Necromancer Survival

Chapter 212

Like a beast bitten on the back of its neck, I couldn’t move; my body froze. I felt an incredible pressure from Seo Dawon–like the Mage would immediately do something if I were to move.

Click–

“Choi Lee-kyung. You’ve finally returned?” Fortunately, someone confidently entered the room at that time–Kim Olim. She entered the room while holding a white gown, perhaps for me to wear once I woke up.

However, despite the timely appearance, a strange vibe that couldn’t be hidden filled the space. Kim Olim looked around the room, the silence flowing through the room’s interior, and looked alternately between me laying on the bed and Seo Dawon sitting next to me.

The Paladin squinted, “It’s been a short while since Choi Lee-kyung returned to consciousness; for you to do such *things*…”

Then, pretending to be ignorant of the strange atmosphere, Kim Olim threw a straight punch at us. My face flushed; I wanted to explain myself.

However, Seo Dawon’s calm answer was faster. “What were you imagining, Olim-ah? Please be self-conscious of your supposed holy nature.”

“I don’t think you have the right to say that while fumbling at Choi Lee-kyung’s groin over the blanket.”

“G-Groin?! It’s just my knee!” I shouted.

I was collateral damage in her attack against the guild leader, yet again. Looking back, though, it might have looked like that from Kim Olim’s angle…

Anyway, I wanted to appeal to her that we were never in that situation, so I protested by lifting my legs from under the blanket–as if I was kicking the air.

However, Kim Olim did not back down and said, in a chilly voice, “It’s also strange for him to touch your knees, Necromancer. Normally, two men don’t touch each other’s legs while in that position, while in bed. This is just common sense.”

“I was simply explaining to him about the injuries he incurred over the past three days.”

“In addition, Seo Dawon has no doctor’s license. In the future, it’d be better to consult with me about wounds or pain.” As Kim Olim finished, she looked only at me, completely ignoring the Mage’s words. I couldn’t stand the shame and bowed my head. Of course, Seo Dawon, the person that caused all this pandemonium, was still lightly touching my hair.

Angry at Seo Dawon’s disregard, Kim Olim threw the gown that she held–hard enough that I could hear it whipping through the air… The thrown gown stopped right before the Mage’s nose and fell gently.

Seo Dawon folded the gown, placed it on my chest, and finally rose from his seat. Silently, I raised one hand and brought the gown under the blankets.

[Clack Cla-Clack!]

Under the covers, Lackey began biting at the gown. I didn’t intend to give it to the skeleton, but it seemed like Lackey wanted to play around.

When I saw its actions, the reality of the situation fell on me; I sighed deeply. Kim Olim and Seo Dawon looked at me before exiting the room and closing the door.

* * *

After wearing the prepared gown, I carefully observed the chain tied to my ankle. It was easy enough to resolve the knot on my own, and I was able to leave the bedroom. As soon as I opened the door, five pairs of eyes looked at me with a burdensome gaze from the living room.

“Uh… Mm. I-It’s been a long while…” I said.

“Choi Lee-kyung…”

Among them, Jung Garam, lying down on the sofa, was frowning the most. The young Assassin stared at me with a troubled expression; he stood up and immediately approached me. I was intimidated–it seemed like he was rushing over to hit me…

“I heard you were in my body?”

“Huh? Ah…Yeah.”

After I said that, Jung Garam blatantly checked me out. Then, with a slight anticipatory look, he asked, “How was it?”

“How…was what?”

“My body!”

I had no idea what to say, so I peered over Jung Garam’s shoulder at Choi Kyung-sik, who looked as if he were witness to some stranger’s business. Choi Kyung-sik smiled brightly when we locked eyes. It was nothing much, but his relaxed expression made my temper rise.

‘Look at him, acting like he’s all that…’

I bit my lower lip and turned towards Jung Garam. “Well… whether your body or mine, my mind was a mess there…”

Though I tried to respond calmly because I couldn’t admit what I truly felt, Jung Garam gave me an unimpressed look. “Geez, honestly… So, you didn’t like it?”

“Ah, no. That’s not what I meant…”

“You’re really amazing, you know. How could you have such a hard time while using my body?”

“R-Right…”

“I was so excited to hear that you had transformed into me…”

“Huh?” When I nodded submissively, Jung Garam said nothing more–as if the tense energy had cooled down… Still, it looked like the young Assassin still had more to say; he stared blatantly at me. A rare moment of nervous hesitance–as if he were about to reveal something he truly had on his mind.

