Chapter 17: A Light in the Darkness

[I.f. y.o.u. w.i.s.h./^@#$&a*m@$n]

“Hoo…”

As I recalled the system’s answer to my question about whether I could return to my original world at the end of this journey, I couldn’t help but sigh.

‘If I wish?’

Of course, I’d want to return to the world where Hayul and I used to live, away from this desolate and dangerous place.

No, any sane person would never choose to stay in this world. Thinking about it again, it feels unsettling.

If they’re throwing out such bait, there might be a reason why I can’t return later.

“Squeak!”

“Oh, oh, sorry. Sorry, sorry. Oh dear, my hand was bad again. Sorry, Bamtol.”

I tried to shake off the unease by moving my hand, which had stopped without me realizing it, with renewed enthusiasm.

No. Don’t overthink it. There’s no reason to stay in this world, no matter what.

Unless the previous world was damaged so severely that I can’t return…

‘Ugh! Stop with the useless thoughts! Don’t lay down unnecessary flags!’

Well, even if I, a supporting character, lay down a flag, it wouldn’t have much impact, would it? Still, thinking positively is better for my mental health than dwelling on ominous thoughts.

Hmm, but.

I am a supporting character… right? Not just an extra, am I?

As I mechanically stroked Bamtol, I figured that if this mascot-like animal is being friendly, I probably wasn’t just an extra.

It feels like I’m being too optimistic and interpreting things as I please, but that’s not what’s important right now.

‘Hayul and I will definitely survive and go back.’

It’s not like I received a definite answer that I can’t return. They said I could return when it’s all over, so I’ll do my best to make that happen.

‘But why is my body so stiff?’

Am I really getting sick? Now even my joints ache, and almost my whole body is starting to hurt?

Is this really the body that drank all those stamina recovery and enhancement potions? The pain is starting to flare up.

Ah. Could it be that? The cliché where your body is reconstructed after drinking an enhancement potion. If that’s the case, that’s too much. It’s just like extreme growing pains.

“Ugh. Bamtol, my whole body aches…”

“Squeak?”

Come to think of it, was Bamtol male? Or else it would be something to be sorry about. At the same time, Hayul’s shout came from outside the room.

“Hyung!? Are you in pain!?”

“…!! No, no! I was just playing with Bamtol!”

He looked ready to jump up and rush in if I was even a second late in answering, so I put the innocent Bamtol on airplane mode to show that I was fine. Fortunately, Bamtol seemed to be enjoying it.

‘Oh, my arm.’

My arm is trembling and aching from just lifting a red panda.

I was too quick to rejoice that I felt better as soon as I woke up. Anyway, it looks like I’m really going to be sick.

But come to think of it, isn’t this too much? I drank two potions, and my body is still getting sick. What a waste.

I barely managed to hold back a groan when Kang Dohee came back into the room.

“Haje. How’s your condition?”

“Um…”

I glanced at Hayul, who was sitting outside, trimming vegetables and things I didn’t recognize, and answered in a small voice. “Suddenly, my whole body aches, and I feel a bit dazed.”

“It’s just a guess, but it seems like your body is changing as your stats increase. Take a painkiller and sleep more.”

Kang Dohee handed me a general painkiller from the first aid kit she had looted from the store.

“Ugh… No, medicine is precious in this world. I think we should save it.”

“It’s okay. It’s already a year past the expiration date, so just take it.”

“…Okay.”

I wonder if medicine goes bad? I don’t know.

Kang Dohee, after confirming that I swallowed the pill, grabbed Bamtol by the scruff of its neck.

“Squeak!”

“You too, come out and don’t disturb him. Haje, get some sleep. I’m closing the door.”

“…Yes. See you later, Bamtol.”

“Squeak!”

The door closed. The living room became noisy, but the room was quiet. I closed my eyes, listening to the faint sounds from outside.

I’m lying still, but it feels like the blanket is spinning around. It’s almost like feeling the Earth’s rotation with my body. Not that I’ve ever felt that before.

It seems like I’m not in my right mind, having such absurd thoughts.

‘I’ll feel better after a nap.’

If my body upgrade is complete after I wake up from groaning, will I gain a lot of muscle?

It would be really nice if I could have amazing muscles like the main characters in fantasy novels.

A life with great strength. I wonder what that kind of life would be like. They say you can work all day and not feel tired after just one nap. What would that kind of life be like?

I closed my eyes, thinking trivial thoughts, and began to fall asleep again.

Just before falling asleep, I thought I saw a bluish light in front of my eyes, but my consciousness faded first.

★★★

When I woke up from a sleep so deep that I didn’t even dream, it was dark around me.

Hayul was sleeping next to me, covered in a blanket, and Kang Dojin was lying next to Hayul.

I don’t know if they were asleep or not, but they were both just breathing with their eyes closed.

Is Kang Dohee sleeping in another room?

My body was a little chilly, but I didn’t have the aching joints, dazed feeling, or chills like before I fell asleep.

Thankfully, I seem to have gotten better after a good sleep.

