NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16
:
..Pervert?
“Me?”
“Yeah, you… Why are you walking around without your shirt when there’s a pile of clothes over there? Is there some kind of traditional rule about not wearing a top around here? Like an Orc?”
…Do Orcs not wear tops? They seem like they could be reasonable friends.
They were enemies in the game, though.
At Renny’s words, I glanced over at the pile of clothes stacked in a corner of the room. Clothes I’d salvaged from the wreckage. From luxurious garments to ragged outfits, various types of clothing were neatly piled up. Some of those would likely become Karina’s clothes… but a few would probably end up being Renny’s. I had no intention of wearing any of it.
“It’s easier this way.”
“…Don’t you think it’s a bit much to walk around shirtless in front of girls? Karina seems uncomfortable with it too.”
“I don’t really know.”
If anything, it seemed like she’d been sneaking glances at me. I couldn’t figure out Karina’s preferences, but she didn’t seem to mind all that much, so I didn’t see the problem.
Why are they making such a fuss about me being shirtless? I don’t get it. I’m not wearing pants or anything; surely a shirtless upper body shouldn’t be an issue. I used to wander around in nothing but my underwear when no one was around, so isn’t this more than enough?
What a strange girl.
As I exchanged glances with her, Renny looked at me in disbelief before grimacing. She probably still felt too weak from the pain to get up yet. Once her expression returned to normal, now that her pain had lessened, she spoke to me apologetically.
“…I’m sorry. This is not something I should be saying when I’m in your debt. It’s just frustrating looking like this. I was too sensitive about it.”
“Yeah.”
I already knew she had a foul mouth, so it didn’t bother me. She was the type to hurl all sorts of insults when we met as boss monsters. I was actually surprised she was apologizing so easily. She wasn’t usually that rough around the edges.
She just becomes overly sensitive when it comes to Karina. It’s like a job-related trauma.
“By the way, is this really a deserted island?”
“Yep.”
“Can you call it a deserted island if there are people here?”
Renny posed a difficult question. Am I the reason it’s called a deserted island? Does that even make sense? I started to feel a bit dizzy from the unnecessary conundrum. With three people on it now, it could hardly be called deserted, could it? So should I call it a populated island instead?
Ugh, my head hurts.
“Well, since there are only three of us, let’s just say it’s a deserted island. There’s no one here but us.”
“Aren’t there three of us?”
“Still, there’s no one else here, so it’s a deserted island.”
“Is that so…”
Renny nodded weakly at my clear answer.
“But why are you living here?”
“For the same reason as you.”
“Is that so…”
Renny sighed deeply. She looked tired despite not having spoken much.
“I wish you would explain it… I don’t really know anything at all.”
“Explain?”
“I’ve been in and out of consciousness since the mushroom incident. Karina did tell me some things, but my memory’s all mixed up. I think I heard your name too… Rohan Quartz?”
“It’s Johann Quartz.”
Ah, she really isn’t in her right mind yet.
“Oh, right, Johann… I think that’s what Karina called you. I don’t really remember clearly though.”
“Indeed.”
Since Renny woke up yesterday, she probably hasn’t had the chance to hear everything. That’s why she’s asking me so many questions now. I also needed Renny’s help, so I didn’t mind it being a give-and-take situation. I set down the almost finished leather shoes and turned fully to look down at her.
“What do you want to know?”
“What kind of island is this?”
“Don’t you remember anything?”
“I lost my memory after eating some mushrooms. What exactly did I eat?”
Given she likely consumed all sorts of drugs and deadly toxins, it made sense. She was basically resurrected by Karina’s Sacred Magic, so it’s not surprising she couldn’t remember anything. I closed my mouth for a moment to gather my thoughts.
This island.
What is this island…?
I’ve been too busy surviving to really think about it. When you get caught up in doing necessary tasks, before you know it, the day is over, and by night, I’d be collapsing into bed, closing my eyes without pondering what this island is. While I did think it was a stupid island every night.
If I had to squeeze it down, it’s a small island with bears, snakes, and a dungeon.
I guess it’s not small enough to be called very small; it seems to be the size of Ulleungdo, right?
“It’s an island divided by bears and snakes, with a dungeon in the middle.”
“What a strange island.”
“It is a strange island.”
“By the way, you wiped out the bears. You were high on mushrooms and did it.”
“I did?”
