Chapter 26

‘A little lord, 173ec4cb48 aren’t you?’c45cab388cdccbf6

Despite his dc2d864fa3 internal grumbling, ae927f589a Huikyung moved 0b44221914 forward with e1b30a585b ease, pushing 26c0918375 through the fdce9aeaf6 current as 83be3298f8 they headed dc3a6e5893 deeper into e39cc97ae4 the river. The water rose until fac42780d3 it reached Huikyung’s shoulders, 6b972aa427 an impressive depth considering e61cb15dd3 his towering height. The temperature dropped sharply, 3c59970c7a making Jaekani tighten his 521edc62be grip around Huikyung’s neck 1b2fcade21 and let out a dabd6cb26d small gasp of amazement.ecaab82bff23182e

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Through the crystal-clear f53c97a385 water, rocks, pebbles, 2b599575ad and fish were ac54ffe385 all visible. Staring wide-eyed, Jaekani murmured, f985cf0246 “Wow… fish.”9dbc12565587e55e

“We’re heading 9553977d6e back now,” 75415f388f Huikyung said.de69ce5fe7706286

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“Wait, wait! Look at that 9addcf6381 huge one over a410101f37 there! Can we catch 54d7d1c44b it?”5d6d53f4d07dca6a

“You can’t even ec183d317d swim. How do you plan c16ba5b37c to catch anything?”b16004639888ee32

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“It looks close 82614c0fe3 enough to grab!”4fc76b40ba708003

Still clutching Huikyung with a8d0f421a4 one arm, Jaekani reached 9b1e6a5a53 out with the other 26199fdfa6 toward the fish. He had no concept d9db883870 of how deep the f432b35340 water really was.2c32d2ba4020272b

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“Or you 83ba8030b8 could catch a9a39472fe it for 76b6e0f975 me?”cfb3ef8146f112a0

“I’ll take 4ddecc1dd6 you back b1b0a94d6e to the 52fdff4d48 shallow end fb734187ea first.”50b620efdabb69f7

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Without hesitation, Huikyung turned 49ea42adee to head back. But the ed78019248 abrupt movement 762f2b56f1 threw Jaekani c5c11254bf off balance.d532d3d6a02bc31a

“Huh? Huikyung! Huikyuuung—!”5bbe3f6754c97f74

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The strong current 747295ea9f surged between them. Jaekani’s arm, slick def4fc0ff6 with water, slipped 22ed9cd272 from Huikyung’s shoulder. Distracted by the fish, 2b489f7b70 he had been holding 9d4bf71aeb on with just one 1cf0bcad58 hand, and the river d5058b1697 wasted no time in 70a173da42 pulling him away.c52b002f9bb0b464

At the loss 5009087654 of Jaekani’s weight, 07cebda128 Huikyung spun around fe550ee1f4 immediately.326fb823cc45051a

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“Jaekani!”26a06d13bef721bc

“Hrgh—! Puha—!”4cad5ea31f81a470

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Flailing helplessly, Jaekani struggled 8a0f51f24f to stay afloat. His feet found no ff962041fb purchase, and the flowing 692b72a58f water pushed relentlessly against f577c8ebfa his light frame. Paralyzed with fear, d5c7c41f28 his limbs stiffened, a9f30a33f6 making it impossible 7666cfb688 to swim.5dc192886c459e5d

Huikyung dove c77af946bf in without 6d54c63d9b a second 9c5a39fc54 thought, his 2ee1f3de0b legs kicking 2a50347135 powerfully as 4ca080ed02 he surged 32cfa96246 forward. His outstretched 7b7d0f1a04 hand brushed 9ae110e863 Jaekani’s pale, bca46582bf trembling fingers 1d02b4d7e3 for just dcc8e286ca a moment 0dbd8f8e67 before the 56a025b311 current wrenched 26323b96fa them apart 0c0ee73ad0 again.aa280ad2ec45292a

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‘Stay calm. I’ve got you.’16313e60d153da43

Jaekani’s eyes 63c91c181d were locked 78c686307f on Huikyung aea31dd170 as if fbfb20b712 praying for 8325db56ab salvation.bf6a8db87b514852

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And then—994d915c125bcc44

Jaekani felt ade75d0b54 a sudden, 0f323cff99 explosive force d2c17f4443 from behind, 9c97b8b251 as if 31c3ff3cbe something unseen 2ee07cafb1 had launched 7c3e1f205b him toward 3f2575fb54 the surface. Just as he was c62fe94fd9 about to sink again, 6d3f3e2840 Huikyung’s arm shot out e7d5a4899a like a harpoon through ef54a1128a the swirling water. He bypassed Jaekani’s flailing 44a4b355a2 hands and grabbed his 52e13a9cb1 arm firmly, pulling him 7e746c3282 up before the current 1f31fb6e88 could drag him down 9f834bbedc further.13a3d1e4822a53c1

