Chapter 86

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 86

Chapter Title: Eradari #1

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A story about some kind of snake liquor came to mind.

Someone had pickled a venomous snake alive in a barrel of alcohol.

After about a year, when they pried open the lid to try drinking it—

Hiss-!

—the snake, soaked in the booze, wriggled and bit the person.

'No way, even if it was pickled in alcohol, how could a snake bite someone's throat?'

That's what I'd thought back then.

But snakes hibernate in winter, don't they?

They have this tenacity to endure for long periods in a dormant state.

So it wasn't impossible for one to survive a year even in alcohol.

The problem was that the Eradari's wicked roots were just like that snake.

Fwhoosh-!

Even though I'd stomped and crushed it with all my might, the thing leaped into my mouth like a living creature.

Flash-!

It happened so suddenly I didn't have time to react.

To begin with, it was absurd that a mere root could move like that.

"Gahhh!"

I screamed.

The root tendril that slithered from my mouth down my throat blocked my windpipe, choking off even that cry.

"Glrk!"

With my airway obstructed, my vision turned yellow in an instant.

As I clutched my throat and thrashed, Hermit and Lady Yona jumped around in panic.

"The root went into Buddy!"

"Stay still! Just stay still!"

Rustle-.

Lady Yona came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist.

She yanked upward with all her strength, and I felt something catch in my throat come surging up.

Gulp-.

No, actually, it was the opposite.

The thing clogging my throat had slid down into my stomach.

"Aaahhh!"

I wailed.

What the hell had I just swallowed!

Bloodwood. The tree that drinks blood.

The wicked idol worshipped by the Eradari!

I'd gone and swallowed the root that turns you into an Eradari!

But the real problem was only just beginning.

Shhh-.

I could feel thin, spindly things spreading from it into my capillaries, like it was unfurling from inside my gut.

This was no mere illusion!

The damn thing was definitely taking root in my body.

"Buddy! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Spit it out quick! Hurry!"

Hermit tried shoving her hand into my mouth.

But zzzt—her surging mana nearly grilled my tongue.

"Ack!"

"Ahh! What do we do! Lady Yona! Do something!"

Hermit stomped her feet.

Lady Yona, looking utterly flustered, thrust her fingers deep into my mouth—zzzzk-.

Sure enough, the urge to vomit welled up instantly.

"Urk, urk-urk!"

I heaved along with it desperately.

But all that came up was spit.

"No way—!!!"

I despaired.

This was a scream bursting from within me.

Was I doomed to become an Eradari just like this?

Those vile tribe who sought to live life for free.

Devilish bloodline even greedier than thieves!

I absolutely could not accept turning into one of those Eradari.

A visceral, cellular-level revulsion surged through me, an impulse to self-harm overwhelming my body.

Better to die than become the Eradari I despised so much—

With that thought, my hand drifted to the dagger at my waist.

But I could feel the root thrashing wildly inside me.

Live—

It was as if it were pleading exactly that.

Because of the root's will burrowing into me, I couldn't bring myself to self-harm.

However, I still had one chance.

"Hermit, blast me with magic! Punch a hole through my gut!"

It was still in my stomach.

If Hermit pierced my belly with magic and we followed up with quick healing, maybe we'd pull it off?

"Buddy, you could die!"

Vivid mana circuits flared across Hermit's face.

Whenever her emotions spiked, her mana circuits went berserk.

This was exactly that.

"I can't control my power in this state!"

No way!

I looked to Lady Yona.

As pitiful and pitiable as possible!

Please, do something!

That was my desperate plea, but Lady Yona shook her head.

I stood naked before Lady Yona.

It was mortifying.

But my worry over my dire health overshadowed any embarrassment.

Lady Yona prodded various spots on my body with her fingers.

"How's your sensation?"

"Feels fine so far. For now!"

"You're only fine for the moment. You're definitely turning into an Eradari."

"...Isn't there any way to stop it!"

"One of my comrades spent his life researching the Eradari. He might know something."

"Is that for real!"

It felt like a lifeline of hope dangling down.

Lady Yona narrowed her eyes at my excitement.

"...More importantly, your down-there has gotten impressively large. Is that a change from ingesting the Bloodwood root?"

My down-there?

Sure enough, the blood had rushed there.

It wasn't a change from swallowing the Bloodwood root.

"...Ahem! Standing naked before such a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠beauty as Lady Yona, it's a bit embarrassing... and strangely thrilling, so that's what happened!"

"...Youth really is something. Put your clothes on."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Rustle-.

I hurriedly dressed and fled Lady Yona's room like I was escaping.

