Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: Episode 53. Just a Tragic Affair (3)
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Ancient Species were the most tenacious and enduring monsters in the Otherworld, the ones that had survived the longest. These beasts knew how to endure even the harshest conditions; in unfit environments, they lay dormant for ages, then exploded in numbers when the right habitat arrived, sometimes devouring an entire nation whole.
Their will to live was grotesquely fierce.
For example, like disaster-class demons.
Because of that, infected humans quickly stopped being human. And once they weren't human anymore, even a dragon couldn't heal them.
"Ah..."
But the plague victim before them was different. Her symptoms weren't severe yet. Unlike the others, she could be treated.
The moment she made that judgment, Bom rushed over and knelt in front of the woman. Then she began healing the woman's body with the mana of great nature.
"Don't move."
"...Who are you?"
"We're on a mission."
Green mana enveloped her body warmly.
"...This feels strangely... comfortable."
The woman closed her eyes for a moment.
When she opened them again, she was fully cured.
"Uncle. It's done."
"Yeah."
"Your body's really weak now... You should eat something."
The regressor had no particular interest in whether this unknown woman from a strange land lived or died.
But he wanted to help Bom recover, so he reinforced the barrier around the entire tent and used his field kit to heat up some simple soup, which he handed to her.
"Thank you, thank you..."
The middle-aged woman slowly sipped the warm soup.
Her alignment was good. A rare trait in this lawless wasteland.
Her feelings toward Yoo Ji-tae and Bom were neutral. Even as their lifesaver, she seemed more afraid than grateful.
She finished half the soup and spoke up.
"I'm Aziana. I've been living a nomadic life in this village for 40 years. About a week ago, people suddenly started acting strange..."
"......"
Bom nodded.
"What about outside the tent?"
"Outside the tent..."
As Bom trailed off, the woman nodded.
"Ah... So it's still like that."
Her calm voice was filled with regret.
"Everyone's... infected, right?"
"Yes. The pathogen is still spreading. If you stay here, you'll get infected again."
"I see... I have no family, and no attachment to the village."
"Then come with us?"
"Yes. But first, if it's not too rude, could I ask one favor?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"There was a young man in the village who sets up tents. He made this very tent I'm in. He was such a good kid... I'm not worried about the others, but I'd like to check on him."
Bom looked at Yoo Ji-tae.
Yoo Ji-tae remembered Bom wasn't in good condition and decided to help.
"What does he look like?"
"Yes... He's wearing blue clothes. He's a soldier guarding the village, so he'll have a weapon."
Yoo Ji-tae found him quickly. In the village center, near the entrance of the largest hut, there was a group of young men. All of them were beyond help.
Yoo Ji-tae looked back at the middle-aged woman. She nodded with a sorrowful gaze.
He kept her from getting closer. Risk of reinfection.
Death was common in the lawless zone. Bom thought of it that way and turned to leave.
That was the end of the situation.
The mission ended more anticlimactically than expected.
If there had been another cause, Bom would have poked around and gotten involved in more things, but it was simply the village wiped out by the plague.
Yoo Ji-tae went to the outpost, handed over photos, and reported mission complete.
"Mm. Alright. Good work."
"What about the village?"
"What can we do? Quarantine it."
They'd burn it all.
The on-duty officer at the outpost called NAN via landline.
After reporting mission complete, Yoo Ji-tae returned to Kahum Village.
"Can we take a little responsibility?"
"Sure."
And at Bom's request, he took the woman 'Aziana' to the nearest village.
The sister village agreed to pack up after hearing Bom's story. They'd have to leave far away tomorrow, away from the plague.
"Thank you..."
The pale-faced woman bowed her forehead to Bom.
Aziana only started bawling once she arrived at the other village. People shunned her as a woman from the plague zone. But since she was healthy, the misunderstanding would clear up soon.
Now that the job was done, it was time to head back.
"......"
As he was about to say let's go, Bom was staring blankly toward the ruined village.
"What's wrong?"