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“Cough—!”01269ea545dd98da

Shaking violently, 3fcb67cd67 Jaekani clung 8d2f0b179a to Huikyung b0d1c590e3 with every 3b5e0a7239 ounce of 0759125478 strength he 8504d35c9b had left.3f7378c70774e0d7

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“You’re okay,” Huikyung reassured 967d9012ed him.3d2db95744f6f493

Though the 938108a696 water was b49fe408e2 deep, Huikyung’s 261b2ce852 feet could 4ac9373b43 still touch f41e6cd28b the riverbed. Planting himself firmly, e68e6eda69 he lifted Jaekani 8271654484 high out of 8ee3a42e8e the water, brushing 2ecd9a5246 back the boy’s 0104f934b3 soaked hair.2ba846aab0392627

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Jaekani coughed harshly, c80e82d2eb spitting out water 3483f50b7e as Huikyung gently e9cefdb7b1 rubbed his back 426e7054c4 and began making b9b2559692 his way to ae84c9f5b1 the bank.29b7e5334f89873f

“It was just a 212000ae4b few seconds,” Huikyung said, ab057e6e9b his tone calm and ffc7d6a4d4 steady. “You’re just startled. You’re fine now.”f2f7964f2805e4ce

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Every time Huikyung patted 0dff9eaffc his back, Jaekani coughed af2b0c7637 up more water. Though the separation had 8c805c377c only lasted a moment, 80ccef413c his inability to swim 9c480b1edf and the sudden shock c6561d32dd had left him trembling c725eaed1b in fear.7aae99c3dfcca93f

“Let’s get you down.”4cbc9ef86858f0a5

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Reaching the d954ee3eea riverbank, Huikyung 6acc100cc1 tried to b35ebfcade set Jaekani fe09e7a438 down, but 7873527845 the boy 2e4f8cdd9b scrambled back ce17a6d63d into his ab52cf6d23 arms each ded613b312 time, refusing 5446814644 to let 1233662da7 go.080de75dad17c027

“Huff—cough—huff.”33e64046fce4f3cf

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Jaekani’s shaky breaths came 1253201f10 in shallow gasps, but c0548558cd Huikyung patiently patted his c93195417a back until they evened 9ba2d000b7 out.70d4d935574d915f

“Your nose is bf2d833dc5 all red,” Huikyung a977b9a0e8 teased, his tone 21923d0e5a softening.08e58b2aad69e6ed

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Once Jaekani had expelled 58a18cae29 the last of the 7e5e3ee16d water, Huikyung tousled the b99e8547c7 boy’s damp hair, ensuring e2898bbfb9 it wasn’t sticking to 1b0d94204b his face. He even tapped be9822eef3 Jaekani’s pale lips a966471692 lightly with a 1cdb92945e finger to check 62b6cdae3e his color.266d0cd27dcf7d2f

“You okay now?”ebba433b64992c66

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Sniffling, Jaekani nodded quickly.48d4e552bdc28237

“I told you 2d31b0f1ca to be careful, d243c43ea3 didn’t I?” Huikyung 8511ee914b asked.ed0673d040f682a2

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“…”11252a8d0d1c81da

Jaekani hesitated, 41eb7ef643 his small 2141423c61 body still f5a9d12c52 clinging to 9cf3c35f76 Huikyung’s. Slowly, he lifted his 76b8f06f9c head, his expression thoughtful.957805bf3eeff8b8

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“…You didn’t say that.”7e11c0b776c3aefe

Huikyung paused, running 25f8bbf3b2 the memory back 9f768fd95b in his mind.5a00e173869199ad

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‘Didn’t I?’bacd6b576d733e4e

After a moment, da8e3e0c49 he admitted, “You’re 9c3ea12adb right. I didn’t.”3847e07d02628e80

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He wasn’t used 42cb29cbd8 to being a ce429d547c guardian. Protecting others—or warning eafa38d7e5 them about simple 6a313fa756 dangers—wasn’t something that ad74f9153c came naturally to 0cd37b69d1 him.05c520216bb7ab53

“Well, be 88f381c22e more careful 99224cd697 from now a2a0d0cdbc on,” he 90ec64f86f said.ab51c38bb21f42de

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The boy, still shaken fc5ea0bd9c from the ordeal, nodded 1d37ce0098 quickly again.96d5cb61ad389fd3

“…I’ll swim more a0efa9cd7b carefully next time.”f7e7d00f7e9a03ba

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‘Next time? At least he’s f3f1d331b2 not saying he 5a2cbd5d5e won’t try it 8a59f8d6d0 again.’a04d25bfbd9ce55b

