The Attendant in the Horror Game C55

Chapter 55

The next morning, Jade, Ian, and Soondol went out once more to eat the skewers they had enjoyed the previous day.

Soondol declared that he would eat two this time, spreading his blunt little fingers as if to emphasize the claim. It was astonishing how such a small body could hold so much food.

Indeed, as expected from the northern region, there were no seafood dishes. After purchasing a final batch of sugar carrots—called parsnips—they planned to stop by the general store once more before returning to the villa.

“Hm?”

While carrying a sack of carrots on his shoulder and heading back to the inn, Jade noticed a crowd gathered ahead. Where people gathered, there was usually something good to see or something delicious to eat. Jade peered curiously from behind the crowd.

“There are a lot of people over there.”

But the people weren’t lining up for anything nor entering a shop.
They were all walking out of the village. The market was not even over, yet they were hurrying somewhere beyond the outskirts.

“That road leads out of the village. Where are they all going?”

“Probably to the temple.”

A temple.
Jade had not expected that.
It had never appeared in the game setting, and above all, a temple and a horror game were concepts that did not mix. A temple should evoke holiness and untouchable sanctity.

“There’s a temple nearby?”

“The Grand Temple is in the imperial capital, but there is a small temple each in the North and the South.”

Because the territory of the Bilheim Empire was vast, regional temples had been built at the far ends of the North and South—signifying that the gods watched over even the lands farthest from the capital.

The regional temples did not differ greatly from the Grand Temple. Priests dispatched from the main institution managed them, and they remained under the authority of the central temple.

“A temple…”

Jade scratched his head. He had no religion, but he liked religious spaces.
Temples, churches, monasteries—places that gave the heart a sense of peace.

“Can anyone enter the temple?”

His hazel eyes sparkled.
Why had he not thought of it earlier?

The moment he left the villa, Jade would officially become a fugitive.
There was no way the Linwood family—who had taken his labor and money—would simply let him go.

And once he left, the family would eventually learn the villa’s true state.
The worn villa they had abandoned to force Ian’s death had now been carefully repaired and maintained by Jade.
They would discover that too.

To be honest, he felt uneasy no matter where he thought to escape.
The Linwood family’s influence extended across the empire.
How could Jade, who knew little of this world’s geography or customs, successfully flee?

But the temple—
Even a ducal house could not easily stir chaos within the temple’s walls.
Perhaps he could seek refuge in religion.

“Any imperial citizen can visit.”

“And people can take shelter there, right?”

“Only those with divine power or those from a recognized noble house.”

So much for that idea.
Jade’s hopeful fantasy shattered instantly.

There was no chance Jade possessed divine power.
And he was certainly no noble.
Crunching loudly on a sugar carrot, Jade grumbled.

“This is blatant discrimination, isn’t it?”

“People believe a temple must remain untouched by impurity. That’s why they accept only people of verified status.”

“That is precisely what discrimination means.”

It was only tolerable because it was a class-based society.
In Korea, such a system would have been condemned immediately.
Religion should be open to all.

“It’s probably to keep criminals from taking refuge there.”

“Oh, that makes sense. I never thought of that—you’re smart, Ian. You don’t need children’s books anymore.”

Jade clapped lightly and gave a thumbs-up.
He had bought a few children’s books for Ian, worried about leaving him alone, but Ian would have no one to read them aloud.
Seeing Ian’s maturity eased Jade’s guilt somewhat.

“…Let’s just go. We’ll be late.”

But Ian did not seem pleased by the compliment. His eyes lowered, faintly cold, as he urged Jade to move.
Thinking Ian simply disliked returning to the villa, Jade turned toward the inn.

“Yes, let’s go.”

They had bought so many things that Jade had to make three trips up and down the stairs to carry them all to the first floor. After gathering everything, they waited for the carriage the innkeeper had arranged.
Money was indeed a wonderful thing.
They had walked half a day to get here yesterday, but they would ride comfortably on the way back.

“Get in, Ian.”

“……”

Jade climbed aboard first and reached out his hand. Ian hesitated but lightly touched only the tip of Jade’s fingers as he climbed in. He muttered that he could do it alone, yet there was no sign of real displeasure.