“Yeah.”
“That just adds to my confusion…”
I don’t get why she’s looking so gloomy. Isn’t that a pretty nice explanation? I could only tilt my head in confusion.
“And… you’ve lived here for a while, right? How did you survive?”
“By my wits.”
“What about escape?”
“I’ve tried several times, but I failed. This island is surrounded by a strange whirlpool. If you set sail, you’ll get sucked into it and die.”
The last time I tried was two years ago. The test ship I had barely lasted 20 minutes before it fell apart, and after seeing that, I completely gave up on the idea of escaping. If I had actually been on that ship, I would’ve ended up somewhere down in that sea, waiting for a new companion as a bloated corpse.
“That’s inconvenient… Is there really no way out?”
“Probably not. But exploring the dungeon might lead to some answers.”
“Exploring the dungeon… You’re surprisingly straightforward about this.”
Renny looked at me in surprise. The young gaze that had been filled with suspicion just a moment ago softened.
“Since escaping this deserted island requires your cooperation, it’s unavoidable.”
“Is that so…”
Renny responded in a weak voice and then fell silent. It seemed too much for her to continue the conversation in her state.
“Rest.”
“I guess so… When Karina comes to ask, just tell her I fell asleep. If I tell the truth, Karina will worry too much and think I’m overdoing it…”
I nodded to Renny, who was half-closing her eyes.
Soon, quiet breaths gently rhythmically hit the air.
And just in time, the sound of the door opening echoed.
“Are you asleep?”
Instead of answering, I nodded.
—————–
It took a few more hours after Renny fell asleep for me to finish the leather shoes. Since it was my first time making them, the finish was a bit rough, but they were fine for wearing. I handed the shoes to Karina and watched as she took off her uncomfortable heels and slipped on the leather sandals.
Wearing the leather sandals, Karina looked at me with a mischievous girl’s smile.
“Wow, thank you!”
It seemed like Karina liked the leather sandals I made for her; she began to lightly step around. The way she moved was so smooth that even I, who knew nothing about dancing other than some motions from childhood performances, could appreciate it. I watched her every move intently.
Seeing someone dance up close was indeed a unique experience. Being on this deserted island, where every footstep was a desperate struggle for survival, to witness such graceful movement purely as an expression of joy brought a comforting warmth to my heart.
“…Thanks.”
“Out of nowhere?”
Why is she suddenly like this? Wait, when did Renny wake up? As I was watching from the bedside, Renny blurted out an answer looking at Karina’s dancing. An expression full of scars. The traces of battle she had faced filled my vision. Renny, unable to take her eyes off Karina, opened her mouth.
“Karina ended up famous somehow. I haven’t had a peaceful time in years. People constantly bothering me about being a noble or a royal, clueless youngsters dreaming of romance trying to flirt at every turn, and even kidnappers seeking to get Karina appeared. I hardly had anything to smile about.
The weight of high status is one thing… It’s absurd that she’s smiling after being stranded on a deserted island.”
…Since she’s been watching Karina’s every move from up close, she probably understands the agony Karina endures. It’s not an unreasonable claim.
While others obsess over the title of ‘Saint,’ Renny has always focused solely on the girl Karina. It had always been that way, across all routes.
Even if the Saint were to fall, or when she became the final hope and offered herself as a sacrifice, Renny always prioritized her. It wasn’t just because she was a guardian knight.
Karina saved her from a life facing death, having known only the life of a battlefield. It’s clear to me that Renny will never betray Karina.
While she would be a mad dog towards others, she would be a loyal hound to Karina. Perhaps that’s the most fitting description of her.
“…”
I pondered for a while about what to say next. I just kept my mouth shut.
I couldn’t think of anything to say, and I was too absorbed in watching Karina’s dance.
Renny seemed to have no more words to spill, so she too began to observe Karina’s performance.
Unfortunately, Karina’s dance wasn’t very long. Once she finished her short display, she noticed Renny and me watching and shyly smiled, her face turning red. It was a beautiful smile.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her face.
Maybe not liking the view, Renny spoke with a hint of sadness in her voice.
“Don’t fall for her. I’m saying this as a benefactor, but you won’t see a good outcome.”
There was a bitterness written all over Renny’s face.
Who was that bitterness directed at?
Knowing a bit about the circumstances of Karina and Renny, I could only quietly agree with her words.