Chapter 38 - Unexpected Situation Late at Night

The rain soaked the mountain peaks, falling relentlessly and without mercy. Fog began creeping down, slowly enveloping the mountain slopes where I had taken shelter. The cold air pierced my bones, carrying the scent of wet earth and decaying leaves. The pine trees swayed violently, as though they refused to be swallowed by the storm. Thankfully, Dimas and I had managed to set up a tent made from animal hides just before the rain began, so I didn't have to fear the water soaking my body.

This emergency tent wasn't very large, just big enough to shelter three people along with our belongings. Because of the tight space, Dimas, Shella, and I had arranged our bags in the center of the tent to keep them dry. That was why I had to make peace with the raindrops splattering onto the earth around me.

The wind blew gently, teasing the back of my neck, creating a cold sensation that wrapped around my body. Knowing we would have to climb the mountain ahead, I had prepared by bringing a jacket from Glafelden. Even though I wore it, it still couldn't fend off the freezing cold. Of course, this cheap jacket, which cost only twenty bronze coins, was made of thin material. It might as well have been regular clothing.

For a moment, I regretted my choice of jacket. I was lured by its cool design. In hindsight, I could've bought a much thicker jacket for the same price. Just look at Dimas! The man didn't seem to feel the cold at all with his thick jacket. We had shopped together just before we embarked on this adventure. If only I had listened to his advice back then, maybe I wouldn't be freezing now.

"Why are you staring like that?" Dimas asked, noticing my gaze.

"I'm freezing, want to swap jackets?"

"Don't even think about it! It's your fault for picking such a thin jacket!" Dimas snorted in front of my nose. "Did you think we were going on a sightseeing trip? If you're cold, use your magic to warm yourself!"

"If I could, I would've done it already, you idiot!"

Dimas ignored my words and turned his face toward the outside of the tent, though there was nothing to see out there. Meanwhile, I cast my gaze downward toward the oil lantern in the middle of the tent. It gave off a faint light, providing a small comfort in the midst of the darkness around us. I could only hope this light wouldn't attract any wild animals to our shelter.

I huddled beneath the tent, arms wrapped around myself, while Shella, feeling sorry for me, offered me a piece of cloth she had. Compared to regular cloth, it was more like a thin blanket—thicker than fabric but thinner than a full blanket. Wrapping myself in this did help reduce the cold from outside. Finally, I could feel warmth seeping into my body.

For dinner, we prepared the ingredients we had collected earlier in the day when the sun was still shining. When we passed a path lined with mushrooms on both sides, we weren't about to pass them up. After sorting through them, we gathered a fair amount of mushrooms that were safe to eat.

We cooked using some charcoal briquettes I had bought in Glafelden. Thankfully, this world had already discovered charcoal and fire starters. Without them, we would've had to find firewood and try to create a spark by rubbing two sticks together. That would've been much more troublesome and inefficient. I couldn't help but hope that the inventors and clever minds in this world would create something that could bridge the gap in technology from my previous world. Perhaps in a few years, I could enjoy lunch while watching videos on the internet, or even order dinner using a mobile app. For a moment, I found myself longing for the modern life of my old world.

Dimas made a stove from a pile of small stones arranged in a square. After placing a few pieces of charcoal in the center and lighting it, he set a small metal pot on top of the stones. Though this wasn't exactly a picnic trip, I still wanted to make sure we had the essential things, like food. So, I bought a small pot that could be carried in a bag. This way, we could cook anything without having to eat it raw.

"This is really good!" I exclaimed enthusiastically, looking at Dimas as he ate his mushroom soup. "I almost forgot you're the son of a restaurant owner."

Dimas didn't respond. He just sighed and continued his dinner.

"Ah, sorry! Did I remind you of the past?" I asked carefully, worried that I might hurt his feelings.

"Yeah, but it doesn't have to be like that. I can still control myself. Not like you!" Dimas replied flatly.

"Seriously?"

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye without facing me directly. "Did you forget the purpose of this journey?"

"Huh?"

Dimas sighed deeply. "You didn't forget our goal, right? To find and collect the Soul Crystals, then we'll go home. So, no need to sympathize, because we'll all be returning to our world. So stop your rambling and finish your dinner!"

Dimas's scolding pierced my sensitive ears. My eardrums throbbed with pain from his words.

What he said was true. The purpose of this journey was to find the eleven Soul Crystals from various parts of the world and gather them. Once the Hope Crystal was formed, we would ask for it to send us, and everyone else, back to Earth. It was easier said than done.

But I knew, no—we knew—that this journey would be long and incredibly difficult. We had already found the first Soul Crystal, but what about the others? Would they be easy or hard to find? Or maybe some of them were lost and destroyed? For now, I didn't know the answer. This journey could take two or three years, or perhaps longer than I could imagine.

