Chapter 78

Clyde asked,

"Since we can't check the time here, what time is it now?"

"It's just past 1 o'clock."

"Damn. I have to keep this up for four more hours."

"Was the night this long?"

Yesterday was scary, but the time didn't feel like an eternity.

Clyde sighed briefly and said,

"I'm strong against spirits, but once I fall asleep, it's useless. So, try making some of those usual noises."

"I've never made any noises before."

"Right. Try making those noises."

This is real.

"Um... How's it outside?"

"Spirits are occasionally visible, but they're not at a level I can't handle. Oh, and no matter what, don't open the door. No matter what. Got it?"

"Don't worry. I won't open it even if you ask me to."

Then I heard Clyde's sarcastic laugh.

"I'll break this door down when the time comes, so it doesn't matter."

"Jerk..."

"What?"

"I didn't say anything?"

I stared blankly at the half-melted candle.

The day feels so long.

Before Clyde came, time didn't drag on like it had been a week.

Is that why I muttered without thinking,

"We need to kill the demon quickly to return to reality."

It was a really funny thing to say.

Living as Teresa has become my reality.

Then, out of nowhere, I became curious about something trivial.

"When we get back, I want to eat a sandwich from the school cafeteria. What about you?"

"I don't know. I don't really want to eat anything, but there is something I want to see."

"What is it?"

"..."

Clyde didn't answer.

'What's wrong? Why are you suddenly quiet? Could you have been attacked by a spirit?'

Feeling anxious, I asked, almost pressing my lips to the door.

"Clyde? Are you there? You didn't go anywhere, did you?"

"I'm here. Don't shout. It's making my head hurt."

I sighed in relief.

"I was surprised you didn't answer."

"I only answer when I want to."

That's his pride.

"What time is it now?"

"3 o'clock."

I was a bit surprised as I said it.

I hadn't talked much with Clyde, yet so much time had passed.

"Time flies when I'm with you."

Clyde replied,

"Indeed."

We continued our conversation, following the flow of our thoughts.

"By the way, how did our midterm exams go?"

"When we leave the dungeon, we'll have to take separate exams for the remaining subjects. That's the rule."

"Speaking of which, I'll cancel my request for the anti-evil activity score."

"Huh. Did my stupid brain erase the memory of me getting married? It hasn't even been a day yet."

"We got married? When?"

When I feigned ignorance, Clyde said, exasperated,

"This is why I said not to take in a black-haired beast."

"Hey. That's a term used to mock our family, whitehead. You're overstepping."

"My hair is silver, not white. Have you forgotten the color?"

"Silver or white, it's all the same. You won't show your age. Wow, I'm jealous."

"Do you think this door will never open? That's why you keep being cheeky?"

After a round of meaningless banter, my voice started to get hoarse and my answers slowed down.

"What time is it now?"

I rubbed my dry eyes and answered,

"4:30."

In 30 minutes, the spirits will disappear, and Clyde will come into the room.

'Then, what about the bed? There's only one.'

I don't know. I'm tired, so I should at least put a cushion in the middle.

If someone doesn't like it, they can sleep on the floor.

Then I heard Clyde mutter faintly,

"Ha... Just a bit more..."

He seemed very tired.

"How are the spirits now? Are they better?"

"..."

"When the soldiers and the standby were captured, it seemed like they were well-prepared to attack. Wasn't it dangerous?"

"..."

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"..."

"Are you ignoring me again?"

"..."

He ignored my questions he didn't want to answer, but this silence felt different.

It felt like he couldn't answer.

"Are you asleep?"

Clyde wasn't the type to fall asleep at such a moment.

I knew that better than anyone.

Suddenly, I felt anxious and jumped up from my seat.

"Where did you go? Did you get attacked by a spirit... or are you just messing with me?"

"..."

"Clyde? If you don't answer, I'm getting scared."

"..."

'What time is it now?'

I checked the time, and it was still 4:55.

"Clyde. Answer me. Clyde!"

I wanted to open the door right away.

"Are you there? Are you sleeping?"

I know I shouldn't open the door now.

But what if something really happened?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Clyde!"

"Shut up."

Ah.

"I was scared."

I felt my strength drain and slumped to the ground.

"I thought something happened to you, and I was so—"

"Ugh..."

A pained groan came from the other side of the door.

"What happened to you?"

Ding!

[Throne 'Order' has donated 10,000 coins.]

[It's 5 o'clock.]

Bang!

I opened the door and saw Clyde lying on the floor, bleeding from his abdomen.

"Clyde!"

He was unconscious.

"I'll call a doctor!"

Please, don't die, please.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

I lifted my head at the familiar sound and saw a one-legged soldier.

"Hello, Miss. Congratulations on achieving your dream. I'm here to deliver a new dream to you."

"Clyde is hurt. Call a doctor!"

"Please accept this card."

"Please! What's the point of this card—"

Then a knife was pressed to my neck.

"Confirm the dream. Otherwise, you will be executed."

I swallowed my anger.

I had to quickly confirm the dream and hurry to call a doctor.

As I pulled out the card in a hurry, my eyes trembled.

「Teresa's Dream: Sleep in the same bed with Clyde every day」

A childish, sweet, and foolish dream mocked my frantic efforts.

It was truly a disgusting situation.

I felt dizzy.

As I trembled with anger, the one-legged soldier said,

"Have a pleasant day."

'Just shut up!'

How could I have a pleasant day in this situation!

Then, the maids heard the commotion and approached.

"What's happening?!"

As soon as I realized someone was there to help, I shouted reflexively,

"Call a doctor! Quickly!"

* * *

Clyde's holy relic, the glass orb, was trapped in a subspace due to the dungeon's rules, so its healing power was much slower than usual.

Even so, for him to stop the bleeding and reconnect severed blood vessels and muscles without any potions was a superhuman ability.

I was deeply relieved that I had given him the setting of being born with a holy relic.

However, I couldn't understand the current situation.

It's possible that Clyde was injured by a spirit.

The spirits inside the castle were much stronger than those outside.

But there was something I couldn't understand.

The holy relic not only suppressed Clyde's mana but also had the ability to heal wounds.

So, under normal circumstances, Clyde wouldn't have been left bleeding continuously.

'When the knocking stopped yesterday, I also heard the screams of other spirits.'

After that, Clyde kept chatting with me, leaning against the door like I was.

During that time, no spirits approached us.

'Ah.'

I finally realized.

'The holy relic was preventing the spirits from approaching.'

He had used all his strength to do that, leaving none for his own healing.

When Clyde regained consciousness, he said,

"Don't think too much. I just got a bit hurt while capturing the standby."

"Lie."

Before wrapping his abdomen in bandages, I saw the wound around it was black and charred.

"When you're attacked by a spirit, the wound turns black."

"..."

"You know a lot."

Still, it was fortunate that his condition improved quickly despite losing consciousness from blood loss.

I sat in a daze on the chair by the bed, looking at Clyde, who lay pale.

Clyde said, pretending it was nothing,

"This will heal in two days."

His words weren't just bravado or exaggeration.

It really would heal in two days.

I nodded silently, and Clyde sighed, wiping his face with one hand.

"I don't know why I'm making excuses."

Then he suddenly beckoned me with his finger.

"Come here."