Episode 184: On this Earth (4)
Is spending a rainy night without a bonfire and a tarpaulin just a dream?
I woke up from sleep. This is because the chill creeping up from the inside, not the outside of the skin, was quite severe.
“…I guess that doesn’t work either.”
Me indeed. On the way from Ednium to Camburgh, it rained that time too, but it was quite bearable, so I tried to see if it would be possible this time too… but I guess it was impossible.
Although there is a variable called mountain and county, I never thought the difference would be this big.
…No, but I could have lasted this long.
I looked through my inventory. I did some organizing when I was alone, so the items in my inventory are grouped neatly by type. Thanks to this, I quickly found what I wanted.
「Heated stone│Stone heated in an oven. It retains warmth. “If you’re not careful, you could get burned.”
It was my own preparation for independence. It is also a shortcut that takes advantage of the feature of keeping the inventory in the same state it was in when it was put in. Because the stone is heavy and bulky, I wasn’t able to prepare much.
So I took out a few stones and applied them to a few areas. Of course, it was never allowed to touch bare skin. I also didn’t like getting burned.
“….”
hmm. Still, the cold doesn’t go away all at once. Well, one piece of cloth can make a surprisingly big difference.
I adjusted my coat without being noticed. I ignored the fact that I had a blanket in my inventory and that they couldn’t see me.
If the cold does not go away even after covering yourself with a blanket, then you know that this cold must be given another name.
Tap, tap, tap.
And after a long winter-like night, the rain finally stopped.
“Oh my gosh!!”
My body was soaking wet due to the rain, but thanks to the magic power and heated stones, it was a pretty good morning. But what is this screaming?
“What is it? what’s the matter.”
“There’s nu nu nu nu who.”
I woke up just as the sky was getting brighter and heard the scream of the bag seller who had also just woken up. It seems that he has finally recognized my existence.
“Ear ear ear ghost?”
“….”
Am I that scared… When Berserk went out for early morning training, he woke up without any sign and didn’t say anything…
I became a little depressed.
“He is a man.”
“I see…”
But when I look back on my actions, it’s as if I didn’t make a sound all night and then just woke up from the tree. Even his appearance is dark and gloomy.
After thinking about it, I realize that I have nothing to say even if I hear ghosts.
I let go of my gloom and reflected. It was my fault haha.
Hehehe.
More than that, Frederick, you really are like a sword.
Following the stable keeper’s instructions to feed the animal as soon as dawn broke, I gave it grain feed. I also followed the advice that I had to brush my dog while eating because he has a dirty temperament.
Although it wasn’t wet thanks to the waterproof fabric, the slightly damp hair lay evenly along the comb.
“Didn’t you hear me?”
“No… I thought the horse you were with was crying. Or the sound of the wind.”
“Ah….”
Okay, since it’s dark, let’s just get to this point and eat some food too. You can brush your hair again during lunch.
After giving him a proper brushing, I sat down next to Frederick and took out the bob from my inventory.
The fact that I couldn’t cook food because I didn’t have a campfire wasn’t a big problem for me. Anyway, the inventory was an invincible cheat!
Rattling.
I opened the lunch box that saved my life, my food, my food. This is a special lunch box made at the request of the bookstore owner’s younger brother at his place of work.
As with heated stones, the fact that they are in the same condition as when they were put in is a bonus. It’s hot as if it was freshly made.
For reference, I have 30 lunch boxes like this. If you take three meals a day as a standard, you can eat five in two days—considering the amount of food Berserk and Inquisitor eat, you could eat in one day—which means that the amount is now 10 days’ worth.
Really, it was easy for me to take care of myself and not others. Because there are so many things to take care of.
At that point, I gorged on the contents of my lunch box, feeling some comfort and a lot of discomfort.
Bread to replace a bowl of bean soup and boiled eggs with smoked fish. Food that was too luxurious for a meal while sleeping in the open went into my mouth one after another.
“That meal… Ah. “You already ate it…”
But it’s so strange. These foods are so warm that they burn your mouth, but why is it cold when you put them in your stomach?
I clenched my fists as I watched the person approach and then retreat again. He and the others are now watching the soup boil.
The difference was between them, who just had to eat, and those who had to start cooking as soon as they woke up. Since I’m not the type of person who eats slowly, the gap is likely to widen further.
“let’s go.”
Hehe.
Then you should use that time.
