Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Juni
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“You’re the reason!”
Nika kept screaming like a madwoman. Rato knew he had to get out of there. He shoved her aside and staggered outside.
His vision blurred. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, slamming into the dirt.
No matter how strong a warrior was, a strike to a vital point left no room for countermeasures. Nika hadn’t stabbed him by accident. She had aimed precisely for the kill. She really meant to murder him.
“Rato.”
Nika called his name, her voice trembling. But Rato didn’t respond. Blood oozed slowly from beneath his body, soaking into the earth and vanishing. From a distance, he almost looked like he was just lying there facedown.
Nika stared at the knife still clutched in her hand.
Hah, hah, hah…
Her breaths came in shaky gasps.
Her mind felt like it was burning. Even the last shred of reason blackened at the edges, twisting into ash.
The hand that turned the blade toward herself felt like it belonged to someone else.
That was the moment.
“Nika.”
Suddenly, Rato grabbed her arm and shoved her back against the wall with a crash, unable to control his strength.
“Don’t do it.”
Drenched in blood, Rato’s dark eyes seemed to well up with tears, making him look heartbroken. It was impossible to believe he was looking at the person who had stabbed him.
And Nika knew why Rato wore that expression, even on the brink of death. Or at least, she believed she did.
Nika twisted her face into a smile.
“Why? Because Matty will be sad?”
Gamal whipped around.
“I smell blood.”
Tora, who had been pulling up radishes nearby, straightened up and asked.
“Animals fighting or something?”
Without shifting his gaze, Gamal replied.
“It’s human blood.”
Tora was baffled.
“You can tell that much?”
“Even stronger.”
With that, Gamal turned abruptly.
“Let’s go.”
“Matty, aren’t you taking these?”
Oblivious to the chaos unfolding at home, Tora picked up the basket of harvested vegetables and asked innocently. Gamal glanced back, his face set in a stern expression Tora had never seen before.
“Tora, come here. Now.”
The two hurried home. Tora still had no idea what was going on, but Gamal’s grave look throughout the trek started to make even him uneasy.
They finally reached the clearing in front of the log cabin.
At first, Tora didn’t recognize the figure sprawled on the ground.
“Rato!”
Gamal screamed and rushed forward. Tora couldn’t believe the scene before him but bolted after him on instinct.
Rato, pale from blood loss, had already lost consciousness.
“Rato, what happened…!”
As Tora frantically checked on him, he noticed Gamal frozen beside him. Glancing over, Tora saw Gamal staring unblinking at something. Toward the open door of the house…
A chill premonition slithered down his spine like damp hands.
Tora dashed inside. In a pool of blood lay a woman, so covered in gore it was hard to tell it was Nika at first. A dagger was plunged straight into her chest.
“Nika!”
Tora cried out and ran to her.
“Nika!”
Unlike Rato, who wouldn’t wake no matter how they called, Nika twitched and barely opened her eyes. She was hanging on by a thread.
“Nika.”
Tora’s body began to tremble.
“Who… Why… How…”
Afraid something might go wrong, his hand hovered in the air, shaking, unable to stroke her cheek.
Nika coughed up blood.
“Tora, you love only me… right?”
“Nika.”
In that instant, Tora realized something and recoiled in shock.
“This is your doing?”
Nika reached out a hand. But Tora couldn’t grasp it. His dying wife looked like she was extending a hook to drag him into hell.
As if sensing his thought, Nika smiled faintly.
As if it were all some cruel joke.
Air rasped into her damaged lungs, producing a rough, husky whisper unlike her usual voice.
“Tell me. That you love only me… Tago…”
She spoke only of herself to the end and closed her eyes. Drained of blood, her eyelids turned blue, her lips purple. It was as if the reaper’s hand, drawing out her soul, was visible on hers.
Through the open door, their eyes met Gamal’s. Gamal’s face was paler than when the twins had nearly died of measles as children.
“I can save him.”
Tora understood immediately. Turning into a vampire. But what Gamal had told them as kids…
“He’s almost gone, though. I’ve never seen it work in cases like this.”
Even so, Tora had no choice but to plead.
“Please, Matty.”
Gamal didn’t hesitate.
She draped herself over Rato. With eyes closed in apparent serenity, she looked less like she was trying to save him and more like a predator about to devour him.
Her red eyes flashed as if emitting light. The scent of blood seemed to excite her.
That day, Tora saw Gamal the “vampire” for the first time. What pinned Rato down was no human—more beast, with glossy black mane and torch-like red eyes.
Only then did he grasp how much restraint Gamal must have exercised raising two young humans.
