Episode 249: Does it have a meaning? (3)
[Well… I wasn’t going to say anything.]
I had a dream where something squishy and wet… bright red was covering my whole body.
[Is this really the best…?]
I also touched something hard in the middle, but it was lined up so evenly that I thought it must be a railing.
[Wouldn’t there have been a better way than holding it in that mouth?]
Ah… That’s right. In that dream, rain and wind blew frequently. The rain was so strong that it continued to pour down on both sides of the opening. Even on the ceiling.
Of course, the rain falling from the ceiling had a certain viscosity and the size of the water droplets was very large, so I wondered if it was really rain… but I thought it was just my mood in the dream and passed it off.
[I don’t know…]
Anyway, it was a very strange dream. I don’t really want to dream again.
* * *
“…!”
And it’s an unfamiliar ceiling. no. Is it a cave ceiling?
I unconsciously released the strained eyes and rolled them. Iris turned to the side and carefully took in the surrounding scene. In the tilted world, the wondrous nature was waiting for me with its friendly colors.
This is really beautiful.
I blinked my eyes in admiration. A huge cave with an open ceiling in the middle, and the sunlight shining into it, and transparent spring water flowing between all kinds of plants that grew by feeding on the light…. I’ll
say it again, it was a sight that I couldn’t help but admire.
“Do you like the view of the swamp?”
However, no matter how hard the officer tried to hide, he should have assessed the situation first.
I forgot that, so I had no choice but to press my lips against the question that was suddenly asked.
Why did I wake up here and who is talking to me now? Did he help me knowing who I was or did he help me without knowing? Belated questions are pounding on my head, telling me that it is not too late.
“You must not move.”
In the process, he tried to raise his upper body and pick up the sword, but the action ultimately failed. The fact that the other person stopped me was also a restraint, but most importantly, my body did not listen to me properly.
The slightly lifted body was placed on top of the layers of cloth.
“The fever hasn’t gone away yet.”
The words ‘cheongeunmangeun’ are not far away. I groaned through my teeth as I thought about that.
Doesn’t it fit the concept? It’s only possible if it hurts to some extent. This is the worst muscle pain I’ve ever experienced. My whole body was shaking and heavy, and my limbs had no strength at all.
To be honest, I think it’s surprising that I came to my senses now. Unable to feel the cold—no longer able to feel it with my teeth?—my body was so chilled that I twitched my fingers.
“…Why am I here?”
The good news is that the face of the person I looked at while lying down looked quite familiar. I asked the priest of Serhan (the person I remember) breathlessly.
The person who was dipping a freshly dried cloth into the bowl of water he brought shrugged his shoulders.
“I guess you don’t remember anything. “Sangun brought you here.”
When she thought the cloth was sufficiently soaked with water, she took it out again and wrung it out. Perhaps because I have multiple hands, it seems quite efficient to use my other hand to pour water into a cup while making a wet towel.
“…when?”
“You first arrived here seven days ago.”
what? Seven days? I’ve been sick for a whole week, is this it?
“Before that… have some water.”
I was shocked and my nose was stuffy, so I wanted to ask more, but the other person was one step faster.
While she was wiping away the sweat from my skin—only then did I realize that I was taking my top off. I didn’t have the energy to get angry and didn’t want to, so I pretended not to notice, but he brought the cup he had just poured water to my mouth.
“It is a tea made from fruits that have pain-relieving effects and medicinal herbs that reduce fever.”
Perhaps because they thought I might reject it, the weak commentary on its effectiveness was a bonus. I don’t have the power to refuse this anyway.
I opened my parched mouth and drank the water little by little.
【How are you, Aori Thunder Snake?】
【You just woke up. I’ll have to watch the situation a little more, but… I think it’s at least in the stable range.】 I wonder if
every inch of his upper body was wiped naked while he drank water, sipping it like a baby, for about five minutes. An unknown face approached me.
Of course, I’ve seen it before, but maybe I just don’t recognize it. Is it because my whole body is heavy and hard like a rock? As time passes, my mind does not become clearer, but rather becomes cloudy.
【It’s heavenly luck. Until yesterday, I was worried because I couldn’t control my pulse…】
【You’re not an ordinary person.】
But if you sleep like this, there will definitely be problems… It’s not about your health or anything like that, but it’s about your comfort on the other side…
I keep going. I forcibly stopped my eyelids from falling and swept the inside of them with my rough tongue. It tasted bitter and bitter, like when your tongue is dry due to a cold. This happened even though I drank enough water to moisten my throat. I guess I’m really not in good shape.
【For now, I will continue to nurse you. Could you please bring me a light meal instead?】
【Of course. I’ll get it soon.】
Still, while I was still somehow able to come to my senses, the conversation between the two people ended. It is said that the priest of Serhang came back to my side and started wiping my sweat again.
Every time a lukewarm wet towel approached me, my skin trembled with chills.
“…I.”
But I can’t lose from the cold.
I somehow managed to get my muddy voice out. It was a bit unfortunate that the result of squeezing the throat so hard was a sound as cracked as a family tree, but I had to take that into account for now.
“Who else knows… that I… am here?”