I grabbed the reins to cover up my strange mood and give Frederick some water. Everyone’s positions are fixed as they eat, so I’ll also take a quick wash.
“Ah, demon knight. “You can’t possibly go alone…”
I wonder if that’s possible. I wondered if I had widened the distance to the point where there was no such trust, but then I brushed it off.
This wasn’t something I could answer. It is a problem that must wait until time passes and implicit rules or rules are formed.
“Don’t worry, I’m just going to give the horses water.”
The Archmage already knows.
“Ah, that group. “You’re part of the group, right?”
“…It’s not like we’re companions.”
“Yes, adventurer! The stream will be closer that way! “I’m sure because I almost tripped on it while running yesterday!”
Oh yeah? If it’s closer, you should definitely go there. I followed the bagger’s advice and turned around.
Frederick slowly followed my hand holding the reins.
Soon, we came to Silgaecheon, which the bag seller had mentioned, at a place slightly off the road.
“I… can’t use this.”
There was just one problem. It’s good that it rained last night and the stream got deeper, but at the same time, the dirt floor turned over and the water became dirty.
Should I have gone the other way instead?
No, I don’t think he would have avoided being in muddy water just because of that.
I dried the area around my mouth and then pulled the reins further to one side.
If you go upstream, wouldn’t the water be less dirty? I have some expectations.
Purr.
Stop touring. You wouldn’t want to drink that kind of water either. Of course, it was my mistake not to think about collecting rainwater.
“…?”
Then, suddenly, I found a cabin at the end of Silgaecheon Stream. The exterior, covered in moss and weeds, shows how neglected it has been.
“I guess that’s what the merchant said.”
As we approached the cabin, the stream was much clearer.
I made sure Frederick had plenty of water to drink and kept my feet close to the cabin.
“…I guess the landlord just died.”
There are subtle traces that make it difficult to consider them simply as a by-product of time. It was a trace that I could recognize even if I was not an expert in these things.
For example, there are traces that look like the building has been cut into pieces, or a wall that is open on one side, or something like that.
“It doesn’t look like it’s been decades.”
In the case of the wall, there is also a possibility that it collapsed naturally over time. However, except for traces of destruction, the building was relatively intact. The same goes for the number of grasses and accumulated dust inside the building that I took a quick look at.
Judging by my humble insight, this thing may have been abandoned for a few years, but I don’t think it would have lasted more than ten or twenty years.
Sigh.
After making sure Frederick was okay, I entered the building through the collapsed wall. The floor creaked, but not at a level where I thought it was going to collapse.
My gaze went the other way. Some broken furniture was seen first. The disheveled appearance was somehow similar to something seen in crime investigation dramas.
“Did you really fight?”
For no reason, I followed the traces of the fight by imitating the pose of the investigation team leader in the drama. Tuk. Something touched my foot.
It was a white skeleton surrounded by clothes.
“May the souls of the deceased refrain.”
Who is it? Is he also a landlord?
I politely prayed for him to rest in peace, but I looked at him out of curiosity… and found a dagger in the white man’s hand. The initials P.B were engraved on the dagger in a fancy font.
‘under.’
Suddenly, a sharp laughter echoed in my head. It was my laughter. no. I have never laughed, so this is mine….
‘The sin engraved on this earth has come back across time.’
What is mine…?
“──!!”
For a moment, my arm felt like it was going to burn. Quad deuk. Something is wrong.
“Ahh…!”
I held my right arm and bent over. The intensity of the pain was similar to when my entire body was struck by divine power, but the problem was different.
Since divine power hits the entire body, the pain is distributed, but now the pain was felt only in one area of the right arm.
In short, the sacred power hits 10 places with a strength of 5, but this one is persistently hitting only 1 place with a strength of 10.
Although the total amount of damage inflicted is greater due to divine power, this is what I feel is more painful.
It hurts so so so much.
“Ugh….”
Wouldn’t it be easier if I cut off my arm?
I lay down with my right arm wrapped around me. I guess it’s because there was no chance of developing pain tolerance due to pain level control, and it wasn’t a good battle situation to forget the pain due to tension and fear. This one time was especially hard to bear.
‘Oh, it’s not fun.’
“…!”
Fortunately, the pain stopped quickly. That was the moment when I grabbed the dagger.
“Huh huh huh.”
I slowly stood up, taking a deep breath as I couldn’t rest properly due to the pain.
My head hurt and my whole body felt weak. Tuk. Instead of trying to get up, my legs lost their strength and I fell down.
