TSMFTDG 83🖤

Episode 83

“Kiieeek—!”

The monster whose heart had been pierced thrashed and screamed before finally going limp. I pulled my sword free and let out a long breath, slowly scanning my surroundings.

I had no idea how much time had passed. At some point, I’d stopped thinking altogether and was just swinging my sword on instinct.

“…There’s no end to this.”

Blood trickling down from my forehead blurred my vision red. My body was so battered it was hard to find a single uninjured spot, and my arms felt as heavy as lead.

**SYSTEM: Player, you must abandon the trial.**

“I told you I won’t.”

The system had been hovering in front of my eyes for a while now. Even when I dismissed the window, it reappeared on its own, so I’d started ignoring it altogether.

“I know. I know I’m being reckless right now.”

I knew there were limits to what a normal human body could endure.
But even so, I had a reason I couldn’t give up.

Whenever I closed my eyes, I saw Rian.
Rian dying together with the world after fighting for humanity.

**SYSTEM: Your life is in danger. This is impossible with a human body.**

“…That’s strange. Weren’t you never interested in other people’s lives?”

The system I knew had never cared much about anyone else’s life. I realized that not long after possessing Rehel’s body.

Back when I tried to save children who were dying from addiction to holy power, the system had answered like this:

Their lives were not necessary for my objective.

“Did you forget how you acted when I begged you to save Rian?”

**SYSTEM: …….**

“Don’t pretend to care now.”

It had been the same when Rian and I were trapped inside the sealing stone. When I begged for help, the system hadn’t even appeared.

Whether someone lived or died made no difference to it.

Ignoring the system window, I cut down the monster in front of me. But I couldn’t block all the ones rushing in at the same time.

“…!”

Long, sharp claws raked across my side. Gasping, I clutched the wound while blocking the follow-up strike with my blade.

“Just… get lost!”

Putting everything I had into it, I knocked the claws away and pierced the monster’s heart. Still, there were many left, and my body was already in tatters beyond repair.

Frowning through my blurred vision, I looked around.

“Ha…”

The ground was littered with monster corpses. It was hard to even estimate how many I’d killed.

Is this really the end…?

My hands trembled so badly I could barely grip my sword. I’d lost so much blood that I felt dizzy even standing still.

**SYSTEM: Player!**

I was trying to force myself upright when the system window suddenly grew larger than usual—and a sharp pain exploded in my back.

“Ugh…!”

A monster had circled around and ambushed me from behind.

Unable to dodge, I was kicked hard and sent flying, crashing to the ground. My grip loosened, and I dropped my sword—the very thing keeping me alive.

**SYSTEM: Player! Please abandon the trial immediately!**

The messages kept changing before my blurred vision. Its desperation was obvious, but it didn’t change my mind.

If I gave up now, what would actually change? I might survive for the moment, but nothing would truly be resolved.

There were still plenty of enemies outside, all waiting for me. Once they realized I was weakened, they’d rush in like mad.

Either way, failing the trial meant death.

“…Is giving up really that easy for you?”

Gritting my teeth, I slowly pushed myself up. My entire body was screaming in protest, but I had no choice.

If I stayed down, I’d just become monster food.

“It’s not easy for me.”

Giving up on the trial was no different from letting Rian die.

The moment I finished speaking, the monsters around me bared their teeth and charged all at once.

Desperately thinking I couldn’t die like this, I reached out to grab the sword I’d dropped—

“What the—?!”

Suddenly, a brilliant white light burst into existence in midair, flooding my vision in an instant. The light was so intense I had to shield my eyes, and I heard monsters screaming.

…Who?

This wasn’t a place just anyone could enter.

What was strange was that the light felt oddly familiar. Without realizing it, I reached my hand toward it.

My body, already at its limit, finally gave out. Strength drained away, and my consciousness slowly faded.

❖ ❖ ❖

“Po—poison? What do you mean, poison?!”

