#111
“Raon!”
I saw Carlisle’s shocked face above the rippling black water surface, followed by him diving toward me.
A voice calling my name. Two eyes filled with horror. A hand reaching toward me. I too reached toward him. Our fingertips seemed about to touch. Just a little, just a little more.
But the speed at which the water sucked me in was faster than his speed coming toward me. I was swept downward in an instant as if caught in a whirlpool, and Carlisle’s figure disappeared into the darkness.
I was already devoured by the black water curtain that blocked all sight and sound.
[Would you like to enter the Chaos Sea Dungeon?]
An absurd status window appeared in the pitch-black darkness.
Right now I had neither Seiz’s equipment nor Eira’s potions. I’d left my backpack at Carlisle’s house before coming out to see the evening festival. They wanted me to enter a dungeon with no preparation whatsoever?
No, I…
[Beginning Chaos Sea Dungeon exploration.]
Without me giving any answer or anything, the dungeon exploration began without warning. The system was going crazy.
***
Carlisle used a teleportation item to move directly to the Sacred Tree island. This was faster than going through the mansion’s basement. When he pounded on the door as if to break it, the startled priest opened it.
“Carlisle-nim? What brings you here… Ah, have you been to the sea?”
Carlisle’s entire body was soaked with black water. Though his clothes were quickly being purified and dried by the power of items, water droplets reeking of the sea were still dripping from his hair.
“Raon got sucked into a dungeon.”
“…Pardon?”
The priest asked back as if he didn’t understand.
“A sea dungeon suddenly kidnapped only Raon and then the entrance disappeared.”
When he’d turned around sensing strange signs, it was already too late. He immediately dove in and discovered in the sea a dungeon that opened its mouth like a whirlpool sucking Raon in, but no matter how strong he was, he couldn’t overcome the speed and force with which the dungeon pulled. It could have swept him away too when he got close, but the dungeon swallowed only Raon as if it had targeted him specifically, then completely disappeared.
“Do you know anything about this?”
After quickly explaining the situation and asking, the priest’s face subtly hardened.
“That… shouldn’t happen. A dungeon swallowing only one person and disappearing.”
Carlisle was also bewildered for that reason. Though dungeons appearing and disappearing unexpectedly did happen, there had never been a case of one appearing and disappearing just to devour a single human who wasn’t even a monster. So Carlisle briefly suspected the priest, but looking at his expression, it didn’t seem like acting.
In reality, it didn’t seem like this priest would have the ability to make such a thing possible. Unless all the Fragments of the Sacred Tree were completely gathered.
“Is there a way to find Raon?”
Wrinkles formed on the priest’s white brow. He was silent for a moment as if lost in thought, but when he opened his mouth again, he’d regained his usual composure.
“If he entered alone, he might finally awaken this time. The sea is an especially difficult dungeon to survive, so if you just leave him be…”
“You call that talk!”
Heat surged and Carlisle unconsciously grabbed the priest by the collar. The thin body swayed and was easily dragged along.
“How can you say that about Raon… He might really die, not awaken!”
He growled as if his teeth would clash, but the priest neither frowned nor resisted. He just gently patted the back of Carlisle’s hand gripping his collar soothingly. Then he suddenly made a puzzled expression as if noticing an unexpected fact.
“Your fever… has gone down?”
Carlisle flinched.
“Perhaps you two…”
“……”
As if deflated, the strength drained from Carlisle’s hand gripping the collar. Carlisle pushed the priest away irritably.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what? Nothing happened.”
Carlisle spoke bluntly.
“Come to think of it, rumors about you two were circulating in the village too.”
Carlisle snorted.
“I didn’t know the Sacred Tree’s administrator would be interested in such vulgar gossip. Rumors spread just because I’m keeping him at my house.”
“But Carlisle-nim, your fever…”
“I found three Fragments of the Sacred Tree, so it would be strange if there was no improvement. The medicine and items you gave me would have become more effective too. Isn’t that right? Or did the administrator lie to me?”
“……”
“I don’t have time for this nonsense. Find a way to locate Raon as quickly as possible.”
“I’ll try my best. But as you know, my abilities have limits too. Though I receive power from the Sacred Tree, I’m not the Sacred Tree itself. Three fragments have returned, but I can’t exert proper power until all fragments are gathered anyway.”
The priest sighed and tried to step back. But Carlisle stopped him. Since they’d met, there was more he needed to ask.
