The sky was already dark, though evening had not yet come.
It was around the time they had passed through the grasslands and entered the vast forest.
Suddenly the sky darkened, and rain began to pour down.
Thinking it was just a shower, they pressed on, but the rain only grew fiercer.
The black sky visible between the leaves and the pouring rain did not seem ordinary.
"We should take shelter until the rain stops."
At Rellia's words, Oscar did not answer.
After wandering for some time, the two discovered a dilapidated house that appeared to be a forester's hut.
After putting the horse in the small stable, they went inside.
It seemed the forester had long since abandoned the place, for the interior was cold.
Rellia walked to the old fireplace and sat down.
She needed to start a fire....
But with no firewood available, she would have to use an alchemy item to kindle a flame.
Rellia turned her head to glance at Oscar, then immediately looked back ahead.
Oscar had removed his upper garment and was wringing out the moisture.
The sound of water dripping onto the floor was like arrows piercing her heart.
Just like Kalix, Oscar did not appear particularly large when clothed.
But with his upper body bare, his large frame and solid, thick muscles were striking.
His wet, bare skin made the muscles stand out even more.
Rellia exhaled slowly to hide her tension.
'Surely he doesn't expect me to undress and dry off too?'
Shaking her head at the useless thought, she was about to secretly take out an alchemy item to start a fire.
*Whoosh.*
Suddenly, flames ignited in the fireplace before her eyes.
Moreover, it was not mere sparks but a fire that blazed vigorously at once.
When Rellia turned in surprise, Oscar was approaching.
She wanted to tell him to put on clothes, but it was strange to tell him to put back on wet clothes without drying them.
Oscar came to her side and sat down with a thud.
Then, looking at Rellia who resembled a soaked mouse, he furrowed his brow.
"...I prefer to dry off as I am."
At her preemptive words, Oscar made no response.
Rellia glanced unnecessarily at the broken mirror beside the fireplace.
'Huh?'
Then she froze, her gaze fixed on the mirror.
'My hair color...!'
At some point, the alchemy potion's effect had ended, and her hair color had returned to normal.
When she stayed in the Imperial City, she had checked the mirror every time to confirm her dyed hair and eye color changed by alchemy.
Just before leaving the castle, her hair and eye colors were still as dyed.
But after fleeing the capital, she hadn't been able to look in a mirror at all, and apparently the potion's effect had worn off, returning her natural color.
'Why hasn't he said anything?'
Yet Oscar asked nothing about it.
Rellia considered asking but closed her mouth. There was no need to unnecessarily stir up trouble.
"The fire is excellent...."
Rellia murmured quietly to dispel the awkwardness, then moved her hands back and forth before the hearth as if warming them.
As she fiddled with her warmed hands, fear crept up on her anew.
To kindle such flames in an instant.
Oscar's power was somewhat different from divine power or magic, or similar forces.
The power he wielded was that used by the ancient demon clan.
The Temple called it 'Power of Ruin,' or sometimes 'Power of Darkness.'
"...If the Temple learns of that power, it will become dangerous."
She spoke from vague worry, but Oscar did not so much as acknowledge it.
The Temple probably could not even imagine it.
After all, Oscar had not used that power at all in the battle with the wyvern.
From the start, his demon sword could sense divine power.
If the priests had hidden their divine power, perhaps, but on the battlefield that was unlikely.
With priests possessing strong divine power overflowing nearby, the demon sword had hidden its power on its own.
Yet he still displayed outstanding skill in the war, meaning Oscar was an excellent swordsman even without that power.
For someone like that to gain the power to manipulate darkness, fear and worry were natural.
Then, a low voice spoke.
"Are you worried about me?"
His words trembled slightly at the end. Rellia looked at his eyes, which gazed at her coldly, then lowered her head.
"Of course I am."
"If you were truly worried about me, you wouldn't have done such a thing."
"...."
At his resentful tone, Rellia had nothing to say.
Silence flowed for a while.
Rellia turned her head to look out the window. The rain was still fierce.
"...."
Lost in thought for a moment, she glanced at Oscar.
In her memory, Oscar had feared rainy days, especially thunder.
Was that still the case? Or had he overcome that trauma from back then?
As she thought this, Oscar answered as if reading her mind.
"As you know better than anyone... I hate the rain."
"...I heard from Lord Leo."
Looking at Rellia answering brazenly, Oscar let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded.
Then he spoke again.
"When it rains, terrible memories resurface."
Not anymore, though.
Oscar swallowed the rest of the words inside.
Rellia gazed at him with worried eyes.
Oscar blinked slowly, enjoying her gaze.
Suddenly, that 'terrible memory' from childhood came to mind.
His biological father was a mad emperor who ruled with tyranny. He would kill people before Oscar's eyes at the slightest provocation. Claiming it was education to become a splendid emperor.
The day his mother died, it rained.
The emperor waved a sword stained with his wife's blood, mocking young Oscar who trembled with fear.
As a child, he had sobbed in agony, having episodes every rainy day because of that memory.
But after meeting Leo, that changed.
From some point on, rainy days were no longer painful.
Leo's kind voice, his warm touch.
Those were days when comfort he had never received before came to mind.
But after hearing the news that Leo had died, rainy days became terrible again.
Truly a cunning heart. Now, this sound of rain only sounded pleasant.
"Do you have no memories that surface when it rains?"
"Pardon?"
"A person who comes to mind when it rains. I'm asking if there isn't one."
At Oscar's probing words, Rellia gulped.
"...There is, of course."
"...."
At her answer, Oscar smiled faintly. Seeing his eyes look somewhat at ease, Rellia felt relieved.