"Hm, just feeling a bit complicated."
"About what?"
"Yeah..."
And Bom stayed quiet for a long while after that.
When she finally turned her head, the gloom had lifted a layer.
"I'm okay now."
"You sure?"
"Yes. Anyway, I've seen worse than this in the things I look at every day."
The things she saw every day seemed to mean the landscapes she didn't want to see through providence. It was something she had said before.
"If it's okay with you, can we stay one more day?"
"Sure."
So near the oasis where they dropped off Aziana, Yoo Ji-tae ended up spending the night with Bom.
Mana stones were efficient currency in the lawless zone. Yoo Ji-tae chipped off a mid-grade one and handed it over.
"Th-this..."
Way more than enough for lodging.
The chief's eyes twitched for a moment. His gaze went to Yoo Ji-tae's waist, then to the bag at the end.
"What."
"Pardon?"
"Tempted?"
"N-no."
His body shrank back.
The chief didn't act rashly. Someone taking missions from NAN was not to be touched, even in the lawless zone.
"No need for food. Just staying one night."
"Understood. Heh heh..."
Thus, Yoo Ji-tae was assigned the chief's daughter's tent. The fanciest one in the village.
Up to now, Bom had followed behind Yoo Ji-tae like she was possessed. Now, tension released, she sighed and plopped onto the bed. It had a mat over it, at least fit for sleeping.
Yoo Ji-tae sat on the floor, back against a post.
Cricket chirps filled the air. Through the window flaps, stars twinkled over the desert sky.
"It's late. Lie down and rest."
"Okay."
Bom took off her outerwear and lay on the bed.
In her tight field short-sleeve tee and cargo pants. She stared blankly at the tent ceiling.
Time passed like that for a while.
Bom, still gazing at the ceiling vacantly, spoke up.
"Why do things like this happen?"
He replied.
"Things like what?"
"Yeah. Someone suffering. Dying. Grieving."
"......"
"Wouldn't it be great if everyone could just live happily?"
"Sure would."
"What do you think causes things like this, Uncle?"
"Dunno."
Bom seemed to ponder deeply for a moment.
"Everything has a cause, right?"
"......"
"Isn't that true?"
"Dunno. So."
"So, even something this sad must have a cause."
"......"
"If we think the one who caused it is at fault, would that make it a little better?"
Bom waited for an answer. But it took a while from her guardian.
"That's not like you."
It was the reply that came after a long pause.
"My condition's off..."
Bom sat up on the bed. And looked at him.
"I don't know the answer either. Not sure if there even is one."
"Surprising... You seem like you know everything."
"I don't know much."
Yoo Ji-tae looked up at Bom with clouded eyes.
"But from living, it seems not everything's like what you said."
"Huh?"
"When something bad happens, if there's a clear culprit, you catch and kill 'em. Fine. But there are a lot that aren't like that."
Yoo Ji-tae thought of something.
Because even blaming and hating changed nothing.
There were times when people just had to keep living.
"Some things are just tragic."
Bom understood her guardian's words, but not what thoughts or experiences they came from.
But applying it to her own situation, where providence was invisible, Bom felt strangely comforted, though she couldn't explain why.
Not knowing the reason. Coming suddenly. A bit scary. But just like that. Just a tragic thing. So those living through it had to endure, withstand, overcome that moment. Even if unwanted things came.
It might be a long process of accepting pain. A story with no hope whatsoever, yet Bom felt her confused mood strangely ease.
"...You gonna stay there?"
Bom stared blankly at Yoo Ji-tae and asked.
"Sitting there must be uncomfortable."
"Then."
She patted the bed.
"No."
"It's big?"
"I don't sleep anyway."
"Then stay up. Lying down."
She persisted, so Bom came down and sat next to Yoo Ji-tae.
"...What're you doing?"
"Can't be the only one in a good spot."
"Why you. Just go lie down."
"Why you, Uncle?"
"What'd I do."
"It's not our first time sharing a bed."
Was it?
