Chapter 46: Escape from the manor
After hours of traveling through the forest, Lillith finally stopped within a quiet clearing surrounded by massive trees.
The night air had become cold by this point, yet she still carried me effortlessly through it all without even seeming tired.
Kael remained floating silently behind us the entire journey.
Or rather—
Dangling.
At some point she had tightly bound him with dark purple restraints formed entirely from mana. His hands and legs were tied together so harshly it looked painful even from a distance.
The moment we stopped, Lillith immediately began setting up a tent with surprising efficiency.
Within only a couple minutes, the small camp had been prepared completely.
Afterward she carefully stepped inside and gently lowered me onto several blankets she had arranged inside beforehand.
The softness almost felt unreal after spending days inside the dungeon.
Lillith slowly sat beside me before gently caressing my hair.
"You’re still cold..."
Her voice sounded quiet.
Concerned.
Then her eyes slowly drifted toward the tent entrance where Kael remained unconscious outside tied near one of the trees.
For several long seconds, she simply stared at him silently.
Thinking.
Then slowly—
She looked back down toward me.
And smiled.
It was probably the most innocent smile I had ever seen from her.
Which somehow terrified me slightly more.
"...Leo."
My exhausted eyes slowly lifted toward her.
"I realized something."
She gently brushed part of my hair away from my face.
"If I bring him all the way back to Valenor so I can punish him properly..."
Her smile remained perfectly soft.
"...He might take more of my attention away from you."
A very bad feeling settled in my chest.
Lillith continued speaking in the same gentle tone.
"So I think it would be better if I leave for a little while and deal with him here instead."
My eyes slowly widened.
"But don’t worry," she added immediately. "I’ll still be watching you."
Her fingers softly traced against my cheek.
"Just like I will for the rest of our lives."
There was something deeply unsettling about how lovingly she said that.
Then she leaned down and kissed my cheek softly.
Afterward she slowly waved one hand across my face.
Purple mana drifted lightly through the air.
Almost instantly—
My body started feeling heavy.
"No..."
I weakly tried pushing myself upward.
But exhaustion overwhelmed me immediately.
My vision blurred heavily while sleep rapidly overtook my mind against my will.
As Lillith stood and walked toward the tent entrance, I barely managed to look outside one final time.
Kael was awake now.
And the sight of him almost shocked me.
The proud calm noble from earlier was completely gone.
He stared toward Lillith with absolute terror.
Tears streamed uncontrollably down his face while his entire body shook violently.
His nose ran openly.
And judging from the dark stains beneath him—
He had completely lost control of himself from fear.
Lillith slowly turned back toward me one final time.
"I’ll be back soon."
Then she closed the tent flaps behind her.
And the moment she did—
The last of my strength disappeared.
Darkness consumed me completely.
———-
When I finally woke again, the first thing I noticed was warmth.
The second—
Was that I couldn’t move.
I slowly opened my eyes and immediately realized why.
Lillith was wrapped around me completely.
Both her arms and legs locked around my body possessively while her face rested peacefully against my chest.
At some point during the night she had practically turned herself into a human restraint system.
Oddly enough though—
I felt much better.
Not fully healed.
Not even close.
But better than before.
The food and rest had clearly helped.
For a moment I considered trying escape her grip.
Then I looked at her sleeping face.
Honestly—
She looked exhausted.
Even with her peaceful expression, faint dark circles rested beneath her eyes.
So instead of moving, I simply stayed still and waited quietly for her wake up.
Eventually Lillith began stirring slightly.
Then she began stretching.
And somehow she managed making it look incredibly dramatic.
She stretched her arms upward while still partially wrapped around me before slowly opening her deep purple eyes.
The moment she saw me awake, her expression immediately softened into something possessive yet strangely gentle.
"Leo..."
Her voice still sounded sleepy.
"Are you alright?"
I nodded slightly.
"I’m fine."
Immediately afterward she asked:
"Do you need anything?"
The concern in her voice sounded completely genuine.
"...No," I answered quietly. "Thanks though."
Then I slowly tried sitting up.
Instantly—
Lillith grabbed onto me tighter.
"No!"
The amount of panic in her voice genuinely surprised me.
"You still need rest."
"I can walk."
"You absolutely cannot."
Before I could argue further, she already started shifting like she intended carry me again.
"I don’t mind."
I sighed slightly.
"I don’t want burden you."
Lillith suddenly laughed softly.
Then she leaned incredibly close beside my ear.
So close I could feel her breath.
"...Leo."
Her voice became almost a whisper.
"I would never ever consider you a burden."
A shiver immediately ran down my spine.
"In fact," she continued softly, "I feel blessed to be given the opportunity to be able to carry you around."
My face heated up slightly from how close she was.
So instinctively, I moved away a little.
