OPDSP 9

If he had arrived at night and seen them for the first time, he might have mistaken them for something out of a fairy tale—like the trees had turned into wicked witches. No—maybe it was the other way around. Perhaps creatures like that were invented because of trees like these.

Beyond the wooden fence, it was dark. The depth of the shadows between the trees was impossible to gauge. A chilly feeling crept through him, making his stomach churn.

‘What is this… feeling?’

Aeryl licked his dry lips. Anxious—that might be the word. He felt an unbearable urge to move. As though he might be swallowed up by the forest’s darkness.

“Hey! Don’t touch the fence!”

Someone shouted at him. Aeryl flinched and pulled his hand back. Only then did he realize he’d been trying to push aside the fence, as if to go beyond it.

‘What the hell was I doing?’

He was shocked. It felt like something had put him in a trance. And now he remembered—the Grand Duke had warned him.

On their way to the camp, the Grand Duke had given Aeryl a brief explanation about the snow mountain and its forest.

“The snowy mountain doesn’t like humans.”

It was called the snow mountain because it remained blanketed in white snow all year round. Vast deposits of magic stones were buried there, and maybe because of that, it emitted an eerie energy.

“The mountain doesn’t really matter for regular people. But the forest is different.”

A deep green forest stretched around the mountain’s base. Having grown steeped in the mountain’s energy, the forest itself had become something unnatural.

“The forest devours humans. It worms into weak minds, eats away at reason, and drives people mad.”

“How do you even go in there, then?!”

“That’s what happens when you’re unprepared.”

The hunting party underwent military and mental training beforehand.

“But in your case… you’ll have to take care of yourself.”

That’s what the Grand Duke had said. His tone was cold, but had there been a trace of mischief in it—or was that just Aeryl’s imagination?

‘So this is what he meant. Ugh.’

Aeryl shuddered. He’d snapped out of it, but just looking at the forest made a vague dread swell up inside him.

‘All I did was stare… and it’s terrifying.’

He thought he could now understand why the Grand Duke kept his own condition hidden. Even in an ordinary army, if the commander collapsed, the troops would fall apart—how much worse must it be in a place like this?

‘But who shouted at me just now?’

He looked around, but no one was nearby. Whoever it was had, in a sense, helped him, but he had no idea who it could’ve been.

“Field medic.”

Just then, Fedel came looking for him.

“I’ve been searching everywhere. Not like we’re short on work or anything.”

“Ah—my apologies.”

“It’s fine. Here, this is your tent and supplies.”

Fedel handed over a massive load on a handcart.

“Thank you. Um… when do you think I’ll be able to greet the others?”

He’d actually tried to earlier during the march, but a soldier scolded him for disrupting formation, so he hadn’t had the chance.

“They’re all busy right now.”

Fedel smiled—a smile that clearly meant you’re just in the way. The repeated brush-offs were enough to make Aeryl feel dejected.

“Right…”

“Set this up for now. I’ll come get you later.”

Fedel said only what he wanted to say, then turned on his heel and left before Aeryl could even stop him. Aeryl stared at the handcart and the pile of belongings with a helpless expression.

‘What am I even supposed to do with this…?’

Aeryl had lived his whole life as a prince. Even though the emperor had neglected him, he was still a prince. Attendants had always been there to handle everything, and after he ran away, he solved most problems with money.

In short, he didn’t know how to do anything.

‘…And there’s no one I can ask for help. No one who’d do it for me, either.’

He had watched others set up tents, but he didn’t think copying them would go all that well. Aeryl carefully scanned the area. Everyone seemed overwhelmed with their own tasks. But in situations like this, there were always one or two people with a free hand.

‘That’s the one!’

He spotted a woman with dark blue hair. Her clothes suggested she was a porter, and she radiated an air of deep gloom. She looked like she wanted to be alone—but he didn’t have the luxury to respect that kind of mood.

“Excuse me, ma’am.”

As Aeryl approached, she turned toward him. Her expression was rigid, but her gaze was sharp—giving her an unapproachable air. When he spoke, people nearby flinched and looked his way.

“I’m Aeryl Aden, the field medic. I’m facing a bit of trouble, and when I saw you, I thought you might be able to help. Would you be willing to spare a moment?”

