For a while, I let myself relax. Surrounded by good company, I almost forgot about the poison that still lingered in my cheeks. In this world, I had already realized something strange—wounds could be treated easily, but poison... that was different. Either someone had to suck it out, or, as the girls mentioned during one of our walks, there existed a magic called Cleansing. It was mostly used for dirt—on skin, on clothes—but it could also neutralize poison.
Unfortunately, I didn't have anyone who could use cleansing magic.
The poison wasn't lethal, at least not yet. It wasn't spreading fast, but I could feel it slowly creeping deeper inside. I had no idea what would happen if I left it unchecked.
Just as I was lost in thought, Amelie and Isabelle noticed the faint, dark traces under my skin. The wound had dried, but the toxin still moved subtly like veins of shadow.
Without saying a word, Isabelle came to my right and Amelie to my left. The others stood nearby, silently watching. Then both of them leaned in—closer than I had ever allowed anyone before. One placed her hand on my right cheek, the other on the left, steadying me. Then they lowered their lips to the wounds—warm and unhesitating—and began sucking the poison out before I could say a single word.
I knew instantly what they were doing.
They spat the dark liquid onto the ground. Then did it again—just in case.
After the second round, I felt it.
Relief.
The poison was gone.
That... was surprisingly effective.
"Thank you," I said softly, looking at them. "And... I'm sorry if that was uncomfortable."
But Isabelle just smiled, and Amelie chuckled lightly.
"It's fine," she said. "It's not the first time we've done something like this. We chose to help."
I smiled back, unable to hide how touched I was. I reached out, placing a hand gently on each of their heads, giving them a soft pat.
"Still… thank you."
They both smiled warmly and sincerely, and for a moment, a pleasant warmth washed over me.
Jinwoo and the others watched us with a gentle expression.
"You three look like a proper family," he said with a light laugh.
We froze.
A family…?
We weren't one. Not really. But the words lingered in the air like an afterglow.
I lowered my head slightly and whispered, "Yeah… maybe."
After that, we talked for a while longer, then everyone scattered to their tents. I was glad there were a few extra tents—Isabelle and Amelie shared one, while I had another all to myself.
The next morning, we prepared for the final stretch of the journey. Before we continued our journey, I handed out normal-rank essence spheres to everyone.
Not because I had to—well, partly that—but because I had already absorbed one myself and felt… absolutely nothing.
For me, normal-rank essence had no effect. It was useless. I had absorbed a higher-ranked one last night—awakened rank—and that gave me a noticeable surge in strength. Not much, but it meant something.
To grow stronger, I needed spheres from at least novice rank or higher.
Everyone else, though, was happy. They thanked me sincerely and absorbed their spheres, feeling the rush of new energy course through them.
Their smiles said it all.
They'd made progress. Even a small one—and I was genuinely happy for them.
But I couldn't give spheres to Isabelle and Amelie.
First of all, because they weren't Awakened according to the story I told others. And second... because they told me not to waste it. Their eyes were calm and firm, even as they hid their frustration. I wanted to argue, but I knew they meant it. I saw it in their eyes—they were just like me in that way.
So I let it go.
And we moved on.
The journey was peaceful. Nature unfolded before us in colors and sounds I'd never seen back in my world. It was beautiful—and more so because I wasn't alone.
Maybe I was rushing it, calling them friends.
Allies? Companions?
I didn't know. I didn't ask. But in my heart, I decided: they're friends to me.
We walked. We talked. We made short stops for rest.
And then…
We reached the city.
It was the largest city I had seen in this world so far — my first. Massive stone walls, wide open gates, banners fluttering in the wind. Guarding the entrance stood knights—men in polished armor that shimmered under the sun.
We approached. Our group looked worn, dusty—but the moment they saw us, they didn't stop us.
That is… until the girls walked through.
The guards suddenly moved, each taking a firm grip on Isabelle and Amelie's arms.
"They're coming with us," one of them said flatly.
"What the hell?" Jinwoo muttered. "What's going on?"
I stepped forward. "They're with me. Let them go."
One of the guards sneered. "You have no right to claim them. Step back."
I didn't hesitate.
"If you don't let them go right now," I said in a low voice, "you'll regret it."
They laughed, gripping their hands tighter with force.
Rage surged up inside me.
A surge of power erupted from deep inside me. Aura, pressure, rage—it all flooded out at once. The air thickened like storm clouds pressing down on the earth.
The guards froze.
They released the girls immediately, hands trembling.
I walked toward them slowly, each step crushing the space between us.
They tried to back away—but their movements were tiny, like mice caught in the gaze of something far beyond them.
I reached them.
Stomped.
My aura exploded, focused only on them.
The pressure hit them like a divine force—they dropped to their knees, unable to rise, unable to speak.
Only then did I calm down.
The air returned to normal.
I leaned close.
"Tell your superiors—if anyone tries to take them from me again… I'll destroy them."
Then I walked away.
Jinwoo and the others caught up quickly.
"Are you okay?" he asked, stunned.
"Yeah," I said. "But we should split up for now. Just in case."
We went our separate ways inside the city.
As we walked through the streets, Amelie and Isabelle quietly thanked me.
"No need," I said. "Actually… I'm glad it happened."
They blinked, confused. "Why?"
"I wanted to test something," I replied. "My aura. My own energy—how I can project it as pressure, like gravity. Not just physically—but emotionally. IIt can break someone… before I even raise my hand."
They laughed, but it was clear they understood what I was saying.
We wandered through the city looking for a place to stay. Luckily, I could understand the local language—both speech and writing. That made things much easier.
Eventually, we found a small hotel.
It wasn't fancy, but it felt real. Cozy.
Inside, a woman with soft hazel eyes and light brown hair was wiping down a table. She looked to be in her early thirties, maybe a little more. No one stood behind the reception desk.
I walked up to her.
"Excuse me. How much for a room? For three people. A few days."
She blinked in surprise — maybe she hadn't expected someone to talk like that to someone who looked like a cleaner. But I had a feeling she was actually the hotel administrator.
"There's one single-room left," she said, "and it's free for the next seven days. Festival week. But no meals included—you'll need to eat somewhere else."
"Is there a place nearby?" I asked.
"Turn right when you exit," she said kindly. "Head closer to the city center. There's a small restaurant—cheap, but good."
I smiled. "Thank you."
We went upstairs and unpacked. We took turns using the shower—clean, warm water felt like a luxury. I let the girls take the bed while I made myself comfortable on the floor.
They were too exhausted to argue and fell asleep almost instantly.
I didn't.
I lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling.
What awaits us tomorrow — a fight, a kidnapping, or another test?
It didn't matter. I wasn't going to run.
I remembered that the rest of my team would probably arrive in two days.
As for Alisa… I wasn't sure. Would she be at the festival?
Will the other groups gather here too?
I didn't know.
Maybe there were many cities like this.
Maybe not.
But that didn't matter right now.
First, I need to sleep.
Because sleep is the foundation of the next day.