102
My Villains Chapter 102
26. Fever (3)
Even the next day, Ellen showed no signs of improvement.
No, her condition had worsened. Her entire body was boiling hot, and she couldn't even drink water.
"I'm afraid we won't be able to proceed. I apologize."
The guide wiped his face with an embarrassed expression.
"But Sir Phoenix, there's a contract."
"I'll pay the breach of contract. Would thirty gold coins be sufficient?"
The guide let out several sighs in response to my question.
"We can wait one or two days. By then, wouldn't Ellen's condition improve?"
I could easily guess the guide's state of mind.
We haven't even left the Seven region yet, and losing mercenaries would be too risky. He'd want to somehow bring us along.
"...Is that really okay?"
"Yes. Well, what can we do?"
He speaks like this, but internally he must be boiling with frustration.
They hired mercenaries but must treat me like a master because of my knight status, while also trying to ambiguously hide my identity. Now, just four days into the journey, we can't move, and he's supposed to just accept it...
Ugh, this is completely unreasonable.
"Thank you for your consideration. Instead, since we've caused inconvenience, I won't take the remaining payment."
"No, that's unnecessary. There's no need."
After much back and forth, we decided to receive only half the remaining payment.
Well, this seems to have ended relatively smoothly. I should be grateful.
After the guide left, Utequais, who had been sitting on a woodpile eating an apple, stood up.
"I go to field."
"The field? Why?"
"Finding cooling herbs."
"Do you know about medicinal herbs?"
Instead of answering, Utequais just snorted. Well, having lived in a tribe his whole life, he'd know something about that.
"Want to go together?"
"Must protect Ellen. Go."
I glanced at Utequais's back as he left and entered the room.
We're staying at the village chief's house. More precisely, it's the house of a steward sent by the local lord, but that's basically the same thing.
In any case, the house was quite good. It was the only one in the village with tiled roofing, had a wide yard, and the highest fence.
There was a small livestock shed, so no traces of animals were brought inside the room, and it had a fireplace that made warming the room convenient.
"Ugh... Ugh..."
The sleeping Ellen continuously groaned.
While wiping her face with a damp cloth, I suddenly gripped her neck.
Thump, thump.
I could feel the pulse through my palm. I drew up my energy and extended control towards Ellen's body.
Reaching level 18 granted me a free skill point. Because of this, my energy seemed a bit more powerful and flexible.
Like extending tentacles or feelers, my senses expanded along Ellen's blood vessels. It didn't take long for her small body to form an image in my mind.
I concentrated my mind and examined inside Ellen's body... Hmm, I don't know. What good would it do to take an X-ray or MRI if the person looking can't understand anything?
Compared to my body - except for being much smaller, thinner, and softer - it didn't seem very different.
"Ah, geez."
I approached the fireplace and added some wood. The room was already warm, almost hot, but I couldn't feel at ease without doing something.
At that moment, I heard dog sounds from somewhere.
Bark! Bark bark!
What dogs are barking? When I listened carefully, I heard strange noises along with their barking.
Splash, scratch, splash.
A sound so faint that only sensitive hearing could detect it. It seemed like something splashing in water and scratching wood.
I tried to ignore it, thinking the dogs were hunting, but once a sound starts to irritate you, it endlessly tickles your ears.
"...Damn it."
Eventually, I picked up Hrunting and left the room.
The sound was coming from the backyard. The village chief's house was situated in a corner of the village, and because of this, the backyard was surrounded by a wooden fence instead of a regular fence.
Suddenly, the dog barking sound from outside the wooden fence subsides. When I slightly kick the fence, there's a ‘Kkiking’ sound, and the sound of something quickly running away can be heard.
Ggeuggeug, Cheombeong, Ggeug.
The sound continued even in the midst of this. It was coming from the bottom of the wooden fence.
Crouching down out of curiosity, I soon let out a hollow laugh.
"What... What is this?"
There was a small animal struggling.
A dirt floor with pine, murky pooled water, fallen rotting wood pieces, and a small hole...... It seems the animal being chased by dogs had slipped in under the wooden fence.
"What are you doing here?"
Crouching down and looking closely, its identity was none other than a pig. A small wild boar with brown fur and cute markings, about the size of my palm.
When I reached out and felt its leg, it screamed.
