The Monster Lady and the Holy Knight - Chapter 12

Veronica’s trembling fingers, unable to control themselves, clutched at the hem of her clothes as she groaned softly. Her mind was in turmoil. Her lower abdomen tightened with a dull ache, and her breath came out in heavy gasps.

Even though she had never kissed anyone before, she knew that this impulse was abnormal. It was something beyond her control—a humiliating desire that made her wish she were dead.

It was impossible not to know. Veronica remembered the panting of stray dogs she had seen in the streets. This was similar to an animal’s heat. No one had to explain it to her; she instinctively understood. Bahamut’s appetite was for reproduction, and when that desire was suppressed, it expressed itself in other ways.

It wasn’t just a desire to eat humans, but a desire to devour those with superior abilities. His holy power was sweet. She wanted it.

So, you must feel the same urge as I do.

“Hah…”

A seductive moan escaped from her throat, surprising even herself. Her eyes lost focus, and her hands, which had been gripping her clothes, slowly wrapped around Leon’s neck like a snake.

Leon, who had been passively accepting her advances, seized the opportunity when Veronica, gasping for air, broke the kiss. He realized how ineffective pushing her away was, so instead, he pulled her close, holding her tightly. His touch was hot as he cradled her head against his chest and pulled her waist closer.

Veronica whined softly in frustration, “Just a little… just a little more…”

“I know. Just stay still for a moment.”

Trapped in his arms, Veronica struggled, her senses overwhelmed by his musky scent filling her lungs. The sound of their ragged breathing and their uneven heartbeats blended together. It wasn’t just her. There were two of them. Once she realized that, the impulse began to subside.

She wasn’t alone.

There was no shame or embarrassment. It was as if the part of her that should have felt those emotions was broken. Oh, once again. I want to disappear into this man, to die like this.

For a long while, neither of them spoke. The only sound in the barn was their heavy breathing, which echoed like thunder in Veronica’s ears. She was snapped back to reality when she felt the cool touch of Leon’s hand on her flushed cheek. He slowly stroked her face, like a boy who had found a piece of treasure for the first time. His sharp gaze gleamed with greed in the darkness.

“Were you always like this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Before the assimilation, were you always like this…” Leon trailed off, his thumb brushing against her red eyes as if mesmerized. “Is it because of your eyes?”

Veronica, who had been gazing up at him, reflexively lowered her eyes when his hand approached. As if he had anticipated this, Leon gently traced the outline of her eyelids. His delicate touch lingered on her fluttering eyelashes, enjoying the sensation as if it were a rare find. Her breath quickened, and soft gasps escaped her lips.

Leon murmured in a hoarse voice, “Or maybe I just like your face.”

Even with her eyes closed, the alluring aura that surrounded her remained. She wasn’t a striking beauty, but she knew how to make seductive expressions and gestures that could captivate men.

Any man with something hanging between his legs would want to sleep with her, would want to writhe in pleasure at the sight of her disheveled state.

Leon rationalized his own desires this way. It was natural.

Now, all that remained was to suppress those desires with an unnatural will.

He forcefully removed his hands from her, even though his fingers ached to grab her. Instead, he pulled her head close and buried it in his chest. His large hand slid into her soft hair, and as she nestled into his embrace, a difficult-to-describe peace spread over him.

Leon let out a long, slow breath. Ignoring the discomfort in his lower half, he closed his eyes.

The wind howled as it rattled the barn.

***

Veronica thought about Leon’s words.

“I don’t name animals that are going to die.”

Come to think of it, had he ever asked her for her name?

“If you’re awake, get up.”

A deep voice broke through the darkness. Veronica blinked groggily and slowly lifted her head. Though she had been only lightly asleep, it felt like she had woken from a long, deep slumber.

The world was a bright blue, with the smell of dawn mixed with Leon’s scent in the air. It wasn’t unpleasant—quite the opposite.

It had been a long time since she had been held by someone like this, not since she was a child. Not even her parents had held her like this, throughout the night. The warmth that enveloped her felt like being submerged in hot water, calm and peaceful like rainwater collected in a stream.

“How about your visions?” Leon asked softly. His usual sharpness seemed to have softened, perhaps because of his tousled hair. For the first time, he looked almost human.

“I didn’t see any.”

Veronica, still dazed, answered in a small voice, as if she had done something wrong. There had been no visions, no impulses. Instead of showing disappointment, Leon slowly removed his arm from around her waist and stood. She felt a pang of regret as the warmth left her side. Once again, the wolf-fur cloak became hers.

Leon ran a hand over his face to shake off the lingering sleep, then swept his messy hair back roughly. The movement emphasized the strong lines of his shoulders and back, and the thin fabric of his black tunic couldn’t fully conceal the tightly packed muscles underneath.

