Chapter 135

After walking for quite a while along the coast, we finally arrived at the harbor.

Victoria kept glancing up at the mountain peak several times, so it seemed like she was trying to figure out her position and the harbor’s location by checking the terrain.

The harbor was pretty chaotic.

There were burned-out buildings and debris everywhere, and bloodstains still clearly marked the walls of some structures.

But heavily armored soldiers were busy cleaning up the area.

Their brass-colored exoskeletons had gears turning here and there, and occasionally they emitted puffs of blue-tinged mist from exhaust vents. These weren’t just regular armor—they were power-assisted mechanical suits enhancing the wearer’s strength.

It looked like Victoria had studied similar tech at school, because she couldn’t take her eyes off them.

Since my hand was still in hers, I ended up following her gaze as well. Watching one of these soldiers lift a partially collapsed building with ease—it was like watching a mini crane in action. After clearing heavy rubble with their powered suits, other uniformed personnel would go inside to search.

Sometimes, soldiers emerged carrying bodies—either Sahaquins or humans.

Sahaquin corpses were thrown into pits on the outskirts of the port, while human remains were laid out in the middle of the plaza under white sheets. It seemed they were doing identity checks. You could see elderly people crying after identifying faces beneath those sheets.

Then I noticed why they bothered covering the bodies—flies swarmed around uncovered ones. That made sense; you wouldn’t want to identify someone covered in buzzing insects.

Meanwhile, Victoria didn’t spare even a glance at any of this. She was completely absorbed in admiring the mechanical suits.

Once she’d had her fill wandering around the village to observe more exoskeletons, Victoria dragged me off somewhere with an awkward smile.

Our accommodation.

It wasn’t exactly a hotel—more like a cheap hostel. Two stories high, long corridors lined with doors leading directly into rooms.

Opening the muddy doorknob, we stepped inside. In faded memories, places like this reminded me of old Western movies where motels sat isolated in deserts. Though in reality, that memory came not from film but from a zombie game where I explored similar interiors.

Inside, except for the lack of a TV, everything matched that faded recollection. A notable feature? Each room had its own washbasin and toilet—an advancement brought about by technological progress. First came indoor washing areas, then indoor toilets eventually followed.

By the standards of faded memories, having indoor plumbing in such affordable lodging was surprisingly advanced. For all its brass-shining civility, this place showed signs of remarkable technological development—and not just limited to elites but widespread among ordinary folk.

First thing we noticed: open doors revealing footprints smeared across the floor.

Judging by the tracks, whoever broke in only targeted Victoria specifically.

Unfazed, Victoria confidently entered the room, glanced around, sighed in relief, and began packing her things into her travel bag.

“Hey! What are you doing?! You’re not thieves sneaking in to steal during all this chaos, are you?”

A gruff voice called out from the doorway. Turning, we saw an old man waving his cane and shouting loudly.

“Yes, sir. Just collecting my belongings.”

Without batting an eye, Victoria calmly replied, ignoring the man’s protests as she stuffed items into her bag.

CLANG!

With a loud noise, she slammed shut the hefty suitcase and marched right past him.

“You…you’re the kid who disappeared last night…”

The man stared at her in shock, confusion mingling with unease. His expression wasn’t typical disbelief at seeing someone thought dead return—it carried too much anxiety instead.

More like fear of being caught doing something wrong.

But oblivious to his discomfort, Victoria strode straight toward the exit.

THUD!

She dropped the suitcase roughly in front of the old man.

“There’s been so much going on—it’s been exhausting—but since the noon ferry arrives soon, I need to catch it. Thankfully, the monsters didn’t touch my stuff. And if I leave before noon, no extra charges, right?”

Pressed by Victoria’s authority, the old man reluctantly nodded, though he frowned when he noticed me standing inside.

“Wait…what about THAT kid? Were you sleeping alone? Then additional fees apply!”

“This child was rescued after being kidnapped.”

Calmly answering, Victoria silenced the old man, whose face now brimmed with dissatisfaction and suspicion. He hadn’t truly cared about costs—it seemed he wanted to nitpick over them.

Regardless, Victoria handed him the key near the entrance before turning to me.

“Let’s go.”

“Sure.”

I followed her lead.

