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243. Getting Back on One’s Feet
“Back then… About the grasshopper that dried out from the sun! Right?”
The person addressing Dan was the the elderly owner of the skill scroll shop.
She was the same elderly woman who nicknamed Dan as dried out dead grasshopper and handed the cursed scroll over to Min-Cheol.
Dan was taken aback by her sudden appearance, but went into the store to ask about the current going-ons inside the castle.
It was difficult to find anyone to talk to because everyone was busy hiding away.
There was a bowl of recently boiled hot soup and well baked bread on a table inside the store.
The elderly woman nodded towards that table, and Dan quickly understood, sat near the table, and look towards her.
“Kuhuhu. Are you still holding onto that?”
“Well, not really…”
“You are as timid as you look. Kuhuhu.”
“Right now isn’t the time for small talk. More importantly, has anything changed?”
“What do you mean?”
“All the counts and marquises of Larkenta have been murdered overnight. It all happened in that short amount of time while everyone was in sweet dreamland.”
“Of course. That’s right. Something similar to the level of chaos when the first monsters appeared has happened.”
“Yes… I’m asking if anything has changed or anything suspicious going on.”
“Many days have passed since its occurrence, but nothing has changed.”
‘“…”
“It must be even scarier because of that. Isn’t it far more suspicious that the usual calm remains in a situation like this? For people like us without any power, we can only try to read the mood.”
“Hm… “
“You must’ve seen it yourself too. The people who’ve lost their usual liveliness, locking the marketplace and doors before going into hiding. They’re all afraid… Afraid of what is to come.”
“Nothing has changed…”
“However, for an old woman like me who could drop dead at any given moment and no one would bat an eye, there is no need to be afraid. Listen before the food cools. I’ve prepped it to pass it onto you.”
The old woman pointed towards the foodstuffs on the table.
Fresh and a perfect amount. She had foreseen Dan’s visit.
Dan laughed over her groundless words, but thought that it was possible.
After all, she had identified him in a single glance.
While there was no way for Dan to be sure, he could still tell that what Min-Cheol and the old woman had claimed back then wasn’t a joke.
Unable to do anything but picking at the food without much care, Dan looked towards the old woman and asked.
“When you saw me just a bit ago, you said that I’ve lost my owner. What did you mean by that?”
“I’ve said it because the person who came with you last time hasn’t shown up. Has he died?”
“No. But the situation is bleak to the point where he is as good as dead.”
“Must’ve been caught in a trap that another demigod has prepared. Poor thing.”
“Grandma, what are you talking about? And how do you know so well what has happened to my master?”
“Hm? Do you still not believe me? That this grandma has a very special talent. Perhaps it’s because I’m near death’s door? Kuhuhu.”
“So there’s a way, right? And you know of it, right grandma?”
“Hurry up and eat the soup before it cools. You must have been through a lot, seeing that you were next to him…”
Dan slammed down on the desk and stood up.
It seemed that she knew something, but because the old woman spoke in riddles he could not understand, Dan had expressed his anger.
The old woman wasn’t shocked in the slightest, looking at Danwith a smile.
Lumbering next to the old woman, Dan asked with a rough voice.
“Please tell me what to do.”
“Kuhuhu. What do you mean?”
“My master, the one you talked about! A way to revive my master.”
“He’s not destined to die here. Isn’t he recovering slowly as we speak?”
“You already know! Please, I beg of you. Please!”
“You’re quite blessed with good company, young one. However, will you really believe in the words of a crazy bat?”
“Yes. Time is of the essence. Hurry!”
“Kuhuhu. His illness isn’t from the heart. It’s probably true that he had lost his determination due to the overwhelming power that had subjugated him. However, there is a far bigger issue left.”
“…”
“Dragon’s Scar.”
“Dragon’s Scar?”
“You could call it a parasite that eats away at his body and heart. His body should’ve recovered already ages ago. However, his recovery is constantly being sapped away by Dragon’s Scar.”
“What’s the solution? How do we get rid of it!”
“Kuhuhu. Seems you are quite the impatient grasshopper. I shall package the bread and soup I’ve given to you, so go and feed it to your master.”
“Is that going to get rid of Dragon’s Scar? But the reason why my master collapsed isn’t because of hunger!”
“Please trust in this old woman. Or do you have another way?”
“…”
Finishing her words, the old woman stood up and headed for the kitchen, located in the corner of the store.
Each of her steps were weak enough to make anyone watching worry.
However, Dan could only trust in her right now.
From science to myths. He wanted to hold onto any hope he could.
If he could get Min-Cheol to stand up on his feet again, he would feed Min-Cheol anything at this point.
Putting Dan behind her, the old lady muttered to herself while packaging the food that would be delivered to Min-Cheol.
“I do not know if this is the correct choice. However, it seems I must have faith. It’s the last bit of help I will be giving them.”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“Nothing. Now! Here it is. Feed it to him before it cools. There’s nothing as difficult to swallow than cold soup.”
“…”
“Why are you standing idly? Why don’t you hurry and go?”
“You’re really saying that my master will get better with these packaged foodstuffs?”
“Hurry and go. Isn’t the soup cooling already?”
“If nothing else, please tell me your name. If the master does get better, then I want to come back and repay the debt.”
