I held onto the doorframe, catching my breath. The floor was littered with shards of broken glass.
“There is no dust.”
There is no dust. The dust that had piled up where the ancient Gods had come and gone was no longer there.
As I put down the broken mirror, with only the back panel remaining, I saw the dawn rising dimly in the distance.
I wiped my sweaty forehead and nape with my sleeve. I touched my neck just in case, and it was intact and unharmed.
“What a relief, ah, Erne!”
As my heartbeat returned somewhat, Erne came to mind. I forced ny knees, which had become limp, to strength and headed to Erne's room.
I tried to open the door without thinking, but it was locked.
“Oh, that’s right.”
Before proceeding with the ceremony, I asked Henry to lock the door. I knocked on the door.
“Sir Henry, it’s all over. Please open the door.”
Sir Henry? Why aren't you answering?
“If your nose gets high, it can get low.”
Judith slapped Erne's arm away. Erne responded to the gesture for a moment, then lifted his finger again and pressed it against Judith's nose.
Judith didn't avoid his touch as if she had given up but just stared at him with her eyes wide open.
“Well, I, I tried so hard to save you, but you don’t even know how to be grateful.”
“I have a lot to ask.”
Erne pretended not to hear Judith and tapped her nose.
“First of all, why is that guy in the mansion?”
Erne pointed to Judith and the horse staring at Erne from the doorway. Judith had a look on her face as if to say, "The horse might come into the house, but why is he doing that?"
“That guy is more than qualified to enter the mansion. He is a spirit, a spirit.”
“There is no dust.”
There is no dust. The dust that had piled up where the ancient Gods had come and gone was no longer there.
As I put down the broken mirror, with only the back panel remaining, I saw the dawn rising dimly in the distance.
I wiped my sweaty forehead and nape with my sleeve. I touched my neck just in case, and it was intact and unharmed.
“What a relief, ah, Erne!”
As my heartbeat returned somewhat, Erne came to mind. I forced ny knees, which had become limp, to strength and headed to Erne's room.
I tried to open the door without thinking, but it was locked.
“Oh, that’s right.”
Before proceeding with the ceremony, I asked Henry to lock the door. I knocked on the door.
“Sir Henry, it’s all over. Please open the door.”
Sir Henry? Why aren't you answering?
When no sound was heard from inside, I knocked on the door and turned the doorknob.
“It’s me. I told you it’s all over.”
“Get out of my way, you filthy thing!”
“It’s not the devil, it’s me, Judith!”
“I won’t be fooled. Go back. Leave Erne alone!”
No, really, should I say that I'm good at this, or should I say that I'm annoyed?
“It’s me. I told you it’s all over.”
“Get out of my way, you filthy thing!”
“It’s not the devil, it’s me, Judith!”
“I won’t be fooled. Go back. Leave Erne alone!”
No, really, should I say that I'm good at this, or should I say that I'm annoyed?
I knocked on the door and eventually sat down in front of it.
Ha, I don't know. I guess they'll open the door when the sun rises.
It was only after the morning had fully dawned that Henry opened the door.
“Were you really Madam?”
“Yes, Sir Henry, you are very thorough.”
“Haha, I’m pretty good at handling things.”
Excuse me, isn't that a compliment? No, is this a compliment?
I scratched my head and headed towards Erne's bed. His breathing had suddenly become steady.
“Erne?”
I tried to wake Erne up while I was at it. Erne groaned and opened his eyes with difficulty. Behind him, Henry was filled with emotion and searched for all the Gods.
“Are you okay? Are you feeling better?”
Erne nodded slowly and asked me in a cracking voice.
“...Why did you yell like that yesterday?”
Erne forced his eyelids open, which were about to close.
“What happened...?”
He asked, forcing himself to stop falling asleep again. What happened? He was the one who returned alive from the threshold of the afterlife.
“Noise? No one made a sound.”
Henry answered with a puzzled look as he brought a glass of water to Erne's lips.
“Did you hear Madam knocking on the door earlier?”
“No, last night.”
“It was quiet at night.”
It was quiet at night?
I thought back to the night I had encountered it. Its voice might have been heard only by me, but I thought my voice would have been heard throughout the mansion.
At first, he answered quietly, but later he almost shouted. He was full of the intention to tell me to get out quickly.
Even though the door was closed, Henry couldn't hear the screaming from the next room? Even if he didn't know the exact words, he knew how loud they were.
