TEOCH 28

By the time the sun was slowly setting, we had finally reached the safe zone.

We collapsed, panting heavily with exhaustion. Having run for so long, a wave of nausea rose in my throat, threatening to overwhelm me.

I struggled to suppress the nausea and stood up. Even if I wanted to rest, checking on my companions’ conditions came first.

“Is everyone okay?”

No one answered. It wasn’t because they were truly unwell, but rather because they were all too exhausted to muster the energy to respond.

Rehas was sprawled on the ground, groaning under Damian’s weight. He seemed to want Damian to move, but since Damian had already passed out, it looked like Rehas would be stuck under him for a while. He didn’t seem to be in serious trouble, so I figured it was fine to leave him be.

Rikiel was in no better shape. Normally, his passive skill ‘Sturdy Body’ kept him from tiring easily, but today was different. The ‘Enhancement’ and ‘Flight’ parasites in his back placed an enormous strain on his body. Having used them for so long, Rikiel was so drained he could barely move a finger. From what I could tell, he was on the verge of fainting.

And then there was Tristan, who had been carried on Rikiel’s back…

“I’ll treat your wound, Your Majesty.”

I rummaged through my bag with difficulty and found the last bottle of holy water we had. Tristan, panting and unable to respond properly, only nodded. With trembling hands, I unwrapped his bandage and examined the wound.

Fortunately, the injury wasn’t as severe as I’d feared. The gash was about a handspan long, but it wasn’t too deep, and while there was some bleeding, there was no serious damage to muscles or bones. His skin was slightly discolored, likely from the paralyzing venom.

It’s okay, it’s okay, I told myself, swallowing the lump in my throat as I poured holy water onto his wound. As soon as it touched the injury, thick smoke rose, and Tristan grimaced, letting out a pained groan.

“My arm… it feels completely stiff. I can’t move it properly.”

“It’s alright. The holy water will detoxify it in a few hours. Once you rest inside, you’ll feel better.”

I struggled to help Tristan up. My legs were trembling, making it hard to walk properly, but right now, I had to take care of him. Tristan leaned on me, stumbling as he walked.

Through his thin clothing, I could feel the heat radiating from his body, as if he were burning up. Had he overexerted himself to the point of getting sick? The thought brought a wave of sorrow, and before I knew it, I spoke in a sharp tone.

“It’s fortunate it was only a light injury… but you were too reckless.”

“I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“That’s not the issue! What if you’d been seriously hurt…!”

What if you’d died? I almost shouted, but I caught myself when I saw the sadness in Tristan’s expression. What was I doing? Realizing my mistake, I awkwardly lowered my gaze.

I’d gotten too emotional. I just didn’t want to see him hurt, but in my agitation, I’d ended up scolding him.

“I’ve caused you pain. I’m sorry that all I could do was something like this. But I couldn’t just stand by while my brother was in danger.”

“N-No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I didn’t mean to say that…”

“But it all worked out, didn’t it? If Rikiel had been injured, we wouldn’t have made it out unscathed either.”

Despite his injury and fever, Tristan only looked at me with a gentle smile. After laying him down in the tent, I carefully brushed back his golden hair. His feverish eyes were unfocused and hazy. Hesitating, I added to ease the situation.

“Yes, you’re right. Thanks to you, Your Majesty, I’m alive.”

“Don’t say such embarrassing things… If only I were a bit stronger.”

“You’ve already been more than enough help to us. For now, rest. You’ll feel better after some sleep.”

Thankfully, Tristan’s sadness softened, and he gave a faint smile. He looked like he wanted to say more, but his eyes were already heavy with sleep.

I covered him with two layers of blankets and stood up. I wanted to stay by his side and tend to him, but I had to check on the others. Rehas was manageable, but Damian and Rikiel were so exhausted they couldn’t even stand. If I didn’t get them into the tent to rest, they might end up sick.

But despite my thoughts, my legs felt like stone, refusing to move. I stood there, unable to take a step, staring at Tristan’s profile.

…Seeing him in pain was unbearable. The blood-soaked, ruined white shirt and his dirt-covered hair didn’t suit him at all.

‘What do I do? What do I do with him…?’

The emotions I’d suppressed for survival surged back, stirred by the sight of Tristan in pain. I tried desperately to regain my composure as the ‘guide,’ but once my heart started wavering, I couldn’t steady it.

‘He’s managed to endure so far, but what if he keeps getting hurt?’

The thought made my already anxious heart tremble even more. This wasn’t an overreaction. In the demon realm, even the most seasoned warrior couldn’t guarantee survival. It was only because this was a tutorial stage that his injuries were minor. In a later stage, Tristan could have died yesterday. If that had happened, I…

“…Ugh, damn it.”

It wasn’t about choosing death out of foolish sentiment. If I’d stopped at the first cycle, he wouldn’t have been dragged into the demon realm. Lost in those thoughts, I stood there dazed until I sensed someone approaching from behind. Startled, I turned around.

