My Strange Savior - Chapter 35

Chapter 35

“We have arrived.”

Although the sun had not yet set, it hung precariously as if it would soon disappear behind the mountain.

“It might be difficult to immerse yourself in the stream as the water in the valley is cold, but it shouldn’t be too hard to at least wash roughly.”

In response to Kalion’s words, Gia nodded and gazed at the rather deep-looking valley.

The water, even at a glance, appeared remarkably clear and clean.

Gia took off her combat vest, which had bloodstains on it, and spread her holsters and belts on nearby rocks. She looked quite displeased at the lingering smell of dried blood.

“Ugh…”

It was a high-tech fabric, so it would dry quickly, which was fortunate. Gia squeezed the vest into the water without hesitation and began rinsing it thoroughly.

Kalion, who had taken his place next to Gia, also gently wiped his armor, which had splattered blood, with a piece of cloth.

The sound of flowing water echoed in the silent space, relieving the tension.

Since Gia couldn’t think of anything to say, she tentatively glanced at Kalion.

As she shook the soaked vest in the air, water droplets scattered in all directions.

‘By the way, what about my hair?’

Her tied-up hair was clumped together with sticky blood. In her desire for a shower, Gia carefully untied her hair.

Gia’s dilemma, as she looked at the icy cold stream, didn’t last long.

There was no better option than immersing her body in this freezing water to cool down. It seemed like a good idea. She could wash her hair and cool down her overheated body. 

As Gia thought this, she looked at Kalion, who was cleaning his armor next to her.

“Hey…”

“Yes?”

Kalion responded immediately as if he had been waiting for Gia’s question. Their voices overlapped so smoothly that Gia widened her eyes.

“Can monsters live in this water?”

“Of course, there are monsters that live in the water, but there shouldn’t be any in a shallow valley like this.”

As Kalion was explaining in a friendly manner, Gia undid a button on her shirt, causing Kalion to snap his head up in surprise.

“What are you…?”

“To wash.”

Gia, not planning to undress completely, promptly removed her top.

“Hey, that’s enough!”

“Huh?”

Perplexed by his exaggerated reaction, she looked at him with a face that seemed to say, “What’s the big deal?” Even though her outfit may seem a bit revealing with its minimal wrinkles, it wasn’t considered immodest in the world she came from.

Gia had put on a short-sleeved shirt and tights, so she couldn’t figure out why Kalion had been acting that way since their last encounter.

Gia froze mid-action, still in the process of taking her shirt off.

“Well, I’ll wait not too far from here. If anything happens, just shout.”

“Uh… uh.”

With a swift motion that seemed like it needed a “whoosh” sound effect, Kalion disappeared from where he had been, leaving only the armor behind as if it had lost its owner.

“Why is he… making it awkward for no reason?”

In that other world, Gia had been accustomed to undressing without hesitation, but Kalion’s reaction left her blushing inexplicably.

“Now I’m feeling self-conscious too.”

‘Even though I had no malicious intent…’

With nothing but a pure mind, Gia scratched her cheek and proceeded to remove her pants.

As Gia vigorously rinsed her top and bottom in the water, the monster’s blood was washed away cleanly. She shook the clothes over the rocks, and even though the sun wasn’t present, the moisture quickly disappeared.

Gia, now in her short-sleeved shirt and tights, made her way towards the deepest part of the water.

“Ugh… it’s cold.”

Even for an enhanced human, the cold still made itself known, causing Gia’s teeth to chatter.

“So cold.”

At times like this, it was best to immerse herself all at once to minimize the discomfort. Gia submerged herself, and soon her face emerged from the water with a startled “Pwah!” as she shivered.

“Ugh… it’s cold, so cold… Eek!”

Gia, shivering and making noises like an old man, vigorously wiped her long, black hair, still holding it in her hands.

She longed for the shelter’s warm shower, complete with shower facilities, fluffy towels, and fragrant shampoo. The thought of it made Gia sniffle.

Of course, she wouldn’t catch a cold, but Gia hurriedly dried her hair and body before climbing up on the rocks.

“Are you done drying off?” 

A voice echoed from a distance, making Gia’s lips turn blue as she shivered.

“No!”

Her short-sleeved shirt and tights had already begun to dry, but if only her hair weren’t still dripping, it would have been faster.

With something more pressing to do than squeezing the water from her hair, Gia quickly rummaged through the items she had placed on the rock.

The forest was so dark that she couldn’t see anything, so Gia’s hands moved busily.

When she opened a small black case she had set aside, she found a cylindrical object slightly thicker than a finger, made of silver.

“Phew…”

Shivering from the cold and anticipating the forthcoming pain, Gia clenched her teeth and gazed at the vial of treatment.

The cylindrical silver treatment, or at least she assumed it was a treatment, had her questioning what it was meant to treat. It wasn’t a complete cure, as it only prevented the virus from turning her into a zombie. However, it was what Gia needed to become a regular human again.

