Chapter 31

Today.

Snowflakes as white as new-fallen powder drifted down from the sky.

A light dusting of white cotton-like flakes covered the rocky desert briefly, painting it white for just a moment before vanishing without a trace.

Well, it’s a rock desert after all since rain doesn’t fall much here.

Right now, I’m out exercising.

I stopped my running mid-stride and stood still on the uneven rocks, gazing quietly downward.

Though technically, even from this rock perch, my view is only at an adult man’s eye level. Being short has its limits, even when standing high.

Still, this is a hilltop. When I lower my gaze, I can see the village of Future Hope Church below.

This village, one of the branches of the underground temples, has grown significantly in size. Every time I come outside, there seem to be more houses popping up.

The problem is that as it expands, houses keep appearing right along my exercise route.

Even so, no matter how I change my path – now circling around distant hills instead of flat ground – all the believers somehow know my exact workout route. Strangely enough, when I’m not running, plenty of people run the same paths I usually take.

It’s like how fans flock to stores visited by celebrities.

“Outsider lady!”

“Wow, it’s Outsider lady!”

“Over here, Outsider lady!”

From quite a distance away, children wave their hands enthusiastically at me.

Yeah.

That’s right.

It worked.

While complex sentences and information are still tough, simple words can pop into people’s minds. And it’s not limited to just those who’ve received my blessing – most people can experience it.

Just not adults with unstable minds or children.

In short, those lacking warmth.

When you look up at the endless night sky spread over the cold ocean, maybe that nearby light is something similar.

However…

From quite far away…

There’s a Female hiding in the shadow of a rock, gripping her cane tightly while staring at me. Despite all my efforts to gain her trust gradually, we’ve somehow ended up here.

Maybe I shouldn’t have used the word “outsider.”

Isn’t it obvious?

This was my mistake.

If I’d used a different term instead of “outsider,” things would’ve been clearer. But completely foreign words from another world would’ve been even stranger, right?

And there’s no guarantee they could pronounce it or understand my thoughts properly.

So… Outsider it was.

But as a result, my chance to access the Female’s memories has slipped further away.

Ah well.

What’s done is done.

Rather than dwelling on past mistakes, it’s healthier to focus on what comes next. Of course, I’ve thoroughly reflected to avoid repeating this error.

Shall I jog around this area one more time before heading back to my room?

After waving back at the distant children, I resumed my run along the road.

***

A few days later, evening.

Someone shook Rebecca Rolfe awake while most people were sleeping.

Opening my eyes, I found the Female standing right above me.

“Hello, Female.”

“Honestly, that greeting sounds too forced. Rebecca.”

The window showed only darkness, and the surroundings were deathly quiet.

Not just quiet – an ominous energy blanketed everything. Even Joanna, who sleeps in the next room, couldn’t hear our voices through this oppressive atmosphere.

Normally she would hear us. After all, Joanna’s hearing is incredibly sharp.

Sharp enough to detect even the smallest sounds while asleep. I’ve personally felt her monitoring my condition using her exceptional hearing during times when Rebecca Rolfe stayed behind to watch while Joanna patrolled the area.

Which means this unnatural silence is caused by that ominous energy. Simple logic.

The Female stands above me on my bed, wearing shoes. This triggers some deeply buried memories to stir restlessly.

Standing on a bed with shoes on…

Such a horrifying act, yet apparently not considered strange in this world.

For a moment, my mind wandered elsewhere, but in reality, this situation is quite dangerous.

The Female stands above me, cane in hand, its pointed end aimed directly at my heart.

“You don’t even flinch.”

Well, it’s Rebecca’s body. Dying isn’t really dying – it’s more like reverting to the default state. Like losing a game character, which is annoying but nothing more.

“Why do you want to stab me?”

I already have a pretty good idea, but it’s polite to ask.

“Are you really that clueless? Tell me the word the church uses to refer to you.”

As expected, I guessed correctly.

“Outsider.”

“That was my mistake. Explain why so many people use that term to refer to you. Come on, Rebecca.”