“If nothing happens, it’s fine.”
Erne took a few sips of water and fell asleep again.
“But Sir Henry, you really didn’t hear anything yesterday?”
“Yes, I only heard the sound of horses crying.”
Henry didn't hear it, but Erne, who was unconscious, heard it. Was it because Erne was also being attacked by the ancient God?
“Anyway, I’m really glad that your wife succeeded.”
Henry cleared his throat as if he was finally completely relieved.
“Honestly, I thought you two were going to be together at the same time.”
“I was wondering if we should have a joint funeral,” Henry said, adding something that didn’t have to be said. I shook my head and sat down on the haunches next to Erne’s bed.
I didn't even have the strength to stand.
“Madam, you look pale. Shall I bring you some warm tea?”
“Tea? Sir Henry, we don’t have any tea in the house. Maybe hot water?”
Why would someone who knows the situation do this? I looked at him with eyes that said, “You know,” and Henry muttered awkwardly.
“...Is it still like that?”
When Erne opened his eyes, it was just past noon. He was overcome with a burning thirst, but the headache and fever that had plagued him for several days had completely disappeared.
He tried to raise his hunched body but then stopped.
'Why is she sleeping so uncomfortably?'
Judith was fast asleep, face down on the bed. In the morning, Judith was so exhausted that she couldn't even go to her room, so she fell fast asleep, leaning against the bed.
Henry, who had been nervous all night, also felt relieved when he saw Erne regain consciousness and fall asleep while sitting on a chair. Even though the sun was high in the sky, the two of them showed no sign of waking up.
'I'm sure I heard Judith's voice yesterday.'
As the fever rose, his ears became so blocked that he couldn't hear anything else. Even in that state, he could hear Judith's voice.
Not exactly, but he only understood her name, Yu-jin, and went back.
'Ask her about that later when she wakes up.'
He didn't want to wake her up. He didn't know what had happened, but Erne knew that Judith had done something.
What did Judith do to save me, and she succeeded. Why?
'Even if you save me, it won't make any money.'
Wasn't she someone who moved according to profit and loss? Even before losing consciousness, Judith kept wiping his body with a wet towel. She was busy with research on incense or something.
'You want to save me and send me back to the arena?'
Ah, if it's like this, do I have to go out again?
Ha, I don't know. I guess they'll open the door when the sun rises.
***
It was only after the morning had fully dawned that Henry opened the door.
“Were you really Madam?”
“Yes, Sir Henry, you are very thorough.”
“Haha, I’m pretty good at handling things.”
Excuse me, isn't that a compliment? No, is this a compliment?
I scratched my head and headed towards Erne's bed. His breathing had suddenly become steady.
“Erne?”
I tried to wake Erne up while I was at it. Erne groaned and opened his eyes with difficulty. Behind him, Henry was filled with emotion and searched for all the Gods.
“Are you okay? Are you feeling better?”
Erne nodded slowly and asked me in a cracking voice.
“...Why did you yell like that yesterday?”
Erne forced his eyelids open, which were about to close.
“What happened...?”
He asked, forcing himself to stop falling asleep again. What happened? He was the one who returned alive from the threshold of the afterlife.
“Noise? No one made a sound.”
Henry answered with a puzzled look as he brought a glass of water to Erne's lips.
“Did you hear Madam knocking on the door earlier?”
“No, last night.”
“It was quiet at night.”
It was quiet at night?
I thought back to the night I had encountered it. Its voice might have been heard only by me, but I thought my voice would have been heard throughout the mansion.
At first, he answered quietly, but later he almost shouted. He was full of the intention to tell me to get out quickly.
Even though the door was closed, Henry couldn't hear the screaming from the next room? Even if he didn't know the exact words, he knew how loud they were.
“If nothing happens, it’s fine.”
Erne took a few sips of water and fell asleep again.
“But Sir Henry, you really didn’t hear anything yesterday?”
“Yes, I only heard the sound of horses crying.”
Henry didn't hear it, but Erne, who was unconscious, heard it. Was it because Erne was also being attacked by the ancient God?
“Anyway, I’m really glad that your wife succeeded.”
Henry cleared his throat as if he was finally completely relieved.
“Honestly, I thought you two were going to be together at the same time.”
“I was wondering if we should have a joint funeral,” Henry said, adding something that didn’t have to be said. I shook my head and sat down on the haunches next to Erne’s bed.
I didn't even have the strength to stand.
