Chapter 18
The inside of the cave was bitterly cold.
It had rained, so everything was soaked and it was impossible to start a fire. I spread my shawl on the damp ground and laid Ian down on it.
Ian’s lips were already tinged blue.
If you lie down like this, you’ll—”
“Yeah, you can sleep now. I’ll take care of everything from here. You did well. You held on, Ian.”
“Ugh……”
Ian’s focus blurred. I quickly tightened the cloth I had firmly tied around his wound. Blood was still welling up from the stab wound in his side.
“Don’t worry. I’ll fix it. I can do it. I can……”
When I finally got a proper look, the wound was deeper than I’d thought, and I started babbling incoherently.
My trembling hands hovered over his injury. Ian’s weak gaze rested on the side of my face, and he whispered as if his voice might go out.
Don’t make such a stupid face. It’s nothing, a wound like this……”
Seeing him try to comfort me in his exhausted voice made my half-gone senses snap back.
The more I panicked, the more the treatment would be delayed. Even at this very moment, Ian was still bleeding, and his usually shining violet eyes were gradually growing dull. I clenched my teeth and muttered,
“…Right. It’s nothing. This really is nothing. So I can do this.”
I took a deep breath. Clasping my hands together like I was praying to God, I cried out as if making a vow.
“Please, let this work!”
“…?”
One of Ian’s eyebrows twitched as if to ask what I was doing. Regardless, I placed my hand over his wound and began to mutter.
“Quickly… heal, heal quickly……”
There’s nothing better for concentration than speaking out loud.
At my sudden whispering, Ian made a rather strange face—like he was looking at someone who’d gone a little crazy.
Ignoring him, I kept muttering. Maybe because I was so tense, it felt slower than usual.
Heal quickly, heal quickly, heal quickly—faster…!
‘…It worked!’
I felt a warm energy gathering in my hand. A faint light flowed out and circled Ian’s wound.
Ian stiffened and tried to sit up, so I hurriedly pressed down on his shoulder to stop him.
“What… what the hell is this? You…!”
“Please just stay still. I’ve never dealt with a wound this big before, so I have to concentrate.”
At my words, Ian let out the breath he’d been holding.
After that, he didn’t say another word.
Seeing his eyes tightly shut, it looked like he’d finally passed out. When I checked the wound, it was healing—slowly, but surely.
With no one watching, the pressure eased instead. I closed my eyes and focused entirely on channeling my holy power.
It was an ability I’d never used on anyone else except Sylvia.
‘And even then, I failed. I absolutely can’t let that happen this time.’
Tears welled up after that resolute vow.
How much time had passed? At some point, a headache started, and it felt like my skull was about to split open.
“Huh…? What’s wrong with me.”
The wound was more than halfway healed.
But my stomach suddenly churned violently. Was it because I’d been too tense? The moment that thought crossed my mind, I couldn’t even turn my head before I started retching and vomited.
“Ugh, blegh…!”
Bright red drops fell between my fingers as I hurriedly covered my mouth. I’d never vomited blood in my life, and my eyes went wide.
The blood I spat out soaked Ian’s chest.
The metallic smell of blood filled my mouth. I’d never used this much holy power before, so I hadn’t known—but it seemed that going past my limit caused internal injuries.
That was something I learned for the first time.
‘Well, if there weren’t even risks like this, wouldn’t I be fine as the novel’s protagonist? They said this was a pretty rare ability, too.’
With that pointless thought, I gave a weak chuckle and forced my blurring eyes open again.
Assuming Ian wouldn’t abandon me and leave, the survival odds were probably higher if his wound healed completely and I collapsed instead.
My insides felt twisted, but it’s not like I’d die, right? I decided to heal all of his remaining injuries.
“I’m doing this much for you, so you’d better not leave me behind.”
Muttering to an Ian who couldn’t hear me, I poured out my strength for a long while.
Only after confirming that the wound had healed perfectly did I collapse beside him.
And then everything went black.
‘It’s your fault.’
A thunderous echo slammed into my mind. My heavy, tired eyes flew open.
‘W-What?’
Startled, I looked around, but there was nothing but darkness.
‘It’s all your fault!’
Once again, a tearing voice pierced my ears. It was the voice of a young girl.
The sound was so loud it felt like my ears would rip apart. I hurriedly covered both ears, but the bodiless voice showed no sign of fading.
What is this? Who are you? Why are you saying that to me?
But my lips, frozen stiff, couldn’t let out even a groan, let alone a rebuttal.
‘It’s your fault. That man died because of you.’
No. That can’t be true.
‘You interfered and ruined everything. Now Ian will wander all alone, with no one to rely on.’
He’ll be fine. He has to be.
‘You really think so? What a shameless girl!’
Mockery laced the tangled voice. The furious condemnation of an unseen being felt unbearably unfair.
“N-No. I…”
The single word I barely squeezed out escaped my lips, my voice trembling pathetically with fear.
And at the same time, a question struck me.
Am I really being treated unfairly?
Because I interfered, the story of The Chronicles of Istaea changed.
Kairon’s death was hastened by Nickel’s accusation. I wanted to believe he’d be safe, but I wasn’t confident.
And needless to say, the cause was me.
Kairon’s early exit would affect the future plot of the novel.
And in a very bad way.
Ian, still just a child, had lost his guardian earlier than he should have, and the world would be even harsher on him.
The moment I realized that, my heart dropped.
‘It’s your fault.’
‘He died because of you!’
‘You ruined everything.’
‘You ruined everything!’
Someone’s accusations continued, as if they’d sensed my weakened resolve.
Unlike before, I had neither the will nor the grounds to argue back. It really was my fault.
“…Yeah. You’re right. I ruined everything…”
The moment my drained muttering ended, several ice-cold hands suddenly grabbed my ankles.
They were merciless, as if punishing me for my sins.
“Kyah—!”
I screamed and shuddered. I tried to shake my legs free, but the sticky hands tangled tighter and crawled up my body.
“Let go! Stop it!”
But they quickly climbed up and wrapped around my neck.
“Hngh…!”
I couldn’t breathe. Was I going to die like this?
A desperate whisper slipped out of my lips.
“Someone, please help me. Please…”
And at that moment, someone grabbed my hand.
It was the only warmth I felt in that cold, dark world.
A firm grip, as if pouring strength into me.
Then I heard a gentle voice driving away the shrill screams.
‘It’s okay. It’s not your fault.’
‘I’m not blaming you.’
“Sniff…”
A sob escaped me at the comfort in that warm voice.
And I knew exactly who that voice belonged to.
Feeling my pounding heart slowly return to its rhythm, I closed my eyes.
Tears streamed down from the corners of my eyes.
Crackle, crackle…
I slowly opened my eyes to the sound of firewood burning. The Milky Way spilled down from the clear night sky.
It was a view beautiful enough to soothe my chest, worn out by a terrible nightmare. But that sentiment lasted only a moment before a burning pain rose in my throat.
“Ugh…”
When I let out a faint groan, I sensed someone nearby. It was Ian.
Still holding my hand tightly with his back turned, Ian suddenly whipped his head around.
“Ian…? Where are we…?”
“Drink some water first.”
Ian quickly lifted my upper body halfway and brought a waterskin to my lips. I obediently opened my mouth. But the moment the water touched my tongue, I winced.
“Blegh, why does the water taste like blood?”
“It’s not the water. It’s because of your internal injuries. Even if I wiped it away, there must still have been blood in your mouth.”
