Ch.27Chapter 27 – The Mine (4)

I can feel each drop of sweat distinctly, and heat radiating from my body.

Like something burning, my body grows hotter.

‘This feeling again.’

When I escaped from the island.

When I fought the Holy Knight.

It was that same heat I felt then.

I could see smoke rising from the gaps in my armor.

I deliberately turn my attention away from the smoke.

I can’t let this feeling disappear by acknowledging it like I did with the Holy Knight.

Right now, this is my lifeline.

As I gather my focus and concentrate, the smoke begins to billow more intensely.

“You die, I die, you damn thing!”

I shout loudly, clench my fist, and charge at the centipede.

The centipede charges back with its fangs bared.

Dodging its blade-like fangs, I drive my fist into the centipede’s body with all my might.

-THUD!

“KRAAAH?!”

A sound slightly weaker than my mace.

Yet it resonates with a dull thud no less powerful.

Perhaps because its carapace was already weakened from the mace strikes.

The shell cracks and blood sprays out.

Blood splatters on my helmet and seeps inside.

“KAAAAAAAH!!!”

The monster resists.

It swings its fangs and twists its body to attack me.

‘I can see everything.’

Is it related to this heat?

The centipede’s movements are so clear to me.

I dodge its fangs and body, then drive my fist into it again.

“DIE!!!”

I shout loudly as I thrust my fist in.

Without thinking about my heated body or flowing sweat, I punch it repeatedly with all my strength.

The centipede screams.

Each time my fists and feet connect, its carapace cracks.

“AAAAAAAH!!”

Sounds that are neither battle cries nor anything else escape my mouth.

As if half out of my mind, I keep punching and kicking.

But there had to be an end.

‘…This is bad.’

My body was gradually cooling down.

My lifeline was about to be cut.

I look at the centipede, bleeding from all over its body from the beating.

“Grrrr….”

“Damn it.”

Despite being beaten, cracked all over, and bleeding, the centipede was still ready to fight.

It had no intention of fleeing.

‘Fists alone aren’t enough for a finishing blow.’

As my body cools, reason slowly returns.

A single truth dawns on me.

If I don’t finish it now, I’m finished.

I dodge as the centipede approaches, swinging its fangs.

Does it also think it will win once my current state ends?

It charges more desperately than before.

‘If only I had a weapon….’

If I could just stab and swing a weapon into its weakened shell before this feeling fades.

I scan my surroundings while dodging the desperate attacks of the centipede.

Then a small object enters my field of vision.

Perhaps dragged down when the ground collapsed, a tiny rock turtle was trying to escape.

It was likely the one that had tripped Seraphina earlier.

It was desperately fleeing, using its shell as a shield.

‘…A shield.’

Why didn’t I think of that?

Dodging an attack, I roll once and pick up the fleeing rock turtle.

Being small, it was easy to hold with one hand.

I throw it at the centipede with all my might.

As expected, the centipede swats away the rock turtle with its fangs as if annoyed.

It diverts its attention while doing so.

‘Got you.’

Seizing that moment, I leap onto the centipede’s head.

“KYEH!”

Not expecting me to climb on, it begins thrashing wildly.

But I’ve already made it to its head.

I reach out and wrap my body around one of its fangs.

I focus my strength.

‘If I don’t have a weapon.’

I’ll make one.

Using my body as a lever, I put all my strength into it.

The centipede twists and resists, probably because its fang is about to be pulled out.

Naturally, I have no intention of letting go.

With the feeling of pouring all my fading strength into this one act, I exert everything I have.

“UAAAAAAAH!!!”

“KWEEAAAAAAAH!!!”

Perhaps because it was thrashing wildly and I was twisting with my last ounce of strength.

Finally, the fang broke off.

The monster let out a pain-filled scream and shook its head violently.

“Damn it!”

I fall to the ground and regain my stance.

At that moment, a massive object flies from the side and strikes my body.

“KHEUK!”

Its tail.

While thrashing about, it had swung its tail and sent me flying.

As I hit the ground, my helmet came off, perhaps due to a problem with the lock.

My vision suddenly clears.

And I feel pain.

‘…My arm won’t respond.’

Maybe it was injured when I was hit earlier.

Or perhaps the venom said to be in its fangs has entered my arm.

Whether the bone is cracked or broken, my arm won’t move.

It hangs limp and motionless.

Using the fang as a weapon is impossible in this state.

I ignore the pain and stand up.

Feeling the heat in my body not yet extinguished, I look at the centipede.

“KRAAAAAAAH!!”

It was writhing in pain.

It hadn’t regained its senses yet.

This is my only chance.