I think it will take some time to get up again.
“What are you doing, knight?”
But a shadow fell over me. It was Berserk.
“Do you need help?”
This doesn’t seem like a question that can be answered without asking… Berserk has been the person who has respected my opinion the most since I expressed my refusal. It’s also strange that you don’t ask.
“…no.”
If it’s an Inquisitor or a Deathbringer, the moment you give them an answer, they will become more persistent, saying there is hope. But Berserker won’t do that.
I gave a short answer based on my experience so far. Then I closed my eyes, waiting for the inaudible footsteps.
Hilarious.
“…?!”
But what is this?
I was embarrassed by the pressure I felt on my lower back. Meanwhile, the arm wrapped around my waist is lifting my body up.
“you…!”
I answered because I was sure you wouldn’t respond. It was that kind of belief!
No way, you too…!
Squeak.
The Berserker carrying me left the building. I tried to resist, but my body, which was tense from the pain, did not listen to me yet.
Tuk.
The good news is that Berserk put me down in front of the stream. I didn’t take him to the campsite.
“Wipe it and come back.”
Thanks to you, I got a chance to wash my face.
I glared at Berserk, who was leaving without any regrets, and wondered if there was any meaning to this action, so I dipped my hand into Silgaecheon. I’m sure he’s the only one who knows what Berserk is thinking.
“…This is a very difficult situation.”
Rather, he kneels down in front of Silgaecheon and wipes his face. Why is my situation like this? It’s really ugly.
Still, there is no other way. I took a deep breath, wiped my face, and when I regained strength in my legs, I took off my coat and sprinkled water all over my body. It was better to dry in the stream than to dry in sweat.
Purr.
“…wait.”
I washed my face one last time, soothing Frederick, who was asking me what to do next. Now that the pain was almost gone, thoughts about this started to come to mind.
Why did this pain appear? If there is a cause, what was the trigger? Is there a possibility of it recurring in the future? Is there a way to prevent it, etc.
But there wasn’t much to grasp. At best, I can only guess that this place may be the cause.
And that laughter from earlier…
I felt like my right arm was burning again, and I reflexively grabbed it.
Maybe it was phantom pain… but that alone was enough to make me frown.
“…It’s getting more and more diverse, really.”
I don’t know. I grabbed the eye patch I had taken off to wash my face and woke up with a sigh. I don’t think my legs will ever feel weak anymore.
Hehe.
“Don’t fuss.”
I threw an apple to Frederick and then went back into the building. I was worried that the pain would come back, but there was something more important than that.
The dagger that White Bone had been holding until his death came into my hand. This will now help reveal the identity of this person and, if possible, the past of the Devil Knight.
Honestly, there’s no way what just happened could have happened without a reason.
“…I’ll borrow it for a while.”
Instead, I dug the ground with a two-hender to bury him.
You could say it was the price of receiving a dagger, but it was still the best I could do.
The stream of water that had poured all over my body flowed down like sweat.
Sigh, slurp.
“after.”
Ah, digging with a two-hender is very difficult.
After struggling for about five minutes, I dug a small hole big enough to bury my white bones.
If this person had just died, with all his flesh and muscles gone, it would have been even harder to dig up that much volume.
Pak.
Still, this probably isn’t that bad. I nailed a cross made out of wood onto the grave and piled a pile of stones on top of it.
This was done because the makeshift graves I knew were roughly in this shape. It didn’t seem like the method of making tombs was much different in this world.
“Oh, that’s me over there!”
“You didn’t go as expected!”
“I was anxious myself.”
“That’s because you keep scaring me…!”
“Besides, where have you gone, leaving me alone?”
“Well… oh, I think you’re over there.”
“lily? “What are you doing inside?”
Still, it’s a bit disappointing to only do this.
I covered the corner of my mouth with my hand, which reflexively rose at the sound of chattering, and wondered what was missing. So, I thought about the scenes in foreign or Korean dramas where we go to someone’s grave.
It seems like the flowers are missing.
“Ah, the grave…”
“…Did you make it yourself?”
But there were no flowers for me now. It’s a bit strange to collect flowers with a concept.
So what can you do? We have no choice but to mobilize at least a Korean-style ancestral rite.
Tuk.
I took out the apples, bananas, blueberries and pears I had bought for Frederick’s snacks and placed them in order.
If there had been alcohol, they would have sprinkled it on, but unfortunately there wasn’t. Theft… I wish they would have come late, but I don’t think they can do it because they came first.
