Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 118

#118. Familiar Face

2024.06.06.

Huh… Haa…

I was short of breath, my head was spinning, and my legs felt wobbly.

Belladonna leaned on a makeshift cane fashioned from a thick branch, gasping for breath as she looked up. The hilltop was still a long way off.

“Bella.”

“Escalion, please go on ahead. I’ve reached my limit.”

Escalion, who had been looking back at her from a step ahead, hesitated.

He glanced back and forth between Belladonna, who looked utterly exhausted, and the path stretching upwards, before finally asking, “Are you serious?”

“Haa… Haa…”

“Bella, we’ve only been walking for five minutes. The real climb hasn’t even begun yet.”

He stared at his struggling wife, his mouth slightly agape. “I didn’t realize your stamina was this poor. I’ll have to bring you here every day from now on. Perhaps then it will improve, even if only a little.”

“I’m surprised myself.”

Belladonna lowered her head.

She knew she wasn’t strong, but she hadn’t realized her stamina had deteriorated to this extent.

Perhaps it was because she had expended so much divine power in Astanya, which had drained her life force.

Breaking her downward gaze, she noticed Escalion’s large palm suddenly appear.

“Take it. I’m probably a better support than that flimsy branch.”

Belladonna tossed aside the branch she had been clutching and took Escalion’s hand. He grasped it firmly and started walking again.

“Couldn’t we take it easy today, since it’s the first day?”

“The first day is always the most important. We need to set goals and standards for our future training.”

“…”

He was not one to compromise.

Belladonna thought of him, who managed to endure an enormous amount of training every day, and steeled herself. Since he didn’t seem likely to let her off easily, she had no choice but to try her best.

“You’re doing well.”

Escalion glanced back at her and offered a satisfied smile. Belladonna focused solely on the path ahead and kept moving her legs.

How long had they walked? The continuous slope finally gave way to a wide-open space.

Escalion put his hands around Belladonna’s waist, lifted her up, and gently set her down on a flat rock.

“Rest here for a bit.”

It felt much better to sit. Belladonna caught her breath and held out her hand to Escalion.

“Escalion, can I have some water?”

“Ah, the water…”

Escalion said, looking uncharacteristically flustered. He fumbled at his waist and pulled out his canteen.

The canteen, which had been full and heavy when they left Gribalta Castle, now felt too light in his hand. Belladonna looked at him with an uneasy expression.

Could it be…? Did he drink it all?

“Bella, um… I drank more water than I thought.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m out of water, but wait a bit. I know there’s a stream nearby, so I’ll be right back.”

As far as she knew, Escalion hadn’t touched his canteen since they left. He hadn’t seemed tired or out of breath at all on the way here.

So, did I drink all that water? Thinking about it, she felt a little embarrassed.

“Isn’t it winter? Won’t it be frozen?”

“I’ll go check.”

Escalion said lightly and turned around. He started walking towards the stream, then stopped and turned back.

Uh? Why?

She blinked in confusion as he took a small sword from his chest and held it out to her.

“What’s this?”

“There probably won’t be any trouble, but swing it around if anything comes out.”

“Is there something dangerous here?”

“I don’t think so. It’s just for peace of mind. Shout if anything happens. Your voice carries very well now.”

Escalion raised the corners of his mouth and stroked Belladonna’s hair, but she held the dagger with both hands, looking uneasy.

“Come to think of it, there was a bear on this mountain last time…”

“That’s because those who kidnapped you woke it up on purpose. Bears usually hibernate in winter, so they shouldn’t be out now. Besides, the place where the bear was found is much higher than here. We can’t even get close to it today.”

“Still…”

Escalion reassured her, but she still didn’t feel at ease.

Perhaps because she had been through so much, she felt like something was going to pop out from somewhere today as well.

“Then, shall we go to the stream together? We might have to climb a bit.”

“I’ll just stay here. Go and come back.”

She hated the steep slope even more than her anxiety.

Belladonna quickly shook her head after seeing the rough path to the stream that Escalion was pointing to.

“Okay. I’ll be right back.”

Escalion, who had become impatient, immediately turned around and ran off. Belladonna watched his disappearing back and chuckled softly.

His eagerness to get her water made him look both cute and dependable.

“Hoo…”

As soon as he completely disappeared from sight, Belladonna looked up at the sky and took a deep breath.

At first, she had been so annoyed and reluctant to come, but now that she was here, she felt surprisingly refreshed.

Is this why people exercise regularly? The cold weather made her feel slightly warm, which felt just right.

‘Rustle.’

At that moment, she heard something moving not far from the rock she was sitting on.

I knew it! I knew something would pop out!

