The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 68

There must be a reason he wanted me to drink it. Silently complying, I gulped it down. Kalph, looking at me approvingly, handed me a small bead-like object next. It turned out to be a sweet candy made from compressed sugar. It felt like I was experiencing all the childhood treatment I had missed out on, right here.

“Ah, Sei. Have you had any strange dreams lately?”

“Strange dreams…?”

“Like someone talking to you, or calling out to you repeatedly.”

“I’m not sure. It feels like I’ve been dreaming, but I can’t remember anything.”

“Hm, I see. Looks like ‘awareness’ hasn’t started yet. Considering the timing, that would be expected.”

There was a curious note of relief in his murmured words. Awareness? It seemed there were more phenomena to be experienced during this period. I pondered over this when my vision started to blur, and my eyes began to close involuntarily. It felt as if an irresistible force was pulling me into slumber. Seeing my drowsiness, Kalph chuckled softly and gently laid me back down.

“Feeling drowsy because your energy is spreading, right? Sleep a bit more.”

“No, I…”

I wanted to say I was fine, but my body refused to move. I wasn’t even sure if I managed to respond. As I lay down, the heavy weight of sleep overtook me, and I sank back into unconsciousness.

* * *

“…what is it?”

“Not yet… don’t jump to conclusions…”

“But, isn’t there a chance…?”

“If it comes to that… should we really…?”

“Rather….”

I heard murmuring from somewhere. It sounded like they were arguing or maybe just exchanging opinions. I couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality. As I struggled to lift my eyelids, I saw several pairs of eyes looking down at me.

“Oh, looks like we woke him up.”

“That’s because of Kalph.”

“You weren’t exactly quiet either. Sorry for disturbing you, Sei. We’ll be quiet now.”

The soft voice seemed to belong to Kalph. I think I also heard Syran’s voice. What were they all doing here? Had they come to check on me out of concern? My eyelids fluttered as I slowly moved my gaze. When I met a pair of calm green eyes staring back at me, I knew who it was.

“Sleep some more.”

With a deep, commanding voice, darkness enveloped my vision again. My emerging consciousness quickly faded back into oblivion.

“Anyway, let’s keep this to ourselves for now.”

I heard Kalph’s voice beyond the blur of my fading consciousness. His tone carried a sense of unease.

When I finally woke up again, three days had passed. The Dras and other villagers had started their migration, and the escort team that was supposed to help them had also left.

Originally, I was supposed to go with them, but I was unconscious, and it was decided to leave me in the village. Kalph, who was tasked with patrolling near the village, had been checking on me regularly.

“Are you feeling dizzy?”

“No, I’m alright.”

“Good. Try to move around a bit and stretch your legs, but don’t overexert yourself.”

“Understood.”

Nodding, I carefully swung my legs out of the bed. It felt strange, almost like I had forgotten how to walk after lying down for so long. But perhaps because I had drunk the Anima Kalph gave me, I didn’t feel particularly hungry or weak.

After a few tentative steps, I managed to stand up, albeit a bit wobbly initially. Kalph’s watchful face broke into a relieved smile.

“Congratulations on getting through your first awakening safely. How do you feel?”

“Well, to be honest, I’m not really sure what’s changed.”

“Take a look in the mirror, and you might think differently.”

A mirror?

Blinking in surprise, I watched as Kalph produced a small hand mirror from somewhere. He handed it to me, encouraging me to take a look. As I held it up, I involuntarily paused at the sight reflected back. My familiar appearance felt strange. My hair once likened to black coal, had turned green—just like Kalph’s, resembling the color of leaves.

“Ah…”

“The change is noticeable, isn’t it?”

I couldn’t do anything but nod. Although I thought I had accepted my nature as an Aesang, seeing the external change firsthand left me feeling indescribably strange. As I stared blankly into the mirror, Kalph explained that this was a temporary change due to the awakening and that my hair would return to black soon.

Moreover, he explained that I would experience these awakening symptoms multiple times in the future, approximately every couple of months. Each time, the period of dormancy would grow longer, potentially lasting up to a month during the final stage. The mention of being able to sleep for up to a month in the final stage left me a bit disheartened. Nothing was easy.

“During this period, it’s crucial to replenish your vitality. Without it, you won’t survive the dormancy. While a good diet is important, the essence from an elder is the most vital.”

