Yihan and the girl trudged through the snowy mountains for nearly an hour before finally shaking off their pursuers. Gazing at the winding peaks, Yihan gasped for breath, his lungs burning from the relentless run. Just as he bent over, desperate to find a place to rest, a thud behind him made him whirl around.

The girl who had darted ahead like a doe moments ago now lay sprawled face-down in the snow. Her limbs twitched uncontrollably, her body wracked with pain. Yihan’s heart lurched as he spotted a ghastly wound on her right shoulder, oozing thick black blood.

He dropped to his knees beside her, shaking her arm. "Hey—wake up—stay with me—"

Carola, sweat beading on her pale face, forced her head up. Her eyes were unfocused as she managed a faint, strained smile. "Bad... the poison’s spreading..."

"Is there an antidote? Tell me where it is."

She shook her head weakly. "Fallen Cult’s poisoned arrows... only healing Spellcraft can purge it. I have no strength left..."

"How can you recover quickly?"

"...I’m water-elemental. If there was water nearby..." Her voice faded. She fought to keep her eyes open, but overwhelming drowsiness pulled her under. Her forehead thudded against the snow as she lost consciousness.

Silence swallowed the snowy forest. Yihan’s ragged breaths cut through the stillness. The sweat on his skin turned icy as he stopped moving. With sunlight blocked by thick branches, the cold bit deep.

Great. Lia’s fate was uncertain, and now their only fighter was unconscious. Alone against the mysterious Fallen Cult and their ruthless guards, Yihan felt utterly helpless. He knew nothing of these mountains—no idea if beasts lurked here. Abandoning Carola was unthinkable. She’d said water would help. How hard could that be?

Yihan scooped up snow, rubbing it hard on his face to clear his head. He bent down, hoisting the Witch Hunter onto his back. Her body felt feather-light against him. He gripped her thighs to keep her from sliding, tilting his head so her chin rested on his shoulder. Bent low, he trudged unevenly deeper into the woods.

The path twisted and turned. Soon, the unchanging scenery and winding trails left him disoriented. On a steep slope, his foot slipped. He tumbled down with Carola clinging to him.

Instinctively, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, shielding her as they rolled. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for impact like a barrel crashing downhill. They landed headfirst in a deep snowdrift. Yihan struggled up, coughing snow. Carola lay motionless, her face bloodless. Worse—the wound on her shoulder looked darker, angrier.

Panicked and clueless about medicine, Yihan lifted her onto his lap. After a hesitant pause, he packed handfuls of snow onto the wound. *Cold slows bleeding. And she controls ice—it might help.* He then yanked off his coat, wrapping it carefully around her shoulder to stanch the flow. Exhausted, he slumped against a tree trunk. Dusk was falling. Anxiety gnawed at him.

Time was slipping away. He didn’t know when he might be yanked back to his own world. If that happened now, Carola would be left defenseless, and Lia would face those ruthless enemies alone.

He sensed his actions were rewriting history. If only he knew what he’d done five years ago in the original timeline—he could find a better way.

A faint stir on his lap snapped him alert. He gently laid Carola flat on the snow, clutching her hand, willing her eyes to open.

The makeshift bandage had bought her some strength. Though the arrow’s poison still lingered, staying conscious was manageable now.

Carola’s eyes fluttered open. The first thing she saw was Yihan’s face—etched with worry, yet brightening with relief. His hand gripped hers, warm and firm.

"Feeling better?" He helped her sit up as she tried to rise.

She gave a tiny nod, scanning their surroundings with surprise. "Where... are we?"

Yihan rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Still in the mountains. I was looking for water. But it’s... easy to get lost here."

Carola froze. He’d taken her offhand remark seriously? Carried her through this frozen wilderness searching for water? His lips were tinged blue from cold. Her gaze dropped to the coat tied around her wound. Understanding dawned. Her eyes softened almost imperceptibly.

"It’s alright," she murmured. "I can sense nearby water sources. I know the direction... but the distance..." A weak chuckle escaped her. "I’ll need your help a little longer." She shrugged off his coat, offering it back. "Thank you. Put this on before you freeze."

"Are you sure the wound’s okay?"

"Mm. It’s stopped bleeding. Just need to soak in icy water. I’ll heal fast."

Maybe it was the exhaustion, but Carola’s voice sounded softer now—gentler than the cold, guarded tone she’d used when they first met.

"Then let’s go. You guide me."

Carola nodded, reaching for his hand to stand. But her legs buckled instantly—poison and fatigue overwhelming her. She nearly collapsed.

Yihan caught her just in time, crouching low. Carola tumbled onto his back, her arms instinctively looping around his neck. The sudden closeness made her blush crimson. His back felt broad and solid beneath her. *He carried me like this the whole way?* Her heart hammered against her ribs.

Yihan, oblivious to her fluster, hoisted her legs up securely. "I’ll carry you," he said matter-of-factly.

"N-no... it’s too much trouble..." Carola stammered, face flushed, but made no move to get down.

Yihan just grinned up at her, cheerful despite the cold. "Don’t mention it. You’re our strongest fighter now. Saving Lia depends on you. Can’t afford to lose you—not when the stakes are this high."

"Later," he added, his tone turning earnest, "we’ll talk about the Witch issue. I promise I’ll find a way to stabilize Lia’s power. Just... give me a little more time, okay?"

Carola stayed silent against his back, her cheek pressed to his coat. Her thoughts churned.

*So all this effort... it’s only for that Witch named Lia.*

*Of course. No good deed goes unpunished. His persistence, his care—it all makes sense now.*

*How foolish of me to imagine otherwise.*