Necromancer Survival

Chapter 407

After that incident, I noticed that the furniture and windows in the house were strangely dark-colored and mostly opaque.

Most of the furniture was made of sturdy wood, with surfaces so matte and smooth that they hardly reflected anything. The windows, too, seemed heavily tinted; one had to get close to them to notice even the slightest change in the shade, and they didn't reflect images as normal glass should have.

Above all, there were no mirrors in this house, including in the bathroom. There were faint traces where mirrors might have been, like inside the shoe rack and above the bathroom sink, but I couldn't remember when they had been removed.

I lay in bed as I contemplated.

‘There was that time when I was seriously ill for about a month…'

I remembered that Seo Dawon nursed me back to health when I had suffered from a high fever, but my memories were frustratingly vague. Of course, despite my suspicions, I didn't feel creeped out or unsettled. I was just curious. Why did Dawon adopt such a cold expression?

‘Was I really that sick?'

Dawon-ie wasn't the type to get angry at me, but he was quite sensitive when it came to my safety and well-being. Perhaps this was an occupational hazard…or perhaps he had become obsessed with my health after my repeated bouts of illness.

Sometimes, his mindset–his perspective–generated, at least from my point of view, nonsensical actions, but I trusted that Dawon-ie generally had the right judgement. Therefore, I followed him in most matters…

‘When did he clear away all the mirrors? This actually bothers me.'

The more I was left alone in the house, the more strangely low-spirited I felt. So, wanting to shift my train of thought, I stood up from bed and slowly walked out of the bedroom.

"……"

As soon as I exited, I could see Dawon's busy back–he seemed to be cooking something in the kitchen. Though he looked as if he were immersed in cooking, he looked back casually when I stood there, staring at him. "Did you sleep well?"

His tone indicated that he’d known I was watching him for quite some time.

I nodded slightly, "Yep… What are you making?"

"Just, this and that? I read a cookbook while you slept earlier; I saw a few things that looked tasty, so I tried my hand at them."

"……"

Dawon-ie smiled nonchalantly, but I couldn't return that smile. Recently, he had been forgoing going into the guild office and instead spent his time cooking for me and entertaining me.

"You're hungry, right? Just wait one minute," he said.

"……" I was happy that Dawon-ie was focusing solely on me and neglecting his work to do so… but, I couldn't help but feel like a burden. Furthemore, I was skeptical about how long this lifestyle could last.

‘…He might get tired of this.'

No matter how much Dawon loved me, wouldn't there come a point where he couldn't cling to me like this anymore? Even if his current actions were out of consideration for his sick partner, he was still the guildmaster of the best guild in South Korea… Knowing how busy Dawon usually was, my guilt only deepened.

‘Someday, Dawon-ie… will get tired of this.'

I knew I had the morbid habit of being unable to focus on the present and instead fixating on a future that may never come… But, the sight of Dawon's back as he cooked brought me more sorrow than joy. What should I do if he ever says he can't accommodate me anymore?

‘I should have kept quiet…'

If only I had exited the bathroom calmly and fell deeply asleep in his arms as if nothing had happened…Then, I wouldn't have needlessly wasted his time.

Heart laden with regret, I bowed my head. However, Dawon-ie suddenly embraced me, "Why do you look so depressed?"

"Ah–it's nothing…"

"You sound a bit choked up. Did you have a nightmare again?" Dawon's whispers were so sweet; his embrace made a delicious smell waft over me. I couldn't help but feel emotional…and hungry… Caught in this strange mood, I looked up at Dawon.

In the end, I couldn't help but confess everything when I saw his sweetly receptive expression, "It's not that. It's just… You're not going to work; you're stuck here cooking because of me…"

"Mmm? Usually, it's the boss's job to avoid work and instead delegate everything to their subordinates."

"……" I'd known for a long time that he was a perfectionist and a micro-manager. Once again, wasn't it all my fault that Dawon-ie was telling such an obvious lie?

So, I closed my mouth; soon, his lips touched all over my face. Dawon gently pressed his lips over my eyelids and whispered, "You get a little pessimistic when you're hungry. That's why I need to feed you every day."

