Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 194

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

At my urging to leave quickly, Apet asked me with a cautious expression.
“I’m sorry for asking this again, but…”
“What?”
“We really… got married? We’re a couple now? We are, right?”
She still couldn’t believe it. I took the lunch box from Gerth and carefully packed it into my bag, then grinned at Apet.
“Let’s go, my dear.”
Apet shed tears.

With Apet in my arms, we headed toward Ilam Port. Back when I served as Village Chief of Ilam, I’d opened up a sea route between the Eastern Continent and the Crowell Empire.
The Empire’s reluctance to interfere with Sungkuk Kingdom and its neighboring realms stemmed primarily from the vast distance. Moreover, since Crowell had been busy absorbing surrounding nations across its expansive territory, it had no need to cultivate a navy and remained weak in shipbuilding. Invading across the sea would yield no valuable resources, so extracting tribute under the guise of annual trade proved most profitable.
After two full days aboard a speedboat, we arrived at the Eastern Continent, then traveled another day by train to reach Sungkuk Kingdom. The Sung King attempted to seize Apet using her nation’s military, but when I demonstrated the trick of erasing an entire hillside using my Frozen Mixer, she suddenly became docile and begged on her knees to simply be included in our journey.
“Good grief, how does someone not even half my age become so formidable?”
“I consumed Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.”
“Damn it.”
The Female Informant grumbled that even after twenty years as Sung King, she’d never glimpsed such an item, yet I’d obtained it through sheer luck. Sensing her envy at my fortune, I decided to deepen her regret by mentioning what Kanna had consumed.
“She ate the inner core of a Human-Faced Tree Demon.”
“If you let her live so easily from childhood, she’ll be useless!”
“If you’re envious, just say so.”
“I’m seriously jealous!”
As the Sung King and I bickered inside the carriage heading toward the Land of Death, Apet laughed heartily. Perhaps seeing the children act their age had eased her heart somewhat.
“Forget that cursed marriage business and everything else—wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just play together like this?”
“I’ve always been good.”
“I’ve lived virtuously too, sir!”
“Oh, please.”
The old woman clicked her tongue, saying praise shouldn’t be given, then opened the window to smell the outside air and shouted to the Coachman.
“Listen here, Coachman! We need to get out and walk from here!”
The scenery hadn’t changed, so why were we stopping already? Since nothing but greenery stretched before us—hardly what one would call the Land of Death—I asked Apet, and the old woman made a clicking gesture with her fingers.
“What’s the fuss? I have a premonition skill.”
“That premonition skill really is useful.”
“Why do you look so sad?”
I once possessed that skill too.
I definitely had it? But my premonition became creative ability? When I explained the series of events that occurred during the Academy Festival, Kanna comforted me again, while the Sung King and Apet laughed and teased me.
“Ha ha ha! Why would you trade a perfectly good skill for creative ability!”
“Pfft, seriously, you should’ve visited the Priesthood before climbing the upper tree.”
“Exactly! If it were me, I’d spend a few more coins and lock my level!”
I can say it’s just money now, but back then I was incredibly poor! How could a struggling student living on three hundred thousand crowns a month afford to visit the Priesthood? When I said this, they tilted their heads and asked if Mitchell Neftis wasn’t born as the Duke’s daughter.
“Ha! My legend began two years ago in the port city of Ilam!”
It’s in a book too, so make sure you get a copy. It was designated forbidden after Evan Laef’s execution, but you can still find it if you know where to look.
When I recounted the grand history of Evan Laef that I’d experienced over the past few years, the old man and Sung King reassessed me, remarking that he’d suffered more than they’d expected. Kanna, meanwhile, shared the fresh news that she had a hundred copies of that book at her house.
I decided to pretend I hadn’t heard Kanna’s comment.
“Huh?”
Since Apet was walking slowly, I was warming up my body, thinking Kanna and I could each carry her and dash ahead. But then Sung King suddenly had a nosebleed trickling down. She seemed dizzy and even placed her hand on the ground to steady herself, so Apet quickly activated her skill.
“Detailed Healing, maintain peak condition at all times.”
Oh, my body suddenly felt so light! Kanna was equally amazed, saying her fatigue from days without sleep had vanished in an instant. Apet explained the skill simply.
“It forcibly fixes your body to its healthiest state from within the past week. Simple healing alone won’t suffice—it seems the atmosphere contains a potent toxin.”
The old man, whose ominous premonition had proven correct, pulled out a handkerchief and wiped Sung King’s blood before voicing his question.
“I have a similar healing skill constantly active on my own body, but why are you all unaffected?”
“The toxin cannot harm us.”
