Transmigrated Into A Tragic Romance Fantasy-Chapter 75: Lugan Village (6)

‘......’

While Ariel couldn’t see her face, she was absolutely certain that she was sporting the biggest blush of her life.

Lost in his cozy warmth, she gazed at the campfire with a dazed expression.

Moments ago, her skin was being carved by the biting cold. But now, the warmth surrounding her seemed to caress her skin.

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It felt as if Winter had passed, and Spring had come early.

Her heart was racing.

A thunderous pounding that she had never felt before.

Her little heart seemed to be beating ten times faster than when she had read the last Chapter of her favorite novel - Legacy of the Hero Elpherion.

It was an inexplicable palpitation.

So similar, yet so different from when she reads an exciting novel.

She felt,

Elated? Moved? Excited? Thrilled?

The bookworm couldn’t pinpoint exactly what she was feeling, so Ariel simply stared blankly at the campfire.

She stopped shivering from the cold.

The intense trembling that had ached her muscles slowly diminished, and a new kind of shaking took over.

If her previous shivers were caused by external stimuli, now they were being caused by something internal.

However, unlike before, it wasn’t painful.

It was like butterflies were stirring in her stomach.

Ariel was beyond flustered.

Was this what it felt to be in a man’s arms?

It was completely different from when her father embraced her.

Her Father’s embrace was warm and sturdy.

But Elden’s...Was all of that and more,

It made her feel like she was floating in delight and excitement.

The moment she relaxed, she was sure a foolish giggle would escape her, and Ariel, for some reason, feared revealing her current feelings.

While she couldn’t understand this feeling, she still had an inkling that she shouldn’t be caught.

Perhaps it would be better if she was caught.

But Ariel wished to experience this novel sensation alone, without letting go of this strange tension.

Her erratic breathing, her darting eyes, her twitchy fingers...

Ariel couldn’t tell how unnatural her reactions were, so she couldn’t know these were the classic reactions of an inexperienced maiden.

Should she say something?

She feared that voicing her thanks would reveal her current feelings, but on the other hand, apologizing now seemed to be a tad too late as she was already deeply nestled in Elden’s embrace.

Her heart pounded against her chest.

She was getting warmer by the second.

After a few moments, Ariel finally managed to get used to this strange yet incredibly pleasing throb and warmth as she opened her mouth.

“......Aren’t you cold as well?”

“No, on the contrary. I feel very warm.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes.”

During these past six months, they heard an amazing tale of perseverance, love, and survival.

A couple had been caught in an exceptionally strong White Storm that lasted a whole week.

The couple battled against the biting cold, with nothing to eat for seven days.

But despite this, the couple managed to survive.

They stripped off all their clothes, spread them on the ground, covered themselves with everything they could find to block the cold, and embraced each other’s naked bodies.

A simple and effective method of sharing body heat.

And now, of all times, Ariel remembered this tale.

Blush-!

At that moment, Ariel tightly closed her eyes.

That tale was embarrassing,

It was shameful.

All of her suppressed fantasies were being provoked just by being held once, and the mere thought of sharing their body heat in such a way made her shudder.

“......”

“...”

The only sound reverberating in the cave was of the crackling wood in the campfire.

Despite the night dragging the world into darkness, the freezing wind still howled outside, and the lands were still painted in a single shade of white.

Luckily, while Ariel had been lost in her own fantasies, the howling wind seemed to have lost its strength.

Their crisis was passing.

Maybe because she was in Elden’s embrace, even the cave itself felt more...warmer.

And with the White Storm passing, their dwindling kindling would be enough, as she no longer needed Elden’s warmth.

Of course, this didn’t change the fact that his embrace felt as warm and comfortable as a hot spring after a tough march in the harsh cold.

But, being who she was, Ariel didn’t wish to trouble Elden with her selfish desires.

So, after an intense mental war, she hesitantly opened her lips once more.

“I....E-Elden? I..You can stop holding me n-now.”

Her tone was beyond regretful.

But instead of answering her, something leaned on her shoulder.

Closer than ever.

Something that made her remember the survival tale of the lovers.

Then, a hot moisty breath tickled her nape.

A damp sensation made her spine tingle as her entire body tensed.

Her face felt scorching hot as all the fine hairs on her body stood on end.

A new strange sensation stirred within her.

A tingling feeling.

Ariel almost screamed, as her back filled with nervous sweat.

Amidst this, Elden’s breath continued to caress her nape, causing Ariel to shiver.

With a beet-red face, Ariel felt like a sheep that was about to be devoured by a hungry wolf, as she fumbled for words.

“E-Elden...?! I...I...M-My Heart is not ready...I-It’s too soon for u-us....D-Don’t you think so? N-Not th-that I dislike it....B-But it’s too sudden...A-and...I’ve never e-experienced...T-this....before...”