Lillith immediately moved closer.
I shifted again.
She followed again.
This repeated several times until eventually my back pressed fully against the side wall of the tent.
Lillith stared at me with narrowed amused eyes.
"...Are you trying go somewhere without me?"
"I’m trying breathe."
"That’s allowed."
"...Thank you."
She smiled happily before resting both hands against my shoulders.
"You already know I’d never allow you leave me."
The way she said it sounded strangely affectionate.
And slightly terrifying.
After a brief silence, I nervously cleared my throat.
"...Don’t we need head back eventually?"
Lillith tilted her head slightly.
"...Eventually."
Then her smile widened.
"But I actually like this situation quite a lot."
She leaned against me happily.
"We’re completely alone out here."
The way she emphasized alone somehow made the forest feel more isolated instantly.
"No academy."
She rested her head against my shoulder.
"No nobles."
Her fingers slowly intertwined with mine.
"No people trying take you away from me."
Then after a moment, she sighed dramatically.
"Though I suppose we do eventually need to return."
I blinked slightly.
"...Why?"
Lillith looked genuinely confused by the question.
"Because we can’t exactly get married in the middle of a forest."
I nearly choked.
Meanwhile she simply smiled warmly before wrapping herself around me again.
"So until then..."
Her deep purple eyes locked onto mine happily.
"I’m going enjoy our early honeymoon together."
Lillith carried me through the forest like I weighed absolutely nothing.
One arm rested beneath my legs while the other supported my back carefully against her chest as she walked down the narrow woodland path.
The morning sunlight filtered softly through the trees above us while birds chirped somewhere in the distance.
Honestly, the scene almost felt peaceful.
Meanwhile Lillith had not stopped talking for nearly twenty minutes.
"...And then when we get back, I think your room should be moved closer to mine."
I stared upward blankly.
"It already is close to yours."
"Mhm. But I mean directly beside mine."
"That sounds concerning."
Lillith ignored me completely.
"And I think your clothes should stay in my room too."
"Oh and you should just stay in my room as well."
"That sounds more concerning."
She smiled happily.
"I just love you very much."
Somehow she said that sentence with enough sincerity that it became difficult responding properly.
A while later she gently rested her cheek against the top of my head while continuing walk.
"You know," she murmured softly, "when I realized you were gone, I genuinely thought I was going insane."
The playful tone from earlier had faded slightly.
"I couldn’t find you anywhere."
Her grip around me tightened slightly.
"And then I couldn’t feel the mana I left on you anymore..."
A faint shiver ran through her body.
"That scared me."
I quietly listened while she continued speaking.
"I searched every road."
"Every village."
"Every forest."
Her deep purple eyes softened slightly while looking down at me.
"I would’ve torn apart the entire kingdom if I had to."
The scary part was—
I fully believed she meant that.
Then suddenly—
Lillith stopped walking.
Her expression shifted slightly.
Not fear.
Surprise.
Immediately afterward, she gently placed one hand against my chest.
Purple mana flowed softly across my body.
And instantly—
I vanished.
I looked down at myself in shock.
Invisible again.
Just like back at the academy.
Lillith then calmly continued walking forward down the path.
A few moments later, a merchant carriage slowly emerged from the trees ahead.
The older merchant guiding it looked visibly startled seeing a lone girl standing in the middle of the forest.
Especially one dressed as elegantly as Lillith.
Lillith approached the wagon calmly.
"Excuse me."
Her voice sounded soft and polite again.
"Would you be willing take us toward the Valenor border?"
The merchant immediately looked suspicious.
His eyes carefully scanned the empty surroundings.
"...Us?"
Lillith smiled pleasantly.
The merchant hesitated slightly before shaking his head.
"Sorry miss, but I don’t travel near the border these days. Too dangerous."
Then after another glance toward the isolated forest around her, he awkwardly added:
"And... respectfully, I don’t think a young lady should be wandering around out here alone."
He lightly tugged the reins preparing continue onward.
Then Lillith spoke again.
"Stop."
The single word came out cold.
Sharp.
Demanding.
The merchant froze instantly.
Even I felt the sudden shift in atmosphere.
Then just as quickly—
Lillith became gentle again.
She looked down toward where I rested invisibly in her arms before softly rubbing the side of my face with her thumb.
"Leo..."
Her voice became warm again instantly.
"You’re going have sleep for a little while."
I frowned weakly.
"What?"
Purple mana slowly drifted around my vision again.
Sleepiness immediately started overtaking me unnaturally fast.
"No..."
I weakly lifted one hand upward toward her face.
My invisibility had apparently faded slightly because I could faintly see my own fingers again.
Lillith looked down at me with the same innocent expression as always.
Then right before darkness overtook me completely—
I quietly asked:
"...Why?"