I left there after pouring water pretending to be alcohol. The two people who were watching followed me.
“It would have been nice if we could have been together…”
It would have been easier for me too… but the act of carrying a dagger would have definitely raised questions. Maybe they will see me in pain and go crazy again.
In that case, I just end up doing it alone.
I listened to their words, grabbed Frederick’s reins, and headed toward the camp.
There is still a lot left until Bemurgen.
* * *
“A hero is coming here.”
“Oh, has the time finally come to end the war with the Mermen?”
“I don’t know. “I think it would be good to look forward to it when we see what the hero does.”
Cheongsanho, the great sage who oversees the magic tower of Bemurchen and the master of essential magic, gave a sour answer to the castle lord.
Then Seongju pouted his lips and threw the liquor bottle he was holding.
Clink.
“Didn’t I tell you to stop throwing bottles in my room, Seongju?”
Cheongsanho broke the glass bottle without even looking back. The fact that Seongju’s lips stick out more is a bonus.
“It’s meaningless anyway.”
“You have to clean up after yourself. If it’s not up to you, quit.”
With a fluttering sound, Cheongsanho covered the letter he was looking at. The glasses on the bridge of Cheongsanho’s nose were shaking their strings.
Well, well, well, well.
Meanwhile, at Cheongsanho’s gesture, the glass pieces scattered on the floor began to melt with a clear sound. Then it came together and hardened properly. It was a shape that symbolized the lord of the castle killing a merman.
“That’s cool.”
“Seongju, you are ineffective.”
Cheongsanho returned the glass statue to Seongju.
“If you want the statue, just ask for it. “Because I don’t have enough time to refuse even the smallest request you make.”
“What is that touching comment?”
“If you don’t have anything more important to talk about, please leave now. “Because two difficult requests came in.”
“…Then that’s right.”
“What did you expect?”
Cheongsanho just felt like he couldn’t understand Seongju, who always said random things.
Then, judging that Seongju would not go back smoothly today, he brought up his work. “Anyway, your ability to come up with interesting and difficult research topics is top notch.” Complaining that wasn’t a bit of a complaint was a bonus.
“What is that?”
“Material for a sword.”
“knife?”
Cheongsanho read the enclosed letter again and then used his magic to investigate more closely. The material of the huge bone was analyzed and accurate information was output.
“No matter how you look at it, it looks like a bone… But whose bone is this? “It’s too big for an ordinary animal’s bones.”
“hmm.”
I am used to seeing Seongju chattering next to me. Instead of answering, Cheongsanho rang a bell with magic. Soon the attendant in charge came running.
“Did you call me?”
“Bring me my grandson. “I need to make swords and jewelry-type items, and if I tell you that it will require your dexterity, they will understand.”
“yes.”
Even though the servant had to receive orders as soon as he came in and then go out again.
“Are you ignoring what I said? And do we have to call that kid too?”
“I have no obligation to explain to the lord of the castle about the requested items I personally received.”
“Don’t be rude.”
“Speak clearly. “You must be being unreasonable.”
“Werner!”
“If you two are going to keep fighting, can I go back?”
“hmm?”
“Eh.”
Cheongsanho stopped arguing with Seongju and turned his head when he heard a voice. I called, but there was a face at the door much sooner than expected.
“You came early.”
“I was seeing Sage Carol right in front of me.”
“Great. “Come and help me.”
“What is the price?”
“I heard they are targeting one of the ingredients provided by Gridana.”
“Will you buy it for me?”
“okay.”
“great.”
Cheong Cheong-ho, who knew his grandson well, did not drag on his words. It was the same with my grandson.
Instead of negotiating slowly, they achieved a negotiation at once.
“…You can’t even see me over there?”
“If I don’t have work, it gets tiresome to always say hello to the person who comes to visit me every day.”
“…You shout with all your heart that you are Werner’s grandson.”
“thank you. So what should I cut?”
“For jewelry-type items, we need to check the estimate a bit more, so we’ll put it off for later and do this right now.”
Cheongsanho pointed to the huge bone placed on the workbench.
“You must have heard the news that the ancient beast of the East was hunted. These are its bones.”
The eyes of the castle lord, who had been thinking of the devil’s bones at best, widened at the unexpected identity, and the eyebrows of his grandson rose.
“That might be fun.”
The genius who achieved the honor of being a great general at the age of 20 had his eyes sparkling with interest.