Your Scars (Krish’s POV)

“Shinobu, are you here!?”

(Please, just answer me!!)

Despite knocking on the door, there was no sign of a person inside. Considering how bright it had become since I left the city, it was still very early in the morning, with the sun just starting to peek out. While there was a possibility that Shinobu might be asleep, the circumstances around us contradicted that. My fist involuntarily tightened as I continued to knock.

Amidst the strong smell of freshly dug soil and the scent of newly sprouted leaves, there was a faint trace of blood. Unpleasant images made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. There was no evidence that it belonged to Shinobu, but there was also no proof that it didn’t.

In any case, I couldn’t hide the anxiety that the harsh reality of Felix-sama’s words, “I have a bad feeling,” had come true.

The time it took for a response to come wasn’t actually very long. However, to me at that moment, the wait for Shinobu’s voice seemed like an eternity.

“Krish-san!!”

My heart pounded loudly at the voice coming from another direction.

It was a remarkably high-pitched and sweet voice of the man I was used to hearing. Yet, the urgency in the voice, the way it called out desperately, only heightened my anxiety. I strained my eyes through the dense, overgrown plant stalks.

(Where is he, where could he be?)

Blocked by the weeds, I couldn’t see Shinobu’s figure.

“Shinobu, are you there!?”

“Krish-san!!”

Following the voice, the weeds parted to guide me. There was no time to question this. As soon as I saw Shinobu reaching out towards me, I couldn’t focus on anything else.

I had long lost any sense of calm. The sounds of the wind and the giant plants brushing against each other disappeared, and only Shinobu’s voice echoed in my ears. The surrounding scenery blurred, losing its outlines and colors, with only Shinobu vividly in my sight.

He was alive and moving. He was calling my name. That was all that mattered at that moment; everything else had completely slipped my mind. Even though there might be someone hiding nearby who had harmed Shinobu, I headed straight towards him without searching for any presence.

“Shinobu!!”

“Krish-san!!”

As Shinobu’s hand, which had been outstretched straight, touched the armored arm, he clung tightly to the armor, his nails turning white, and cried loudly. The sight of him so distressed made me want to comfort him and, at the same time, let him cry as much as he needed. I gently patted his slender back.

I wanted to comfort him, but all I could do was hold him, as I was profoundly relieved that Shinobu was alive.

I knew that humans don’t die easily. There were colleagues who returned to their knight duties even after severe injuries. However, I was also well aware that people can die easily too.

I had seen many people who lost their lives in an unbelievably short time due to a small bump on the head or bacteria from a minor cut. Knowing that it’s not a given to meet someone alive again, Shinobu’s warmth and heartbeat felt more precious than anything.

“It’s a terrible injury. What on earth happened?”

Shinobu’s condition was dreadful. For some reason, he was not wearing his clothes on his upper body, and it was hard to find a spot on his body that wasn’t covered in mud.

His exposed skin was covered with reddish-black bruises, and his face was smeared with dried blood, possibly from a nosebleed.

What particularly stood out was his right eyelid, which was swollen to the point that his eye was almost completely closed.

“Ugh, hic, Krish-san, I thought I was done for.”

Shinobu’s story about a group of five thieves, told through his tears, filled me with deep regret. Even though I had been on alert and patrolling during the day, leaving for just three days led to Shinobu being targeted.

The thieves’ last known location was far from the city, and I had let my guard down, leading to Shinobu’s terrifying experience.

No matter what I said now, the wounds etched on Shinobu’s body wouldn’t disappear. Regret is always something that cannot be undone.

I inhaled deeply to push down the inner anger and placed my hand on Shinobu’s shoulder.

(His temperature is high. He’s running a fever.)

Though Shinobu seemed unaware, his feverish body was shivering. Once again, intense anger surged within me at the thought of such cruelty being inflicted on such a small body. If I could, I would capture the culprits immediately, beat them the same number of times as Shinobu’s injuries, and then cut them down, but for now, treating Shinobu was my priority.

“We’ll talk later. First, we need to take care of your injuries.”

“Wait!! I promised I’d go to Pochi. I promised to bring him water.”

Though I wanted to put him down and let him rest as soon as possible, Shinobu’s insistence stopped me. Seeing him prioritize others even in such a state made me feel sad.

Why does he do this to himself? It’s as if he doesn’t care about himself at all. He probably doesn’t realize how much I’m worried about him.

Or rather, he may not even consider that there could be someone worrying about him.

Come to think of it, Shinobu had never talked about his family from her original world. Perhaps he lived a life distant from his family. In that light, it makes sense why he cherishes animals, which are supposed to be mere livestock.

Shinobu’s frequent “I’m fine” and “I’m okay.” Perhaps he used these words to reassure himself.

If the words “I’m okay” were what he used to encourage himself when there was no one else to rely on, then I don’t know of another “I’m okay” used in such a sad context.

