Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Special Training (7)
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Geon-ju's fever showed no sign of breaking even as the night deepened, turning into a real headache for Sa-yoon. There was no improvement past midnight—in fact, it worsened, leaving him drenched in cold sweat, while Geon-ju groaned incessantly without a moment's rest. The palm Sa-yoon kept pressed to his forehead burned with scorching heat.
All Sa-yoon could do for the suffering man was brew a fresh antidote and cool him down with hands wrapped in frost aura.
But there was no reason to expect a new medication—one he hadn't tried before—to make any difference now.
He'd exhausted every option at his disposal, yet nothing changed. The patient stayed silent, leaving all the frustration to Sa-yoon.
"Ugh..."
"Hang in there. You won't die from this."
Sa-yoon grabbed Geon-ju as he writhed and let out loud groans now and then, speaking to him in a cold tone. The fever felt like it had climbed past 39 degrees Celsius, but no hunter would die from that. They said 40 degrees was usually dangerous territory, but no matter how recently awakened he was, Geon-ju's body shouldn't crumble this soon.
Even knowing that, Sa-yoon couldn't fully relax. It had to do with Geon-ju's rank and experience.
He was B-rank, and it had been just shy of ten days since his awakening.
Even if his body had taken shape as a hunter, it hadn't fully adapted to his awakened abilities yet. Sa-yoon couldn't completely trust that he'd pull through just because he was a hunter.
What kind of B-rank was this frail?
It had been over four hours since he'd force-fed him the antidote. The poisoning symptoms should have started easing by now, but they hadn't.
A few strokes and soothing words would finally lull him to sleep, only for Geon-ju to wake gasping for air not long after. He drifted in and out like that in fits of shallow rest.
Pulling an all-nighter was nothing new for Sa-yoon, so it wasn't a strain on him. But he'd never had to tend to a full-grown man all night long, and it showed.
He had no idea what to do or how much.
No, there wasn't much more he could do here anyway.
He was already on his third potion and antidote combo.
Forcing more would just lead to overdose. Sa-yoon stopped himself from habitually pulling out another potion, withdrawing his hand and settling in to wait.
An hour. Two. Three.
A good deal of time had passed, but the groans persisted. Even Sa-yoon, who'd been patiently nursing him without complaint, started to get a little irritated.
Is he protesting or what?
It'd be better if he at least said he was hurting. If he muttered something about the fever, Sa-yoon could've shot back with a snide remark—or been gentle, since he was the patient. But Geon-ju did nothing but groan in pain, as if making sure Sa-yoon heard every bit of it.
To Sa-yoon, it felt exactly like a protest.
This is all because of you.
Of course, no one had actually said it.
Irritated for no good reason, Sa-yoon almost grabbed the cheek of the seemingly sleeping Geon-ju and yanked. The words nearly slipped out—that other guild members had all weathered poisoning like this at least once—but he swallowed them.
Unlike the other guild members he'd tossed into the field and left alone, he'd kept interfering with Geon-ju, pushing him into fights and overworking him.
So the high fever now, and even the body aches that seemed to have followed, were all his fault.
Sa-yoon, who admitted as much, let out a long breath and stroked Geon-ju's sweat-soaked hair. Geon-ju, who usually dodged Sa-yoon's touch and recoiled from any contact, now chased his coolness in his feverish delirium.
Watching him, Sa-yoon considered releasing a bit more frost aura, but hesitated and shook his head.
Making it too cold in an effort to bring the fever down might make things worse.
Instead, Sa-yoon fiddled with the sweat-matted black hair. He swept it fully back like he was playing with a doll, then parted it to the side for a funny leaf-head look. He even muttered midway, Look at this, but got no annoyed retort demanding he quit laughing.
After changing the hairstyle a couple more times, even the childish fiddling grew tiresome. Sa-yoon simply rested both hands on Geon-ju's forehead and nape. Thanks to his skill, his hands stayed cool even against body heat, serving as the perfect ice pack for the feverish man.
Another hour passed, and the deep night had turned to dawn. With just a couple more hours until sunrise, Sa-yoon toyed with the ear of the man pillowed on his lap. It was still hot.
Sa-yoon's expression grew serious. An area that should have been cooler than average body temperature was burning up.
He'd given antidotes and the body was free of wounds. What was the problem?
It was right then that Sa-yoon suddenly felt hunger pangs—something he hadn't experienced in ages. Come to think of it, aside from that time dragging Geon-ju to the cafeteria, he hadn't eaten anything. Two or three days straight without a bite.
Sa-yoon was used to ignoring appetite and sleep, skipping meals without issue. But Geon-ju wasn't.
Only then did Sa-yoon realize he'd forced his own routine on Geon-ju.
The other guild members' complaints came back to him: At least feed him before you work him. He'd ignored the nagging every time he led grueling dungeon runs with the group, too annoyed and lazy to fix the habit. And now that bad habit had slipped out again without thinking.
