49. Red Snow

Red was oblivious to her sudden growth spurt. Eating was only part of the equation that contributed to her physical growth. She had barely eaten anything aside from the Specific Nex and the Broken Brambles of an Envious Tree.

Not only that, but her clothes had grown slightly larger as well to accommodate her size. Red dug in and ate from the carcass of the oversized Rock Bug. The highly poisonous material was devoured without a care in the world.

Snow watched on from the side in utter disbelief. The way she wolved it down despite its high toxicity to the living made her question just who… no, what Red was. Not only that, but Red didn’t wince or complain about the taste.

She was reminded of the time Red was shocked to find that food needed to be cooked, or how she had never tasted the sweetness of an apple. The white-haired girl looked down at herself in contemplation. Her shivering hands gripped the red hooded cloak that belonged to Red.

It was cold. The Central Forests of Justitia were known to occasionally reach sub zero temperatures. The Corrupted Zone exacerbated this effect, leading to brutally cold winds.

Yet Red wasn’t fazed by this at all. She only wore a black dress and knee socks, whereas Snow battled with the cold. She fed a few sticks into a small flame and nurtured it with both hands.

“What kind of life did you live…?” Her voice came out unbeknownst to her.

It was a faint, barely audible murmur that was not meant to be heard by the world.

“You don’t have to answer that. I didn’t mean to ask. It just slipped out of my mouth. I’m sorry.”

Red stopped for a moment and thought. The gears of her mind worked overtime to come up with an answer. Eventually, she shrugged and went back to eating the Rock Bug.

“About as normal as can be. I don’t remember much about my life. But I do know that one day I saw a star, and the next, I was inside of a cave.”

A star?

Snow remembered the emphatic light that lit up the world just weeks ago.

The villagers called it a fallen star. There existed a legend in Elysia where if one saw a shooting star running across the skies, then one can have their wish come true.

But for a fallen star? There was no such legend. If anything, it was an ill omen. Nothing good could come out of a fallen star.

Still, people wished upon that star.

“You didn’t have any parents?” Snow asked, breaking the short silence.

“Nope. Am I supposed to have them?” Red answered innocently.

“Every child born in Elysia has to come from a parent, you know. But not all children get to see the faces of their parents. Elysia isn’t kind to children.” Snow spoke somberly.

“I don’t think I was…” Red trailed off, not knowing how to answer her. “Hmm… Is it possible to be born without a parent?”

“Aha… Unless you’re not a human, then no.”

“So humans have to have a parent.” Red trailed off with a saddened voice. “Hey, Snow. What makes a person human?”

“It’s… I’m sorry. I don’t know how to answer that. I think being human is just a matter of being you.”

“Being me?”

“Mhm. At least I think so. But sometimes, humans can be worse than monsters.”

“If that’s true, then why are they still called humans?”

Red asked like she was oblivious to the cruel nature of the world. Snow knew this the best as a Healer. The persecutions she faced, and the life of solitude she had to live were only a fraction of the hardships she had to face.

Sometimes, Snow wished she could dye her hair a different color. But by the virtue of being a Healer, that color would soon return back to normal. It was a stigma to her. Snow knew she was more of a human than any human alive, and yet, Healers were treated like livestock.

“… Their blood dictates it.”

A glint of red appeared in her eyes as she said this.

She clutched at Red’s coat with a deadly scowl.

“But at least you have nice people around you, huh?” Red’s voice came from above her this time.

She reached down to pat Snow’s head. She pulled her head away, refusing Red’s touch.

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“Please don’t.”

“But I like it when you do it to me. Is it… a bad thing to do?”

“No it’s just…” Snow couldn’t find the words to answer her. Instead, she turned away and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Ok. But you can always pat my head anytime~” Red didn’t seem to mind it at all.

Nothing else mattered to her than to remain Snow’s friend. She stared at Red’s back as she returned to the Rock Bug. Since they had some time to kill before Mr. Huntsman could recover, Red used this time to sharpen her knife along the Rock Bug’s shell.

Suddenly, Snow asked her a question.

“Are you human?”

The girl froze in place. After what felt like minutes of silence, the girl resumed sharpening her blade without turning to face Snow.

“I am. I want to be the best human that ever is.”

She was hiding her true nature, just like Snow was. The reason for this was likely the same as hers. Red wanted to maintain their friendship. If she knew what Red was, then would she look at her the same way?

That question stuck with Snow. She had always suspected Red to be different. But she wasn’t human…

Then what is she? If she was really born in the Timeless Ruins, then what is she supposed to be? I’ve never heard of a monster like her.

Slimes and humanoid monsters like Goblins were the closest things to humans. Abyssal Aquatids were another contender. But they were so far inland that it wouldn’t make sense for a deep sea-race to be born here.

Much less underground.

What didn’t change was that they needed each other right now.

That much Snow understood.

Besides…

She didn’t have to help us. But she did. Red learned how to live alongside. What more proof can she give when she nearly lost her life trying to save us? If she really is a monster, then what does it matter if she’s more human than the people of this world?

Gently, she inched towards the lonely back of the girl. The gravel cracked and sifted beneath her as Red paused, sensing her approach.

Snow wrapped her coat around Red’s should as she moved beside her.

“Learning common sense will help.” She whispered.

“Huh?”

“To be human. Don’t you want to be the best human that ever is?”

“Y-Yeah!”

“I can teach you then. About how people live in our Region. The world. How to live and interact.”

“What about the stars?” Red asked, pointing out at the dark expanse beyond their cave.

It was a surprising question.

Snow looked out at the expanse, shoulder to shoulder with Red, and whispered:

“We’ll learn about it one day. Just don’t go wishing upon any star you see.”

“Eh? Why not?”

She placed a hand on Red’s head and gently stroked her with assurance.

The blue in her eyes diffused into a deep shade of red.

“Believe me. You’ll never know what those stars will want in exchange for a miracle.”

“Even if I’ve already received my miracle?”

“Common Sense Lesson One: Nothing is ever free unless it comes from a Healer.”

Hours went by in what seemed to be like minutes. She taught the small things to Red. It was a moment of comfort in a world of unimaginable horrors. Their little sanctuary where nothing could hurt them here.

An enthusiastic Red learned about the shape of their world and the distant places beyond their Region of Emvita. Snow talked about the Nex Megalopolis again, the Nexus that sat in the center of the world, the bizarre wonders further beyond.

Snow had never been to those places, but like Red, she wished she could one day experience them.

Eventually, Snow fell asleep. She rested her head on Red’s lap unintentionally. It wasn’t her to sleep so comfortably near someone she barely knew. But for an unexplainable reason, she didn’t seem to mind Red.

And as tempted as Red was to pat this woman’s head, she kept her hands preoccupied with maintaining her weapons. It wouldn’t be long before they’d be back on their feet.

The sooner they destroyed the source of the Corrupted, the sooner they could leave the Forest of Everlasting Envy. Red’s scarlet eyes were reflected along the length of her blade.

“The Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns.” Red grated her teeth. “I won’t be tricked by your poisoned golden apple this time.”

Nemesis Token

* * *

Person

Hatchling Red

LEVEL : 39 ORIGIN : Original

HP : 16,500 ^3/min

ATT : 550(+35) MAG ATT : 170 ATT DEF : 400 MAG DEF : 150

MP : 15,000 ^3/min

RESIST : 50 AGI : 32

(O) Huntress’ Slash II [7/10]

(O) Punch I [0/10]

(S) Friends! I [4/10]

(E) Appraise Object [8/10]