episode_0071
by fnovelpia“Ugh.”
The excruciating pain that started in his abdomen took over his entire body and even covered his brain. Karami’s body, which had been staggering dangerously, finally tilted forward.
Lin was blankly staring at Karami, who was lying face down on the cold floor.
“Jjuin… ?”
There is no response even when I call.
I wonder if he’s joking.
It’s obvious that he’ll get up and start messing around for no reason.
I had that wish without thinking.
But Karami didn’t wake up. His body, lying on the floor, was slowly losing all movement.
In the forest filled with the scent of blood and the smell of charcoal, a subtle, different scent of blood wafted to the tip of my nose. The vivid scent of Karami’s blood that gave me goosebumps.
“Jjuin!”
It was only then that Lin realized something was wrong. She ran over to Karami, who had fallen, and flipped over to the side.
A large wolf claw dug into Karami’s abdomen. It was estimated to be about 10 cm long.
Even the claws moved like living creatures. Not only the claws, but also the corpses of the Blood Wolves crawled towards them from all directions.
The claws dug deeper and deeper. Lin, who thought that if he left it alone, something big would happen, pulled the claws out with force.
“Ugh!”
The claw was pulled out with a whoosh. At the same time, the claw that had been blocking the wound came off, and blood gushed out.
“Uh… Uh… .”
Lin’s hands waved in the air. She had learned the magic of killing demons and bewitching her opponents, but she had never learned the magic of healing an injured person.
Karami coughed dryly. It was because Lin’s foxfire burned the forest and heated the air. And the corpses of the Blood Wolves kept crawling like earthworms.
Lin, who was wondering what to do, ran first, holding Karami in her arms.
To the city.
Home.
It was an incredible speed that couldn’t even be compared to when I walked slowly because of Karami. Bang! I ran through the forest in one breath at a high speed that even made the sound of a crash resonate.
The city that was starting to appear in the distance became right in front of Lin with just one step. She flew up and jumped over the wall.
A city filled with countless buildings, but Lin’s eyes could only see one place.
It was Sayra’s house. If someone was injured, they would go to a hospital or a church, but Rin didn’t know that. When Karami wasn’t around, the only person Rin could ask for help was Sayra.
Lin went into the house and went up the stairs to the second floor where Seira was staying. She banged on the door and it broke.
“Seya! Seya! Jjuin is hurt! Quick, come out!”
For a moment, a creaking sound could be heard from inside. The door began to slowly open.
Even if Seira was there, she wouldn’t be able to cure Karami, but the details didn’t matter to Rin. Just having someone familiar in front of her was reassuring.
“Seya, Jjuin… Jjuin… .”
It was Rin who showed Karami’s condition to Seira, but Seira’s condition was strange. She was covered in wolf fur here and there, and the eyes looking down at Rin were cold.
Today is the day of the full moon. The day when the wildness of the werewolf tribe is strengthened. There is still a long time left until the night passes.
The place where the two went was near the forest of the Red Night, and Karamida was bleeding profusely. It was perfect for stimulating Seira’s wildness.
“Seya… ?”
Seira approaches with a cold expression. Rin, sensing the ominous atmosphere, slowly steps back.
Knock knock.
Seira’s hands grow thicker and her fingernails grow longer, transforming into the claws of a beast. Finally, Seira slashes her wicked arm diagonally.
Phew.
A claw passes over Lin’s ear as she lowers her head. The arm swings wildly and shatters the wall of the hallway.
“Seya! Wake up!”
But Seira’s attacks continue as if she can’t hear. In an instant, the house turns into chaos.
“Mi, I’m sorry Seya!”
Realizing that she was not making any sense, Lin used all her strength to push and kick Seira’s stomach.
Boom!
Seira falls through the wall of the house. While Seira is still unconscious, Lin quickly leaves the house.
Lin lowered her head slightly to check Karami’s condition. Her pale, bloodless complexion resembled that of someone on the verge of death.
Lin’s heart pounded as if it was going to burst.
Where should I go?
Who should I ask for help?
Lin doesn’t know anything.
She doesn’t know how to live in the world.
I never learned anything like that.
No one comes to mind to ask for help. People just avoid the blood-covered Lin, and no one offers a helping hand.
Because she was Hongho.
Because it was a monster that brought misfortune.
“Jjuin, jjuin.”
Lin trembled and shook Karami endlessly. Every time this happened, the owner who had been hugging and stroking her grew cold.
But the blood flowing out of him was eerily hot, as if it were a representation of the misfortune he had endured.
Lin was just sitting on the floor, blankly, just holding her master in her arms.
“Didn’t I warn you that? It was your destiny to turn misfortune around and die.”
A familiar yet subtly different voice. Lin raised her head, flinching. In front of her was a young woman wearing a hat and her face covered with a veil.
Her presence was so faint that people did not recognize her, but Lin was staring straight at her. Lin’s eyes pierced through the woman’s eyes and saw that she was Yu-hwa.
“Grandma… Jjuin. Jjuin… .”
Leaving Rin behind, who was so terrified that she couldn’t even shed tears, Yuhwa examined Karami’s condition, which seemed like it wouldn’t be strange if she died at any moment.
‘Should I call this lucky or bad?’
Yuhwa came out for a walk to get some fresh air for the first time in a while. When she came back after hearing a commotion, she ran into these two.
