Rurika began tending to the young man's wounds, cleaning what she could before wrapping them in bandages.
The ground beneath them was still damp—the blood that had seeped into the soil had begun to darken, leaving behind a faint scent that refused to fully fade. The air felt heavy. As if something…still lingered in this place.
Since they hadn't brought proper equipment, she could only provide what little first aid she could manage.
"Are you done?" Etral asked from the corner, where it had been lingering all this time.
Its glow was dimmer than usual—as if it was being careful not to touch something unseen.
The moment Rurika gave a small nod, it drifted closer.
Etral could only watch from a distance. Watch Rurika do everything on her own. Not because it didn't want to help—
But because it couldn't.
Between the young man's body—something moved, thin and like a shadow without a definite shape.
At times it surfaced beneath his skin—at times it vanished as if it had never been there.
But every time Etral drew closer—
The shadow reacted. It slipped out like severed black smoke—then lashed forward. Fast and silent. Without a sound.
Etral avoided it. Its movement was light, but its glow trembled ever so slightly.
The energy from the young man's body instinctively rejected its presence. Or more precisely—something inside him did.
Every time Etral approached, the shadow tried to drive it away. Not wild. Not chaotic.
If anything…it was too precise. As if it knew exactly what it needed to strike.
That irritated Etral. Not at itself—but at the young man. For making its owner handle everything alone.
"So how exactly are you planning to bring him back?" Etral asked, circling the young man's body while avoiding the subtle, continuous attacks aimed at it.
Behind it—
The black shadow slipped back into the young man's body once more. It fell still again, waiting. As if it had never existed.
"…" Rurika fell silent.
Watching. Not Etral—But something that had just…disappeared.
She said nothing. Instead, she looked at Etral, asking for help without words.
"Don't look at me like that," Etral continued. "If I use my power, I'll only hurt him."
The light around Etral pulsed faintly.
"My power is meant to purify sinners. And you can't ask for help from the forest dwellers either—they'd be injured." It paused for a moment, then spun lightly in the air. "Just look at me right now. I'm still being attacked."
Rurika fell silent again.Her gaze shifted from Etral to the black-haired young man.
One attacked. One evaded.
But this time—she frowned slightly. Because the attacks… didn't feel like anger.More like—rejection.
Strange.
Like a silent game of chase.
—
KAW… KAW…
A sharp caw split the stillness.
A Kao bird perched on a branch, watching them.
Its head tilted. Its eyes gleamed—too sharp for something that should have been just an animal.
"Look, even that bird is laughing at us," Etral said flatly. "Shall I teach it a little lesson?"
Rurika shook her head lightly.
"No." Her voice was soft. "Just leave it."
But she didn't look at the bird. Her gaze remained on the young man before her.
Around them, the ground had darkened—damp with something that had soaked in far too deeply. Tree roots jutted out, like veins frozen on the surface.
There was no wind.
Too still.
And for a moment—her fingers moved slowly. Almost unconsciously. As if trying to touch something that wasn't visible on the surface of his skin.
Beneath that skin—something thin and dark crept along. Like a shadow that refused to be seen.
But she stopped before truly touching it. She looked at him again. Thinking seriously. For some reason—she felt like…she shouldn't touch it.
—
Rurika, who had been sitting, slowly stood up. It seemed she had found a way.
She tried lifting the young man's body—
Supporting him with both arms, like a princess carrying someone.
But his body didn't rise. Not even a little. As if the weight didn't come from the body alone—something inside was holding it down.
Rurika remained where she was. Crouched in silence.
—
KAW… KAW…
The laughter rang out again. Above them, the Kao bird tilted its head. It had chosen to watch—amused by the behavior of the humans below.
Etral fell silent. It wasn't sure whether to laugh…or to feel sorry.
—
Rurika tried again. Her hands tensed slightly. Her shoulders shifted with the effort.
Still—nothing.
She stopped. Drew a slow breath. Then tried another way.
She positioned the young man's body onto her back, attempting to lift him from behind. For a moment—
His body rose.
And at the same time—That black shadow surfaced. Thin and fast. Like something disturbed.
