Chapter 39

39th Episode

Hassan of the Swamp

—

After roughly tidying up my clothes, I stepped outside the tent to find two rather intimidating men glaring at me.

“Come on, hurry up. Receiving a handover before the shift ends is basic common sense, isn’t it?”

“Ahh, I deeply apologize.”

I slightly bent my upper body to avoid revealing the erect Juji hidden beneath, inadvertently adopting a pose that made it seem as if I were sincerely apologizing.

“Ah, umm?”

The men, seemingly taken aback by my earnest apology, glanced at each other with slightly flustered expressions. They probably hadn’t expected me to be so compliant.

“Oh, come on, fine. Since you’ve bent down so humbly to apologize, we’ll let it slide this time.”

The Bronze Tier man cleared his throat awkwardly before continuing.

“There’s not much to say really. Just keep an eye out for any wild beasts nearby and make sure the embers of the bonfire don’t go out. And also—”

The middle-aged man paused momentarily.

“You’ll be on watch with someone a bit… odd. Just pretend you’re doing it alone. We’re heading back inside now. Time will pass quickly if you just sit by the fire and chat a bit.”

“From now on, wake up earlier.” The departing late-shift guards muttered this as they slinked back into their tents and disappeared.

Who is the person I’m supposed to be on watch with that they felt the need to warn me?

As I wondered this, I glanced at the central bonfire surrounded by tents. There, a woman completely wrapped in black cloth sat basking in the firelight—a sight already etched into my mind.

Cassandra, the priestess of Delphi, wasn’t it?

For someone who can’t see—how could they possibly be assigned watch duty? Who in their right mind planned this watch roster?

This system is utterly inhumane and barbaric.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable for you? Is it alright for you to stay awake for the watch?”

I approached the priestess and asked politely. She responded by moving closer to the fire, her face breaking into a quiet smile.

“I’m fine. To me, who cannot see, the distinction between darkness and light, night and day, is meaningless. However, your karma… it remains quite peculiar. It resembles someone I know, and even now, I’m uncertain whether I’m mistaking you for them.”

“Someone you know?”

This woman had once deeply bowed to me, mistaking me for someone else—an irony, given she cannot see.

Perhaps she distinguishes people by scent? With no sight, her other senses—like touch or smell—might have become exceptionally sharp.

Cassandra continued.

“You know the person, too. They are always above the sky, illuminating all things. The deity governing the light and radiance of this world.”

“You mean the god of the sun?”

“Ho ho… calling Him the ‘God of the Sun’ sounds rather irreverent. But yes, it’s true. Your karma resembles His. A barbarian of the wilderness possessing karma akin to the Light Lord’s? How is such a thing possible?”

“Well, could it be that the grace I possess is the grace of the Sun God?”

“Grace… have you been blessed by Lord Apollo?”

With a swift motion, Cassandra extended her palm toward me. I was startled and instinctively leaned back.

“What is it?”

“Ah, sorry. May I touch your face? Since I lost my sight, I’ve developed a habit of touching things that intrigue me.”

“Alright, then.”

Her soft, delicate palm lightly touched my face. Her fingers were colder than expected, almost icy, given she’d been sitting close to the fire for so long.

She must have on a thin, silken robe akin to what wealthy ladies wear—perhaps due to the chilly night, her bl**d circulation wasn’t optimal. Still, the sensation wasn’t particularly unpleasant. Eventually, Cassandra began tracing the features of my face, even running her fingers through my hair.

“Your hair… you have a lot of it. It’s strange.”

“Is that… not supposed to happen?”

“It seems you were recently blessed by Apollo. Males who receive his blessing gradually lose their hair, resulting in radiant foreheads that shine like the sun.”

What the hell? Is she implying I’ll go bald?

That would be horrifying. If this grace causes baldness, I might as well get rid of it.

An image of the adventurer who claimed to be the Sun God’s son, his shiny forehead glistening under the sun, resurfaced in my mind.

No, this must be stopped at all costs!

“Is… is there no way to prevent hair loss?”

“Of course, not everyone experiences this. It’s just a manifestation of the divine grace overwhelming a human vessel. Samuel Hassan—if you strengthen your faith with a strong body and devout heart, your hair shouldn’t fall out.”