If that’s the case, I will no longer believe in Shinobu’s “I’m okay.” Even if everyone in the world believed in Shinobu’s “I’m okay,” I won’t ignore it.

Even if it seems bothersome, I will extend my hand as many times as necessary. I will keep reaching out until Shinobu can ask for help himself.

“Krish-san…”

“There’s no need to worry anymore. Leave it to me, and for now, just sleep.”

While carrying Shinobu, who had lost consciousness in my arms, I answered the call while being feverish and signaled to my subordinate.

The perceptive subordinate immediately understood and quickly turned on his heel.

I watched as they split into those who went to fetch a doctor and those who searched for the companions of the thieves found in an abnormal state, then carried Shinobu home.

The doctor’s diagnosis was that Shinobu had full-body bruises. I was relieved to hear that the swollen right eye had no abnormalities with the eyeball, but I knew not to underestimate the bruises.

The elderly doctor, who prescribed fever-reducing and bruise ointments, said he never wanted to ride a knight’s horse again and left in a cart.

The subordinate who had gone to fetch the doctor raced over with the doctor at an unforgiving speed. By the time they arrived, the doctor seemed almost unable to stand alone.

Though he grumbled about “suffering terribly,” he changed his demeanor upon seeing Shinobu lying on the bed and promptly began preparing for the examination. My tension eased a little at the words “no danger to life.”

The green-colored medicine prescribed was familiar to me. This medicine, which I frequently used, was extremely bitter. Its effects were tremendous, but novice knights often swore to never get injured again after tasting it.

The doctor applied the ointment, but I had to administer the medicine. I scooped a spoonful of the medicine from the half-full cup and poured it through the gap in Shinobu’s lips while supporting his back.

“Ugh.”

“Shinobu, this medicine will make you feel better.”

Shinobu’s face twisted at just a spoonful of the medicine. As I brought the spoon to his mouth, he tried to swat it away. Even in his sleep, he seemed to sense the bitterness.

“Please, try to drink it.”

“No.”

After much trial and error in getting him to drink the second spoonful, Shinobu finally pressed his forehead firmly against my armor, completely hiding his face. With my left arm supporting his neck and holding the cup in my hand, I couldn’t stop his hands from swatting away the spoon with my right hand.

“This is troublesome…”

I set the spoon aside and thought while patting Shinobu’s head. Since there was no option to skip giving the medicine, forcing him to drink it was the right thing to do, but using a spoon might take until tomorrow.

This medicine, with its fever-reducing and pain-relieving effects, was crucial for Shinobu right now. It seemed that his fever was rising, as the arm supporting his neck was hot.

Sweat like beads appeared on his forehead and neck, and the sweat trickling down his arm was dampening my armor.

I looked from the cup in my left hand, the spoon on the side table, and Shinobu hiding his face in turn, then gazed at the ceiling, resigned to the situation.

This was the only method I could think of.

“Shinobu, I’m sorry. Please endure.”

I quickly downed the remaining medicine in the cup, feeling the bitterness spread in my mouth. Despite having experienced this several times, I couldn’t seem to get used to the bitterness.

I placed the cup on the side table, fixed Shinobu’s face to face upwards with my left hand, and securely wrapped him with both hands to prevent him from swatting me.

To prevent him from kicking and flailing, I positioned his feet on top of my knee joints.

I hesitated for a moment. Would Shinobu be angry if he knew? Would he say it was disgusting? The seemingly innocent Shinobu might despise me.

Even so, it was better than seeing him suffer from fever and pain.

(I’m sorry.)

I covered Shinobu’s lips with mine, apologizing once more in my heart even though I knew he couldn’t hear me.

“Mmm!”

Shinobu’s teeth pressed against the nail of my thumb, which I had slipped between his lips to keep them open. I gradually poured the medicine into his mouth, using my advantage in size to hold him down as he flailed her arms and legs in protest.

At times, Shinobu’s tongue brushed against my lips as he tried to push the medicine back. In his desperation, his tongue even ventured into my mouth, touching my own tongue before retracting in fear of the unfamiliar sensation.

Despite feeling a bit flustered at the soft, warm touch, I confirmed that Shinobu swallowed all the medicine and gently pulled my lips away.

“Fweee…”

When I pulled away, Shinobu’s eyes were slightly open. It seemed the bitterness of the medicine had roused him. His feverish eyes squinted and his face twisted into a cry, causing me to stiffen with a jolt.

I had braced myself for criticism for taking his lips without permission, but instead, what came from Shinobu’s mouth was:

“It’s so bitter…”

“There, there. You did well. Wait a moment, I’ll give you some honey to make it better.”

In a hurry, I searched for the honey I had brought along to counteract the bitterness. While water, tea, or juice wouldn’t neutralize the taste, honey could ease it, which is why it was always prescribed with the medicine.

(Damn… I should have prepared two spoons.)

Using the same spoon that had administered the medicine would mix the medicine with the honey.