“Rohan? Is His Majesty okay?”

“It was you, Rehas? …Well, His Majesty just fell asleep. He has a slight fever, but it’s not too serious.”

“That’s a relief. Want to help me get the Captain? I can handle this guy, but the Captain’s too heavy for me alone.”

Rehas, who had entered the tent, was carrying the unconscious Damian on his back. He looked exhausted but seemed to have enough strength to manage Damian. We covered Damian with a blanket and went outside to get Rikiel, who was completely passed out.

Rikiel’s large frame made him incredibly heavy. I didn’t know exactly how much he weighed, but it felt like he was as heavy as Damian and Tristan combined—maybe an exaggeration, but that’s how it felt.

Rehas and I, sweating profusely, dragged Rikiel into the tent. After covering him with a blanket like we did for Damian, I dragged my exhausted body outside again. Rehas followed, looking puzzled.

“Rehas, please look after them. I have somewhere to go.”

“You’re going out? We just got back to the safe zone, and you’re leaving again?”

“Damian’s out cold, so we have no way to maintain heat tonight. I need to find firewood. There’s a grove of dead trees to the northwest, so I’ll gather some dry branches there.”

“But isn’t that too dangerous?”

“It’s fine. There aren’t any demon beasts around there, so I’ll be okay alone. If I’m careful, I can get firewood without being noticed.”

I desperately wanted to rest, but sleeping in this cold without any heating would make us sick. I forced my weary body to move, but before I could take a few steps, Rehas grabbed my arm.

“I’ll go. You rest.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Stop being stubborn and stay here.”

“Who’s being stubborn? Look at yourself. You look like a walking corpse. You’re going out like that?”

“You think you’re any better? You don’t look so great either.”

“Well, I’m not exactly in top shape either… But it’s better if I get sick instead of you. I’m just a hunter handling odd jobs, but you’re our guide. What are we supposed to do if you push yourself and collapse?”

You need to take better care of yourself, Rehas said, dragging me by the arm. I tried to shake him off in frustration, but soon realized he was right. I didn’t even have the strength to pull away.

My arms felt powerless, and a wave of weakness threatened to make me collapse. I finally admitted my body was in bad shape. Rehas dragged me back to the tent, looked around for a moment, and then fixed his gaze on Tristan with an odd expression.

“Why does His Majesty have two blankets? Isn’t one of those yours?”

“He’s injured. Of course we need to take extra care of him.”

“Fair enough. But now you don’t have a blanket.”

I explained without changing my expression, and Rehas sighed lightly before pulling one blanket off Tristan. I started to protest, but he laid me down next to Tristan and wrapped us both in the blanket, even tying it tightly with a sturdy rope, trapping my limbs.

“Hey, wait! What are you doing?!”

“What’s the problem? When it’s cold, you sleep close to someone else. If you keep squirming, you’ll make His Majesty uncomfortable.”

“…!”

“Finally listening, huh? It might be a bit uncomfortable, but bear with it until I get back, hero. Sleeping’s not a bad idea.”

When I froze at his words, Rehas gave a satisfied grin and left the tent. Clearly, he had no intention of listening to me and was heading out on his own.

This guy was a complete troublemaker. Synthesizing items on his own, tying people up, and going off alone! Was his decisiveness a strength or just recklessness? I sighed deeply and lowered my head. Moments later, I realized Rehas had left me with an embarrassing problem.

“…Your Majesty.”

“….”

I started feeling awkward for a different reason. Coming to my senses, I realized Tristan’s sleeping face was right in front of me. Each time he exhaled softly, his breath tickled my nose. Even without a fever, my face flushed red.

Now that I thought about it, I was lying pressed against Tristan. His burning body heat radiated through the thin fabric, and his beautiful golden hair swayed less than a handspan from my face.

I desperately tried to ignore his nose, almost touching mine, and his lips, slightly farther away. This wasn’t right. This situation… it could lead to a huge misunderstanding if he woke up…!

“Rehas! Untie this! This is too much!”

“Mm? Rohan…?”

“N-No, Your Majesty! Keep sleeping! It’s nothing! Don’t wake up!”

“Mmm…”

No matter how much I shouted, Rehas was long gone to gather firewood, and I only disturbed Tristan, who stirred in his sleep. I quickly shut my mouth, praying he wouldn’t wake. The exhaustion weighing me down vanished, replaced by a pounding heart and rushing blood.

“Hah, hah…”

This wasn’t good. It was bad for my heart. I closed my eyes to ignore Tristan’s presence, but that only made his heat and breath feel more intense. My face wasn’t just flushed—heat was pooling in my lower body, and I could only pray Tristan wouldn’t wake up. If he saw me like this, there’d be no way to explain it. No excuse like “it’s a biological reaction” would help!

There was no way I could sleep like this. I let out a hollow laugh and shut my eyes tightly. Rehas, you bastard. When you get back, I swore to myself I’d make you pay for this.