“Madam, you look pale. Shall I bring you some warm tea?”
“Tea? Sir Henry, we don’t have any tea in the house. Maybe hot water?”
Why would someone who knows the situation do this? I looked at him with eyes that said, “You know,” and Henry muttered awkwardly.
“...Is it still like that?”
***
When Erne opened his eyes, it was just past noon. He was overcome with a burning thirst, but the headache and fever that had plagued him for several days had completely disappeared.
He tried to raise his hunched body but then stopped.
'Why is she sleeping so uncomfortably?'
Judith was fast asleep, face down on the bed. In the morning, Judith was so exhausted that she couldn't even go to her room, so she fell fast asleep, leaning against the bed.
Henry, who had been nervous all night, also felt relieved when he saw Erne regain consciousness and fall asleep while sitting on a chair. Even though the sun was high in the sky, the two of them showed no sign of waking up.
'I'm sure I heard Judith's voice yesterday.'
As the fever rose, his ears became so blocked that he couldn't hear anything else. Even in that state, he could hear Judith's voice.
Not exactly, but he only understood her name, Yu-jin, and went back.
'Ask her about that later when she wakes up.'
He didn't want to wake her up. He didn't know what had happened, but Erne knew that Judith had done something.
What did Judith do to save me, and she succeeded. Why?
'Even if you save me, it won't make any money.'
Wasn't she someone who moved according to profit and loss? Even before losing consciousness, Judith kept wiping his body with a wet towel. She was busy with research on incense or something.
'You want to save me and send me back to the arena?'
Ah, if it's like this, do I have to go out again?
Erne smiled slightly, brushing back the hair that was stinging his eyes.
Judith may not have had that intention of saving him, but it didn't seem like she would stop him from going to the arena.
I think she'll secretly like it. No, she might even like it openly.
Erne, who was wiping the corners of his mouth with a sly smile for some reason, slowly got out of bed on the opposite side where Judith was lying.
'I've been living and living, but I've ended up sleeping in bed because of some insignificant dust.'
Erne relaxed his shoulders, vowing that if he ever saw the incorruptible corpse again, he would turn it into dust and return it to nothingness.
His body was in good shape. He was hungry. It was a sign that his condition was returning.
“Sleep well.”
Erne turned around the bed and went to Judith. Judith was still asleep, not even realizing that he was awake.
Even though he was pulling the hair off her cheek, she didn't move at all.
'I think she'll get up if I tell her it's time to make incense.'
Erne, who was suddenly playful, whispered only 'fragrance' in Judith's ear. At that, Judith's eyelashes fluttered.
Judith may not have had that intention of saving him, but it didn't seem like she would stop him from going to the arena.
I think she'll secretly like it. No, she might even like it openly.
Erne, who was wiping the corners of his mouth with a sly smile for some reason, slowly got out of bed on the opposite side where Judith was lying.
'I've been living and living, but I've ended up sleeping in bed because of some insignificant dust.'
Erne relaxed his shoulders, vowing that if he ever saw the incorruptible corpse again, he would turn it into dust and return it to nothingness.
His body was in good shape. He was hungry. It was a sign that his condition was returning.
“Sleep well.”
Erne turned around the bed and went to Judith. Judith was still asleep, not even realizing that he was awake.
Even though he was pulling the hair off her cheek, she didn't move at all.
'I think she'll get up if I tell her it's time to make incense.'
Erne, who was suddenly playful, whispered only 'fragrance' in Judith's ear. At that, Judith's eyelashes fluttered.
If I had told you the first thing, you would have opened your eyes, would you?
You are really you.
You are really you.
Erne swallowed his laughter and slowly picked Judith up. Erne clicked his tongue at the weight that seemed lighter than before as if she hadn't even taken care of her own meals while taking care of him.
“Hmm...”
“Sleep more.”
When Erne laid her down on the bed, Judith tossed and turned, perhaps because her position had changed. When he placed his palm on her twitching eyelids, trying to get her up, Judith let out a slow breath.
Erne covered her neck with a blanket and went out to wash up. His fever had gone down, but perhaps because of the memory of his high fever, he wanted to pour some cold water on himself.
As he was wondering whether to open the window to let in the cold air and wash, Erne ran into an unexpected friend.
The friend seemed genuinely happy that Erne was getting better. Erne was glad to see him too.
But, despite the joy, this guy wasn't supposed to be here.
"...What are you talking about inside the house?”
