My Demons

After hastily tending to our wounds, we made our way back to the hub and attended to the eggs. Next on the agenda was dismantling the alligator’s corpse, but since neither Ellen nor I had any experience in disassembly, it ended up being more like a clumsy chopping session.

Skinning the creature proved to be more challenging than anticipated. While removing the skin near its head, I accidentally pricked the back of my hand. Thankfully, I was wearing a pair of high-quality leather gloves, so I escaped unharmed, although the gloves did suffer a small tear. Those gloves were quite expensive…

We carefully tied the hard-earned skin and tail together with rope and packed them into a backpack. I entrusted the lantern to Ellen and took on the task of carrying the backpack myself. Even for my sturdy physique, it was quite a struggle due to exhaustion.

Thankfully, we had done a thorough job of clearing the second floor, so we didn’t encounter any enemies on our way through the first floor and back to the surface. As we emerged from the sewer, I couldn’t help but exclaim softly at the sight of the setting sun. The prolonged twilight partially concealed the gloomy atmosphere of the city.

“Wow, the sun is already setting. We just made it out,” I remarked.

“…Phew. That was tough,” Ellen replied, acknowledging the challenges we had faced.

Indeed, it had been a demanding day, but our efforts resulted in a significant reward. Soldiers who had witnessed the remains of the giant alligator had sent a messenger to the castle. After a short wait, an elderly man with a noble appearance arrived and purchased the entire skin.

There was no choice but to sell luxury items like alligator skin to the lord, as it was mandatory. It was a bit frustrating, considering that the sewer was strictly the lord’s property, but there was nothing we could do about it. At least the old man seemed to offer a fair price.

“Hmm, what’s this condition? If you had been more careful, I would have paid twice as much,” the man, who introduced himself as the steward of the castle, grumbled as he handed over the money.

“We lacked the necessary skill, so it couldn’t be helped,” I responded.

“Next time, if you get another chance, be cautious when skinning. No, bring the whole carcass. I’ll buy it for ten gold coins,” he suggested.

Is he out of his mind? How does he expect us to drag something weighing over a ton all the way here? But I maintained a pleasant smile.

In addition to the skin, we also managed to sell most of the nearly three-meter-long alligator tail. It was priced by weight, comparable to pork. Considering the rising cost of food, we made a decent amount of money.

In the end, we earned four gold coins, equivalent to about twenty silver coins. It was remarkable to think that I had struggled in the basement for just nine silver coins, whereas a single alligator brought in twenty.

…No, no. Upon reflection, the alligator had posed a significant challenge. Without Ellen’s specially prepared explosive, I would have surely met my demise. The experience gained from defeating a giant alligator was probably around 500. To put it in perspective, it was equivalent to the combined experience of ten fully armored warriors.

Even in the game, it was considered a formidable opponent for a level 11 character.

Whether it was money or experience, it was indeed a lucrative prey…

Ah, but I still hesitated. It felt somewhat excessive to actively seek out and hunt such a creature. If I were to encounter another giant alligator, I couldn’t confidently claim that I could easily defeat it.

Our strategy involved Ellen aiming for the alligator’s mouth with the explosive while I searched for an opportunity to attack its belly. However, a single mistake could prove fatal.

Should I call this high-risk, high-reward prey?

…I’ll need to think it over. I should exercise extra caution as I explore the third floor.

“Kyaa, Phoenix!”

Daria exclaimed in shock at the sight of my beaten-up appearance.

“What happened to you?”

“Well, we encountered an alligator.”

“…What? An alligator?”

I showed her the large chunk of meat, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

“Yeah, look at this. Alligator meat! We also found some eggs.”

“What? An alligator in the sewer… well, never mind. Let’s clean up and treat your wounds.”

Daria grabbed my left arm, concerned.

“Oh, I smell…”

“Come on, follow me quickly.”

I was about to give in to Daria’s pull when suddenly, a hand reached out from behind and grabbed my right arm.

“Wait-“

“Huh?”

I turned my head to find Ellen, struggling to find her words with her mouth agape.

Don’t tell me… this girl? This is too much, even for someone clueless…

“Hey, can’t you see I’m injured?”

