseless even if I were armed.

(athanasiafrost)

Johannes… Could Johannes handle a pack of wolves on top of my injury? Johannes spoke slowly as I panicked.

“Do you see it, young lady?”

“yes?”

“In addition to demons, many wild beasts live in the North.”

Even in this situation, Johannes remained calm. Then he calmly put his sword in his scabbard. I was about to ask what he was doing when he had to take out his sword, but his words continued.

“Camping in the middle of the night here is nothing like a Southern picnic. Please excuse me for a moment.”

With an air of reluctance, as though being compelled to attend a tedious banquet, Johannes scooped me up into his arms and mounted his horse.

“Ah!”

I was lifted up like a doll and screamed. It happened so quickly that he lightly kicked the horse’s side while I couldn’t even breathe. His horse lifted its paw slightly and galloped forward.

‘He’s crazy!’

I thought, though I managed to refrain from screaming. But the direction we were heading was undeniable – straight towards the edge of the cliff.

And my fear was confirmed as his horse plunged fearlessly down the cliff, seeming to defy gravity.

“… Ugh… .”

No matter how many times I decided to stay calm, I only let out a moan when the horse jumped down the sheer cliff like a reindeer. It was a terribly frightening feeling of falling.

Despite my attempts to remain calm, the sensation of freefall overwhelmed me, and I retched as stones crunched beneath the horse’s hooves. Wolves howled from above, and the wind whipped at my cheeks.

“If you’re scared, close your eyes.”

While the sound of the wind passed by, Johannes advised, his voice unaffected by the perilous situation.

“Because A-Day[1] doesn’t make mistakes.”

With no time to question, I obeyed and shut my eyes tightly. The terrifying descent was still apparent, but at least the darkness shielded me from the view.

Eventually, when we landed completely on the ground and could no longer feel the wind, I could barely open my eyes and ask.

“… A-day… .”

I barely spoke in a croaking voice.

“Is that the horse’s name?”

“that’s right.”

Johannes said calmly.Before I knew it, a gentle river flowed nearby, its soft gurgling providing a contrast to the cliff’s daunting height.

Unknowingly, I bent my neck and looked up at the cliff I had come down. It was excruciatingly high. It seemed that we had entered a whole new world, far removed from the realm of demons and wolves.

A-Day, much like his owner, exuded a calm composure as he purred and waved his tail. He then approached the river, seemingly desiring a drink.

Internally, I had to acknowledge the wisdom behind Johannes’ decision. Escaping to a safer location was a far better choice than confronting a horde of wolves while I, a wounded and defenseless woman, was in his company. The method may have been unconventional, but it had undoubtedly saved us from greater danger.

“Get off. There are no more demons, and the wolves are gone,”

Of course, he said that, but he hugged me directly as if he must have known that I couldn’t dismount without assistance.

“Uh, um… .”

Even if I started running to the castle right away, it wouldn’t be enough, and while I couldn’t understand why he was asking me to get off, Johannes sat me down on a rock by the water. Then he got down on one knee beside me.

“… Duke?”

Without a word, he pulled back my skirt to tend to my injured ankle, his hands damp from the river.

While a cold feeling wrapped around his ankles, the round moon reflected in the river swayed and swayed every time he dipped his hand into the water.

“It’s a mess…”

I muttered in embarrassment. In fact, when I fell off the horse, I got a lot of scratches on my leg, and it was really not the horse because I was cut by a dagger. Johannes smiled and replied insincerely.

“I know.”

Contrary to the somewhat sarcastic answer, the hands washing my ankles were meticulous and gentle.

The night forest enveloped us in silence, devoid of demons and wolves, with only the sound of water splashing and distant bug cries breaking the stillness.

His large hands carefully washed my wounded ankle, and despite the coldness of the water, his touch ignited a warm sensation wherever he made contact.

Under the moonlight, his well-groomed face bore an almost pious appearance.

“Looks like a little sprain, doesn’t it?”

“… yes. I think so.”

As he gently manipulated my ankle, I couldn’t help but release a faint moan at a particular angle. Yet, the pain wasn’t the sole reason for my unease.

My heart raced as it always did when I was near him. Nonchalantly, he remarked,

“Endure the pain. The bandage must be tightly wrapped.”

After a rough cleansing, he tore a piece of cloth from his collar and skillfully wrapped it around my ankle with a dagger he carried.

(athanasiafrost)

[1] I’m not too sure if the pronounciation is actually A-day but I find it funny so i’ll leave it as is