'So she's letting the bag theft slide after all?'

Lady Yona seemed more magnanimous than her reputation suggested.

At this rate, she might forgive me up to three more pocket-picks.

I'd have to test it later.

"Buddy!"

Just then, Hermit—who'd been meditating in the hall to calm her mana circuits—spotted me and pounced—hug-.

"What did Lady Yona say?"

"Nothing wrong for now, apparently. But it's only a matter of time."

"My buddy, an Eradari!"

Hermit clutched her cheeks in horror.

I gave her a stern warning.

"Lady Yona said we should keep this quiet if possible."

It was only natural for humans to hate Eradari.

And now I was a potential one—

If word got out, wouldn't everyone turn their hostility toward me?

"Buddy, there has to be a way! I'll help you find it!"

Hermit clenched her fist tight.

Her face burned with determination.

Just as I'd cheered her on when her mana circuits raged and she lost her will to live, now she was encouraging me in my death sentence.

It was touching enough to make tears—sniff—well up.

"So, what are we telling Narakje?"

Hermit's question snapped me back to reality.

Narakje Bain.

In my panic over becoming or dying as an Eradari, I'd dismissed Narakje as irrelevant.

But who knew what mischief he'd unleash if he learned I'd failed his mission.

At this point, I needed Nimbel's help.

I sought out Nimbel, who was huddled by the campfire.

"Nimbel."

"What now."

"Ack, you startled me!"

Nimbel speaking in wolf form?

Staying near this campfire must've improved his condition.

I'd heard that if this blessed campfire's flames were strong, minor ailments healed on their own just from warming yourself by it.

It also boosted resistance to the 'Night' beyond the Wall, letting you endure somewhat without a torch.

'To think our party missed out on such great campfire buffs until now!'

Anyway.

I asked Nimbel.

"Heh heh, Nimbel. Mind digging up a few roots for me?"

"Roots?"

"Dried-up, gnarled ones!"

Nimbel was an herb-gathering expert.

In this Wall, few knew more about herbs than him—you could count them on one hand.

I planned to have him dig up something like wild ginseng or ginseng.

Then pass it off to Narakje Bain as 'Bloodwood root.'

"Hmph, not doing it for free."

But this time, Nimbel wasn't playing nice.

Was he still sore about me using him as bait to draw Lady Yona's attention?

"I'll tally it all as debt."

Slink-.

Nimbel rose, his body swiftly shifting to human form.

It'd been so long since I'd seen his human shape, it felt strangely alien.

The human Nimbel headed off somewhere.

He returned with two thick roots in hand—bellflower or deodeok, maybe? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Hard to tell.

I immediately steeped the roots Nimbel gave me in the liquor vat. But their greenish tint nagged at me.

Red.

The root I'd swallowed was red, right?

'Let's add some chili.'

I bought chili powder by the campfire.

A whopping 50,000 Ether for 1kg.

'Chili powder's fucking expensive!'

I dumped heaps into the vat and shook the roots vigorously.

Gradually, they took on a red hue.

"Nice! That's the stuff!"

A bit more aging, and it'd look convincing.

As I worked, Nimbel asked.

"Heard from Hermit you swallowed some weird root?"

Shit! Hermit, I specifically said keep it secret.

Couldn't hold her tongue and blabbed to Nimbel already?

Hermit loved gossiping, so secrets weren't her thing.

Nimbel approached and sniffed—sniff-.

"Smells bitter, kinda."

Right, Nimbel was a druid.

With his vast knowledge of roots and herbs, maybe he knew something about my 'Bloodwood root'?

I secretly hoped so, but Nimbel lost interest and wandered—off.

What a free spirit.

Anyway.

After hours battling spicy chili powder and pungent soju, 'Yor's Ginseng Liquor' was complete.

At least it looked similar to that Bloodwood root from before.

"Nice, even Narakje'll fall for this."

Who knew I had a knack for counterfeits.

Now just deliver to Cunning Town.

I was already excited about what reward I'd snag.

'As ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠King of Thieves, he won't cheap out, right?'

While there, I'd find the dwarf to craft my armor.

And free those kidnapped noble ladies too.

Busy day tomorrow.

As I closed my eyes with that thought—

Splash-.

I awoke in a river of scarlet blood lapping at my ankles.

The sky was blood-red too.

Was this a dream?

Just as I thought it resembled the space where I'd met the idols, a massive tree sprouted before me.

It appeared without warning—really startled me.

"Ack, shit!"

The tree was apartment-building huge.

Every branch pulsed red like veins, hung with corpses like fruit from nooses.

Chills ran down my spine just looking at it when a voice echoed in my head.