Episode 7. The Night After the Storm Passed
The carriage jolted incessantly over the unpaved road. The sun, which had been shining across the ridgeline, had now climbed higher, blazing from the center of the sky. Bare trees, stripped of their leaves and skeletal, whipped past on either side, and the fishy stench that had filled the air gradually faded away.
And amid all that, there were eyes on me. Some glanced furtively as if pretending not to, others stared openly, and a few even poked at me proddingly, as if checking if I was really alive.
"…Eileen, you wanna die?"
"No?"
Naturally, the one jabbing me with her long gem-topped staff was Eileen. The furtive glancer was old man Horn, and the open starers were the twins.
So this was all because I was lying in the carriage like an invalid instead of up on the driver's seat.
Normally, I'd be handling the reins as always, facing the winter wind head-on. But after escaping the holy knights, even with Asha's healing magic and the spells stored in her staff, I was still wheezing and hacking. So Aberly had been driving from the moment we fled until now.
"That… that bastard…. Drives like a pro but pretended he couldn't all this time…, ah."
Aberly handled the carriage with impressive skill, by the way. The small window connecting to the driver's seat was closed, so I couldn't hear clearly, but he was muttering nonstop to himself, chuckling haha away.
Chunsik…, Chunbae…. Ain's sick…. Poor….
Curious about his mutterings, I listened closely, and damn if it didn't sound like he was badmouthing me.
Anyway, that's how it was. We'd shaken off the pursuers for now and somehow escaped.
Truth be told, it was more like the paladin's whim had granted us mercy, letting us slip away. Even as we distanced ourselves, they didn't give chase but turned back the way they'd come.
Criseo Mateus, paladin of the Brahm Holy Kingdom.
Now that we were out of danger and had some breathing room to sort my thoughts, his words bubbled up fresh in my mind.
Your name?
Asking an opponent's name mid-fight was odd enough.
Swear it on the life you've dedicated to the Holy Kingdom and your faith as a paladin.
Having me swear a sacred oath just to give my name was downright bizarre.
Since you've bested me, I'll let you go. But heed this warning: the next pursuit force will be far stronger.
He called it a warning, but it sounded more like advice.
At minimum, it'll include three or more paladins hot on your trail.
It felt like intimidation, yet spilling that info beforehand made no sense.
And then the paladin had tacked on one more quiet line.
…You'd best run far. If you truly want to survive…, flee to a place where the Holy Kingdom's relics can't easily track the gray traces.
That was no warning, threat, or intimidation—it was advice for us.
He'd freely given away how they'd pinpointed our location and zeroed in so confidently.
Those bits—the paladin's hushed words meant only for us—stood in stark contrast to his fanatic declaration of summary execution.
Even brainwashed zealots were human after all, it seemed.
Musing on that, I mumbled the words drifting hazily into my head.
"Next pursuit force…."
"Nya…? Suddenly, nom…. What's that…, nom nom…. mean?"
The one reacting instantly to my mutter was Eileen, of course, chomping away at her rations like she was starving again.
"Finish eating before you talk, please, just finish. Even a cow wouldn't scarf feed like that—what the hell are you…."
"No! Why say it like…, nom nom…. that, um…!"
She looked slim enough on the outside, but the way she shoveled food in was straight out of a cow fresh off hard labor, tearing into its hay. Like a beast prepping for hibernation, stuffing her face at every chance.
As I stared at her in disbelief, a voice came from elsewhere.
"Rookie, what's this about the next pursuit force?"
"Ah, the paladin mentioned it. Since he failed his mission, the next one's made of stronger folks."
"What."
"Said to brace ourselves 'cause it'll have at least three paladins minimum."
"No, what the fu…."
"Said there's a holy relic that tracks gray traces, so if we wanna live, run as far as we can, yeah."
"…."
I rattled off everything the paladin had told me in response to Horn's question. He plopped down with a stunned look, the twins listening quietly beside him gaped wide and wailed something like a scream, and Eileen's eyes bulged as her chewing sped up.
Surveying my companions one by one, I dragged my still-aching body upright and spat out the plan I'd been mulling over in my head.
"So I've tweaked the next plan a bit. We're skipping all the cities we pass and heading straight for the graveyard."
I'd changed our destination to a place I never intended to go.
"Just gonna die like this?"
"Eek, we're just gonna die now?!"
"Nom nom…, then before we die, nom…. 'Ghosts who die stuffed look good,' they say…, nom…."
No.
If I planned to just die, I wouldn't have fought the paladin so desperately.
I shot Horn an exasperated look. This dwarf, with all his years, knew damn well what I meant but was playing dumb on purpose.
"Said we're going. You know what the graveyard is, Horn."
"Aye. Talkin' about the trash bin, right?"
"Well…, it's called the world's implicit trash bin sometimes."
It went by many names among people.
Graveyard of the abandoned.
Implicit trash bin.
Valley of the Fallen.
Sanctuary of the rejected.
Criminals' den.
All unpleasant, none flattering—a village formed by fallen folk of every race.
It started as a burrow where a few like us, hunted by someone, gathered.
Now it was a sprawling settlement drawing in anyone who couldn't live normally for whatever reason.
"So why head there? Don't seem like a place good things happen."
"Not a place for good things, sure, but not bad for dodging the Holy Kingdom's pursuit force."
Because.
Being chased by holy knights, state knights, or guards meant you had real power, enough that ordinary forces couldn't breach it. Storming in meant all-out war.
