Chapter 6

‘So, I’ve managed to survive another day.’

Suji stared at the faint light filtering through the gaps in the leaf-covered walls. The sun wasn’t particularly bright, its rays dulled by the mist that blanketed the swamp. Still, it was better than the oppressive darkness of the night. Yet, the damp, suffocating atmosphere of the marshland clung to her skin, heavy and unrelenting.

‘Have they not found me? Or… do they even realize I’m missing?’

Her thoughts turned somber as she glanced away. Her eyes fell on her clothes, which the man had stripped off and hung near the fire. They were dry now, though they carried a slightly unpleasant odor. Still, she couldn’t afford to be picky in a place like this. Grateful, she quickly slipped them on over her undergarments.

A sound interrupted her—someone opening the door and stepping outside. She turned, calling out, “Wait!” But by the time she turned, he was already gone.

“Agh…!”

Suji hurriedly followed him, stepping outside. The world beyond was a sea of water mist, thick and stifling. She felt as though she were standing atop a mountain, her surroundings obscured and disorienting. No matter where she looked, she couldn’t determine which direction the sun was rising or setting.

She glanced back at the shelter, then to her sides. The trees, indistinct in the haze, all looked the same. The bushes, damp and oppressive, were equally uniform. There was no sign of the man anywhere. Panic bubbled in her chest, and then the mist shifted, swirling slightly.

“Excuse me?” she called out, hoping it was him.

The movement responded, shifting toward her. Suji’s initial relief quickly turned to terror when the figure became clear—a massive crayfish, the size of a person.

“Kyah—!”

Her scream pierced the air as the creature’s enormous claws snapped in her direction. Its face wasn’t entirely animal-like; it had an eerie, almost fish-like quality to it. Its gaping mouth opened as if it intended to swallow her whole. Suji stumbled back, her eyes wide with horror as one of the claws slammed into the spot where she’d just been standing.

Thud!

The ground caved under the force, leaving a deep impression. Suji realized with a jolt that a single strike from those claws would leave her gravely injured—if not worse. As the crayfish moved to attack again, she threw herself sideways.

Thud!

She narrowly avoided the blow but landed awkwardly, a sharp pain shooting through her knee. Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself forward with her arms, dragging her body as quickly as she could. But the crayfish was faster, its claws raised high in the air. Suji’s face turned pale.

‘What do I do?’

* * *

The man had been watching her from the mist, observing her since the moment she had followed him outside. He had been curious to see if her resolve had changed after a day had passed. Was she still worth sparing? Or should he kill her to prove to the alchemists that the “destined adversary” no longer existed?

‘The rational choice is the latter.’

Eliminate the potential threat. It was the logical decision, yet he found himself hesitating. Was there truly a reason to kill her? Did it need to be done?

“…!”

His thoughts were interrupted as the crayfish’s claw slammed down toward her again. His body tensed, his arm instinctively moving as if to strike the creature. He froze, staring at his outstretched arm in confusion.

‘What…?’

It was as though his body had reacted before his mind could process it. His eyes widened slightly, startled by his own impulse. Before he could dwell on it, the crayfish attacked again. Suji let out a loud cry and crumpled to the ground, having stepped on one of the creature’s sharp, spiny hairs.

“Urgh…!”

The sound of her pained groan made his fists clench. His heart pounded violently in his chest, his veins throbbing as if his blood were boiling. He felt a surge of anger—an unpleasant, twisting sensation that left him irritated and unsettled.

‘This is… interesting,’ he thought, a smirk tugging at his lips despite the turmoil inside him.

It wasn’t just fascination—it was something deeper, something he didn’t yet fully understand. But one thing was clear: seeing her in pain filled him with a strange, instinctive disgust he couldn’t ignore.

Was this why the alchemists had warned him? Because Suji could change him like this? They hadn’t explained exactly how she was supposed to be a threat—whether it would be physical or psychological.

The ambiguity had seemed like their usual cryptic way of speaking, but now he wondered if they themselves didn’t know. Perhaps their fear of Suji stemmed from their lack of understanding of her.

‘They’re unsure what kind of influence she’ll have on me.’

