Chapter 20………………………………………

“Cooldown time remaining.”

You cannot use the [Position Reversal] skill at this time.
Time remaining until skill activation: 78 minutes

※ Due to penalty, the cooldown time has been doubled.

Among my skills, the only one that could be used offensively was Position Reversal, but its cooldown was far too long. If I couldn’t defeat those guys or escape, I would probably die here.

I wasn’t going to gain any great fortune even if I lived three more days, so I had no regrets.

Well, it’s not like I had no regrets, but…

“Jin!”

Just as I was trying to push thoughts of Calion aside, a familiar but not particularly welcome man came in. It was Bill. Had he finished cleaning up the flowerbed and rushed over?

“Bill…”

“Don’t do this! Jin did nothing wrong!”

Before I could say anything, Bill quickly stepped in and blocked me as if shielding me from the investigator.

I appreciated the sentiment, but I wished he wouldn’t do this. I had a bad feeling.

“Bill. Move.”

“No way, Jin! If you get taken away by the investigators, it’s over. Listen to me!”

If I listen to you, something bad will definitely happen.

“Hey, you back there.”

The man standing next to the captain pointed at me.

“You… are you a criminal?”

Not a criminal. I’m the owner.

As I stayed silent, they seemed to take it as confirmation, and the investigators’ expressions turned grave. This really felt ominous. As I stepped out from behind Bill, he quickly blocked me again.

“Jin. Run!”

“Wait a second.”

“I won’t abandon you like that man did. I’ll protect you!”

We are not in the kind of relationship you’re imagining with Calion, and I wasn’t abandoned—but this wasn’t the time to correct him.

Bill’s desperate shouting only sounded like a death flag dance in my ears. This was dangerous.

“I’ll cooperate with the investigation. Don’t touch the villagers.”

“Jin! No!”

“Get out of the way! You’re in the way!”

The investigator captain swung his sword at Bill.

Wait. Bill didn’t have a weapon right now. Or armor.

“Ahhh!”

Blood splattered in front of my eyes.

My mind froze. As I stood there with wide eyes, Bill slowly collapsed toward me, his head resting on my shoulder…

No. He didn’t fall.

Bill staggered and grabbed onto my shoulder.

“You bastards, stop causing trouble!”

“You weren’t even supposed to be dispatched yet, and now you show up and do this?!”

“Hey, grab them! Grab them!”

The inn guests. The villagers who had been watching outside in concern. Even the inn staff joined in, pinning down the investigators and taking their weapons.

Even with sacred relics being used as hostages, there were only three investigators. There was no way they couldn’t be subdued if the villagers worked together.

“Jin, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“…Bill. You’re injured.”

“It’s just a shallow cut, I’m fine.”

Shallow, my ass. His front was soaked in blood.

If the villagers hadn’t intervened, Bill would have really died—while protecting me.

My entire body went cold. My vision blurred and my stomach churned.

Damn system window.

It said I would save people and die.

But someone almost died saving me instead.

“You, let go of me! Do you think you’ll get away with this?”

“Shut up, you bastards!”

“If you don’t release us, the next sacred relic—”

“What good is a sacred relic? You lot are worse than monsters!”

One of the inn staff smashed a frying pan onto the captain’s head. Ding! A strangely clear metallic sound rang out. So he really was corrupt—his head must be empty.

“…Um, everyone.”

I was a bit stunned. I was grateful they helped, but…

“Is this really okay?”

“It’s not supposed to be. But Jin is our village’s hero.”

“Right. We heard you saved someone yesterday too.”

Even while uneasy about attacking investigators, they smiled warmly as if trying to reassure me.

“….”

I had just planned to quietly spend my remaining days in this village until I died. I had even lied, saying I used mana stone power, because I didn’t want my ability exposed.

Why were these people taking my side?

I only had three days left to live.

What would they do after I died, after attacking investigators like this?

“Jin. You’re pale.”

“It’s because of you.”

“Me?”

“Let’s get you treated first.”

