The Attendant in the Horror Game C58

Chapter 58

“Yes, I’m fine—”

“Myaak! Myang—!”

Just as Jade was insisting he was fine, Soondol came flying at full speed. And in the distance, the rattling sound of a carriage approached.

Jade had worried they wouldn’t be able to communicate, but somehow Soondol had persuaded the coachman. The little creature looked terrified from having made the trip alone—its eyes were full of tears.

“Myawng, myang.”

Clinging tightly to Jade’s shoulder, Soondol mewled miserably. It must not have been easy convincing the coachman. Jade also worried about whether the coachman had asked about Soondol’s wings.

“Myang!”

Soondol, perched on his shoulder, spotted the throwing knife embedded in Jade’s other shoulder and began hopping furiously. Then, when its gaze fell on Ian—stained with dried blood everywhere—its tail shot straight up. Its ears flattened in fear.

“There was an intruder, but he ran away. It’s all right now. Don’t worry.”

“Meowng….”

“Oh—!”

Once he soothed Soondol, Jade suddenly remembered the mop-ghost and Parang. In the chaos, he had completely forgotten them.

He hurried into the villa. The mop-ghost was still hiding behind the fireplace, just as before. Its cluster of bristles were huddled together tightly.

“Are you two okay?!”

“Kkiaaee…”

As Jade approached, the mop-ghost slowly uncurled. It lifted itself to show what lay beneath—Parang. When the smoke bomb had exploded, the mop-ghost had shielded Parang underneath its body.

“Heueh… heuang…”

Parang sniffled as it toddled forward. When Jade offered his palm, it struggled up and lay down on it, rubbing its little face against him.

“You’re all right, then?”

“Kkiaee!”

Perhaps because it had no face, the mop-ghost seemed unaffected by the smoke. Jade picked both the mop-ghost and Parang up and headed back outside. By then, the carriage had arrived right in front of the villa.

“Wh–what on earth happened here?”

“Thank you for coming. It’s nothing too serious.”

“What do you mean ‘nothing serious’?! With that blood—good heavens!”

The coachman stumbled back in horror at the sight of Ian covered in blood and Jade severely injured. His eyes were wide with shock. Jade tried to reassure him while wiping at the blood on himself.

“Haha… A bandit broke in. He ran away already.”

“I—I only came because you asked, but…”

The coachman cast a queasy glance over Jade’s battered form. The gold coin in his hand was still visible; thankfully, Soondol had managed to deliver it. And since he was expected to return monthly, he likely hadn’t dared ignore the call.

“And what is that thing? Thought it was a cat, then it started flying! I almost died of fright driving the carriage.”

“Haha… simply put, he’s a monster. A companion monster, you might say.”

“What kind of nonsense—? I nearly turned back to the village guards to report it!”

At the coachman’s complaint, Soondol ducked behind Jade’s back. This was exactly why they had kept Soondol hidden in town—but apparently it had been pointless.

“Here, a little extra. Thank you for coming.”

He handed the coachman several more silver pence. Whether because of the bribe or because the Northern region was accustomed to monsters, the coachman didn’t press further.

“Could you take us back to the village? After the break-in… well, I’d rather not stay here.”

“I have to head down anyway, so it’s fine…”

“You don’t need to do the monthly visits I asked about. And I won’t take the money back.”

Jade had asked the coachman to come monthly to check on Ian, but that was no longer necessary.

They would be leaving this villa.
Together.

“All right, hop in. I’ve got plenty of time; I’ll take you as far as I’m going.”

At the news that he didn’t have to return the money, the coachman’s attitude shifted instantly—almost cheerfully.

“Could you load these things into the carriage for us? As you can see, we’re not really in shape to lift them.”

“Of course, of course!”

Jade indicated the supplies he had just hauled inside earlier. The coachman enthusiastically started carrying the bundles into the carriage.

Ian still seemed a little dazed. Jade bent down to meet his eyes.

“Ian, let’s go back to the village.”

“……”

But Ian didn’t answer. His eyes remained fixed on Jade’s shoulder. His gaze flickered to Jade’s arms and legs as well—everywhere stained with blood.

“We should stop the bleeding first…”

Ian reached out with his small hand, intending to help with the wounds. Even his tiny fingers were smeared with blood, making Jade’s heart tighten.

