This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 152

It’s a bit late to mention, but Chae-rim’s impression of Dogun was “a fascinating little kid.”

Well, it was only natural.

Dogun certainly looked like a child, but his actions were anything but childlike.

Even now, that was the case.

Just moments earlier, he had almost faced death.

Yet, despite that, Dogun acted as if nothing had happened.

No matter how much I reassured him that everything would be fine for the time being, I couldn’t help but wonder how he could stay so calm.

“Could it be…?”

Are kids today all like that?

It felt a bit bitter to realize how old I had become, so much so that I naturally found myself contemplating something an old fogey would say, but it probably wasn’t the case.

This was just Dogun being unique.

To put it simply, his level of calmness was extraordinary.

“They said he was 17, right?”

But the composure he displayed after falling into this place was not something a 17-year-old should have shown.

Let alone, someone who seemed to have lived at least 10 years longer.

“Thanks to that, it’s convenient, but…”

Muttering that internally, I was just waiting for a reply from Dogun.

“No, it’s okay. I can handle it myself.”

His refusal rang in my ears.

“So, just rest a bit more.”

And then came the comment that followed.

“Why? Is it about my leg? The treatment is done, and this is nothing, you know?”

“Still, you’re not fully healed, right?”

“That is…”

That was true.

The spray I had applied to my thigh wasn’t some magical potion that instantly healed wounds; it only prevented the injury from reopening and helped boost recovery.

But it was true that I was fine, though Dogun looked skeptical.

“You heal faster if you rest.”

“Um…”

“If it’s really bothering you, would you like to carry this?”

As he spoke, he subtly guided me back into the cave. It was undoubtedly that.

It made my feelings quite complicated.

Not in a bad way.

Receiving consideration like this made me feel good; why would I feel bad about it?

Simply put, it felt strange.

Why did I feel this way?

After thinking it over, the answer came quickly.

It had been a long time.

So, it must have been that receiving such consideration from someone else felt rare.

What with me being Lightning Lady and all, I had always been in a position to consider others.

That’s what being strong means.

And Dogun’s consideration continued even after we arrived inside the cave.

“Since this has happened, how about we eat something and take a short break?”

“…Sure.”

“Here.”

With that remark, he handed me bread and strawberry milk, which I occasionally bought when I was in my original world.

I wouldn’t say I was craving it daily, but I quite liked the combination.

Of all the things he could have handed me, it had to be these.

It felt a bit coincidental.

Could it be that he knew I liked these?

The moment that thought crossed my mind, I reflexively chuckled.

I realized then that I was being overly self-conscious.

It must have just been a coincidence.

Bread and milk tend to spoil quickly, so it makes sense to eat them as soon as possible when they’re still in good shape.

As I was nibbling away at the food Dogun handed me, I noticed his gaze directed at the cave walls.

To be precise, the bizarre flesh that made up the cave walls, perhaps.

Seeing him stare at those with a look of deep concern made me suddenly want to laugh.

Just moments ago, I thought he was behaving older than his age, yet at this moment, he seemed just like any kid his age.

Was it because the things he was staring at weren’t mere decorations but parts of living creatures? That could be why he found it unsettling enough to lose his appetite.

“Why? Is it bugging you because you think they’re alive?”

“Yeah, well… something like that…”

“Don’t worry, the things you’re worried about probably won’t happen.”

He said “probably,” but it was likely true.

After all, from my earlier examination, it was indeed part of a living organism, but its reactions were anything but normal.

If it were a typical creature?

It would have shown some kind of reaction immediately upon being harmed.

Yet, even after I had cut off part of it, it remained unresponsive.

The only time it showed any reaction was after I had given it an electric shock.

So, to put it simply, whether it was a tree or whatever else it was…

“It’s likely in a state close to a coma.”

Yes, that was quite likely.

Which meant that even if we settled in here, the chances of those things attacking us was almost zero.

Once I took the time to calmly explain that point, Dogun finally nodded as if he understood.

Even so, the uneasiness on his face hadn’t disappeared.

“Why? Is there something else bothering you?”

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“Why? Is there something else bothering you?”

Something bothering me, huh.

It wouldn’t be a lie to say there was none at all.

Ever since I heard from Chae-rim that this was part of a living organism, there had been one persistent concern weighing on my mind.

Even so, I hesitated to speak up because I lacked certainty.

I just wasn’t sure if it’d be okay to tell Chae-rim about it.

So, after briefly pondering that, I eventually opened my mouth.

“Um, actually…”

And I filled in the details I had omitted from my previous explanation to Chae-rim.

It wasn’t that I had intentionally left it out.

At that moment, since we were both inside the cave, it was just tricky to explain the directions.

But now, after going outside the cave with Chae-rim and taking a look around, it became clearer.

So—

“Didn’t those guys disappear in the direction of that tree?”

“Yeah.”

That part.

And the fact that they vanished in that direction mixed with the reality that the creature was alive began to give me a rather unsettling feeling.

“That… is definitely a bit bothersome.”

“Could that tree be their base?”

“That’s possible.”

Saying “that’s possible” implied there were other possibilities as well; what could they be?

What was Chae-rim thinking?

What could she be pondering that made her glance so persistently toward the path leading deeper inside?

As I watched Chae-rim quietly thinking, she suddenly shot me a question amidst her contemplation.

“I’m just asking just in case, but we haven’t gone deeper than where we’re sitting, have we?”

“No, well… I suppose not.”

“Well… I mean, it doesn’t look like you’d want to go in there anyway.”

She nodded repeatedly as if she understood, but then she suddenly made a serious noise and put down what she was holding onto her thigh.

“How about we check it out just in case?”

And with that came—

Snap—!

That was a crisp sound.

As Chae-rim snapped her fingers, something small, only the size of a thumb, shot up from the air.

What on earth should I call that?

It felt like I was watching a lightning spirit that would only appear in fantasy novels.

A few of them, with small bodies and adorable wings, burst out and started flying around frantically in the air around Chae-rim.

And as soon as she gestured toward the deeper part of the cave, those things shot off in that direction.

Whoa…

I couldn’t help but feel a wave of admiration at the sight.

How on earth does one do that?

What kind of talent allows for such incredible feats?

Now that I think about it, those things Chae-rim just summoned weren’t just about appearances; their movements were distinctly alive.

Each of them exhibited a different way of moving.

Could they actually be alive for real?

No matter how I looked at it, her actions suggested they were.

I still didn’t really know how such a thing was possible.

‘Is this what it takes to be special-class…?’

In any case, while I was busy repeatedly admiring this amazing sight, a sudden sound interrupted.

Thud—

With that abrupt noise echoing, Chae-rim’s face suddenly stiffened as she was engrossed in the meal again.