Chapter 163

Chapter 163

Originally, a rainforest refers to a forest where a lot of rain falls.

The “Black Forest” that Argio had made his hometown was like that as well. Not a day went by without fickle rain, and often a pitch-black fog filled with poison would settle in, and the ground was soggy, hiding its friend, the swamp.

“I like rainforests.”

In that forest, so dense that not even sunlight could reach inside, all manner of gold and treasures overflowed. Poison is medicine, and excellent poison can also become an excellent elixir. That splendor blooming atop heaps of corpses...

“So I will see you in fifteen days.”

“Yes, O Divine One.”

“There is always treasure in a rainforest.”

Treasure that turns everything into a beast, intoxicating treasure.

* * *

“Oh!”

A youthful voice rang out through the garden of the order’s headquarters.

“Big brother Gio!”

“Student Cha Isol.”

Cha Isol had seen a welcome face for the first time in a while.

“I stopped by because the garden was beautiful, but I didn’t expect to see this precious face.”

The platinum-blond Gio approached Cha Isol with his characteristic refined smile. Cha Isol, too, holding his partner’s hand, ran over to Gio and greeted him with that bright face.

“It’s been a super long time!”

“Yes, it has been a long time.”

“I’ve been doing well!”

“My... you’ve stolen my question.”

“Have you been doing well, hyung?”

“I, too, have been spending peaceful days.”

“That’s a relief.”

Cha Isol asked with a child’s pure curiosity and goodwill.

“You’re not sick anymore?”

“...”

Giovanni wore a gentle smile as if drawn on his face.

“I wasn’t sick even then.”

“There was a lot of blood.”

“It was blood that ought to be shed.”

“Was it something you did wrong, hyung?”

“I took responsibility for a bond.”

“What’s that?”

“Such a story...”

Looking at Cha Isol’s partner, he continued.

“I think it should come after you first introduce Student Cha Isol’s partner.”

“Oh, right!”

Startled, Cha Isol looked at his partner, and Lee Ruda, a trainee priest, looked at Cha Isol with a subtly crumpled expression. The topic of their conversation had been so bizarre.

“You didn’t only just now remember me, right?”

“We were holding hands, so I was always thinking about Ruda!”

“If you hadn’t made your words just a little prettier than that, you would’ve suffered greatly.”

“I just forgot to introduce Ruda because I was so happy to see hyung...”

“...”

As if she had plenty to say but was holding it back, Ruda let out a small sigh.

“...Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Ruda, a trainee priest.”

“Nice to meet you, sister. I am Seo Gio, who has received the light of the sun, though I am lacking.”

“The light of the sun...”

Ruda looked up at Gio.

“Are you perhaps a priest...?”

The pure white uniform under the pitch-black cloak, and more than anything, an atmosphere that made it impossible not to think so.

The man who introduced himself as “Seo Gio” had platinum-blond hair like clean marble under blazing sunlight, and blue eyes that seemed to shimmer with light. It was the most ideal image one could imagine when thinking of a “priest of the sun.”

‘And his aura isn’t like an ordinary person’s, either.’

He certainly overflowed with warm energy, to the point you could describe it as having “received the sun’s light.” Ruda could feel a god’s immense quality from him, and unless he was a priest dearly loved by a god, that would be difficult.

And something, a little more...

“Ah, my. I am not a priest.”

“...You’re not a priest?”

“I am merely a believer who serves the sun.”

“Th-that...”

She wanted to argue, but since he was a stranger adult and someone Cha Isol liked, it was hard to raise her voice carelessly. There weren’t many adults who liked a child who tried to pick apart everything with a stranger they’d just met.

‘I should talk a bit more with Cha Isol later.’

Perhaps noticing Ruda’s feelings, the man named Seo Gio smiled.

“It seems you have doubts—would it be all right if you did not ask further?”

“...It feels like it would be rude to an adult I’ve just met.”

“Sister Lee Ruda is cautious and polite.”

Ruda felt a steady goodwill in his voice, as if it would last forever.

“Do you like sweets?”

“...Pardon?”

