Chapter 202 : Chapter 202

Chapter 202 : Must Be Saved

-STEP.

Since ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍realizing that I looked visibly unwell, I could keenly feel just how steeped in fatigue my entire body was.

Every ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍step was incomparably heavier than before, and the sunlight felt less warm than though it might burn me up.

‘The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sun isn’t even that strong.’

Would ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this be how it felt to become a vampire?

Come ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍to think of it, I had spent all my time traveling by train and carriage, so I had not had an opportunity to walk on my own two feet.

Maybe that was why I had fewer chances to feel the fatigue.

“……I need to get inside and rest soon.”

As I muttered that and walked into Aurora Hall, where my dormitory room would still have been prepared…….

-“Isn’t that Mr. Rain? You’ve returned.”

A somewhat familiar voice came from behind me.

It was calm and composed, yet carried a raw wildness that seemed alive within it.

“……Ah, yes. I just returned.”

I slowly turned around and replied in a tone far more relaxed than the one I had used with everyone else so far.

And the moment I faced Khan, exactly as I remembered him—no. He seemed even sturdier than before.

“…….”

He opened his eyes wide, then suddenly fell silent.

-STEP.

And then, was he not slowly coming closer?

What, what is it? What’s wrong?

-GRIP.

With a somewhat serious expression, he gripped my shoulder tightly. Then, as though assessing something, he kneaded my arms and legs…….

“……Come with me for a moment. I will brew you some special tonic from the secret traditions of my tribe.”

That was what he said.

…….

“Um…… Thank you……?”

Rain was not someone who readily opened his heart to others, but he could nevertheless be said to get along with Khan without too much reservation.

Could it have been because, though their circumstances differed, they both had unusual origins, relatively steady emotions, and calm dispositions?

Of course, more than anything, it was likely because they respected each other.

Khan respected Rain’s ability and judgment, but there were still matters that concerned him as a friend.

The first was that Rain kept returning injured whenever he went somewhere.

It was probably due to his characteristic tendency to spare himself to a strange degree.

The other was that he was strangely oblivious when it came to relationships with people.

No, to be precise, when it came to romance.

‘Why does that remarkable perceptiveness not work properly when it comes to relationships with people……?’

The throbbing that suddenly began in the boy’s head was probably not his imagination.

In any case, Rain’s condition when Khan happened to encounter him after so long looked dangerously precarious at a glance.

He had never been someone who could be called healthy, even as empty flattery, but now he looked so haggard that he seemed as though he might collapse at any moment.

“What on earth happened while I haven’t seen you?”

As he brewed the various medicinal herbs he had brought back from his hometown during the previous break, the wild-looking boy asked that question.

“……Well, I’ve been so busy I haven’t had a moment to breathe.”

As usual, Rain only gave a vague answer.

“Is that so?”

Khan replied with a small sigh, but did not press further.

It was obvious Rain would not answer even if asked, and surely he had his own circumstances.

Rain had helped him in many ways, so this was also a sign of respect.

“……Still, do I really look that unwell?”

“Yes, you are practically a walking corpse. Or half-dead?”

At that answer, the boy with the gloomy impression appeared to be considering something.

It was probably not concern over his own condition, but concern over what might happen because of it.

Not taking care of himself was another one of the boy’s bad habits.

“Haah.”

-STEP.

Carrying the tonic brewed from medicinal herbs, Khan walked on and spoke again.

“Are you returning to school now? At least your year was not held back because of some system.”

“Well, yes. Once this break ends, I will probably be at Archenia Academy for a while.”

For a while. In other words, there was no way to promise what would come after.

That figures, Khan must have thought.

“You have not merely stopped by…… So you will be meeting the others again after a long time now.”

“Probably.”

“I have a suggestion concerning that.”

“……?”

The wild-looking boy appeared to deliberate for a moment before continuing.

“How about seeing the others after you have recovered somewhat?”

“After recovering?”

“Yes. You look far too unwell.”

What Khan was concerned about were Rain’s two flaws mentioned earlier.

First, he did not take care of his own body.

If he were allowed to keep wandering around like this, he looked as though he might faint before long.

‘He does not seem to eat well either, and to be candid, he has always looked frail.’

And in response to that.

“I am fine, though…….”

As expected, the person himself was once again saying that he would overexert himself.

Leaving aside the times he had been bedridden, he had never looked this precarious despite being up and walking around normally.

However,

“Well, they say a person knows their own body best. That is surely true. But will the people around you not worry when they see you?”

That was the second reason.

The people around Rain would obviously worry.

In Khan’s view, quite a few people around Rain held deep feelings for him…….

Even among those around Khan, Serene El Stellia and Yuna appeared to be among them.