It felt like she was seeing a man for the first time in her life. Why was she having this sudden realization about a gender that made up half the world? Maybe it was because she had spent the whole night in his arms. The warmth that had wrapped around her body all night was something physically impossible for an adult to experience anymore.

Just as a strange urge to reach out and touch him overtook her, Leon turned his head slightly.

“What is it?”

Veronica’s eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly lowered her hand, blushing furiously.

What was I thinking? Have I gone mad?

In her embarrassment, she blurted out the first excuse that came to mind.

“I’m hungry.”

But as soon as she said it, her face grew even hotter. After all that talk of being an adult, she sounded like a child complaining about being hungry.

“Of course, I’m not asking you to cook for me. Just tell me what we should eat, and I’ll help.”

Trying to save face, she quickly added. Leon, who had been staring at her, let out a quiet laugh. She wasn’t imagining it—he seemed more relaxed than usual, perhaps because he had just woken up.

“Don’t bother. Just sit there. If your injury worsens, I’ll leave you behind.”

Leon stood up, picking up some dry straw, probably to start a fire. Veronica watched his retreating figure in a daze, then absentmindedly touched the back of her neck.

The wound was healing.

Tap, tap, the well-heated smoked fish gave off a rich, savory aroma. The butter-grilled cod, in its prime season, had an exceptional flavor. As she bit into the tender flesh, the juices flowed generously, filling her mouth.

Veronica devoured the meal eagerly, enjoying it so much that she didn’t even notice Leon watching her until she reached for the last piece. Feeling his gaze, she hesitated and offered an awkward explanation.

“I didn’t like this dish much when I ate it in a warm house, but it tastes so good in the cold.”

“Are you sure it’s not just because someone else cooked it?”

When Leon asked this, Veronica couldn’t refute him and gave him a sideways glare. His comment was, after all, a jab at the cook back home—who was none other than herself. The smell of roasting smoked fish filled the air, accompanied by the crackle of the fire. The cod, brushed with butter and cooked to perfection, must have been in season because it tasted extraordinary. As she bit into the soft flesh, the juices filled her mouth.

Veronica ate so ravenously that she was almost embarrassed. Only when she picked up the last piece did she realize Leon had been watching her the whole time. She hesitated, then awkwardly explained, “I usually don’t like this food when I’m in a warm house, but it tastes delicious out here in the cold.”

“Are you sure it’s not just because the cook is different?”

When Leon asked this, Veronica couldn’t refute him and gave him a sideways glare. His comment was, after all, a jab at the cook back home—who was none other than herself.

In any case, it was surprising to see Leon cooking, even if it was a simple meal. Everything she experienced with him seemed to be a first. Her first horse ride, her first journey, her first kiss.

“We’re heading to Kart.”

As she swallowed the last bite, Leon mentioned the name of the Holy City, the capital. Veronica had been expecting this. Since leaving Aseldorf, Leon had headed straight north without any hesitation.

Veronica sat quietly, mentally drawing a map of their route.

They had started from Bayern, on the far eastern edge of the continent, and passed through Aseldorf to the west. The Holy City of Kart was directly north of their current location.

The direct journey would take five days, but the real problem was the vast wilderness in between, a barren land with no vegetation. If they detoured around it, the journey would take at least two weeks.

“Aren’t we going to run out of food? Even if we stop at a proper city along the way, we don’t have any money left.”

“We won’t run out. We’re going straight through the wilderness.”

Leon answered her casually, so casually that it took her a moment to realize something was wrong. She almost choked on her food, looking up at him in confusion.

“Are you insane?”

Is this guy really a heretic?

“I know it’s strange to say this to a priest, but the wilderness is sacred ground, home to the Great Temple. If we enter it recklessly, we’ll be punished.”

“If punishment comes, let it come. Whether it’s sacred ground or defiled land, we don’t have time to worry about that now.”

Veronica opened and closed her mouth in disbelief. Leon tossed more wood into the fire and threw her a meaningful glance as he asked, “Where do you think the Bahamuts that attacked your hometown came from?”

The sudden question made Veronica frown. It seemed like such an obvious answer.

“Of course, they came from the sea. There’s nowhere else they could have come from. The southern front is well-guarded.”

“What if Tiran was breached long ago?”

For a moment, there was a stunned silence, like cold water being thrown on her.

Monsters from the southern sea. The war had always been something that happened far away, in the southern lands. The rest of the continent had been safe because Tiran, the natural fortress, stood guard. The Holy Knights were protecting that land.

As she slowly paled, Leon pressed on with another question.

“What if everything south of here has already been consumed?”