"A-Ahh!" Gahani took hold of his bloody hand in panic and fear, stepping back wobbly.
"Hah— ha." Raelgar only paled in comparison. However, his knees seem to sap out the remaining strength he has.
With a plop, he kneeled down, looking at his bloodied hand in despair. "W-why?"
Why? Why am I asking a stupid question? This should be normal, right? To be killed by a stranger out in the wild.
"Don't be afraid, kid. Take a look at your wound; it has already healed." Nai passed by them, feeling a little sorry for their pain.
However, in order to feel safe enough, The test and the necessary pain are required. It's not like he would be the one in pain.
People who have lived here since their birth should be much tougher, right? It's just a little pain; look, I even healed you right away.
Raelgar and Gahani immediately regain clarity in their blurry eyes. "The p-pain...it disappeared?"
Gahani gritted his teeth and used a part of his coat to wipe the blood on his arms while expecting extreme pain to come. But he was doomed to be disappointed.
Looking at his unwounded hand. Gahani was dazed.
He clearly felt it, saw it, and experienced the pain. Even the blood on his coat and his other hand was proof.
How did that serious wound that touched almost to the bone disappear like it didn't happen?
At this moment, Raelgar's eyes seem to realize something. "Miracle water."
At the mention of this, Gahani was immediately enlightened. "I see. If it's that miracle water, then That's the only possibility."
Knowing that, they were even more conflicted about what to do and how to respond to the mysterious young man walking away.
"What should we do?" Raelgar asked, dazed.
"That...I don't know. How about you ask?" Gahani replied weakly as he sat on the ground.
At this moment, the two seem to have been sucked dry of their remaining strength. They laid down and looked at the starry sky.
"I don't understand this place anymore."
"Me too." Raelgar murmured in response.
Soon, a shout wakes them out of their stupor. "Oy, come here and make some fire for me."
The two looked at each other, and in their eyes were worries. "I might die from excessive worry from this."
"Hah, don't tell it to me. I'm much worse; I can't even stand right now." Gahani mumbled.
However, no matter what they were mumbling about, They still found some strength to stand up and start a fire.
They dared not disobey.
Looking at the two, Nai didn't actually know what to say. So he can only ask them to make some fire so he can start a barbecue.
"Did you bring rice with you?" He asked as he sat down in front of the bonfire. "Come on, sit down around."
Raelgar fidgeted, but he still sat down on the other side. Gahani followed, much more timid than the young one.
The older one was, the more one feared death. Although others might say otherwise, only you will know.
He might as well explain it to them to avoid misunderstandings. At the same time, asked what he needed to know.
"I'm sorry for what happened just now. You might feel angry or fearful of me because of what I did." Placing the skewed meat beside the bonfire, he continued.
"I know it's painful, but it's necessary."
Raelgar was silent; instead, it was Gahani who mustered his courage to ask curiously about the reason. "Can I ask why? Did Senior do that?"
A human is just like that, finding reasons to back up their claims. No one wanted to be in the wrong.
Just like Gahani, although he was angry. The fear mostly consumed his heart, so he could only find justification in what he was feeling.
"You've seen those bizarre people, right? I believed you knew more than I did. When I beheaded them or injured them, neither blood nor flesh or bones appeared." Nai continued to put more skewers by the bonfire as he answered.
"It's the same with the others. I even thought this was the real Agah Village, were it not for you. Of course, you might be in disguise too."
"So you should know why I made a wound on your arms. Is that enough?"
Gahani was silent, but he seemed to accept it based on the expression on his face.
Raelgar, who was silently listening, suddenly voiced out his concern, "Are we in danger?"
This was important, as it currently describes their current situation.
Nai shook his head and said, "Nope. "You're safe for now."
"For now?" Raelgar caught the key.
"For now, because those monsters attack me using the skin of your village people. I'm also angry, you know? Tell me, where should I throw this anger?"
Although he was saying that, Nai wasn't letting out any anger in his tone. It was more like he was just casually talking to them.
"Enough of that. Tell me what happened to the caravan first. As long as the answer satisfies me of what those things were, I will pardon you two and won't make it difficult for you."
While waiting for the food to get cooked. Nai made another bonfire and cooked rice.
How can a mere piece of meat without rice be enough? As an Asian who lived near the equator in the past. Rice is synonymous with life.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Even a midnight meal.
This time, Raelgar and Gahani relaxed a little. This conversation was a whole lot of experience for them.
They're indeed safe, for the time being. This also made them understand that this young man is by no means a pushover or very kind.
At least they can have a peaceful conversation.
"It all started when we set off...." Just like that, Raelgar told the whole event like a story. When there are things that seem to be holes in the plot.
Gahani would come to the rescue and fill in the blank.
"I see, so you're also a victim, huh? I feel sorry though; the two of you should really thank your luck for being alive till now and meeting me." Nai got the whole situation.
After talking for a while, the two slowly accepted the fact that they were safe and sound. Even the way they chatted with each other became much smoother.
"Have some; I know you're all tired. At least, thanks for not doing anything while I was asleep."
Nai meant what he said. Although he didn't say it, his gesture can be seen as gradually accepting them.
Raelgar and Gahani bowed solemnly. "Thank you, senior."
They also understand that the senior's gesture in front of them was telling them that he accepted their story and wouldn't have to worry.
They accepted the skewer and ate it slowly. It's hot and sizzling with oil. The fragrance perked their noses and wetted their appetites.
As for Nai, he only hummed before taking a bowl from somewhere as he scooped out freshly cooked hot rice. Then he put the skewed meat on top of it before he started digging in.
"If you have rice on you, you can cook yours too." Nai naturally noticed their glances. He didn't mind sharing the rice they brought, which should now be his spoils of the battle.
One of the lore that hunts the Agah Village A bizarre monster that wears human skin. They would give something before taking the lives of their prayers and extracting human skin.
Practically, they were very strange and diabolic, if Nai can so say.
Gahani immediately took a pot from somewhere and a bag of rice that had already been cleaned and watered to the right level back to the bonfire.
Then he put the pot on the empty bonfire where Nai had cooked his rice. "Thank you."
It's not bad to give thanks now and then. After all, people like to receive more than to give.
"That bizarre monster just now—what about we call them slime? The real form should be that black substance." Although it was different from what he had seen in anime and manga,
They still looked the same, just with different abilities.
"Slime? Those man-eating monsters who wore human skin?" Raelgar asked, somewhat taken aback. He remembered there was a name the village come up with but he forgot what it was.
For this senior to even have the time and energy to name such monsters, he must not have taken them seriously in his eyes.
Such confidence. Raelgar suddenly felt much more safe staying near such a senior.
"Uh—"
"Yes, senior. From now on, we'll call those bizarre monsters slime." Before he could speak, Gahani had already overtaken him at the side. Sucking up to someone is the way to live!
Nai nodded calmly, still happily eating his meal.
"What should we do now, senior?" Raelgar, who saw this senior's strength in fighting those bizarre monsters— slimes alone,
They subconsciously treated him as their leader. Gahani also looked at Nai as if waiting for an order.
Nai put down the bowl and his spoon as he drank some water from the pond. The water used by Gahani on his rice was their own, so he casually said something.
"For now, you'll be under me until the next caravan will arrived. After you eat your fill,"
"Go to sleep near the walls or the watchtower. I'll have you work for me when the sun rises."
Nai stood up after saying that. Even burping from being full.