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Chapter 50
”Can’t sleep?” Luisen asked. Carlton’s eyes immediately flew open. The young lord could see his dim reflection in the mercenary’s dark pupils.
“What about you, my duke?”
“I’m a little worried.”
“About what?”
“About the direwolves. Why do you think they attacked the village?”
Carlton thought for a moment before answering, “There was nothing special about that village.”
“Exactly. It’s a village founded by refugees; most people wouldn’t even know that there’s a village there, right?”
“They must have noticed it while passing by. Direwolves probably wouldn’t have traveled along the road, in order to avoid attention; rather, it may have been easier to find a village hidden deep within the mountains.”
“Then they should have simply passed by. Why did they attack?”
“Perhaps they wanted a meal. Or perhaps it was for training.”
“
 It could have been both, I suppose.” Luisen was struck speechless with misery. Recollections of bloodstains all over the place gave him an eerie, chilly feeling.
Watching Luisen toss and turn, Carlton continued, “It’s not the duke’s fault that the town was attacked by those bastards. It’s just bad luck.”
“
That’s not it.”
‘I’m from the future,’ Luisen wanted to say but swallowed those words. He could possibly have prevented this if he had been a little smarter–if he was more perceptive. Just as how he had prepared for the locust attack.
“My duke can’t possibly know about everything in the world. And, even if you knew, you couldn’t possibly prepare for everything. Everyone knows that winters are severe, but there are always people who freeze to death.” Carlton spoke as if he had looked inside Luisen’s heart.
Luisen was astounded. “Even so, I feel sorry.”
“It’s something that’s already happened. What would change because my duke is feeling sorry? Sleep instead. Be worried during the day instead–there’s nothing else to do while walking, right?” Carlton’s words were unsympathetic and cold, but he wasn’t wrong. It was time to get some sleep and replenish his strength for the work he’d have to do tomorrow.
Luisen forced himself to close his eyes, trying to ignore the guilty thoughts that crept into his consciousness. He then began to feel sleepy.
“Just as you said, I won’t think about it for now
 When we arrive at the capital, I’ll search for more survivors from that village. I’ll give them some land to craft a farm and help them settle down,” Luisen murmured, half asleep.
“They probably aren’t part of your duchy.”
“I’m the south’s great lord. Even if it’s part of someone else’s estate, I should be able to do that much.”
“Yes, yes. Of course.”
“If you have power, you should use it. Don’t you think so?” Luisen immediately fell asleep right after.
""
“
My duke?”
“

”
“Luisen Anies?”
“

”
There was no reply; Carlton looked at Luisen’s fast asleep face and stood up. Then, he carefully walked over to Luisen’s feet and took off his shoes and socks. Because the young lord had worn these shoes for quite some time, there was a musty smell, but Carlton didn’t mind.
Luisen’s feet were smooth and soft–without a single callous. They were shapely and beautifully pale. Carlton was perplexed by his urge to fiddle and tickle them.
‘What is this? Why am I like this?’
It was just smelly feet; why was he feeling like this?
Carlton pushed down his incomprehensible impulse and continued to his goal. He washed Luisen’s feet with water he had taken from the village. Next, he carefully wiped the water droplets with cloth, massaging both feet and ankles. The muscles became softer as he skillfully massaged Luisen’s stiff calves. All this would make it easier for the young lord to walk tomorrow.
With ointment the mercenary had collected from the village, Calrton spread it on Luisen’s skin. During that entire time, Luisen was asleep–dead to the world.
Carlton grinned and chuckled, ‘Sleep well.’
If the young lord did not awake and was ignorant to someone fiddling with his feet, he must have been incredibly exhausted. Carlton felt proud that the lord didn’t show any signs of harships, as if the young lord had no desire to become a burden.
Carlton placed Luisen’s shoes and socks back on again. Fortunately, Luisen didn’t wake. Just imagining being caught secretly taking care of the young lord made Carlton cringe and wring his hands.
Carlton laid next to the young lord once more. Though the two had left the bonfire lit, the surroundings still felt cold and empty when the mercenary closed his eyes. The dead silence aroused anxiety within him.
He surreptitiously and gingerly hugged Luisen. Carlton could feel a warmth within his arms; when he closed his eyes, Carlton could hear Luisen’s breath mingling with his own. All this made the mercenary feel relieved.
***
Luisen woke the next morning nestled in Carlton’s embrace.
‘Was it really that cold during the night
?’