"Kkaeaek, Kkaeaek!"
"Oh, you startled me."
The animal that had been struggling silently until now suddenly started making a fuss when touched.
While making loud noises, it was biting my hand, but despite the loud squeals, its mouth had no strength.
"Stay still, you."
I applied force to my hand and broke the wooden piece holding its leg. Then I quickly pulled my hand back.
"Kkaeaek, Kkeak."
The squealing pig that had been struggling seemed bewildered when my hand disappeared and staggered for a moment.
"Why are you standing there in a daze? Go."
I tapped its buttocks and spoke.
"Humans are more dangerous than dogs. You'll die if you stay here."
The pig stood still for a moment, then shook its body with a ‘Paralak’ sound.
It stared at me, then staggered towards the hole. Then, it suddenly collapsed.
"What?"
I tapped it with my finger, but there was no movement. It didn't seem dead...
Clearly, its fur was soaked, but its body was hot like a fireball.
"Ah, damn it."
Just as I was about to leave it, thoughts of Ellen suddenly made my feet stop.
"Sigh."
I picked up the baby wild boar and headed inside the house.
That evening, Ellen's fever was at its peak.
Utequais had picked some herbs and made a thick gruel, but Ellen couldn't even eat it or come to her senses.
I asked the village elders for help, but they only shook their heads.
All I could do was pray that Ellen would overcome the illness.
***
The blonde girl tried to hide her uncomfortable feelings.
'How dare she ask me to follow her at this late hour. What a shameless woman.' Ellen didn't deliberately express the displeasure filling her heart.
The girl didn't want to show emotional reactions to the woman in front of her. She didn't think the woman was worthy of such a response.
"The night breeze is cool," Ellen said nothing, just looked the woman up and down.
Roughly tied red hair hanging to one side, eyes reminiscent of a fox, lips oozing with lewdness, unnecessarily large breasts, exaggeratedly cinched waist, bulging hips and calves, and a vulgar skirt hem deliberately raised to show skin.
The girl didn't like anything about this prostitute.
Ellen slowly glided across the ground and suddenly spoke.
"Where are you going?"
"To the pier. Neither you nor I will see the sea for a while."
"...You?"
As questions filled her blue eyes, the red-haired beauty smiled awkwardly.
"Well, the weather doesn't feel like summer. Last year around this time, we had to keep the windows open even at night because of the heat." At Daria's words, Ellen just quietly frowned, offering no response.
Occasional night patrol soldiers appeared but passed by without speaking to Ellen. They thought there was no point in confronting the famous ‘Witch of Fire’ with her fierce temperament.
Passing through the busy street where street vendors were packing up, they reached the pier, and the surroundings began to quiet down. The gentle waves, cool breeze, and occasional seabird sounds were incredibly peaceful.
Perhaps due to the atmosphere, the two border guards protecting the pier were fast asleep.
Not just nodding off while standing, but completely sprawled out and snoring - they didn't seem to be very diligent soldiers, even without considering the weather.
The girl and the woman passed the sleeping soldiers and walked along the pier.
Far away, a large fire was blazing in the temporary lighthouse.
Along the boundary of that light, torches of the patrol guards flickered below, and above, the Milky Way flowed around the crescent moon.
It wasn't too bright or too dark - just the perfect lighting to enjoy the nighttime sea.
"It's been a while here."
"I don't usually come this far. It's a bit scary to come alone."
Ellen was standing with her arms crossed. Daria looked at her and smiled softly.
"About two weeks ago? I came out after pestering Phoenix at night. Back then, the moon was so bright I could see all the way to the horizon."
"...Is that what you called me out to say?"
Ellen continued with an icy cold expression.
"After all that talk about Phoenix, about following me or I'll regret it - is this all you wanted to say? Did you want to boast about seducing Phoenix with that vulgar body of yours?"
"...It's not like that."
Daria's lips hardened as she carefully chose her words.
"I just wanted to tell you in advance."
"What?"
"I'm going to follow Phoenix."
"...Follow him? What are you talking about?"
"The ship - that's a lie, isn't it?"
"What?"
"Phoenix knows nothing about the west. He isn't even interested. You casually mentioned going to Raven's Cliff together."
Daria, interpreting Ellen's silence as agreement, spoke with determination.
"I'll go to my uncle in Longville. With Phoenix."
