My Strange Savior - Chapter 74

Chapter 74

‘When did they go?’

They disappeared quickly. 

She thought about running away in embarrassment, blaming the members.

“Come on.”

As if to dismiss such thoughts, the horse forcefully stamped on the ground. As trembling as the ground. Exactly that much. Gia’s chest also trembled.

When the cold wind brushed her face, Kalion’s firm embrace made room. As if saying, ‘Lean on here. Hide here. This is your place.’

Is she going crazy? It wasn’t easy to hide the embarrassed face while tightly gripping the saddle handle with both hands. 

The first horse was raw compared to the ones Gia had ridden before. In short, the ride was terrible.

It was unclear whether the tension was due to the ground rapidly running when startled or because of Kalion firmly supporting the back. The thumping heartbeat sounded loud in the ears.

The cloak of Kalion poured over Gia’s body like a blanket. 

“It’s chilly.” 

“Uh… Th-thank you.” 

Kalion, who controlled the horse effortlessly even with injured legs, pulled his cloak and wrapped Gia.

As Gia, with only her eyes peeking out, took a breath, Kalion’s scent inevitably entered her lungs. 

Gia’s appreciation deepened at the thought of having a reliable person watching her back. 

‘This way…’

Not knowing when to leave, Gia might not have been able to go even if she knew. She didn’t know whether to plead for mercy, whine, or cling to Kalion’s hem.

‘It’s ridiculous…’ 

The situation had changed from the days when Gia lived without a trace of lingering feelings, day by day.

The life she had struggled to survive, as precarious as it was, had changed because of just one person. It was so absurd that Gia couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I… I’m sturdy, you know.” 

If her body were susceptible to catching a cold in this wind, she wouldn’t have been able to climb the mountain. Kalion, who understood the subtle shivering, pulled Gia even closer into his embrace.

“But still, you can feel the cold, can’t you?” 

“Well… yeah, that’s true.” 

Gia, unlike her trembling heart, casually responded and clung to the cloak wrapped around her.

“Thank you.” 

“When we get to the estate, I’ll teach you how to ride a horse.” 

“Yeah…” 

Kalion’s voice, anticipating the future, and the rhythm of the heartbeat transmitted directly to Gia. Riding to the estate, Gia buried herself deeper inside to hide her embarrassment.

Even on the moving horse, Gia awkwardly followed Kalion’s calm rhythm. 

“That’s how you do it.” 

A low laughter praised her riding skills.

“Well… my body is well-used.” 

“Agreed.” 

That’s a compliment. She’d defeated the goblins and Jose and Kayler. 

Gia’s complaint was met with a tone of pride from Kalion.

“But it’s your first time riding a horse.” 

“It won’t take more than half a day to learn.”

Gia confidently asserted, and Kalion echoed her optimism.

“Of course. If it’s you, you can do it.” 

She couldn’t help but feel like she was being bowed to. Seeing that all the wind that would have been blowing at her was directed at Kalion, Gia asked.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“As long as you’re close, it’s not that cold.” 

Gia’s ears perked up. Even without checking with her eyes, she could tell her face turned red as if she had been sitting right next to a bonfire.

The heated cheeks felt stifling. Unable to let go, Gia pressed her back against Kalion’s chest and extended her face slightly outward.

“It’s cold.” 

“Ah… it’s fine.” 

“Just endure it for a little longer.”

At some point, Gia, feeling treated like a child by Kalion, extended her lips like a duck.

‘I’m the older one here.’

Certainly, based on his actions, Kalion may have seemed more like an adult. 

Wrapped snugly in Kalion’s cloak, Gia couldn’t express her frustration and swallowed her discontent inward.

“We’ll arrive soon.” 

As she looked at the rapidly changing scenery, she saw the edge of the territory ruled by Oscar in the distance.

“I want to bathe in warm water.” 

“As much as you want.” 

Kalion, who gently coaxed her, lifted the hem of the cloak, urging her to sit properly.

“I’ll buy you many delicious things when we get there.” 

“Uh… sure.” 

No matter how you looked at it, he handled her like a child. 

With that feeling confirmed, Gia immersed herself in the scent of Kalion, a scent that exuded confidence.

* * *

“Keep everyone on guard.”

“Yes.”

As they reached the summit of the mountain, Oscar’s voice became more stern. 

Although Morrison’s nature was known to not stay in one place, it was crucial not to let their guard down.

Spencer, walking right next to Oscar, had a gaze filled with intensity. It was the place where they had lost a comrade. They had hastily left the cave without recovering the body.

Though Spencer hadn’t truly fled, his eyes, burdened with unresolved emotions, became sharp.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes.”

Spencer’s affirmation came back in response to Oscar’s question.

“Joseph.”

“Yes.”