I lifted my arm and repeatedly made a fist and opened it. I wondered if I had gained even a little muscle, but I couldn’t see any difference on the surface.

‘I should do some physical work when it gets light.’

As I slowly sat up, I noticed a bowl placed next to my bedding. The bowl contained two boiled potatoes and one sweet potato.

Is this for me? Come to think of it, I collapsed as soon as I came to this house and haven’t eaten anything.

My forgotten hunger stirred at the sight of the food. I was about to drool, so I bit into one of the potatoes first.

It tasted good, as if it were seasoned, even though I was eating it without salt. I finished one potato in an instant and was about to eat the sweet potato when a question suddenly popped into my head, so I opened my inventory.

‘If I put the sweet potato in the inventory…’

[Inventory] 8/200

3 bottles of 500ml Mind-Clearing Water

1 bottle of 274ml Mind-Clearing Water

2 First Aid Kits

1 Universal Key

1 Monkey Wrench

1 Roll of Duct Tape

1 Sharp Wooden Stick

1 Sweet Potato

‘I can’t see the durability or expiration date. Doesn’t it go bad?’

Usually, food placed in the inventory doesn’t spoil and is preserved in the same condition as when it was put in, but I didn’t know if that setting applied here as well.

Just in case, I should leave it in for only one day and check it later. If it looks like it has changed, I should quickly take it out and eat it.

I finished the remaining potato, drank some barley tea, and slowly got up and approached the window.

The window in the room was nailed shut with wooden planks and all sorts of sturdy boards, so I couldn’t open it, but I could see a little bit of the outside through the gaps in the planks.

A deep night with countless stars. The outside looked peaceful.

I still couldn’t hear any insect sounds. Still, looking at the stars that filled this place, just like any other night sky, strangely comforted me.

As I admired the night sky through the narrow gaps, I turned my gaze to a blinking icon.

A new icon in the shape of parchment had appeared next to the map.

As soon as I checked it, two sky-blue transparent windows appeared. One was the area boss elimination quest that I had already seen, and the other was a quest I hadn’t seen before.

[General Quest]

The Guest’s Gratitude 1

Work together with your party members to gather food and repay the landlord who accepted you as a guest.

Obtain Protein-Rich Food: 0/3

Success Reward: 100 Gold

Failure Penalty: None

Time Limit: None

‘Protein means meat, right? But what is gold? Shop. Item shop. Cash shop. Shop. Trade. Secret shop. Gold shop.’

I called out whatever came to mind, but no new window appeared.

Maybe the shop will be unlocked after I acquire that gold.

At least there’s no failure penalty, but they should at least tell me what I can buy with 100 gold.

‘I’ll find out when I get the reward, I guess. I should properly greet Ms. Joo Bi-young when it gets light.’

The three of them must have already had quite a few conversations with Ms. Joo Bi-young, but I had been passed out and sleeping the whole time, so I obviously hadn’t had a proper conversation.

I should say thank you and take the time to get to know each other so that it will be easier to rely on her in the future.

I was about to lie down again when I heard a scratching at the door and a small whimpering sound.

I gently opened the door so as not to wake Hayul and Kang Dojin, and saw Bamtol standing on two legs.

“Squeak.”

“Shh. Bamtol, everyone’s asleep.”

“Squeak. Ugh.”

Bamtol came to me, climbed up my leg, and snuggled into my arms.

What is this? So cute.

I don’t know why it’s being so friendly with me, but I felt warm and fuzzy as the cute animal friend treated me so affectionately.

As soon as I laid my body on the bedding, Bamtol climbed onto my chest and lay down as if it had been waiting for it.

I could feel its breath on my chin every time Bamtol breathed. Even its breathing is cute.

It didn’t seem to have a specific purpose for coming, and after tossing and turning a few times, it curled up and closed its eyes.

I looked at Hayul, who was sleeping next to me, with the warm fur ball on my chest.

His sleeping face was the same as Hayul’s childhood appearance that I remembered. However, there were definitely many things that I didn’t remember, or that were different from my memories.

It wasn’t that I disliked it or felt negative emotions. It was just unsettling.

It was clear that he was the person I loved more than anyone else in the world, but the fact that he wasn’t the object of all my love, and that I

had come to love him so deeply regardless, evoked emotions that were hard to express.

‘Of course, I still love the Hayul in front of me now.’

From the moment I saw the grown-up Hayul, I had already come to love my brother the most in the world.

That was natural. To me, Hayul is my only family and the most precious person in the world.

So, even though I’ve fallen into a place like this, I should be grateful that I haven’t been separated from Hayul, but I don’t know why my

heart is so confused.

I couldn’t let go of my worries that I couldn’t solve alone, when Bamtol suddenly raised its upper body and perked up its ears.

“Bamtol, what’s wrong? Sleep. Let’s go to sleep.”

“Squeak.”

Bamtol cried softly as if answering me, then turned its head and began to look at the window.

“Did you hear something outside?”

“Kyoo…”

Could something have approached near the house?