“Let me ask one more thing.”
“Please speak.”
“My memories—you said they’d return when all the Sacred Tree fragments are gathered. Isn’t there a way to restore them before then?”
The priest’s mouth briefly hardened.
“Is there… something you remember?”
“No, nothing at all.”
Carlisle said dryly.
“Then why suddenly…”
“I suddenly felt frustrated. Why, can’t I be curious? Wouldn’t it be stranger not to be curious?”
“…That’s true, but Carlisle-nim originally… No. I apologize, but I’m already doing everything I can for you… However, since your fever has gone down and you’re improving, your memories might return faster than expected. If you continue wearing the items I gave you and don’t forget to take the medicine, the effects will appear more quickly.”
“…I see. I’ll do that. Contact me with anything you know about Raon.”
“I will. Where are you planning to go?”
“Where else would I go? I’m going home.”
Carlisle turned around. Feeling an invisible gaze on his back, Carlisle teleported.
Where he returned was the mansion’s study, as he’d told the priest. A place where the lake and island could be seen completely. Carlisle took out a cigarette from the silver case on the desk. Come to think of it, at some point he’d stopped smoking. When was that? After sleeping with Raon?
He lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply. Perhaps because it had been so long, his head spun from the bitter, harsh smoke. While exhaling the smoke he’d inhaled, Carlisle looked outside. The white cabin with lights on was clear in the darkness.
Somehow feeling irritated, Carlisle drew the curtains. He extinguished the cigarette after one puff and fell deep in thought about one thing.
If you continue wearing the items I gave you and don’t forget to take the medicine…
The priest’s voice echoed in his head. When he’d regained consciousness with his entire body covered in contamination, the piercing, cigarettes, and medicine the priest gave him had saved him from pain that felt like it would drive him mad. Since physical contact with Raon, he’d reduced cigarettes and medicine, but he’d never once removed the piercing items. The pain of his entire body rotting and burning, the agony of feeling like his whole body reeked, the fear that he might become a monster—it was all still vivid. But.
Carlisle brought his hand to his ear. The cold metal his hand touched never warmed up no matter how high his body temperature rose. Carlisle felt that sensation and fiddled with it for a moment, then pulled out one piercing as if tearing it.
“Mm…”
Along with sharp pain came a splitting headache and nausea. Fever rose again, and burning pain and itchiness as if dozens of bugs were crawling covered his entire body. Carlisle checked his hand. The spots that had almost disappeared recently were appearing again stealthily. They were even creating bumpy blisters now.
Carlisle gritted his teeth and buried his head.
This was a test. He had to endure it. Until another phenomenon appeared, another something he suspected. He felt like blisters were bursting all over his body and pus was oozing out. Carlisle threw off his clothes. He wanted to roll around on the rough floor and scrub his entire body with sandpaper.
Still, he had to endure it. Just a little more, just a little more.
How much time had passed? As the itchiness and burning sensation gradually subsided, Carlisle slowly raised his head. He looked at his naked body. His body was clean. There were still spots, but there was no trace of blisters or pus.
It was closer to delirium caused by his mind. What was more meaningful to Carlisle was some unknown scene that suddenly came to mind. Some scene he couldn’t tell was memory or hallucination.
Carlisle looked at the small item he held in his hand. The small piercing stained with blood glinted in the dim light.
I should investigate.
A place he needed to visit came to mind. It might take some time. Raon would survive. The pain… would be unavoidable though.
Hang in there, Kang Raon. Just stay alive. I’ll come rescue you by any means necessary.
He suddenly felt déjà vu.
Had he said these words to someone before? Or heard them?
***
I couldn’t breathe and panic rushed in. I covered my mouth and thrashed frantically, but my body wouldn’t rise. Like before, no one appeared to help at the critical moment. Right, maybe this was actually how it should be.
The moment I could no longer hold back and tried to breathe in, water rushed into my lungs. No, it felt like water rushed into every hole in my body. After struggling briefly in pain, I felt my consciousness gradually fading.
How much time had passed since falling into the water? I suddenly felt my body drifting limply through the darkness. Like Carlisle I’d seen in a dream once. It somehow seemed peaceful too. Had my body died while only my consciousness briefly awakened? I felt no pain, fatigue, or hunger. It seemed like I could float like this forever if asked to.
Raon.
But someone called me, disturbing my rest.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
