You were made to farm, and now you're the emperor of an empire?

Chapter 151 Sanna
"Can you stand up?"

Roman asked her.

She held onto the tree roots, trying to stand up, but her body swayed.

Roman grabbed her wrist in time and found that her body temperature was very low and she was cold all over.

He tore off the soft lynx cloak, wrapped it around her, then turned and carried her away from the strange, dark forest.

Sanna was in a daze, nearly losing her life to wolves, but was ultimately rescued. The rollercoaster of emotions left her deeply troubled. She rested her face against that warm back for a long time, until her body temperature and thoughts returned to normal.

"Master, you saved me," she murmured.

“Gervais said you’re missing,” she heard the reply.

I once thought that voice was unattainable, but now I find it is so close.

A wave of bitterness washed over her, and she sobbed silently.

"I'm lost, I don't know where I am, I'm so scared..."

Sanna sniffed and said, "You must have been looking for me for a long time."

The treacherous environment terrified her, as if she were trapped in a giant maze from which she could not escape, and she thought she would be trapped there to die.

Roman said quietly, "It wasn't long."

It only takes a few hours and a dozen kilometers.

It was already evening when Gweil sought his help, and a large-scale search was definitely not an option.

There's no moon tonight, and if we send everyone out, several of them definitely won't be able to come back tomorrow.

He couldn't treat their lives lightly; he had to go find them himself.

He has a surname with cracked armor, and his eyes have been refined by extraordinary resources, giving him a certain ability to see at night.

After Roman upgraded his [Hunting] skill to level 2, he gained some skills in tracking prey.

Although it wasn't as bad as Dota, Sanna's tracks in the snow were very clear and easy to trace.

It was late at night, and he had been on his way, chasing after her, worried that something might have happened to Sanna, but thankfully he arrived just in time.

Hunting is fraught with danger; even nobles could be seriously injured, let alone a little girl.

But since he was the one who raised the child, he felt obligated to protect her life.

She asked, "Will you blame me?"

Roman said, "You have received the punishment you deserve."

This lesson was etched in her memory, and Sanna felt she would never forget it, just as she would never forget the great fire in the small fishing village.

But the difference is that last time, she lost her family and home, lived in constant fear, and followed Kao step by step, not knowing what the future held.

This time, however, she felt warm and at ease, and the danger and terror in the darkness left her.

"Gervais and I went to pick fruit..."

Roman listened to her recount those events, which were largely consistent with what Gevier had said, but Sanna brought up an incident from not long ago.

"You're saying that Gavial cursed you?" He frowned, things had taken an unexpected turn.

She said cautiously, "She didn't mean it."

Roman understood this principle.

Who hasn't said a few harsh words in the heat of the moment when they were a child?

However, Gweil has certain unique characteristics.

She is mentally immature, but possesses extraordinary powers.

He should have thought of it earlier, but he overlooked this possibility because of Gweil's obedience, thinking that she was nothing more than a misfortune that would trigger a prank.

But he knew little about witches and didn't realize they couldn't be judged by ordinary standards. He had only given her a portion of sacred salt to suppress her power, yet Gwyneth still managed to leave Sanna in such a miserable state.

Roman felt he needed to re-evaluate Gwyneth and her power.

“I’ll talk to her,” Roman said.

Hearing his calm tone and lack of harshness, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Everyone in the manor knew how much Roman doted on Gweil, just as he doted on his other close attendants. He was always patient and gentle with those around him, and only a very few people were qualified to be favored by him.

When she calmed down, Sanna found herself wrapped in that soft cloak.

She had heard from Khao that Captain Dota had hunted down five or six lynxes. Their fur was very warm and extremely light, with gray and black spots on their creamy white fur. The leatherworker had carefully tanned the lynx pelts and presented them to Roman.

This soft, expensive fur coat, priced in gold coins, was only affordable for noblemen, yet now it was draped over her body, carrying his warmth and making her feel cozy. Her ankles also felt much better, and she no longer felt the pain that felt like they were about to break.

Then, she smelled a rich aroma that lingered in her nostrils.

She didn't realize what it was, but she felt a powerful attraction that made her heart start pounding faster.

That feeling was strange.

That tender yet vibrant heart had been beating for over a decade, but never at any moment had it been beating at this rhythm.

Her cheeks began to burn, and she didn't know why. It felt like she was sitting in a small boat, bobbing on the sea, which made her feel somewhat intoxicated and fascinated.

She suddenly understood Kao a little.

He was completely obedient to and protective of his master, while she had previously thought he was insane or bewitched. That young nobleman must have stolen his soul.

She wouldn't have acted this way in the past; she would have avoided him at all costs.

They shouldn't have any interaction; there was a huge sense of estrangement between them. She felt that they were from different worlds, and even a conversation would be a mistake.

But now she has changed her mind.

He wasn't unreachable, but rather very close; his voice was pleasant, noble, and elegant, ringing in my ears.

His body temperature was very warm, like a cozy oven.

He smelled very good too. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, but her intuition told her it was a man's scent, a strong man's scent.

It wasn't dirty or smelly, but rather had the smell of sunshine? The smell of a campfire?

It's especially appealing on this cold winter night.

Her senses were now very sharp; she could smell his scent emanating from the thick, soft fur coat, and she was enveloped by that rich aroma, as if she were swimming in the ocean.

Her flushed cheeks turned bright red, growing ever redder. She instinctively wanted to do something, but didn't know how to express the stirrings in her heart.

"I must be having an attack!" she thought to herself, biting her lip.

She shifted slightly, and Roman noticed this. He figured Sanna was either uneasy or had ankle pain, so he reassured her, "We'll be there soon."

When Sanna heard him speak, she was immediately startled, withdrew all her thoughts, and stopped making any rash moves. She quietly pressed her cheek against his back.

The girl suddenly felt a little sad.

Will she still be able to do this by tomorrow, by the time she gets to the manor?
……

It's getting light.

Roman took Sanna back to the winter hunting camp.

The guards on night watch told him that Gweil had waited for him for most of the night, but had fallen asleep while waiting and had been taken back to her tent by them.

When Roman put Sanna down, he found that she was also asleep, sleeping soundly and deeply.

He hadn't slept all night and was exhausted. He put the two of them together, covered them with the lynx cloak, gave instructions for tomorrow's affairs, and then went back to his tent to rest.

(End of this chapter)