She seems agitated…

Almost fearful…

No, she’s afraid of me.

Still, I won’t say anything unnecessary. I have no way to calm her down, nor do I believe I have the skill for persuasion.

So I’ll stick to the facts.

“Yes, Female. That name was given by you, so I had people address me that way.”

Huh?

The Female’s fur is standing on end. She stares down at me with an expression of extreme unease.

“You instructed them to use that term, but until now, you’ve never said it yourself!”

That’s right. I’ve never spoken it aloud. With someone always watching during every encounter, how could I possibly say it?

Let me simplify…

How about this:

“Should I say it out loud?”

Even without verbalizing it, there are ways to enforce compliance.

Of course, it’s true.

Pure truth.

I acted because I could. There was never any need to explain verbally – though this wasn’t intended to be malicious!

The Female’s grip on her cane trembles.

Her knuckles have turned white, veins bulging. Is she going to stab me?

I’m fine.

On the first day, I could lick anyone who attacked me – even when hit with arrows.

Meaning I can still do that. If I manage to lick her, I might gain access to her memories.

Lying on the bed, I look up at the Female staring down at me with her usual smile.

Terrifying… So terrifying…

But in that purely terrified way.

I wonder how skilled those I’ve licked are at reading faces?

Or perhaps those who fall to the lowest depths experience all emotions before finally falling?

“You…”

The Female stops speaking.

I wait patiently. After all, she’s the one feeling rushed, not me. Plus, I’d rather avoid having her cane pierce my chest.

“So you truly are an outsider beyond our understanding.”

She’s given up trying to understand.

Raising the cane above her head, she thrusts it downward toward my chest…

But stops just before impact.

“People close their eyes when they die.”

“I’m not human, Female.”

By abandoning attempts to understand, she’s actually giving me an advantage.

Anyway, I don’t feel like I’m about to die. Maybe I’m slightly disappointed?

The Female steps off the bed, creating space for me to sit up.

Looking down, I see shoe prints on the bedspread. I tap them lightly with my hand to brush them away.

“What are you doing?”

“Who wears shoes on a bed?”

Wait…

Those words slipped out unconsciously. I thought I’d lost all such human sensibilities, yet I couldn’t bear this.

Could it be that precisely because this is such a trivial matter, it’s managed to remain?

“You seem to care about your nest too, huh?”

The Female sneered. Calling it a “nest” feels awfully dismissive, like referring to an animal’s den.

Though technically, it’s not wrong.

Turning away from where she’d stepped off the bed, the Female looks back at me. Her face shows a mix of fear, confusion, accusation, and relief.

Then she points a small finger at me.

“No, if you consider that body your nest, you do take great care of it. You maintain it daily through exercise.”

That’s true.

Between summer and winter, my once tiny frame grew taller – though I’m still short compared to average, I’ve surpassed the Female in height.

Sitting on the bed, I look around. The surroundings are pitch black, the walls heavy with ominous energy.

“What is this?”

“Magic. Though it probably seems crude to you.”

Shaking my head side to side…

“I don’t know anything about that.”

“Does that mean you possess something far greater?”

The Female bristled, reacting like someone whose field of expertise has been challenged. But I shake my head again.

“Everything I can do – giving blessings, transmitting my will – I learned after coming to this world.”

Hmm…

Could it be…

“Do you think you could teach me?”

The Female stared intensely at my face before abruptly turning away. The blackness coating the walls dissipated into dark blue smoke and vanished.

“No.”

Of course, it’s a forbidden technique.

“Isn’t that what you’re best at?”

Ah, I sense her mental barriers dropping slightly.

Still, she refused to teach me.

Not everything goes according to plan. Time to indulge in a bit of mischief.

“No, what you’re best at is smiling when you’re scared.”

The Female, who had turned away, spun back to face me, looking genuinely shocked.

Hehe.

Yes.

I can read your expressions.

I lightly cupped my cheeks and smiled. Since I’m not human, I won’t close my eyes when I die…

“People should smile when they’re happy.”

Glaring daggers at me, the Female immediately left the room.

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