ONE NIGHT STAND WITH HOT DUKE-Chapter 218: A mountain will not run away even if it is chased

Chapter 218: A mountain will not run away even if it is chased

Demian said nothing for a few seconds.

Then he nodded once.

It was enough for everyone around him to immediately understand.

He turned to his guards.

"Then follow the information Vedseel has given."

His voice was calm but left no room for doubt.

"Search the houses in that area."

He pointed toward the same direction.

"And report anything you find."

Everyone immediately began to move.

Some headed into the village streets.

Others followed the snowy paths leading deeper into the island.

But Demian himself did not move.

He stood still for a moment, staring at the vast white land stretching to the north.

His red eyes slowly narrowed.

Because for the first time after that long journey he knew one thing with certainty.

Valerie was on this island.

And this time he would not let her disappear again.

The cold wind swept mercilessly through the streets of the small town. Hardened snow cracked beneath the boots of passersby, while the smell of dried fish and burning firewood filled the air around the harbor.

Not far from the dock, there was a small market.

Several simple tents stood in rows. The locals sold their sea catches, venison, dried fruits, and goods brought by merchants who occasionally arrived from the south.

Amid the modest bustle of the market, two strangers walked through.

A tall figure in a thick black coat with a cold gaze Demian.

And beside him, a light-haired man who looked far more relaxed Vedseel.

No one recognized them.

To the people in the market, they were simply travelers from the ship that had just docked.

Vedseel looked around while rubbing his cold hands together.

A few merchants glanced at them briefly before returning to their work.

Vedseel stopped near a stall selling hot drinks.

He let out a long breath.

"I think we should stop for a while."

Demian did not turn his head.

"I don’t need rest."

Vedseel continued as if he hadn’t heard him.

"We just finished a long and exhausting sea journey."

He pointed toward several simple wooden chairs near the stall.

"Hot drinks, some food, and tomorrow morning we’ll start looking for Valerie."

Demian finally stopped walking.

He slowly turned his head.

His eyes were as cold as the ice surrounding this island.

"Tomorrow?"

His voice was low.

Vedseel shrugged.

"We don’t know exactly where she is."

"This island may not be large, but it will still take time."

He took a cup of hot drink from the vendor and blew on the rising steam.

"Besides, it’s almost night."

"There’s no point searching in the dark."

Demian stared at him without expression.

Several seconds passed.

Then he spoke in a very calm voice—

"No."

Vedseel stopped blowing on his drink.

Demian continued,

"I’m not waiting until tomorrow."

His tone grew heavier.

"I will find her today."

The cold wind swept through the market again.

Vedseel looked at him for a moment, then sighed deeply.

"I know you’re stubborn..."

he muttered.

"But this is on a completely different level."

Demian had already started walking again.

His steps were steady on the snowy road.

"If you want to rest," he said without turning around, "stay here."

Vedseel watched his back as he walked away.

Then he quickly drank the rest of his drink.

"Ah... how troublesome."

he muttered as he set the cup down.

The small market in the harbor town began to grow quiet as the sun slowly sank behind the gray northern sky. The cold wind blew between wooden stalls half-covered in snow.

Some merchants had already started packing up their goods.

But in one corner of the market, two men were still standing face to face.

Demian looked impatient.

Meanwhile, Vedseel leaned casually against the wooden post of a hot drink stall.

Vedseel looked at Demian with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Listen first."

He raised one hand as if trying to calm someone who was far too stubborn.

"You just crossed the frozen sea."

"Your body hasn’t even truly rested yet."

Demian didn’t look interested in hearing it.

"I don’t need rest."

Vedseel let out a long sigh.

"Ah... this is truly unreasonable."

He shook his head slowly before saying,

"Where I come from, there’s a proverb."

Demian narrowed his eyes slightly.

But he remained silent.

Vedseel continued in a relaxed tone,

"A mountain won’t run away even if you chase it."

He shrugged.

"It means something big and unmoving won’t suddenly disappear just because you stop for a moment."

His eyes looked directly at Demian.

"Valerie won’t vanish just because you rest for one night."

Demian stared at him coldly.

"She already disappeared once."

Vedseel fell silent for a moment.

Demian continued in a lower voice.

"I already lost her trail once."

"And I won’t let that happen again."

The cold wind swept through the increasingly empty market.

Vedseel rubbed his face slowly.

"Duke..."

he said, his tone now a little more serious.

"Even the best hunter knows when to stop for a moment."

He pointed toward the sky that was beginning to darken.

"This island is covered in snow."

"The houses are far apart."

"If you force yourself to search now, we’ll most likely just wander aimlessly in the middle of the night."

Demian remained standing straight.

His eyes did not change.

Vedseel looked at him for a few more seconds.

Then he finally let out a long sigh.

"Fine." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

he said in resignation.

"I give up arguing."

He stepped forward toward Demian.

"But if we get lost in a snowstorm tonight..."

Vedseel pointed at himself.

"Don’t blame me."

Demian did not reply.

"If you want to search for Valerie right now, then go ahead."

Vedseel then turned around, intending to walk back toward the street they had just come from.

But—

THUD!

His body collided with someone coming from the opposite direction.

Several pieces of fruit the man was carrying nearly fell from his wooden basket.

"Ah—!"

Vedseel quickly caught the basket before it could fall onto the snowy ground.

"Sorry."

he said quickly while helping steady it.

The man he had bumped into looked surprised as well.

"It’s alright."

the man replied politely.

"I wasn’t looking ahead either."

Vedseel nodded lightly and stepped back.

"Nothing’s broken, right?"

The man briefly checked the contents of his basket.

"No."

He gave a small smile.

"Thank you."

Vedseel nodded once more before the man continued walking through the nearly empty market.

Everything had happened very quickly.

But from the very beginning Demian had not taken his eyes off the man.

His gaze narrowed.

Something felt familiar.

The man’s steps.

The shape of his shoulders.

The way he carried the basket.

Something in Demian’s memory felt as if it had just been touched.

But he could not yet be certain what it was.

Vedseel returned to stand beside him.

He glanced over.

"So?"

he said casually.

"After all that arguing—"

But his words stopped when he saw Demian’s expression.

The duke was still staring in the direction of the man who had just left.

Vedseel frowned.

"What is it?"

Several seconds passed.

Then Demian suddenly spoke.

"That man..."

Vedseel followed his line of sight.

The man with the basket had already walked quite far toward the end of the market.

"What about him?"

Demian did not answer immediately.

But something in his mind finally connected.

He had seen that man before.

Not just once.

More than that.

In memories he had long tried to forget.

Demian suddenly stepped forward.

His eyes sharpened.

"Vedseel."

"Yes?"

Demian pointed toward the man who was getting farther away.

His voice was low.

But full of command.

"Follow him."