IFAHWIPUTML Chapter 23

"Wow, raw chicken. Didn't see that coming."

Verasielle muttered to herself as she chased after Raphel, who'd sprinted ahead.

She wasn't exactly on chatty terms with Chayston, and it felt like butting in where she didn't belong, so she'd almost kept her mouth shut. But what if he genuinely didn't realize the danger? She had to say something.

People in this world might think eating raw meat was perfectly fine.

"Still, though. Raw chicken? Not even beef tartare—chicken."

She'd only caught a glimpse of the plate the head chef was carrying, but the chicken hadn't even been deboned.

Marveling once again at Chayston's peculiar eating habits, she turned her gaze to Raphel as he bounded across the green lawn.

The kid never seemed to run out of steam. He just kept going.

Living with Raphel recently had taught Verasielle one undeniable truth: five-year-old boys possessed infinite stamina.

Raphel's energy reserves rarely depleted, and even when he collapsed from exhaustion for a moment, he'd spring right back up and take off running again.

And his curiosity—dear God, his curiosity. Whenever he discovered something new, he'd come racing over with questions.

Her friend who'd worked at a daycare used to say that parents of little boys faced a war zone every morning.

At the time, Verasielle hadn't fully understood what she meant.

Now? She understood better than anyone.

Why the word "war" was the only appropriate description.

"Veras! Hehehehe."

"Raphel, you'll get hurt!"

In the brief moment she'd glanced away, Raphel had flopped onto the grass and was rolling toward her like a log.

She'd only looked away for a second, and he'd already gotten himself into trouble.

Verasielle rushed toward him in a panic. If there were rocks hidden in the grass and he scraped himself, it would be a disaster.

"Hehehehe! This is fun!"

Raphel, who'd rolled all the way to Verasielle's feet, popped upright.

"You didn't scrape anything, did you?"

"Nope! I'm all good!"

Completely oblivious to her internal meltdown, Raphel beamed up at her with the sunniest smile.

Verasielle sighed inwardly and examined his body. Fortunately, she didn't spot a single scratch—no injuries anywhere.

However, the outfit she'd dressed him in fresh that morning was now a complete disaster.

She'd put him in a white T-shirt and loose black pants for easy movement, but now he looked like a straw doll with grass stuck all over him.

Worse, the white shirt had already absorbed grass stains and turned green.

"Did you have fun?"

"Yeah! Super duper fun!"

Worried that grass might work its way under his clothes, Verasielle meticulously plucked off every blade clinging to Raphel's outfit.

"As long as you had a good time. Right?"

"Yeah!"

The two of them smiled at each other, same as always.

As long as Raphel was uninjured and happy, that was enough. She'd been worried, sure, but that was all that mattered.

Dirty clothes could be changed. All she wanted was for Raphel to grow up healthy.

That was the only thing she wished for.

"All done?"

Raphel couldn't sit still even for the brief moment it took her to brush him off—his little legs wriggled restlessly, desperate to move.

Watching him squirm like he might launch himself into orbit at any second, Verasielle let out a small laugh and released his arm.

"You're good now. Playing is fine, but you can't get hurt. Understand?"

"Yeah, I won't get hurt!"

With that declaration, Raphel shot off like a bullet. Verasielle followed behind him, wearing the contented smile of a proud mother.

"Veras!"

Then Raphel, who'd been running ahead, screamed.

"Raphel! What's wrong!"

Startled by the scream, Verasielle sprinted toward him.

"V-Veras..."

"Grrrrr."

The moment she reached Raphel, she gasped.

A dog the size of a tiger was baring its teeth viciously and advancing slowly toward Raphel.

Frozen in shock for a moment, Verasielle quickly collected herself and crept toward Raphel, keeping her posture as low as possible.

"Raphel, don't move. You can't move. Stay right there."

"Hic, Veras..."

Raphel was so frightened he'd fallen backward onto the grass, landing hard on his bottom.

"Grrrr..."

The dog's muzzle wrinkled with aggression as it growled viciously, displaying sharp canine teeth.

Its four heavy legs shifted steadily, carrying it closer and closer to Raphel.

Like a predator stalking its prey's throat.

Its threatening posture—crouched low, ready to pounce the instant Raphel showed any movement—radiated menace.

"Raphel. It's okay. I'm coming. You're okay."

Verasielle approached Raphel in a stance so low her hands nearly touched the ground.