Then—
BRUKK.
They fell together.
The young man's body came down on top of Rurika.The damp ground softened the impact—yet the dull ache remained.
"Ugh…" Rurika's breath caught for a moment.
—
KAW… KAW… KAW…
The Kao bird's laughter burst out louder. Perched on its branch, it seemed delighted by the absurd display of the human girl below.
Not just laughing—
But enjoying it.
—
Rurika didn't get up immediately. She remained still for a moment.
Staring upward—at the dark branches that blocked out the light. Then slowly, she turned her head to the side.
The young man lying over her remained unmoving. Unconscious.
And yet—
The shadow beneath his skin still shifted slowly. Like…it was breathing.
Rurika let out a small sigh.
—
"Are you alright?" Etral asked.
It drifted closer, allowing its light to touch Rurika. The small wounds on her skin began to heal slowly.
But the moment the light drew closer—The black shadow reacted. It shrank and pulled back. Like something that despised being touched by light.
Etral stopped its approach.
"I think… it's impossible to bring him," Etral continued, more cautious this time.
It knew its owner wasn't foolish. Just…too simple. Too straightforward for a world like this.
—
"Let's do this instead," Etral said. Then— "I'll ask the fairies for help."
Without waiting for an answer, Etral shot off into the forest. Its light vanished between the trees—leaving Rurika alone.
—
The forest fell silent again.
Not truly calm—just…without sound. Slow breathing.
Damp soil. That faint scent that still lingered. And something inside the young man's body…that had not truly fallen asleep.
Beneath his skin—the shadow moved slowly. As if observing and waiting.
—
Some time later, Etral returned.
Bringing with it a simple wooden cart. The wood was still fresh—out of place in this forest.
—
But the moment Rurika tried to lift the young man onto it—something reacted.
Not from the outside. From within.
The black shadow burst out—thin, sharp, like a tear in the darkness—
Then—
DORR.
A powerful force slammed into the cart.
The wood cracked and split apart, shattering into fragments that scattered across the damp ground.
—
"..." Rurika and Etral fell silent.
The broken pieces of wood rolled slowly across the soil.
—
KAW… KAW…
The laughter returned.
Even more delighted than before. As if it had expected all of this from the very beginning.
—
"Better to just purify him," Etral said, irritated. "He doesn't want to be moved."
"Don't!" Rurika refused immediately.
She reached for the young man again—pulling him slightly into her arms.
Her hand touched his skin—warm. Real.
And beneath it—The shadow stopped moving. As if… holding itself back.
"He's not attacking me…" Her hand—and her body—remained unharmed. No reaction at all. "Look… nothing's happening…"
—
Etral fell silent.
But its light pulsed sharper when it saw the shadow accept Rurika's touch.
"Heh… typical man…" Etral said coldly. "Still taking advantage—even now."
Its tone was light—yet not entirely joking. There was still irritation beneath it.
—
Realizing that, Rurika tried to think of something.
"In that case…" she said softly, "…I'll drag him."
—
"…drag him?" Etral repeated.
It looked ahead at the path.
Full of stones. Protruding roots. Uneven ground. Some parts still damp—enough to leave a trail.
Etral seemed to smirk faintly. "Oh… what a brilliant idea."
—
Rurika simply nodded, innocently.
—
She began pulling the young man's body slowly. His body shifted across the ground—leaving a faint line along the damp surface.
—
Stone.
Roots.
Rough earth.
—
Each small scrape caused his body to jolt slightly. And every time that happened—the black shadow inside him trembled faintly.
It didn't emerge. It didn't attack. It only… reacted. As if it disliked the treatment.
—
Above—
KAW… KAW…
The Kao bird's laughter still followed them—from branch to branch. Like a loyal spectator.
—
But Rurika didn't stop. She didn't complain, and she didn't hesitate. Her hands kept pulling—slowly. Even if it was heavy.
—
She simply did what she could.
—
And behind her—
Etral didn't stop her. It only watched. Its light pulsed faintly. As if…considering something.
—
Meanwhile—inside the young man's body—the black shadow remained awake.
It stayed still.
Following and waiting.