"…Are you saying I'm depressed right now because I'm hungry?"

"I find that you've gone without food for at least six hours when you're having these useless thoughts."

"……"

He then picked me up and sat me at the table.

"I just need one minute. Hang it there, alright?"

"……"

True to his word, Dawon came back in just one minute with a large plate of delicious food. After eating a serving of the fried dish after it cooled down enough, I actually started feeling better just as Dawon had said (even though I was a bit angry and resentful just earlier). As I delicately nibbled on the hot fried food, Dawon said, "If you're feeling unwell, you should tell me right away. Don't hide it from me out of misplaced concern."

He must have read my previous thoughts. I was a little surprised, but Dawon-ie was always quick-witted and emotionally intelligent. I answered quietly, "I'm just… I'm afraid I'll become a hindrance to your work."

"Do I look like a workaholic?"

"No, it's not that… I know you're busy… You've got to be honest–I am being a nuisance."

Dawon didn't agree with my stutters. He snorted and pushed the sauce bowl right in front of me. "Even if I retire right now, I can live off my savings for the rest of my life. Also, it's not as if the guild is going to collapse without me."

"……"

"Frankly, they might like not having me there. Kyung-sik-ie's face brightened when I said I was going to take a month off."

"……"

Despite his relaxed smile and joking demeanor, I was still worried that he was delaying or giving up on his own career because of me.

"I…I like the version of you that is the guildmaster of the Red Lotus guild…" I couldn't find the right words to express myself, so after that abrupt statement, we fell into a long silence.

Dawon, however, seemed to understand my inner feelings as he smiled and said, "Is that so?"

"Yeah. So… Don't talk about stopping or anything like that… Alright?"

"Got it. What else do you like about me?"

"I-I'm not joking. Just… Work. Don't retire."

Dawon giggled at my muttered words, "Understood–I'll make a living for us for a long, long time."

"……"

"Are you relieved now?"

"Yeah."

"You feel better?"

"…Yeah."

"As I thought, eating something makes you feel better, right?"

Instead of answering, I took a bite of the crunchy fried food in front of me. Dipping each piece into the sauce that Dawon gave me, I polished off my plate, relishing in the delicious taste.

Dawon was right. My belly was full, and he was by my side; my emotions soon stabilized. Nothing strange was happening. I was happy, as if I believed this moment could last forever… No, rather, I believed I could become happy.

[Is that really true?]

However, once again, I heard an auditory hallucination; I lowered my head to hide my distorted expression. Fortunately, Dawon didn't notice anything amiss this time, so he continued to speak, "Aren't you a bit frustrated being at home all month?"

"……"

"Do you want to go play on an island next week? The place belongs to Kim Olim; just before I went on vacation, she said she'd lend it to us if you liked the idea."

"Ah, Olim-ssi said that…?"

"Yeah. I've been there with the other guild members before. The villa is well furnished, and outsiders can't come near unless they're on a boat. It's a great place to have a vacation. Plus, the beach there is great too." Dawon smiled prettily; his excitement was apparent. My heart began to beat, infected by the cheer of his smile. An island where I could spend alone time with Dawon?

However, once again, the chilling auditory hallucinations kept ringing in my ear.

[If you go that far, it'll really be the end, Choi Lee-kyung.]

"……"

I flinched; my shoulders shook. Dawon continued to look at me with his pretty smile, waiting for my answer. Therefore, I of course needed to say ‘I want to go…'

[This place will be so beautiful and fun–like a paradise. It'll be everything you've dreamed of. The weather will always be sunny, and Dawon will be even more loving and affectionate than today.]

"……"

The hallucination persisted in speaking to me, and I couldn't answer. The voice was accompanied by a piercing headache, as if someone was poking my head with a skewer.

[Therefore, if you go all the way there, you'll never wake up from your dream. How could you? If you stay here, you'll receive Dawon's eternal love…]

"Lee-kyung-ah?"

[If you were to open your eyes and wake up, you would have to accept that everything is a dream.]

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TL: It's the calm before the storm, ya'll. It gets… pretty intense from here.