She rambled.

Yet, despite her ramblings, Ariel managed to convey her thoughts.

Despite being wrapped in his embrace and feeling his hot breath tickling her nape.

Here they were, a man and a woman, huddling close in a secluded cave, with no one to intervene, as they shared their body heat.

While Ariel had never read ‘those’ types of novels, nor had she been this close to a man before, her maiden instincts were shouting that this was a clear sign.

That something steamy(?) was about to happen very soon.

“A-Also...Don’t you think this place is a bit...odd...for our f-first ti-time? I...I’d prefer somewhere more...F-Fitting....?”

Ariel’s filter had long since disappeared, as her mouth spewed every hidden thought she had.

But as Ariel rambled incoherently for some more, it didn’t take long for her to realize that her ‘Maiden’s Intuition’ was nothing but a foolish dream.

“......”

“.........Elden?”

Once again, he didn’t answer her.

Gathering all her remaining courage, Ariel turned her head.

Her neck creaked like a rusted hinge.

Then, she saw Elden’s face, asleep, against her shoulder.

Instantaneously, her heart plummeted, and all Ariel wanted to do was to find a hole where she could dive into till the end of her days.

Then, as her hormonal brain finally began to function properly, she analyzed the situation.

“...............He’s sleeping...?”

She felt ridiculous for getting worked up.

It was beyond embarrassing that she deluded herself.

Ariel wished she could be anywhere but here at this moment, but sadly for her, she couldn’t move.

Fearing that if she woke Elden up, he might laugh at her overreaction, Ariel stayed perfectly still, as if nothing had happened.

......I’m such a fool.

And so, she chastised herself internally for her own fanciful drama, embarrassed yet also delighted to remain a little longer in his comforting embrace.

**

“We were looking for the Mandrake roots when we got stranded here due to the White Storm. It seems you’re the mountain hermit...If you have collected any, could I buy a root from you? Here, I’ll give you five silver coins for it.”

“Take the root and leave.”

The cave was surprisingly bright during the morning.

Unaware that this was the Hermit’s ‘front yard’, I had fallen into a deep sleep and upon awakening, found myself facing him staring at us.

Ariel bought a Mandrake root from him for a generous price, and just as the herbalist warned us, the grumpy(?) hermit promptly chased us out of the cave.

“He was a very brisk man, wasn’t he? I can see why the Herbalist warned us.”

“Still, I’m glad we managed to get the root.”

Ariel carefully wrapped the root in the blanket as we hurried down the mountain.

The North surely was a strange place.

Despite the recent White Storm, things reverted back to normal, as if it had never happened.

As we walked along the mountain path, Ariel spoke.

“Um...Elden?”

“Yes?”

“About...Yesterday...”

“Ah. I’m sorry about that...I fell asleep before I knew it, did I make you uncomfortable?”

“No! I-I mean...It was nice...! Ah! Rather....Did you...ehh...hear anything in your sleep...? Or remember anything...?”

I had fallen asleep unintentionally yesterday.

Lulled by Ariel’s sweet scent, and her comforting warmth, my brain simply shut down.

But I don’t remember or recall hearing anything.

Perhaps I made a mistake?

With a worried tone, I asked her.

“Why? Did something... happen?”

My body tensed as I asked her.

In my semi-coherent state, it could be possible that the Original Elden’s nature had seeped through.

Perhaps I muttered something offensive to Ariel in my sleep?

All sorts of scenarios passed through my mind, and just as I started sweating a little, Ariel stared directly into my eyes and smirked.

“Oh, don’t worry~ It was nothing~”

......Even though it was obvious ‘something’ did happen, I decided it was best to not delve into it while I silently followed Ariel.

Just like that, we returned to our temporary residence.

“Goodness...! I was so worried, wondering if anything serious had happened to you, My Lord!”

After a tearful reunion - mostly because of Rendler - which resembled a family waiting for their problem child to return from a night out, we were met with Rachel’s sharp gaze, who assumed the role of an angry mother in this case.

“As I thought, you came back safely.”

“Do you trust your student that much, teacher?”

“Hm. Nothing untoward happened, I presume?”

As Rachel alternately looked at Ariel and me, I shrugged on behalf of a bewildered Ariel and quickly responded, since I remembered nothing significant happening.

“No? Nothing happened.”

“...Is that so? Regardless. Prepare yourself.”

“Ah? For what?”

“I found a clearing not too far from here. It’s been a while since we last trained, so let’s have a barehanded spar.”

With those cold words, my teacher headed towards the clearing.

Demanding a barehanded spar right after I survived a White Storm.

Hm.

Was it just my imagination or did she seem upset with something...?

“Well! I’ll go brew a tea with the Mandrake Root and give it to the Third Northern Duchess-!”