More than that, when does the drug I drank earlier take effect? I think my body will feel better if I just do some of that.
“Don’t worry. “The fact that the Thunder Serpent is here was only known to the swamp priests and warchief.”
“…why?”
“Sangun ordered us to keep it a secret.”
Hmm… that’s a bit of a good thing. I was worried that outsiders who had started interacting with Daesalrim might have heard of my existence…
“So, don’t worry and rest. “Unless the Thunder Serpent or the Mountain Lord gives further instructions, our mouths will remain closed forever.”
He even said this, which makes me feel more at ease. Not completely let go, just a little bit.
“I am being chased.”
“…I see.”
That’s right… If they know the truth, wouldn’t their attitude change? If you don’t change and continue to try to help me—which is unlikely—that’s the problem. If people outside find out that you hid me and helped me, the entire Great Forest will be angry.
“Protecting me… is against morality.”
“Is that so?”
but.
“If the church finds out…”
“Black Thunder Snake, first of all, we do not worship the gods believed in by outsiders. “The only things we respect are the mountains and nature, and his will is the will of all of us.”
But…
“Also, Black Snake, you protect young lives with your sword and save those who are persecuted with violence.”
I let out a hot breath. The heat that can be felt even from the soft breath will be worse if it goes inside the body. It’s cold and yet hot and it hurts so much.
“Only you gave life and life back when others brought them only blood and death.”
It’s so sad.
I was just sad because I had nowhere to go and nowhere to put my heart, and I was in pain.
“Knowing you like that, we are joyfully putting His will into practice, not by forcing it, but sincerely, by doing it instead of pretending. “So gladly that his will and ours can no longer be distinguished.”
And it was sweet like that.
“So please refrain from saying those words. “The Warchief will be sad when he hears.”
I know for sure that I shouldn’t do that, but it still makes me want to ask if I can stay here any longer.
* * *
“…I will leave in three days. “There is nothing good about me staying here.”
* * *
Yuk-gwi lay quietly in the spot given to me and enjoyed the leisurely day after the typhoon had passed. The cave, which was originally used by Sangun alone, is truly spacious and quiet, perfect for relaxing.
【Noble One, do you lack anything?】
[Nothing.]
That’s not all. Perhaps because they were people who had respected his descendants for generations, the people who served him were very perceptive.
Just ask what he needs, clean his surroundings, or replace things without breaking the pleasant silence.
I also like the bed they prepared in a suitable sunny spot—although it may look like a bird’s nest to humans—I also like it. It is wide enough so that half of the room is exposed to sunlight and half is covered by the ceiling, so you can sleep comfortably whenever you want.
For example, when it rains, you can sleep in the shade, and when the sun is shining like now, you can come out and enjoy a nap in the sunny area.
Yuk-gwi muttered happily as he felt the warmth of sunlight on his shell.
【If you need something to do, please call me at any time.】
[Okay.]
I say this, but will I really have to call you? I’m not saying this because he doesn’t like to take advantage of others, but it just seems unlikely.
Even if you just eat right away, it’s given to you on time and snacks and such have already been brought around.
It wasn’t even something I just left there. If you notice that his condition is deteriorating because you left him without eating, replace it right away. In this situation, it is questionable whether anything will actually be done.
“…Hmm.”
…I really doubt it.
Six Ghosts glared at the only thing in this cave that he did not like. It is a small bed located in a corner of the cave he is in, on a lower level than his nest. More precisely, a human being who uses that bed.
[Hmm.]
He looked down at the human who was not breathing very well even though a week had passed—of course, half of it had been spent moving around in the rain.
If I was in pain, I would say it was in pain, but I couldn’t understand why I was suffering alone without saying a word. It was the same as preparing to leave with a body that had not healed properly. It is truly foolish.
[I’m going to die if I do that…]
It’s also a bit funny that he announced his intention to leave in three days.
Does that person think my body will be fine in three days? The swelling in my swollen feet has barely gone down and the fever is still the same?
I don’t know much about the human body, but I do know that it’s not in a position to get better in three days. Ultimately, it is human stubbornness. stupid.
『If the church finds out….』
That’s really stupid.
[My ancestor is here.]
[Yes.]
It’s strange. He said that that person ran away because he didn’t want to die, so it must be a group of people that only he knows, like the people he saw in that city. I thought so.
[I picked some raspberries on the way. Would you like some? It’s sweet and delicious.]
It’s strange to think that he’s worried that the people here will snitch on him and wants to leave. As long as the mountains protect him, these people will never be able to oppose that person.
Even though I heard that fact. That person is still trying to leave. Why is that? What did the priest who was serving say, ‘Swallow it down’?
[…Okay, what should I do with that human?]
[Come? What was your problem?]
[It’ll be resolved in three days.]
[Huh???]
[Well, it doesn’t matter whether I die or not.]
[Oh my, this driver.]
…Well, whatever the answer is, it’s really none of his business. I guess.
Anyway, that thing is just a vessel containing the devil.
[It won’t work. You have to stick close to him and keep him from going.]
[Cheer up.]
For that reason, Yuk-gwi decided to ignore whatever San-gun said. It was a time when I still didn’t know that the future was something that could never be certain.