The night path proved treacherous to navigate, especially the untamed mountain trail they found themselves on.

Ariana, dressed in thin clothes, shivered and wrapped her arms tightly around herself whenever the wind howled. The kerosene Lamp she had carried slipped from her grasp earlier, tumbling down the slope and extinguishing its light, making the path even more treacherous to discern.

The ground beneath them was uneven, littered with protruding branches and rocks. Ariana narrowly avoided stumbling multiple times, her feet meeting obstacles along the way.

With her vision obscured, Ariana's face suffered scratches from the unforgiving tree branches that reached out to hinder her progress.

As Ariana's agitation grew, the thought of returning to the damp, moldy room only served to worsen her irritation. Fueled by frustration, she forcefully pushed past the obstructing branches, forging ahead on her journey.

Regret filled Ariana's heart as she reflected on her decision to embark on this ill-fated journey, her search for truth mired in wishful thinking. She had believed there was a hidden motive behind Theodore's actions, only to discover that he returned to this place every year to reminisce about his first love, leaving her to bear the brunt of the consequences.

Lost in her own annoyance, Ariana failed to notice that the person behind her had ceased speaking.

In a sudden turn of events, she found herself unexpectedly Lifted off the ground, and instinctively, she let out a piercing scream while clinging desperately to Theodore's neck.

It was then that she realized Theodore had scooped her up in a horizontal hold, an unconventional embrace that left her both annoyed and embarrassed.

“What are you doing?"

Theodore's gaze met Ariana's furious expression as she hung in his arms, resembling an angry kitten. Despite her ire, he couldn't help but smile helplessly.

“You were heading in the wrong direction," he explained.

With those words, he carried Ariana and veered off in another direction, leaving her face flushed with embarrassment. Determined to maintain her defiance, she stubbornly declared, “I can go wherever I please. It's none of your business. Put me down!"

Her voice trembled with a mixture of frustration and vulnerability as she struggled to break free from Theodore's embrace.

Helplessly, Theodore let out a sigh and feigned sternness.

“If you keep squirming, I might just feed you to Rin as an extra meal.

Rin, faithfully trailing behind them, seemed to grasp the situation and emitted a cooperative howl, its tail wagging happily in tandem.

Momentarily rendered speechless, Ariana found Theodore’s reasoning akin to persuading a kid by threatening police intervention.

She wanted to protest further, but Theodore pressed her firmly against his chest, sheltering her face with his shoulder to shield her from any branches that might scrape against her.

Ariana stared blankly, her body pressed tightly against his, her ear attuned to the steady rhythm of his strong heartbeat. ALL her grievances seemed to dissolve, leaving her incapable of uttering a single word.