Bill’s injuries thankfully weren’t deep. The wound was wide and must have stung terribly, and he had a high fever, but the doctor said no major muscles or organs were damaged. With rest and infection care, he would recover.

I stayed up all night taking care of Bill. He told me to rest too, but I couldn’t leave someone injured because of me.

Besides, I was going to die soon anyway. What was one sleepless night?

I tried using a healing skill just in case, but no guide appeared over Bill’s body. Maybe I could only heal party members?

My skills really had too many restrictions.

[Time remaining: 2 days]

The villagers had locked the investigators in the underground storage of the watchtower. There was no proper prison in the village, so they used a cold storage room meant for meat and locked it.

When asked what would happen if reinforcements were sent from the castle, they said they didn’t know.

“But it seems unlikely they’ll send more for now.”

“Why?”

“I heard there’s a major problem at the castle. A sudden surge in weapon production requests and the early dispatch of investigators—it might all be related.”

Something must be wrong at the castle, requiring weapons and mana stones.

I didn’t understand it. Even if I did, it wouldn’t help me.

I didn’t have much time left.

[Time remaining: 1 day]

I hadn’t slept for days. Strangely, I didn’t feel tired. Maybe this was the final burst of energy before death—like a “rally before dying.”

“Jin. Please get some rest. You look really unwell.”

The villagers urged me to rest. Bill also seemed to want me to.

Bill, who had been bedridden for two days, was now much better. Seeing him eat properly made me feel relieved.

Bill and his family wanted me to rest at their home, but that wasn’t possible.

I left the weapon shop and walked slowly back to the inn.

The streets were emptier after the incident with the investigators. Even though the village entrance wasn’t blocked, travelers had stopped coming.

The shopkeepers worried that the merchant caravan, which was supposed to arrive, was late. None of that mattered to me.

I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. Or what I could do. I had no time left, and the world would go on without me.

So was the one person I saved before dying Bill? Maybe. I was too exhausted to think of other possibilities.

I let out a long breath and stood up.

The inn door was open.

“Master.”

A familiar voice called me.

Someone I had almost forgotten stood there.

The person I wanted to see, but who never appeared when I wished for them.

“…Calion?”

“I’m sorry I’m late, Master.”

You said you’d come in two weeks. Why are you six days late?

Did something happen? Did the hunt not go well? What about Senes?

I had so many questions, but no voice came out. As I staggered toward him, Calion quickly approached and lifted me into his arms.

“I apologize. I heard you were out, and I feared asking would expose our relationship… I didn’t want to cause trouble for you.”

“Causing trouble wouldn’t have mattered.”

At my words, Calion looked confused. It was a cute expression I hadn’t seen in a while. My frozen heart melted slightly.

Just moments ago I felt like I would collapse, but strength returned to my body. Even without Senes’s cooking, Calion’s presence alone seemed to restore me.

“Calion, take me to my room.”

“Yes, Master.”

He carried me upstairs.

My room was at the end of the right hallway on the third floor. The room next door had been left empty—maybe by coincidence, or maybe the inn staff had arranged it. Or perhaps Calion requested it.

“…Ah.”

Calion looked slightly surprised upon entering my room.

Only about 20 days had passed, but my room now looked more like a lived-in home than an inn room.

Even though I had tried not to buy much since I might die soon, I had accumulated more belongings than expected.

Especially the laundry.

Because I often slept at work, I had left clothes hanging and forgotten them.

Not that I had been lazy lately—it was just… I had been busy for other reasons.

Calion flinched and looked away after seeing my underwear drying on the rack. His ears turned red. It was a bit funny, considering everything we had already done together.

“Calion.”

As I hugged him tightly and rubbed my cheek against him, he became flustered.

“Master, please… you’re too close.”

“Being closer is fine.”

Isn’t this how we usually are?

We’re not in a situation where you’re telling me stories about hunting monsters.

“Master, you look very tired. I will stay a few more days, so first—”

“You were too late.”

“Pardon?”

“I couldn’t wait anymore.”

I felt like I was going crazy from missing his face, his voice, his warmth.