episode_0089

*****

No one learns how to move their hands separately. Fish know how to swim in the wide sea from the moment they are born. That’s what instinct is.

The potential is also the same. You may not know what you can do, but you never know how to do it. Just like when he first signed a contract with Sarah, Hwain naturally captured Ami’s soul.

‘It’s huge.’

If Sarah’s soul was so hot that it seemed like it would burn everything, Ami’s soul was so huge that it seemed like it could carry everything. However, something black and slimy was covering the surface.

That black thing is not good. The painter instinctively felt that way.

Even when the artist reached out to the white part, the black part did not react or do anything. It was fortunate that there was no problem with the contract, but I did not like the fact that Ami’s soul was tainted.

How can I get rid of those black things? That was when Hwa-in thought so and reached out for something black.

[stop. You will be eaten.]

“Ami… ?”

The voice heard was similar to Ami’s voice. The reason I couldn’t say it was the same was because the voice sounded like that of a man I didn’t know. A woman’s voice and a man’s voice are similar, even though it is impossible for such a thing to happen.

[Finish the contract quickly. This isn’t a very safe place.]

The voice was coming from inside the soul. Then who else but ARMY? The painter nodded and stretched out his hand to achieve his goal.

But is it really okay to sign this contract?

The outstretched hand was blocked by hesitation. Fine people know. This power, which Ami calls ‘contract’, actually works to the Hwain’s advantage.

What came to mind was Ami’s hand, which was dark red and swollen. An injury that probably wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been there.

If it hadn’t happened to catch my eye, I wouldn’t have even noticed. That’s how much Ami’s attitude seemed normal. At first, I even wondered if it didn’t hurt.

Of course, that was a bad delusion. If I looked more closely, I could see my hands twitching periodically and cold sweat on the nape of my neck.

Of course it would hurt. There’s no way it won’t hurt. Nevertheless, Ami smiled cheerfully and moved forward.

How much more is hidden behind that bright face? If I couldn’t figure it out, I at least didn’t want to increase the pain hidden behind it.

As an inexperienced person, I couldn’t even do that properly.

“… Sorry.”

No answer was heard. Nevertheless, Hwain placed his hand on Ami’s soul.

Fine people are not stupid. He knew that if he died here, it would be an even greater burden to ARMY. So there was no option not to sign a contract. What is to blame is your own ability to bring about this situation.

Don’t be a burden to ARMY. And if possible, I hope I can carry her burden as well.

That’s how the boy found a reason to want to become stronger.

The magic that emanated from the painter’s hand seeped into Ami’s soul. This feeling of being truly connected to someone was the same thing I felt with Sarah.

‘It really works.’

The feeling of success after hearing from others what you could do was very strange. Especially if it’s something you haven’t even thought about.

Even so, the purpose was achieved. The painter regained consciousness as he felt the life force rising within him.

“Are you done? Uh, how did it go?”

“Yes, it was successful.”

To reassure Ami, who seemed anxious, Hwain smiled confidently and answered. The sensation of something being sucked out from the inside still remained, but the pain was nothing compared to before.

I also felt that the contract with Army itself was weakening the Lich’s curse. Thanks to this, Ami was visibly relieved when I heard that her magical powers would likely recover if she waited a little longer.

“… Ha~, I’m really glad.”

“Ugh!?”

When the tension is relieved, you sigh. As a human being, this is a natural reaction with nothing strange about it.

The problem was Hwain and Ami’s current state. The sighs as they hugged each other naked to share body heat felt hot in the cold painter’s heart.

What was in my arms just moments ago was nothing other than ‘warmth’. Hwain was too cold and in pain to feel anything more than that.

But now I have regained some of my composure. The softness of the touching flesh, the strangely sweet scent, and the small size that is unthinkable with his usual strength are enough to arouse other thoughts in the painter──

──Sigh. The painter dug his nails into the wound on his palm again. The numbing pain and strong will gave me a reprieve that would have been impossible in the first place.

It’s dangerous like this. In many ways. Thinking like that, Hwa-in tried to push Ami, who was clinging to her, but Ami didn’t budge.

“Well, what is it? Wouldn’t it be okay to move away now?”

“No. Your body is still cold. The curse might get worse again, so hold on just a little longer.”

“How long will it last?”

“Until magical power is restored?”

At the current speed, Fine predicted that it would take 10 minutes. Normally it wouldn’t be a very long time, but for the painter now, it felt like an eternity.

Close your eyes? It’s a handshake. It goes without saying that if you block your vision, your other senses become more sensitive. There was no way I could endure it.

The painter opened his eyes and looked away. The stiffness coming from my neck, which had reached its limit, was now rather welcome. All that could be seen was the cave entrance illuminated by moonlight, so there was no visual stimulation.

Unless the image of Ami taking off her clothes under the moonlight just moments ago came to mind.

‘How can someone who is so sick and dying remember such things!’

The painter turned his head straight ahead, expressing both gratitude and resentment for his memory. I had already become accustomed to the pain coming from my palm and it had long since ceased to be effective.

“I told you to close your eyes.”

There was a faint blush on Ami’s cheeks as she looked up with raised eyes. Memories that had not yet been fully erased came back vividly within the artist.

Ah, it was impossible to begin with. The painter realized the obvious truth. As a final resistance, I tried to pull out the lower body, but this part also did not budge.

And the painter was faced with the situation he had been trying to avoid.

“… Huh?”

Ami’s voice sounds suspicious and her gaze is downward. There was no need to check. Because the painter had already realized that ‘it’ was ‘reaching’.

The subsequent developments also seemed to be within reach. Ami will pat her on the back or shoulder and console her by telling her not to worry and that a man can do that even in situations like this.

