THIFSGSTW CH 14

Chapter 14: Nausea

“Just like everything in the world has a reason for existing, even things that don’t exist… have a reason.”

Raen’s words sounded ambiguous. I felt like I understood what he meant, but at the same time, I wasn’t sure. Noticing my expression, Raen continued in a gentle voice.

“That was too vague, wasn’t it? Since nothing has been revealed about healing magic yet, I just meant that it’s best to be cautious.”

Of course, what I was using wasn’t healing magic. Still, I gave a vague nod. Raen, who had even used teleportation magic while holding my hand, finally spoke with a relieved tone.

“Since there haven’t been any abnormalities in you so far, it seems using magic near you doesn’t put any strain on your body. That’s a relief.”

It certainly was a relief.

After returning to the room I shared with Song Ha-gyeon, I sat blankly on the bed, lost in thought. What wasn’t a relief was that three days had already passed in the blink of an eye.

<Required! Quest> ‘Raen—Please Don’t be Suspicious!’ III Failed!

Penalty ‘Nausea’ will last for 3 Days

A new quest window appeared before me in quick succession.

<Required! Quest> ‘Raen—Please Don’t be Suspicious!’ IV

Success : Gain Raen’s Trust

Failure : Random Nosebleeds for 3 Weeks

Time Limit : 3 Weeks

If life is a series of trials, then I must be living a very eventful life.

I let out a deep sigh. Outside the window, darkness had already settled. It was midnight. The last time the quest had started, a full moon had been in the sky, so this timing made sense.

‘…Ugh.’

A sour taste rose in my throat. Hugging my pillow tightly, I leaned against the headboard. The soft texture provided some comfort, but of course, it didn’t soothe the uneasiness in my stomach.

I turned my head and saw the empty bed across from me. Song Ha-gyeon seemed to still be in the research lab. Even though I tended to stay up late, I had never once encountered Song Ha-gyeon at night.

Was there a place to sleep in the research lab? Or did he not sleep at all? He always looked composed and upright, never showing any signs of fatigue. I wondered when he actually slept.

But that curiosity didn’t last long. My stomach churned violently. The biggest question on my mind now was my own future.

‘I don’t think i can eat anything for three days’

Park Yul’s cooking was delicious, though….

Honestly, it felt unfair. I was the one being doubted by Raen, and I was the one who had to clear up his suspicions. On top of that, if I failed, I was the one getting penalized. It felt unjust.

I glared at the floating system window. The time limit for the newly started quest was quietly counting down.

I buried my face in the pillow I was hugging. I felt miserable. Every time I inhaled and exhaled, my stomach seemed to twist even more. Yet, the pillow had a pleasant scent.

‘A grassy fragrance.’

The room was faintly filled with the scent of grass. It was a fragrance reminiscent of a summer night. Come to think of it, the paper Song Ha-gyeon had placed on my forehead before had a similar scent.

Was Song Ha-gyeon researching herbs and medicinal plants in his lab?

I decided I would ask him next time. As I had thought before, expecting Song Ha-gyeon to explain things before I asked was futile. He was someone who never spoke about himself.

‘Wait, hold on. I really feel like throwing up.’

A sudden wave of nausea hit me. I quickly covered my mouth with my hand.

Of course, nothing came up. Just the feeling of nausea without actually throwing up—it felt strange but also somewhat fortunate.

I lifted my head. Time had already passed significantly. My eyelids were growing heavy; it seemed I had stayed up far past my usual bedtime. I was exhausted.

And it was pitch dark.

In a large, dark room with not a single light, I was alone. That realization suddenly hit me hard.

…I hated it. I didn’t like this. Dark, scary… no, suffocating. My heart pounded. I needed to at least pull back the curtains—

Click.

The doorknob turned quietly. My head snapped around. The door was slowly opening. Song Ha-gyeon stepped carefully into the room, levitating several thick books in the air in neat stacks.

When he spotted me sitting on the bed, his body flinched slightly. Then, in a low voice, he asked, “…Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

I feel like throwing up. Of course, I couldn’t say that out loud. Instead, I just stared at his face blankly. Looking closely, his usually composed face did show slight changes in expression.

Right now, he looked a little surprised. Just a little.

Song Ha-gyeon let the floating books land roughly on his bed with a thudding noise. Then, he swiftly approached me and summoned a small, rectangular white box in midair. The box floated gently as a soft light spread around it.

Song Ha-gyeon placed it on the bedside table. A faint glow softly illuminated the darkness.

“…Did you have a bad dream?”

His hand slowly reached toward my head as he asked. I hadn’t even fallen asleep yet. I shook my head slightly.

He hesitated briefly before sweeping his hand over my hair. My slightly damp hair, slick with sweat, was smoothed back by his neat fingers.

“…Are you in pain?”

Am I in pain or not? That was a complicated question. Thanks to my passive ability, I shouldn’t feel pain, but the penalty was still in effect.

Was simple nausea not considered ‘pain’? Or were penalties an entirely separate matter?

Come to think of it, why was every standard in the system based on ‘pain’?

“Sun Yi-han?”