"…We'll dodge the pursuit just to get shanked by criminals and croak."
"It'll be fine. People live there too."
So.
Anyone entering for any reason planned to rot there forever. Pursuers—paladins, holy knights, state knights, guards—left them be as long as they stayed put, since criminals would hole up eternally.
A mutual non-aggression zone.
"Fine, whatever…. Die one way or another, might as well try somethin'."
"Yeah. So next destination's set—everyone got that?"
I said it looking at my companions, and they nodded before returning to their own tasks.
And then.
I finally exhaled, touching my earring.
Asha.
Her shoulders twitched.
Truth was, she'd lain there turned away, pretending to sleep the whole time I talked.
Stop faking it.
She'd helped me into the carriage, healed me with magic, then stayed like that.
At first I thought it was holy magic fatigue, but it'd been over ten years since I met Asha.
I could read her thoughts and intentions from her words and actions, at least a little.
Time to talk, us.
Yet I'd missed the most important thing. Pathetic, really.
Sorry.
I died a virgin, no dating experience, reborn into a second life still hopeless at romance.
A woman this beautiful liking me felt too good to be true.
Plus, raising her from childhood made seeing her as a woman feel wrong.
Even now, past life barely a memory or concern, I fixated on stupid age gaps.
So I'd lived oblivious like an idiot and wanted to make excuses.
Um…, so when did….
I tried opening to Asha, still lying back-turned, but the moment I started, she jolted like startled, wriggling and touching her earring.
A-Ain…! Later, please…. Not now—can we talk at camp tonight…!
Her ears were red. Her hand on the earring fidgeted helplessly, trembling.
"Uh, yeah. Um, sure."
"Huh? What's with the sudden 'uh, yeah, um, sure,' you moron."
"…Not you, old man."
So I could only hope night fell soon.
Night did come, eventually.
We were all exhausted and couldn't push further, forcing a half-mandatory camp.
And prep wrapped up in a flash.
"Rookie, light a fi—, oh. Done."
"Ain-hyung! Catch one beast and—, whoa! Sis is fast!"
Asha, avoiding my eyes, snapped her fingers—fire sparked. A beast floated up, plopping by the campfire.
"Haha…, need some firewood…. Oh, perfect…."
"Asha-nim, wh-why hit me suddenly…?!"
Firewood floated after, dropping with a clatter, followed by a sharp smack on Eileen's cheek.
Once camp was set, an invisible force grabbed my nape.
"Ack…? No, why drag me li—!"
…Back before the stew cools.
Dragged like a criminal.
Begging to loosen the grip did nothing—her head never turned my way.
I let myself be pulled until campfire flames and companions' voices faded.
The moon hung round, filling part of the dark night sky. Winter meant scarce animal cries, leaving awkward silence.
"…."
"…."
How to start?
Her head bowed, still not looking—words stuck in my throat.
Calm scene, settled emotions, broaching awkward talk took guts.
Both of us fidgeted hands, awkwardly looking away.
"So…."
"I…."
Ah. Breath caught.
"You first, or…."
"Ain, you first…."
Ah. This stifling air made me nauseous.
Conversation should've flowed naturally, but words clashed and crumbled.
And again, I wasn't the one who mustered courage first.
She inhaled deeply, lifted her head, eyes meeting mine.
"From the day you first saved me, Ain."
Her face flushed deep, gray ash swirling uncontrolled.
"I'm slow and dense, realized it late, but I know—it was from the start."
But the scene wasn't drab.
"So…, I've liked you nonstop. From when you first reached out your hand, right up to now."
Like gray ash could dance beautifully, filling the stark winter backdrop.
"I adore you. I love you."
Snow fell.
First flakes of the year touched ash, shifting hue.
"You said I could do whatever I want, Ain."
She gently gripped my clothes, smiling softly, face red.
"I never want to be apart again."
Then.
"I want to stand by your side forever."
Unlike that alley as kids, she smiled naturally, spilling honest feelings one by one.
"Ain, I can't live without you now."
Snowflakes piled on her hair, mixing with ash, rising skyward.
"I thought every day—should've stopped you leaving on your trip. I'm stupid and foolish; it took so long to realize."
She spoke of the hard three years alone.
"I hope you never leave my side. No matter how tough the journey, I want to stay together. I don't care how people see gray anymore. You're more important."
At fourteen's winter, wholly different words.
"I'll be useful to you. I've worked hard for that."
Her expression grew hazy, distant, veering eerie like before.
"I'll be a good girl. I'll become who you want. I'll work harder so you achieve your dreams."
Fervent ecstasy flickered, strange heat flowed—distance closed fast.
"I love you, Ain. I love you. Even unworthy me loves you."
Forest floor layered with gray snow.
Ash swirling her emotions mixed with flakes, scattering.
In that scene, the woman smiled in rapture.
Gray.
"I love you."
Beautiful gray snowflakes.
"Ain."
It swirled long in the woods.
Then Asha's hands wrapped my neck.
They met. Softness touched, sticky and blending.
A quiet, silent atmosphere.
A landscape filled with subtle heat and drifting ash, flowing gently.
What remained after the storm passed was another wind begun by breaths.
Steadfast letters tangled, ink smeared.
Mingled in seized possibility: one woman's absolute devotion.
Pure and innocent, sticky and thick, sinister and humid.
Only such things, twisted and entwined, lingered.