As we walked, I noticed contempt and hatred flickering across her features, directed toward the old man. Once we’d put enough distance between us and the inn, I asked:

“Aren’t you going to criticize him?”

“You’re sharper than I thought,” she said without slowing down, clutching her suitcase.

“We don’t know how deeply involved he is. Did he simply unlock the door for survival’s sake, or does he regularly hand people over? Maybe there was some sort of deal—we can’t tell.”

Her leather shoes, stiff with dried blood, splashed through puddles.

CHLUNK.

Anger radiated from every step.

Clearly, she knew the old man had struck some kind of bargain with the Sahaquins.

“But arguing rights and wrongs now isn’t practical—the ferry waits for no one. If we miss it, we’ll have to sit outside all day waiting.”

Vacation season meant massive population movement. According to Victoria, tickets sold weeks ahead got priority pricing and better seats.

“And now that guy has no more customers anyway. Leaving him be won’t cause big problems.”

Considering the context, hearing this come from a girl wielding crowbars against Sahaquin executioners gave it extra weight.

I nodded in agreement.

“So…what should I call you?”

“I don’t have a name,” I admitted. “But without a nickname, it’ll be hard to address each other properly. There’s a simple solution.”

“Ask someone else to pick one for you?”

She stared blankly at me.

“It’s just a symbol. Think of it as choosing a nickname. Pick whatever feels right.”

“Give me a moment…”

Facing what seemed an overwhelming decision, Victoria postponed naming altogether.

I shrugged. Names weren’t THAT important.

Especially since, compared to Choseol, I felt unusually short despite covering relatively short distances. Walking alongside her made me wonder—if this body grows taller?

Wouldn’t it be nice? Life felt easier back when I inhabited Rebecca’s frame.

Lost in thought, Victoria and I reached the harbor again.

Before us loomed a colossal ship adorned with giant wheels and intricate gears. This was the battleship from Sahaquin memories. Instead of cannons, energy projectors stood mounted alongside. Anything hit by their beams instantly vaporized—not just Sahaquins, but bio-weapons too.

“Oh my god…”

Victoria’s earlier focus on naming had vanished entirely, replaced by awe-struck fascination as she examined the complex machinery onboard.

She loved studying such things.

WHOOSH!

“Ah! The boat! Hurry up!”

When a smaller vessel nearby sounded its horn, Victoria reacted like a late employee rushing to work, hugging her suitcase tightly as she sprinted forward.

I hurried after her, barely making it onto the gangplank in time.

“Ticket please.”

Panting, Victoria fished hers out. When the crew member pointed at me demanding another ticket, she panicked.

“How about letting one kid slide?”

“No exceptions.”

An argument ensued.

Of course, single-person tickets left little room for negotiation. But after some heated discussion, a few coins slipped into the ticket seller’s pocket, magically resolving the issue.

And thus, I boarded the ship.

“Phew, good thing he was flexible.”

“Bribery doesn’t equal flexibility.”

“Don’t learn bad habits.”

Treating me like a child, Victoria led me aboard.

The ship was larger than expected—or rather, it WAS large, but dwarfed by the monstrous warship beside it.

Recovering quickly from exhaustion, Victoria checked our cabin number on the ticket and guided us to a small private room. Dropping her luggage inside, she flopped onto the tiny bed without hesitation.

“Ugh…so tired. Seriously exhausted. Sorry, I’m gonna sleep. Too drained.”

With a thunderous rumble signaling departure, she buried her head in the pillow and took deep breaths, clearly spent.

She’d pushed herself hard overnight in the city, fighting Sahaquins.

At first, she’d relied on stealth tactics—luring them away or hiding until opportunity arose for silent assassinations using crowbars. But once equipped with specialized weapons, stealth gave way to outright massacres.

Though Victoria remained unaware, part of why the Sahaquins hadn’t aggressively hunted her stemmed from their perception of her as kin—not fully yet, but destined to become so.

Especially since she was female.

Such formidable strength combined with potential offspring made her valuable.

Through various motives aligning perfectly, luck enabled her complete annihilation of the Sahaquins—even surviving a near-fatal final encounter thanks to my unfortunate summoning.

In short, accumulated fatigue finally caught up, plunging her into deep slumber.

While she rested, I carefully changed her into pajamas pulled from her bag, removing her outer clothes. Then I stayed seated nearby, watching over her until she woke.

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