It was afternoon, the sun high in the sky.
After a quick lunch, we continued walking toward Xi'an.
Cutting through the undergrowth where there was no sign of human passage, it felt like we were pioneers.
That's right, it meant we were suffering like dogs.
"Can I ask you something?"
"No."
"Isn't there another road besides this forest path? At least if there was some sign of other people having walked it, it would be easier to walk."
It wasn't like my clothes were torn or I was injured, but I kept getting poked by something and stepping on things I couldn't identify, so I just felt like I was making myself suffer.
"Do you remember what I said yesterday?"
"?"
"…I suspected you were an assassin. Of course, I don't suspect that now, but if you aren't an assassin, then assassins hired by the First Young Master are still looking for me somewhere. If we walk on roads that people use, there's a risk they'll find us."
"Ah."
It didn't seem likely that assassins would come after me with daggers in broad daylight, but thinking about it, in this world without CCTV, it was entirely possible.
Frankly speaking, if someone killed a person and threw them to wild animals, who would know who the culprit was?
"…You."
Cheon Yeohwa tugged at my sleeve.
"I can't explain the details, but if you stay with me, you'll be in danger too. I'll tell you the direction to Xi'an, so how about we part ways here?"
Her voice, and the hand holding my sleeve, were trembling slightly.
"Although our meeting was born of a misunderstanding, I owe you a lot in a short time. I can't…"
"Sorry, but I can't do that."
I grabbed Cheon Yeohwa's wrist.
If we were going our separate ways, we would have already gone. I have no intention of backing down now.
On the contrary, I was going bald worrying about what justification I could find to stay with her after we arrived in Xi'an.
"I have a terrible sense of direction, so even if you tell me the way, I'll get lost and die in an accident before I get very far, you know?"
I even created a reason for us to travel together, if she couldn't grasp that, she'd be dumber than a dolphin.
I'm gonna get my settlement reward.
"…Thank you."
Cheon Yeohwa was grateful for his bold answer, but at the same time, she felt a guilt that constricted her heart.
This was also an emotion that Cheon Yeohwa, from her days as the Moon Spirit Witch, had never felt.
She had already received so much from him.
But she hadn't been able to repay him at all, and now she couldn't even firmly refuse to let him accompany her on this dangerous path.
She hated her weak choice, but as she looked at his broad back walking ahead, she felt something she couldn't understand.
After meeting him, she was learning emotions she hadn't known before, one by one.
·
·
·
After walking and resting for a long time, the sun was setting.
If we didn't want to look for a campsite in the middle of the night, we had to start moving diligently.
Fortunately, we found a suitable open space nearby, and we set up the tent and brazier there, just like yesterday.
As we were hurriedly preparing dinner, the sun completely set and dark night came.
If we had been even a little later, it would have been an utter hardship to set up the brazier and tent in a place without a single light.
Of course, I could have just used a light, but I didn't want to use my magic after being tired from walking all day.
"This is…?"
"A hamburger. If it's hard to eat, press it down and eat it."
Some people call me a heretic for eating like this, but I can't exactly cut a hamburger with a knife, can I?
Or dislocate my jaw and eat it.
"This is another food I've never seen before. Where did you come from that you keep showing me these foods…"
"Curious?"
There was no answer.
Perhaps Cheon Yeohwa felt that it wasn't right to pry into my identity when she was hiding so much from me.
"If you really want to know, how about we each ask and answer one question? I'll give you the first chance to ask."
Actually, I wasn't that curious about Cheon Yeohwa.
I knew her name, age, origin, and what situation she was in.
This wasn't an exchange of information, but a means to get closer to Cheon Yeohwa.
Of course, I wasn't hoping that one game of truth would lead to a relationship like I had with Iris. That would be too greedy.
But if we got closer, wouldn't there be a possibility?
At first, I was more interested in the settlement reward, but now I was interested in Cheon Yeohwa herself.