I jump back, kick the broken fang lying on the ground, and secure it at my waist with my still-functioning arm.

“If I can’t swing it, I’ll become the weapon myself.”

I run with all the strength in my legs.

Avoiding the thrashing of the pain-stricken centipede, I leap onto its head.

Raising the fang high, I drive it down with all my might.

-SQUELCH

“KIEAAAAAAAH!!!”

The centipede’s own fang pierces its head.

As it screams its death throes and twists more violently, I hang onto the fang and place my legs against its face.

I twist with all my strength.

The centipede’s fang slices through its head as it’s pulled out.

Feeling the centipede’s blood splatter on my body, I fall.

“KHEUP!”

I try to get up and regain my stance, but my body won’t rise.

‘…My legs too….’

Perhaps from moving recklessly earlier, my legs won’t move either.

I crawl to lean against the mine wall.

The centipede, with its head split, no longer moved.

“…I’m dying of exhaustion….”

Feeling immense pain and fatigue, I begin to lose consciousness.

+

Haven’s party rushed down to the lower level.

Thanks to the centipede’s rampage, there was no interference from other monsters.

“According to the location, it should be around here.”

Haven said, taking the lead.

As they advanced, something caught Seraphina’s foot.

“This is….”

It was a small rock turtle.

It wasn’t moving, perhaps already dead.

Its shell was completely shattered, which made Seraphina pick it up instinctively.

“Oh…”

And on the ground lay a familiar helmet.

It was Kay’s helmet.

Seeing the blood-stained helmet, Seraphina couldn’t help but think the worst.

“There he is!”

At Haven’s voice, she turned to look ahead.

They could see Kay sleeping while leaning against the wall.

For some reason, a bloodied, broken centipede fang lay beside him.

And behind him, the centipede’s head was almost split in half.

“…Did this guy take that thing down almost bare-handed?”

One of the party members said.

Looking at the discarded sword nearby, it was broken.

He hadn’t been able to retrieve the mace he had thrown from the upper level earlier.

He had defeated it purely with his bare hands.

“…Ravi, go back first with Ian.”

“Got it, leader.”

Seraphina heard Haven and Ravi talking, and saw the adventurer named Ian picking up Kay.

Then Seraphina looked at Kay’s face.

“…Burns….”

Severe, hardened burn scars covered Kay’s face.

They looked so out of place on his peacefully sleeping face.

Seraphina reached out to touch Kay’s burns.

+

My body is cold.

I can’t tell which way is up or down.

‘…What is this memory?’

In the fragmented memories, there was a scene.

A laboratory.

I see the face of the priest I had beaten up before.

He was holding something in his hand.

And he put it inside my body….

My eyes opened.

“…Are you awake?”

Was she nursing me?

Seraphina was sitting beside me.

“Hmm, where am I?”

“At the inn. We’ve returned here for now.”

It seems I had been unconscious.

Moving my body, I noticed something strange.

‘…My arm moves?’

Was what I felt then an illusion?

The arm that wouldn’t move at all was now moving fine.

I moved my arm several times, confused.

‘…It definitely hurt before.’

A chill ran down my spine.

Come to think of it, even when I got the burns, my eyes seemed unharmed….

I wondered if that too had been an illusion, seized by a strange feeling.

“By the way, what happened to that monster?”

“It was dead. You killed it, didn’t you?”

True, if I hadn’t killed it, I’d be dead.

The thought that I was alive made me sigh involuntarily.

Seeing this, Seraphina smiled slightly, then began to share news of the others.

“Haven and the others went back in to transport the centipede materials.”

“They went back in?”

“Well, there’s a lot to carry….”

I hope nothing goes wrong.

But reassuring myself they were veterans and would be fine, I decided to ask about my condition.

“How long was I unconscious?”

“About a day since we left that place.”

I’d been unconscious for roughly a day, it seemed.

“Haven asked me to tell you something when you woke up.”

“What is it?”

“He’s sorry he couldn’t help you fight the big monster. And he said he’ll take responsibility for collecting the materials, so don’t worry and rest well.”

Does he really need to apologize for not helping in such a situation?

“It couldn’t be helped in that emergency.”

“That’s true, but they still felt sorry about it.”

I’ve returned with all limbs intact.

No need to make them worry unnecessarily.

A moment of silence passed.

I moved my arms and legs idly.

“…Were my bones broken or anything like that?”

“I’m not sure… When I examined you after we got here, you were fine.”

So it was just my imagination.

Then Seraphina carefully opened her mouth.

“Kay?”

“Ah…”

The girl before me.

“Those burns, how did you get them?”

“…Somehow.”

Come to think of it, my helmet had come off.

She must have seen the burns directly.

