My Strange Savior - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

“I gave you everything… ” 

Spencer, who was looking at Gia as if he could devour her, pouted with a sympathetic expression. 

“Oh, no… I just have a big appetite.”

As she turned her eyes away in embarrassment, Spencer exclaimed loudly.

“No! Gia eats very well! It looks really good!”

Although it was a thick flattery, Gia went along with it. 

“Yeah, yeah. Complaining like a child in front of food. I don’t like that. Do you, too?”

“Yes!”

Gia stroked her head in response to Spencer’s voice, which seemed to contain unwavering loyalty, whether he was thinking or not. When she saw Spencer, who smiled unabashedly from time to time, she thought it would be nice to have a sibling like him.

As an only child, Gia was envious of households with siblings. Perhaps she would have felt a little less lonely if there was a younger brother in that world. Maybe she would have received the same contempt and wounds. The thought made her sympathize with non-existent siblings.

Night always makes people more sentimental. 

Gia, who was looking at the moon floating in the sky, watched as one by one, her fellow soldiers settled into their sleeping bags. She realized that strangely, there were no bickering or sharp glances today. 

They all seemed to know the grace of being saved. 

‘Hmm.’

Stroking her chin, she hoped that tonight would pass without any incidents.

“Is this your sleeping bag, Gia?” 

Spencer asked from the side. As she turned her weary head to look, she recognized her familiar sleeping bag. 

“Yes, it’s mine.”

“I’ll set it up for you.” 

Spencer offered, his tone filled with a certain pride, even though it wasn’t particularly challenging. He spread out the sleeping bag while carefully adjusting the angles.

Was this necessary?

“What are you doing now, Spencer?” 

Kalion, who had been sitting on a rock and watching what Spencer was doing with Gia from afar, approached their side and asked, resting his chin on his hand.

“Oh, Commander. Have you arrived?”

“Why are you doing it?”

When Kalion inquired, Spencer rambled on and on about how he wanted to repay Gia for saving his life by keeping her company.

Despite hearing his explanation, Gia, who had been listening as if it were someone else’s story, responded with an annoyed nod, clearly visible in Kalion’s questioning gaze.

“Ah, today has been endless.”

Her stomach must be full. Eager to snuggle into her warm sleeping bag, she slipped into it, overwhelmed by the desire for a good night’s sleep.

Her body had been complaining about fatigue after taking medication, and the effects of the battle earlier in the day had left her drained.

As the two continued to chatter, her mind drifted away to dreamland, eyelids succumbing to gravity, gradually lowering. It wasn’t long before she fell into slumber.

“You didn’t need to do that.”

Kalion’s composure was shaken when he raised his voice in front of Gia without even knowing that she was sleeping. Since he was so calm at all times, it was not an easy opportunity to see him make a loud noise.

The ears of the troupe perked up as they drifted off to sleep without protest after the day’s battles.

“Why not……. In my family, grace is…….”

“One’s work is what helps her.”

“But Gia also said that…”

Spencer muttered under Kalion’s sharp gaze and had no choice but to bite his tongue. He had never seen the Commander angry over trivial matters. The Commander was usually generous when it came to what he considered reasonable. Spencer had no choice but to bow and apologize.

However, it was hard to accept the sudden unfavorable order internally.

“Return to your seat.”

“Yes, understood.”

Kalion, who was frustrated, swept his hair back as he watched Spencer, who walked back to his seat with his shoulders slumped.

He couldn’t understand why it was so annoying to see Spencer pacing around next to Gia. 

Even though he wasn’t particularly angry, Kalion, who unknowingly became irritated, briefly glanced at Gia, who was sleeping with her face revealed and taking a deep breath. 

When did she fall asleep? The strength drained from Kalion’s body as he was venting his frustration to Spencer earlier. 

“Ha… Right.”

Kalion, too, was overwhelmed by physical and mental fatigue from today’s battle, which had come crashing like waves.

Gently and quietly, as he exhaled, looking at Gia sleeping like a baby, he felt he could overcome the fatigue pressing on his shoulders. 

Was it because he had acknowledged the strange foreigner as a true comrade? His strength seemed enviable, but it also made him feel lonely and embarrassed. Every time he looked at Gia, a jumble of emotions surged within him, impossible to define with a single word.

A person whose emotions couldn’t be summed up by one feeling.

Kalion let out a deep sigh, gathered his complex emotions, and forcibly locked them away in the depths of his heart. It wasn’t the time to be stirred up by such feelings, especially when he was in a place where death could come at any moment.

