Red Riding Hood - Chapter 25
As soon as she said that, large tears welled up and spilled from her eyes.
With a sigh, the Wolf pulled her into his arms and sank down by the fire.
“Little one, what are you saying?”
Cinq buried her face in his broad chest and sobbed.
“When the knights from Kalasca—the place looking for you—come… you’ll leave with them…”
The Wolf let out a deep sigh, his chest rising and falling.
“Cinq. Is that what you’ve been thinking? That I would leave behind the woman I love, the one I’ve spent my entire life searching for?”
Cinq wiped her tears on his collar, then looked up at him.
“Isn’t it true?”
The Wolf cupped her cheeks in his large hands, gazing into her eyes.
“Cinq. Won’t you come with me?”
Cinq’s eyes widened in surprise. Together with the Wolf… she’d leave? She had never even imagined such a thing.
Seeing her startled expression, the Wolf cleared his throat and continued in a gentle voice.
“Cinq. I am a vanguard knight of King Brian. I drove the King of Betrayal, Sidney, all the way to Baldano at the edge of the continent. The grand army of the true king was right behind me, and even Manann’s pirates, Sidney’s last line of defense, were swept away by the storm. Sidney is likely trapped in Baldano Castle, meeting a fittingly miserable end for someone with such a notorious title.”
Cinq’s face crumpled in confusion.
“Lord Wolf, I don’t really understand what you’re talking about.”
At her words, the Wolf grinned, baring his teeth.
“What I’m saying, Cinq, is that I won! Honestly, I almost died winning, but I survived in the end!”
His proud smile made Cinq smile shyly in return.
“Well done.”
The Wolf showered her face with kisses as he spoke.
“My lovely Cinq, come with me. This may be the end of the continent, but the journey back to my homeland, Kalasca, will be long. If you’re willing… what do you say about going to Kalasca with me?”
At his words, Cinq’s face instantly filled with worry.
“What kind of place is it?”
As he reminisced, the Wolf’s voice grew rich, almost like he was singing.
“What kind of place is it? Cinq, Kalasca is a peaceful land untouched by war. In spring, flowers bloom everywhere, and the wind carries their fragrance. In summer, the air is filled with the sweet scent of ripening fruit. And in autumn, when you stand on the castle ramparts, endless fields of wheat spread out like a shimmering golden sea.”
He gently took a lock of her hair and kissed it.
“Cinq, it’s the same color as your hair.”
Cinq smiled faintly and said,
“Tell me more.”
“There, you’ll find my family’s castle and my family, who look a little like me. My father, Sir Lantimos Gracian, is…”
In a soft, affectionate voice, he answered all her questions as she listened attentively.
Time passed as her wet skirt dried completely, and the dark waters of the pond reflected the warm hues of the setting sun.
Finally, the Wolf looked into her eyes and spoke.
“Cinq. Will you… marry me? Even though I’m ten years older than you, clumsy, and far from mature?”
Cinq looked up at him with wide, anxious eyes, then asked softly,
“Lord Wolf, do your words hold true?”
“Cinq, I love you.”
“Do you think someone like me, a simple girl with a red hood from this small village, would fit in such a beautiful place?”
“Of course. Cinq, you could go anywhere.”
“What if your family dislikes me?”
“Cinq, you saved both my body and soul. They will love you just as they love me.”
At his words, Cinq breathed rapidly, her chest swelling with emotion.
Finally, she slowly closed her eyes and gently pressed her lips to his.
Their upper lips and lower lips aligned as she whispered,
“I want to. Because I love you. I want to stay with you, no matter where that may be.”
Overwhelmed, Ylfus’ lips trembled as they touched hers.
He pulled her into a tight embrace with both arms.
His breaths were ragged as he pressed his lips to hers again, then once more, as if unable to believe it.
“Cinq.”
He spoke in a trembling voice.
“Say it again.”
Cinq, feeling his lips brush hers as she spoke, replied,
“I will. Lord Wolf— Ylfus. I will stay by your side.”