No wonder the antidote wasn't working.
With so little energy left in his body, it was a miracle he was still breathing.
Aware that he'd inadvertently pushed Geon-ju even harder, Sa-yoon lifted a hand to his own nape and rubbed it.
"Anything edible around here?"
He couldn't just shove bugs at Geon-ju on his first field run, saying they were fair game. He needed something safe and palatable. Racking his brain, Sa-yoon noted the fever had dropped significantly. He gently laid Geon-ju on the ground.
He pulled out a disinfecting cloth, wrapped it in frost aura to freeze it solid, and placed it on Geon-ju's forehead. Then he emptied his inventory of every garment with thermal lining, piling them on until the well-muscled frame vanished under a mound of clothes.
Not reassured even then, Sa-yoon shrugged off the outer jacket draped over his own shoulders and added it. Dagger in hand, he set out to hunt.
One crocodile roasted up should do the trick.
Splash!
His thighs soaked, Sa-yoon swung his blade without a care and checked the mouth of his third croc kill. No poison glands this time. Among field monsters, the safe ones lacked poison glands in the mouth and didn't spew parasites when sliced open.
Outside the western mountains' monsters, poisonless ones were rare. The first two crocs had been too venomous, so despite catching them, he'd used them as bait to lure more. After two misses, Sa-yoon gutted the third. No parasites.
"This one's good."
Slinging the croc over his shoulder, Sa-yoon headed back to Geon-ju. He hadn't strayed far, worried his pretty boy might spike another fever and croak in his absence. He arrived quickly.
Isn't blood smell bad for recovery?
Turning surprisingly fussy, Sa-yoon sat by Geon-ju to butcher the croc, then thought better and moved to the water's edge. He skinned it, filleted the meat, built a fire, and roasted strips. He slaughtered every monster drawn by the scent, spread his killing intent to claim territory, and the peeking beasts finally slunk away.
Aggressive S-rank monsters might sense his intent and come sniffing, but he prioritized the swarms infesting the area over lone threats.
If a big one showed, he'd sort out the pecking order then.
He'd already prowled this forest training Geon-ju, earning recognition as top predator from the locals—but every pack, human or beast, had at least one fool who wouldn't accept a superior.
Sa-yoon returned to Geon-ju with perfectly cooked meat. It hadn't taken long, but the ice cloth had fully melted into a soggy mess. With a sigh, Sa-yoon reinfused it with frost and propped Geon-ju up.
"Open your eyes a bit."
"Urk...!"
Well now.
After all that effort hauling food, Geon-ju smelled it and dry-heaved. He looked too weak to twitch a finger from pain, yet covered his mouth lightning-fast. Sa-yoon scowled and pinched his cheeks between thumb and forefinger.
Applying pressure pursed the lips open. Geon-ju whined in discomfort, almost petulantly.
"If you've got complaints, open your eyes and say it. Or eat."
I went hunting to feed you myself, and this is the thanks I get—gagging?
He bit back the rising words upon seeing the patient's face. He poked the skewered meat toward Geon-ju's mouth, but he grimaced. It seemed too big, so Sa-yoon drew his dagger, sliced it smaller, and offered again. Only then did Geon-ju start eating.
Like a baby bird.
He'd brought the disciple to train in the field, and here he was playing unexpected parent. Sa-yoon, already plotting to rib him mercilessly once he woke, stuffed the rest in Geon-ju's mouth and ate his share.
By the time they finished and he cleared the fire and embers, Geon-ju's complexion had visibly improved.
Yep, lack of food was draining his strength more than anything.
"Can't skip meals, looks like."
More serious about eating than he appeared. Enlightened, Sa-yoon thinly sliced the remaining meat to smoke and dry into jerky, spreading it out. With tomorrow's rations sorted, he returned to find the forehead ice cloth melted again.
The silver lining: the fever had dropped considerably.
Antidote's finally kicking in.
Six hours plus of agony—about time it let up. Sa-yoon reached out with cool hands to ease the rest when Geon-ju twisted at the chill on his nape.
"Cold..."
The first words from Geon-ju beyond groans, slurred in sleepy haze. Sa-yoon let out a hollow chuckle. Nursed the pain, now hungry. Fed him, now cold. What a handful.
"You're the lord yourself."
Lucky guy. Sa-yoon eyed the pile of coats on Geon-ju, then reluctantly lay facing him nearby.
Body heat would help regulate his temperature better than clothes. His own low baseline was still warmer than fabric. Sighing as he lay staring at the sky, Sa-yoon watched faint stars in the dim darkness before suddenly furrowing his brow.
"This for real, pretty boy?"
Never imagined a guild mate flat on his back after one day, needing bedside care. Others would've cackled that the Night Rat Leader's edge was dulled. Sa-yoon pinched his brow and let out a rare groan.
A bland night with no screams or blood.
Nothing like the field life Sa-yoon had envisioned when he'd resolved to raise Geon-ju properly.