Chapter 4.2

Chapter 4.2

Uh, we were on our way home too... So, when we were crossing the crosswalk at a crossroads, all of a sudden a bright light flashed in front of me, and I felt dizzy and then I opened my eyes and I was in a forest...

Its just like us.

Against the backdrop of the crackling sound of the makeshift bonfire, sparks fly here and there.

The shape of our elongated shadows in the blazing fire is irregular.

Everyone salivated at the simmering aroma of the rabbit meat.

The meat was about to burn black.

While I am slightly anxious because its a different worlds game, at this level of cooking, even if there are parasites, every last one of them should have been burned to death by now.

Is it okay if I eat soon?

Lets eat quickly. Im hungry!

.

Oh, its delicious.

Since I fell into this unknown place, I have been eating glucose candies for my meals.

While it was a great way to appease my hunger, from a nutritional point of view, it was lacking much.

I dont know how much longer Ill be required to stick around here, but I need to eat protein when I can.

And so I am glad I am able to get meat like this.

In one corner of the goblin colony, as if freshly killed, rabbit corpses that had yet to rot were piled up.

We took the meat and moved to a clearing some distance away from the village and lit a fire with some lighters.

It would have been much better with salt or soybean paste. There is no seasoning.

Still, this is harmonious with the atmosphere and delicious as it is.

.

I let the two of them continue talking while chewing the meat without saying anything.

Its annoying to keep receiving their stares since a while ago.

When our eyes meet, they become surprised.

Was I that scary?

To the point of them fainting until exhaustion?

No matter how bloody my whole body is, holding a club covered in blood and flesh, allows me to feel the lingering excitement from the earlier battle.

I wonder if this reaction will be a useful tool in the future...

Fire is a not-so-small risk in that it would inform potential enemies of our location with its light and smoke.

However, it would hurt my stomach to have to eat the meat raw, and the winter nights are very cold.

Besides, I dont know if its just Jihye, but I dont want to sleep with the boys on watch.

Wisdom lay down on my thigh, taking it as a pillow.

I guess she is thinking of going to sleep like this.

As the first on guard duty, I stared into the dark forest where nothing could be seen.

Tomorrow, Ill find another goblin village and rob it of all the meat, or try rabbit hunting.

Goblin cubs can also hunt, so why cant we?

What kind of traps do the rabbits fall into...?

The quiet night helped to deepen my thoughts.

***

At first, I thought this was a lucid dream-like state that I had only ever heard about that I had found myself in.

I was surprised by the real-life-like visuals and my body that moved as I wanted and that was no different from reality, but I felt dirty because my first lucid dream in my life was taking place in such a nightmarish setting.

I was definitely going home...?

Have I been dreaming since I went to school...?

No matter how much time passed, there was no sign of awakening from the dream, and I began to feel something strange.

Thats how I, Lee Hyun-woo, wandered in the forest for three hours.

Its magic theyre using, so this really is a different world.

Resistance is futile.

Their action was swift.

In the blink of an eye, we were bound by a rope of light and dragged somewhere, lifted by an unknown force.

When we reached a building, we scattered.

I was interrogated about my identity and how and why I hid in the Academys Forest in an airtight room without a single window.

Their language was intelligible and could be understood by me, but of course, I would not answer any of the questions to their satisfaction.

They seem to have tried various methods and magic on me.

To be honest, I was worried that I would be tortured painfully, but the interrogation was unexpectedly short.

After the last questioning, they dragged me down to the basement and shoved me through a set of iron bars.

And in the cell is an occupant I am all too familiar with.

Minhye-rin stared blankly at me with her eyes wide open and her mouth slightly parted.

From her sunken eyes with dark circles around them, I could see her heartache.

Her hair was oily and her lips were dry.

But nothing could tarnish her beauty.

Rather, the look of exhaustion, had me feeling strange for a moment there.

Is this sweet scent her scent?

Her two round eyes gleam with tears.

Was she overcome with sorrow or is she relieved to see me?

Both of her shoulders tremble slightly.

Even the way she cries sadly is attractive.

I went in front of her and hugged her tight.

Its okay... Its okay now.

...Boohoo...

It may have been that my interrogation was short because there was a previous interrogatee in the form of Min Hye-rin.

She probably found herself in a place she saw for the first time, with weird people she saw for the first time.

And then there was a high-intensity interrogation that strained her mind.

She must have mustered up the strength to endure it.

So I stroked her long hair slowly.

Her head lay against my chest.

I love her sobbing softly in my arms.

I rolled my eyes and looked around me.

I could only see one cell-like room here.

Dont the other kids come here after interrogation?

What a shame.

She is currently in a confused and weary state of being.

It is a state of physical and mental isolation from the outside world.

The only person she can rely on is me.

All the conditions are in place to squeeze my way into her heart.

To make her look only at me; think only for me; and to act for only me.

To think that I had to let go of this golden opportunity with my own two hands.

I think it would have been possible to reach Jihyes level if I had enough time...

Its a shame indeed.