Not to mention her appearance, the other things…
'…But her appearance is so overwhelming, do I really need another reason?'
Her personality seemed a bit peculiar at first, but the more I saw, the more cute aspects I found.
Like the way she ate her hamburger like a squirrel.
Her appearance was like a girl-crush chaebol heiress who would shop in Cheongdam-dong or Gangnam.
"Name."
"Huh?"
"We haven't even introduced ourselves yet."
Come to think of it, I was the only one who knew Cheon Yeohwa's name. Cheon Yeohwa had been with me for almost 16 hours and still didn't know my name.
But it was even more amazing that we had spent 16 hours together without knowing each other's names and didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
"Kang Hyunwoo."
Appearing Hyun, helping Woo.
I don't really know what it means. My parents didn't tell me what kind of person they wanted me to be when they named me, and they're gone now.
"Kang Hyunwoo…"
Cheon Yeohwa quietly repeated my name, as if savoring it.
Her reaction made me feel a little embarrassed.
The only people who had called my name like that were the orphanage director nun, Iris, and now Cheon Yeohwa.
"Then it's my turn."
I decided to visit the orphanage after this matching was over.
"What's your name?"
"…Cheon Yeohwa."
"That's a nice name."
One day passed, and before the second day began.
We finally learned each other's names.
***
"It's your turn now, aren't you going to ask anything else?"
"No."
We had finished dinner and my question, but Cheon Yeohwa didn't seem to want to ask anything else.
"You… no, Hyunwoo, if you have any questions, you can ask me."
"…?"
I was a little surprised that she suddenly called me by my name, but I was even more surprised by the 180-degree change in atmosphere.
Why does her personality seem to be getting softer?
"Then."
I had a question I wanted to ask.
Who was the First Young Master you mentioned, why are you being threatened by assassins, and where did you come from?
The reason I was asking even though I already knew was simple.
To become closer by sharing secrets.
But my question had to end before it even began.
Thud-
"Huh?"
Cheon Yeohwa, who had been warming herself in front of the brazier, suddenly collapsed.
"Cheon Yeohwa!"
I jumped up and ran towards Cheon Yeohwa.
"Haa, haa, haa…"
Cheon Yeohwa was clutching her chest, looking very distressed.
Her face was pale, and cold sweat was pouring down her face.
She looked very serious on the outside.
'What is it? Is she sick? But she was fine until just now?'
Anyway, I couldn't leave her like this.
I immediately picked up Cheon Yeohwa and ran to the tent, gently laying her down.
"Cheon Yeohwa! Wake up!"
"Ugh, ugh…"
She can't even answer?
"What should I do in this situation…"
Should I immediately hold Cheon Yeohwa and run to Xi'an?
But I don't know the direction to Xi'an.
Even if I did, Cheon Yeohwa might die before I got there.
But leaving her like this is a problem too.
I don't know if she can recover on her own by resting. Because I'm not a doctor.
"There's gotta be a way… Ah!"
At that moment, a method suddenly flashed through my mind.
"Weakness Detection."
Weakness Detection is a skill that shows the target's weaknesses.
In humans or humanoid magic beasts, the head and heart usually shine the brightest.
But just because they shine the brightest doesn't mean that the only vital points of a human are those two places. In fact, any place where a large blood vessel flows, where there are many nerves, where there are bones that can be broken and joints that can be bent are all vital points of a human.
Then what about the case of a patient?
Wouldn't the injured area, or the organ that isn't in good condition due to illness, shine brighter than other places next to the head and heart?
"Found it."
The Weakness Detection used on Cheon Yeohwa showed the head, heart, and lower abdomen shining brightly.
To be exact, the dantian, a place that appears without fail in works with martial arts settings.
"It looks like the color is tinged with purple… Could it be poison?"
I wasn't sure, but that was the most plausible inference right now.
"Shop."
As soon as I thought it might be poison, I remembered one item in the shop.
I hope it hasn't been reset.