She desperately wanted to sweep him up into her arms, but the distance between Raphel and the dog was too close to risk it.

Any sudden movement might provoke the animal and result in serious injury.

In this hair-trigger situation, cold sweat soaked through Verasielle's back.

"Hic... I'm scared, I'm scared...!"

When the dog—more than twice his size—advanced with drool dripping from its jaws, Raphel finally burst into tears.

"Grrr, WOOF!"

"Raphel!"

The moment Raphel raised his arm to wipe his tears, the dog lunged toward him. With those terrifying teeth bared.

Verasielle threw herself forward and wrapped her entire body around Raphel.

She had no idea where that superhuman burst of strength came from, but it was the fastest she'd ever moved in her entire life.

Clutching Raphel tightly, she rolled across the grass.

Throughout the tumble, her slender arms held Raphel's head and body close, protecting him completely.

"WOOF! WOOF!"

"Worden!"

The dog, which had been charging to bite Verasielle's back while barking savagely, froze at a voice from somewhere.

In the distance, Chayston was running toward them, carrying Worden's special meal.

It had been a close call.

If he'd been even a second later, Worden's teeth would certainly have sunk into Verasielle's back.

Chayston immediately grabbed Worden's collar and yanked.

"Back off."

"Whiiine..."

"I said back off!"

Worden, who'd been wagging his tail in greeting at his master's appearance, lowered it and whimpered at the commanding tone.

The dog's eyes looked pitiful as he glanced around nervously, but Chayston remained firm.

He quickly looped Worden's leash around the base of a tree. Securing it tightly so the dog absolutely could not approach Verasielle and Raphel.

Then he headed straight for the two of them.

"Are you all right? Are you injured?"

His voice, thick with urgency and concern, reached them both.

"Veras! Waaaaah!"

Raphel burst into tears again in Verasielle's arms. The most pitiful crying imaginable.

At the sound of his sobs, Verasielle—who'd been curled as tightly as possible around Raphel—opened her tightly shut eyes.

The small, precious child was looking at her while fat tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Raphel, are you okay?"

"Waaaah! Veras, Veras!"

Thoroughly terrified, Raphel burrowed into Verasielle's embrace and sobbed.

"It's okay. We're safe now."

When Verasielle stroked the back of Raphel's head, his crying gradually subsided. Relief spread through her entire body at the same time.

Relief that Raphel was unharmed.

In that moment, the tension that had locked her muscles tight suddenly released.

"Ugh..."

Verasielle let out a pained groan. Her startled muscles ached everywhere.

Chayston, who'd been watching the two of them, immediately lifted Raphel from Verasielle's arms.

"Waah! I wanna go to Veras! Veras!"

Raphel struggled in Chayston's grip, trying to escape and return to Verasielle.

But there was no way he could break free from arms as solid as brick walls.

"My lord. What happened?"

Just then, drawn by the commotion in the garden, the butler Rohan approached.

"Summon a physician immediately."

"A physician? Are you inju—oh my!"

Rohan's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Verasielle lying there in a disheveled state and Raphel crying in Chayston's arms.

"Quickly."

"Y-yes, sir!"

At his master's command, Rohan urged a nearby servant to fetch the physician as fast as possible.

After confirming that Raphel was completely unharmed without a scratch on him, Chayston ordered Rohan to hold the boy.

"I wanna go! I wanna go to Veras!"

Even in Rohan's arms, Raphel thrashed about, desperate to reach Verasielle.

"Don't let the young master near her. Hold him securely."

Chayston instructed Rohan, then knelt on one knee in front of Verasielle.

"Are you all right?"

He immediately examined her complexion.

He'd separated the two of them because Verasielle had made that pained sound.

She might have broken a bone.

Holding Raphel while injured could worsen the pain or her condition.

"Of course. Raphel's safe."

Verasielle looked up at Chayston, who was backlit by the sun as he gazed down at her.

Lying on the ground and staring up at him felt incredibly awkward, and she wanted to jump to her feet, but her legs—drained of strength—wouldn't cooperate.

She wasn't injured, but now that the tension had released, her body didn't feel like her own.

It felt as though all her strength had drained away along with hot blood, leaving her barely able to lift a finger.

"...you."

Chayston's brow furrowed sharply at her words, and he spoke.

"Sorry?"

Unable to catch what he'd said, Verasielle stared at him blankly.

His lips moved once more.

"I asked if you are all right."