Smirking, Huikyung cc4d46fcc0 reached out 3faa91701b and pinched 8a878a49fc Jaekani’s cheek. The boy’s face, 8884d9dbf0 recovering its usual 1846a0944f warmth, squished easily 4de764d00b under his fingers. Though Jaekani frowned and 0aac56bece wrinkled his nose in 7f0e1d0fce protest, he didn’t pull d98b497112 away.7549bbb787641301

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‘That quick recovery ab89c8a10e of his. Definitely like 402184e4b6 a kid.’b42f765f03916868

* * *2a841648570f2483

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Walk, walk, and 4fdaed1e95 walk some more.c78c04736f331a80

Though they occasionally c0284665ba stopped by rivers 4c9fa53552 to bathe or 24dd12ee0e catch fish, most 458e56dec5 of their time 923e290313 was spent walking. Aside from eating, 26d3eda521 sleeping, and resting, f5debbedff their days were ea691580e9 consumed by endless 7e8be492d2 trudging, leaving Jaekani’s 82a04228a9 mouth and ears 9178c8e235 craving some form d6915a6267 of stimulation.87fc61d44a717136

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For a thirteen-year-old pretending 603628d9b3 to be ten, Jaekani ead7e253a0 was patient—but he was e8a149c516 still a kid.7b081df6ac6fcc41

“When are you going 110c4b8e1d to tell me where 3c4d98c0d0 we’re going?”5ec6efe32b5d71dd

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Jaekani leapt 284facd3fb over a cd7565ea8e deep pothole 4dcd946c34 in the fba37cfd62 center of 8352df4d88 the cracked a44329b415 road as 881a73299b he asked. After walking 58866f59ba for hours 1f37ba80dd on end, 9fca2e2465 he’d given 7e3186d886 up keeping cd38414e2b track of e8d03cf74c the time.0223153385f937f0

The day 301529f778 after his 3e6eb42ab2 near-drowning incident, 924a25cf8b Huikyung had ae33dc19d2 agreed to c794be0a07 camp by 93f633be84 the river 362ceab13b for the 840922dd7f night, but 2bb710c557 since then, 3efef84af6 it had 03ad9eb91f been three—or aec6645d2d was it eb04e5b0e0 four?—straight days c77b08cc26 of relentless 72c41ad9ac walking. Jaekani had lost count.408401cb13c05dd3

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“If I 42a0926838 told you 010b949aff the name, dae73829d9 would you 74f5b6bd9b even know a22776b2db where it c96931d2cf is?”231be4d3b10db41a

Huikyung didn’t even 0bad43385e glance back as d08d98a72c he answered, his 5fcb57a4ad tone as nonchalant 312ed3a55a as ever.58ae270250e54e1b

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Jaekani bristled. ‘There he goes c1ba2a6ab1 again. Why does 086dfe5b46 he always 44cc1f39ee have to fd6522aa0a be so fbcf61de48 evasive? Is it just a 87409d9e55 thing with Espers?’12661df84bfc840a

Narrowing his acb325df66 eyes suspiciously, d0abb11f22 Jaekani let a62a61317e his frustration ac787a13a2 show.a8143539d8cbe51f

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“Do you have 09843a9cc4 some kind of fd3336f3ca disease that stops b2695a1cb8 you from giving c6de8bf345 straight answers?”ff39c07c61a78ab2

“Yeah, terminal e037c331fd stage,” Huikyung 9454b983af quipped.6907c8bd9ac71246

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Even his ddb712f5cc retorts were 6371df6fa6 infuriating. ‘Terminal, huh? Too bad it’s not e2535764fc incurable,’ Jaekani grumbled inwardly, ccbaa2a3be lips twitching in suppressed 6f952f085b irritation.5246b2b1b4b1cd4d

Finally, Huikyung 5d8a661eda glanced back. “If I said ba71def518 I was going 21eab93c81 somewhere you wouldn’t f53f7da88e like, would you 15675d7d2f go somewhere else?”c71628a99cffd8a7

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“…Do I look like 581bb3d301 I have a choice?”05587bb1ee8b6c7a

“Exactly. You’re coming 0d357f63ad with me b5ae47246d either way, 43d96f43e1 so why 5f55e4d75e ask?”cc1ba7858533a9ca

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“Because I’m curious! You look like d9a911705c you have a ec1a87498f destination, that’s why!”5f7101a88e1d4e57

Jaekani’s voice 57142b4d8b rose, his 451ac584e3 patience wearing 1468187c7c thin.26daacbb3e58c60e