The consideration itself was appreciated, but the painter did not want to see that smile that seemed to treat him like a child. To the boy who realized his love, that smile was trustworthy, yet uncomfortable, like pricking his heart with a needle.

“Uh, um. sorry… .”

That’s why Hwain couldn’t believe his eyes when Ami pulled back in embarrassment.

“Huh? What?”

“No, the one that was reaching. I should have paid attention first. haha… .”

Ami was smiling. However, the smile was only intended to hide shame, and there was no sense of unnecessary consideration for the painter.

From the beginning, looking at Ami’s red ears, it was clear that she had no such leisure. Ami’s eyes, which had been confidently facing each other just a moment ago, were also shaking with nowhere to go.

When I ordered bungeoppang, it was like I got real carp. While Hwa-in was frozen in a reality that was so different from her imagination, Ami was squirming under the clothes she was covering and adjusting her clothes.

“I’ll get dressed.”

“Huh? uh… .”

“You wear clothes?”

“… ?”

“Keep looking at me like that?”

Seeing Ami’s frowning expression, Hwain finally came to his senses and closed his eyes. When Ami asked him to turn back, he even turned back.

Cold air replaced Ami’s warmth. There was also a strange sense of loss. However, the painter felt an even stronger sense of discomfort as if it were stuck in his mind.

It was definitely common sense as a response. Isn’t it a pervert to stare blankly at someone else changing their clothes? Since Ami used facilities for faculty and staff, there was no opportunity to change clothes at a place like Fine.

But would a person with such common sense take off his clothes and throw them away during training?

The painter had strong doubts, but that didn’t mean he could be asked to show his changing clothes in public. Maybe he was just dumbfounded by ARMY’s reaction, which was different from what he expected.

While Hwa-in’s thought circuit was spinning, Ami’s recovery was over.

“Now, you too, get dressed. The magic power will come back after a while, right?”

As Ami said that, she turned around like Hwain did. If I say no, will you hug me again? The thought that came to mind for a moment was immediately shaken away by the painter.

I couldn’t allow my mind to be consumed by stupid sexual desires any longer. Ami hated seeing herself like that, and Hwain didn’t want to do anything that Ami would dislike.

“Yes. While we’re at it, can I ask you a question?”

“What is it?”

“My ability is a contract. How did you know?”

That’s why the painter picked up a topic that could change the mood right away. Even though he couldn’t see her expression, Hwa-in could tell that Ami was hesitant. Naturally, the painter’s mood sank.

“I inferred from the fact that you were using Sarah’s power. … If I say that, will you believe me?”

“No.”

Although it is rare, there is the potential to borrow the power of others. Hatter, an internship program that ‘extracted’ potential, is a good example. The specific process called ‘contract’ could not be reached simply by borrowing power.

Furthermore, Ami explained the contract process at a level that the Chinese could listen to and follow. This was impossible unless one had a complete understanding of Fine’s potential.

“Because it was you who first questioned my potential, and it was you who trained me to create shape through acting.”

Even back then, there were questions about ARMY. Although it was an area that could be glossed over by Army’s excellence.

And this time, I ended up completely exceeding that range.

Ami didn’t answer right away, wondering if she had anything to think about. Since I had no intention of urging her, the painter finished putting on his clothes and waited for an answer.

“Sorry.”

The answer that came out was not an explanation but an apology.

“I see. I understand.”

“… Are you okay? Even if it is so easy to convince.”

“For some reason, I thought it would turn out like this.”

During special training, Ami indirectly accessed Hwain’s potential. Hwain thought that if there had been no accident like the Lich’s curse, the direction probably would not have changed.

“Besides, I don’t want to cause you any trouble.”

It may have been an unexpected answer for Ami, but she could see her shoulders shaking. To the painter, it was just a natural consequence of logic.

It was originally a story brought up to change the topic. Anyway, even if Hwain knew Ami’s identity or situation right now, there was little he could do to help.

First of all, we had to grow to the point where ARMY could rely on us even a little. The story follows next.

“Will you tell me when the time comes?”

“… Wow. That’s of course.”

“That’s enough. Okay, I’m all dressed. You can look back now.”

While we were talking, my magic power had recovered to some extent. Painter thought that finally he could finally go back to normal.

However, Ami did not even think about turning around. I tried saying it again to see if he hadn’t heard it, but it was the same.

This was when Hwa-in, feeling puzzled, tried to move to the front of Ami.

“Now that I think about it.”

“Huh?”

“Has your magic power returned?”

“Thank you. I can bear the cold now.”

“You know the effects of the contract, right? It’s not like you can specifically give me orders or do anything.”

“Of course I know.”

Although the painter gives instructions through images, Sarah helps the painter out of her own will. The contract is not enforceable. At least that was the case with the Chinese contract.

“Because I don’t have any power to give. At most, it will only be magical power. And──”

After that, Ami picked up various things about Hwain’s potential. Aside from that, most of the information was already known to the painter.

Even the painter, who answered sincerely at first, gradually noticed something strange. Ami’s words had a strange feeling of gibberish. As if trying to hide something──

Hwa-in, who had thought about it up to that point, quickly went back to Ami and looked at Ami’s expression.

“? What, what’s wrong?”

“… no. It’s nothing.”

Ami’s appearance was no different from usual. The expression and complexion are all different.

What on earth did you expect? The painter fell into a strange sense of self-destruction and trudged back to his original position.

“It’s bland.”

Ami, laughing, turned again and went to sit on one side of the cave wall. Tuk-tuk. Hwa-in could not refuse Ami’s hand tapping on the floor.

Same place, same posture, same atmosphere. Although various things had happened, the appearance of the two people did not change much from when they had just entered the cave.

However, the distance between the two people talking was only slightly reduced.

A few hours later. The association’s rescue team found a boy and girl dozing off while leaning on each other’s shoulders.

*****