‘What should I say….’

My answer was awkward.

Most people just turn away or don’t care about these burns.

Some act like they don’t mind, but no one asks in detail.

Because of that, I hadn’t thought of an excuse for times like this.

Seraphina reached out and touched my burns.

It doesn’t hurt.

The burns had already hardened.

“Are you okay?”

“…Yes, well….”

“With burns this severe, it wouldn’t be strange if you were blind….”

‘Blind?’

I felt confused for a moment.

Wasn’t I just lucky my eyes weren’t damaged?

Or is Seraphina mistaken?

‘These damn cult bastards’

I wonder what they really did to my body.

It seemed I needed to investigate properly soon.

“Um….”

“Ah”

My expression must have been darkening, as Seraphina was looking at me with concerned eyes.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“…No, it’s fine now.”

“Wait… actually, please wait a while longer.”

Seraphina stood up.

She left the room.

“…Sigh….”

I thought I should come up with an excuse for these burns now.

+

Seraphina returned about four hours later.

She was holding something like an ointment.

“What’s that?”

“I’ll apply it for you.”

She reached for my face, and I instinctively blocked her.

“It might feel strange, but bear with it.”

Of course, Seraphina easily overpowered my arm, making my resistance meaningless.

‘How is she not moving at all?’

Thanks to this girl’s incredible strength, my arm couldn’t move.

In the end, my hand was pinned down, unable to resist Seraphina’s medicating hand.

The medicine is applied slowly.

It felt slightly cool.

Watching Seraphina apply the medicine with a serious face, words escaped me involuntarily.

“It’s unsightly, isn’t it?”

“Not at all.”

Her answer came without a moment’s hesitation.

Seraphina spoke.

“Does it hurt?”

Her concern was evident.

I felt like I was causing unnecessary worry.

I should change the subject.

“How did you make that medicine?”

Seraphina smiled and answered.

“…I made it with the trent mush we caught before and materials gathered on our way to the mine.”

“You made it yourself?”

Seraphina nodded at my question.

“Yes. It’s my homemade ointment.”

Feeling the medicine gradually spreading, I looked at Seraphina.

Something occurred to her, and she took out a journal from her bosom.

“It’s a recipe I’ve been learning from my grandmother.”

“Was your grandmother…?”

“Yes. She was truly an excellent alchemist.”

“I see.”

She wouldn’t have aimed to be an alchemist without reason.

But something in her words caught my attention.

“…’Was’?”

“She’s no longer with us.”

I shouldn’t have asked.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s been over ten years since she passed, so it’s okay.”

Seraphina said with a smile.

“Did you love your grandmother very much?”

“Yes.”

An immediate answer.

“I aimed to become an alchemist because I wanted to be like her.”

“I see.”

Gradually, Seraphina’s hand slowed and then left my face.

She seemed to have finished applying the medicine.

“How does it feel?”

“I’m not sure.”

The burns had already hardened.

I couldn’t help wondering if medicine would have any effect at this point.

“It will work if you keep applying it.”

Then Seraphina took out something else from her bosom.

“Here, this too.”

“What’s this…?”

“It’s juice made from herbs. I thought it might help with recovery, so I made it too.”

I drank it immediately.

I thought it would be very bitter, but it tasted like green tea.

“Do alchemists know how to do this too?”

“Isn’t making medicine their main job?”

“Did your grandmother teach you this too?”

“Yes.”

I handed the empty container back to Seraphina.

As she organized the empty containers, she said:

“I was making it even before you woke up, but I didn’t expect it to take four hours to finish.”

“How did you get the ingredients?”

“I borrowed them from here and there.”

Seraphina said somewhat sheepishly.

“Since it’s not something I use often at home, I’m a bit afraid I might have failed.”

So that’s why she carried so much luggage.

She might even use that cauldron.

I was about to ask when drowsiness suddenly, no, heavily came over me.

“Don’t resist, just sleep.”

“So it makes you sleepy?”

“It’s a medicine that enhances natural healing, so it can’t be helped.”

Seraphina added that those were the only ingredients.

“But is it okay to just make medicine like this for me?”

“Are you really concerned about that? My grandmother would have said this.”

Seraphina said with a smile.

“Why question someone who wants to treat a sick person?”

Whether she was imitating her grandmother or not, it wasn’t Seraphina’s usual way of speaking.

Somehow it made me laugh.

“You’re right.”

Drowsiness was increasingly overwhelming me.

My body began to lean toward Seraphina.

“Sleep well, Kay.”

My last thought was that I would end up in Seraphina’s arms at this rate.

Something soft and warm touched my face.

I felt something warm come up behind my head.

With that, I lost consciousness.