Chapter 276: An Unexpected Fever

It seemed unexpected that she remembered it still; the sorceress’s eyes flashed with a different light.

Deon chuckled, lightly brushing the area around his eye that had almost been pierced by an arrow moments ago. His vivid red pupils shone brightly, showing he was unharmed.

“It’s nothing much… I almost lost an eye before you came. I just wondered if this was related to that warning.”

The ‘eye’ she mentioned couldn’t be referring to snow, which falls from the sky, as they had already passed through several winters. Even so, nothing related to snow had happened, so it must be referring to the body part, ‘eye’.

Because it was a serious warning from a sorceress with an ominous aura, he had always kept it in the back of his mind. It was too bothersome to ignore, yet too tiring to pay attention to when there were more important things.

‘If this incident was what averted that crisis… then that’s a relief.’

It meant he didn’t need to worry about it anymore, so it was a good thing, right?

However, the answer didn’t come from the sorceress. Just as the sorceress, who had been listening quietly, opened her mouth, a shout burst out from the side, interrupting her words.

“Nothing much, you say! You almost lost an eye, Sir!”

“It’s a very big deal!”

“Even without that, I’m already going crazy because you don’t take care of yourself…! Oh, my, oh, my!”

“…Anyway, I’m fine. Shut up.”

If there were no lasting injuries, shouldn’t that be enough? Why such a reaction?

The mad dogs thumped their chests, saying he always brushed off injuries as long as he recovered, but Deon didn’t answer and turned his gaze away. Annoyed by the interruption, his sullen gaze turned back to the sorceress as if demanding an answer.

As if waiting for the red gaze that had briefly left her to return, the sorceress Ran smiled faintly and spoke the words she hadn’t been able to utter.

“The warning I gave you is still valid.”

“…I see.”

So it wasn’t this incident. That’s a shame.

While Deon clicked his tongue quietly, Ran, who had finished filling the flowerpot with soil, stood up from her spot. As if she had no more questions, she met his gaze, which simply stared at her without any intention of saying more, and began to speak.

“And…”

Words trailing off as if she was hesitating whether to say this or not.

Looking into his questioning red eyes, she seemed to make up her mind and slowly continued. She whispered in an even quieter voice, as if trying to prevent it from reaching the ears of those around them.

“It would also be good to stop cursing yourself.”

Deon’s face hardened.

He waved his hand at those standing around them. Those who understood his intention quickly distanced themselves.

Only after everyone was far enough away that the conversation couldn’t be heard did Deon turn back to Ran.

“…Continue.”

“You have accumulated so much karma that you are burdened with numerous curses, both big and small. If the soul that should be protecting you turns to attack you instead, what do you intend to do?”

“…”

“If you want to slow down the rate at which your blood is rising, you should stop doing that first.”

And she clamped her mouth shut. It was more of an action to soothe her churning stomach than a slip of the tongue. As if she was receiving some unbearable pressure…

‘Ah, revealing heavenly secrets.’

That’s actually a thing?

“Hmm… Thanks for the advice, and thanks to you, I’ve become curious about something…”

Like how she knew about the blood. …Well, I guess it’s because she’s a sorceress. I suppose.

But before that. Deon narrowed his eyes.

“Why would you bother giving me such advice?”

“…”

“I don’t think we’re close enough for you to endure such a price to tell me.”

Besides.

“More than anything, you know I won’t change no matter what you say.”

“…That’s why I said it. If something had changed due to my words, the price I would be paying now would have been even greater.”

I just gave advice within what I could bear.

The sorceress smiled gently.

“You should at least know what consequences your actions will bring, shouldn’t you? Or do you disagree?”

“…You’re not wrong.”

“Then it’s settled, isn’t it? I have also achieved my original purpose here, so I will take my leave now.”

She picked up the flowerpot with the sapling and turned away. Deon, who seemed to want to say something more, moved his lips but ultimately couldn’t say anything and just watched her retreating figure.

…Today, the blood swirling near his pelvis was particularly bothersome.

Finally, she disappeared from his sight, and those who had stepped back approached again.

Deon, watching them approach him calmly, suddenly tilted his head.

‘Why am I so dizzy?’

It felt as if the ground was undulating like waves.

And the moment he took a step, stagger—

“Sir Deon?!”

“Master? What…”

His body swayed heavily.

Ben and Dan, who were nearby, were startled and quickly reached out to support him. Surprised once more by the heat in his touch, they hastily placed their hands on Deon’s forehead.

“Master, you have a fever.”

“There was no signal… Why?”

“…Fever, you say.”

Ever since the carnivorous plant caused trouble, he had felt feverish, and it seemed it wasn’t just his imagination. Deon shook off their hands and stood, blinking his eyes in his blurry vision.

To be sick even after becoming a Hero. Even if he had overused his body, still.

‘I’ll become an unprecedented human among past Heroes.’

This was the most absurd situation he had experienced so far.

A sneer escaped him. The reason was obvious. That damn stress was the root of all evil. Because it was a mental issue, Ben’s mana stone necklace hadn’t detected it.

The moment they heard that Deon Hart had a fever, there was no way the mad dogs would stay still. Immediately, they surrounded him. As if to fill the void of all sound in the world, their voices rang out non-stop.

“Captain, are you in pain?!”

“I told you to take care of yourself!”

“Even just now in the battle! You didn’t even take care of your injuries properly…”

His head was ringing. Deon frowned slightly and touched his forehead. The cool fingertips touched hot skin.

“…Shut up for a bit.”

“…”

“I’m just tired right now. So…”

“…!”

Once the tension was released, his body collapsed in an instant.