At the sudden question, Ruda asked back, and Cha Isol shot his hand up.

“Me! Me me! I like sweets! Snacks! Snacks hyung gives me!”

“To have such a strong longing for snacks makes this priest’s heart very pleased.”

As he said that, Seo Gio’s face looked extremely satisfied.

‘Ah, he’s similar.’

The man who, just a moment ago, had been smiling the ideal priest’s smile, let out a cheerier laugh than expected and squished Cha Isol’s cheeks. In that action, with no force at all, Ruda could feel the depth of his affection.

“Looks like you lost a bit of weight?”

“Huh? I gained!”

“I would like it if you gained exactly fifteen kilograms more than this.”

Ruda had no choice but to cut in.

“If he gains that much, he’s a pig. He’ll roll around.”

“Become a pig, bam...”

“No.”

Imagining a Cha Isol pig who couldn’t even walk and just rolled around, Ruda went pale. She didn’t know why, but this Seo Gio person really seemed like he could turn even a perfectly normal kid into a pig. She could feel that will.

Hesitating, Ruda continued.

“...I don’t really like sweets.”

“Then do you not enjoy snacks themselves?”

“No, it’s not that...”

“Do you have a preferred snack, Sister Ruda?”

“...Dried medicinal herbs.”

“Aha.”

Even though it must have sounded strange, Seo Gio nodded smoothly.

“Seems you like bitter things.”

“It’s just... I like chewing on something that’s good for my body. Then my mouth doesn’t feel bored, either.”

“To already know to think of your own health—what a clever attitude this is.”

“...”

“Children who know the value of medicinal herbs are rare.”

At the heartfelt goodwill pouring out as naturally as breathing, her grip tightened on the hand holding Cha Isol.

“Ruda, your face is red.”

“Be quiet, Cha Isol.”

It was because this was the first time she’d received such blatant praise from an adult.

‘Why is he coddling me this much?’

An era where the perception that children grow on their own if you just leave them be was widespread.

Because of that, in a world that saw children not as “fragile beings to protect,” but as “beings that die easily and therefore need management,” adults like Gio, who spoke gently and softly to children, were extremely rare.

‘No wonder he seemed so close with Cha Isol...’

Sure enough, sunshine gathered with sunshine. It made her feel hot with embarrassment.

At least Cha Isol was a friend and partner she had to go with, but Seo Gio was, to anyone’s eyes, a dependable adult. Ruda, who had no memory of receiving affection like this for no reason from such an existence, stammered.

“I-it’s just because it’s helpful that I eat them.”

“And even so humble.”

“That’s not it...”

“Sister Ruda being Student Cha Isol’s friend puts my mind at ease.”

Seo Gio smiled, full of pride.

“Surely, Sister Ruda will become a wonderful partner.”

“...”

“With such fine weather, I shall give you a small gift.”

As he said that, Seo Gio gave Cha Isol and Ruda each a small paper bag as a gift.

“I hope it is a gift you wanted. You may use it however you like.”

Narrowing his eyes gently, he soon straightened his back again and offered a parting greeting.

“Today I stopped by briefly at the Sun Church’s call. On my way back after finishing a light greeting, meeting you both will make it an even better day.”

“I had a good day too! Hyung, will you come again?”

“If possible, I will show my face again soon. I will convey Student Cha Isol’s well-being to his guardians, and Sister Ruda.”

Seo Gio looked at Ruda and asked kindly.

“May I convey your well-being along with it?”

“...Ah, me? To who?”

“To Student Cha Isol’s guardians.”

“Why would you do that?”

“If they learn you’ve gained such a good friend, they will be very happy.”

“...Uh...”

With her mouth opening and closing, Ruda turned bright red and lowered her head.

“...Just do as you wish.”

“Thank you for allowing it, sister.”

With a small bow, Seo Gio smiled once more and then left the garden. Perhaps because he was a high-rank hunter, his steps were very neat and he made almost no sound, and for some reason he smelled nice.

“...”

“Big brother Gio is a good person, right?”

“...Huh? Ah, he is.”