Song Ha-gyeon’s voice called me. His tone was calm, but there seemed to be a hint of concern.

“I’m okay, Ha-gyeon hyung.”

Honestly, it wasn’t something serious enough to say I was in pain. I had never been sick before because I was naturally strong, so struggling with this much would be an exaggeration.

“Hyung, why are you still awake?”

Now that I thought about it, he was also awake at this late hour. Was he that busy? I asked him the question, but instead of an answer, he responded with another question.

“…Where does it hurt?”

I just said I was fine. Did he even hear me?

Song Ha-gyeon was looking down at me with a slightly stiff expression. He gave off the vibe that he wouldn’t move until I answered properly.

Knowing him, he probably would stay like that. Reluctantly, I opened my mouth.

“I’m fine, just my stomach feels a bit…”

Before I could finish, Song Ha-gyeon waved a hand slightly. Two round flasks of different sizes appeared in the air. Their glass surfaces gleamed faintly in the darkness.

One small flask contained a swirling pink liquid, while the slightly larger one was half-filled with a clear liquid.

The small flask tilted, and the clear liquid gradually turned pink. Song Ha-gyeon observed it for a moment, lost in thought, before summoning a tiny green leaf in midair.

Rustle.

The leaf crumbled into fine powder and fell into the flask.

Song Ha-gyeon grasped the neck of the flask with one hand, slowly twirling it. The pink liquid inside gradually deepened into a dark violet hue—the color of dawn.

It was all done in an instant, then he placed it in my hands. I could feel the cold glass in my hands.

“…Just drink a little.”

Honestly, it was a waste, it was too beautiful to drink. The liquid inside the glass bottle shimmered with tiny specks, swirling like a piece of the night sky. It looked as if someone had captured the Milky Way in a bottle.

As I stared at it in silence, Song Ha-gyeon spoke again.

“Is your stomach still bad?”

Ah, I’m really fine. I must’ve hesitated too long. I gave a slight shake of my head and brought the bottle to my lips. Ha-gyeon carefully cupped his hand underneath it.

“Just take a sip if it’s too much.”

I’m not some sandcastle that will collapse at a touch. It felt a little embarrassing to be fussed over like this.

Since I wasn’t at the point where I couldn’t even swallow water, I took two small gulps. The moment I did, Ha-gyeon took the bottle from my hand.

“Don’t force yourself.”

His voice was as slow as usual, but there was a hint of firmness. The taste was surprisingly sweet and refreshing, so I didn’t mind drinking it, which made me feel a little disappointed.

After making the bottle disappear, Ha-gyeon gently grasped my chin and turned my head toward him. His fingers brushed softly against the corner of my lips.

It seemed like he was wiping away any potion left on my mouth. …But I didn’t think I had been messy enough to need that.

“…Lie down now.”

Ha-gyeon grabbed a pillow from his bed and tossed it beside me, then patted it lightly. I was starting to feel drowsy anyway, so I obeyed without complaint, resting my head on his pillow.

After drinking the potion, my body began to relax, making it hard to keep my eyes open. The pillow I was holding was warm. Ha-gyeon pressed down on it gently, and soon, the warmth spread even more.

I vaguely remember seeing Raen use a similar magic before. Holding onto something warm and soft made the nausea seem a little more bearable.

Ha-gyeon pulled a blanket over me, then placed his hand on my head and stroked it gently.

“It’s okay. Sleep.”

My eyelids felt heavier as if my body was melting into the bed. Was this also magic? Ha-gyeon’s slow voice drifted farther away.

The small box on the table glowed faintly before its light gradually dimmed.

“…Good night.”

I think I heard those words just before I fell asleep.

◇

When I opened my eyes, sunlight was streaming into the room. The pillow in my arms was still warm.

The sun was already high in the sky. It was a peaceful afternoon—though my body didn’t feel so peaceful.

My stomach was still unsettled. The potion Ha-gyeon gave me had worked for a while, but after sleeping, I was back to square one.

I let out a deep sigh and stepped out of the room. Three days like this wasn’t too bad. A person wouldn’t die just because they didn’t eat for three days.

“Ah, Yi-han!”

As I was heading down the stairs, I ran into Park Yul coming up. He quickly closed the distance between us and draped something over my shoulders—a light blue blanket.

“How’s your stomach? Feeling any better? Ha-gyeon told me about it this morning.”

He added that he had been about to wake me up anyway. I nodded and continued down the stairs.

When I entered the dining room, Raen was already there. In front of him was a plate with a partially eaten round loaf of bread and a bowl of soup.

Park Yul asked if I wanted him to make something for me, but I had to fight back tears as I refused—I just couldn’t eat anything yet.

“So you’re still not feeling well.”

Park Yul’s voice was filled with concern as he set a kettle to heat. He dropped a few green leaves into the water.

“Ha-gyeon left this for you. He said it’s an herb that soothes the stomach.”

A light herbal scent wafted from the tea. As I took a sip, warmth spread through my body.

Holding the heated glass cup in both hands, I took slow sips. Across from me, Raen suddenly asked,

“Yi-han, is it impossible to use healing magic on yourself?”