I’m Just a Counselor Chapter 114

They know the North, so they know what to do, even if they’re not sure. Only two things bothered him.

One was Estella, and the fact that she was alone in the duke’s castle.

Jeremiah hoped his sister wasn’t too anxious; the people at the Duke’s Castle would have to keep her calm. And…

 

“How should we prepare for the banquet?”

That was the second question.

He has already sent out all the invitations to the nobles. If they are delayed, they will not be able to fulfill their expectations, and the name of Oppenheim will be made ridiculous.

He could not afford to make his only sister’s coming-of-age into such a banquet. He would have to go back and finish the job himself.

 

“Where exactly am I?”

He thought he recognized the place, but now he wasn’t sure. Maybe he was a little tired himself.

Jeremiah sighed again, pulling Vanessa closer in his arms.

He could hear Vanessa’s heart beating a little faster over the sound of the campfire. The soft warmth of her face made him glad he’d given her the enchanted cloak beforehand.

As he held her, his mind naturally drifted back to her words from earlier.

 

“Do I dare to be in the duke’s presence?”

It was the first permission he’d ever gotten. Jeremiah could not take his eyes off Vanessa’s flushed face, but he found it difficult to open his mouth.

 

He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, his hidden desire would leak out and embarrass her.

At that moment, he wanted to grab her scarred cheeks and kiss them with all his heart, to leave his mark on the pure white snow. Even though he knew it was really, really not the time.

It’s funny to think about the first time he kissed her on the lips.

Vanessa probably doesn’t know. How much courage he musters when he’s with her, and how hard he tries not to show it.

 

He used to think it was just a little boy’s feeling to want to look good in front of the girl he liked. 

 

But when it came down to it, he couldn’t help but be a little boy in front of her.

 

“This is crazy…”

Jeremiah sighed for what might have been the umpteenth time.

 

But she’s sleeping, leaving him like this.

Jeremiah didn’t want to betray Vanessa’s expectations—if she believed she was safe in his arms, he wanted to make sure she was. So, he stared into thin air.

 

The look on Vanessa’s face told him enough. Surely, he hadn’t known anything before.

The only love he’d ever known was the affection he felt for his family, and the devotion and responsibility he felt for those who followed him. 

 

So, he had no idea that love between a man and a woman could be so intense.

He had no idea that the tiny spark of curiosity and interest would turn into a roaring fire.

 

The time was nearing dawn. The first stars twinkled in the western sky.

Jeremiah gazed up at the sky. Waves of green streaked across the sky.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Vanessa.”

Jeremiah’s voice came, and a gentle hand shook my shoulder.

I woke up quickly, unable to fall into a deep sleep, but a pleasant languor enveloped me, and I was reluctant to open my eyes.

I forced myself to lift my eyelids, and Jeremiah whispered in a low voice.

 

“I thought you might want to see something, so I woke you up.”

“See what…?”

Instead of answering, Jeremiah pointed to the sky. I followed his finger to the sky and let out a gasp.

 

“Wow…”

 

A faint green wave streaked across the azure sky. It was like a translucent veil wrapped around a sea of stars.

I was instantly mesmerized by the majestic and ecstatic sight. Jeremiah blew out the campfire so we could see the aurora better.

 

“It’s so beautiful…”

The colorful sky above the pure white snow seemed to be about to burst with color.

I mumbled to myself in a daze, admiring the dreamiest landscape winter has to offer. 

 

Jeremiah, who had come back from the campfire and sat down beside me, murmured with a chuckle.

 

“It’s beautiful.”

At his words, I turned my head reflexively. I expected Jeremiah to be looking at the sky, too, but he was looking at me.

His hazel eyes greeted me as if he’d been waiting for me. Our eyes locked, Jeremiah smiled sweetly and murmured again.

 

“You’re beautiful.”

“…….”

“You won’t disappear as quickly as the aurora borealis…”

Jeremiah’s gloves were off by then, and he cupped my cheek. The heat of his heated palm was palpable.

 

I couldn’t take my eyes off of him, as if the brilliant colors of the aurora borealis in the sky had shifted to his eyes.

