And I saw it again. The familiar low wooden ceiling. The faint growls of zombies wandering around the building. And... the dryness still gnawing at my throat.
The dream was over, and I was still dehydrated. Fantastic.
GLUP!
Damn it. There wasn't even any spit left to swallow—well, maybe a little, but it was too dry to feel. So much for that nonsense about debuff removal…
[Response: Debuff removal only applies to negative effects caused by external factors.]
And thirst doesn't count? Talk about flawed logic. Then again, I couldn't even begin to explain what I was seeing now. Because just as I heard the approaching footsteps, the true face of Kyra Watts appeared in my vision.
Seeing her actual body in the dream was one thing—but seeing her now, in real life, still felt surreal.
"Master." This time, there was no hungry hissing, no feral glare, no beastly movements. Just a calm, respectful address. "I've been reflecting on everything you said, and you're wrong.
"I still can't forgive myself. Not while my people—my friends and families—are still cursed and suffering out there. So… Master? Wait, your face is so pale. Hey, are you alright? Master…
"...ster. Master…"
"..."
I lost consciousness.
#
If there's a worst way to wake up, it's being splashed with water. At least that's what I learned in 7th grade. People say a parent's 'tough love' can be a deeper kind of affection.
Well, I'd like to hear their opinion when the one doing the splashing is also someone who regularly beats you and sees you more as livestock than a child.
That happened to me. As Ares Claudius and as Maheswara. Then, and now.
"I'm awake," I muttered, as my tongue wiped the water trickling down my face.
The water was slightly salty and sour, but honestly, it was the most delicious sensation I'd tasted in ages.
I looked up at Kyra, who had just raised one of ten buckets—where the hell did she get those from?—ready to douse me again before stopping. "Oh. It worked!"
Three of the buckets were already empty. That explained why my clothes felt soaked through.
"Water."
"Do you… need to be splashed again?"
"To drink."
"Ah… okay. I'll try to find a bottle, or maybe a cup. Can you start a fire? We'll need to boil the water first—it might be contaminated—"
"No need," I snapped, this time with more urgency. "Just give it to me."
Kyra looked uncertain, but she seemed to understand what I was feeling. So she brought one of the buckets over and handed it to me… an offering I immediately pounced on.
I grabbed the bucket roughly, pouring it all—yes, all—into my throat. It was way too much, and my stomach probably could explode if I finished it, but screw it.
I was thirsty. Desperately thirsty.
And once I'd downed every last drop, I let out a long, ragged exhale—and a belch.
"That was a lot of water for such a small man."
Huh? "Small?" I wiped the corner of my mouth, still dripping, and coughed a little.
"Back then, men like you wouldn't even pass for warriors—barely human, even."
"Good thing I wasn't born in your era, Granny."
"G-Granny?!"
I ignored her protests and looked over at the 'gifts' she had lined up behind the buckets. "So… what's the deal with these things?"
"It's not just 'things'! They're my followers!"
Yeah, that tracked, given her background. But still… they're zombies now.
Okay, Kyra was at least smart enough to tie them up tightly with rope—again, no clue where she got that—but zombies are zombies.
They stared at me hungrily, writhing with primal urges, drooling at the thought of my tender flesh.
Worse? Kyra didn't bring just one. She brought three. Three zombies, all crammed into this tight space, lined up far too close for comfort.
"That's what I've been meaning to talk to you about, Master…"
Hm… I was tempted to use my full name, but Jacob's final words honestly left a bitter taste in my mouth. "Ares. Call me Ares." I chose something that still belonged to me, something I'd carry from birth to death.
"Lord Ares, you can turn me back into a human… can't you?"
"No."
Kyra frowned. But even before the question left her lips, I knew what it was. "I'm not turning all your subordinates back into humans."
"Why not? They'd be a huge asset! I swear!"
"That's not the issue." I scratched my neck and thought for a second—I didn't even know exactly how I did it last time.
[Purification can be performed easily as long as enough Redemption Points are available.]
[Redemption Points are acquired from hostile intent directed at the Host, such as intent to kill, harm, or cause suffering. Hostile intent can come from living or half-living beings, both human and animal.]
Yeah, yeah, thanks for the helpful and totally not invasive explanation.
Still—no.
"Why?" Kyra asked again, sounding more hurt this time.
To be honest, it's just too inefficient. Getting those hostile intent last time was not pleasant. "It's not time yet."
"Not… time yet?"
"There's a more urgent issue."
Kyra looked confused.
And then my stomach growled in response.
#
Staring at the calm river current, I wondered if the fish swimming inside—ones Kyra was now trying to catch for me—were still clean… or if they were already contaminated.
Would eating them turn me into a zombie?
"So… you don't feel hunger anymore?" I asked, resting my chin in my palm, a bit bored.
"Correct, Lord Ares." Kyra jabbed her handmade bamboo spear into the river, catching another fish and tossing it into the bucket.
"I no longer feel thirst, hunger, or fatigue."
Hoh… "What about pain?"
Kyra paused, stroking her chin thoughtfully. She actually considered it. "I… haven't tried yet."
And I didn't think she would. Not while we were still 'alive' among zombies.
Even the ones around my level looked strong and savage. Beasts I probably couldn't handle without risking my life.
But on our way here, Kyra had taken down several of them—and made it look easy.
"Wanna give it a try?"
"…Huh?"
"Well, you know I wouldn't mind dishing out a bit of pain."
Kyra started eyeing me suspiciously. "Master, I'm starting to think you might actually be a demon from hell."
Just as I was about to toss back another comeback, I heard rustling. From the bushes. I'd been expecting it, to be fair. Given that we were in the open and the only two humans with untainted Ether—this place was the perfect lure for an ambush.
Unfortunately, there was no ambush plan—just early visitors.
Swallowing hard, I turned around and slowly backed away. Three zombies emerged from the trees, eyeing me like fresh prey.
"They're coming…"
But the footsteps weren't just from one direction. They came from the right, the left, north, and south. Everywhere.
What the hell? I thought they didn't move around much during the day?
And Kyra's grim, resigned voice confirmed my growing pessimism.
"Yep. They're coming."