episode_0294

-Tiring!

▶An evasion trigger was created by achieving the condition.◀

▶Conversation with Arina is invalidated and choices disappear.◀

I met Flora as retribution for not returning on time because I was distracted, but thanks to Harnie’s help, things didn’t go wrong.

Since the choices are gone, there’s nothing much to worry about from here on out.

Once Flora tells me that I’m safe, a message will pop up saying that the episode has been cleared.

Thanks to that, I was able to take her home with peace of mind.

-Knock. Knock.

“Hmm? Raindrops from above…”

-Thud. Thud. Thud.

“…Is it raining?”

“I think so…?”

Late autumn rain was falling on us.

“Harnie. Let’s jump!”

“Yes, yes!”

I ran in a hurry to avoid the pouring rain.

I didn’t even bring an umbrella. It was dark outside, so there weren’t many people walking around.

The only consolation was that we had reached the entrance of a building, a place to escape the rain.

“The rain is falling quite heavily, so I guess I won’t be able to go myself. Your maid will notice and come looking for me soon, so you can go back then.”

“Ah…”

…Why do you start with sighs?

I’m anxious.

“That’s…this.”

Harnie began to explain hesitantly.

That was… a sound that made my eyes close tightly.

“I told you not to look for me since I got off the carriage and I’d stay here?”

“…”

She nodded, blinking her eyes repeatedly.

The festival is so big that there is no way anyone would come and visit if they were to stay.

Even if you say you’re coming to see me, I think you’ll just come back after having some fun.

…In short, no one will come to visit because it is expected to stay even if it rains like this.

“What is the distance from the carriage to the horse?”

She shook her head hesitantly.

It seems like walking from here is impossible.

‘This is the worst.’

Just like that, all the circumstances came together.

Weather? How could you know something like that?

I didn’t even realize this was coming down because the screen just flipped over after the episode ended.

The same goes for places.

All I could think was that Harnie must have been riding in a carriage, so I was just going to take him there.

Since I didn’t and couldn’t tell anyone to come find me through this rain, I had to assume I was just tied up here.

“…”

“…”

Me too, and her too.

I had never expected this situation, so I just stared blankly at the sky.

As I was sighing under the increasingly heavier rain, she grabbed my arm and said.

“Well… How about we go in first? It doesn’t look like the rain will stop…”

For a moment, I doubted my ears.

‘Shall we go in? Here?’

I looked at her again, seeing the letters stuck in place.

Then Harnie blushes and hurriedly explains.

“Oh, I can’t help it! This is the only way to avoid the rain right now…!”

Well, if you think about it logically, that makes sense.

I guess that’s how it is. Where would be an idiot who would just wait here for the rain to stop when they don’t know how long it will rain?

But the letters written there make me hit my forehead.

[ Preparing a sturdy bed to be a hit! ]

[ Thoroughly soundproofed. Enjoy to your heart’s content! ]

[ Exclusive equipment rental available for couples and lovers! ]

Shit. Every single sentence is so amazing that it makes my eyes close tightly for a different reason.

No matter how I looked at it, it was clear that it meant that.

‘Ha. That crazy producer.’

Why did you put something like this in the game?

Even though it’s an all-ages game, is it okay because it’s a skip scene?

…Even if you lament like that, the answer is already set.

All I have is money. There is no way to get through this rain.

What can you do!

If the producer keeps arguing like that, I have no choice but to keep my mouth shut and go in.

I can’t do it.

This is a last resort…!

“…Harnie. Let’s get a separate room.”

***

“There weren’t many people around anyway. There should be room left.”

If you look closely, you can see that this place also operates a lodging business. That means the soundproofing is thorough.

If you claim to be just here to sleep and reserve a room, there’s no need to feel embarrassed!

Even if you consider the worst case scenario, why don’t you just ask for a double room?

…I’ve thought about that too.

Until I spoke to the owner.

“There’s only one room left! You can’t get in unless you go in together!”

Because there are a lot of tourists due to the festival, places like this fill up quickly or something. That’s why they say there are no seats.

They said they were calling the regular price without any hidden charges, but what the hell is this…

Yeah, that’s possible. Then why don’t you just rent a room?

I asked, thinking about that.

“A double room? Where’s that! There’s only one room with a bed here!”

I was stuck in a strange situation where there was no double room with two rooms separated by a snow storm.

…So we were stuck in a single room with only one bed.

I found myself in a truly embarrassing situation.

“Have a nice time? Hehe.”

-Squeak!

Oh, that old man.

You’re so damn perceptive. Seriously.

“…”

“…”

Again, a moment of silence passes.

I was wondering what to say in this situation, but when I saw the only bed, I had something to say.

“There’s only one bed, so there’s nothing I can do. I’ll sleep on the floor, and you sleep on the bed. Harnie.”

As I said that, lifting one of the pillows on the bed, Harnie immediately denied it.

“Why are you doing that again? I said I’m fine.”

