468 – Father is not in the singular form
Villages are built in good places to live. People gather and villages are formed in areas where there is water nearby, or grass to feed livestock, or flat land suitable for farming.
Black Gorge Village was built by the side of a gorge, as the name suggests. Of course, what was more important than the gorge itself was the water that flowed there, and the blessings that the flowing water brought to building the village. The lush grass, the clean well water, and so on. But because the gorge was the most prominent feature, people accepted the name of Black Gorge Village.
Although the name suggests so, the gorge is not a place that people would necessarily want to visit. The rocks that are wet from the water alone are weapons, and thirsty wild animals visit every day. Unless it’s a vagrant with a pile of rags or a butcher who has just finished his work, there’s no reason to approach.
“Hurry, Father!”
And taking advantage of that opportunity, Hilde made a surprise visit.
The water in the mountains is cold. Especially on early mornings before the sun rises. As soon as I dipped my hand into the icy water, my whole body shivered.
Suddenly regaining my composure, I stood up straight and spoke.
“…Is this alright? Shouldn’t we heat the water first and then cool it down?”
“How are you going to start a fire, where are you going to put the water, and how long are you going to wait for it to heat up?”
“Well, maybe I can use my magic to heat it somehow.”
I was about to continue speaking, but I immediately shook my head. Using magic here would be a foolish choice.
Hilde can also use magic. If he can use divine power through smoke, couldn’t he learn ceremonial magic as well? But for Hilde, who excels in physicality, it’s more advantageous to get into the water and heat it up with his own body temperature, rather than paying the cost of dark magic. Overwhelming power often disregards efficiency.
“Cer…emonial magic?”
“No, that won’t work. Sigh. I guess I can’t not wash up….”
Hygiene and cleanliness are directly linked to survival. Muttering gloomily, I finally reached out to the biometric terminal.
Clothing packet. A masterpiece of the military nation. Yoo Eun, who gathered all the good things in the world for the military nation. Although I had worn military clothing a few times in the nation, whenever I escaped, my hand naturally reached for the clothing packet. The clothing packets made by the military nation are all military-grade, sturdy, and practical.
As I unraveled the clothing packet, the threads rewound and turned into fiber. The tangled fibers along the skeleton of my arms and legs coiled again and gathered on my left arm. The packet popped out from the terminal of my wrist, which had just finished the basic alchemy. The military nation’s packets couldn’t withstand the long journey and were worn out and dirty.
“Ugh, it’s cold….”
With only a shirt and underwear on, I made a firm decision and jumped into the water. And immediately regretted it before my ankles got wet. With a scream in the cold that froze my flesh, I desperately wiped my body and the packet.
It’s cold, but now I can’t go out of the water. It’s already sunk cost. Even if I go out now, it will only get colder, so I might as well get all the bugs out while I’m here. I stripped off the slimy skin and shook off the dirt.
While I thrashed around like a dog in the water, Hilde took off his clothes and neatly spread them on top of a rock.
Why is he taking his time like that? It takes time to take off his clothes and lay them out. The clothing packet is good for this… Wait a minute.
“Hilde.”
“Yes?”
“Why are you taking off your clothes and laying them out when you’re not from the military nation…don’t you have a biometric terminal like mine?”
“Well? I’m not from the military nation… I don’t have a biometric terminal like yours, like your father’s.”
Well, it’s true that he’s not from the military nation. But still? Didn’t he have a special one made for transformational magic?
I was about to say something, but when I saw Hilde’s “performance,” I immediately gave up. Yeah, it doesn’t matter how he takes off his clothes or anything like that.
“And…also, please don’t look too much because it’s embarrassing….”
“You’re such a prude, seriously.”
I mean, I’m wearing underwear. Well, it’s possible for Hilde too since he’s a woman, but it’s ridiculous for her to suddenly act like that after behaving so boldly throughout the journey.
No. From the beginning! This is all an act! How can I follow along if she suddenly starts acting like a refined lady? I said I would watch from the audience seat, I never said I would play the opposite role!
“Urgh….”
Blushing with embarrassment, Hilde jumped into the water. Despite shivering in the cold, she crouched down and hid her body beneath the water.
…Shivering in pure cold without using any technique or skill.
“I suppose I have to reach that level to be considered an actor.”
Even if I can’t use my aura, I’ve completely erased the natural flow of qi within my body from my consciousness. I probably won’t use aura during my performance.
Sigh, whatever. If I encounter a vampire, I’ll figure it out on my own. It’s not like I’ll be cold.