She’d never seen an adult like that.

“Is he always that kind?”

“Mm, the younger you are, the more he dotes on you.”

“In this day and age, a natural monument like that...”

“I’ve been curious—what’s a natural monument?”

“Living things that will all die soon unless the whole universe helps them.”

“...You said I’m a natural monument too.”

“You’re one I protect.”

It was a greatly exaggerated explanation, but Ruda thought her words weren’t entirely wrong. Unless the whole world pooled its strength and cooperated, it wasn’t easy to preserve things called natural monuments.

‘They say like gathers with like, and that really is true.’

She never thought there would be one more person like Cha Isol in the world.

‘And that, such a grown-up adult...’

An adult who gives goodwill to everyone, but especially gives more affection to the young. She’d thought that kind of thing only existed in nice-looking novels, but today she felt, ‘Wow, that’s actually possible.’

Ruda stroked the paper bag in her hand.

“...”

Goodwill given as a matter of course, without proving any value at all.

‘...It smells good here too.’

She was curious why he gave such a gift, and whether he always carried such gifts around, but for some reason a corner of her chest felt ticklish, and Ruda hesitated, unable to open the bag.

At that moment, an odd sound came from Cha Isol.

“Huh? What is this, Ruda?”

“What, what is it.”

“Is this rubber?”

“...Ah, it’s jelly. It’s not rubber.”

“Then I can eat it, right?”

“Of course you can eat it.”

Jelly had to be a fairly expensive food, yet he gave it as a gift so casually.

‘Does it look handmade?’

There was no brand name written anywhere; it was a bag tied shut with a ribbon. With the gift reeking of something handmade, Ruda hesitated a few more times, then opened her own bag.

The ribbon, perhaps high-quality, loosened smoothly, revealing what was inside.

“...”

Ruda tilted her head.

“...What is this?”

“Even you don’t know something?”

“I don’t know if I don’t learn it.”

“Hmm...”

Cha Isol tilted his head too.

“Is it a flower?”

“It is a dried flower, but.”

“Can I eat it?”

“...Did he really give me medicinal herbs?”

“Ugh, is this medicine?”

“I-I don’t know either.”

It was small golden flowers gathered in a fluffy cluster, like sheep’s wool.

“...”

But Ruda felt it.

‘...The sun...’

The Goddess of the Sun is casting her gaze.

‘No, why?’

What is this, then.

Just what did he give her for the goddess to covet it?

* * *

“Hunter.”

Juhyeon, who had been waiting at the order’s entrance, asked with her characteristic smile.

“Did you have a pleasant visit?”

“Yes, the Sun Church’s garden was beautiful.”

“They say the whole Sun Church is a greenhouse wherever it stays.”

“The entire temple branch was full of the sun’s warmth.”

“It must have been a splendid sight.”

“And...”

Following Juhyeon’s guidance, Gio continued.

“I saw many familiar faces.”

“You said you met Priest Kang Seodam.”

“I also saw Brother Cha Isol.”

Giovanni said, carrying a smile with warmth.

“He has gained a good friend.”

“A good friend...”

Murmuring his words, Juhyeon went to open the back seat door, and Gio asked.

“May I sit in the passenger seat?”

“If you wish, you may do so as much as you like.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Gio and Juhyeon sat side by side in the front seats of the car.

“She was a sister named Ruda, and she was very mature.”

“It seems you found her quite endearing.”

“She was admirable, and yet pitiful. She was very clever.”

“Sounds like she’ll grow into someone great.”

For Gio, the eyes of the Origin itself, to say such a thing, after all.

“Was anything else amiss?”

“In fifteen days.”

Gio said.

“I will go to the rainforest.”

“Looks like a raid proposal came in.”

“I like it.”

“Then I’m happy as well.”

Juhyeon asked.

“Do you like rainforests?”

“...”

Before he knew it, Gio’s hair, as he looked out the window, had been dyed red.

“...I like them very much.”

It was Argio’s house, and his hometown.

A huge grave, rotted and melted away.

(To be continued in the next episode)