Aeryl asked with proper courtesy. His teacher had sometimes scolded him with, “You come off as arrogant!”, so he was being very careful. The woman stared at him for a long moment—then simply walked away.

‘What…? Did she just ignore me?’

Aeryl stood there, staring blankly after her. Then he realized everyone around him was looking at him.

‘What… what is it? Did I do something wrong?’

Aeryl was completely flustered, and at the same time, a wave of embarrassment washed over him. He’d never been treated like that in his life, and he hurriedly scurried back to his original spot.

‘Is this… that “territorial bullying” people talk about?’

He had a feeling the next ten days would be harder than he thought.

***

Night deepened.

“I’m so hungry…”

Aeryl clutched his empty stomach and collapsed onto the military cot.

In the end, he had pitched the tent by himself. It took several failed attempts, trial and error, and watching others before he finally managed to set it up properly. And that wasn’t the end of it. Setting up the cot inside and unpacking his belongings had taken even more time.

Because of that, he hadn’t eaten dinner. Not that he even knew where dinner was being served.

Fedel, who had promised to come fetch him, never showed up—probably too busy. Aeryl thought about going to find him, but he didn’t even know where the medics were located. Eventually, fear stopped him from asking any passing soldiers.

He’d already been rejected too many times. And besides, during the whole time he was setting up the tent, people kept glancing at him, which had worn him out.

“I can’t do anything else today…”

He sprawled out on the cot for a while before checking the time. Midnight was approaching, but he still had something left to do.

‘I need to go examine the Grand Duke.’

They had agreed he would come around midnight to avoid being seen. If the Grand Duke was known to be frequently consulting a physician, it could make people uneasy, so they had decided to keep it secret.

At first, Aeryl had wondered if all this secrecy was necessary—but after experiencing the forest’s ominous aura, he completely understood.

He packed what he needed into a small bag and set out for the Grand Duke’s tent. It wasn’t hard to find—it was the largest and most ornate one in the camp.

‘He seemed fine during the day, but still, I’d better check…!’

Aeryl adjusted his glasses to make sure they were secure, then gently knocked on the door.

“Your Grace, this is Aeryl. I’m coming in.”

“Come in.”

Aeryl carefully opened the flap and stepped inside. Thanks to magical lighting, the room was bright, but aside from the necessities, it was stark and cold in atmosphere.

Grand Duke Asirion was seated at a makeshift desk, looking over documents. With his icy expression and motionless posture, he looked even more like a statue.

“What do I need to do?”

“A quick check-up and a blood draw should be enough.”

“Then make it quick.”

“Yes, sir.”

Aeryl quickly dragged over a chair and sat in front of him. In doing so, his knee brushed against the Grand Duke’s. It was inevitable due to the close distance needed for an examination, but it still made Aeryl tense. He could’ve gotten even closer with other patients and not cared—but this was the Grand Duke. That changed things.

‘Focus.’

Aeryl studied his complexion, checking for any visible symptoms first. His eyes were clear, no sign of fever. His face was pale, but it seemed to be his natural skin tone. His lips had a healthy flush and looked moist.

‘…From the outside, he seems fine.’

Compared to the Grand Duke at dawn, he definitely looked normal.

That moment brought back the image of Asirion from the previous night, and Aeryl felt a flush creeping up his face. At the time, he’d been focused solely on treating him—but thinking back now, it had been the first time anyone had ever seduced him.

The emperor had tightly controlled Aeryl’s life, restricting access not just to alphas but to all men, hoping to sell him off at a high price. And Aeryl himself had only ever cared about medicine.

‘Is that just how it feels when someone’s aroused…?’

What surprised him most was that he hadn’t felt disgusted. Of course, the Grand Duke hadn’t been in his right mind—and he was incredibly good-looking, too.

‘Wait… does that mean I’m weak to handsome faces? No, I need to make sure something like that doesn’t happen agai—’

“Ah!”

Suddenly, the Grand Duke grabbed his arm and yanked him forward. Pulled by sheer strength, Aeryl fell straight into his chest.

‘Wait a minute! Don’t tell me he’s still in rut!?’

The events of dawn flashed through his mind—the weight of the Grand Duke above him, his burning breath. His heart immediately started pounding.

And he wasn’t even wearing a mask! At this rate, he’d get swept up in it again!