/
The elder was trying to kill Lyla for knowing the secret. Besides, if Holly and Cahill’s party came to find the treasure, the secret itself would disappear.
“If we work things out, the weakness will go away. Why?”
“Because the elder seek perfection.”
She was trying to erase even the traces that such a thing happened. Even though she only saw the elder yesterday, Holly thought the elder could do such a thing.
“But how does Chase know that?”
Chase visibly flinched at Holly’s words.
“That, that’s it
 Lyla and I are a couple. There are no secrets between husband and wife.”
Chase wore a hesitant smile while Holly regarded him with suspicion in her eyes. Lyla was not an elf who would tell everyone her story. It would be even more so if it were someone else’s secret rather than about herself.
“Holly!”
At that moment, a voice reached their ears, sounding vaguely familiar. As she turned her head to identify the caller and her expression contorted, Chase called out the name in surprise.
“
George?”
It was the elder’s son. The moment he appeared, the air around him became cold.
“Anyway, think carefully.”
Seeing the elder’s son, George, approach, Chase hurriedly concluded his words, and before George reached where they were standing, he left in his haste.
As a chilling silence settled in their surroundings, Holly reached out and tightly clasped Cahill’s hand.
“I am cold.”
Then Cahill, startled, hurriedly removed his robe and placed it around Holly’s shoulder.
“Hold on for a while. It doesn’t get warm right away.”
She contemplated refusing, wanting to tell him that there was no need for him to go to such lengths. However, noticing that George’s gaze was fixed on his hand resting on her shoulder, she chose not to push his hand away and instead moved closer.
“Is there a problem?”
When Adam stepped forward and asked, George snooped to see Holly hidden behind his back.
“My mother told me to join you on your schedule.”
“We have enough. Besides, I’m not sure if that’ll help
”
Adam glanced at him with disdain.
“I am the watcher.”
George uttered with a displeased face.
“
Watcher? Watching on us?”
When Adam heard that, he burst out laughing. Meanwhile, George gave a sly smile and replied sarcastically.
“Then, how can we believe in you guys when you made such a promise? My mother is a very careful person.”
Though she understood the reasons behind it, Holly suppressed the urge to voice her thoughts, her lips twitching in the process.
“But we are uncomfortable with you. We’d rather have someone else join in.”
Observing her, Adam spoke up, expressing his concern about potentially causing her further distress by directly addressing the harassment. Nonetheless, George shamelessly shrugged his shoulders in response.
“You know. It’s good that fewer people know about this.”
Adam’s face contorted.
“Should we not just do this?”
He asked as he glanced back at the party.
“Yes. You lived well even without the elves’ treasure.”
Badin, who had been reluctant to go from the beginning, responded with a smile. Even so, George was smiling leisurely.
The atmosphere felt uneasy.
“Your king may think differently
”
George’s words made not only Adam but also Badin stiffen. It seemed that they even contacted the King of Aisen.
“Didn’t you say that it was better than not many people know?”
“I didn’t go into detail about the circumstances. I just welcomed the Prince’s visit and offered to give him a present.”
He was proud of having driven them as a sinner. George spoke coyly, this time looking towards Holly.
“And the King over there doesn’t seem to know anything about the Prince’s lover.”
Holly’s eyes trembled at him, looking at her with interest. The next moment, noticing her reaction, he grinned.
“But, even my mother doesn’t know exactly how many concubines I have or who they are. I don’t know how long they’ll stick with me, so I didn’t bother introducing them.”
George persisted, his eyes still fixated on her.
His words made her frown.
‘He was saying that I might not be Cahill’s lover forever.’
Of course, she also thought that her relationship with Cahill would end when the trip was over. Still, when the truth was confirmed from another person’s mouth, her mood sank.
“It’s better not to cause unnecessary attention.”
As something hard touched her back, Holly looked back before darkness filled her vision. It was Cahill who put his arms around her head.
“Otherwise, I can’t guarantee how long your neck will stick around.”
Because his arm pressed down on her ear, she could only hear his voice in mumbles.
“Let’s go.”
Cahill took a step forward, keeping a firm grip on her as they moved.
Because of that, Holly was slightly pushed back by his movement and instinctively took a step back herself. Worried that she might lose her balance, she tightly embraced him from behind for a brief moment.
Unaware of her inner turmoil, Cahill embraced her, content in his own happiness. In response, Holly lightly tapped his back with her fist.
Eventually, he came to a halt.
Sensing her resistance, he gradually loosened his hold on her, releasing the strength from his arms.
“Puh—”
As she gasped like someone who had just gotten out of the water, he rubbed her reddened cheek.
“I won’t be able to walk unless you let me go!”
Cahill smiled brightly and replied slyly.
“I thought we could just go because you fit so snugly in my arms.”
Holly shot back with distasteful eyes.
“What nonsense is that?”
Still, she wouldn’t let go of his clasped hands. In the meanwhile, George watched the scene from behind and clenched his teeth.
“Do nothing but watch us.”
Adam, who saw that, spat out a warning to him before quickly following Cahill and Holly.
* * *
By the time the sky turned red, the party arrived at a flat, though not wide, vacant lot. Adam put down the bag he was carrying on his back.
“We’ll rest here for today.”
Everyone welcomed the words and laid down their belongings. Badin was about to lie down on the bare ground. The only one with a disapproving look was George, the uninvited guest.
“Already? So, when are you going to find the treasure?”
“We are not in a hurry.”
Adam just shrugged his complaint away. Even though George looked around for someone to help him, nobody cared about him.
“Can’t we just tie him up and leave?”
Except for Badin, who wanted to leave Lauriue quickly without running errands.
“We’ll have to eat some fruit for dinner.”
Adam said, pushing the half-eaten piece of meat back into the bag.
“If you break anything, it will be difficult, so let’s go together.”
George hastily agreed with Adam. It seemed that he was afraid that Badin would really tie him up. Holly also took off his foot to follow them.
“Just rest. Three people are enough to pick the fruit.”
When he stopped her, Holly glanced at George and obediently obeyed Adam’s words.
“Why three?”
With Badin’s dissatisfied voice, Adam pointed at himself, George, and Badin one by one.
“What about him?”
When Badin didn’t know to give up, pointing at Cahill, Adam’s eyes flashed.
“How could you make His Highness do such a difficult task
!”
Listening to him, Cahill patted him on the shoulder with a look of admiration as Adam gazed at Cahill, his eyes twinkling with joy.
“Well, because we need someone to keep the place
”
Badin, who glanced at Holly, let out a sigh as if he couldn’t help it.
“Go carefully.”
As the three of them left to get dinner, Cahill hugged Holly. He placed his chin on her head and let out a deep sigh.
“Finally, all the intruders are gone.”
Perhaps because of the closeness, her heart skipped a beat every time he spoke. She smiled at his voice, which relieved her very much, and hugged him.
Cahill, who was resting his chin on Holly’s head, pulled her away abruptly. He gazed into her face.
“Should we do a quick round when no one is around?”
As his hand, which had been placed on her waist, slipped down to her hip, his eyes were sparkling with anticipation.
“You won’t finish it in one go. So no.”
Removing his hand before it heated her body, Cahill pouted.
“
Then, I’ll just hold you.”
When he stretched out his arm again, Holly was quietly cradled in his arms. Cahill grinned at the warmth that warmed his body.