If it had been just a little later, there would have been no time to do anything. The pulse of life is fading, but it seems like it’s not time to die yet.
***
After completing first aid on the spot, Yu-hwa brought the two to the guest room of Cheon Sang-ru.
He laid Karami on the bed and lit foxfire on the affected area. This was a healing flame, different from the one Lin used for attacking.
Karami’s condition was not very good. Although he had been treated, he had scars and had lost a lot of blood. Above all, his body was weak, so it seemed like it would take some time for him to regain consciousness.
Yuhwa opened the door and went out into the hallway. Lin was crouching in the hallway, covered in blood. She was waiting outside in case bad luck struck again.
“Treatment is complete, and his life is not in danger. He is still unconscious, but he will probably wake up.”
“… … .”
“I guess something happened. How did it end up like that? Did you stab it?”
“Jjuin said to go back… but Lin didn’t listen… … . Lin brought misfortune… because of Lin… .”
“Hmm.”
Although Lin’s self-reproach was so severe that she didn’t know the details, Yu-hwa could guess roughly.
Since Rin had been growing more and more arrogant since she started learning magic, she must have been intoxicated by her own power and put Karami in danger.
From one perspective, it was a very complicated matter. It could have been because Lin ignored Karami’s words, or it could have been because of Hong Ho’s misfortune.
‘What should I do with this?’
Consoling her that it wasn’t her fault would be like shaking her hand. What would be a good answer? What would be the answer that would help Lin?
Yuhwa’s pupils, who had been thinking deeply, slightly dilated and she let out a hollow laugh. I never thought there would come a day when I would worry about the nine-tailed fox.
Life is something you never know even if you know it.
But then I decided what to say.
“Yeah, I heard it was definitely your fault. Your master got hurt because of you.”
What Yuhwa decided was to speak frankly. However, she had no intention of condemning it based on uncertain factors.
“But that’s not because of bad luck. It’s because of your reckless behavior.”
Good or bad luck is something that cannot be controlled by human power. It is a supernatural phenomenon. Even Yuhwa, who has clairvoyance, cannot perfectly predict everything.
However, some people prepare in advance, and some take appropriate follow-up measures.
“What have you done? Have you cultivated the strength to overcome any misfortune? Or have you accumulated knowledge to make up for the lack of strength?”
“… … .”
“You didn’t do anything. You just acted like you were some kind of god by doing some tricks. You were lazy, arrogant, and not even humble. Because of that, the people around you got hurt.”
Lin couldn’t offer any rebuttal.
Because every word of what he said was correct.
I buried my face in my knees and stared blankly at the floor.
“Don’t blame your misfortune on your own mistakes. Don’t think of it as an escape route.”
A merciless venom that leaves no room for escape. If Karami were around, she would have covered Rin’s ears, saying that her grandmother was saying strange things, but he is not here now.
Lin had to listen to Yu-hwa’s harsh words without any filter.
“Look. Your master is so weak. Unlike us who can easily recover from such wounds, he must cross the line between life and death.”
Lin turns her head slightly and looks at the room where Karami is. She can’t even look at the face of her precious person for fear of spreading misfortune.
“That kind of rascal wants to be with you, and he blocks my path despite being powerless, and he takes off his shoes and runs around. How long are you going to sit there? Until the master raises you up and says, “Yes, yes, yes?””
Yuhwa was troubled. If she blamed today’s events on misfortune, she could easily get over it right away.
But if that happens, Lin will continue to avoid reality by citing unhappiness as an excuse. She may even lose her will to rise.
That would be better as a compliment, but… …. I chose to do something I normally wouldn’t do.
Yuhwa took a deep breath and continued speaking in a much lighter tone.
“… … Well, in other words, if you work hard, things can change.”
A tone of speech that suddenly became friendly.
Lin’s ears twitch slightly.
“Do you want to go back to Baekungok again?”
Lin hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.
“Then do you want to be with your master?”
“… … I want to be with you.”
“Do you want to protect your master?”
“I want to protect.”
A mandate from heaven, a will given by heaven.
In order to resist the mandate of heaven with mere mortal power, one must exert every effort possible.
Ordinary effort won’t do. You need to have genius talent and put in effort that will make even the heavens fear you.
The nine-tailed fox carries misfortune with her, but on the other hand, it holds the potential to defy destiny.
“Then don’t stay here like this and get up. I will raise you into a proper nine-tailed fox.”
The heavens are angry.
He threatens to take away your title as a messenger of heaven if you do anything foolish.
If that happens, you will lose your powers and become an ordinary fox grandmother.
But Yuhwa closed her ears.
This is something that Cheonho should not do.
Even if it weren’t for Cheonho, I wouldn’t have done it.
However, the impression she received from the two shook Yuhwa’s heart.
This was a deviation, and it was the name of a duty as an adult who had grown old, not as a child.
“If you want to follow me, follow me. If not, stay here. The decision is yours. I won’t say anything more.”
As if she had seen everything, Yuhwa returned to the celestial world with her silk clothes fluttering.
Lin stares silently into space.
However, her odd eyes contained a clear will.
Lin, whose eyes were shining brightly, stood up from her seat. She glanced at Karami and walked down the hallway where Yuhwa had disappeared.
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