Andri sprang to his feet in shock. The thought that he might have ingested poison drained the color from his face.

Rian wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about poisons—especially those used by humans. But this was different. This, he could recognize.

“This isn’t something a human did. It’s monster poison.”

As a hero chosen by the gods, Rian could immediately sense such blatant traces of monsters.

‘Strange… I didn’t feel anything like this from the villagers.’

If the traces were this obvious, there had to be a reason they were only revealing themselves now.

“Then… does that mean what happened to the village was also—?”

“It’s very likely the work of monsters. Though I can’t be completely certain yet.”

Andri’s legs seemed to give out as he collapsed onto the sofa, fidgeting anxiously.

Realizing that everything so far might have been caused by monsters filled him with fear.

Still, no matter how afraid he was, now was the time to act if they were to save the collapsing village.

“Where do you draw your water from?”

“Ah—! I’ll show you.”

Andri hurriedly stood and guided Rian toward the center of the village, where a single well used by all the residents stood.

“All our water comes from here.”

The moment Rian approached the well, he frowned.

He raised a hand to stop people from getting closer. A strong trace of monster energy emanated from around it.

‘Why couldn’t I sense this yesterday?’

With traces this strong, he should have noticed even from a distance.

If it had been hidden until now, then why reveal itself at this moment?

“There’s poison in the well.”

“Th-then why am I fine? And my subordinates too—look, we’re all healthy.”

“Do priests visit your estate regularly?”

“Priests…? Yes, they do.”

Andri nodded, puzzled by the question.

Noble estates were regularly visited by priests who offered prayers, preparing for possible monster attacks.

Those prayers spread holy power that protected and purified the estate.

“The holy power detoxified those who live in the mansion.”

Priestly prayers were a luxury for commoners. Only nobles could afford them, which was why only the villagers had been poisoned.

“Please summon the priests. We need to purify the well first.”

“Understood!”

Even if summoned immediately, it would take time for the priests to arrive. Andri knew this well, so after responding, he hurried off.

Left alone, Rian stepped closer to the well to inspect it.

‘Why do I feel so uneasy?’

From the start, this wasn’t something ordinary monsters would do.

They usually hunted humans in packs, directly—not by slowly poisoning them from the shadows.

And the fact that the traces suddenly revealed themselves, as if waiting for the right moment, bothered him.

“Don’t tell me… this was what they were waiting for?”

The moment Rian muttered those words—

The once-bright sky darkened as storm clouds gathered, blotting out the sun. At the same time, a familiar face appeared in midair.

“Finally… you’re alone.”

Salovan had been waiting for this moment—waiting for Rian to be separated from Rehel.

Spreading his grotesque wings wide, he curled his lips into a smile as he looked down at Rian.

❖ ❖ ❖

They say humans are social creatures who can’t live alone and must maintain relationships with others.

But ever since I was young, I’d had little interest in anyone other than my parents. I thought small talk was nothing but a waste of time.

—Huiwon, aren’t you going out to meet friends this weekend?

—…I’m going to the bookstore.

—Not that. I mean, don’t you meet friends?

My mom always worried about me, afraid I might be getting hurt by being alone at school.

But contrary to her worries, I lived a perfectly ordinary life. It wasn’t like I was being bullied.

—Do you really need that?

—…….

—Isn’t it fine as long as you’re doing okay without it?

Everyone has their own way of living.

Some want to maintain wide networks of relationships. Others prefer surrounding themselves with just a few close people.

And I simply wanted to live without being entangled with anyone at all.

—Huiwon. Life can change suddenly at any time. Right now, I’m here with you, but who knows what it’ll be like in a few years?

—Why would you say something like that?

—I’m just saying. Someday, you’ll understand what I mean.

Back then, I didn’t understand what my mother meant.

And a few days after she said that, a new wind entered my life.

As soon as the lunch bell rang, a girl with bobbed hair down to her shoulders approached my desk and spoke shyly.

“Um… hi, Huiwon. Do you remember me?”