Chapter 206 - (Side Story) > Book Rabbit

Side Story Episode 1

Side Story 1. The Case of the Unrequested Marriage of Abduction

A breathless pant escaped between rosy lips.

"Haa, ha……."

The woman lifted her sweat-beaded white chin and looked up. The fragments of blue sky visible through the leaves seemed to be mocking her. She lowered her chin again and swept her gaze left and right. There were only trees, all indistinguishable from one another. She had scattered cookie crumbs along the path as she fled, using wisdom gleaned from a fairy tale in her past life, but none were visible now. It was as if the vines and tree roots had greedily swallowed every last crumb.

After glaring at the heartless forest for a long while, Hilia finally accepted reality.

'I'm lost.'

It was, in fact, nothing special. In life, one loses their way plenty of times. However, the situation she was in now was neither ordinary nor common. How often does one get lost in a primeval forest so dense it's hard to walk through?

'Besides… I never learned how to find your way when you're stranded!'

Not in her life as the Princess of Delphin.

Nor in her previous life as a Korean.

Hilia slumped down, muttering dejectedly.

"I'm really going to die……."

It was no joke. She was so exhausted she felt like dying. It was only natural, given she had no idea how many hours she'd been wandering this rugged forest. Moreover, Hilia Delphin's stamina was worse than that of a deer that had starved for three days. In truth, she had begun to regret fleeing the cabin after roughly thirty minutes. It was just her pride and stubbornness that kept her from admitting it.

'I should have just stayed put quietly.'

At least her body would have been comfortable.

She was out of breath, her legs ached, and her once-smooth feet were undoubtedly covered in blisters. Panting, Hilia sat slumped on the ground, stewing in anger and frustration for a long while. The conclusion was simple yet bizarre. She let out a voice filled with rage and 'called' for someone.

"Come out—!"

The frail cry of a girl echoed widely through the silent forest, where not even the sound of insects could be heard.

"……."

But the forest remained silent. No voice, no presence answered her call. Yet, she didn't cower or despair. Hilia, her anger rising even more, shouted louder.

"I said come out! Did you sell your conscience and now you've gone deaf too?!"

"……."

This time, too, the only reply was a heartless silence. Hilia swallowed a frustrated groan deeply. In the end, she was the one who had lost. There was no helping it. Her body, having wandered for hours, was more exhausted than a butterfly with soaked wings, and her feet were scraped and sore. Above all… she was thirsty and hungry. So hungry that if the cookie crumbs she'd scattered earlier appeared before her eyes now, she felt she could lick them up. Hunger and thirst are instincts that humans absolutely cannot defy.

'Right. I didn't lose to that villain. I lost fighting my own stamina, my instincts.'

Hilia rationalized it that way.

It was a hollow victory for her psyche. After all, the fact that Hilia was the loser remained unchanged. Still, it was close to her final desperate struggle, not wanting to willingly place 'that man' in the winner's seat. While her mind was busy with self-justification, Hilia's mouth smoothly uttered words of surrender, as if she'd forgotten the venom from moments before.

"Fine. I lost. I was wrong. So come out already. You're watching anyway… really… how mean."

As she continued, her voice grew louder and her anger burst forth. It ended up as almost a curse born of spite.

"You really are a nasty villain!!!"

At that moment, a reply finally came to Hilia's shout, whether it was an insult or a summons. A man emerged gracefully, parting the forest trees and bushes as if they were curtains, walking without a sound. He narrowed his eyes into crescents. Crimson pupils, more dangerous and sharp than any beast on earth, violently seized her gaze. His long, flowing platinum hair elegantly brushed against the drooping branches.

"That's right. Here comes the villain."

Hilia gnashed her teeth and cried out.

"No, wrong! You're not just any villain! You kidnapper!!!"

Arpad Istrid narrowed his eyes and smiled. A smile that seemed to say he was unbearably delighted.

"No, wrong."