“Alright, do as you wish. I’ll turn around and wash up.”
I might catch a cold if I stay any longer. I turned my body and rinsed off the dirt in the flowing stream. I continued washing my body vigorously, and only then did I quietly stand up to wash. For a while, only the sound of splashing water could be heard.
After thoroughly washing my body, I cleaned off the remaining dirt on my clothes packet. Now that I was ready to go out, I turned my body and looked at Hilde.
“I’ve finished washing up. How about you, Hilde?”
“Ah! Uh-um!”
From Noble mtl dot com
Hilde covered her body and cowered. Through the splashing droplets of water, her pale skin could be seen. Of course, she was still wearing her undergarments.
What… why? While I was lost in thought, Hilde blushed and shyly spoke.
“Oh, you said you wouldn’t look…!”
“Pathetic, seriously. You get so worked up over something like this even in a situation where we have to run away?”
“Something like this? Maybe you’re used to seeing your father fooling around with women every day, but I’m not like that!”
“Neither am I! Where did you get that idea?”
Why on earth would I fool around with women? I’ve never had a proper relationship in all my years!
…Well, I did receive some support after maintaining a somewhat good relationship with a few women!
“Why does it take you so long to wash up?”
“Well, don’t ask me that directly! Women need time, you know! You have so much experience with women and yet you don’t know that?”
“No, I know, but…”
I was about to say that it would be quick if I used aura… but I stopped myself. Regardless of the fact that Hilde was currently acting, there was no need to use aura just to wash our bodies. Even Historia took a long time to come out after going to the dormitory to wash.
Usually, I would finish the transformation, disguising, and changing in less than a minute, so why is it different now? Well, washing is different.
“Sigh. Fine, I get it. Take your time washing up. I’ll wash your clothes, Hilde.”
“Oh, my clothes… I…”
“No. It’s too cold and I can’t spend any more time. Maybe I have to rely on my father a little.”
Suddenly, Hilde, who was about to reach out her hand, slumped again and nodded her head.
“Yes. Then… I’ll leave it to you.”
I must be going crazy.
The acting I had seen from Hilde until now was carefully calculated movements. What reaction the other person would show, what the most natural attitude would be here. I studied and imitated someone else’s performance, creating a role that suited it.
But now, Hilde had erased everything else. She locked away everything she had built up in a corner of her consciousness and became a completely different existence. She didn’t even have the awareness that she was acting. Even for a solitary sorcerer like me, or rather because I’m a solitary sorcerer, it was confusing.
“If this continues, I might not be able to use aura anymore… Well, it probably won’t come to that.”
Will it be okay? Since I’m not using my abilities right now, there shouldn’t be any problems. Thinking that way, I soaked someone else’s clothes in water and scrubbed them. The only good thing was that I momentarily forgot about the cold because it was so strange.
Oh, now that I think about it, it got cold again. I finished laundering while shivering…
“It’ll be okay, damn it!”
It was fine until I finished washing and returned to the burrow with a basin of water. However, after that, the worn out clothes soaked my lips as they trembled. It looked like I was shivering from hypothermia to anyone who saw me.
Hildegard trembled and muttered pitifully.
“I’m, I’m sorry… for bothering you…”
“Yeah! Stop bothering with your nonsense and use your abilities! You can at least fend off the cold a bit!”
“If I had a little more talent in my abilities….”
“You have plenty of talent! You’ve even gone through complete transformation!”
“Don’t abandon me…. ple,ase….”
“Who’s abandoning who? Please don’t leave me and go to some strange place alone! I still need you!”
“Even though you speak so warmly… I just end up acting like a child…”
No, don’t give me a warm face even in this cold! That’s not what I mean! How are you going to handle it if you faint while trying to produce smoke before we even escape!
“We can’t light a fire here. Ha, what a dilemma.”
Is it okay to leave it like this? Hildegard is a master of abilities. If my life is in danger, her abilities will automatically protect her own body… It would be nice if it worked like that.
Even I cannot be certain.
If there was even a thought testing me in my head, if there was even a speck of a thought toying with me, I would’ve scoffed and left it alone. But now, I’m not sure! If this woman, who is crazy with smoke, doesn’t use her abilities until she’s almost dying!
“It can’t be helped. We decided to rest here for a few days, so I’ll adjust to your preferences for now. But don’t think I’ll adjust to them forever.”
“Thank y-, you.”
I was still lost in thought as I watched Hildegard, who was still trembling and wrapped in the cloth. To raise body temperature, we need a fire, but we can’t have a fire in a cave like this. As a temporary measure, I took out a spade 7 and a bundle of lightning thread from my packet and placed them inside the water bucket, thinking that at least the water would warm up.