Jung Garam unexpectedly scratched his cheek before asking, “But… Why did you choose my body for the [Memory]?”

“What?”

“There’s plenty of servants to choose from–there must be a reason to choose mine?”

I was bewildered–this was such a topic change from the fact that I floundered through the [Vengeful Ghost Memory] with ‘Jung Garam’s’ body. When I opened my eyes, I just happened to find myself in Jung Garam’s identity; it wasn’t like I chose him specifically. “I didn’t really choose…”

“Choi Lee-kyung didn’t make a conscious choice, so he won’t be able to answer you properly even if you ask.” It was none other than Choi Kyung-sik who intercepted this awkward question and responded. The Alchemist looked at us while adjusting his eyeglass higher on the bridge of his nose with his finger.

I wanted to protest, but I simply bit my lips because it was true that I had little idea of how the [Vengeful Ghost Memories] worked.

Upon hearing that, Jung Garam muttered to himself, “It’s subconscious?” and immediately grinned at me. “Hnn, really?”

“……”

His gaze was quite meaningful, but I simply turned my gaze away–too intimidated to ask further. I made eye contact with the Mage, he pointed next to him, as if he were waiting for this moment. I immediately approached the Mage to avoid Jung Garam’s sparkling eyes.

Then, Woo Ragi, who was sitting on his other side, looked at my approaching self and clicked his tongue. “How does this guy get more fragile as time goes on? He’d die from a good hit.”

“……..” Every word coming out of his mouth was utterly rude, but… I decided to think optimistically and assume that was the Swordsman’s brand of worrying for others.

“Ngh…” However, as soon as my butt touched the sofa, I was startled at the tingle that ran through me–the muscles throughout my entire body wanted to scream.

‘What is this, all of a sudden?’

While I was lying in bed earlier I didn’t feel anything strange, but right now my back felt so stiff–as if my hips would begin to break away.

“Choi Lee-kyung, you look like you’re in a lot of pain,” Kim Olim said.

“Huh? Ah–no. It’s just a sudden muscle ache…”

“It’s not muscle ache, but damage obtained within the [Vengeful Ghost Memory]. Although Seo Dawon sutured you up urgently…neither he nor I am good at healing.”

“……”

After stating that, Kim Olim placed her hand on my pale back. I’d been helped by her in this way before, but somehow, this time, I just got more and more nauseous. I didn’t feel any better.

She observed me for a while before sighing and taking her hands off of me; she then reached out to Choi Kyung-sik, who had been watching us. As if he had been waiting for this moment, the Alchemist placed his hands inside a midair pocket and took out a golden flask. “Would you prefer only drinking one bottle a day?” His tone was like a pharmacist explaining prescribed drugs at the pharmacy.

Kim Olim accepted Choi Kyung-sik’s explanation and immediately came to me with the flask. “That’s what he said. Choi Lee-kyung, drink this for now.”

“Huh? What’s this?”

“It’s a recovery potion made by Choi Kyung-sik. In your case, this won’t help all that much, but… Anyway, even if it’s weak, it’ll still help.” She handed me the bottle with an immovably stern look, so, eventually, I accepted the potion.

Even as I drank it all–mouth wide open–the golden liquid flowing through the bottle still made me uncomfortable. Choi Kyung-sik disliked me; was it prudent to drink some unidentified liquid from someone who despised me?

However, Kim Olim’s attitude was so firm that I was forced to swallow the sweet liquid that filled my mouth. Belatedly, I noticed that this liquid must have contained some alcohol.

‘They said it was a cure, though…?’ My mouth was too busy with drinking to speak, so I could only roll my eyes around questioningly.

Choi Kyung-sik shrugged when he saw my expression and said, “Ah, are you perhaps unable to handle alcohol? However, in Lee-kyung-ssi’s case, I thought its numbing effects would be helpful since he’s so sensitive.”

“…….”

“If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll leave out the alcohol next time.” His chic response did not betray any other underlying thoughts, so I eventually pressed down on my discomfort and drank the honey-flavored soju-like potion.

Seo Dawon watched quietly beside me; as soon as I took my last sip, he asked, “How do you feel?”

“I don’t feel any different?”

However, a few minutes later, the throbbing pain definitely subsided in intensity.