Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Devil's Poison
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Saf sat down beside the bed with trembling steps.
She tore the towel into appropriate sizes and stacked them neatly next to Jade.
Soon Ruby returned with a basin full of water, curses spilling from his lips.
"……Then I'll slather dandelion sap all over your tongue so you can't even swallow your spit, tie you up with silk, and hang you from the wall. Got it? Huh? Got it?!"
He must have kept up his cursing the whole way back while carrying the water.
Saf replied, intimidated by Ruby but also not wanting to hear more profanity.
"Got it. I was planning to leave after saving the priest anyway. Dying by the hand of a demon like you wouldn't be so bad. If I'm a demon, then falling to hell at the hands of another demon would be fitting punishment."
"Huh? You're turning my curse into your guilt trip? You're a demon? What are you talking about?"
Saf soaked a cloth in water and wiped away the pus around Jade's wound.
"I'm a witch who brings misfortune wherever I go. I've brought all sorts of evil upon the people around me. The priest ended up like this because of me."
"That's an intriguing story. What kind of curse do you use that it can make someone get bitten by a demon and die like this, even when I'm not around?"
"Curse......
The word she'd forgotten all this time finally resurfaced.
Saf repeated the word.
"Curse. That's right. The curse of misfortune. Because I appeared and guided you, we came to this monastery. The man who interrogated me—he's the one who caught me when Danel the priest's house burned down."
"Ah, that must be the story the abbot and Yol were talking about. From what I overheard, that guy's the one who killed Priest Danel."
"I guided Priest Jade right into the hands of a murderer. What curse could be worse than that?"
"Is that how it is?"
"Of course it is!"
As if her words signaled the start of magic, a brilliant light burst from Saf's hand. She placed her hand on Jade's neck.
"I'm a witch. The witch of curses and misfortune! I came because I missed the priest so much, but now I get it. I have to leave. Before I bring any more misfortune upon him......
"You want to leave him parched like a puppy's tongue in the blazing sun? Shut up, I don't want to hear it! Let's just confirm one thing."
Ruby craned his neck to inspect Jade and asked,
"Jade, think he'll live?"
"Don't talk nonsense!"
"Calm down and tell me precisely, you dandelion fluff! He won't die, right?"
At Ruby's words, Saf had to admit she was getting worked up.
"Sorry. He won't die. He'll wake up soon. The poison doesn't seem to have reached his heart."
"Yol said even all the herbs in the world couldn't cure him."
"I don't know much about herbs.
But this, I can definitely cure."
"You're something else. You really seem like a witch. No—based on what I know from five hundred years ago, you're the top among witches."
Saf couldn't tell if that was praise or an insult.
Ruby stroked his chin and said,
"Fine, let's say you're a witch."
"Say? Witches are...... demons......
"Who says? Something must have changed in the last five hundred years?"
"Witches are the demon's minions."
"Hmm, is that so? Since when?"
Saf shook her head.
"It feels like we're using the same word but talking about different things."
"That's what I think too! Anyway, even if you're a witch, from Jade's perspective, your showing up is pure luck. Without you, he'd be dead by tonight, so meeting you was a stroke of fortune."
"But......
"The wound on his neck happened while you were gone. I saw it myself."
"But I guided him into this pit of evil."
"A pit of evil made up of those bald dandelion-seed-headed fools? This is a safe shelter with a clean space to treat Jade, no wind, and a roof."
"Then what about Yol......?"
Saf was scared just saying his name.
"Why Yol?"
"That guy's terrifying."
"You're hilarious. You were trembling in fear of that guy, making me fetch water while calling me an angel or whatever? Now that I'm like this, do I look like some flower-petal pushover to you?"
Ruby snickered and continued with a wicked grin.
"Forget that crap about misfortune and luck. It's all relative. Speaking of which, I could go out right now, rip those bastards limb from limb, and scatter their body parts so far that even three days of searching wouldn't let them piece themselves back together. From their perspective, you'd be the witch of misfortune for leading me here."
Ruby's eyes gleamed so red that the candlelight beside them looked dim. He shoved his face close to Saf's again and growled menacingly.
"So shut up and focus on treating Jade."
Saf swallowed hard and replied.
"I'm done."
"Huh? Done?"
"Yeah, finished."
"Good job! He can't die. I need him to undo this."