But it will take some time for the water to become warm.
“Hildegard.”
“Yes…?”
“Take off your clothes.”
Before Hildegard could react, I quickly added.
“They’re wet. If you keep wearing them, your body temperature won’t return no matter what you do.”
I put on a packet of clothes and washed while wearing it. It was indeed the best invention of the country, so it was slightly moist, but there was hardly any water inside. In contrast, Hildegard properly took off her clothes and washed them, so the cold river water was thoroughly soaked between them. Right now, Hildegard was basically wearing clothes made of river water.
Actually, right now, it’s more of a priority than lighting a fire.
“But…”
“Hildegard is being stubborn. If you don’t like it, use your abilities.”
It was a sincere statement, but from Hillde’s perspective as someone who couldn’t use Ki, it was a sarcastic remark delivered coldly. Hillde trembled and stuttered.
“Yes… It’s my fault….”
“If you knew it was your fault, then use Ki now.”
“Here…”
Hillde, who had been tossing and turning inside the blanket for a while, soon reached out her hand and pulled out a wet garment. I immediately grabbed it and hung it on a makeshift hanger. Then, I forcefully lifted Hillde’s blanket.
“Huh?”
“If you refuse to use Ki, there’s no other way. You’re keeping your own body hostage.”
You have to warm her up with body heat. There’s no other choice.
I entered Hillde’s blanket and unpacked the clothing packet. With both of us now bare, I embraced the shivering Hillde. Our icy bodies touched each other.
It was truly infuriating, but Hillde was so startled by the sudden contact that she couldn’t speak.
“Oh, father….”
“Look at how cold your body is. Even the steam is virtual!”
It’s true. This person isn’t using Ki at all right now.
Typically, someone as disciplined as her would unconsciously control her body even without using Ki. Especially those who have achieved mastery over Ki usage completely ignore slight hand tremors or twitches caused by pain. As long as she uses Ki, she can always fight in optimal condition.
So, forcibly ignoring the use of Ki makes Hillde even more impressive. It’s another level of Ki manipulation. Truly unnecessary, though!
Hillde couldn’t meet my gaze and hesitated. However, she could feel the warmth from inside, so she slowly released her arms that enveloped her and placed them on my back. Eventually, Hillde embraced me completely while keeping our upper bodies in close contact. A slab of rock may be cold, but when it touches fire, sparks fly. As our cold bodies intertwined, a small warmth began to emerge. Hillde murmured.
“It’s… warm.”
“You’re colder than you need to be. You should control it a bit. You don’t need to be this cold.”
“I’m sorry, it’s still… Your presence is unfamiliar to me….”
“No. I was talking about your body, not your attitude.”
Is she filtering her brain, incapable of acting? She is even listening to my words and actions to flow with her own concept. Despite my chilly attitude, Hillde rested her head against me and spoke.
“When I’m embraced like this by you, it reminds me of the past…”
“Memories of the past? This is the first time I’m embracing Hillde.”
I don’t know how you came up with that concept, but it’s your doing. I won’t forcibly tear off your mask, but don’t expect me to play along either.
Shocked, Hillde shriveled her body in surprise at my cold response.
“I’m sorry. I got confused with the previous ‘father’…. Oh!”
For an instant, Hillde’s expression shook greatly. Regardless of whether she said it or not, I replied with a displeased expression.
“You got confused?”
“I’m sorry…! I made a mistake!”
“You did make a mistake. Don’t get confused in the first place since I’m not your father. Is there something blocking your path?”
“No, that’s not what I meant! Please don’t abandon me!”
“Why would I be upset if I’ve never picked you up or abandoned you in the first place?”
It’s not even infantile regression… No, am I right? The smoke from Hilder’s performance now seems to have erased everything except the fact that she remembers. Memories are clearly within Hilder’s imagination but are not being used. It’s like completely separating herself from the role.
Hilder’s performance now started from a distant past, before she even became the Engkwa or the Saint Sword.
“So let me ask. How many fathers am I?”
“Can I… say it?”
“I’m not the kind of person who asks questions with a predetermined answer, so just tell me.”
Hilder mumbled and answered with a determined face.
“… If you exclude the father I can’t remember, it’s the tenth.”
“What kind of people were those fathers?”
I asked to find out the common point of Hilder’s fathers, but the answer that came out of Hilder’s mouth was quite unexpected.
“They were dignitaries of the movie Lu, appointed to honor my mother….”