The Attendant in the Horror Game C37

Chapter 37

“I-I said I’m fine!”

Ian panicked and tried to flee into the corner of the cave. But Jade had no intention of letting him go. He held the boy’s thin ankle carefully but firmly, expression turning grave. The once-pale foot had faded past white into a bluish purple. Left alone, it would turn into severe frostbite.

“Come here.”

“I said I don’t want to—!”

Jade pulled Ian toward him and sat him down in front of the fire. Then he wrapped both hands around Ian’s feet. He had assumed they would merely be cold—but no, they were downright frozen. Ian’s body was small, and his feet were small enough to nearly fit in Jade’s palms.

“What are you doing!”

Ian, mortified at having his feet grabbed, struggled desperately to pull away. But Jade didn’t budge. Ian simply didn’t have the strength to overpower him.

“Let go, you—! It’s gross.”

“How can feet be gross? Just sit still. My hand hurts.”

“Then stop holding—!”

“Agh—my hand! My poor hand, it hurts so much!”

“……”

The moment Jade exaggerated his pain with a dramatic flair, Ian’s struggling stopped. Jade smirked faintly and continued to warm Ian’s feet slowly with both hands. Snow would’ve felt warmer than these ice-cold toes. His worry grew at the sight of the purple discoloration around them.

“……”

Ian stared blankly at Jade’s hands holding his feet. Despite all the fuss he’d made about refusing, Jade’s hands were undeniably warm. Ian lowered his head until his chin nearly touched his knees.

Letting someone else hold his feet—he wanted to dig a hole and hide. More than anything, he didn’t want Jade to realize he had run out so fast he didn’t even put on socks.

“How did you even stand this?”

Jade’s voice was filled with genuine worry. Ian, chin resting on his knees, silently watched the bandage wrapped around Jade’s hand. He wanted to say, You’re the one bearing pain with that hand, but swallowed the words.

“You feel better now?”

As time passed, warmth returned to Ian’s feet. It had taken a while, but the color slowly came back. The purple hue had faded into a healthier pink.

“……”

The instant Jade’s grip loosened, Ian snatched his feet away and hid them behind him. He even turned his face in the opposite direction. Jade only laughed and warmed his own hands closer to the fire.

Growl—

Ian’s stomach rumbled. Understandable. He hadn’t even shown up for breakfast, and the only thing he’d eaten all day was a single potato. Jade was hungry too—how would a small child feel?

Smiling faintly, Jade rummaged through the sack. It was inconvenient with only one good hand, but he managed to pull out several lotus roots. Even when chased by wolves, he hadn’t let go of this sack. Now it was time for it to shine.

“Shall we try roasting these?”

“……”

Jade placed four lotus roots carefully between the burning logs. Flames crackled and licked around them.

After some time, the roots began to turn a warm golden brown, releasing a nutty aroma that filled the cave.

“…Is that actually good?”

“To be honest, I’ve never eaten them like this.”

Jade only knew how to make lotus root braised dishes back home. But nearly anything tasted decent when roasted over an open fire.

He turned them with a twig, letting both sides crisp up. They were thinner than typical lotus roots—he had thought that was a drawback, but right now, the quick roasting was convenient.

“They look just about done.”

He picked one up carefully, blew on it, then peeled off the charred skin. Soft white flesh was revealed underneath. He gave the first piece to Ian, then peeled another for himself.

A crunch echoed as he bit down. The flavor differed slightly from the lotus root he knew—less sticky, but pleasantly sweet and nutty.

“It’s good, right?”

“…Yes.”

Ian finished his piece quickly. Pleased, Jade handed him another. Ian accepted it without complaint, which Jade found inexplicably endearing.

“I thought you were angry at me.”

“……”

Ian paused mid-bite, lifting his gaze toward Jade. Jade wasn’t the type to guard his feelings. If something weighed on him, he asked. Then solved it. This moment felt like the right time.

“You’ve been avoiding me since yesterday.”

Ian’s eyes drifted back to the fire. He didn’t deny it. So it had been intentional.

Jade almost asked why—but stopped. In the end, what did it matter? They were here now, sharing warm food.

“Let’s eat. No point wasting it.”

“……”

The crackling of the fire filled the quiet space between them. But unlike before, the silence felt warmer—less awkward.

“……”

Ian blinked slowly, then bolted upright.

He had fallen asleep on the cave floor, but at some point Jade had moved him—his head was resting on Jade’s lap. Jade himself was asleep.

The fire had died down slightly, but the cave was warmer than before. The tension had left Jade’s face; he slept sitting upright against the wall. Outside, the sky was tinged with sunset. They hadn’t been asleep long—maybe an hour at most.

Jade had said they needed darkness before going outside. Once the light faded, the wolves would lose their shape.

There was still some daylight left. No need to wake him yet. Ian wanted Jade to rest a little longer.

His gaze moved between the dimming sky beyond the cave and the sleeping figure beside him. Strangely, he wished the sunset would slow—because this cave felt warmer than the vast villa they lived in.

That is…

A round shape caught his eye. One of the pumpkins Jade had dug up earlier. It lay near the cave entrance.

There had been three pumpkins. Jade had thrown two at the wolves. The last had rolled from the sack to the cave mouth.

Ian remembered Jade’s disappointed look when the ration supplies turned out scarce. Ian had secretly checked on Jade that morning—watched from the shadows as Jade complained to Soondol about eating potatoes again today and tomorrow.

Jade always treasured their ingredients, wasting nothing, inventing new dishes for Ian, watching proudly as he ate. If he discovered this pumpkin had been lost, he’d be upset.

I should pick it up.

Ian stood and approached the cave entrance. He heard no wolves. After pacing, the creatures had probably given up and left.

“It’s just outside.”

Now that he was there, he realized he needed to take about three steps outside to reach the pumpkin. The snow was glowing red with sunset. Most of the ground was shaded now—but not all.

“……”

Ian hesitated. Normally he was cautious, suspicious, unwilling to take risks. Any other time, he would have left the pumpkin where it was.

But then—

‘Wow! We found it!’

He remembered Jade’s face when they discovered it together. Hard to ignore.

He glanced at the sleeping Jade. Exhausted after chopping wood, running from wolves, carrying both Ian and the sack—he slept deeply.

After long contemplation, Ian carefully slid his boots back on. Thanks to Jade, his feet were no longer frozen.

I only need to pick it up.

If some other creature stole the pumpkin, Jade would be heartbroken. Ian stepped outside. Cold air smacked his cheeks. The pumpkin was right there—only a few steps away.

One step, two steps—the snow crunched under his small feet. Ian bent down and reached toward the pumpkin.

But then—

“…Huh.”

Something was wrong. There were tooth marks on the surface. An animal’s bite.

A chill ran down his spine. As if someone had carried it here deliberately. As if it had been used as bait.

“Grrr…”

A low growl came from beside him. Ian froze.

Slowly, he turned his head.

Behind a tree, a blurred shape materialized. A Shadow Wolf.

Its eyes gleamed with far more malice than before. It bared its razor teeth and growled low.

Ian’s breath halted. Two steps. Just two steps backward would get him back into the cave. But his feet wouldn’t move.

He bit his lip, forcing himself to breathe. Then slowly, carefully, took a step back—

“……!”

His foot sank deep into the snow. In watching the wolf, he hadn’t noticed the mound behind him. He stumbled.

“Grrng…!”

And in that instant, the wolf lunged.