The Blind Saint Who Can See - Chapter 50
Only Noblemtl
#50. Lake of the Dead (4)
“Youth.”
Hey, Dojun, your sister isn’t sleeping.
“Youth? We’re here.”
“I didn’t sleep… … .”
“Youth?”
omg!
I came to my senses when I heard Cedric’s voice. What did I just say?
“Are you still half asleep?”
“Please pretend you didn’t hear me, or rather… … .”
Cedric froze as I covered my mouth with one hand and lowered my head. He trembled as if he had been greatly shocked, and then slowly backed away in a slightly awkward posture.
“Cedric?”
“That, ah, is nothing.”
After revealing his identity, Cedric avoids eye contact and even uses polite language, which he never used to do.
… I turned my head too, because I thought I knew the reason.
‘Justinas is pretty, isn’t she?’
I just saw it and it’s pretty- hmm.
Just to clarify, I am by no means a narcissist. I am just stating objective facts.
“Are there four of you?”
“yes!”
Izumi said cheerfully.
Looking around, we see a lakeside covered in fog, a forest, and a small town surrounding the lake.
And this woman too.
“My name is Isabella.”
Black hair and purple eyes, tied together like a flight attendant with a 5:5 karma. Age, I’m not sure, but I think she’s in her late twenties to early thirties.
She was an impressive woman with cat-like, upturned eyes and pale, transparent skin.
‘You are really pretty.’
If you want to marry someone like that, you must have saved a country in your past life.
If I had to find a fault, it would be that the atmosphere was strangely eerie. Could it be because of the thick fog that had settled over the town? Or because of this person’s pale skin?
“There aren’t many visitors to this town, so there’s no inn. But I can let you stay for a day or so.”
“Do other people live here?”
“No. As winter approaches, most of them have left for nearby large towns and I am the only one left.”
She lifted the lamp in her hand and smiled kindly. Her fierce eyes softened.
Your impression changes when you smile.
“Alone in this deep forest? It would be dangerous for a woman to be alone.”
Liliana also worried about her own people (Lacus Village was still within Terra’s borders), and frowned. Isabella, however, just shrugged.
“In my family, women have been taught hunting and fishing for generations. Even though I look like this, I can catch a bear by myself, so don’t worry.”
“Well then, that’s good.”
“Okay, all four of you, follow me. I’ll give you a few empty rooms, even though they’re shabby.”
***
“I thought you’d all be hungry, so I prepared a light meal. It’s venison. Do you think it’ll suit your taste?”
“Your skills are good, right?”
“it is delicious!”
“It would be an honor just to be treated like this. I will eat it gratefully.”
“… … .”
In order, it was Liliana, Izumi, me, and Cedric who spoke.
In particular, Liliana and Cedric were more enthusiastic about their meal than usual, as they found venison quite appealing. On the other hand, Izumi was a bit noisy.
“Izumi, where does it hurt?”
“Oh, no.”
When I asked him, who was usually a big eater, because he seemed to have no appetite, he gave me a bland answer. I asked Isabella, keeping my mind on Izumi the whole time.
“But Isabella, you live alone and you use very large furniture.”
“A lot of children come here during the summer. Thanks to that, I don’t feel lonely for about half a year.”
“Children?”
“These are poor children who lost their parents and homes to the Black Death ten years ago.”
My hand stopped as I was picking up the salad.
“-The Black Death, is that it?”
“Yes. Ten years ago, the Black Death swept through this entire town. Thanks to that, the town, which had been quite prosperous, became like this… … .”
She smiled bitterly.
“I heard that the saintess of the Holy Land worked hard, but I guess one saint can’t save everyone.”
I looked at her quietly.
It’s a shame.
At the time, I was running around trying to solve the Black Death quest, but due to the skill point limit, it was impossible to treat as efficiently as I do now. After treating one person, they were in so much pain.
“… … What a pity.”
“Yes. But when I see children who have lost their parents growing up strong under my care, I always think that it was a good thing that they survived.”
She said brightly, erasing her bitter smile.
“Actually, I only met the saint once, ten years ago. I still can’t forget the warm memory when the saint healed me.”
“…ah.”
