Chapter 60

Kara’s day could be described like this:

Frustrating and boring. That’s what I’ve thought ever since the team members fell for Antonio’s temptation.

Surviving was easier compared to the desert. After all, in the forest, there was something—unlike the desert, which had nothing but sand.

I managed to get by, munching on some bugs for protein, and before I knew it, night had fallen.

Tartar experiences significant temperature changes, so people tend to wear heavier clothes at night, but that wasn’t necessary here.

However, I hadn’t anticipated how early the evening would arrive, so I hadn’t even built a shelter.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

In that situation, I wandered around aimlessly and stumbled upon a campfire.

Even the glow of a cigarette was distinct in the darkened forest or mountains. Can you imagine how bright a campfire would be?

There was a high chance it could be another team’s fire, leading to a potential fight, but I decided to try and negotiate first.

Fortunately, the campfire belonged to Sivar’s team, and she could comfortably settle in.

“You took them all down, did you? I knew my guess was right. I still can’t figure out why they made such choices. Luna joined in, right?”

“For now.”

“I don’t understand why she would do that, especially after seeing our dad fight you. Was there another reason?”

But lying on the ground peacefully wasn’t an option. It wasn’t hard to stay awake for a night and it would be disrespectful.

At the very least, we should stand guard together. Just lying around doing nothing when I should be vigilant felt awkward.

Luckily, I had a perfect conversation partner in Sivar.

“How’s your team?”

“Good.”

“In what way?”

“All of it.”

Upon hearing that, Kara turned around. Grace and Lee Yeon-joo were sleeping, snoring away.

Both looked like delicate flowers raised in a greenhouse. Especially Grace; even I knew who she was.

She was one of those who consistently showed interest in Sivar. Honestly, I didn’t particularly like it.

It was all too obvious that they coveted Sivar, or more precisely, his powers. They were way too blatant about it.

‘Sivar’s the type to think everyone is good as long as they don’t bother him.’

Because of that, I didn’t take Sivar’s words at face value. The Sivar I knew was kind to a fault.

Unless provoked, he wouldn’t retaliate and would even apologize if he acted out of line occasionally.

If his character were truly malevolent, he probably would have confronted Rod, who’d punish without a second thought.

‘At least I hope he doesn’t use his heart against me.’

I didn’t mind if Sivar expertly utilized his powers. In this harsh world, using someone else’s strength was perfectly fine.

But if it wasn’t an unavoidable circumstance and instead, used his good nature against him, that would be uncomfortable.

‘If eloquence was a form of power, then it is indeed power.’

Of course, this was true concerning Sivar; I didn’t deny the power of speech in general. I had seen such traits in Hector during the unification of clans.

Hector unified clans with his strength, natural charisma, and deeply resonant words.

As a result, Tartar was founded, rising to a position even other countries wouldn’t dare to touch.

Though he was lost now, I had seen with my own eyes just how strong the power of speech could be.

Preferring not to acknowledge something and denying its existence were two different things.

“Sivar.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh… never mind.”

Kara almost spoke but held back. She originally intended to offer advice.

[Even when people say good things, accepting them blindly can be troublesome. It’s better to ponder for at least a moment.]

But whether Sivar would comprehend this was uncertain, and she knew better than anyone her own lack of clarity.

If she ended up bringing it up only for Sivar to misunderstand later, it would create problems for Kara.

‘I might say something good, but he could very well not believe me.’

That was what worried her the most. Even if Hector pushed Sivar into a near-death experience, her affection for Sivar wouldn’t diminish.

If anything, it would be something she should apologize for; after all, it was Hector’s rash actions that had hurt Sivar.

But what if her words caused Sivar to start doubting her?

Beyond being frustrating, it would feel bitter. There would be some resentment as well.

‘It would be odd to think my words could be trusted after all.’

Kara, though despised as a savage, was still part of civilization. And civilization inevitably has to rely on ‘lies’.

Lies were not invented by humanity when creating civilization; they were one of the skills they gained along the way.

Eventually, she might have to lie to Sivar, but her conscience pricked her about bringing up that advice.

“Ugh…”

“?”

Kara, in a complicated state of mind, ruffled her hair. Sivar merely stared at her with a perplexed look.

She exhaled a sigh and glanced to the side. Thanks to the campfire, Sivar’s face remained visible even at night.

How could he have such a silly yet cute expression? His face, nearly close to being handsome, radiated a strong sense of purity.

Pinch—

She couldn’t help it. Kara reached out and gently pinched Sivar’s cheek.

