The Camellia Tattoo - Chapter 155
Igmeyer made that resolve as he stepped into the forest, praying for the sky to brighten quickly.
No matter how many cute distractions Amber created, she could not evade his gaze.
When it came to tracking traces, there was no one better than Igmeyer.
“Amber. My Amber.”
Igmeyer decided to forgo the unnecessary use of his powers and instead entrusted himself to his instincts.
Between the densely grown trees and the paths of the passing wind,
somewhere within, he caught a whiff of Amber’s scent.
It was the scent of camellias.
* * *
At that moment, Amber was lost and wandering in the forest.
The crow perched on her shoulder continued to caw, which could sound like mocking or, alternatively, a warning that she was going the wrong way.
Still, she was grateful for the crow’s presence. Aside from the occasional sound of horse hooves, the forest was oppressively quiet, sending chills down her spine.
It was as if the entire forest held its breath, anticipating the arrival of a top predator.
With not even the common chirp of a bug to be heard, the atmosphere felt unnaturally eerie.
“Ah, a fork in the road…”
Which way should she go?
She needed to get out of this forest quickly, yet it felt like she was just circling the same paths.
Dismounting from her horse, Amber approached the two paths and tilted her neck to see.
She wanted to gauge which direction to take, but with the darkness surrounding her, there was no way to tell. The pitch-black paths looked like deep abysses leading to hell.
Whether it was the right or left path, she had the sinking feeling that both would lead to doom, and she instinctively took a deep breath.
But she was someone who needed to move. Despite her uncertainty, she didn’t want to remain idle.
“Caw, caw!”
Then, the crow suddenly took off, flapping towards the left.
Its loud cawing seemed to beckon her to follow.
‘…Should I trust it?’
Crows are intelligent creatures. Perhaps it wanted to repay her for the bread she had shared.
With that thought, Amber took a step, following the crow.
She moved cautiously, relying on the faint moonlight, scratching her arms and legs along the way, but she paid it no mind.
“Caw, caw!”
The crow circled above Amber’s head, as if waiting for her to catch up, then flew ahead and paused to wait for her again.
After several repetitions, a path finally appeared before her.
“Ah…!”
Amber’s eyes widened in joy.
Of course! The crow was trying to help her.
Feeling grateful, she stepped onto the path.
As she passed tall trees and emerged from the dense underbrush, she suddenly sensed a heavy shadow looming over her.
At that moment, a familiar, all-too-familiar scent washed over her.
“…Amber.”
It was a low, dark voice.
At that single call, she looked up in shock.
She must have misheard. It couldn’t be him. There was no way he would be here…
But Igmeyer was there.
Standing before her, his face looked so wounded, like an abandoned puppy.
Seeing him like that felt like her heart was shattering.
It seemed he felt the same, as the first words out of Igmeyer’s mouth were filled with concern for her.
“What are you doing here? You should be resting somewhere safe.”
“…!”
“Did you think I’d accept you disappearing after leaving just a note? No, Amber.”
Yes, that was wrong.
But she thought he would understand.
She believed that he would let her go and that he would consider the reasons behind her note… She had faith in that.
‘Ah, it was just my selfishness.’
Igmeyer approached her, his wounds clearly visible and red.
Having come to know him through both past and present, Amber realized just how much he was suppressing his emotions. She could see how deeply he was… hurt.
‘I inflicted those wounds on him.’
She wished she hadn’t done that.
She should have shared everything and sought a way forward together.
She knew he would be hurt. Even so, she thought it was for his sake. Better than dying. Better than losing everything.
‘Is that really true? Was it not for me?’
Perhaps Igmeyer would have preferred to die together…
“Amber.”
Overwhelmed by countless thoughts, Amber took a hesitant step back.
She could no longer bear to look into his deep-set eyes.
She felt so sorry—too sorry—that she would rather spill her own blood in place of his.
‘My heart… it feels like it’s being squeezed.’
Gasping for breath, Amber turned her body away.
She knew this was avoidance, but she couldn’t endure it any longer.
How could she face the sight of her beloved husband, the man who had become a wreck because of her?
Even if it was for him and their child, Igmeyer didn’t understand that; he must have felt utterly abandoned.
“Don’t avoid me.”
Igmeyer had a deep-seated need for affection.
She hadn’t realized it in their past life, but in this one, she had come to know this truth.
