After we had bought our bread and headed back to the apartment, I consulted Mr. Ryujin to assist us with this new task. He seemed taken aback the moment he saw the exotic animals inside my sack, but he knew the nature of our act was beneficial to these creatures. At about noon, we all set off. By now, the sun was hanging high in the sky, barely shining through the clouds that hang overhead.
It hadn't snowed much in the past two weeks, but it surely had grown colder. In the past weeks I could go outside wearing my regular attire with a light coat, maybe even gloves if it looked nice. Now, it was so bitterly cold that the markets closed by the high of the day, either retreating into buildings for continuous selling or shutting down stalls entirely if their products would be susceptible to the cold.
We were all dressed in approximately three layers of clothing, looking like total fools, but I wanted to ensure the animals wouldn't freeze to death. When we walked through the Market District of Seraphis Kingdom, either end of the previously bustling street was now almost completely deserted. Even if we did see a person or two, they were bundled tight.
"So your plan is to set them free, remind me," Mr. Ryujin spoke up, his voice carrying a slight tremble from the cold.
I nodded my head, ignoring the pestering stinging in my ears. I didn't have any way to cover them except my hair, which usually did the job for me. Now, it had gotten so cold that regular protection was futile. Due to the time period, I don't think earmuffs would be invented for another few lifetimes. Shinso had his hands dug deep in his pockets, which were trembling.
Whenever any of us breathed, it sent a small trail of fog into the air. If we were to drink anything, it would most likely freeze over. When we ate lunch back at our apartment complex, we had to wait about ten to fifteen minutes for our drinks and food to thaw from the cold. Putting the bread into the kitchen oven was useless, as we'd most likely burn it again.
We eventually reached the border of the kingdom, which was trademarked for its large iron gate. The border of the kingdom was the only thing separating it from the forest and mountains on the other end. Every so often, I'd hear yelling all the way from those outskirts, but I didn't know why it was there until we saw an entire garrison of troopers, all clad in orange and black armor, carrying muskets.
From what I've heard, either through rumors or flat-out confirmation, they were from the Katshin Empire. A few troops from the garrison approached, gazing at us with speculation. At this moment, the white fox inside my bag writhed and whimpered, huddling against the other animals. Seeing this, one of the troops roughly snatched my bag, gazing inside at the animals.
"We have pirates, captain."
"We're not pirates; I helped set these animals free. They were being sold by an illegal vendor in this very kingdom!" Shinso protested, taking an authoritative step forward.
The guards remained unmoved by this, their expressions as indifferent as their regard for Shinso's pleading. One of them took out a sharp wooden stick, pointing it at Shinso.
"Interfering with this will result in punishment."
The guards began to look through the bag, taking out the three animals in succession. The spider-scorpion hybrid clicked its fangs together as it swung its tail back and forth, trying feebly to break free, but the iron grip around its carapace prevented much movement to begin with. The fish-octopus wrapped its tentacles around one of the guards arms as the small pores on its tentacles began to secrete a black liquid.
The liquid smelled of rotting flesh and decay, filling the air with a nauseating smell. The moment the black liquid touched the skin of one of the guards, they gritted their teeth to suppress a scream. The liquid was actually searing and burning their skin, sending a sickening aroma of charred flesh into the air. The rest of the men reacted quickly, grabbing the octu-fish by one of its flailing tendrils and sinking the wooden stake into the center of its forehead.
Black and blueish blood spurted out from the wound, painting the snow below it like a macabre snow cone. The octu-fish's flailing, writhing body came to a rest with its limbs splayed out, unable to move as death washed over it. One of the men picked up the octu-fishes remains, and another brought over a wooden crate.
"This'll deal with the remains," the garrison soldier said as he dropped the corpse into the box without a care in the world for its fragile body.
They turned to face the scorpion-spider hybrid, which had begun to click and chirp louder, most likely in either protest or fear.
"Kill that one too!—" A sudden headbut sent them back falling to the snow and dropping their stake.
I had butted them with my horns, though trying my hardest not to impale the guard with their edges. My goal wasn't to harm them directly, but to warm them and tell them to back off. The guard staggered up, their knees trembling. The moment they caught sight of me, their eyes widened as they tossed me the scorpion-spider hybrid.
"T-take it!" He cried out.