“Like the liquid I drank before?”

“Exactly. Typically, a father would share his life energy with his child during this time. Since you’re in a unique situation, we’ll take turns caring for you.”

‘So, that’s why they insisted I return.’

Now it was clear. An Aesang traveling alone during this crucial period wasn’t just reckless—it was practically suicidal. Serige letting me go was an enormous decision.

“Now, let’s have another dose.”

I obediently took the wooden cup Kalph handed me. The taste wasn’t pleasant, but after all the explanations, I couldn’t refuse. I drank it in one go, earning another piece of sugary candy as praise. Accepting it had become routine, but it still felt odd. I was worried I might develop a bad habit from this.

“But what about those giving their life energy? Isn’t it taxing?”

“Hm? Ah, well, it does tire us out a bit. But it’s nothing to be overly concerned about.”

“…I’m not sure how to properly thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank us for something so natural. You just focus on your health. Your safe awakening is thanks enough.”

I couldn’t understand how that would be considered a repayment. It was a persistent question since I had arrived here. Even if we were of the same race, I was ultimately an outsider, an orphan with an unknown lineage. It didn’t make sense that everyone would go out of their way to take such good care of me.

Perhaps it was because they were a small, isolated community? But other minority communities didn’t have this kind of culture. They might feel pity and show some kindness, but that’s it. That’s all I had hoped for here—a small sense of belonging, not expecting or wanting anything more.

“Is our kindness making you uncomfortable?”

Had my expression given me away? Kalph, with a slightly bitter look, asked gently. After hesitating for a moment, I nodded slowly.

“To be honest, yes. Ever since I came here, I’ve received too much without giving anything back.”

“The reason you feel burdened is that you see it as a debt that must be repaid. You don’t need to see it that way. Besides, it’s not entirely free.”

So, there was a catch. As I nodded quietly, Kalph’s expression grew more somber. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he looked directly at me.

“Do you want to know exactly what we’ll ask of you?”

“Yes, knowing in advance would put my mind at ease.”

“It’s simple. When you grow up, you should do the same for the children.”

“…What?”

Startled, I looked up to meet his smiling face.

“Isn’t that easy enough? I’m just doing what my elders did for me. Everyone here is doing the same. It’s only natural that we’re kind to you without expecting anything in return. We’re all paying forward what we’ve received.”

“….”

“So, make the most of it while you can. The more you receive now, the more you’ll be able to give later.”

It felt as if a complicated equation had suddenly become clear. For some reason, I felt like crying. It was as if a weight had been lifted from my mind, leaving me with an unexpected sense of relief.

“…Yes, I will. Thank you.”

Barely managing to respond, I felt a comforting hand rest on my head. A sigh, almost like a whisper, reached my ears.

“We should have found you sooner. We don’t know how we’ll ever repay this debt. You’ve missed out on so much, and now you’re almost an adult. You’ve been deprived of so many things.”

“No, you’ve already given me plenty.”

“You’re saying that because you don’t know. You haven’t received even half of what other kids did. And if you truly are… then we really…”

“Pardon? What was that?”

“Nothing, forget it.”

Kalph shook his head hurriedly and looked at my face for a moment, his gaze searching for something. Feeling puzzled by his expression, I watched as he quickly smiled awkwardly and got up.

“I’ll be going now. Get some rest.”

“Uh, Lord Kalph…”

“Yes? Do you have something to say?”

“…No, nothing.”

I considered asking about the conversation I’d overheard in my semi-conscious state but decided against it. I wasn’t sure if it had been real or relevant to me. Seeing Kalph’s neutral expression, I couldn’t bring myself to speak. Chuckling lightly, he patted my shoulder and left the room.

As I watched the door close, I turned back to the mirror. No matter how many times I looked, I couldn’t get used to my green hair, so I started to mess with it before lying down on the bed.

Honestly, since coming here, I haven’t had any particular goals. I felt like I was just flowing along with whatever came my way. But now, I felt like I could start looking further into the future.

‘At the very least, I should become someone who can give back to my juniors what I’ve received.’

Thinking this, I felt more integrated into this world. I realized my lips had curled into a smile. Taking a deep breath, I exhaled slowly.

Now, I felt it was okay not to be human.