Startled, Belladonna quickly and tightly gripped the small sword with both hands and swallowed hard.

She resented the carefree Escalion in her heart and shifted her gaze towards the sound.

What is it! What is it!

I’m a brave person, so it’s best if it just passes by without showing itself!

“…”

However, even after some time, the rustling thing did not easily reveal itself. It seemed to be wary of Belladonna as well.

Belladonna felt cold sweat running down her back and kept glancing at the direction Escalion had disappeared.

Escalion! Come back quickly! There’s something unknown over there!

At that moment, the bushes that had stopped moving began to twitch greatly. Belladonna felt like she was about to cry and tightened her grip on the short sword.

Poof! Something white and round appeared from outside the bushes.

Belladonna, who had been staring intently at it, couldn’t help but freeze.

“Kyu?”

“Kyaa…!”

So cute!! Belladonna raised her shoulders and bit her lower lip.

A white, round, and very fluffy-looking baby bear was poking its face out of the bushes, looking at Belladonna.

She wanted to run over and hug it right away, but she couldn’t let her guard down.

If there’s a baby bear, there’s also a mother bear! If there’s a bear nearby, it’s dangerous in its own way.

Bears… tear people apart!

“…”

But no matter how long she waited, there was no more movement.

Belladonna watched the baby bear come completely out of the bushes, waddling around and tumbling over.

Ugh, so cute!

Belladonna, having confirmed that there was no mother bear taking care of the baby bear nearby, finally jumped off the rock.

She went to the baby bear, who was playing with a round pebble on the ground with its front paws, and squatted down.

“Why are you alone? Where are your mom and dad?”

“Kang!”

“That’s strange… They wouldn’t leave such a young baby alone…”

Seeing the young baby wandering around alone, she worried that something might have happened to its parents.

According to Escalion, they shouldn’t have woken up from hibernation yet, so did some other bad person go hunting and deliberately wake up the bears?

Belladonna picked up a twig scattered around and waved it in front of the baby bear.

The baby bear, captivated by the dazzlingly moving twig, reached out its paws to grab it.

But because it hadn’t fully mastered its balance yet, it quickly fell over and tumbled.

“You’re so cute.”

Belladonna smiled softly and picked up the baby bear. As she was holding the bear, which was warmer and softer than she had expected, a subtle sense of déjà vu swept over her.

Uh? What is it…?

“…”

It felt strangely familiar.

But there’s no way I’ve encountered a baby bear before, right? What is this familiar feeling?

Belladonna stared at the baby bear. No matter how much she looked at it, it felt familiar.

“Have I met you before?”

“Kkyung!”

“That can’t be, right? But what is this familiar feeling then…”

The baby bear stared blankly at Belladonna, who kept muttering to herself, then quickly turned its body. It seemed to be going back to where it had come from.

“Are you going back? Be careful! Especially watch out for traps!”

…Wait, traps?

Belladonna herself was startled by the words she had unconsciously uttered. Traps? Why did that thought come to her so naturally?

Wait a minute… It seems like something similar happened before…

While she was lost in thought, the baby bear, showing her its round tail, waddled away and jumped into the bushes, disappearing from sight.

Belladonna felt strangely disappointed and looked at the place where the bear had disappeared.

“Did it leave?”

Baby bears are so cold… It disappeared without looking back.

“Bella?”

While she was blankly staring at the bushes where the bear had disappeared, she heard Escalion’s voice from behind.

Turning her head, she saw him holding a full canteen, looking at her squatting on the ground with a puzzled expression.

“What are you doing sitting here?”

“Ah, there was a baby bear here until a little while ago.”

“…There was a bear?”

Escalion’s expression stiffened as he listened to Belladonna’s nonchalant story. He immediately became serious and asked again.

“Really? You saw a bear?”

Why is he like this…?

Belladonna blinked, feeling uneasy for no reason, and slowly nodded.

Escalion, who had brought a hand to his mouth and was lost in thought, approached Belladonna.

He put his hands under her arms, lifted her up, and carefully sat her back on the rock.

He made eye contact with Belladonna, whose gaze had become higher, and said. His face was anxious and flustered.

“Are you sure it was just a cub? Cubs don’t wander around alone. They move with their parents.”

“I didn’t see any when I looked.”

“Ha…”

Escalion, hearing her words, lowered his head and let out a low sigh. Belladonna put her hand on his shoulder and asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“If a bear really came all the way here, then I’m not only a terrible husband who brought his wife to such a dangerous place, but also left her alone and left my post.”

“What? It’s not that bad…”

Escalion still didn’t lift his lowered head. Soon, a miserable voice returned.

“Just wait a moment. I feel like beating my carefree self to death right now.”