Ruby pointed to his own neck. For the first time, a metal shackle became visible there. When he pulled his hand away, it vanished again.
Saf stared at Ruby for a moment before asking,
"You don't think I'm a witch?"
"I don't care if you are or not."
"Why not? You're an angel, aren't you? Angels are supposed to hate witches and execute them."
"Has any angel ever said to hate witches and execute them? I haven't heard of any. Name one if there is."
"No, there isn't."
"Then why do you think angels are supposed to hate and execute witches?"
"That's...... I don't really know."
"Jeez, yapping like you know when you don't even know jack about flowers!"
"What's this about flowers from earlier?"
"It's an insult. I don't want to explain it again, so ask Jade when he wakes up."
"Flowers are an insult? That doesn't make any sense! Calling someone flowery isn't an insult."
"Fuckass bitch doesn't become an insult because it makes literal sense."
"Good heavens! How can you say such awful things so casually......
Saf's lips trembled.
"You're definitely not an angel. Forgive him, Lord, God. He probably doesn't even know what he's doing."
Stunned by the sudden profanity, Saf started to pray but then remembered something and asked,
"Wait, didn't those guys say they were going to set this place on fire?"
"Yeah."
Ruby said leisurely.
"So, are the doors and other exits all blocked?"
"Blocked."
"So we're trapped?"
"Trapped, but not really."
"......What does that mean?"
Ruby clenched his fist.
"Didn't you see me smash the door earlier? A wooden door is just a line in the sand to me. I could break it and leave, but I didn't want the complaints if I did."
"Talking to you is making me feel weirder by the minute."
"Talking to you is making my head feel all flowery."
"Stop it! After hearing that once, the word 'flower' is starting to sound weird too. I love flowers, you know!"
"That word? What, fuckass bitch?"
"Yeah, that one! Don't say it!"
Saf shouted.
"Whoa, hold on!"
Ruby thrust his hand toward Saf's face.
A loud commotion erupted outside, and red flames and black smoke rose past the window.
"Fire's already lit? Hmm, I need Jade awake to take him out. Otherwise, I'll have to kill all those guys outside."
"Murder's a no-go."
"That's a debate I already settled with Jade, so don't butt in. More importantly, can't your horns produce some light that blocks fire? Probably the same kind of magic......
Ruby reached out to touch her horn. Saf swatted his hand away in a panic.
"What are you doing?"
"What? Did I grope your chest or something? This is why dragging around little girls is such a hassle!"
"That's not it! It's just that this horn...... the horn......
"What's with the horn!"
Ruby prodded provocatively.
Saf was at a loss for words. She ended up asking a stupid question even a fool wouldn't think of.
"This horn...... doesn't it scare you?"
Ruby's eyes widened unevenly, and he burst into convulsive laughter.
"Puhahaha! What? The horn doesn't scare me? Oh man, should I worry about it goring a hole in my gut? If that booger-sized horn scares me, should I faint at the sight of a mountain goat's horns? Maybe I should just headbutt it—see if my head pierces or your horn breaks!"
Ruby stopped laughing, grabbed Saf's horn roughly with one hand, and yanked her toward him. He growled,
"I'm putting up with your rudeness for exactly three reasons. You're Jade's companion, you can heal Jade, and lastly, you're no threat to me at all. So if you want to keep being rude in front of me, you'll need to pile up more reasons. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Fire-blocking magic—can you do it or not?"
"Yes."
"Then use it to protect Jade."
Ruby released her horn and ruffled her wet hair with the same hand.
"In the meantime, I'll clean up outside. Scream if it's dangerous. I'll come rescue you right away."
Ruby opened the door and left.
Moments later, the wooden door shattered, and wind roared in through the entrance.
'That's weird? I'm not scared of him anymore.'
Smoke began seeping slowly into the room.
Saf hurriedly prepared the light to block the fire.
Jade opened his eyes. In front of him sat Saf, her whole body glowing white, eyes closed. The light from her horns looked like a halo shining in his eyes.
'If I didn't know better, I'd think a saint had appeared.'
Particles of light like dust enveloped the bed where they sat, while beyond that barrier, flames flickered wildly.
"You're awake, Priest."
Saf said expressionlessly.
Jade took her hand, which was propped against the bed.
"Are you okay, Saf?"
"You're the one who came back from the brink of death."
"Hmm, then that wasn't for me to say."
