"So you gave me a damn map and then told me absolutely nothing else…"
Laurent trudged onward, bracing himself against the biting wind and the sudden plummet in temperature, not even sure how to curse this useless system anymore.
Nearly two months had passed since he'd embarked on this journey.
During those two months, he'd encountered more troubles than he could count.
Not just petty annoyances from city life, but more significantly, difficulties brought by wars and bandits.
And the most crucial problem of all—money.
He'd severely underestimated how expensive things were in each town, finally accepting the harsh reality that he was completely broke three days earlier.
Fortunately, he still had a pair of hands and feet. He'd taken some odd jobs and done small trading, earning a bit of cash—but then promptly spent all of it on clothing.
He had no choice. The further north he traveled, the colder it got. Without buying warm clothes, he'd probably freeze to death before even reaching his destination.
Now, on this last leg of the journey, Laurent wrapped himself tightly in a heavy coat, determined to reach his goal as quickly as possible.
He had no more time to waste. Three-quarters of a year remained, and since he couldn't be sure exactly when Jeanne would officially step onto the battlefield, he had to speed up.
Unfortunately, the freezing temperatures were almost enough to drive him back.
Having stocked up on food, he'd already been trekking through this vast forest for two whole days.
Occasionally, spotting edible fruits, he'd pick and carefully store them away.
His body was filthy, covered in dirt. It had been days since he'd washed, and tiny wounds covered him from head to toe. Had he not studied medicine, he might've already died from infection alone.
Even if he did come across a lake now, bathing in this freezing weather was out of the question.
Yet none of these problems were truly life-threatening—just uncomfortable.
The real issue came on the morning of the third day, when Laurent realized he'd caught a cold.
At first, it wasn't serious, just the vague sensation of chills.
But as he ventured deeper into the north, temperatures dropped sharply, and now Laurent could clearly see patches of snow.
Worst of all, he hadn't brought many clothes. When it suddenly rained, there was nowhere to shelter. Forced to sleep soaking wet, he woke up with a burning fever.
Thank God I studied medicine and can recognize medicinal herbs…
In the morning, he gathered snow, using the flint he'd bought to build a small fire and boil water. After sipping some warm liquid, he felt marginally better.
But he was still suffering.
He needed a safe place to rest properly, to recover his strength.
It wasn't a severe cold yet, but ignoring it would definitely make things worse.
Reluctantly, Laurent had no choice but to temporarily halt his journey, instead gathering herbs and food in this forest while constructing a makeshift shelter.
At this moment, he suddenly felt grateful for all those wilderness survival shows he'd watched before.
It seemed they'd finally proven useful.
Sadly, he only found herbs good enough to mildly ease coughing—not enough to cure his cold.
By afternoon, Laurent felt drained and exhausted, his body barely able to work. Occasionally, dizziness blurred his vision.
He knew he absolutely needed rest now.
Snap.
Unfortunately, at precisely that moment, Laurent froze stiffly in place. And why?
Because right in front of him stood two wolves.
Damn it… My body's weak with fever, and now wolves…?
Laurent's mood plummeted to rock-bottom.
Slowly, he placed the wood he'd collected onto the ground. He couldn't afford to lose it—but he had to consider how to handle these creatures first.
Could throwing wood scare them off?
No, wolves weren't dogs.
Carefully, Laurent shifted his stance.
The two wolves growled softly, clearly signaling their intent to attack.
Laurent vaguely recalled wolves could smell prey up to a kilometer away. Did these two have companions nearby? If so, today he was absolutely finished.
Damn it… I haven't even reached that lake yet, and now I'm going to die?
No!
In that moment, Jeanne's image flashed vividly through Laurent's mind.
He hadn't protected her yet. He absolutely could not die here!
His body surged with newfound strength, shaking off the fatigue of his illness.
He remembered wolves' powerful bites, usually aiming straight for the throat. He had to prevent them from knocking him down.
Drawing a small knife from his waist, Laurent exhaled slowly, breath misting visibly in the cold air.
He wouldn't escape unharmed. Humans couldn't outrun wolves. His only hope was minimizing injuries. With a bite force nearing 600 kilograms, a vital spot was certain death.
Their weakness was their heads.
Laurent had never felt clearer, his mind startlingly calm, as if finally making peace with death.
He bent his body, gripping the knife firmly in his right hand.
Because wolves were faster, reacting would be difficult. Laurent held a thick piece of wood in his left hand as a makeshift shield.
Time crawled by. Cold sweat dripped down his face from tension alone.
Then, suddenly, one wolf lunged forward.
Instantly, Laurent raised his left arm, letting the wolf clamp down on the wood, while simultaneously plunging the knife deeply into its skull.
Crunch!
Hearing the sickening sound of steel piercing flesh, Laurent knew he'd succeeded—but immediately, the second wolf charged.
His pupils shrank in panic.
No—his weakened body couldn't react quickly enough. The dead wolf's teeth still gripped the wood in his left hand, and his knife remained lodged deep in its skull.
In that split second, time slowed dramatically. Laurent made a desperate decision, shoving his right arm directly into the incoming wolf's jaws.
If he didn't block this bite, his throat would be ripped open without hesitation.
Pulling his left arm free from the dead wolf, Laurent felt a horrifying tearing sensation radiate from his right arm.
It felt as though his entire arm had nearly been severed.
But, in fact… that's exactly what had happened.
As soon as the wolf latched onto Laurent's arm, it twisted its body sharply—ripping his arm cleanly from his shoulder in less than a second.
Time slowed to an agonizing crawl. Laurent's mind filled with nothing but pain.
His pupils shrank as blood erupted from his shoulder, spraying violently.
His entire body went numb—not just from the freezing cold, but more from unbearable agony.
Am I going to die now?
Probably, just like last time. Dying quietly, alone, unnoticed.
People said your life flashed before your eyes at death. Was this that moment for him?
Ultimately, it came down to weakness. He couldn't save anyone—he'd never had what it took to save others.
"Laurent, I also wish you could always stay by my side."
Jeanne's gentle voice echoed clearly in his mind, calling out to him.
Suddenly, Laurent's body surged with one final burst of strength.
Yes—Jeanne hasn't even started her journey yet. I can't die here—I absolutely can't!!!