RETURN OF THE FEMALE KNIGHT

27. I have Fallen

Lalisa and Jungkook finished their meal then left the restaurant. She felt a chill on her skin as she stepped from the warm building into the cool night, and took a deep breath and savored the fresh air. Unlike when they first arrived here, Jungkook's men were nowhere to be seen. However, she could still perceive them with her sharp senses.

"...Please."

Jungkook opened the carriage door and helped Lalisa in as usual. He had turned very quiet after Lalisa had thrown the fork at the dart board. There was an unreadable expression on his face, as if the chaos of his thoughts left him unable to speak.

However, she pretended not to know how Jungkook felt. She was the protector, not the to one to be protected. Regardless of his feelings, it didn't change the meaning of the word. If there was an arrow that flew at him at this moment, Lalisa would throw herself in front of him without any hesitation. There would be absolutely no confusion regarding that.

Lalisa silently stepped inside the carriage.

A horse whinnied hotly into the air. Her heart yearned to run on horseback on a cool night like this, not sit inside some stuffy carriage. However, she had dedicated herself to the role of a noblewoman and had to suppress her desires.

Lalisa glanced at the horse with longing eyes and then turn her eyes back to the carriage.

Jungkook shut the carriage door without saying anything, then strode away from her.

"What...?"

She was about to ask about his mysterious behavior when he replied with a nonchalant look.

"Don't you want to ride?"

"Oh, I thought about it for a moment, but..."

"Then say so. You speak well, but sometimes you express yourself strangely."

"..."

"Just tell me what you want to do, not what you have to do."

It was a shocking statement for Lalisa, who herself had a strong sense of responsibility. What she wanted most was to save her family, even if that meant abstaining from everything else.

"I'm fine. No matter how late it is, I can't be seen out in the open with you."

Their identities were hidden while they were in the carriage, but out in the open on horseback was different. Jungkook and Lalisa could not ride together to the mansion this way.

Jungkook ignored her and barked an order into empty air.

"Bring my horse."

Then, amazingly, someone appeared from the forest, holding the reins to a massive black horse, larger than any normal horse. Lalisa could tell that it was a fine steed.

Jungkook mounted the horse with practiced ease then held his hand out to Lalisa.

"I've heard enough about why you don't want to reveal our relationship. I promise I will never let your identity be revealed, so take my hand."

Lalisa hesitated. She was strongly against doing anything unnecessary.

Jungkook sensed her uncertainty.

"My arm hurts, quickly."

Jungkook astride a large horse wasn't exactly the fairytale picture of a prince on a white steed. But he had a much more dangerous allure. His thin, slanted eyes pierced Lalisa, and his pitch black hair and tall nose reflected the moonlight.

Her head hadn't decided what to do with his proposal yet. But despite the complicated thoughts racing through her mind...

She took his offered hand. While she had faith in his promise that they would be unseen, it was also true that she longed to be on horseback again. There was no reason to reject Jungkook's offer to do what she desired. However, she didn't want a burden for nothing.