Did she recognize me?
Honestly, it would be stranger not to recognize this trait, but judging from the reaction, it doesn’t seem like that’s the case.
I can’t be sure.
So I couldn’t even react.
Anyway, if it’s ‘Justinas’, I don’t think he’ll bother to make a fuss here. The other party members aren’t the type to talk while I’m just sitting still.
“okay.”
“Yes. … But, you haven’t touched meat at all since a while ago. Is it unusual for you to be a picky eater?”
I forced a smile at Isabella’s comment.
“… … It’s a little embarrassing. I’m a religious person, so I avoid meat as much as possible for religious reasons.”
“Because I am a religious person… … .”
She smiled brightly.
“Anyone can see it that way.”
Are you kidding me?
‘I have no idea what it is.’
Most people are in the palm of my hand, but for some reason I can’t read this woman’s mind at all.
“Oh, that’s right.”
Izumi, who was slicing meat in a rather dull manner, intervened in the silence.
“There’s a really big lake in the village. I think it’ll be pretty in the morning when the lights sparkle!”
“The lake is pretty, huh.”
Isabella laughed at that.
“-Do you really think that will happen?”
It was a gloomy tone. The atmosphere at the table suddenly became heavy.
Wheeeeeeeeeeing.
The candles flickered, flickered, and swayed in the wind blowing from somewhere. A dark shadow fell over the deliciously prepared food.
“Actually, I don’t go near the lake very often. The edge is very shallow, but the water depth is really jagged, so at some point it gets really deep. Then, there are whirlpools.”
“That means… … .”
“This is the perfect lake to drown yourself in!”
match!
She clapped her hands.
“Everyone, please try to avoid going near the lake if possible. As you said, it may look pretty, but it’s a place where a lot of casualties occur.”
“Ah, ah, yep.”
“… I see. I’ll be careful.”
Izumi and Liliana nodded, sweating profusely. Cedric continued to eat silently, occasionally placing a piece of fruit on my plate when he saw one that looked delicious.
And I was lost in thought.
***
“This is the men’s room, and this is the women’s room. Since this is the children’s room, the beds are small, so even if it’s uncomfortable, please put two of them together.”
“That’s no problem.”
Liliana took one of my hands and led me. As I moved towards the room, relying on her and the cane, I saw an old board hanging in the hallway.
[Rakus Go One]
…hmm.
“Justinas, this way. Come in slowly so we don’t bump into each other.”
“thank you.”
It’s become natural to pretend not to see things. Recently, I’ve started limping, so I don’t even need to act.
Knock… … Knock. Knock… … Knock, knock.
As I go inside, feeling the floor with my cane, I see an old but clean child’s room.
The whitewashed walls are covered with adorable rabbit shapes that look like they were drawn by someone.
I took all those sights in.
***
That night.
It rained heavily. Thick, heavy raindrops pounded against the window.
I woke up to a loud noise. My roommate, Liliana, was sleeping soundly in the meantime.
‘The fog is getting thicker.’
The water in the lake also rises.
I was sitting by the window, quietly looking out at the lake.
-Yuna.
A faint voice was heard in the rain.
-Yuna, Yuna!
My whole body froze in shock as if I had been struck by lightning.
This is, this is, that is. That.
-Yuna, wake up now. It’s time to stop sleeping. … Yeah?
“Oh, Mom.”
It’s my mother’s voice.
Not Justin’s mother, whom he had never seen before.
My real mom.
-Lee Yuna, are you out of your mind? Are you the main character of this tragedy?
Next was Lee Do-jun.
I couldn’t come to my senses. I lost all strength and just sat down. Fortunately, I was on the bed so there was no loud noise.
I- I couldn’t stand it.
So, very slowly. Quietly.
Just in case the sound of me kicking my leg didn’t wake Liliana.
I carefully left the room.
After going down a certain corridor, I started running like crazy. I don’t know how many times I slipped and got hurt because of my right leg, which was a burden.
But I kept running.
-Jump off the roof, this stupid sister is really… … .
Because my little brother’s voice, mumbling and sobbing, sounded so real.
So I couldn’t stop.
As if possessed by something.