That uncertainty had likely driven them to want her dead. Alchemists hated situations they couldn’t control. Used to their meticulously orchestrated experiments, they despised unpredictability. On top of that, they wouldn’t want to risk losing him, a creation that had cost them millions in gold.

‘So, the threat wasn’t really to me—it was to them.’

If that were the case, there was even less reason to kill her. Her mere existence pressured the alchemists, and he found satisfaction in that realization.

Satisfaction?

The feeling was foreign to him. Was it because he could turn the tables on the alchemists? No, his relationship with them had always been pragmatic. They were a bothersome but necessary alliance, mutually beneficial but entirely disposable if the need arose.

‘But with her…’

She was different. This wasn’t a connection formed out of cold calculation. If anything, killing her would have been the rational choice. Her influence on his body, or perhaps his mind, made her a potential weakness. For someone like him, frequently embroiled in battles, weaknesses were dangerous.

And yet, he didn’t want her dead. The idea of her living—of her simply existing—brought him an inexplicable sense of joy.

‘Yes, her being alive feels… good.’

He watched as the crayfish’s massive claws loomed over Suji. In an instant, his form vanished, leaving behind only a faint ripple in the mist where he had stood.

* * *

Suji thought she was going to die. As the crayfish’s claw lifted high above her, she was sure she wouldn’t be able to avoid it this time. A flurry of thoughts flashed through her mind. Who would take care of her parents’ mausoleum? Would her uncle hear the news? Her civil servant acceptance would probably be revoked. Maybe her death would make the papers. People would wonder how she ended up here.

Would that man deliver the news of her death? Could he?

And then, in the last fleeting moment, she thought of him.

Whoosh.

The instant she thought of him, he appeared before her. Suji gasped, her chest tightening with a mix of disbelief and relief. How could he have shown up so suddenly? She couldn’t even utter a sound as she stared at him. He had saved her twice now, and she couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

But the crayfish was still standing. Alarmed, Suji tried to warn him. Before she could speak, the creature began to collapse. Its segmented body fell apart, dissolving into a grotesque, oozing mess on the ground. It was as though it had been melted from the inside out.

“Breakfast,” the man said nonchalantly, glancing over his shoulder.

“…!”

His expression hadn’t changed, not even a flicker of emotion. Suji had no idea how he’d done it, or how fast he had moved to dismantle the creature. She wanted to ask, but the language barrier reminded her that any attempt would be futile.

‘If only I could talk to him,’ she thought. ‘There’s so much I want to know. Where are we? Who is he? How can I get home?’

Her eyes followed him as he gathered the dismembered crayfish into a battered pot. He seemed to know everything. What was he planning to do now? She trailed after him, limping slightly. Though she tried to focus on something else, her attention kept returning to him. Was he seriously planning to eat that thing? The thought alone made her stomach turn. The creature’s grotesque claws and slimy appearance still haunted her.

Unbothered, the man cleaned and cooked the crayfish as if it were an ordinary task. The smell of steaming crabmeat soon filled the air. Using the same method as before, he cooked the meat over the fire and then skewered a piece with his knife, bringing it to his mouth.

Crunch, crunch.

He chewed calmly, almost delicately, before glancing at Suji and gesturing for her to eat with a tilt of his chin.

“Uh, I…”

The words hovered on her tongue. I don’t want to eat the disgusting thing that tried to kill me. But voicing her refusal felt selfish. In a place like this, being picky about food was a luxury she couldn’t afford. He had saved her life—twice now—and had even prepared a meal for her. She owed him her gratitude.

Swallowing her disgust, Suji hesitated, then opened her mouth slightly. The man skewered a piece of the cooked meat with his knife and brought it toward her. Just as she braced herself to take it, he smirked and pulled it back, popping it into his own mouth instead.

“If you don’t want it, don’t force yourself,” he said with a teasing grin.

“…!”

Her face turned red as he laughed, clearly amused by her expression. The way she scrunched her face and forced herself to open her mouth had been undeniably endearing to him.

She glared at him, her embarrassment bubbling over.

“You’re unbelievable!”