Though he did not know them well, Arien and Regina also seemed to hold unusual feelings for Rain.

He was not particularly adept at understanding people’s feelings, especially romantic affection…… But his characteristic superhuman intuition told him so.

‘The problem is that he himself does not seem to give it any thought…….’

As he had said earlier, why did Rain’s remarkable perceptiveness and brilliant mind not work on such matters?

Watching him mingle with and stir those women up without any awareness, Khan could not deny that Rain himself bore some responsibility for the rumors of him being a womanizer. Of course, they were false rumors.

In any case. Regardless of Rain Enlight’s own intentions, he occupied an important place in the lives of many people. Especially for Serene and Yuna, he held a weighty place…….

It was not difficult to infer how they would react upon seeing him in his current state, which was little different from being on the verge of death.

‘They will obviously worry terribly.’

Considering how they had fretted whenever Rain had repeatedly been confined to a sickbed…… Hm.

The two had already seemed to have many worries lately. Would their anxiety not deepen further?

At the words that the people around him would worry.

“……I looked that unwell?”

Rain finally seemed to recognize the seriousness of his own condition.

“That is what I said. You are half-dead, no different from a walking corpse.”

“I thought you were exaggerating.”

“This man…….”

The boy with the gloomy impression avoided his gaze for a moment, then nodded.

“If it is enough to make the people around me worry…… Understood. I will move about after recovering a little.”

Thus, Khan finally received his agreement.

Khan smiled with satisfaction and took a step closer.

Then.

“Then leave it to me. I am good at this sort of thing.”

“Pardon?”

“If you leave it to me, it will not take several days. I guarantee it. I will make Mr. Rain into a properly healthy human being.”

In truth, there was an even greater reason Khan had made that earlier suggestion. It lay in Khan’s own disposition.

“??”

He could hardly leave an unhealthy person alone, and would not be satisfied until he made them healthy.

“Mr. Elwin and Ms. Yuna also became healthy again after passing through my hands when they were unwell. Just trust me.”

“Mr. Khan?”

It was the very moment when that disposition—one that had somehow earned Yuna the nickname ‘Serial Health Demon’ before she even knew it—revealed itself without restraint.

I only said that I would rest before doing anything outside. I had not asked him to take care of me…… But even if I told him to stop now, he did not seem likely to listen.

‘I had gotten so used to it that I forgot.’

Right. He had this side to him in the original work as well. If he found someone who looked ill or worn out, he would not be satisfied until he made them healthy.

Hm.

Well, what could I do? It was not actually such a bad thing. No, if anything, I was grateful.

After traveling between numerous battlefields, my physical condition had fallen to its worst.

All-nighters had become commonplace whenever I went on missions, and given the circumstances, it had been difficult to receive proper nutrition.

Was it not certainly something to be grateful for, that I could receive proper care on this occasion?

‘Of course…… A great deal of why I look so unwell is because of the Robelia incident.’

Well. Even if Khan could not erase the shock of Robelia, it was obvious that he would be a great help.

Thus, the three-day period of intensive treatment under Khan began.

“The way to recover your health is simple. Eat good things. Sleep well. And when you are full, sleep comes naturally. So first, eat.”

“……I’m full.”

“Now, now.”

“Yes…….”

‘Rain Enlight’s’ appetite—in other words, my appetite—was not particularly large.

No, compared to other boys my age, it could be said to be remarkably small.

Perhaps it was due to this body’s characteristically frail condition.

-“……Hey, can you really get full from eating that……?”

Yuna had been horrified when she saw how much I ate.

-“……What! I eat about that much too! Yes! It is just not much for a boy! That is what I mean! Ahaha…….”

The way she had seemed embarrassed afterward and emphasized that she ate little was rather amusing. I knew perfectly well how much she ate.

In any case, returning to the present.

“Mr. Rain eats far too little for the amount of exercise he gets. Now. Have you finished your meal?”

“Yes…….”

“Then have some fruit.”

-CRUNCH.

“This is a traditional snack of my tribe. It contains medicinal herbs and is good for the body, so have this too.”

-CRUNCH.

“This is the juice of a plant root that grows naturally only in our region. It is good for the body too, so drink it all in one go.”

-GULP.

“…….”

Khan’s theory of health was like that. First, he made people eat a great deal of good food.

Perhaps it was because knights in general, and the main characters of this world, possessed bodies that exceeded the limits of humanity. If he simply fed them well, would they not recover on their own?

‘Though it looks more like he simply wants to feed me good things.’

As that went on, I felt as though I could hear the voices of certain boys and girls ringing in my ears.

-“Grandmother…… I’m really full…….”

Hm.

Perhaps it was a familiar voice.