Huh? Just like that? Feeling a pang of confusion, I looked back at the others and shook my head. The other guard holding the small white fox also reacted, handing me the animal as if my previous actions hadn't done anything negative to hurt the situation. I held both the animals in my arms, watching as they curled up in my grip.
Every other individual at the border of the kingdom remained still, looking at me with terrified expressions. What were their deals? Why were they looking at me like that?
I suddenly recalled my interactions with Harland before the asylum. The man had gazed upon me, terrified. Bertram, even while lobotomized, also couldn't help but show some fear—and fear was completely erased from his body! If these men showed such fear around me, it was most likely connected to the previous incidents—something either directly or indirectly related to the Apocalypse pathway.
I turned to the gate as a mixture of emotions coursed through me. Parting my lips, I licked them as I spoke.
"Open the gate."
At this moment, I also looked at the corpse of the octu-fish. "And give me that corpse."
...
The rest of the forest was tranquil and calm, with heavy snow coating the spiny needle-like leaves of the evergreen trees. The snow under us has melted only a little, allowing us to traverse the landscape without raising our knees to our foreheads. Aside from the crunching of the snow under our boots, the only other sounds were our breathing.
Shinso and Mr. Ryujin seemed both rattled and confused by what happened, gazing at me with wide eyes. I could feel their urge to speak—it was palpable. They wanted to ask me why the guards reacted like they did, but the words seemed trapped in their throats. I remained silent, walking forward with both the white fox and octu-fish corpse in my arms.
"A-are you gonna bury it?" Shinso finally asked.
I looked back at him, nodding. "Yes."
After saying that, I knelt down and began to claw at the snow, gradually digging a hole. The Apocalypse pathway must have had something to do with my physical condition after all, as my stamina and endurance had increased by a small degree. Sure, I still can't run for miles without stopping, but I could surely dig this hole in a short period of time.
As my fingernails touched the grass deep beneath the layers of ice-cold snow, I didn't care and kept digging—even if the dirt and grass would be lodged under my fingertips.
"I-isn't a shovel more convenient?" Shinso asked, walking over to me.
I didn't reply as I kept digging the hole. In reality, I did know a shovel would be more convenient in this situation—saving me the grime under my nails, but it felt good for some reason. In those nights on the roof, staring into the stars and moon, it was then when I felt the deepest connection to nature. In the park when I would read, I always liked the gentle breeze, and I didn't mind when a cherry blossom drifted atop my open book.
During my walks to school in the rain, I always loved the smell of the rain against the grass—it was earthy, enough to slightly brighten the gloomy and dark mornings. After the hole was completed, I didn't pay heed to my knuckles, which were now stained with dirt. Instead, I immediately grabbed the corpse of the octu-fish, lowering it into the pit I had created.
Following that, I dragged the snow and ice around me, covering the hole in a matter of seconds. At this moment, my vision turned slightly hazy as a myriad of colors and scenes played before me.
The thick snow covering the ground swiftly melted, revealing the countless blades of lush, green grass underneath. I heard birds chirping in the trees overhead, which were no longer pummeled under by the snow. Before me was a sparkling blue lake, reflecting the sky overhead with a rippled, mirrored visage. On the other side of the lake, I saw two figures.
One of them was a man, burly and muscular in build. He was clad in nothing but a pair of pants—no shoes, no socks, and no shirt. Beside him wasn't another human, but a deer. The animal was bent over, drinking from the river. The muscular man's body was covered in ritualistic markings from what I could see, but they didn't look like tattoos.
At this moment, both figures fell still and silent. The deer suddenly fell to the ground, writhing and contorting, letting out wanton screams and shrieks. The muscular man screamed in pain as he also fell to the ground, gripping his head with his arms and burying himself in his chest. Both of them exploded in fits of crimson blood and bodily materials.
My eyes widened as I took a step back, tripping on a nearby branch. When I fell back and hit the grass, I was greeted by the bitterly cold snow.
Shinso and Mr. Ryujin looked down at me, both extremely concerned.
"Are you alright?"
I let out a low groan, slowly sitting up and rubbing my eyes. The previously warm air snapped away, replacing itself with something more violent and tremulous. My breath came in slow gasps as I leaned back. I was actively passing out, and the Blood-Moon Charm wasn't doing anything.
"Damn it!" I heard Shinso exclaim as my world seeped into darkness.