He couldn’t believe he hugged the mercenary even though they slept next to a bonfire. Luisen fiddled with his hair, embarrassed. Carlton stood up immediately, told the young lord that he would hunt some meat and to stay quiet, and departed into the woods.
If Luisen hadn’t regressed back into his younger body, he would have already reached thirty years of age; to think he’d be treated like a child now
 Luisen pouted.
‘Come to think of it, how old is Carlton?’ Adding how old Luisen was before regression, the young lord was almost thirty years old now. He hadn’t asked the mercenary for his age, but it was unlikely the man would be over thirty years old.
‘I’m probably his hyung
?’ 1
The thought of Carlton calling him ‘hyung’ gave Luisen goosebumps, but at the same time the young lord was pleased by that thought.
‘Next time I should ask how old he is.’ With that thought in mind, Luisen waited, staring blankly at his surroundings. A short while after, Carlton returned. “There are no wild animals at all in these woods
”
Because the mercenary had promised to bring back meat, Carlton looked a little abashed. But something far more valuable than meat stood by the mercenary’s side. It looked like a horse, but much more foolish, small, and clumsy. It was a donkey with lovable long, pointed ears.
“Why do you have a donkey?” Luisen asked.
Looking at its reigns, there was little chance that it was a wild donkey. Luisen sprang to his feet and approached Carlton; the donkey brayed and shook its head playfully.
“One of the robbers told me about him a while ago. There was a donkey shared among the village, but ten days ago it ran away. I searched for it–just in case–and brought him here.”
“When did they tell you about him?”
“Oh, just a while ago–anyway, ride this guy from tomorrow onwards. He’s docile.” Carlton stroked the donkey’s neck. The donkey seemed so attached to the mercenary; it closed its eyes and looked as if it were smiling.
The donkey’s black, pleased pupils were so adorable. Luisen reached his hand out to pet it.
“Ah!”
The donkey moved to bite the young lord.
“It’s not docile at all,” Luisen pouted. This was docile? Unlike how it behaved with Carlton, the donkey glared combatively at the young lord.
“Why are you looking at me like that? You were so sweet and gentle to Carlton,” Luisen grumbled. The donkey huffed as if it found Luisen’s words absurd.
Carlton burst into laughter. “My duke really isn’t friendly with these fellows. My lord got along with none of the horses that were being raised in your castle.”
“Isn’t it that you’re just unnaturally good with them?” Luisen complained.
“These guys are just especially sensitive and wary. They don’t like it when you approach so carelessly.”
“For now, keep your distance and deliberately and cautiously showcase your approach. You must wait until he can properly sniff you.” Carlton demonstrated. The donkey ate the Buried Old Hag that Carlton offered with no hesitation.
“I think it just likes you.”
“Just try.”
Luisen hesitatingly reached out a Buried Old Hag towards the donkey. “H-Here
something tasty.”
The donkey didn’t budge one inch. ‘Honestly, what am I doing?’ Luisen thought about eating the Buried Old Hag himself, but Carlton glanced at the young lord, telling him to be patient. After a while, the donkey sniffed and carefully ate the root.
“!”
“Now, try slowly reaching out and touching him. Gently.”
Luisen cautiously reached out to stroke the donkey’s head. Its fur was softer and warmer than he had imagined. Because the donkey was chewing on the Buried Old Hag, its muscles moved fascinatingly beneath the young lord’s fingertips.
Luisen giggled softly. “He’s a bit cute.”
“Indeed.” Carlton’s attention was fixated on Luisen.
Under Carlton special instruction–and after much trial and error–Luisen was able to eventually ride atop the donkey’s back. Though the donkey was shorter than a horse, it was still a great hassle to climb up without a saddle or stirrup. Luisen felt a great sense of accomplishment and clapped his hands with Carlton’s. 2
***
The two began to move again. Luisen rode the donkey; Carlton led its reigns.
Thanks to that steed, they were able to travel comfortably and reach further distances. Luisen’s riding skills remained the same, but thanks to Carlton’s proper handling and comfort, the donkey never stopped in the middle of the road.
As his body began to relax and be at ease, Luisen was assaulted by the worries he had tried to ignore during the night. He was worried they may run into another strange group while walking down the mountain road–or maybe they’d encounter Ruger’s gang.
However, nothing happened. The monsters had driven away all the wild beasts; Carlton and Luisen felt like they were the only ones left in the world while travelling through the quiet and still forest.
The lord’s initial tension began to vanish; the two ambled onward as if they were on vacation. They shared trivial stories–though a few of their talks left a deep impression on each other–to relieve their boredom.