“I see.”

Cassandra continued to grope my face with a rough—though not unpleasant—touch. I was honestly uncomfortable, fearing she might poke my eyes or shove a finger into my nostrils.

d*mn, how long does she plan to keep touching me? Did she wash her hands?

“Anyway, now that I’ve touched you directly, it’s clear you’re not Him. Karma manifests in distinct forms. His is pure radiance, but yours… it’s like… it’s almost… it’s almost…”

She trailed off here, leaving the sentence unfinished, perhaps as a tactic to provoke curiosity. Did she mean to demand payment to continue?

“So… almost what?”

I delicately inquired, subtly implying I’d be willing to pay about three copper coins.

“Hmm… well…”

The priestess hesitated before finally speaking.

“…your karma is almost like… a great fortress. Still, only its foundation has been laid so far. In a way, it’s a large vessel that is currently empty. What kind of life did you lead to create such a vessel…? It’s as if you’re not even from this world…”

“So, you’re saying I have immense potential?”

Given her blindness, Cassandra’s perception was unusually sharp. Had she somehow sensed that I’m not from this world? Was this due to magic? Is she perhaps a witch?

“Anyway, did you discern all this just by touching?”

“Thanks to the grace bestowed upon me. I too received divine grace from a lofty deity when I was a young girl.”

“Ah.”

“Ho ho ho… it was truly an overwhelming boon. Gazing too closely at the brilliant sun rendered me blind…”

Could blindness be a side effect of receiving divine grace?

I wanted to ask more, but Cassandra had fallen silent, and prying into someone’s pain seemed inappropriate. Though Malco might’ve grilled her for information without hesitation, I didn’t wish to degrade into such a clumsy clown.

I instead stared at the crackling bonfire, contemplating whether to add more firewood and how to endure the next hour or two.

My thoughts drifted back to Luna and the lingering warmth and softness on my hands, reminiscing sentimentally about moments we shared.

It had been so soft. And Luna seemed like she wanted to say something more. If the watch rotation hadn’t interrupted us, where might things have gone?

There was something in the atmosphere… something that hinted at possibilities… wasn’t there?

As I was about to fully immerse myself in these thoughts,

“Excuse me, please forget what I said earlier.”

“Huh?”

“I am a clumsy body that can’t even see the stones in front of me, yet acted as if I knew something. I’m truly embarrassed by my antics. If you don’t mind, please erase those words from your mind.”

“Very well, then.”

Cassandra stopped speaking to me after that. She merely muttered prayers toward the fire or threw dry twigs into it in a haphazard manner, apparently enjoying the unseen flickering flames.

Maybe she had a hidden desire to set things alight. People do have a tendency to want to burn things, even normally.

Having nothing much to say, I occasionally got up to stretch or circled around to check if any wild animals were disturbing the tents.

—

Before long, the time for the next watch rotation approached.

At the tent where the next watch team of the Maiden of the Sword was sleeping, I made a noise, “Hem… Rene, Tifa.”

With a creak, a couple of Bronze Tier women emerged, their swords and armor already securely fastened.

“Ah, it’s already my turn? You didn’t wake me up early, did you?”

“No.”

“Haaaaa!”

The women stretched lazily. I had met them during the daytime, and though they hadn’t struck me as especially beautiful due to rough skin and freckles, under the silver glow of the moon, they appeared quite charming. Even their untamed blonde hair now seemed somewhat attractive.

The Amazon-like Rene, with braided hair, yawned sleepily as she asked,

“Any issues?”

“Nothing of note.”

“Alright then… Samuel Hassan, why do you look so disheveled? Why not clean up at the spring before bed? Even someone from the wilderness should follow civilized protocols!”

What the… I didn’t expect women who swing swords like beasts to lecture me on civilized behavior.

True, my appearance was disgustingly disheveled. My leather armor and protective gear were stiff with dried mud from wallowing in the marsh, and they were stained with Goblin bl**d. This would indeed make me more prone to getting sick.

I had thought about washing at the spring earlier, but the line was too long, and I got tired of waiting. Now, perhaps everyone would be asleep, and the spring would be empty.