Jade still felt groggy, like his body was floating in the air. But it wasn't the feverish disorientation from before.
"Will you explain what's going on?"
Jade touched the back of his neck lightly as he asked. The wound was still there and stung a bit, but the pain wasn't severe.
"I treated the demon's poison that had spread through your body."
Saf explained simply and dryly, as if Jade's death meant nothing to her. Thanks to that, Jade could ask calmly.
"There's a fire outside right now—what happened?"
"Ruby said they're setting fire outside to kill us."
She spoke as if it were someone else's problem, but Saf's hand trembled faintly with fear.
"Do you know exactly who's trying to kill us?"
"Puol. Actually, his name is Yol, not Puol, and he seems to be the one who murdered Priest Danel. Ruby overheard him talking with Abbot Manoli."
"That's a story I need to hear in detail. I've felt pursued from Rome all along—it must have been him."
"Yes."
"So we're trapped in the fire right now?"
"I'm blocking the fire. Ruby went out to handle the outside."
"If it's Ruby, I can rest easy. But blocking fire? I heard from Priest Danel that you could use healing light, but I didn't know you could do this too."
"I only knew the theory. This is my first time trying it for real."
"Impressive. And it's not just the flames—even the smoke isn't getting in."
"I mixed two kinds of light. One repels flames, the other pushes away smoke or mist. I combined them."
"Now that you mention it, the light's color is different. I never thought of mixing two lights."
"I just tried it now. I used the fire-blocking light, but smoke was coming in with the draft, so I added the other one, and it worked."
"Tried it and it worked, huh......
Jade continued with a hollow laugh.
"Priest Danel always said I needed to 'learn,' but for you, Saf, it was 'utilize.' I finally get what that meant all this vague time. You were born with light magic. I wasn't, so I need books."
"But our lights are different, aren't they? I think it's because we're innately different."
"Mine's for destruction, yours for protection, probably."
Jade looked up at his own hand while lying down.
"Maybe the light of annihilation can be combined too? What happens if you mix two different passages?"
Jade thought for a moment, then asked Saf,
"More importantly, did Ruby cause you any trouble?"
"He tried. He cursed too. Really bad curses. Priest, Ruby might not be an angel."
"Could be."
"He even picked me up and moved me when I said no, and threatened to yank out my horn."
"Oh dear. That must have been scary. I'll scold him later."
"No need. It wasn't scary."
"Even with the horn-pulling threat?"
"Yes. Weird, right?"
Saf raised both hands to cup her small horn.
"Do you remember when you touched my horn when I was little, Priest? I felt at ease back then. Seeing you treat the horn everyone feared so casually gave me great comfort. Not with Ruby. I got mad when he grabbed and pulled it. But at the same time, it felt good."
Saf continued, confused.
"Like a childhood friend I'd grown up with playing a prank. No matter how scary the threat, it felt like it was all in fun......
Saf couldn't even finish properly.
Jade let out a short laugh.
"Even while I was passed out, all I worried about was you two. Good to know you can get along."
Saf asked cautiously.
"Are we three traveling together now?"
"If we get out of here safely, yes."
"To find the Holy Grail?"
"Yeah. The three of us will search for the Holy Grail together."
"But I might bring misfortune upon you, Priest......
A sharp cracking sound cut their conversation short.
Looking up, they saw the roof splitting open.
"What's that noise?"
Jade asked, propping himself up.
"This is bad. The building's collapsing."
"Is there a light that can stop that?"
"Light can only block formless things like fire or smoke. A falling ceiling is beyond it......
With a crunch, the ceiling was torn away. If it were collapsing from fire, it should have fallen inward, but it was lifted upward.
Looking closely, Ruby had ripped off part of the roof like paper and hoisted it up.
"Oh? Jade's awake?"
Ruby asked from amid the flames, not a hair singed.
"Can I talk now?"
Jade asked back, unable to raise his voice much.
"Talk about what?"
"Didn't it say 'vow of silence'?"
"Forget that now. What the hell are you doing?"
"Nothing much."
Ruby continued gleefully.
"I just tore off the ceiling of your room before the flames could bring it down. So it wouldn't collapse."
"Oh, that's what it was?"
Jade, who had thought some mischief was afoot, finally relaxed. But Ruby's next words made him bolt upright in bed.
"And now the fire's spread to the monastery. Look at them running around trying to put it out. Hahaha."