Episode 247: Does it have any meaning? (1)
A snap. When I heard that sound, I had no choice but to stop walking. It was okay to ignore it, but it was impossible to turn a blind eye to the blood that had formed a layer inside the boots.
So, does today’s march end here?
I thought absentmindedly and looked for a suitable rock. Fortunately, there was one nearby. It was useful as a windbreaker and as a substitute for a chair.
Ugh.
After that, I put my back against the rock and took off my military boots. The bandages on his feet instead of the insufficient socks have turned red and yellow.
But there’s no need to be a flagship with this. This is because it was expected to some extent when people wore military boots.
This would have happened sooner if I had not traveled by horse or carriage during the journey. Anyway, even though I reduced my walking time, I ended up getting corns and skin eczema.
So I calmly took off the bandage. The exposed foot has the epidermis and dermis peeled off and is swollen and strangely deformed overall.
There is nothing more to say if you include the bloody scabs all over the place and the wounds that are already torn and bleeding. This is not a normal foot.
Grumbling.
However, as I said before, this is just something that was planned and will happen at some point.
Even though this may be your first time experiencing such a severe form, there is no need to panic. I rubbed the ointment on my foot while waiting for the bandage to look like new.
Wiggle.
In the process, my foot, which felt hot but not painful, followed my will a few times.
I was just checking to see if there was a nerve problem... I couldn’t see any purpura, so I was moving just fine. I don’t think we need to think about things like skin necrosis yet.
And that might still be enough. I thought about the baseball player who was hospitalized with cellulitis, but just turned a blind eye to it.
I took pains to ignore the fact that this was not a disease that could be overlooked lightly. From my perspective, the question was whether I would be caught by the pursuer and die from complications (such as sepsis).
Instead, after completing all treatments, I raised my head without thinking. I felt like I couldn’t walk anymore today, so I thought I’d at least catch my breath. It’s true that I’ve been obsessed with the fact that I’m running away for the past few days and haven’t checked where I’m going.
“...ah.”
Just like that. If I had known that I would see the sky decorated with gray clouds that seemed to be a peach-like pink and a blazing golden indigo blue, but also almost colorless, I would have raised my head sooner.
“I want to take a picture.”
More bold than most painters, his choice of colors announces the greatness of nature.
I was moved by it again and took a slightly wider perspective. Dozens of shadow birds flying in the distance and a pitch black mountain ridge contrasting with the golden horizon additionally caught my eye.
It was black compared to the sky.
To be honest, the gap is so severe that it almost feels like a stage set for production.
“....”
But that subtle awkwardness is not very important. I quietly enjoyed this moment, engraving in my memory a scene that cannot even be captured in a picture.
My brain fog from lack of sleep seemed to be feeling a little better.
It’s a shame.
However, just as my daze was about to turn into a stupor, the sound of a bird crying woke me up. Is it a tracker? The compulsion that had developed over the past few days made me spit out thoughts without thinking logically. Of course it wasn’t.
My tense nerves calmed down again.
“under.”
I realized that I had become oversensitive—I wonder if anyone would do that in a situation like this—and pressed my eyebrows together. Troubles that have been put off are invading the barely available free time.
However, it is true that they only focused on running away, saying there was no time to think, and it is also true that the concerns that arise now are ultimately problems that must be considered for the future.
I eventually began to wonder about the tail that might have been behind me. The starting topic is, did they really chase me, and if they did, is it still in progress?
If we go a little further, the next question would probably be about the contents of Trackers. For example, is it a group of warriors who are following my footsteps, or are they hand-picked from the church? Things like that.
But there is no answer. It was natural. I have never seen the faces of my pursuers before. The reason was that I ran desperately on the first day, thinking that I might be at a disadvantage if I chased after him on horseback.
Is that it? I felt anxious even with that, so I ran all night, relying on my magical power, for four full days. It was four days ago that I started skipping meals and sleeping little by little because I thought it would be safe at this level.
At this point, I think they would have missed it even if they had followed me.
If they had given up on tracking from the beginning, that would be something to be thankful for. Because it is more important that my safety is guaranteed than that the trouble I went through while running away becomes meaningless.
“But you still don’t know...”
Of course, this didn’t completely ease my mind. Since I am not a person with any talent or experience in running away – that is, I am someone who can completely erase my traces – and I do not know how great professional chasers are, I had no choice.