Fortunately, Dan caught him firmly before he fell to the ground, but Deon hadn’t forgotten the Demon Church incident yet. The carnivorous plant’s actions, which reminded him of Cruel, were the trigger, but Dan’s actions had been a major factor in the accumulated stress before that, so he tried to raise himself up a few times but eventually gave up and slumped down. Frustration was clearly visible on his face.

‘My body is heavy…’

Every movement was cumbersome, as if he had boulders tied all over his body.

This was also a sensation he was feeling for the first time since becoming a Hero. It had been a while since he felt like this.

With his eyes half-closed, he recalled pointless impressions and murmured languidly.

“I’m going to sleep for a bit.”

“…Captain!!”

Such a fuss over just saying he was going to sleep for a bit.

He’d probably feel better after waking up.

…That was the last thought Deon had.

***

The captain fainted.

Sleep my ass. Anyone could see this was fainting. Kleter, who had tentatively placed his hand on the captain’s limp arm, gritted his teeth.

‘He even has a fever.’

He knew it would come to this since he had been using his body recklessly, just because he was a Hero.

Even today, when they were in a dangerous situation, he had rushed in without caring if several blades pierced his own body, which had shocked them.

Postponing his resolve to give him a stern lecture for later, Kleter sighed.

“Milan, what are you doing? Hurry up and carry him.”

“O-okay!”

Milan hastily hoisted Deon onto his back and ran off without even knowing the direction. The other guys followed suit, running along with his confident actions. Kleter, almost swept up by the atmosphere and about to run as well, stopped abruptly at Ben’s murmur that it wasn’t that way and called out to his foolish comrades.

“Not that way!”

“Ah…!”

Rumble.

The guys came back again. Looking at the eyes asking for directions, Kleter turned to Ben and Dan.

The answer came from Ben.

“There’s no need to move him. Lady Lirinel will solve it. I already contacted her while you guys were making a fuss, so if we just find the coordinates, she’ll be here soon.”

“…You should have told us sooner.”

Kleter, joining the knight order members who were taking off their coats and spreading them on the floor before putting the captain down, plopped down on the bare ground. He rested his chin on his hand, watching the guys laying the captain on the pile of clothes that had become as thick as a winter blanket.

‘…….’

Now that his body was relaxed, the buried thoughts began to resurface. Recalling the moment the captain’s stomach had been pierced, Kleter quietly gritted his teeth.

‘He almost died.’

His stomach was pierced by a spear. Moreover, the other blades also aimed only for vital points.

It was thanks to the captain moving with the single thought of rushing to them that they had all luckily missed the vital spots and only inflicted injuries, but the fact that he was injured didn’t change. He had even turned his back defenselessly to them and ran towards us instead of facing the enemies.

He turned his head to look at the captain, who was buried in the pile of clothes before he knew it.

“…I won’t let this slide this time, Captain.”

Deon Hart ‘almost died because he was held back by his subordinates.’

Just the fact that the captain almost died made his heart drop, but how would they feel when they realized that was the reason?

Someone murmured that they should have killed themselves before becoming a hindrance. Kleter agreed with that.

‘At this rate, either the captain will die, or we will, one of the two will happen.’

So, he couldn’t just let it go.

Thinking that he must set a day aside to give some sincere advice so that such a thing would never happen again, he quietly clenched his fist.

***

And there were eyes watching them.

Stigma, feeling that there was no longer a need to help since the Heroes had retreated, stuck the spear he was holding into the ground. As if he had intended to pull them out and throw them in crucial moments, spears were densely planted on the ground to his sides and behind him.

Rememver, who had been standing a few steps away and quietly watching him, slowly opened his mouth.

“Why did you help them?”

“My junior’s condition looked quite precarious.”

Of course, I know that my junior isn’t someone who would die here.

Stigma, who added lightly, turned around with a grin. His brown pupils met the old man’s silver-blue eyes.

“My hand just moved on its own.”

“You seem to cherish Deon Hart quite a bit.”

“I won’t deny it, but ‘having a good eye’ would be a more fitting description.”

See, I said he looked precarious, and in the end, he did collapse.

A demon with a young appearance appeared and disappeared, taking only the collapsed Deon Hart and his physician-looking demon with him. Stigma glanced back at the dog bastards who were being noisy enough to be heard from here, complaining about being abandoned, and picked up a spear.

“It seems like his mental state collapsed.”

“…….”

“We should hope that those around him take good care of him.”

My junior must not fall here.

I have to keep going until the end of my path meets the middle of your path. I’m looking forward to the day we meet again, so it would be troublesome if you just sat down halfway.

The rest is up to my junior, though.

“Before that, I need to shake off these annoying guys first.”

“Are you going to do it yourself this time too? Instead of leaving it to this old man?”

“I don’t want to become trash who leaves Heroes to an old man.”

He lightly twirled the spear a few times, held it, and pulled his arm back, aiming in one direction.

Like a black panther tensing its muscles just before hunting, the dense muscles hidden under his clothes were fully stretched, then released explosive power and sent the spear in his hand flying. The spear, flying faster than an arrow, accurately landed at the feet of the Heroes approaching this way.

The Heroes flinched and stepped back at the blatant warning not to come any closer.

“Those guys are really persistent. They could just retreat with the understanding that there is an unidentified helper, why bother trying to confirm their identity?”

“An enemy whose identity is unknown is the scariest.”

“That’s true… But anyway, they probably won’t ignore the warning, so shall we move on now too?”

Green hair resembling a forest brushed past Rememver. Rememver, who had been silently watching Stigma’s back as he went down the mountain without even turning around, followed behind him and asked.

“Where are we going next?”

“Well, I have a feeling my junior is going to cause a big incident soon. Until then, it might not be bad to move around leisurely.”

Let’s just go wherever our feet take us for now.”