“Traveling by carriage is unbelievably comfortable.”

“Myaang!”

From the outside, it looked like a small wooden carriage, raising doubts about its stability.
But once they stepped inside, it was surprisingly spacious. Even after loading all their luggage, there was room left.

Soondol, who had been confined to the backpack the entire time, stretched his wings. He pulled them side to side as if to loosen them.

Rattle, rattle—the carriage shook as it began leaving the village.
It crossed the steep hill Jade and Ian had climbed the day before and sped along the dirt road.
The carriage swayed rhythmically.

Jade leaned against the window, admiring the passing scenery.
Ian, after watching Jade for a moment, began looking outside as well.
Soondol perched on Jade’s lap, gripping the window frame.

The barren fields stretched endlessly, and snow still capped the distant mountain ranges.
It looked as though the snow would never melt, even after a full year.
It wasn’t a landscape full of life, but it was vast and imposing.

“Ian, your hair looks just like cotton candy.”

Ian’s golden hair fluttered in the cool spring breeze sweeping through the window. His hair truly was beautiful.
When it fluttered softly, he resembled a newborn puppy.

“What is cotton candy?”

“Oh.”

So this world lacked cotton candy. Jade wished he could show it to Ian.
Not only Ian’s hair but Ian himself resembled cotton candy—small and soft in appearance.

“It’s a kind of sweet made from sugar. It looks like cotton.”

Jade gestured with his hands.
He explained how it was spun like fluff and placed on a stick.
Ian watched the motion of his hands quietly before speaking.

“…Make me that too someday?”

“Well…”

Jade’s hands froze.
Ordinarily, he would have promised to make it for him someday.
But now he couldn’t.

Someday?
How many days of “someday” remained between them?
At most, a week.

“Haha… I can’t make that. You need special equipment.”

“……”

“Instead, I’ll bake you the cake. A perfect one.”

As he diverted Ian’s attention to cake, the carriage rolled onto a flat road.
The rattling became more regular.
Jade’s eyelids grew heavy with each blink.

“Are you sleepy?”

“Hmm? Ah—no. Haaahm. I’m not tired.”

“If you’re tired, you should sleep.”

Ian’s voice was soft, almost warm.
Maybe it was the peaceful scenery, the steady rocking of the carriage, or the gentle tone—
but suddenly, sleep washed over Jade like rain.

“Then… I’ll sleep just a little…”

Surrendering at last, he rested his head against the carriage window and closed his eyes.
Fatigue rushed through him all at once.

“……”

“Myaang…”

“Leave him alone.”

“Mya…”

When Soondol tried to climb onto Jade’s lap, Ian stopped him.
Denied, Soondol scratched angrily at the carriage wall with his front paws.

One day, he vowed, he would rake his sharp claws across that arrogant human’s face.
But before he could plan further, his body was suddenly lifted.

“Mya?”

“Stop making noise.”

“…Mya.”

Ian had grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and lifted him effortlessly.
Despite Soondol squirming, Ian whispered coldly for him to stay quiet.
His tone was nothing like the one he used with Jade—low, chilling.
Soondol flattened his ears.

“Myaa?”

“……”

Ian tossed him onto the opposite seat and took Soondol’s former spot beside Jade.

Each time the carriage jolted, Jade’s dozing head slipped forward, nearly falling.
At one point, his upper body swayed dangerously.

“…!”

Instinctively, Ian reached out and caught him.
Thanks to that, Jade didn’t fall forward.

It would be more comfortable if he leaned somewhere properly.
But Ian’s shoulder was far too low—his body far too small compared to Jade’s.
He wasn’t sturdy enough to support an adult man.

“……”

After a moment’s thought, Ian gently guided Jade’s body back against the window.
Jade’s head continued to bob softly with the rhythm of the carriage.

For some reason, Ian felt a bitter stab in his chest.
He looked down at his hands.
They were too small.
His legs, too short.
His feet didn’t even reach the carriage floor.

“Hah…”

Inside the moving carriage, Ian let out a deep sigh.
Today, more than ever, he hated being a child.