Yet, while keeping an eye on his surroundings, Kalion subtly pulled his bedding closer. Just in case she gets hurt like earlier when he’s not around. With this plausible reason, Kalion forced himself to close his eyes without understanding why he was doing it.

He couldn’t help but feel deeply concerned when he saw the strong-looking woman suffering and moaning due to the side effects of being an enhanced human. Did she choose to become an enhanced human willingly? Why did she have to make that choice? A shadow had fallen over Kalion’s heart.

The bitter voice that referred to herself as a monster still echoed in his ears.

Perhaps she had no choice but to make that decision to survive.

Lying on his back, Kalion turned his body towards Gia. 

Thanks to her, the dangerous day was ending without any major incidents. She had said it was her duty to do what she did, but Kalion didn’t take it for granted. 

When he recalled Gia, who had fought alone against the trolls today, a sense of apology and gratitude sprouted.

He never thought he had so many diverse emotions within him. Every time he met Gia, he realized emotions he had never known before.

He thought he knew himself better than anyone else. It was arrogance. 

Kalion chuckled at the thought of the first encounter with Gia, a relationship he never anticipated.

He recalled that day when he had considered her to be a madwoman and had been on guard. He should have apologized for the baseless suspicion. Moreover, she had recklessly risked her life, yet he had simply passed it over, shamelessly.

He could make excuses for those hectic days, but Kalion had decided not to be a coward. He thought he should express his gratitude the next day, but the embarrassment made his ears burn with heat.

Was he trying to do something he didn’t want to do just because he felt it was necessary? He felt unusually flushed today. 

Kalion gently soothed his heated ears with his fingers and promised himself that he would express his thanks before it was too late, as he slowly closed his eyes.

* * *

In the bright morning light, Gia’s drowsy eyes fluttered. She gently lifted her heavy eyelids and captured the beautiful sky in the mountains where the moon and sun coexisted.

With each blink, Gia’s eyelashes fluttered like butterflies. She stared at the landscape that had caught her eye, seemingly in a daze, then slowly turned her body to the left.

‘Wow.’

Was this what it felt like to have your eyes wide open? Gia’s lips slightly parted in amazement as she gazed, entranced, at Kalion’s face reflected in the dawn’s light.

As the faint light illuminated his nose, shadows played on his face. Pure admiration burst from her parted lips.

‘Yes, this is a true luxury.’

It felt as if she should wipe the impassive middle of his face clean. 

Still lying in the sleeping bag, Gia reached out with her unattended hand and gently observed Kalion’s eyelashes, which were quivering ever so slightly.

If there were a God, Kalion was undoubtedly one of their masterpieces. It felt as though every detail had been carefully crafted.

When he opened his eyes, they revealed a sparkling and brilliant depth, as if they were waiting for something. 

The overwhelming aura of his presence alone made Gia gulp nervously.

“Have you woken up?”

The low voice was something else entirely. Gia couldn’t help but be in awe as she looked at Kalion, who was flawless in every way.

“Uh, uh.”

Gia jolted out of her sleeping bag, coughing unnecessarily. Had she been caught secretly watching him? 

She hastily tidied up her sleeping bag, glancing around. Everyone seemed to be getting up and busy tidying their areas.

This was all because Kalion was extraordinarily handsome, right? It wouldn’t be easy for anyone not to steal glances at that face. 

Justifying her earlier observation, Gia cleared her throat and looked around, only to be startled by Spencer, who had approached unnoticed.

“Here you go!”

“Oh… thank you.”

“What’s the big deal!”

Gia felt a cool sensation as the water was just poured. As she swallowed the refreshing water, her throat quivered.

“Spencer.”

Kalion called out to Spencer, who had been watching Gia drink water. Kalion’s stern gaze fixed on Spencer, and it seemed that yesterday’s warning had not quite sunken in.

Spencer quickly distanced himself from Kalion, who appeared so intimidating. If Kalion was that scary, he could have just refrained from it. Why was he hovering around like this?

Gia, curious about Spencer’s behavior, recalled their conversation from the previous day before going to sleep. It was a bit hazy, but it seemed like Spencer had offered to stay by her side, and Kalion had promptly declined. 

With a vague recollection, Gia glanced at Kalion once more, raising an eyebrow.

Why is he doing that when he offers to stay by himself? Is it something he doesn’t like?

Not knowing Kalion’s intentions, Gia furrowed her eyebrows.

The Kalion she knew wasn’t the type to fuss over one subordinate. This piqued her curiosity even more.

“Kalion.”

“Yes.”

Kalion, who had been giving a disapproving look to Spencer, turned his head in response to Gia’s words.