34
In a half-asleep state, Yeon Ji-ho moved his body and frowned at the sharp pain that was still palpable. The moment he opened his eyes, a scream escaped him involuntarily.
“Ugh!”
“Ji-ho!”
It was Apophis who was by his side. As their eyes met, Apophis opened his mouth slightly and hurriedly reached out his hand. Then, he stopped Yeon Ji-ho, who was trying to get up.
“Don’t move. The wound is deep.”
“Wound…?”
As Yeon Ji-ho recalled the words, he finally remembered. The deadly intent of Set that had rushed toward him while he was bound by Hadad.
Having only read about it in novels and imagined it in his mind, when faced with the actual deadly intent, Yeon Ji-ho could do nothing. His mind went blank, and he couldn’t even think of escaping. He simply thought that he might die.
“I poured a high-grade healing potion, but it will take time for the wound to heal completely. Please rest well for at least today.”
The speed of healing varied depending on the price and quality of the healing potion. Yeon Ji-ho knew this from reading novels, and if even the expensive high-grade healing potion would take time to heal completely, it was certainly a deep wound.
Listening to Apophis’s words, Yeon Ji-ho looked into his eyes and asked, “Where are we?”
“We’ve crossed the Regium Mountains. It’s a small village nearby. I haven’t fully recovered my mana yet, so I couldn’t come far.”
Apophis’s mana didn’t spring forth like a fountain. It was remarkable that he still had any mana left after crossing into this world and repeatedly using magic while facing Hadad.
Looking around, it seemed they were in a place resembling a village inn. It was a bit old and shabby, but it was much better than a tent. It was hard, but at least he was lying on a bed.
-Knock, knock.
It was an ordinary knocking sound, but the direction it came from was unusual. It came from the window next to the door instead of the door itself.
Through the window, he saw Isquis, who was smiling. He was holding a paper bag filled with something.
“Has this idiot forgotten how to come in through the door?”
Apophis grumbled but opened the window to let Isquis in. Isquis flapped his wings and entered through the suddenly opened window.
“Ah, ah! Ah! Apophis! I got feathers! The feathers got stuck!”
“Just pull them out!”
It seemed that a few feathers had gotten caught in the window as he came in. Even though the wings were made of an artifact, Isquis shed a few tears and cried out in pain as if a part of his body had fallen off.
“What did you bring?”
“Here. I almost died trying to find a bowl of soup in this rural village.”
“Hand over the remaining money.”
“There’s hardly any left!”
Ignoring Isquis’s whining, Apophis confiscated the coins. Then, he carefully placed the soup that Isquis had brought on a tray with missing teeth. Next to it was a piece of bread that looked hard.
“Ji-ho, eat.”
“Did you two eat?”
“You don’t need to worry about us. We’re Gorgon beasts. Our bodies are different from ordinary people.”
Despite having a smaller build than Yeon Ji-ho, Apophis asserted his health. However, even though Isquis was tall, he was somewhat thin, which made Yeon Ji-ho worry about them.
Eventually, Yeon Ji-ho, leaning against the back of the bed, picked up a piece of bread that had come close to his knees. He then broke it in half and offered it to the two.
“Please eat too.”
“No, we’re fine…!”
“I’ll enjoy it!”
Unlike Apophis, who adamantly refused, Isquis snatched the bread Yeon Ji-ho offered and stuffed it into his mouth in an instant. Before Apophis could take it back, he chewed a few times and swallowed.
At the same time, Apophis punched him in the gut.
“Gah!”
“Don’t you have any sense? Idiot, can’t you just pull out the feathers you care about today?”
“Come on! I couldn’t eat anything while stuck in the cart!”
“Do you think I ate anything?! I couldn’t eat anything because of you!”
Yeon Ji-ho watched the two bickering and smiled softly, then offered the remaining piece of bread to Apophis. After a moment of contemplation, Apophis cautiously accepted it.