Plus magic. Because there is something called magic in this world.
You can relax a little, but you shouldn’t relax completely.
I leaned my upper body on the arm resting behind my back and slowly blinked my eyelids. The sky is getting darker, and a few new bright stars are slowly appearing.
“...cold.”
Grumbling. The wild grass growing around swayed violently in the wind.
...I may not be able to guess the exact time, but the time will come soon when I will have to stop by the city. This is even more so considering the goal I wanted to achieve even while running away, let alone survival.
How could it be possible that exploring this body in detail would not require the cooperation of others, whether through their accumulated knowledge or the memories of those who may know its past? It will definitely be required. Someone in the city... in the village.
“....”
But when I look back on my situation, this is preceded by a big problem.
The first problem is that I will soon be wanted – it is not certain, but there is a high probability that I will be – and the second and more serious obstacle than the first is that I possess demon energy.
In other words, you cannot avoid looking at the temple. It was also the reason why I went back and forth between cities and villages.
“Just imagining it already sucks....”
There are things that have happened so far to say I am overreacting. For example, as soon as I entered the village, there was a scene where I was watched with wide eyes from the temple, or a picture of people finding me from ten miles away because I possessed demonic energy (although this was mainly done by warriors).
As a result, the subsequent imagination is bound to be negative. I was quietly frustrated.
“Fuck...”
But how do I really do this? Instead of the investigation proceeding normally, if you’re not careful, you’ll end up getting a lot of reports.
What if, by chance, those with information decide that I am someone who should be killed and remain silent forever? How are we really supposed to find out the truth then? At this point, it’s not even a problem that there will be a tracer, right?
I tried to gauge the worst possibilities and ended up feeling suffocated. It wasn’t a good feeling. The frustration became a little deeper.
“Is Magi the problem in the end?...”
However, it is not something that can be given up just because it is difficult. If we don’t solve this, the road back home will be very, very difficult.
“shit.”
No, but how the fuck do you really solve this?
I was tearing out my hair as I spoke about anisiting, a specialty of Koreans. Maybe it was because I couldn’t sleep, or maybe it was because it was a problem that really had no answer, but nothing came to mind. I think it would be easiest to just stick my nose in a plate and die.
“If only I had a place to stay comfortably...”
However, what was most difficult for me was not the fact that I had a place where I could comfortably worry about these things or a person who could give me advice.
I think I now understand why people who run away without a home have such a hard time. Although I have never wanted to experience this myself.
Sssssssuk.
“...?”
But as I continued to walk steadily, the eerie sound of the wind passed by my ears. It was subtly different from the sound of wind and rain that had been blowing so far.
Beyond the wind shaking the blades of grass, it seems like something more slippery and fast is moving...
“....”
What kind of animals are roaming the plains? With that in mind, I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword. There is nothing wrong with the widespread feeling yet. does not exist. Is there anything?
[Wammaya. You are a real knight.]
I almost pulled out my sword reflexively at the sight that appeared in an instant. The reason I didn’t do that completely was purely because I quickly figured out the identity of the voice.
The blade that barely escaped being caught in the scabbard rattled.
[...Did you almost fall?]
“...What?”
Do you think you’re the only one surprised? I was surprised too?
I suppressed those feelings and put the sword back.
[What are you?]
It was the next moment that an unknown voice intervened. The contempt and disgust hidden beneath the voice made my fingers stiffen.
[Do you know that one?]
That one. I kissed the words chosen by the owner of the new voice. There wasn’t a specific sound made, but it was clear that something I didn’t know was welling up in my throat.
[Yes.]
[...explain.]
But... it’s a bit weird to get angry. Judging by the way the voice was heard, I thought that this being might also be a species similar to the mountain army – an ancient beast or something of that rank.
And for such beings, it would not be strange for them to be displeased with me. First of all, it is true that I have demonic energy.
[Ugh. That’s it...]
Meanwhile, Sangun explained his relationship with me to the owner of the voice. What happened in the Great Forest, how I killed Biryuho and gave him his heart, etc. In addition to big things, I often added small things like buying wool. I don’t know why I’m saying that.
[Anyway, he’s a really nice person!]
Still... it wasn’t a bad feeling. Yeah, it’s a pretty good feeling.
I faintly relaxed the corners of my eyes at the sight of Sangun’s tail swinging and the goodwill I felt throughout the explanation.
It was really okay.