Still, none of us—me, Dimas, or Shella—intended to give up and turn back. We could only move forward, no matter what would happen in the future.

"If we really are going back to Earth, what about Anggi? Will she become human again, or stay as a Haier-Elvian?"

"I think she'll stay like that forever," Dimas answered briefly in response to Shella's idle question.

"Like hell! I'll also ask to be turned back into a human! If I stay like this when I go back to Earth, I'll end up being some sort of experiment!" I protested loudly.

"Of course you can't, idiot! Remember the Dragon Balls cartoon? When all the orbs are gathered, Shen Long the dragon can only grant one wish. If given the choice to turn you back into a human or return to our original world, I'm sure all our friends would choose the second option. So accept your fate as a Haier-Elvian. Besides, you're beautiful. Maybe when we're back on Earth, you'll be chased by lots of guys. Be happy! You never knew what it's like to be liked by so many men, right?"

"Y-You bastard!" I cursed, frustrated. If the situation were different, I'd punch him right now. "Then, I'll get plastic surgery in Korea to shorten my ears!"

"You're crazy!"

Shella laughed at our antics, but for a moment, there was a hint of sadness at the corner of her lips. My quarrel with Dimas continued until dinner ended. Light-hearted conversations like this thawed the atmosphere in the midst of the cold that enveloped the mountains. It made us forget about the rain that kept falling without pause.

The night grew late, and we decided to stay where we were until the sun rose. Since there were no clocks in this world, I had no idea what time it was. Judging by how long it had been since the sky darkened, it seemed to be around eight or nine at night.

I took the first watch for three hours, and then Dimas would take the next shift. We agreed not to include Shella on the watch list since she wasn't fit for this job. Besides, I doubted her readiness at all times. For now, I wanted to see her in good shape to continue the journey the next day.

As for Dimas, he asked to rest first because he said his head hurt a little. In our small emergency tent, there wasn't enough space for all three of us to lie down at the same time. So I let him and Shella sleep in the tent with all of our bags while I sat outside under a pine tree. Thankfully, the rain had stopped, or I would've spent my watch under a downpour.

While sitting on the pine tree roots, I pondered. I wasn't sure what I was doing. I walked back and forth between one tree and another, then carved my name into the tree trunk. Occasionally, I played with my Viglet and tried to recite a few small technique incantations.

"Vitr Ans!"

As I directed the tip of my Viglet at a stone the size of a cow, the heavy object soared into the air above the ground. It seemed to defy the laws of physics, floating in the air without regard for mass and gravity. Isaac Newton would surely be astonished to see this. Perhaps he would rise from his grave if he knew that magical knowledge truly existed. The magic system in this world, or Esze, was beyond reason. Even someone as modern as me didn't understand how it worked in detail.

After a few seconds, I dropped the heavy stone back to its original place with a loud thud. I looked at the ivory-colored Viglet with black markings in my hand. So elegant, strong, and reliable. Normally, I could only lift wooden tables or chairs, but with this, I could lift objects many times heavier.

Suddenly, an idea crossed my mind. What if I gave it a name? An extraordinary object like this should have a name as grand as it is. I hadn't named the previous Viglet that broke. It was just a cheap, used object.

But this black Viglet was different. The one I held in my hand was special. Maybe I really should give it a name. I thought about it for a while before finally settling on a name.

"Viglet of Hope," I whispered softly, feeling a sense of joy.

I wasn't good at naming things, so I named it simply. I hoped this Viglet would help me overcome all obstacles and lead me to the Soul Crystal of Hope. That was the meaning behind the name. From now on, I would call it that.

Afterward, I tried a few more Esze tricks with the Viglet of Hope. Aside from the techniques Almira had taught me, I experimented by combining two spells. Although the results weren't what I imagined, at least the combined technique might be useful for defeating future enemies.

My watch shift was over, and it was time to rest. I went back to the tent and tried to wake Dimas for the shift change. I shook his body, but he didn't stir as if he didn't want to wake up. I tried shaking him harder, even shouting at him loudly. Still, Dimas remained fast asleep.

This was strange. He never acted like this. He was the most alert of us all. Normally, Dimas would wake up if he felt something was wrong. His instincts were sharp when out in the wilderness. But this time, he seemed like a lazy person who didn't want to wake up. Annoyed that Dimas wasn't waking up, I decided to prank him by covering his nostrils. Let's see if he'll still sleep if he can't breathe!

A moment later, I moved my finger toward his face. As soon as my hand touched Dimas's skin, I realized something unusual. His body was burning with fever, hot as if it had been roasted on a flame. His breath was shallow, and his mouth babbled incoherently. In such a bad condition, it was clear he wouldn't respond to my call.

"Dimas!!"