Some time passed, and none of the three spoke.
Thunder rumbled. Neim and Duis flinched a little.
Then a drop of water fell to the ground.
Neim, surprised, looked up at the sky and saw something different from what he was used to. The sky had changed.
Another drop fell from the sky, but this time it didn't hit the ground, it landed on Neim's cheek.
Neim: "What is this, what? Water is coming from above, what's going on?"
Kelvin: "We call this rain. As you said, water falls from the sky. It's drinkable. Most of our water supply comes from this."
Duis: "The outside is so strange. I always have a question in my mind. This outside. I don't know anything."
Rain began to fall. Kelvin smiled a little.
Kelvin: "Don't take shelter, stay under the rain. You'll get a free bath while you're at it."
Neim: "That's a good idea."
As the rain started slowly, it suddenly turned into a downpour. Everyone around ran for cover, but Neim and Duis stood still under the rain.
Neim was rubbing his arms; it was clear he was starting to get cold.
The earlier long wait must've shaken off all of Duis' confusion, as his old cold demeanor had returned.
Kelvin looked at how Duis was standing and was surprised he remained completely still under the rain.
Kelvin: "You said you had a question in your mind. What was it?"
Duis: "I said I don't know anything for outside. But i have quest. According to what you said, the way Neim and I arrived here was very unusual—unexpected, even. And since you said we can't go anywhere by walking, how does that work? How did we get here?"
Kelvin took a deep breath. He had become serious.
Kelvin: "According to what's been passed down, the people who used to live on these lands before us—those before us—committed a sin against God, and God cursed us. The story goes that God said something like our feet should never touch the earth again, that we shouldn't taint His world. I think it was something meant to keep us from reaching what we desire. I don't remember the exact words now, but when we start walking, every step we take actually moves us in the opposite direction of where we want to go. And because we want to go in a different direction, we get stuck, and a journey that would normally take a day ends up taking a month. So walking is a completely pointless way to travel. That's why we travel with horses and such. This only applies to humans. Half-humans and monsters can travel on foot easily. There are still many things I don't understand. Like how we can fight monsters just fine when we're standing on the ground, with no walking problems. But normally, we can't progress by walking. These days, long shoes have been made, so we can travel a bit. But the fact that you two got here barefoot is strange."
Rain continued falling. Neim sneezed once.
Duis: "I see, but while walking here, we didn't experience anything like that. What's the reason?"
Kelvin: "Since all the streets are paved with stones, we're not touching the surface of the world. That's why we can move freely. But this God is something else—He made such a system... I once witnessed it…"
As Kelvin was speaking, he suddenly fell silent.
Duis: "What is it?"
Kelvin: "Once, when I was being brought here, we were attacked by a monster. Some managed to flee, while the soldiers fought at the back and died... I don't even know how we ran all the way from there to here. I was barefoot at the time. The fact I got this far is a bit odd."
Duis paused, thought for a moment, and then asked Kelvin another question.
Duis: "So were you thinking of coming here back then, or were you just trying to get away from the monster?"
Kelvin tried to understand the question, then answered with slight uncertainty.
Kelvin: "I was trying to escape... just getting away from the monster."
Duis: "Maybe it's something to do with our thinks. Because from what I understand, when we think a journey will be long, it becomes long. But when we think it'll be short, it's short."
Kelvin tried to process this.
The rain had already made Neim sick, but Duis hadn't shown any reaction at all.
When Kelvin finally grasped what Duis was saying, his eyes widened and he smiled.
Kelvin: "So you're saying... everything is in our minds? However we imagine the path, it stretches that way... And being with people... Wait a minute, could it be that those people are with us because we imagine they are? Then maybe this isn't even about us, it might be about our minds. Duis, you may have discovered something huge. Why haven't we thought of this before?I haven't figured out yet. But I will solve it. You are thinking anormally. But that's good. Maybe you can change the world."
"Maybe I can."
Kelvin started laughing to himself. Neim looked at Duis while shivering.
Neim: "Duis, why aren't you like me?"
Duis: "What do you mean?"
Neim: "You're not even moving. I feel like I'm about to collapse from the cold."
Duis: "Ah, yes, you're right. Why am I not like that?"
Duis looked at his own body a bit but nothing happened.
Some more time passed, and Neim had now collapsed to the ground. So both of them took shelter with Kelvin. Kelvin was still thinking, and his smile hadn't faded.
●●●
Even after waiting for a long time, Neim's shivering hadn't stopped, in fact, he kept sneezing. But it wasn't just Neim; Duis was also shivering and sneezing.
Neim: "Kelvin, why did you do this to us? We don't move. "
Kelvin snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Neim.
Kelvin: "It was a joke."
Neim & Duis: "WHAT!?!?"
Kelvin burst into laughter. Neim and Duis glared at him angrily. Kelvin eventually calmed down.
Kelvin: "Why didn't you come here when you got cold? I didn't say 'stay there', I said 'wait there and get waters like a shower'.Its hard to tell you. I mean, even after getting wet, you could've just come over. But you stayed put... good job."
The rain had stopped. Only Neim, Duis, and Kelvin remained in the shelter.
Suddenly, Elsienette entered the shelter.
Els: "Sorry I'm late. Took me a while to pick out the clothes..."
When Elsienette saw the two guys writhing on the ground, she turned to Kelvin angrily.
Els: "KELVIN."
Kelvin: "YES, COMMANDER."
Elsienette strokked her nasal bone, trying to calm herself.
Els: "You did this damn thing again, didn't you? You do the same thing to new recruits, they can't get out of bed for days."
Elsienette kept glaring at Kelvin with anger.
Kelvin: "But this is funny, don't you think so?"
Els: "What are we supposed to do, send them to Valmon sick? Do you think that's possible?"
Kelvin: "Ah, I forgot about that part."
Els: "CONGRATULATIONS, SOLDIER, FOR CREATING MORE TROUBLE FOR US!"
Kelvin: "I'M SORRY, COMMANDER!"
Els: "So what are we going to do with these guys?"
Kelvin: "After the last incident, the hospitals are full, as you know. Maybe the nurses at your house can take care of them, what do you say? After all, my place is far too small for three people, and I don't have a nurse."
Els: "Kelvin, DO YOU THINK IT'S NORMAL FOR TWO BOYS TO BE SURROUNDED BY ALL THOSE WOMEN!?!"
Kelvin: "Completely forgot about that, but it seems there's no other solution... eheh."
Els: "DAMN YOU, Kelvin! I already told the Duke about the kids, tomorrow they were supposed to go see him and report!"
Kelvin: "Since when did you meet with the Duke?"
Els: "Forget about that. Something came up at the last moment, it doesn't concern you. Your rank is still below mine."
Kelvin: "I could never hold a candle to you, ma'am."
Kelvin bowed slightly with a grin in front of Elsienette. That, for no reason at all, irritated her even more, and she drove Kelvin away from there.
After some effort, they finally reached Elsienette's house. The house is big. Too big
She flung the door open in a rush and started to go up the stairs.
Just then, a black-haired, brown-eyed, slender woman stopped her on the staircase.
Maid: "My lady, who are these two men?"
Els calmed her temper before answering.
Els: "You could call them two soldiers. Kelvin caused trouble again, and the boys got sick... Take care of them."
Elsienette's house was vast, with a beauty that was simple yet elegant. The house, did not just like one person's house.
Unable to bear their headaches, Neim and Duis collapsed in the entrance with their blankets.