With trembling hands, she picked up the syringe. As she turned the familiar back part, dozens of fine silver needles sprang out.

Inserting the needle into her thigh, Gia couldn’t help but gasp as it felt like she was sucking in the air around her.

“Ugh… Ugh.”

Even though she tried to suppress the incoming pain, groans of discomfort escaped her.

“What’s wrong?” 

Kalion’s voice rang out, but despite needing to respond, Gia’s body trembled from the agony that surged through her entire being.

“Gia! Answer me!”

The voice sounded closer now. Gia swallowed the excruciating pain as she pushed the medication through the syringe and felt her body pricked by thousands of needles.

“Ghh… Hup.”

She made every effort not to make a sound, but Kalion, who had not missed a thing, swiftly realized the change in Gia’s condition.

After hastily throwing the disposable treatment and case down to the base of the valley, Gia crouched on the rock.

This might make it hurt a little less; it was a purely instinctual response. She could feel the presence of the countless, unknown veins stuck together, as the medication churned and writhed within her body.

“Gia!”

Seeing Gia huddled on the rock and panting, Kalion quickly moved his body.

“Why… Why are you doing this?”

The sound of washing ceased, and the subsequent moans made Kalion realize that he couldn’t just stand there. An overwhelming compulsion to check on Gia washed over him. 

When he arrived, Gia was hunched over on a rock, enduring the pain.

Ignoring her wet body, Kalion knelt beside her and gently lifted her small and fragile form.

Seemingly effortlessly, he cradled her body, his desire to rush back to camp overridden by the need to ensure she was all right. As Kalion’s sleeve touched her body, Gia grabbed it.

“Ugh…”

With a faint breath, she managed to release a sound. Kalion relaxed his grip on her body. He lowered his head and listened more closely, his ears tingling from her hot breath and voice.

“It’s… it’s okay.”

“But…”

“Just for a little while… just… five minutes… Ugh… It’s cold.”

Gia’s lips, now a pale shade of blue, formed the words. In a hurry, Kalion removed his top.

“It’s not like I’m leaving you alone.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

He quickly draped the removed top over Gia’s head and shoulders. The generously sized shirt extended down to her thighs, providing warmth to her slender body.

Despite the cool breeze on his bare upper body, Kalion didn’t mind. His sole focus was on providing warmth, and he pressed his large frame against Gia.

It felt like Gia shouldn’t be lying on the cold, hard surface. Kalion propped her up with his thigh, drawing her body into his arms carefully, in an attempt to help her stop trembling.

As her cold and stiff hair touched Kalion’s warm skin, it began to thaw, and droplets formed on his firm chest.

They remained in each other’s arms for quite a while. It was indeed as Gia had said—just five minutes. In that short time, her lips had regained their original color, unlike before.

When Gia turned her head to look upwards, she saw Kalion’s sharp jawline.

“Phew…”

As the pain lessened, Gia took a deep breath and slowly opened her tightly shut eyes. She felt the warmth and the touch on her skin.

Even though it had grown dark around them, Kalion’s warmth was distinctly felt, beside her in the inky blackness.

When did it get so dark?

The mountain’s darkness allowed them to see nothing a foot in front of them.

“Everyone must be worried. Let’s head back.”

“Are you feeling better now?”

At Kalion’s question, Gia nodded her head slightly.

“Yeah…”

Answering softly, Gia met Kalion’s concerned gaze. His warm, red eyes radiated tenderness as he looked down on her.

“Well… now that I’m okay, would you let me down?”

“Oh…”

It was only now that Kalion, who had been carrying her all this time, realized it. He gently set Gia down.

“I’m really fine now.”

“Still…”

Glancing at Kalion, who remained on his knees with his strong, bare body, Gia’s eyes were filled with heat, though he was quite familiar with his physique.

Moments ago, she had felt like she was about to die, and now her attention had shifted elsewhere.

Thump.

She scratched her damp hair and looked at the clothes she was wearing. She found the scent quite pleasant, which had also transferred to Gia.

Perhaps noticing Gia’s gaze on the clothes she was wearing, Kalion quickly spoke.

“Your body was too cold…”

“I understand.”

Even though there was no need for justification, Kalion, being the gentleman he was, explained.

“You don’t have to say anything; I understand.”

Gia smiled.

As Kalion stood up, a significant shadow was cast. Though it was a dark mountain, the moonlight shone brightly on the valley today.

‘It’s a bit better…’

Gia turned her relieved gaze to her significantly improved physical state. As the medication circulated through her body, her pain gradually subsided. Simultaneously, her wounds healed instantly, and her body temperature returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

It seemed like the zombie virus had been progressing rapidly, causing her body to regenerate slowly, like a decaying corpse. Perhaps it was waiting for the treatment to reach its limits.

Feeling her much lighter body, Gia rose from her spot and picked up her now-dry clothes.

“I’ll give you your clothes.”

Without hesitation, she held her arms crossed under the clothes, preparing to hand them over, and Kalion quickly turned around at a speed faster than light.