Gamal bared her fangs. Long and sharp as those of an extinct predator.
But as everyone knew would happen, only Rato survived the infection.
Nika convulsed several times before breathing her last. No one knew then—or now—what made the difference. If he had to guess, it was that by the time Nika took her own life, she had no will left to live.
Tora carried Nika’s body back to the village. The place erupted in chaos.
“It’s because of you twins!”
Nika’s mother clutched her daughter’s corpse, sobbing and screaming.
“She died because she married cursed twins! I should’ve known when Ota abandoned you.”
She bellowed for the village to exile Tora.
“Don’t worry. I won’t come back.”
Tora replied calmly and turned away.
That was when.
“Nika killed herself.”
Gamal stepped forward unexpectedly.
“There are no cursed people! The curse is in your hearts!”
Her thunderous roar startled the tribe.
Tora was stunned too. Gamal never got angry—not once. Except when the twins were in real danger.
“Ota abandoned her own children. That was wrong. She owes an apology!”
Her voice roared like a beast’s, sending the tribe into near panic.
“Right here.”
Suddenly calm, Gamal scanned the tribe.
“Anyone here who doesn’t know Nika tormented herself?”
The tribe fell silent. Everyone knew of Nika’s obsession with Rato.
Gamal never meddled in their affairs. No matter the noise, she’d stand a step back with a sad face, believing interference would only worsen things.
Gamal’s face crumpled as if she might cry.
“Nika was a fool. She had everything—a kind family who’d cry for her, a husband who loved her—and she envied me over nothing.”
A pitiful woman with nothing but an unwanted eternal life thrust upon her.
“Sis lost her mind whenever it came to Brother-in-law Rato.”
Someone spoke up suddenly.
It was Udan.
Nika’s younger brother—the one whose situation had driven her into the woods—was now a proper young man.
“Mom knows it too.”
Udan’s voice trembled with emotion.
“Please calm down. You’re just lost in grief right now and can’t think straight.”
Nika’s mother collapsed in sobs. The sorrow of losing her daughter, the urge to blame someone, despair, and emptiness all melted into her tears.
Udan swallowed his own tears and faced Tora steadily.
“Don’t leave the tribe. We’re family.”
If not for Udan then, Tora might have abandoned the tribe. But the spark that would one day reach Ithu was there.
***
Tora gazed at the sea. From this hill, it always looked much the same.
Soft light began to spill onto the waves. Soon after, it blazed red as if someone had set it aflame.
Gamal, who had stood silently beside him, turned and asked.
“Tora, do you want to become a vampire?”
The first and last time Gamal ever offered the infection to anyone.
“Yeah, Matty.”
Tora answered as casually as if agreeing to breakfast. A teary glint shimmered in Gamal’s eyes.
“You might not wake up.”
Like Nika.
Tora stared at the blazing sea.
He understood now. Nika hadn’t been light—she’d been fire. The intense glow that had poured from her, leading them out of the forest, was a seed destined to consume even her one day.
Tora said calmly.
“I can’t leave Rato alone.”
He had survived the infection, but Rato still hadn’t awakened.
When he did, the shock would be immense. That Nika had tried to kill him. That she had taken her own life… That he himself had become something entirely different.
He needed to be there.
Gamal reached out and pulled Tora into an embrace. Tora nestled into her arms. He marveled at how his always-towering Matty had become so small.
Gamal murmured in a voice thick with emotion.
“Don’t let go of Rato. Your blood.”
Tora squeezed his eyes shut.
“I won’t, Matty.”
As the fangs pierced him, the sea still burned.
***
Jain stared at Tora, speechless. Tora looked back at Jain.
“Nika was pregnant. Given the timing, it had to be mine.”
Jain’s mouth fell open unwittingly, but she couldn’t find words and closed it again. Tora muttered.
“But Nika probably didn’t know. I have to believe that, at least.”
“I’m… sorry.”
Jain didn’t know what else to say. Tora gave a wry smile.
“Yeah. Truly regrettable.”
“No, I…”
“It’s fine. I regret it too.”
“Tora, enough now.”
Jain tried to stop him. He looked in terrible shape.
“If I stop talking…”
Tora moved his lips as if caught in a slower flow of time.
“I might lose consciousness.”
Murderous intent flickered in his eyes.
A chill ran down Jain’s spine. Her iron nerves, unshaken by most things, screamed instinctual warnings of danger.
Tora exhaled slowly, deeply, then drew in another breath.
A fragrant scent…
The aroma filled the air. As if someone had dumped a whole bottle of perfume.
Tora.
Someone whispered.