“Ugh, it’s so bitter…”

Shinobu, still half-asleep, clung tightly to my arm without showing any sign of letting go. I reasoned internally that since I had just changed his muddy clothes and cleaned his body, it shouldn’t be too dirty. I scooped honey with my index finger and applied it to Shinobu’s lips.

“………? Sweet.”

After a taste of the honey on his lips, Shinobu blinked and stopped crying. He licked his lips, now glistening with a sugary sheen, and, finding it insufficient, sucked eagerly on my finger.

The sight of him so absorbed in sucking on my finger reminded me of a young animal I had encountered during my journey. One of my subordinates had found an infant animal with its eyes still closed in the forest. We initially considered fattening it up to eat, but eventually, we grew fond of it and returned it to the forest.

I wondered if that little creature was living well, sucking desperately on milk-soaked fingers.

As I reminisced, Shinobu fell back into a deep sleep. It seemed that the medicine was starting to take effect, as his breathing appeared easier compared to before.

“I’m really glad you’re safe.”

I was reassured by the doctor’s diagnosis. However, I would come to learn the next night that Shinobu’s injuries were not just physical marks but had also left deep emotional scars.

After confirming Shinobu was deeply asleep, I arranged the bedding and quietly stepped outside, where a guard greeted me with a salute.

“How’s the search going?”

“We’ve found three. The rest are still being searched for.”

My subordinate’s face showed signs of confusion.

“Krish-san, this is the first time we’ve encountered something like this. I’ve never heard of plants’ roots ensnaring people and dragging them underground.”

At my subordinate’s feet lay a man in a dazed state, covered in mud even more than Shinobu. I grabbed the man’s hair and lifted his head to examine his face.

“Can you talk?”

A scruffy face with a scowl. The description matched the wanted poster.

The thought of this man having harmed Shinobu made my grip on his hair tighten, causing the veins on the back of my hand to bulge.

“P-please help me! These monsters. Burn them and get rid of them!!”

I narrowed my eyes at the man’s desperate plea.

“Monsters, huh.”

Between the thieves who repeatedly stole for personal gain and inflicted suffering on many, and this gigantic plant, which was the true monster?

“Hey, aren’t you a knight? Isn’t it your job to protect the citizens? Quickly, get rid of these monsters and save me!”

It was troubling. I wanted to slam this man’s face into the ground. Although personal vendettas are not permitted for knights, it was difficult to restrain myself this time. I felt bad for my subordinates who had just unearthed this man, but perhaps he should now be buried face-first in the ground.

If he were to be buried and become fertilizer for the plants, even this scum might contribute something to the world.

“Krish-san, what’s the matter?”

“…No, it’s nothing. Put a muzzle on this man.”

I responded to my subordinate, who cautiously spoke up, and released my grip on the man’s head. Acting on impulse against someone who cannot resist is merely violence. I had nearly descended to the same level as the thieves who had harmed Shinobu.

I took a deep breath to suppress my rage and shifted my gaze to the subordinates who were working their way through the giant plants. According to Shinobu, there were five thieves. This matched the number in the wanted posters. The remaining two were likely buried in the overgrown field that had become a forest.

“There they are! The fourth one!”

“Mark the spot and wait for the knights to arrive before digging them up. There’s one more left, everyone, stay focused!!”

An adult man buried upright in the ground required a substantial hole to be dug, which would take too long with only the four knights, including myself, working on it.

Nodding to my subordinate’s decision, who had arranged both the doctor and additional knights, I scanned the overgrown field where the third marker flag had been planted. Men’s faces were visible above the ground, while their bodies were buried beneath.

“How’s the situation with the plants? I heard the thieves are restrained by the roots, but has there been any interference from the plants?”

“No, they haven’t moved an inch. The men said the roots suddenly wrapped around their bodies and dragged them underground, but honestly, I can’t believe it. Yet, I also can’t imagine anyone having the power to create such a situation.”

“It is indeed an unbelievable phenomenon. But…”

I approached the closest oversized weed and tapped its stem. It didn’t react, and only its leaves rustled in the wind.

However, it was certain that this plant had helped keep Shinobu safe.

“Thank you for protecting him.”

Shinobu had said he possessed a “plant-type” cheat ability, but according to Felix-sama, it was merely a minor power to accelerate growth and not enough to significantly affect its surroundings.

Whether his ability had strengthened while living in this world or if the weed had originally possessed a will of its own remains uncertain, but it was worth offering gratitude.

“Send a sample of this plant to Felix-sama. Handle it with care to avoid damaging the roots.”

“Understood. However, this will be a difficult task compared to previous ones. How many people will be needed to transport the entire root? With its size, it’s hard to estimate.”

The complaining subordinate’s eyes glazed over as he looked up at the top of the weed, which had grown high enough to hide the red roofs. The weed’s new green leaves shimmered under the sunlight.