Perhaps the cold water would soothe the persistent erection that Jooji has had since leaving the tent with Luna.

d*mn it all, why am I still standing here? Is Jooji actually protesting right now?

Thus, I headed to a small stream that flowed alongside the abandoned shrine. The strange mist covering the area made me a little uneasy, worried some wild beasts might leap out.

But today, after slaying a dozen Goblins, I was brimming with so much confidence that I fearlessly walked through the mist.

Splish splash.

Following the sound of water, I soon stumbled upon something that looked more like a small lake than a stream. Wildflowers swayed gently on its banks, and the surface reflected two crescent moons in a picturesque sight.

It was deserted, so I planned to quickly undress and jump in.

Gurgle!

Suddenly, the water parted, and something rose from the depths. Was this an Ancient God? Or perhaps a water ghost that devours humans?

Startled, I looked closer. It wasn’t a ghost or an ancient deity but a human. Under the moonlight, her tanned skin glistened, her body taut with controlled strength, accentuating her perfectly proportioned physique.

However, her ample br*asts, prominent pink nipples, mesmerizingly toned abs, wide hips, and the wet patch of brown hair peeking between her thighs captured my attention.

It was—

I hastily diverted my eyes, but the woman’s brown eyes, filled with shock and alarm, had already met mine.

The next moment, she covered her br*asts with her arms, sank deeper into the water, and yelled.

“You! You are—!”

“Hip, Hippolyte… It wasn’t my fault—.”

I knew I was doomed. This wasn’t any frail witch we’re talking about—this was a fierce female warrior, adept in physical combat. One punch from her could perhaps make my head spin 720 degrees and rip off completely.

Even when I happened upon Elfride undressing, she slapped me so hard that I spent a few days recovering. How much worse would it be this time?

“Explain yourself! Why are you undressed? Are you planning to attack me? The daughter of Mars, this Hippolyte?”

“That’s… I can explain everything—!”

“Explain? That… that thing standing proudly already proves everything!”

Hippolyte pointed accusingly with her finger between my legs. Indeed, my “thing” stood at full attention, but not merely because of observing her body. This state had persisted ever since I came out of the tent with Luna.

“Pervert! To take advantage of the full moon! How nefarious! I will scream!”

Hippolyte deeply inhaled, expanding her chest dramatically. I vividly imagined the disastrous consequences if her screams were heard by others, especially her comrades-in-arms, the Maiden of the Sword, who were currently on watch duty.

Facing accusations of s*xual harassment might be considered relatively mild. If women’s judgment were to swiftly sever my heart and precious Jooji with merciless blades, the situation would be far worse.

What if Jooji were cut off? d*mn it, I must prevent that at all costs!

Without thinking, I jumped into the water and swiftly clamped my hands over Hippolyte’s lips.

“You cursed brute! Let go—no one!”

Trying to silence Elfrida, the veteran adventurer, was akin to meddling with a sleeping lion’s mouth—foolhardy and audacious. But I had no time to consider the risk.

“Guh!”

“Shh… Be quiet.”

“Guh—!”

Hippolyte violently resisted, splashing water and wildly swinging her fists to break free, but her efforts weren’t as powerful as I anticipated.

“Be silent… Just hush!”

Men are said to summon superhuman strength and determination in times of crisis. As I teetered on the brink of d*ath, perhaps I was summoning all my latent abilities and unleashing my full potential.

Strangely, I felt I could do this—especially since I was physically restraining Hippolyte right now! Maybe I’m stronger than I realized?

“Guh… uh—!”

“Stay still, please! I’ll explain… Shh… Keep quiet!”

Splash, splush, thrash!

“Firstly, calm down—.”

Just as I grabbed her hand attempting to disrupt me,

Ding—

{Name: Hippolyte Heaven-singer, Level ?? 3

Condition: Boiling bl**d} Moonlight Allergy} Severe Menstrual Pain} ????}

“Guh—!”

[Afterword] By the way, the actual title of this novel was initially supposed to be “Transmigration: The World of Physical Therapy Quack!” However, after much deliberation on what might attract better engagement, it evolved into the current title…

As always, thank you immensely for your support through likes, comments, and coupons! 😭😭😭

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