The villagers’ alienation and misunderstanding hung over Luo Ling’s heart like a haze.
He couldn’t change how others saw him, nor could he escape the identity of “Hero” that had been forced upon him.
All he could do was hold on even tighter to the happiness before him, to the Eve beside him.
He began treating Eve with twice the gentleness, as if pouring all the emotions he couldn’t express outward into her.
In the past, he would hunt each day and give a portion of the catch to Eve.
Now, he carefully selected the plumpest rabbits and the freshest pheasants, cleaned them, brought them to Eve’s kitchen, and even clumsily tried to learn how to cook, wanting to help her make meals.
Although his cooking skills were far from impressive and he often burnt the pot, drawing a helpless yet amused look from Eve, he never grew tired of trying.
Eve’s Herb Garden needed watering.
Before, he would carry two buckets of water.
Now, he filled the entire water tank, then quietly helped her loosen the soil and weed, moving carefully for fear of damaging a single tender herb.
He observed closely which herbs were growing well and which needed more sunlight, then waited for Eve to return, eager for praise like a child, and told her what he’d discovered.
In the evenings, they still sat on the wooden steps before the cottage.
Before, Eve would often hum a tune softly while Luo Ling listened in silence.
Now, Luo Ling would speak first, awkwardly sharing funny stories from his hunts—like seeing a clumsy bear get stung all over its head by bees while trying to get honey, or how a cunning fox tricked the hound chasing it.
He tried hard to make Eve happy.
Seeing a smile bloom on her face was the happiest moment of his day.
He began to fear the coming of night, to fear the darkness.
Not because of the “Darkness Descends” Samuel spoke of, but because he feared that this peace and happiness would fade away like a dream in the darkness.
He would hold Eve’s hand tightly until she fell asleep, only then daring to close his own eyes—while Samuel’s prophecy and the villagers’ complicated gazes echoed endlessly in his mind.
Once, Eve twisted her ankle while picking herbs that grew at the edge of a cliff.
Luo Ling panicked, carrying her on his back all the way to the village to find the Old Physician.
Seeing Eve’s swollen ankle and her brows knitted in pain, Luo Ling’s heart twisted in agony.
He stayed by Eve’s bedside, never leaving, feeding her water, changing her medicine, and massaging her carefully—attending to her every need.
“Luo Ling, I’m fine. It’ll be better in a few days.”
Eve looked at his anxious face and spoke gently, heart aching.
“It’s all my fault. I should’ve gone with you.”
Luo Ling was consumed by guilt, his eyes red.
“If… if I wasn’t a Hero, just an ordinary Hunter, could I have protected you better? Would none of this chaos have happened, and we could have just lived peacefully like this?”
Eve reached out, gently stroking his cheek and shaking her head.
“Silly Luo Ling, this isn’t your fault. And whether you’re a Hero or not, you’ve always protected me.”
In that moment, Luo Ling couldn’t hold back any longer.
He buried his head in Eve’s shoulder like a lost child, all his suppressed sorrow, fear, and unease turning to hot tears that soaked her clothes.
Eve said nothing.
She just patted his back softly and let him cry.
She knew Luo Ling was carrying a burden no one his age should have to bear.
That title of “Hero” was not an honor to him, but a heavy shackle.
She only wanted to tell him that, no matter what the future held, no matter who he was, she would stay by his side.