Chapter 338
Chapter 338
I used this to steal skills from artisans. So, it’s magic that’s my specialty. It would’ve been perfect if I could block out the noise I make.
It wasn’t until I finished using that magic that I let out a loud sigh. I couldn’t escape from the cracks without worry, but could at least stretch my stiff body.
I sat on the ground, leaning against a tree branch, absentmindedly staring at the lush leaves. It felt out of place to think, ‘How refreshing they look.’
“Ah.”
Only then did I notice the still bleeding gash on my calf. Though I had forgotten about the pain, I had anticipated and become accustomed to this level of injury.
Within my robe were plenty of emergency potions in thin, transparent pouches reminiscent of ziplock bags. They seemed to function just as such.
Baristan had securely tied them to prevent them from falling out of the robe, using cords made of rare insect silk found only in the north, which was considered tough enough to withstand sawing.
‘…How am I supposed to use these in emergencies when they’re tied up like this?’
It was a rare mistake by Baristan, who was committed to ensuring nothing fell out of the robe.
After much struggling, I untied the cord and retrieved a pouch containing a liquid. Among the numerous pouches tied to my robe, the majority were healing potions made by Hamal himself.
Though not as effective as receiving direct treatment, applying them to wounds facilitated rapid recovery in proportion to the body’s natural healing speed.
Although they were potions, they didn’t heal wounds instantly as those in games.
A sizzling sound accompanied the pain receding from the wound. The bleeding ceased immediately, and the wound bubbled.
I blinked slowly, watching the wound on my calf, which had been gaping and bleeding, gradually heal.
Ordinarily, bleeding would stop first, followed by a slow, inward recovery matching the depth of the wound. But I was already witnessing the long gash fading and becoming faint.
The alarming rate of recovery astonished me.
‘That’s your resilience. Your physical strength allows for a strong recovery without leaving a trace.’
Come to think of it, Kaichen had said something like that. At the time, I had dismissed it as inconsequential. But now, seeing it with my own eyes, it didn’t seem normal.
‘Am I really human…?’
Not only could I use time magic, but my mana was dark as if contaminated. Looking back on the path I had taken, I realized it was far from ordinary.
Barely ten minutes had passed, yet the long gash barely healed was now barely visible. If my boots hadn’t remained unscathed where they had been damaged, one wouldn’t even know I had been wounded.
“Hah.”
So what if I’m not human? Even my lover is an incarnation of a golden dragon. From the start, transmigration wasn’t ordinary.
Didn’t I become a monster to defeat monsters in the first place?
I pushed aside my thoughts and focused on organizing the situation as best as possible.
I lifted my head to the sky, and to my shock, the sun was still hidden.
A total solar eclipse was supposed to pass by momentarily, right?
But the sun, hidden for hours, never revealed itself again.
A sigh burst out. I slipped out of the crevice and started walking briskly.
Even though sound was blocked, there was no need for caution. I stealthily walked, surveying the surroundings. I felt gloomy about how things are turning out but pushed the feeling aside for later.
“Da!mn it, really, that b!tch Exchetra. I’ll… I’ll slap her face hard.”
My palms itched. How I wanted to hit her!
In my mind, I was an assassin, hiding my body as I moved, constantly thinking. About her slow, victorious smile directed at me, uttering that phrase.
“Checkmate.”
Da!mn you, that cockroach Exchetra.
We’re still in the middle of the fight, but she’s already boldly declaring victory as if the game is already won. No matter how you think of it, the ‘King’ had a wide grin, as if he was in danger.
‘Not yet, not yet. It’s not over; I can still escape.’
Exchetra easily uttered the threatening declaration, but we hadn’t lost any pieces yet. Neither the Queen, Bishop, nor Knight.
Who exactly is this “King” she refers to as being finished?
My complex mind was stained with the thoughts of a chessboard. It was even irksome to think how that person was overjoyed to sere my fiercely contorted expression.
“Hoo… hoo…”
To maintain composure, I employed the remembered Lamaze breathing technique.
My friend, who was about to give birth soon after early marriage, taught me this breathing technique. When I asked why I had to learn it when I wasn’t going to give birth, she said it was good for relieving tension and calming the mind.
Since it actually helped, I occasionally meditated during troubled times. But I didn’t know I’d have to use it in such a situation.
As I approached the foundation again, screams and cries echoed from all around. My heart sank heavily.
Exchetra’s final attack began when the sun was completely covered in darkness.
It was as if signaling the start of a war.