“…What?”

“Even if you’re tired, don’t you have any consideration?”

I can’t lecture like an old man, but isn’t it a basic right as an injured person?

“I can’t let this slide. Shouldn’t I take a shower first?”

She grimaced at my words.

“What nonsense are you saying? Who said I was going to shower first?”

“What? Then?”

“No… I meant, the bag, the bag!”

“Huh?”

Oh, right, I realized I was still carrying the bag.

Daria, who had been watching from the side, stepped forward and helped me remove the bag. She then offered a kind smile to Ellen.

“It’s quite dirty, let me wash it for you and bring it up. Is that okay?”

…Wow, it feels like I’ve reached heaven. My mouth naturally drops open.

Under Daria’s kindness, Ellen pouted for a moment and then turned around abruptly.

“…Do as you please. I’m going upstairs.”

As she climbed the stairs to the second floor, I took a bath with Daria’s assistance and headed to my room.

Daria followed me into the room and snatched the ointment I had taken out from my bag.

“Is this the ointment made by Oleg? Let me apply it for you.”

“Uh, it’s okay.”

“Lie down quickly.”

“Well, if you insist.”

I undressed and lay face down on the bed, and Daria gently applied the ointment to the scratches on my back.

“Ah, it stings.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Does it hurt a lot?”

“No, no. It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt that much.”

Ah, this gentle touch… It feels like my fatigue is melting away.

But the pain that throbs throughout my body is unavoidable. I guess I’ll have to rest the whole day tomorrow.

As I thought about that, I drifted off to sleep under Daria’s care.

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩

I carefully threaded a needle and tried to pierce it through the armored hat (Arming Cap).

“Ow.”

Damn, it’s not working. The layers of hemp cloth used to make the product make it difficult for the needle to go through easily.

The fact that the sewing needle looks more like a blunt fishhook doesn’t help either.

“Ah, it hurts!”

Damn, I pricked my finger.

Examining the wound, I see that the not-so-sharp needle has pierced my finger quite deeply.

“Ah, it hurts like hell.”

I hope I don’t get tetanus… Well, I did disinfect it with fire, so it should be fine.

I made excuses about the tools earlier, but deep down, I know the truth. I’m just terrible at sewing.

Even when I was an apprentice, I struggled to attach a name tag properly. It seems that changing bodies doesn’t improve my sewing skills.

Did Phoenix also suck at sewing?

…No, he was basically a squire, right? He must have been good at chores like sewing.

Come to think of it, it’s a bit strange. It seems like Phoenix’s original abilities are being absorbed in a haphazard manner.

Martial arts only reveal their true power after some training, while language flows effortlessly. Writing comes naturally, but odd jobs remain a struggle.

So I sit there, sucking on my bloodied finger, shaking my head in confusion when…

“Hey, can’t you sit still for a bit?”

Ellen, lying on the bed across from me, furrows her brow.

“Hey, do you think I’m doing this for fun? Didn’t I sit still all day yesterday? Shouldn’t I do something productive?”

“Well, be careful then. Why are you bleeding unnecessarily?”

“Unnecessarily?”

I start to protest, waving the armored hat in front of her.

“Look at this. There’s not a single cushion in the hat. The helmet is so heavy that it feels like it’s going to crack my skull.”

Unlike modern bulletproof helmets, the helmets here are just solid iron without any padding or covering. Naturally, if you wear such a helmet, it won’t fit properly and won’t absorb shocks, making it ineffective.

That’s why we wear an armored hat underneath the helmet.

Is it like wearing padded armor under chainmail? Anyway, I was trying to add cloth to the armored hat and stuff it with cotton.

Despite my explanation, Ellen narrowed her eyes as if she finds it pitiful.

“Hey, is a warrior’s head going to crack just from wearing a helmet? Stop being so dramatic.”

“What? Dramatic? Dramatic? Oh, seriously. I feel like punching you in the face.”

“What?”

She glares at me with wide eyes, and I chuckle and shrug my shoulders.

“Heh, did your true feelings slip out?”

“Hey!”

Ellen shouts and tries to sit up. Well, she tries, but, “Ha ha ugh…”

With a weak groan, her half-raised body falls back onto the bed.

