Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Photo
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Nephyr gives me a look that doesn't suit her at all, glancing nervously at my eyes. Her face, filled with fear, makes my heart uneasy.
"Calm down, got it? I'm not mad at you."
"R-Really...?"
Only after I reluctantly pull her into a tight hug and pat her back does Nephyr finally let out a sigh of relief.
To her, my presence seems to grow ever larger. She treats me with such utmost devotion that even calling me "Elder" no longer feels sufficient. It's devotion that goes beyond dedication—an infinite trust.
Because of that, she has a tendency to interpret my words on a grand scale. It's almost like a prophet receiving divine revelation directly from a god.
Thanks to this, I always think twice before speaking. I'm worried I might overstimulate her too much.
"I'm actually getting a lot of help from you. Thanks for sharing all that good information."
"Really?"
While nestled in my arms, her expression turns subtle, her cheeks flushing red. It's a strange look, ambiguously caught between guilt and embarrassment.
She seems aware of the imprudent emotions playing on her lips and the tender gaze in her eyes. She stares at me up close for a moment before lowering her head or pulling me into a tight hug to hide her face entirely.
"Ahh, how kind you are."
I don't dislike Nephyr, either.
In fact, I'm closer to liking her. Otherwise, we wouldn't have taken our relationship that far.
"The Elder truly is the savior. There's no one but the Elder. That's for sure."
But the more we dig into the information about the fingers, the moon, and the sun,
the more Nephyr's attitude toward me undergoes subtle changes.
"...Elder."
Change is inevitable.
Nothing lasts forever.
Just as Nephyr's thoughtful actions start turning into excessive devotion, Rophuk—perhaps sensing her hostility toward him—drops a subtle comment to me.
"Boy, that snake lady seems to care for you a great deal. She's awfully polite to your face, but she was glaring at the back of my head like she wanted to bore right through it."
Of course, Rophuk himself doesn't seem fazed by Nephyr's behavior at all. Whether it's confidence in his own power or some separate measure to keep her from trying anything foolish, I can't tell.
"She probably sees me as an obstacle blocking your path. Well, what can you do?"
Rophuk spins the peculiar tool in his hand around and around, playing it cool as he waits for my response.
He probes my reactions like this often. He's just a wanderer who smashed through the sealed temple entrance, so I don't feel particularly wronged.
He says he's survived alone in this temple all this time. Occasionally, when the entrance [officially] opens, new males enter, but some of them, overcome by immense despair, end up attacking him.
That's why he's trying to analyze what kind of person I am, how I took down that massive sandworm, and what strengths I possess.
Whether I'll be helpful to him,
or end up like all those other men—taking his own life or flying into a rage.
"Boy, I have no intention of harming you. Of course, if you or that snake lady attack me first, I'll have to respond in kind, but I'd prefer to observe you for as long as possible. Having a friend to chat with like this is a rare joy. Even if you end up attacking me later, wouldn't it be nice to get along for now?"
I sit in front of Rophuk, propping my chin on my hand as I sink into thought. His lens staring at me feels especially unpleasant today.
"Looks like that snake lady doesn't listen to you very well. Must be tough. On a planet like this, if you let the women push you around, you won't last. I don't like meddling as a rule, but generally speaking, it's best to steer clear of the native females..."
It's like the looks from those guard squad members who never took a liking to me. There's this subtle, condescending vibe seeping through...
"...Hey, Rophuk. Sorry, but I've got something to say."
So I finish gathering my thoughts and speak up.
Even though we're both males on the run together,
there are still plenty of uncomfortable aspects to my relationship with Rophuk, so I have to tread carefully.
"Nephyr is doing what she needs to do. I'm not good at suspecting people and drawing lines like you are—that's why she's the one suffering in my place. If that bothered you, then I apologize. But don't ever talk about Nephyr and me like that again."
In a situation this ambiguous, I've got no intention of backing down to Rophuk.
Back at headquarters or on the Paradise Ship, I never even raised my voice properly and just kept my distance, but on this planet, that's a luxury I can't afford.
"I don't care what you think. This is between me and Nephyr—it's not your place to interfere. I'm holding back from being harsher because I don't know your story, but I've been rolling in the dirt just as much as you have...!"
Rophuk's lens expands sharply.
It seems to be an expression of surprise or bewilderment—his hand, which had been fiddling with the tool, pauses for a moment as if to confirm it.
