episode_0020

The funeral ceremony without a body ended quickly.

Jules’ father and I went down to the village with the bereaved family, and I followed Jules into the tent.

As soon as I entered, Jules turned around and came towards me.

It seems like he has something he’s curious about.

“Are you hurt?”

Are you hurt? Are you asking if you hurt your head?

“···No? No injuries.”

It’s a place where other people are.

I couldn’t speak comfortably.

Jules tilted his head, pulled my hand, and smelled it.

“Smell of blood.”

Jules eyes narrowed and looked down at me.

It was only then that I realized that I had been hurt.

Although it looked no different from a human, it had a sense of smell that transcended perception. However, I didn’t want to make things worse even after less than a day had passed since I came here.

“Oh, I guess I scratched the mosquito bite and it bled a little.”

“That smells different.”

really?

Jules sniffed and lifted up my clothes.

‘Is it my hand that hurt me?’

Because of the strange behavior, I looked at my body along with Jules.

Only then did I find out.

My body is covered in blood and bruises.

‘No why, what is this?’

Jool’s fangs were revealed.

“Where did you get hit?”

“I have never been hit.”

“You’re bruised.”

“···Human skin is inherently weak.”

My skin is not weak.

However, most of the places where Hosott had stabbed them had bluish bruises. As a result, it looked as if he had been beaten.

‘···That bastard doesn’t know how to hit without getting hurt!’

He was a stupid bad guy.

It was amazing at the same time.

Can you tell if you have a bruise by smell?

Jules was more surprising than the bruises on my body.

“I heard that you can speak, but it’s amazing.”

Heilang rested his chin and looked at me.

“Look at this! What on earth did Shir?!”

“You know that I am a child who follows my sister’s instructions well even if I am not smart. Why don’t you ask the hurt person?”

Yellow, almost orange eyes began to stare at me.

I finally had no choice but to open my mouth due to the pressure.

“They were young kids. I guess I was curious about the human touch.”

“Who—?!”

When Jules’ burning eyes turned towards me, I was so fed up that I had no choice but to stop talking. I was able to calm down a little because I knew the anger wasn’t directed at me, but I was still afraid.

“I don’t know. At first glance, I couldn’t tell the difference between the other hosts other than Seolrang because they all looked similar.”

Look at those shiny eyes!

It was clear that if I said it right, I would be in trouble.

“···They must be the kids who play with Shir. If I bring them all, can I choose?”

I don’t know why it’s like this.

I appreciate your concern, but if you compare me, a slave, with a child from the tribe, of course I have to choose the child.

“I’m fine. The curiosity of young children─.”

“You too are a child.”

The other person was young and made a mistake, so why am I showing up?

If you get pushed out here, your first impression on the village hosot will be ruined. There will definitely be people who look down on me.

If it blows, it will only become an object of territoriality and persecution, just like the hard life in the countryside in Korea. If you are dragged to a dark place with harsh words, you might be eaten alive.

“It’s just a mistake born out of a child’s curiosity.”

“You don’t understand what I’m saying.”

“I didn’t even tell him to stop, nor did he show me the bracelet he gave me.”

“Children who play with Shir are not even adults. You know that humans don’t even have the concept of sub-humans.”

Heukrang takes my side.

That obnoxious Horsott who had been picking on me wanted to punch him in the solar plexus even now, but he had to defend himself right now.

If the perception that Juul is protecting me spreads, people in the village will not be able to treat me carelessly.

But in the end, it was Jo Sammosa.

People’s gaze also worsens.

This could be a big problem when I leave here.

Jules showed his teeth again.

The eyes seem to be burning.

‘Why are you angry?’

I don’t understand.

If you’re a normal person, now is the time to just move on, right?

One thing is certain: if something isn’t corrected here, something really big will happen.

“Jul. Calm down.”

Jules, whose name was called, glares at me.

“Do you know what your eyes look like right now? I think it would kill someone. I did that when I was fighting with the mountain owner.”

When our eyes met, I was shocked.

Jules sighed. The eyes calmed somewhat.

But the angry eyes were now directed at me.

“You are my slave.”

A chill down my spine.

What kind of eyeballs are so cruel?

“First of all, it is my property.”

······It happens that way.

But isn’t it a formal relationship anyway?

“Do you think it makes sense to treat other people’s belongings this way?”

please.

I don’t know how long I’ll be staying here, but I know how important first impressions are. First impressions are half the battle! I don’t want to be like this from day one!

“It’s just a bruise. The bruises don’t last until you die.”

“···You were like that from the beginning.”

Jules muttered as if he was talking to himself.

“Did you start an argument or give the other person a reason to be angry?”

“Of course not.”

“Then why aren’t you angry───?!”

Why aren’t you angry? Should I be angry?

I don’t know.

······Should I at least pretend to be angry?

People tend to gain vicarious satisfaction by empathizing with people around them. Conversely, if you do something foolish, even your parents will scold you.

But I also felt unfair.

‘I’m the one who got hurt, but I have to take care of it too!’

The emotional gap is so great that empathy is impossible.

Thanks to this, I have no idea how to console or console him.

“Don’t be like that. Isn’t Juul always like that?”

“Don’t pretend to know anything about me.”

I threw out a cheesy comment I heard somewhere, and was immediately stabbed.

Also, it seems like it has climbed too much.

Because the expression on my face started to disappear.

If I leave it like this, I think I’ll get hit.

At the same time, an error occurred.

The fact that Jules is so angry means that he is interested in me enough to empathize with me.