"What do you mean wrong? I only stated the facts!"

Hilia made her hostility blatant.

"Ah, are you going to try some shameless excuse or nonsensical justification now……."

Arpad mercilessly cut off Hilia's sentence.

"You need to add one more thing to be more accurate."

Arpad wasn't denying that he was a villain and a kidnapper.

"Don't forget the word 'husband' after villainous kidnapper. I am your husband by marriage of abduction."

Hilia's jaw nearly hit the ground.

"You lunatic!"

Hilia, who had been forced into an unrequested marriage of abduction, let out a scream of anger for who-knows-which time. Of course, it had no effect whatsoever.

* * *

Hilia's indignant tirade continued for quite some time, but its end was futile. After all, she had exhausted herself and was left panting.

"Done crying?"

Hilia jerked her head up from where it was deeply bowed.

"I didn't cry! Not one bit!"

Even though the corners of her eyes were red and swollen and a few transparent droplets glistened, Arpad didn't point that out. He was merely confirming her intent.

"Do you still have any intention to resist or run away further?"

Hilia's gaze turned fierce. She barely managed to swallow the words 'Of course I do?!' on the tip of her tongue.

'If I say that, he's the type who'd wait here until my will to escape disappears, staying up for days if necessary.'

She desperately didn't want to answer. She didn't want to surrender. She didn't want to lose. But there was no choice. There was nothing here, but the cabin had a bed, water, and food. All things Hilia desperately needed.

"……."

In that moment of conflict, Arpad turned his body away. Hilia was startled.

"Hey! What if you abandon me here! I'm coming! I give up on escaping!"

Then Arpad replied nonchalantly.

"I'm not abandoning you. Just follow me as you are. I'll match your snail-like pace, so don't worry."

Hilia stared blankly, and when he actually started walking, she cried out urgently.

"That's not the problem…?"

"Then what is?"

She stretched out both arms grandly.

"I can't walk!"

For the first time, Arpad's eyes widened slightly with surprise.

"Want me to carry you?"

It was an ordinary statement. It was also a recitation of exactly what Hilia had demanded. However, those words, expressed through Arpad's low voice, sounded utterly bizarre. Bizarre enough to make her cheeks flush without her knowing.

"Ah, no! That's……!"

But that infuriating man allowed no room for sentiment or strange thoughts. Because he immediately turned his back again.

"Behave and follow along. Be careful not to get lost again."

Hilia cried out in panic.

"I really can't walk! Take me with you! Otherwise, I can't go back!"

Arpad grinned and tilted his head. It was a smile Hilia was becoming quite familiar with by now. And also the most obnoxious expression.

"You need to be precise with your expression."

Pushing it further, Arpad crossed his arms and looked down. He looked even more obnoxious. Even from the angle looking up from the ground, his sharp jawline looked excessively well-defined. That made it all the more absurd and irritating.

"…What expression?"

Arpad strode over, bent one knee, and crouched down. It was to match eye level with Hilia, who was slumped on the ground. Arpad stared piercingly at her and spoke.

"Whether you want to be carried back like luggage, or carried back nicely in my arms."

"……."

"Ah, for reference, I have a habit of carrying luggage upside down."

"Who has a habit like that?!"

Arpad shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I'm a lunatic and a kidnapper, and your husband with bad taste and a nasty personality."

"……."

At Hilia's awkward silence, Arpad turned his body away again. Only after the same back-and-forth repeated three or four times did Hilia finally give up her stubbornness.

"Ugh! Fine! I get it! Carry me!!!"

"As you command."

Hilia was given no opportunity to sneer or curse further. Because Arpad lifted Hilia up, swift and light as the wind.

"Eek!"

Her vision shook, and in an instant, her feet left the ground. By the time she regained her senses, she was already nestled nicely in this man's arms. Perhaps it was due to the sudden action. The sound of her heart pounding was drumming against her eardrums.

Romance, Fantasy,