While Apophis chewed the bread, Yeon Ji-ho began to spoon some soup into his mouth. It tasted similar to a porridge with milk. The savory and sweet flavors mixed together went down easily.
“It’s delicious…!”
“Does it suit your taste? I was worried that the food here wouldn’t be to your liking since you’re such a great cook, Ji-ho.”
“I only cook food for myself, you know.”
Of course, he described it as porridge with milk, but in reality, it was completely different from the food of his homeland. However, it was much better than the food Hadad had offered, whether it was gallus or turkey.
Was it because he felt relieved that the food tasted good? After eating for a while, Yeon Ji-ho suddenly asked, “But what about Set?”
Since Isquis had gone out to buy something and returned, Yeon Ji-ho thought Set had simply gone out for some errand. However, Set did not return even as the three of them nearly finished their food.
“Ah, well…”
Apophis looked at Yeon Ji-ho with a troubled expression. Worried that something might have happened to him, Yeon Ji-ho even put down the soup he was eating.
“Is something wrong with Set? What is it?”
“Um… well… that is.”
“Please tell me.”
“…Isquis. You tell him.”
Isquis, who had been picking out feathers, suddenly raised his head when his name was called. Meeting Yeon Ji-ho’s gaze, he scratched his head and said, “The lord will be moving separately from now on.”
“Excuse me?”
“He feels he has no face to meet Ji-ho.”
Yeon Ji-ho’s mouth fell slightly open.
He understood why Set would react that way. Even if it was to save Yeon Ji-ho, he had still directed deadly intent toward him.
However, instead of feeling resentment, Yeon Ji-ho felt grateful. Set’s precise and meticulous deadly intent had only left a wound on his leg while saving him.
He wanted to say thank you for coming to save him, that he missed him… but as Yeon Ji-ho’s expression turned gloomy, Apophis hurriedly added, “Th-the lord rushed to save Ji-ho without even taking a breath. The deadly intent was never a threat to his life…!”
“Hmph. If Hadad hadn’t accidentally dodged, Ji-ho’s lower body would have been completely severed.”
“Hey, you… …Shut up, Isquis.”
It seemed Apophis thought Yeon Ji-ho was upset because of the fact that Set had directed deadly intent at him after seeing his gloomy expression.
But that wasn’t it; he was feeling down because he wondered if the trust relationship between him and Set was only at this level.
“Um… Ji-ho.”
“Yes?”
“So, the lord… this is the first time he’s tried to move to save someone.”
Apophis nervously licked his lower lip, tracing his forked tongue. He had to choose his words carefully. After all, he was the most cunning tongue of the Gorgons.
“Until we lost in the last war, the Gorgon beasts were the kind that would return on their own even if they were captured… and he is not someone who fights to protect anyone. So, that’s why his methods were inexperienced.”
That had been Set’s life until he met Yeon Ji-ho. It had been far from saving or protecting someone. There had only been a life of ruining and breaking things.
“He must have really wanted to save you.”
Apophis’s head drooped almost to the ground. He knew as he spoke that this statement was contradictory. Who would direct deadly intent at someone they truly wanted to save?
“So, where is Set?”
“Uh? He’s probably nearby the inn… Ji-ho?”
Yeon Ji-ho pushed the soup that was on his knees aside. Then, he began to get up from the bed, limping.
“Are you going to the bathroom? I can help you…!”
“No, I’m going to see Set. I can go by myself.”
Yeon Ji-ho gently declined Apophis’s offer of support. Then, he passed by him and swiftly left the inn room. He was still limping.
Even so, Apophis and Isquis could feel that Yeon Ji-ho wanted to see Set right now, which is why they didn’t stop him. Watching his back, Apophis sighed and said with a wry smile, “You know, Isquis.”
“Yeah. What?”
“If you were to call him ‘the lord’…”
Apophis’s tongue flicked lightly. Habitually licking his lips, he whispered softly, “How could one not love someone like that?”