"So let's not talk like that anymore. You love drawing lines, so why cross them? She's my woman, and it's my business. I'll make sure there's no more discomfort going forward, so please don't mention it again. I'm asking you."
I end up blurting out all sorts of expressions without thinking, and my face heats up. Sometimes you need to get emotional like this, but it's not something I'm used to...
"..."
What reaction will Rophuk have?
Will he get mad, thinking I'm biting the hand that fed me despite surviving thanks to his consideration? Do I need to prepare for a fight right now?
"Oh dear, that was a slip of the tongue on my part. I sincerely apologize. Please forgive me."
Unexpectedly, he even bows his head as he apologizes to me.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief inside, recalling Dan and Mr. Ries's advice that sometimes you have to get angry.
"It's been so long since I had a guest that I got carried away. Let me apologize once more. I should seek Miss Nephyr's forgiveness as well."
Rophuk maintains his gentlemanly demeanor to the end, seeking reconciliation as politely as possible.
He shows such genuine remorse that it leaves me flustered instead.
But there's one thing I can't understand:
Why is Rophuk bending his pride to apologize to someone so much younger like me, yet acting all fidgety and thrilled, like he doesn't know what to do with himself?
"Dear me, what a fool I am. Must be my time to go. Day by day, just struggling to survive, and yet I had the nerve to meddle... Aigoo, how embarrassing."
Anyway, things worked out well, so I can relax now.
"Oh? You were here. Miss, I'm sorry. I was too forward. I won't meddle or interfere anymore—"
...It would have been perfect if Nephyr hadn't been right outside.
I don't know how much she heard or from where,
but Nephyr's cheeks are beet red like ripe persimmons,
as she squirms, shy yet delighted.
That night,
Rophuk came directly to my room and knocked on the door.
"Joo-ho, are you asleep?"
"No! Nope!"
It wasn't late. Nephyr had been trying to create an amorous mood and share the bed, but Rophuk's sudden visit gave me a temporary reprieve.
"Elder! Whew..."
"W-What brings you here?"
"Ah, nothing much. The thing from earlier today was bothering me a little. I came to share my feelings while I was at it."
In his hand was a strange object made by combining various metal parts. Rophuk thrust it toward me, practically begging me to take it.
"What's this...?"
He called it a gift of reconciliation. He'd kept mulling it over and his own rudeness kept gnawing at him, so he'd ended up investing several hours to make it, he added.
In my personal description, it's something I'd call a crescent-shaped laser emitter.
There's a gem-like thing embedded near the handle. Grip it hard, and an eerily destructive energy blasts out along the crescent's path.
"I was worried. Hearing you'd gone through such harsh trials at such a young age had me concerned deep down, but after talking more, it turns out my worries were completely unfounded."
Rophuk hands a weapon of tremendous power to me, someone he doesn't fully trust yet. This custom job I'll call the Door Cutter from now on—it looks like it could even harm Rophuk himself.
And yet, the reason he gives me the Door Cutter is—
"Joo-ho, protect yourself. I don't want to watch a fine boy like you die right in front of me."
I don't really get it.
Just a simple change of heart?
The next morning,
I had to wander the temple for quite a while to find Rophuk.
After spending the whole night calming Nephyr down and pushing her away, I was utterly drained and starving. My stomach felt like it was stuck to my back.
But for some reason, he didn't come to bring breakfast, and he wasn't in the central area writing in his journal.
He was holed up in his own room, perched on the bed. Unlike usual, he looked deep in thought. Or maybe lost in memories is more accurate.
"..."
In Rophuk's hand was a small photograph. He clicked his lens as he stared blankly at it, stroking its surface with nostalgic longing.
"Rophuk?"
"Ah, oh."
Sensing my presence, he moves to tuck the photo away immediately, but realizing it's already in my line of sight, he gives up and leaves it out.
There, captured perfectly, were two men. Alien men who resembled humans yet were clearly different.
"Old memories came back to me after so long. It's already time for your breakfast. Look at me, losing track like this."
Rophuk can't shed tears,
but he can't shake off the gloom, sitting motionless for several more minutes, immersed in his longing.
"...You don't need to bring breakfast. I was planning to empty my stomach anyway. I ate too much yesterday."
This was one of those moments when I realized just how problematic my personality is. Getting angry for Nephyr's sake came from my soft-heartedness, but this damned trait doesn't know how to pick its targets.
"Who are they?"
Rophuk hesitates for a moment, then slowly opens his mouth.
"Me and my little brother. Haha."
He forces a laugh,
but he doesn't look happy at all.