The most beautiful thing this earth has ever created was before me. Made of twinkling stars, cold snow, and a dreamy sky.

 

“We can stare at it for a long time if we don’t hurry.”

He stroked my cheek gently, his fingertips tracing my lips. Jeremiah cupped my chin lightly and leaned closer, asking for permission.

 

“Would you allow me to kiss your beautiful face?”

 

Parting my lips slightly, I let out a few shaky breaths before lowering my eyes and answering quietly.

“…You didn’t say anything last time, you just did it.”

In response, Jeremiah smiled and kissed me. I lowered my eyes again.

This time, the kiss was neither polite nor light; he continued to warm me until the aurora disappeared, and the sky returned to blue.

Another wave of pleasant languor washed over me.

 

 

* * * 

 

 

Perhaps seeing the aurora borealis at dawn was a harbinger of good fortune, for a few hours later we came upon a hut in the woods.

 

“It’s a place to rest if you get tired from hunting demons or something else happens.”

Jeremiah explained as he opened the door to the cabin.

 

“Come on in, we’ve got heat.”

The hut was fully equipped with heating, but also with other things.

 

I quickly shed my heavy winter gear and filled my stomach with water and food from the cabin’s supply.

 

‘If we hadn’t found this today, Jeremiah might have caught a real beast.’

With my stomach full and my strength back, I was able to look around the cabin at my leisure.

The cabin was quite cozy. It felt like a cabin in the woods, which was kind of romantic.

 

“Oh… there’s a book.”

I wondered if the Oppenheimers had set it up as a place to rest after a hunt, as Jeremiah had said. I’m guessing it’s also used by loggers and regular hunters.

I wandered around the hut, checking things out. Meanwhile, Jeremiah rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a magic tool. It was shaped like a bell.

 

“It’s a device to contact the Duke’s castle in case of emergency. When it’s activated, the Duke’s castle will be alerted and someone will be sent.”

“Then I’ll have to activate it right away.”

‘Jeremiah’s disappearance must have shaken the Duke’s castle to its core, and there’s no such thing as an emergency right now. I need to let them know he’s here.’

I spoke clearly, but Jeremiah seemed to hesitate.

 

“Why? Is there something wrong with the tool?”

I asked, a little uneasy, but Jeremiah’s answer was nothing like I had imagined.

“No, no. I’m just disappointed.”

 

“What…”

“I wouldn’t mind staying here with you for another three days or so.”

He chirped. My face quickly heated up at the sound of him wanting to be alone with me in the snowy mountains.

I bit my lip impatiently, then glanced at him and exclaimed.

 

“Hurry up and call the duke’s castle!”

“Okay, cute.”

Jeremiah, who had been teasing me the whole time, chuckled and activated his magic tool.

 

After about half an hour of waiting for the people from the duke’s castle, the door to the closed cabin swung open.

 

“Jeremiah! Vanessa!”

 

The man who entered with the loud shout was a familiar face to me. I called out to him in greeting.

“Shane!”

 

“Are you hurt? Come here, Vanessa.”

“…I think I’m the one you should check on first.”

“You’re strong, Vanessa’s fragile.”

Jeremiah snorted in disbelief, but Shane, who didn’t bat an eye, scanned my face and body.

I smirked, letting him know I wasn’t hurt anywhere, and relief washed over his face.

 

“There was an avalanche on the next peak, and I thought you guys were there, so I was searching there, not here.”

“The avalanche was on the next peak? Thank God… So, the snowstorm we got hit by was the aftermath of an avalanche from there.”

 

“Anyway, let’s get back.”

“What about the duke’s castle?”

“It’s under the command of the princess now. She’s safely ordered the other villages to evacuate, and she’s taken care of the demons that came down from the avalanche.”

Jeremiah raised an eyebrow at Shane’s words. He seemed surprised to hear that Estella was in command of the duke’s castle.

 

“I didn’t know she… could do that.”

“She’s a grown woman, Jeremiah, not your four- or five-year-old little sister.”