A horse that should be in the stable is running around in the garden? That's not so strange.
But the horse is walking around the hallways of the mansion? That doesn't make sense.
Anyway, Erne, who was seeing the horse for the first time in a long time, nuzzled the bridge of his nose as if he were happy to see it. He did pat it, but the situation was very strange.
“Does everything become strange when you enter this mansion? Or is it a bit out of the norm when you eat what Judith gives you?”
He was genuinely curious.
“You moved me here?”
I, who woke up from a deep sleep, was somewhat surprised to find that I was lying in Erne's bed.
I think I fell asleep while leaning against the wall, but I think I pushed Erne up while I was sleeping.
“Yeah, I guess he’s sleeping poorly.”
Erne nodded. He thought Judith would be grateful if she knew that he, a patient who had been on the verge of death just hours before, had given up his bed.
“I was really tired. I was trying to save someone’s life.”
Judith's eyes were filled with pride as she watched Erne walking around normally. Shouldn't she be looking relieved at this moment?
But Judith had been sufficiently relieved and reassured earlier in the morning, so now was the time to feel a little proud.
“Yes, Erne. You can be as grateful as you want. I saved your life.”
Judith nodded slightly, answering without being asked.
Come on, thank me, Judith's face said.
Erne was grateful to Judith. Honestly, he was grateful.
But it's strange. As he looked at that high bridge of her nose, the words "thank you" that had risen to the tip of his chin did not come out of his lips.
Erne lifted his finger and pressed the tip of Judith's nose.
“You need to tuck the bridge of your nose.”
“Hmm...”
“Sleep more.”
When Erne laid her down on the bed, Judith tossed and turned, perhaps because her position had changed. When he placed his palm on her twitching eyelids, trying to get her up, Judith let out a slow breath.
Erne covered her neck with a blanket and went out to wash up. His fever had gone down, but perhaps because of the memory of his high fever, he wanted to pour some cold water on himself.
As he was wondering whether to open the window to let in the cold air and wash, Erne ran into an unexpected friend.
The friend seemed genuinely happy that Erne was getting better. Erne was glad to see him too.
But, despite the joy, this guy wasn't supposed to be here.
"...What are you talking about inside the house?”
A horse that should be in the stable is running around in the garden? That's not so strange.
But the horse is walking around the hallways of the mansion? That doesn't make sense.
Anyway, Erne, who was seeing the horse for the first time in a long time, nuzzled the bridge of his nose as if he were happy to see it. He did pat it, but the situation was very strange.
“Does everything become strange when you enter this mansion? Or is it a bit out of the norm when you eat what Judith gives you?”
He was genuinely curious.
***
“You moved me here?”
I, who woke up from a deep sleep, was somewhat surprised to find that I was lying in Erne's bed.
I think I fell asleep while leaning against the wall, but I think I pushed Erne up while I was sleeping.
“Yeah, I guess he’s sleeping poorly.”
Erne nodded. He thought Judith would be grateful if she knew that he, a patient who had been on the verge of death just hours before, had given up his bed.
“I was really tired. I was trying to save someone’s life.”
Judith's eyes were filled with pride as she watched Erne walking around normally. Shouldn't she be looking relieved at this moment?
But Judith had been sufficiently relieved and reassured earlier in the morning, so now was the time to feel a little proud.
“Yes, Erne. You can be as grateful as you want. I saved your life.”
Judith nodded slightly, answering without being asked.
Come on, thank me, Judith's face said.
Erne was grateful to Judith. Honestly, he was grateful.
But it's strange. As he looked at that high bridge of her nose, the words "thank you" that had risen to the tip of his chin did not come out of his lips.
Erne lifted his finger and pressed the tip of Judith's nose.
“You need to tuck the bridge of your nose.”
“How do I tuck the bridge of my nose?”
Judith slapped Erne's arm away. Erne responded to the gesture for a moment, then lifted his finger again and pressed it against Judith's nose.
Judith didn't avoid his touch as if she had given up but just stared at him with her eyes wide open.
“Well, I, I tried so hard to save you, but you don’t even know how to be grateful.”
“I have a lot to ask.”
Erne pretended not to hear Judith and tapped her nose.
“First of all, why is that guy in the mansion?”
Erne pointed to Judith and the horse staring at Erne from the doorway. Judith had a look on her face as if to say, "The horse might come into the house, but why is he doing that?"
“That guy is more than qualified to enter the mansion. He is a spirit, a spirit.”
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