Oh, Iyer! Iyerpol! – Chapter 35

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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After feeding Guinness the antipyretic herbs and confirming that she had fallen asleep again, I left her side for a bit to explore the interior.

This path was definitely made by the cave.

Then there must be something at the end of it.

The good news were that I hadn’t seen any monsters since I started exploring beneath the surface.

I don’t know if they weren’t showing themselves because of my presence or if they were just not here…

If it was this safe, it should be okay to bring Guinness here if needed.

But to bring Guinness, I’d have to clear some of these rocks along the way.

Otherwise, she’d be cursing me out again in pain…

Hmm?

I felt the cave vibrate.

It seemed like it was trying to talk to me.

The difference from earlier was that it wasn’t seeking communication with me, but rather a one-sided delivery of its intention.

And it wasn’t just a single vibration, but multiple ones, making it a bit noisy.

“Quiet down, you. Guinness might wake up.”

I tapped the wall once as I scolded it, and the vibrations stopped.

It was good at listening, which I liked.

But aside from when the Sandworm appeared, it has never initiated conversation before.

Why now?

It must have had something it wanted to convey…

I stopped in my tracks, lost in thought.

“…Again.”

I could feel a strong energy.

It was the same energy I had occasionally felt while exploring after falling beneath the ground.

I wasn’t sure before, but this was definitely the same kind of energy I had felt from the cave all along.

I could be sure because it was so much stronger now.

“…”

I decided to follow that energy.

“This is…”

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Thump! Thump!

“This wench! This wench!”

The reason her hatred for humans had become so deeply ingrained wasn’t just because of that bastard, the ‘owner.’

Of course, the sight of him torturing her for his own satisfaction was undeniably repulsive…

The reason her hatred for the ‘owner’ grew into a hatred for ‘humans’ was because of the people who were by the owner’s side.

There were so many people watching, without expression, as a child who had barely turned ten had her shirt removed and was whipped.

Then, when the owner demanded something, they would bring it to him or wipe away the blood she had shed.

She didn’t even hope for help.

But she thought that at least one of them would feel a sense of guilt.

Of course, that wasn’t the case.

The people by the owner’s side watched her being tortured without batting an eye.

For ten long years.

The humans she met after escaping from that place weren’t much different.

It would be more strange if she didn’t develop a hatred for humans.

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“…”

It felt like her body was on fire.

The scorching heat and the pain that still pierced her entire body tormented her.

She had been exposed to this pain, which felt like it would snuff out her life at any moment, for far too long.

She couldn’t tell the time since she couldn’t see the sun, but if she counted the meals she had eaten…

It had already been two days since she had fallen from the ground and become immobile.

For those two days, she had endured with only first-aid level treatment.

But Guinness felt that she was slowly reaching her limit.

She couldn’t even groan anymore.

‘Am I going to die like this?’

What a futile life.

Most of her life was spent being tortured in solitary confinement.

Even after becoming free, she had to throw herself into dangerous work to earn money.

And just when she thought she had finally saved enough for her dream, she was in an accident and on the verge of death.

She hadn’t enjoyed happiness, nor had she formed any precious bonds.

How futile.

Could there be a more futile life?

It was absurd… a life filled only with pain.

A faint whisper escaped Guinness’s lips as she stared at the ceiling with half-closed eyes.

“Just let me… be at peace now…”

If this life was nothing but pain, she wanted to let go.

She no longer had the will to live.

Guinness’s empty eyes, which had been staring at the ceiling, slowly, slowly closed.

“Guinness!”

A voice calling out to her echoed in her ears, amidst the ringing in her head.

The sound of hurried footsteps.

And the sound of a bag being opened urgently.

Someone knelt beside her head, checking her condition, and then swallowed hard after touching her neck.

“Oh my god…”

“…”

“Guinness, Guinness! Wake up!”

Guinness’s mind returned a little as she felt her body being shaken.

She thought she was looking at the ceiling, but now a young man with black hair was looking down at her.

As Guinness’s gaze returned a little, Iyerpol, with a frantic expression, took out a leather water skin and opened the cap.

“I’m sorry for leaving you alone. I didn’t think your condition would get this bad in the meantime…”

“…”

“Hurry and drink some water. You’ll feel a little better after taking some antipyretic herbs.”

Saying that, Iyerpol brought the mouth of the leather water skin to her lips.

But the stream of water that came out of the water skin flowed down the side of her lips. Because Guinness didn’t open her mouth.

“Guinness?”

“Leave me alone now…”

She didn’t want to feel any more pain.

She was tired of living a life where she had to constantly doubt people.

She didn’t want to die like this, but she didn’t want to live like this either.

But Iyerpol, whether he knew her heart or not, moved her head onto his lap.

“You must be losing your mind because of the pain. Let’s recover your strength first, okay? Here, I’ll give you something to eat.”

“…Stop it.”

“I can’t just watch someone die in front of me.”

Saying that, Iyerpol began to cut the jerky into small pieces.

A small spark ignited in Guinness’s dying emotions.

It wasn’t the will to live.

That emotion was… anger.

Who does this guy think he is, interfering with whether I live or die?

This man was also human.

No matter how kind he acted in front of her, a human was ultimately a human.

They were hypocrites who deceived others and lived their lives stained with their own ugly desires and lies.

This guy was probably the same.

“Guinness, open your mouth.”

“I told you… to stop it!”