[Shop]
[Lowest Grade Antidote: Sold Out]
[Sweet Apple: 250 Coins]
[Imperial Army Magic Sword: Sold Out]
[Cultured Books for Gorgeous Women: 540 Coins]
[High-Grade Random Scroll: 600 Coins]
·
·
·
"There it is!"
[Would you like to purchase a Sweet Apple?]
[Y/N]
[Y]
[You have purchased a Sweet Apple]
[Remaining Coins: 1,200 Coins]
Sweet Apple, the item that appeared with the Lowest Grade Antidote when I was poisoned in the dungeon and searched the shop for an antidote.
[Sweet Apple]
[Grade: Rare]
[Grants positive effects upon consumption.]
It was 50 coins more expensive than the Lowest Grade Antidote, but the grade was one level higher. In a way, it might have been more profitable to buy this, but back then, I needed an antidote with a definite effect.
So I just read the description and skipped it.
"But she can't eat an apple in her current state, can she?"
It smells sweet, but it's no different from an ordinary apple in size and shape. How can someone who's in so much pain that she can't even come to her senses eat it?
"…All she has to do is eat it, right?"
I washed my hands roughly with drinking water and grabbed the apple.
"Wait a little, I'll grind it up so it's easy to eat."
Of course, it's more accurate to say I'm squeezing it.
Squeeze- My grip, enhanced with magic, easily showed off the performance of putting an apple in a juicer.
The apple juice that flowed into the cup had a sweet scent beyond imagination.
"This should be enough."
Now I carefully brought this to Cheon Yeohwa's lips with a spoon.
"Ugh…"
"…It's not working either."
I even grinded it finely like water and transferred it to a spoon to make it easy to eat, but Cheon Yeohwa was still unconscious, as if the pain was severe.
In this state, it would be difficult for her to even drink water on her own.
I can't help it.
"I'm saving your life, so don't resent me later."
I held the apple juice in my mouth and covered Cheon Yeohwa's lips.
Without even feeling the soft and moist sensation, I carefully opened my mouth and let the apple juice flow in.
It wasn't a kiss to satisfy my personal desires, but I couldn't help but feel a strange feeling.
After finishing three kisses disguised as a life-saving activity, Cheon Yeohwa's complexion improved.
Ding-
[A positive effect is activated by consuming a Sweet Apple]
[Decomposes the Heavenly Heart Extreme Yang Fire Poison Lotus]
[Decomposing…]
[Decomposition failed]
[Positive effect activated]
[The poison of the Heavenly Heart Extreme Yang Fire Poison Lotus subsides]
[The remaining poison of the Heavenly Heart Extreme Yang Fire Poison Lotus struggles]
[Positive effect activated]
[The remaining poison of the Heavenly Heart Extreme Yang Fire Poison Lotus falls asleep]
***
Deep dawn when even wild animals had fallen asleep.
"Ugh… uh…?"
Cheon Yeohwa, who woke up from her sleep, was bewildered by the sight of Kang Hyunwoo sleeping while holding her in his arms.
"Hyunwoo, why are you…?"
She was embarrassed.
Even if Kang Hyunwoo was sleeping while holding her, she couldn't remember how she got into this situation.
Only fragmented memories remained in her throbbing head.
With the exception of a minor headache, Cheon Yeohwa, who was in much better condition than usual, was soon able to figure out what had happened with the fragments of fragmented memories.
'Did the poison go wild and I collapsed…'
Even now, she occasionally had seizures.
She suffered extreme pain from the poison that suddenly went wild, but each time she managed to maintain her sanity and endure.
As such, this was the first time she had fainted.
Her internal energy was gradually reaching its limit compared to the increasingly strong poison. As a result, she no longer had the strength to resist the poison.
In fact, until she met him, she had half given up, thinking that her lifespan would be limited to about a month at best.
"I was sure that's what would happen… What is this…??"
