Chapter Forty-Six

At dusk by the Northern Pass hot spring, Royo notices unexpected bubbling and realizes Aeri has disappeared. Remembering that Aeri cannot swim, he dives into the scalding, dark water, locates her arm, and hauls her onto the snow. She has no pulse or breath, and panic gives way to a recalled riverside memory of a woman reviving a man.

Grasping at that memory, Royo performs breaths and chest compressions until Aeri convulses and coughs up water. Overwhelmed, he holds her as she shivers back to life, both stunned that the improvised resuscitation worked. Aeri, shaken, acknowledges he saved her, and Royo admits he would not let death take her.

With Aeri refusing to return to the pool, Royo rapidly builds a fire, gathers wood, and sets camp beside the spring, prioritizing her warmth with blankets, his coat, and body heat. As Aeri stabilizes, they talk softly about fear and relief; Royo promises, “I’ll always find you.”

They share simple food, and Aeri offers a pocketed cake in thanks, which Royo halves and returns, quietly noting their mutual rescues. The ordeal deepens their connection: Royo confronts how close he came to losing her and how fully he cares; Aeri, reassured, accepts the closeness as they settle into camp under the rising moon.