Jade took Ian’s hand and wiped it harshly on his own trousers. The dried blood didn’t come off easily, so he poured water from a canteen to wash it. Even afterward, blood stains remained on Ian’s skin.

Jade wasn’t any better. Blood was still dripping from his wounds.

“We can tend to it in the carriage. I’ll need your help.”

“But the bleeding keeps—”

“It’s dangerous here. We have to leave quickly.”

“……”

At the word leave, Ian fell quiet. His gaze drifted back to the villa.

The open doors revealed everything inside—the walls Jade repaired, the chopped firewood he’d gathered from the forest, the small household he had cleaned and maintained for two months. Ian took it all in carefully, piece by piece.

Once they left this time, it would be a long time—perhaps forever—before they returned. Neither said it aloud, but both understood.

Ian looked back and forth between the villa and Jade slowly, several times. Then, after a long silence, he spoke.

“…We’re going together, right?”

“I…”

Jade swallowed. He intended to travel down to the village with Ian. After that—no.

He couldn’t drag Ian into a fugitive’s life. Ian was already covered in blood; he needed a safe place, not more danger. But would Ian accept that?

He tried to reassure himself: Ian would adapt. In the original story, he grew strong on his own. Even so, guilt tugged at Jade’s ankles.

Memory rose unbidden—waking as a child to an empty room, realizing no one was there. He would never let Ian feel that. Better to be honest and leave cleanly.

But how?

How could he explain?

I originally came here to kill you.
I accepted money to do it, but I don’t know where that money even is now.
I can’t kill you anymore, so I’m going to run away.

How could he say that to a child?

“So… I…”

He tried to begin slowly. Maybe honesty would help sever attachment. If Ian felt betrayed, maybe it would be easier after. They would never meet again—perhaps letting him resent Jade was better.

But the blood smeared across Ian’s face—visible even now—made the words choke in Jade’s throat. How could he tell a child who had just defended him by slashing a grown man’s ankle:

I’m leaving you.

“Hey, lad. Everything’s loaded.”

The coachman slapped the carriage twice, calling out. Jade shoved the words back down and urged Ian forward.

“We need to go. Someone else may come.”

“…We’re going together, right?”

Just before climbing aboard, Ian asked again.

Something felt wrong—deeply wrong. The anxiety he had felt since the night before was starting to take shape.

“Yes, of course. Let’s ride together.”

It was an evasive answer. Jade didn’t mention what would happen after. That only sharpened Ian’s unease.

But Jade was right. The intruder would return, maybe with more men.

“I’m fine.”
Ian wasn’t afraid for himself. He had survived countless schemes from his uncle before. He would continue to. What frightened him was Jade being hurt again.

Jade was hurt far too many times already. Because of Ian. This time too—the intruder had come for Ian, but Jade had been the one wounded.

“I’m getting in.”

Ian asked nothing more. Jade was already injured; he couldn’t act spoiled now. Once Ian climbed into the carriage, Jade whispered something to the coachman and sat across from him. In his arms were Soondol, Parang, and even the mop-ghost.

“Myang…”

The carriage started moving. The villa, finally touched by true spring, grew smaller and smaller behind them. Jade stared at it, memorizing it. Ian did the same.

Clatter, clatter—
The carriage rolled through the dark night. The earlier chaos felt strangely unreal in the surrounding quiet.

“Urgh—!”

“Don’t touch it. You shouldn’t remove it yourself. Better let a physician handle it.”

“…Understood.”

Trying to remove the throwing knife himself had only torn the wound wider. If it had been a regular knife, he might have managed, but this one had five blades branching outward—two of them deeply embedded. Jade’s hands were slick with blood by now. Ian rummaged through the luggage and handed him a handkerchief and ointment.

“Here.”

“Oh—thanks. I’d forgotten.”

They were items Jade had bought earlier in town while preparing for Ian’s future. He hadn’t expected to be the one using them so soon.

Jade applied ointment to the wounds on his arms and legs. When he finished, Ian offered bandages.

“It’s fine. I’ll wrap them later after we arrive.”

He planned to treat the injuries properly once they reached their destination.

At a temple, they should be able to handle simple treatment…

Just before boarding, Jade had asked the coachman to take them to the temple. With the gold he carried, the coachman had agreed immediately.