Cheon Yeohwa confirmed that the momentum of the Heavenly Heart Extreme Yang Fire Poison Lotus, which had been constantly aiming for her dantian, had died by nearly 80%.
Even the remaining 20% was quiet as a mouse.
The Heavenly Heart Extreme Yang Fire Poison Lotus is a type of mountain bug poison that has a strong yang energy.
It was the perfect match for her, who had a strong yin energy, and was one of the three extreme poisons of the Thousand Poisons Sect, which cooperated with the First Young Master.
In fact, detoxification was impossible. Even the head of the Tang family, who was called the master of poison, and even the divine physician who could revive the dead, would not be able to detoxify her.
But what happened that her condition improved so much?
Cheon Yeohwa decided to recall her memories a little more.
In exchange for deciphering her memories, Cheon Yeohwa was able to glimpse a short and intense moment in her more severe headache.
"?!!"
The moment Kang Hyunwoo put something in his mouth and kissed her.
'Ah, ah, ah…!!'
A scream that she couldn't bring herself to utter echoed in her heart.
Cheon Yeohwa's face turned as red as if it would burst.
'It was my first time…'
Cheon Yeohwa carefully touched her lips.
It was as if his warmth was still there.
Moreover, what she saw in the fragment of memory was not just a kiss.
As she could see from the way he was feeding her something from mouth to mouth, it was clear that he had detoxified the poison that was about to take her life.
She was surprised that there was an antidote to detoxify the Heavenly Heart Extreme Yang Fire Poison Lotus, but more than that, she was grateful to him for saving her once again.
Cheon Yeohwa recalled the moment when she was about to be humiliated by the bandits.
The helpless moment when her energy channels were twisted by the poison that suddenly went wild and she couldn't even move a finger.
If it had been her past self, she would have read their presence from dozens of feet away and blown their necks away, let alone being ambushed by those street thugs.
But as she said herself, that was the past.
The past that will never return.
If Kang Hyunwoo hadn't saved her back then, she would have been dragged away by the bandits without being able to resist.
Of course, she would have raised her internal energy and killed the bandits, even if she had to fall into demonic possession.
And in return, she would have died alone, pathetically spitting blood.
Cheon Yeohwa quietly snuggled into Kang Hyunwoo's arms.
As if that place was her place.
It was a moment when she regretted suspecting his identity until now.
'No matter what happens, I won't suspect him an-…?!"
Grip-
"Hick?!"
Before she could stop him, Kang Hyunwoo's thick, large hand grabbed Cheon Yeohwa's butt.
"Hee, Hyunwoo…??"
"Umm…"
Too surprised, she screamed and even called his name, but Kang Hyunwoo only made a faint breathing sound and showed no other reaction.
Instead, the hand that was touching her butt didn't stop.
"What kind of sleep talk is this…"
What kind of dream is he dreaming…
Kang Hyunwoo mercilessly massaged Cheon Yeohwa's butt.
Cheon Yeohwa didn't know what to do with the sexual harassment she was experiencing for the first time.
If the other person was a lustful demon, she would have cut off his wrist and genitals without hesitation, but she couldn't do that now.
"Hiss, sob… Aren't you, are you massaging it too hard…?"
Despite her complaints, Kang Hyunwoo massaged Cheon Yeohwa's butt as he pleased, as if he was kneading clay. Her butt sometimes bulged out between his rough touches, or he teased her by gently stroking her like a pervert.
She wondered if this was something a sleeping person would do, but she couldn't suspect him rashly because she didn't think he would pretend to be asleep.
"Does my body tempt you so much…?"
On the one hand, Cheon Yeohwa was happy.
Cheon Yeohwa had always thought that men were monkeys with nothing but obscene thoughts in their heads.
The only man she had given her heart to in her 20 years of life was Kang Hyunwoo.
"Hee, Hyunwoo…"
If it's you… If you want it…
"I'm willing to…"
"…Iris."
"...…Huh?"