“P-poison is… f-familiar to us.”
“So why are you brats perfectly fine?”
I had Heavenly Toxin Immunity, and Kanna, as the head of the Assassination Family, had received early poison resistance training. When I explained this, Sung King’s face paled and she cursed the Empire.
“What kind of nation is this, creating ultimate weapons instead of teaching proper academics at the Academy?”
“The Department of Sorcery is… somewhat different.”
“W-we p-perform a s-similar role.”
Most graduates get conscripted into the military anyway. To avoid that, you either need good grades to become nobility or be born into a noble family from the start. Power is dirty and despicable, but having it certainly helps.
“We’ll need to go much deeper to identify the source. Can you all keep up?”
If we stay nearby, I’ll keep casting recovery skills, but if the toxin grows stronger, I can’t guarantee even my own survival. Apet was trying to scare us, but none of us found her words frightening.
“K-Kanna and Evan w-won’t die.”
“We’ll probably be fine even without that recovery skill.”
“We’ve come this far—we’re going all the way! I can’t just leave the old man and that woman behind!”
Does Kanna not count as a person? I pointed this out, but Kanna spouted sophistry, saying she was something like my possession, so my statement wasn’t wrong.
I decided not to point out what Kanna said. If you value your life, it’s best not to make pointed remarks to the head of the Assassination Family.
“Let’s move faster from here on.”
If Apet continues using constant recovery, we should be fine going deeper. To proceed as planned, I scooped up Sung King and leaped onto a tree.
“Ahhhhh! I-I’m heavy!”
“Don’t worry. You’re light as a feather.”
“Could you not say such misleading things?!”
Well, she really is light when I lift her with my strength. I was just stating facts, so I laughed it off, but from behind came the sound of someone gnawing at their fingernails—scratch, scratch, scratch.
I decided not to look back. I’d entrusted my back to the head of the Assassination Family; it would be heartless to turn around like this.
“Look here! I think it’s that way!”
“Got it, dear.”
“Don’t call me dear!”
Well, it’s a fact that you’re my dear. Ignoring the continued scratching of fingernails from behind, I headed in the direction Apet indicated. But then a vast wasteland stretched before us, forcing me to descend from the tree.
“There’s nothing here.”
“W-what a frightening atmosphere this place has.”
It was a barren wasteland without a single blade of grass, yet scattered with empty houses everywhere. There were clear traces of human habitation, yet no one was here. It was eerie.
“?”
Wait, I’ve seen that Well somewhere before, haven’t I? I recalled that old Well that came with an electronic device manual, so I scanned the surroundings—and spotted someone in what looked like a diving suit wandering in the distance.
No, is that really a diving suit? A spacesuit? Could it be a spacesuit?
“!”
“?”
The Spacesuit Person waved frantically at me, then bounded toward me in great leaps as if moving through zero gravity. They didn’t seem threatening, so I let them approach, though they were muttering something unintelligible the whole time.
“Speak up. I can’t hear you.”
“!”
The exasperating Spacesuit Person beat their chest and continued muttering. Then they made a gesture as if setting something down.
“You want me to put this woman down?”
“!”
The Spacesuit Person drew a circle with their arms. I decided to comply and set Sung King down. They showed no hostility, and besides, fighting without her in my arms would be more advantageous.
“♪”
The Spacesuit Person then hummed melodiously while grabbing my arm and pulling. I didn’t budge an inch.
“?”
Sensing something was amiss, the Spacesuit Person tried pulling me with both hands, then attempted to hoist me onto their shoulders.
After several failed attempts, the Spacesuit Person whimpered and fell to their knees before me.
“!”
Once kneeling, they slammed their head against the ground repeatedly. They seemed to be pleading for something.
“You have a request for me?”
“!”
The Spacesuit Person sprang up and drew another circle. They pointed frantically at the Well, clearly gesturing for me to go there with them.
“You want me to go to the Well with you?”
“!”
Another correct guess. Since the Spacesuit Person confirmed with a circle, I decided to treat this as a reconnaissance mission and entrusted Apet to Kanna.
“I’ll be back. I’ll finish my business within two hours.”
“Y-yes! Husband, I’ll keep them safe!”
Kanna always trusts me, which is reassuring. Gerth would have told me not to go because it’s dangerous.
“Are you insane! What could you possibly trust about that person! What if they’re a madman!”
Just like Apet was saying. Though Gerth and I seem to worry about different things. Having suffered greatly at the hands of madmen, Gerth’s primary concern was whether the Spacesuit Person was one of them.
“It’s fine. I’m strong.”
“I know that already!”
With those parting words, I followed the Spacesuit Person and leaped into the Well. A warping sensation washed over me, my ears rang, and blood streamed from my eyes, nose, and mouth.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————