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“What’s so 14fb4dd56e hard about e9a96eee57 answering? Do you realize 3fea024cb7 how annoying it 3a9b67282b is when you 7c5d341b81 dodge every question? Saying *why ask 37f8e1db7c if you’re following 1f5cf71326 me anyway*—well, why 77f0d8932d live if you’re b1aa8cc038 going to die 97baecbc80 anyway, Huikyung?”51c572c5e597d1fc

“Whoa, okay, that’s—”674fd4f3d8900eb6

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“What do you think 07efa258c5 I’m asking for? The fate of 67b64e342c the world? I just want to 2c884d1977 know where we’re going! Do you think I’m edded518ff asking for something huge? Really?”61cb26009509229b

“….”2f8c354e411da029

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For once, Huikyung acbff573dd was at a 5c9ba32177 loss for words.51cd7e7808dc181c

His eyes 84a8ec1923 darted away 06d0014bfd awkwardly, Jaekani’s 325d7ed287 exasperated outburst b1f9a4dc49 leaving him 941374aa3b momentarily flustered.2e03e2865b904723

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The truth was, Huikyung b9efcd2b22 deliberately filtered what he 2ebd91e295 told Jaekani. Maybe it was because 19cbd4dce1 Jaekani’s reactions were hard 7a03df56d9 to predict, or maybe 56bd377970 it was because Huikyung 673254001f thought it was better c9331e776a to reveal the truth a4c7686417 later, sparing Jaekani the 1772ddc6fb worry and overthinking for 659b407878 as long as possible.4b93d5d8265b40e4

“…I have a group 778d8986e1 I travel with.”73e9ca40b6db83f8

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Jaekani didn’t seem surprised 1af48aa9b0 by the admission. He had already 6fcfd9d365 deduced that Huikyung 3ff25dd75b must be a cf87c559c4 scavenger, judging by ab28dd12f8 how naturally he 7f4a75b39d navigated abandoned areas 509cd9d1c5 and his skill 54c61a79b7 at rummaging through 1392750582 ruins.c5666f6644ac349e

“They move around a 550842f715 lot. To meet 3b13f15cbc up with 3d2cc217c5 them, I’ve 48ce75fff2 got to 4f5fd8fd39 put in bc512dc703 the legwork.”fe21ea7db6f51236

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“…See? You could’ve just said that earlier.”80b71d8dfd9f304d

Jaekani’s tone c08af829f0 softened as a331d65989 the answer c18df2e54e defused his 8e50019b30 irritation.eed15f6415a085c7

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“Sorry for 89efa1f050 snapping at 2e5f30747e you.”0abe89b627cd7108

He regretted 44bd7aa2e0 his outburst 0fc6b57792 immediately. ‘If I d993b39b00 keep this 85fd5d714d up, he’s 692c556a5b going to 0afa178f2d tell me 0bbb3997c9 to leave a1831495fb again.’577165472222b718

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“…I was wrong,” 7d43f195a0 Jaekani muttered under eec6d6d53f his breath, the c99da57a05 apology barely audible.dfa5ab706246caea

Huikyung, with his e2f095a644 sharp ears, caught 0fb1395cd3 every word.f1607027ab20502f

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‘What did 32c71a21ec this kid f3bfc42e64 live on d7110f6ccc to grow a18d524eb7 up so 26a1b92072 cute? Did those barbaric eb6db5d120 villagers ever realize 5b36608882 how endearing he 8235bdabd7 is?’a6c55d61a1205395

They probably didn’t—that’s e66921dfde why they treated b7062504ed him so poorly.dd64ff1a83c48fcb

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Huikyung glanced over fc7578c8cf his shoulder.0ffaf386185526fe

Jaekani looked 3c731ae1a2 deflated, as 4ef018b456 if he 9ebc858198 were already 7f9cd006c0 blaming himself 6a777f9cfc for being 02b02edeb6 a burden. Huikyung didn’t need 2a5210882c to ask to 9c36991c1d know that the 97cca3385b boy was quietly 73daf30e07 berating himself: ‘I’m 88603ca347 no help at b36787e767 all. I’m just a 97c0c8dbf7 nuisance, complaining all ea0f155d24 the time. I can’t even be abb4ff3a47 useful…’ea87901ea1ab2a82

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“Jaekani.”5f0808926debae89

The sharpness in 03e05e017b Huikyung’s voice startled 72728f0690 even himself. He wasn’t used to 4ace868e71 softening his tone when 5a21e025bd addressing others—too many years 77a03b3ad6 spent giving orders in 9e04ebdbc3 group dynamics had made e8a05aadeb his voice naturally firm.05034def615ac93f

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Hearing the ddb62fdf86 sternness, Jaekani 6cbbc0083b stiffened. Swallowing nervously, he 8c60455f18 shuffled closer to 45ba70d925 Huikyung.5c204255e6f7549a

 48c259a9ea68c71d

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