"Sure, Winter was there then... Are you worried?"
"About what. You teasing me?"
"Yeah. If that's it, no need to worry. I'm not in the mood to tease you today anyway."
The regressor thought for a moment, then stood. Bom smiled slyly and headed to the bed with him.
He sat. Bom sat too.
He realized anew. Bom's 'condition' seemed truly important. Proving it, a bug that normally couldn't approach due to the rank difference was on her shoulder, and she didn't notice.
He reached toward Bom's shoulder.
"......?"
Bom's eyes widened at the sudden hand.
As his hand neared her shoulder.
"......?!"
Bom startled and fell backward.
Then tumbled off the bed, landed on her butt, and bumped her head on a box.
"Ow... What're you doing?"
"What's with you?"
Yoo Ji-tae wondered what was up with her.
His gaze stayed on her shoulder. A pest was still clinging there. It was a 'stink spider.' Spits venom that spreads foul odor everywhere.
As he approached to grab it, Bom flinched again.
"What's wrong?"
"Hold still. Something to catch."
"Huh? Catch what?"
"Stay still. Don't move."
"Why? My condition's bad, can't get close."
"What're you talking about."
"You're getting close now..."
"I said stay still. Don't move."
"Why?"
He grabbed the bug from her shoulder and tossed it out.
Then he partially restored the barrier up to the edges. To keep more bugs out.
Only then did Bom sigh in relief.
"Thought it was something..."
Meanwhile, the regressor felt Bom's dragon heart pounding wildly.
He found her reaction odd.
Scared? Like sometimes before.
"Anyway, go away. No space for me."
"Oh, right."
He retreated to the other side of the bed, thinking.
For some reason, he felt cheerful. It hit him suddenly.
Like when she had teased him in reverse in the past. Seeing Bom, usually so composed, fidgeting made him feel a bit amused. A rare emotion in his life.
He thought. The mission was done anyway. They'd stay up tonight and leave tomorrow. She said her condition was off, but she looked fine outwardly.
Feeling oddly cheerful, he looked at Bom's face.
"You said you weren't gonna tease me."
"Huh?"
"Not?"
"Yeah. Day off today."
Her answer that she had zero intention of teasing sparked his interest.
He leaned forward.
Now he'd tease her a bit.
"......?"
Unlike usual, Bom's eyes twitched.
Yoo Ji-tae raised his hand.
He didn't know how to make others squirm. But he knew from experience: get close, move subtly and carefully.
Like Bom always did.
"Why're you coming closer again? What're you gonna do...?"
What did Bom say in these situations?
Pretend it wasn't, probably.
"Your hair's always the same style."
"Well, yeah? It doesn't grow..."
He mimicked Bom, bringing his hand to her forehead. Then pushed back her grass-green bangs with his fingers.
Snow-white forehead.
Beneath it, grass-green eyes widening in fluster.
Bom averted her eyes and pulled her head back slyly. Clearly embarrassed. A small amusement welled up again.
Like a child seeing a toy.
Make her more flustered? As he closed in, the more startled Bom crossed her arms over her chest.
"Why? You just saw my forehead."
"Yeah."
"Then why come closer again? Why...?"
Once her condition recovered, teasing her into fluster would be hard. Thinking that, Yoo Ji-tae bulldozed forward. Bom scooted back sitting, but soon hit the tent post with her back.
"Ah..."
No escape now. Unease showed more in her eyes. Yoo Ji-tae approaching as he pleased felt like a beast closing in, different from when Bom did it.
The startled Bom reached out both hands to block his chest.
He paused at the feeble push.
"What's wrong?"
"Why're you doing this, Uncle...?"
"What'd I do."
"Ah, I get it... You're teasing me for no reason, right? You know I'm flustered 'cause my condition's bad? I'm quick on the uptake with this stuff."
"You came close first."
"Too close."
"So, trying to back off?"
His own past words chained his ankle.
"My bad..."
"What?"
Too flustered to think straight, Bom looked teary.
"...Spare me."