Necromancer Survival

     However, the effect was as amazing as the skill’s performative qualities.
As soon as the wings disappeared, my pain did as well–as if it had been washed away.
My poor condition due to the spreading poison had recovered.

     “……What’s that?” I couldn’t hold in my admiration and muttered sourly.

     I could hear Bae Jaemin’s chilly voice from above my head.
“I’ve finished so put away that dagger.”

     As soon as I heard that voice, my momentary embarrassed admiration vanished.
Moreover, I felt frustrated with his lukewarm weight leaning against me.

     Since Bae Jaemin was only slightly taller than Jung Garam, I could see his philtrum quite close; I wanted to punch him and knock him over.
Moreover, the bastard I was angry that I showed him my vulnerable side.

     However, before I could hit him, Bae Jaemin suddenly faltered and collapsed.
Bewilderment overtook my irritation.
“I didn’t even hit him yet?”

     “…Shut up and get lost.” Bae Jaemin pulled himself back on his knees and spat out dark blood; he raised his sweat-laden face my way.
He looked how I looked earlier–poison seeping through his body.
Eyes bloodshot–veins popping at the edges of his irises–he looked like someone on the verge of death.

     Instead of assisting him, I raised his chin up with the dagger I was holding.
Then, lowering my voice so the other guild members couldn’t hear nor pay attention to what was happening, I said, “What are you scheming?”

     “What?”

     “What’s with the overreaction? [Sacrificial Exchange]? Why did you use such an uncomfortable skill?”

     “Haah… If you’re going to talk nonsense, then hurry up and get lost.”

     No matter how much I thought about it, I wondered if it was necessary for Bae Jaemin to act so kindly towards Jung Garam.

     Because I believed that Bae Jaemin might have colluded with the assassins who entered this dungeon, the Priest’s pale face was nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
However, Bae Jaemin continued to stubbornly glare me in the eye; his lips thinned as if he had something to say before pushing away the dagger.
“It’ll be my responsibility if you die, so don’t misunderstand and get lost.
Don’t come crawling back like a fool because you’ve gotten poisoned again.”

     “How many times a day can you use this spell?”

     “…Once.”

     “Then what about the next guild member that succumbs to poison?”

     “Haah… Do you think everyone fights like a fool like you? You always take so many risks–this time too…!”

     While listening to him, I suddenly cut a line across my palm with the dagger.
Though it painfully stung for a moment, the pain soon disappeared.
Bae Jaemin flinched before wrinkling his brows.

     A faint smell of iron began to exude from where the bastard was grabbing my collar.
As expected my wounds transferred onto the Priest.

     Bae Jaemin retreated from me with a slightly frightened face, realizing why I had cut myself.
I didn’t even need to clench my fist and widen the cut; it was clear that I had tide had turned in my favor.

     “Will all the wounds I suffer be transferred to you?” I asked, grinning.

     Even though looked scared enough to chatter his teeth, Bae Jaemin confessed calmly, “…Only for two hours.”

     “If I were to get hurt until I’m on the verge of death, will that be transferred to you?”

     “Why don’t you try and find out.”

     “Should I?” My eyes closed into crescent moon smiles.

     Bae Jaemin clenched his trembling fist, trying hard not to show how rattled he was in his expression.
“Don’t.”

     I carefully looked at Bae Jaemin’s regret-stained expression before poking him in the cheek with my finger.
Though the priest looked uncomfortable, he sat perfectly still.
Enjoying his humiliation, I asked him in gentler voice, “Jaemin-ah, you need something from me, right?”

     “……”

     “Honestly, unless you’re a pervert… You must have some ulterior motive to continue to cling close to me–especially when you know how much I hate you.”

     “……”

     “It’d be much more comfortable for you to just say what you want from me.
I might give whatever it is to you.”

     Bae Jaemin now looked at me with a contemptuous gaze.
However, I saw faint signs of conflict within his eyes.

     “Is it because of Beatrice?” I asked.

     “……”

     Maybe I was wrong; Bae Jaemin repressed his momentarily exposed emotions and lowered his head.
“If you’re done talking, get lost.”

     Then, a congratulatory notification appeared before me.

Footnotes

Reanimated corpse monsters in Asian lore  시독 (si-dok) = virulence or poison that’s released due to decomposing organic matter.