friend chapter 26

I activated it on all the leaves within a five-meter radius of where I was standing. The boxes were green, so they were hard to spot if they were buried in the leaves. Using magic was much more efficient here. 

“I need to find it quickly.” I excelled at detailed magic control, but I had relatively low magic reserves. Using such a wide-ranging spell multiple times would easily deplete my magic. Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be any boxes nearby. I released the spell and moved further away. I cast the spell again, levitating the leaves. Thud. “…What was that?” 

It was the sound of something falling. It seemed that when the spell activated, something that had been on the leaves was lifted and then dropped. Did I finally find it? Humming, I headed towards the sound. The lamp only illuminated the immediate area, so I had to get closer to check. 

“What a pain.” 

I wanted to find it quickly, descend the mountain, and be done with it. Just as I was thinking that and yawning… Rustle. The sudden sound sent shivers down my spine. It was a primal reaction. I froze, rooted to the spot. I couldn’t do anything. Why did I have that premonition? I couldn’t even bring myself to look in the direction of the sound. I didn’t dare shine the lamp and face whatever it was. If I moved, it felt like it would lunge at me. 

Please… The sound grew closer. My breath had long since grown ragged. Slither. My mind was filled with images of it. Damn it. That stupid snake…! Fear paralyzed me. I managed to raise a trembling hand. I had to use a teleportation spell. Even if it meant using every last drop of my magic. I took a deep breath and was about to draw the magic circle when— 

“Ugh!” 

When did it get so close? Sharp fangs pierced my flesh. I clutched my bitten ankle and collapsed. My vision tilted towards the ground. The gravity spell must have worn off because the ground was covered in leaves. The transparent snake, mimicking the color of the leaves, had a green body. Its long form was already slithering away. It was the same monster I’d seen yesterday. 

Ha… I told them I didn’t want to do this… It was a resentment that would never reach Haena. Sensation rapidly faded from my body. I couldn’t feel my magic. I couldn’t even blow the whistle. My fingers were stiff as stone. It was a sensation that was all the more terrifying because it was familiar. 

“I don’t want to die.” Those were my last words in my past life. The despair I felt when I knew I was dying resurfaced. 

“Ed… Edward!” I cried out, summoning every ounce of strength I had left. I called Edward’s name with all my might. I shouldn’t have wandered so far. No. I shouldn’t have left Edward’s side. It was a belated regret. My vision blurred. The green of the leaves and the black of the sky swirled together haphazardly. The last thing I saw was pure black. A suffocating black. Then, I lost consciousness.

***

It was an old dream. The dream replayed only the saddest scenes. Sixteen-year-old me lay in a hospital bed. A familiar scene. My past life. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Just rest.” 

“Will resting make me healthy? I don’t know anymore.” 

“Of course! You’ll definitely get better. When you’re feeling better, let’s go swimming. How about a cross-country trip?” 

My parents always put on a brave face and filled me with hope. Perhaps because of that, while outwardly cynical, I secretly dared to dream of an ordinary life. Even though I was born frail and had never known a day of good health. I’d be discharged from the hospital, try to live a normal life, and then collapse again, rushed back for another stay. 

I’d start to get close to my classmates, only to be hospitalized again and drift apart. But it was okay. My parents filled the void left by the lack of connection with my peers. I received more love than I deserved. Despite their busy schedules, they visited me almost every day. Even on freezing cold days, even on scorching hot days. They shouldn’t have. On a day of torrential downpour, a downpour so heavy it obscured the view… That day, too, my parents came to visit. Or rather, they tried to. Their car skidded on the rain-slicked road. They had an accident.