‘If not, I wouldn’t have brought you here.’

First, I gently grabbed Jules’ hand.

Sigh!

At that moment, my world started spinning.

what? What happened? Why do I fall?

It was an unfamiliar experience.

It felt like I was hit by a dump truck with only my outstretched arm.

“Keuuugh──?!”

I collapsed on the carpet, my lungs crushed.

I couldn’t understand for a while and my head went blank.

It was only after a few seconds that I realized the situation.

─It’s thanks to my strong hands.

He was pale, as if he had lost blood.

Jules simply slapped his hand away, but the force was so strong that he was swept away!

The hand that was hit turned white.

It was a power that transcended the limits of what the muscles of living things could produce.

To the point where I was afraid that I might be left with disability rather than pain.

It was that strong.

The pain cells were also paralyzed, as if they didn’t know how to convey the sensation they were experiencing for the first time, and there was no pain.

─If you hit Juul properly, you are guaranteed to go to the underworld.

“Sorry.”

First, I threw the apple.

What I just saw was a bad scene for the other three people who didn’t know about Jules and me.

For example, the chieftain in front of you.

There could have been a warning here to behave properly.

I really ruined the first impression I made on the highest-ranking person in town.

In order to look as good as possible, I cleaned up the rawhide that had been swept away when I fell and stood up.

Juul had already left the tent.

So, just as he was about to jump out.

“You.”

My body stopped at the sound of a low voice.

‘Why aren’t ominous thoughts wrong?’

The chief of this village. Heilang is staring at me.

“How old are you?”

The sweet off-white color resonates.

I wanted to look at his face, but I was worried that he would lose his temper if I made eye contact, so I looked down.

“I’m fourteen years old.”

“You’re the same age as my daughter. Don’t humans grow up only when they are twenty?”

“That’s right.”

“From now on──” “Why not come out?!”

Jules is sticking his head out from outside the tent.

The pulse was cut off.

Heilang glanced at Juul and said nothing more.

I bowed my head and followed Jules.

‘You ruined my first impression!’

Jules said nothing.

I can’t tell if my anger has subsided or not.

The same goes for speaking first.

As I kept my mouth shut and walked quietly, I was soon able to reach Jules’ house.

“···If someone bothers you from now on, show them your bracelet.”

My voice calmed down a lot.

‘Has your anger gone?’

···It seem to be like that. It will happen. It has to be like that.

Otherwise, I think it will be difficult to endure.

I threw a joke to check.

“I think it will be a great joke, right?”

Jules stops and looks at me.

Then I walked away again.

“···It’s better than getting hurt.”

‘The hand where you hit me hurts more.’

The backs of my hands and fingernails began to turn red.

The bruise is spreading in an ongoing manner.

My hands are now crying and trembling.

Maybe all my fingernails will fall out.

When we arrived, Jules’ house had not been cleaned for a long time.

There was a spider web on the window frame.

It’s creepy to see an unidentified bug running away from the light.

There were candles left, but there was no flint, so they couldn’t light the fire.

Wardrobe, chair, table, fireplace, bed, candles.

This is the end.

Even though it is his own home, Jules goes in with the same shoes he was wearing. At that moment, the pressure was intense.

“What are you doing?!”

“Why?”

Who goes into their own home wearing outdoor shoes?!

Looking at the expression on his face that says he doesn’t know anything, I can’t even say anything.

The state of the house was a sight to behold.

It’s covered in dust and there’s mold on the walls!

“Don’t be impressed and come in.”

It’s dirty and dirty, but it’s also desolate because there’s only furniture left.

It was a house like a textbook of minimalism.

So much so that I doubt whether it is a place where people live.

“···There’s nothing.”

“I have to fill it in from now on. You fill it well.”

‘Why should I fill that?’

Jules threw his luggage on the table and sat down on the bed.

I had a vague feeling that he was sleeping randomly on the street, but it seemed like he wasn’t interested in home.

But I also lived at my parents’ house my whole life.

I’ve never done anything like living alone, so I don’t know what it takes.

“How?”

“If you need anything, please tell me. I’ll tell Deberg to make it for you.”

It’s necessary.

First, I thought of the house in my head and thought of each item one by one. Jules seemed quite sorry for hitting my hand.

‘···Should I pretend to be as angry as I want?’

“First of all, candle holder, iron tongs, cooking table, pot, netting, straw basket, indoor shoes, outdoor shoes, paper, ink, quill, toothbrush, soap, water cup─”

“Stop!”

“What, you can’t even memorize that?”

As I spun around, Jules touched my temple.

I called whatever I could think of at home, but it looks like I have to get a new one.

“Haa···.”

Jules sighed and pulled my wrist.

“Let’s go together tomorrow.”

Jules untied her waist-length hair, lay down on the bed, and hugged me. It was fortunate.

I was wondering if I should sleep on the floor.

Seeing them trying to sleep together as usual, it seems like their anger has definitely subsided.

I wanted to wash and sleep, but I had no choice.

Fortunately, the bed was quite wide, so there was no shortage of space.

With my head resting on my thick, soft forearm, I turned away from Jule, hugging the arm wrapped around my chest as a pillow and bamboo mat.

at that time.

───────────I felt something soft on my back.

My face turned red from something that was so painful.

It was too stimulating a sensation for a single person with the body of a fourteen-year-old. You didn’t wear armor today, right? Of course I wouldn’t wear it at home! Although that is natural…!

“···I don’t have my own bed?”

“I can save you if it’s a skin scald.”

···I think it will be difficult to fall asleep for a while.