Joseph, standing before Oscar with a composed demeanor, nodded as if ready to receive orders.

“It is your unit’s mission to pursue Morrison. You should be aware of his characteristics.”

“Yes, of course.”

“Once you confirm Morrison’s location, do not approach. Signal to inform.”

“Understood.”

After the discreet conversation in front of the quiet cave, Joseph swiftly left his position.

“Indeed, as he said.”

Blue.

For reasons unknown, there was blood on the ground that truly did not seem to disappear, shining in a blue hue.

Like a marker.

Joseph gathered his subordinates. 

“This is the blood signature of the person known as Morrison.”

“It doesn’t seem human.”

“Nor does it seem like the blood of a monster.”

Morrison’s blood did not freeze despite the cold weather. 

It wouldn’t have been strange for the congealed blood to bury itself in the snow and disappear. The blood, self-illuminating, seemed both organic and inorganic.

Is it alive, or is it truly dead? 

Seeing the blood glow on its own, it appeared both organic, like living organisms, and inorganic, like lifeless matter with no functioning faculties, much like still air.

Joseph carefully collected the blood in a transparent glass bottle.

People who divided Morrison’s blood into six bottles stood up from their places.

“Our mission is to pursue the man named Morrison. We hope he is still in the forest, but we cannot exclude the possibility that he descended into a village.”

The serious expressions of Joseph’s subordinates hardened at his weighty words. 

If he had descended into a village, Morreta Territory, where families resided, would undoubtedly be the closest.

“As you all know, our families are in danger. So, do your best to follow Morrison.”

The pursuit team, consisting of lean individuals like Joseph, along with those who knew the mountain well, were now ready.

Joseph stood up and approached Oscar, who was standing and gazing down below the mountain.

“We’ll be on our way.”

“Be careful.”

“Yes. Lord, please take care as well.”

With the lord’s concern, Joseph and his subordinates gradually moved away.

As Joseph disappeared in the opposite direction of the path they came, Oscar’s face was filled with concern. N

ow it was time to recover the bodies of the remaining knights and the dragon’s corpse.

“Let’s go in.”

“Yes.”

Inside the cave, dozens of small holes in the ceiling, as Spencer had described, allowed light to enter. This made it easy to discern objects. 

Moreover, as they approached the entrance, the large dragon’s head was stretched out, as if sniffing, with its tongue sticking out.

“That’s…”

Oscar’s mouth opened wide in awe as he looked at the dragon.

“Dragon.”

As they confirmed the creature they had only considered a mythical being, even though they knew it, their hearts trembled.

Not only Oscar but also his numerous subordinates and workers who followed him were in awe, freezing in astonishment.

“Follow Gregory’s orders to recover the dragon’s corpse.”

“Yes, understood.”

The experienced Oscar was the first to regain his senses and snapped everyone out of their awe with a stern command. In response to Oscar’s command, they quickly moved to their assigned tasks. 

The knights each attached a mana stone given by Gregory to their swords, a temporary measure to ensure they wouldn’t leave a scratch on the dragon’s tough hide.

“I plan to work without damaging the original shape as much as possible. Think of it as butchering cattle and pigs, just in a more delicate manner.”

It wasn’t the most dignified order for proud knights, but without a word of complaint, they followed Gregory’s instructions.

Gregory, who had memorized the contents of the book left by the first alchemist, issued orders effortlessly. 

The book detailed the specifics of how the bones were connected and the exact location of the dragon’s heart. With the help of the illustrated book, Gregory efficiently calculated and drew the most effective way to work on the table before him.

Oscar, watching Gregory, who seemed more energetic than ever, concealed his bitterness and moved into the cave. The lively Gregory, who had once reluctantly abandoned alchemy due to imperial oppression, couldn’t hide his enthusiasm for the subject.

Occasionally, Oscar had seen Gregory crafting something in the workshop, trying not to catch Oscar’s eye. If he were to put a stop to that as well, he didn’t know where Gregory would turn. So, pretending not to know, Oscar followed the people into the cave.

“From now on, we will respectfully recover the bodies of the fallen knights.”

Oscar’s words echoed grandly.

“In handling the bodies of the knights, there should be no room for negligence.”

“Yes.”

In response to Oscar’s serious tone, those facing him revealed heavy emotions on their faces.

“Let us pay our respects to the knights who sacrificed their lives to protect us and our children.”

“Yes, understood.”

As Oscar gave his permission, they all disappeared into the cave one by one. Some areas were still dark, so those carrying torches moved around to examine the bodies of the knights scattered in one place.

Oscar’s expression as he stood at a distance was uncomfortable. 

Spencer’s eyes welled up with tears as he saw the bodies of his former comrades. 

Red capes, the honorable cloaks symbolizing the knights, covered their fallen figures.