Sivar blinked in response to her action, showing no other reaction. Instead, he looked puzzled.

In response to that, Kara pinched his cheek again with her other hand. His skin was so white, it felt incredibly soft.

Now she understood why Eli enjoyed giving Sivar’s cheek a good rub. So squishy and comforting, it begged to be touched again and again.

“I’m jealous. So jealous. Some people are over-complicated and here you seem carefree.”

“…Me?”

“I didn’t say you!”

Kara exclaimed with playful dishonesty. She wondered if Sivar would comprehend the meaning behind her words.

His expression was still stoic, making it hard to gauge, but there was no concern about that.

There was just one thing. All she needed was one thing.

“Sivar.”

“Yeah.”

“Are we going to be friends forever?”

She hoped to stay connected with Sivar continuously. Their hearts seemed to be in sync, and oddly enough, their dispositions matched.

Other friends had emerged, including Luna, but no one was as comfortable as Sivar.

Luna was a bit too uptight, and while Eli was cheerful, the interactions felt a bit awkward.

As things stood, Sivar was her closest friend—a true friend, without any prejudices.

“I won’t let go of your pinky until you answer.”

It didn’t matter if Sivar became a civilized person or learned to lie.

As long as they remained friends, that was all that mattered. Friends could lie and joke with each other after all.

But betrayal—now that should never happen. If Sivar ever betrayed her, she might not be able to trust anyone again.

‘What if he does betray me later?’

That thought made her grip on Sivar’s cheek loosen slightly. Anxiety washed over her.

Though Sivar had no reason to betray her, human affairs were unpredictable.

Even turning one’s back, regardless of betrayal, meant drifting apart.

‘That would be… sad.’

She felt it would be more sorrowful than anger. If it was Sivar, she’d probably think something must have happened.

Could he have sensed Kara’s emotions there? Sivar gently pulled her hand away from his cheek.

“…Sivar?”

“Promise.”

When Kara expressed her confusion, Sivar illustrated his point with action. He extended his pinky finger toward her.

Caught off guard, Kara stared at him in astonishment, then turned her gaze toward Sivar’s face. His typical expression of vacant thought was ever-present.

What on earth was going on in that head of his while he acted like this? She felt like pinching his cheek.

At the same time, he made her lose her train of thought. Everything she had just pondered felt trivial now.

“Friends.”

“…Haha.”

Once Sivar struck that final blow, Kara laughed helplessly. What on earth was she thinking?

Sometimes actions can speak louder than words, but with Sivar, both had a unique impact. He expertly grasped only the core of feelings and swayed them.

Did he even realize the effects of his words and actions? Even after living in the wilderness, he had such a strange skill.

Suddenly—

Kara entwined her pinky with Sivar’s extended pinky. Their pinkies locked together like chains.

Though she had done this before, this time it felt different. Their bond felt even stronger.

That might have just been her perception, but it was satisfying nonetheless.

“Sivar.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m really glad you’re my friend.”

Sivar looked slightly surprised at her sincere words, as if he hadn’t expected such a statement.

It was rare to see Sivar’s stoic demeanor break. Most of the time, he only showed disappointment from being scolded by Rod.

For Kara, this was a bittersweet moment. It was clear that pouring out sincerity held power.

‘Now that I think about it…’

Kara gazed at Sivar’s astonished face. Upon reflection, she realized she had never seen Sivar smile.

Even during the Death Beam incident, he only showed excitement but never smiled directly.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t feel emotions; perhaps he simply didn’t know how. Maybe he felt awkward about it.

“Sivar.”

“Yeah?”

“Want to try smiling? Like this.”

She demonstrated, pulling the corners of her mouth upward with her hands.

It wasn’t a natural smile, but it was enough to serve as an example. Sivar was watching closely as well.

Then Sivar mimicked her, pulling up the corners of his mouth with his hands.

“This?”

“…?”

Kara’s reaction was quite simple. She didn’t say a word, but her face slowly turned crimson.

Fortunately, the campfire’s light and the evening’s darkness made it less noticeable.

“Uh, right. Just like that. You can smile, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. So keep smiling, and…”

Kara trailed off.

She decided Sivar’s smile was something that shouldn’t be shared with others. He was better off with his usual expression.

‘How can I resist such cuteness?’

Strangely enough, it hurt her heart.

Kara struggled to calm her racing heart as she quietly spoke.

“…No. Don’t smile.”

“Why?”

“Just… feels a bit odd.”

This was already the second time Kara had lied to Sivar.