“Kuhuhu. What’s the point of learning the name of a dying old woman… Gera. My name is Gera.”
“Thank you, and I sincerely hope to meet you again…”
Dan bowed and then left the store.
There was only one thing on his mind.
It was that he had to revive Min-Cheol. It was to make sure that he would create the world he wanted and planned for with his own hands.
In his arms were the foodstuffs the old woman had handed over.
Running as fast as he could, he sprinted right past the gates of the castle.
The old woman stood and watched him go from afar.
A little child ran up next to her and hugged her, then spoke.
“Grandma. Who is he? Is he a customer?”
“Of course. He is a very important customer.”
“Seems he’s very busy. He can’t run like that. He’s going to get hurt if he falls. Right?”
“Kuhuhu. Of course. Of course.”
“Grandma, I’m hungry…”
“Fortunately for you, I’ve already boiled the soup you love so much.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Now let us go back inside, Karupedan…”
****
“Huff… Huff…”
“Dan. Has something happened? Why have you run back here as if you were being chased by someone?”
“Huff… Hurry, the soup.”
“Hm? Soup? Take a breather and speak slowly.”
“Before that, the soup… Huff.”
Dan did not stop and ran all the way to the inn that Min-Cheol and Audu were at.
While he was a Protector, he wasn’t interested in brute force and combat.
When he worked for Swesi, he had taken on the role of a manager for the guards after all.
Even though he had far greater stamina and stronger physique than the average person who hasn’t Awakened, he was still just an average Protector.
Because he had run all the way to their residence, which was located quite far away from the castle, he was panting too much to even continue speaking.
The inn’s room that Dan returned to hadn’t changed at all.
The clones kept casting healing on Min-Cheol, and Audu looked at the window from the corner of the room, lost in worry about the future.
As Dan steadied his shaky legs with his hand and continued to walk, the firstborn that saw him spoke.
“He’ll die before Min-Cheol. Keep him alive.”
“Do as you’d like. Even cursing you out is tiring now.”
“Thank you. You didn’t call me an idiot.”
“Whew… Idiot.”
“Huh? Still keeping him alive.”
The firstborn clone treated Dan.
He must’ve thought that Dan was in a far critical state than Min-Cheol, who laid ill.
Dan’s breathing steadied in an instant.
Because he wasn’t that strong to begin with, the massive amount of power the clone had easily healed him to full in an instant.
Patting the firstborn clone’s shoulder, Dan stood in front of Min-Cheol.
“Thank you.”
“No worries.”
Following that, he was unpackaging the soup and was preparing to feed him.
Audu could not understand Dan’s behavior.
Min-Cheol was refusing to eat and laying ill.
And what he had brought all out of breath was just soup.
And he was also trying to feed him a tough dried out piece of bread as well.
“Hey. Are you really trying to feed him that?”
“Yes. With this, he can get better!”
“Hey now…”
Dan moved his body with diligence.
It happened as he was about to push a spoonful of soup into Min-Cheol’s mouth.
“Urk!”
“You can’t. Min-Cheol cannot eat right now.”
“Please let me go. I have to feed him this! That’s the only way my master can get back up!”
“He’s not hungry.”
“I am aware. However this…”
Dan’s hand that moved to feed Min-Cheol his soup had been stopped by the second oldest clone.
While he had simply grabbed onto Dan’s wrist, it was enough of an overwhelming force to make Dan scream out in pain.
There was enough force to prevent Dan from escaping no matter what he did all being concentrated on his wrist.
It seemed that the adamant second oldest would not allow Dan to go on.
It was then.
“Let go. It’s fine.”
“Idiot, stay out of this.”
“This is for Min-Cheol. Let him go.”
“…”
“It’s alright. Min-Cheol will get back up. And Min-Cheol is hungry right now. Let go of his hand.”
“…”
The firstborn nodded at Dan, and Dan immediately brought the soup to Min-Cheol’s mouth.
As the old women had hoped for, and because of Dan’s efforts, the soup hadn’t cooled yet.
While it wasn’t as hot as when it was freshly scooped out of the pot, it was at a temperature perfect to eat.
He poured some into Min-Cheol’s mouth, and Min-Cheol swallowed reflexively.
Perhaps because Min-Cheol was quite hungry, he ate the soup without any resistance.
Encouraged by Min-Cheol’s reaction, Dan dipped the bread into the soup and brought it before Min-Cheol’s mouth.
The firstborn clone had a pleased expression, watching Min-Cheol eat until the bottom of the bowl was visible.
It wasn’t long before Dan spoonfed the last bit of soup into Min-Cheol’s mouth.
With a defeated expression, he stood by Min-Cheol’s side.
While he didn’t 100% believe in the old woman’s words, it was true that he did have some hope that it would work.
However, it seemed that Min-Cheol had no plans to get back up.
Disappointment apparent on his face, Dan muttered to himself.
“To think that I hoped my master would get back up with something as simple as soup… Even for me, this is…”
The disappointment didn’t last long, however.
His head that was lowered straightened up with a single sentence, and his expression brightened.
The hand that came out from under the blanket stopped right on top of Dan’s shoulder.
And everyone, including Dan in the room, could hear it clearly.
“Good work.”
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