Every light source in the hunting grounds flared to life simultaneously, illuminating nearly half of the forest.

Search and rescue personnel brandished powerful spotlights and megaphones, their voices hoarse as they repeatedly called out Aerona's name, while infrared drones scanned the canopy from above.

As they ventured deeper into the woods, Frederick's pace became increasingly frantic. Seeing his state, the rescue team did not dare to slacken, and the atmosphere grew incredibly somber.

This part of the forest was not part of the designated hunting zone; it was an unmanaged nature preserve.

Amidst the tangled underbrush lay a fallen sign—whether toppled by the wind, struck by an animal, or sabotaged by human hands, it was impossible to tell. It was a warning sign featuring silhouettes of wolves and bears, reading: Achtung! Wölfe und Bären im Gebiet! (Warning! Wolves and bears in the area!)

Frederick felt a sudden, sharp pang in his chest. His breathing became ragged, and his fingertips began to tremble—an involuntary reaction he couldn't control. He reached into his pocket for his crucifix, only to remember he had left the pure gold cross, a gift from the Pope for his eighteenth birthday, lying on the rug by his bed. He realized then that in moments of true desperation, even one's faith could be cast aside.

Blinding spotlights turned the night into a stark, snowy white. Frederick's dark pupils reflected the glare like blue flames. There was no answering voice from the forest, yet he refused to overlook a single inch of ground. He thought of that old Chinese saying: "If alive, I must see the person; if dead, I must see the corpse."

He didn't know how long he had been searching in this daze; time seemed to move as slowly as melting ice. Finally, the sound of distant barking reached his ears.

"The drone shows activity to the Northeast!" "There are dogs barking! To the Northeast! Head Northeast!"

The search personnel shouted excitedly, and the lights and personnel immediately pivoted in that direction.

"Oh my God! Found them! They're here! Safe! They're safe!" "A girl! And two dogs... no, three!"

In a pool of brilliant white light, Frederick saw a small, slender figure standing amidst the dense foliage ten meters away. Her white cashmere coat was stained with large patches of blood. She stood there with one large dog at her feet while she cradled another massive dog in her arms—a dog that looked nearly as big as she was.

He couldn't fathom how she had managed to lift it.

Frederick felt his heart twist with pain, he sprinted toward her, only steadying his pace in the final two steps.

He stopped before Arabella Sinclair, his heavy breathing turning into thick clouds of white mist. Without a word, he calmly took the heavily injured Black from her arms.

Rescue workers quickly moved in to place Black on a stretcher. All three injured dogs were attended to, receiving immediate emergency first aid.

Arabella stared blankly at Frederick. The sudden loss of the weight in her arms caused her exhausted hands to drop to her sides, a dull, throbbing ache radiating through them.

"Frederick..." she whispered guiltily, standing ramrod straight with her toes tensed.

Frederick remained silent, his lips pressed into a thin line. He first stripped off his own overcoat and draped it around her, then proceeded to examine every inch of her—from her face and neck to her hands, which he gripped as he rolled up her sleeves to check for wounds, and finally her legs.

The blood on her clothes was not her own.

"I'm sor—"

Finally, Frederick let out a long sigh of relief and pulled her into his arms, his massive frame nearly burying her as he held her in a crushing embrace. He squeezed her so tightly it was as if he wanted to meld her into his own body, or perhaps nail her to his own personal cross. He had truly thought he was going to lose her. Even the mere hypothetical thought of it for a single second had filled him with terror.

"Aerona," Frederick choked out, closing his eyes against the stinging in his nose as he whispered her name.

His familiar warmth and scent enveloped Arabella, and the tension that had held her nerves taut all night finally snapped. Inhaling his deep, crisp fragrance—a scent that reminded her of a moonlit forest—she felt a wave of almost divine tenderness.

She suddenly burst into loud, jagged sobs. She had been holding her tears back for so long, afraid of drawing attention to herself in the dark, but now she let everything out. "Frederick, I saw wolves... there were really wolves... you weren't scaring me... there were... three of them... so many..."

Her body shook as she babbled her grievances, her tears falling into her mouth, tasting bitter and salty. Frederick's throat felt tight as he peppered her tear-streaked face with small kisses. "It's my fault... I should have been with you. I should never have left you alone."

Arabella cried until she was breathless, her sobs so violent it seemed she might fall apart. Frederick patted her back gently. "Breathe, baby, breathe—"

Flushed and following his command—she took a deep breath, exhaled, and breathed in again. Her amber eyes were bright with tears. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... Daddy, I was so stupid... I shouldn't have snuck them into the forest... I caused Black to break his leg... and Peach got hurt protecting me... I..."

She trembled in his arms, utterly consumed by shame.

"Don't apologize, Aerona. You did nothing wrong." Frederick used his palm to gently tilt her face up; it was smeared with half-dried blood. He pressed his thumb against her lips.

She had done nothing wrong yet still felt the need to apologize, even after being so brave and strong. The one who had done wrong was him. He shouldn't have assumed he could control everything; he shouldn't have been so careless as to drink that wine; he shouldn't have shut her out or left her alone in a dangerous place.

"You did wonderfully. They protected you, and you protected them."

Arabella was stunned to receive praise. She looked up at him, her face smudged with dirt and blood.

"You're... praising me?" she murmured. "You're praising me."

She couldn't believe it and had to confirm it. Frederick tenderly wiped the blood from her face, his deep, resonant voice acting like a magic hand that soothed all her anxieties. "Brave girl, you are amazing."

Arabella was still crying, but her mouth curved into a goofy, tearful smile. "You said I'm amazing... " 

Frederick kissed her cheek. "So, no more apologies. Can you do that for me? Aerona."

Arabella let out a thick, muffled sound through her nose. Unable to find the words, she simply wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head against his sturdy chest. She needed his embrace.

"By the way... Daddy..." She sniffed, then awkwardly pinched her nose to stop it from running. Frederick took out a handkerchief and wiped it for her. "Yes, sweetheart?" He folded the handkerchief and tucked it back into his coat pocket before beginning to massage her arms; they had to be incredibly sore after carrying such a heavy weight.

Arabella leaned into the comforting massage, blinking her blurred eyes. "Mmm... I think I remembered my name."

Frederick's heart skipped a beat. After a few seconds of hesitation, his Adam's apple bobbed as he looked into her expectant eyes and asked steadily, "What is your name?"