She didn’t know where she found the strength in her dying body.

Her body, which had been completely immobile, was able to move her arms slightly upwards.

The hand that slowly rose reached near Iyerpol’s collar.

Guinness, who couldn’t quite grab his collar due to lack of strength but was able to reach near it, glared at Iyerpol with an enraged expression.

“Who do you think you are…!”

Iyerpol’s lips, which Guinness had intended to shout at, caught her eye.

Seeing those lips, Guinness’s body stiffened.

They were dry and cracked lips.

Much more so than her own lips, which were drenched in sweat.

The water skin in his hand was full.

Then why were his lips so dry?

Suddenly, that question popped into her head.

How could he have gotten enough water for two people in this cave for two days?

Moreover, Iyerpol had always given her enough water to drink.

Could he have gotten that much water for two people in a cave?

Just by collecting dew?

What about food?

She had lost her bag.

The only one left was his.

There should have only been enough food left for one person for two days, so how could she have eaten a proper portion every time for two days?

Guinness’s eyes trembled.

“You, could it be…?”

“Haha…”

Iyerpol let out an awkward laugh.

She finally noticed that his voice was also a little hoarse.

Iyerpol hadn’t eaten or drunk anything for two days.

He had fed all the food he had to Guinness, and he had collected dew to give her water to replenish her fluids from sweating.

To do that, he himself hadn’t had anything for two days.

His hoarse voice and dry lips were proof of that.

He had given everything he had to Guinness.

To save her.

“Are you, an idiot…?”

“Of course not.”

Iyerpol, smiling awkwardly, replied.

“I’m doing this to save you and put you in my debt, you know?”

It was an absurd answer.

Who would help someone while sacrificing their own life just to create a debt?

If he hadn’t eaten or drunk anything for two days, he must be holding on precariously.

But he hadn’t shown any sign of it.

“…Don’t be ridiculous.”

Guinness’s teeth chattered.

Humans were evil. She hadn’t seen a human who wasn’t.

Growing up among humans, she had lived every day exposed to their filthy desires.

Many humans had watched her suffer, but not a single one had reached out to help.

Humans were dirty beings.

That was what had been established within her.

This man was the same.

He must have been… he must have been…

“Humans are all hypocrites…”

“Guinness?”

“You’re the same. You must be the same…”

Guinness’s enraged eyes captured Iyerpol’s image.

For some reason, a single tear trickled down from the corner of her eye.

The hand near his collar grabbed his neck.

“Humans are all evil! Iyerpol, you’re no different…! You must be plotting something too. Answer me, you bastard…!”

“…”

“What are you trying to do by deceiving me! I’ll kill you! Before you deceive me, I’ll kill you first…!”

Guinness’s powerless but venomous anger echoed through the cave.

Her hand, gripping Iyerpol’s neck, tried to exert force somehow.

But all she could manage was to barely hold on.

That alone was enough to show what kind of feelings she had towards humans.

“I won’t be deceived… I won’t be deceived…”

“Guinness…”

“Don’t confuse me anymore…!”

Those eyes were clearly filled with rage.

They were stained black with the pain she had suffered, the malice she had endured, and the resentment that had accumulated throughout her life.

To the point where no one could fathom how much they had ravaged her heart.

But that trembling voice… was filled with moisture.

Iyerpol, who had been quietly watching that appearance, placed his hand on Guinness’s hand that was gripping his neck.

And he gently grasped her hand and moved it to her stomach.

“I said this before. That I’d help Guinness, and in return, when we get back, you should grant me one request.”

He smiled softly and looked down at Guinness.

“When we get back alive, will you be my friend?”

“What…?”

“I’ve wanted to be friends with Guinness for a while now.”

Guinness’s eyes trembled.

“What kind of request is that…”

“Is that kind of request not allowed?”

She was speechless at the question that was so devoid of ulterior motives.

But Iyerpol continued speaking without a care.

“There’s a pub I frequent. How about I introduce you to the food there first? The taste and quantity are very good, so I think Guinness will like it too.”

“…”

“There are a few shops that only I know about. They’re not in great locations, so they don’t have many customers, but the quality is good, so they’re worth becoming a regular. Doesn’t that sound appealing?”

The scenes he described were drawn in her mind.

She, who always ate alone, dining with two people.

Going together to buy supplies needed for a request.

They were very unfamiliar scenes.

But… they weren’t necessarily bad scenes either.

Iyer looked at her.

“Let’s be friends. I guarantee it’ll be worth it.”

“What are you…”

“If I do something to upset you, tell me honestly. That’s how relationships are mended, after all.”

‘Ah, please go easy on the hitting though.’

Iyer, who said that, chuckled.

People can’t fully understand the pain of others.

Everyone has different aspects and experiences different lives.

But you don’t have to try to understand.

Just being by their side can sometimes be a source of strength.

Relationships between people can sometimes cause emotional wounds, but they can also heal them.

All Iyer had to do was take a spoonful of the pain Guinness carried and hold it in his own arms.

Having someone by your side.

It was very simple, but it could also be a very powerful source of strength.

Iyer’s eyes were hidden behind a black cloth, but… for some reason, she felt like they might be a little warm.

“…Ugh.”

Guinness raised a trembling hand and covered her eyes.

A single tear that flowed from the corner of her eye quietly trickled down her cheek.

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[Bro is out here creating tsundere]