I laugh as wickedly as possible.

“Pffft! Hey, do you have a string attached to your back? Is someone pulling it from behind?”

“…Shut up.”

She’s suffering from severe muscle pain after coming out of the sewer. It doesn’t seem like her bones or ligaments are damaged, but her arms, waist, and stomach are filled with knots. And her legs are the worst.

After escaping from the sewer and capturing the alligator, we had been resting for two days. By dinner time yesterday, I had mostly recovered from my injuries.

My slightly cracked shoulder bone was still a bit sore, but it was gradually improving. I expected it to be completely fine by this evening.

It seemed that the passive skill, ‘Flowing Blood,’ played a part in my recovery. With a health stat of 18, it was high but not enough to surpass human capabilities. Without ‘Flowing Blood,’ I would have needed a significantly higher health stat to heal as rapidly as a troll.

During my recovery, I had been taking care of Ellen. Although she didn’t have a fever, I didn’t feel right leaving her alone given the grim atmosphere of the city.

With these thoughts in mind, I playfully teased Ellen when she suddenly groaned in pain.

“Ugh.”

“Is it that bad? Should I massage it for you?”

“…I’m fine.”

Her response carried hesitation, indicating that it was an empty statement. 

I can read you like the back of my hand, you foolish girl.

“What? Where does it hurt the most? Tell me.”

“…My, my thigh.”

“Your thigh-?”

This girl was making a big fuss.

I had been trying not to sound like an old man, but as a moral person, I couldn’t let it slide.

“Hey, why is it your thigh and not your arm or shoulder? Are you asking a strange man to massage your thigh?”

Ellen blushed at my reprimanding question, looking completely incredulous.

“You’re crazy! You asked where it hurts the most!”

“Hey, don’t you understand the context of the conversation? ‘I’ll massage it for you. Where does it hurt the most?’ Then the answer should be, ‘Ah, it hurts the most here. Please massage this area.'”

“That’s not what I meant! I just… I meant my thigh hurts the most-“

Ah, fine. Considering she had been confined in a strange palace since she was young, it was understandable.

This uneducated girl made me realize once again the importance of a systemized basic education.

With those thoughts in mind, I got up from the bed, and she asked with surprise.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to get Daria to help.”

Her face stiffened at my response.

She showed lively expressions when she was angry or upset, but when she wiped her expression away, she looked like a doll.

“What help? Why should I receive a massage from that servant girl?”

“Shhh, can’t you speak nicely?”

“I don’t want to. I don’t even want her fingers to touch me.”

Now, like Pavlov’s dog, whenever Ellen reacted like this, my gaze naturally went to her philtrum.

I wondered if the day would come when I couldn’t resist the impulse to hit her philtrum. I looked forward to it.

“Ugh, it’s fine. Just wait a bit.”

“I told you, I don’t need a massage!”

“Ah, who said I would call her for you? I’m going to ask her to help me with sewing.”

“… Sewing?”

“Yes. I’m really bad at sewing.”

Oh, did she catch on? Her face remained expressionless, but suspicion filled Ellen’s eyes. She looked up at me and asked.

“Is sewing just an excuse? You just want to play with that servant girl, don’t you?”

“…No, not at all. And don’t call her a servant.”

Before I could finish speaking, she quickly turned around and lay down, covering her head with a blanket.

“…What are you doing?”

“I don’t know, I’m going to sleep. Get out.”

“Why should I leave? The atmosphere in the city is pretty tense right now.”

“There’s no one else staying at the inn. What’s the big deal?”

“Still.”

At my words, she swiftly flipped the blanket and reached for the crossbow by the bedside. With skilled hands, she cocked it.

“Ugh.”

…Her hands were skilled, but her sore arm hindered her.

Anyway, after cocking the crossbow, she placed a small glass bottle on it. Then she glanced at me sideways and declared.

“I’ll take care of my own protection. You do whatever you want.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. So hurry up and leave.”

I hesitated for a moment but eventually left the room.

I heard there was another public execution yesterday, although it was small… Well, it should be fine. It’s broad daylight, so there shouldn’t be any trouble.

(TO BE CONTINUED)