The girl's body swayed slightly. Daria continued, her hands clasped together.
"I know very well that Phoenix, Ellen, and Hatanka are not ordinary people. I know I'll be a burden."
The cherry blossom ring on her clasped hands was particularly striking.
"That's why..."
"But. I want to stay near Phoenix a little longer. If I just let him go without doing anything, I feel I'll regret it my entire life."
For some reason feeling nauseous, Ellen couldn't say anything.
"I want to believe he'll return someday and wait, but... I'm not that patient."
Swallowing rising bile, Ellen spoke with difficulty.
"...Longville is, Longville is far. Very."
"Yes, I know."
"But you're saying *hoo* you'll go together? Who, who gave you permission?"
"I'm planning to tell Phoenix tonight."
"What, *ha* what?"
"I've thought about it for a long time. I want to honestly confess. That I want to follow him."
"...That's impossible."
"I know very well how Ellen feels about Phoenix. That's why I'm telling you first. I think it's the proper thing to do."
Her pink lips trembled.
"Ha, don't pretend to understand and act considerate. You, you know nothing. Phoenix is—"
"Phoenix loves me."
"Bullshit."
"Ellen knows too. Phoenix loves—"
"Bullshit! How dare a filthy prostitute, without knowing her place—"
Unlike her harsh words, her large eyes were pouring out tears.
Ellen found the fact that she was crying unbearably shameful and infuriating.
The sympathy in Daria's eyes looked like the gaze of a victor, making Ellen feel like she could vomit at any moment.
"I'm sorry. This wasn't my intention. I just wanted to—"
Ellen breathed heavily and closed her eyes. Daria's voice faded, and the night wind blurred.
Meditation.
The girl had been practicing meditation for over 10 years - it was a long-standing habit.
She instantly sank into her inner self. At the very bottom, she quietly asked herself,
'Calm down, take a breath. Why am I so angry?'
'There's no need for this. You're a magician. Be rational. Think carefully about what you want.'
'Why do I hate this woman so much? She's not worth it.'
The murkiness clears. Her mind awakens. She finds answers to her questions.
'Am I angry because Phoenix might really love her, and not me?'
'I just want her to be away from Phoenix. I can't bear them being together anymore.'
'She torments me. She always tries to provoke me. But yes, she's a woman not worth my time.'
This process of questioning and answering herself repeats dozens of times in an instant.
"......Ellen? Ellen!"
"Whew."
With a deep breath, the girl opened her eyes.
She was no longer crying, no longer gasping for breath, no longer feeling nauseous.
Ellen, strangely calm, slowly raised her head.
"That's right. I hate you."
"......What?"
The girl lifted her head and looked up at the woman. Her sapphire-like eyes were stained with the night's darkness.
"I hate seeing you laugh next to Phoenix, Phoenix laughing looking at you, the two of you secretly meeting and mixing bodies every night. It makes me shudder."
"That's, Ellen..."
"I know. I have no right to interfere in what's between you two. But it's still painful."
Daria unconsciously stepped back at the rapid, monotone speech. Then suddenly, she opened her mouth.
"Ellen, right now..."
The girl who had been floating in the sky was now standing firmly on the pier. Then she slowly, very carefully took a step.
"I've been counting down the days to leave the city."
On the second step, she stumbled slightly. But soon regaining her balance, she moved again and opened her right hand.
"And you want to follow?"
"Wait a moment, Ellen."
On the third step, the girl whispered something in a low, quick tone. A cold wind blew, and something glittering was held in her white hand.
Ellen spoke with an expressionless face.
"That won't work. I'm going to die."
"Wait, Ellen, surely..."
"Sorry."
An ice spike shot out like lightning.
Splash.
"......Huh. What was that sound?"
Rubbing his eyes at the large water sound, a border guard yawned. Then he nudged a young soldier awake with his spear.
"Mmm."
"Hey, stop sleeping and go do a round."
"......Is something wrong?"
"I heard a sound just now. Hurry."
Pushed by the senior soldier's urging, the young soldier picked up a torch and dragged his feet, searching the pier.
His half-closed eyes scanned the pitch-black darkness but found no trace.
"There's nothing here."
"Really? Was I mistaken?"
Once again, silence descended on the pier, and the wind blew with a whoosh.
It was a peaceful night.