She sits on the bed and pats the blanket.

“Well, the location is a bit strange, but… It’s not like we’ve never slept in the same bed before, right?”

“Um…”

I guess that’s true.

I had already fallen asleep on her lap several times.

Not only that, we’ve even fallen asleep leaning against each other, and we’ve even openly shared the same bed.

I scratched my head for a moment and thought about it, but I didn’t want to make myself uncomfortable over something like this.

“Okay.”

Following Harnie’s suggestion, I decided to share the same bed.

Well, he said he was okay.

-Ugh.

“…”

“…”

When I actually lay down on the bed, I realized how big it was.

Both of them had to be stuck together to sleep.

“I don’t think it will work. The size of the bed is so big that…”

-Tub.

“Ha, Harnie?”

“You can just attach it like this.”

“No, that’s…”

“It’s okay. It’s okay, so just… stay like this.”

As I was trying to get out of bed, she hugged me with her whole body and held me.

In close contact with one another. At a distance where our breaths can reach each other.

Harnie spoke softly.

“I’m cold. Because I got rained on earlier.”

“…”

“I think it would get better if you… hugged me.”

I flinched at the request to hug her, but soon came to understand.

Even if you run to avoid the rain, it would be impossible to avoid all the falling raindrops.

I was fine, but this autumn rain might have been quite chilly for Harnie.

‘Body temperature… seems normal.’

But you never know.

Rather than catching a cold just because of the rain, it’s better to listen to something like this.

I lightly hugged Harnie’s body.

“Is this okay?”

“…No.”

Harnie dug deeper into my arms.

“That’s it.”

I wonder if it’s too close…

I didn’t really push it away.

She said she was having a hard time today, so I thought it would be okay to grant her a small favor.

How long did the silence last like that?

Harnie was asleep.

“…”

As I looked at her sleeping face, my thoughts began to wander with a strange question.

As the episode title suggests, this was a family trip for the Bagrand Dukes.

Not many people know I’m here.

Even if he had gone on a trip, it would not have been known where he went.

Where is the Duke and what is he doing?

What is your schedule and how long you will stay.

It is completely unknown to other people.

Moreover, considering that a festival is being held, the place is even more crowded.

It would be extremely difficult to find one for me.

But Harnier appeared before me.

As if he knew everything.

“…If you think about it, it’s not impossible.”

Jewel of the Oath.

That gave me my location.

Since she has been working without sleep for several days, Bo-ok must have relayed this fact to Harnie several times.

If you chase my position based on that, it would be possible.

But… did Harnie really chase after her using the Jewel of Oath?

My intuition strangely points in a different direction.

One possibility.

An experience I had not long ago opens the way to similar possibilities.

It would have been possible for someone like Pollux to have heard the prophecy from the seer of Wederos and come to find the exact location where I would be.

So I didn’t ask Harnie.

How did you know I was here?

‘I hope not, but if this is true… I…’

-Whew.

The rain began to fall heavier.

It has been said since ancient times that the sound of rain is a good white noise for falling asleep.

At the same time, my eyes begin to close.

-New liquid, new liquid.

Breath touches my skin, and the sound of breathing flows into my ears.

And her body heat flows through my entire body.

As always, Harnie’s body temperature was warm.

The warmth brings back strange memories.

‘Did it rain back then too?’

-I’m cold. It rained earlier.

-If you hug me a little, I’ll be okay.

As it turned out, I got caught in the rain with the author.

Ironically, I ended up going to a motel with the author…

Just like now, the words we heard while hugging each other were almost exactly the same.

“What the hell are you. Why are you like that…”

-Whoosh.

And just like that time, I fell asleep listening to the sound of the rain.

***

-Visiting.

Someone gets off a horse through the thick rain.

“…You’re here. Did you meet Carcein?”

“Yeah.”

“What did you say?”

Pollux chuckled at Talphon’s question.

“That prophecy was not delivered.”

“…Is that so.”

“You’re not that upset, are you?”

“I kind of expected it too.”

Talpon also chuckles.

“So. What was the last thing you heard?”

“You didn’t even think about scolding me?”

“How can I scold you? If I were in your position, I would do the same.”

It’s not something to laugh about.

Pollux had to be scolded for returning instead of relaying Veneris’ prophecy to Carcein.

But Talphon was also convinced, knowing that Karsain was a foreigner.

“He said there was a world he originally lived in. He said he was brought here against his will. So he said going back was his goal.”

“Oh. After hearing that, I feel even more that it was the right decision.”

Talphon frowned sharply.

It was a natural reaction, considering the prophecy that had been passed down to them.

He came from a completely different world, so there was no reason for him to risk his life fighting for the affairs of this world.

“What was your original name in the world you lived in? I want to know.”

“…Kim Min-hyuk. He said that was his real name.”

“How to use?”

“It can’t be our text.”

“Well, I guess so. I guess I should pray like Lilpetten did.”