[IYFILWATIP] Chapter 43

"Kidnapper."

"......" 

"Or should I start calling you Jade Eclipse? Jade? Or Eclipse? Which would you prefer?" 

It seemed the girl had figured out his origins in the meantime. Jade, tired of being called "Eclipse," gave his name. 

"......Jade." 

"Alright, Jade. Now that you know your condition, put those herbs back on quietly and follow me. Are all mercenaries this ungrateful even when they're being treated?" 

"Where are we?" 

"At the house of a kind mage who helped you." 

"And where are you going now?" 

"To give you a bath." 

Jade thought she was joking, but she seemed entirely serious. Somehow, she had gathered a half-used bar of soap, a towel, and some men’s clothes from who knows where. Jade couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief and pushed her hand away. 

"Are you crazy?" 

But his resistance didn’t have much effect. The girl smacked his back as if disciplining a disobedient child, hitting him right on his wound again, and grabbed him by the back of his neck. 

"Do you want your wounds to heal or not? Just cooperate." 

Jade no longer had the strength to argue or yell. The girl firmly declared that he needed to submerge his body in water, and every time he didn’t respond, she hit his wound again. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he let her drag him outside the house. 

* * * 

Jade Eclipse was a down-and-out mercenary who had entered the Nabimi Forest seven times, but he had never roamed the forest at night. That’s because he wasn’t crazy. The forest became more dangerous at night, and the magic grew stronger. 

The path was surprisingly not too dark. Scattered around were strange glowing plants and moss, emitting a green light. 

"It’s safe near the hut. It’ll only take a moment. See those glowing moss patches? We just need to follow those lights on the way back." 

But whether the girl was fearless, thoughtless, or had simply lost her mind upon realising she was trapped in the forest, she was leading him deeper into the forest at night. 

"There’s supposed to be a lake nearby. Sonia said the spring water there can heal wounds quickly." 

"Who’s Sonia?" 

"The owner of that house earlier." 

"And you just believe what some stranger says? Do you even think?" 

"Yes. I’ve always been a bit reckless. I’ve got nothing to lose and no time to waste. That’s why I’m trusting the words of a stranger, not running away after you kidnapped me, and dragging you along to get you healed." 

"......" 

"Basilisks are snakes, and snakes don’t let go of their prey. We’ve angered that cursed monster, and whether we run or fight, we don’t stand a chance if we’re not in good health. And frankly, I’m much more scared of the basilisk than of the old lady in the hut." 

"......" 

"So Jade, just shut up and follow me." 

Jade fell silent. Sure, the girl was doing something reckless, but he wasn’t in a position to criticize her. He was, after all, receiving help because of her unnecessary meddling. And in some ways, she was right. There wasn’t much he could do in this forest with an injured body. 

"I’ve never heard of such a lake." 

"Well, I never heard that there were basilisks in the Nabimi Forest either, but we ran into one." 

"That’s a monster. A lake that heals wounds doesn’t make sense. If it existed, people would have already..." 

"Look. There it is." 

Jade let his words trail off as they pushed through the undergrowth to reveal a lake that glowed with a mysterious blue light. The water was so clear and still that he could see right to the bottom. 

In all his time in this monster-infested forest, he’d only seen sticky swamps or foul-smelling pools. This serene, pristine lake seemed too good to be true. For all he knew, there could be some horrific monster lurking within. 

"Wait, how do you know what’s in there..." 

Before he could refuse, the girl struck his wounded area again, and he found himself being pushed into the lake, clothes and all. The girl had shoved him in without hesitation. But as soon as the water touched his wounds, he realised that the mage and the girl had been right. 

Despite its clear appearance, he had expected the water to be cold, but it was warm, with a refreshing and fragrant scent. The pain that had gripped his entire body began to fade, and he could feel his wounds slowly healing as if by magic. Jade sighed in relief and submerged himself deeper into the water. Even in the deepest part, the water only reached his thighs. 

The girl watched him from the shore, resting her chin on her hands, a smug smile on her face. 

"How is it?" 

"You were right. It’s real." 

"They say that the poison from monsters is laced with magic, so normal treatments take longer to work. This lake has properties that can dispel the forest’s magic, making it particularly effective against monster poison." 

"......"