Chapter 11: Ritual

The moment she spoke, Nagu imagined at least ten different types of storms crashing down on her, but Hamoyin only widened his eyes slightly in surprise and said nothing.

An eerie silence filled the treehouse.

Nagu felt sweat trickling down her neck from her cheek before she hesitantly spoke, “S-sorry, I accidentally… no, I saw it without permission.”

“Oh.”

“…Is it something that others shouldn’t see? Is that why you cover the scales with your hair and clothes?”

“No.”

What should she do? Hamoyin’s already stiff tone seemed to become even stiffer! Nagu felt like crying, unsure how to ease the tension. She had thought she had finally gotten a bit closer to Hamoyin…

Of course, that was just her one-sided perception.

“I’m sorry.” Nagu apologized sincerely. “I didn’t mean to. If it’s something you don’t want others to know, I can forget it. I can pretend I never saw it! Really.”

Hamoyin, who was cutting meat by the fire pit, finally moved. He turned to look at Nagu sitting on the bed, her eyes pitifully fixed on him. “It’s not something I don’t want others to know. I just want to cover it.”

“Just want to cover it?” Nagu, clueless, tilted her head. “Is it because it feels unsafe to have it exposed?”

“No.”

“So, it’s okay if I see it?”

“Yes.”

Nagu breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she hadn’t committed a beheading-worthy crime. She had thought Hamoyin hid the scales to prevent others from discovering he wasn’t human.

“Actually… Hamoyin, I want to ask you something. You know I don’t remember anything now.” Nagu carefully chose her words. “It’s about… what they say… um…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say the word “monster” in front of Hamoyin and awkwardly searched for a substitute.

“Monster,” Hamoyin said it for her. “If you’re asking if I’m the monster they talk about, yes.”

“I’m not human.”

“And you don’t need to worry about me attacking you. If I wanted to, you wouldn’t be alive now.”

“I’m not worried!” Nagu, seeing that Hamoyin was clearly sensitive about his identity, hurriedly said, “I’ve never worried. I always thought you were very kind to me. I’m really grateful for your care during this time, truly!”

“You only say that because you don’t remember the past.” Hamoyin poked the firewood in the fire pit with a stone, his tone flat. “When you remember, you won’t think I’m kind anymore.”

“But you saved me and took care of me while I healed. Even if I remember things about monsters, I won’t think you’re a bad person. You’re different from them.”

“Oh.”

So, here’s the question. What does Hamoyin’s “oh” mean in this context? Is he unhappy or indifferent? It’s so hard to understand him. As Nagu struggled to guess Hamoyin’s thoughts, he spoke again.

“Some monsters can communicate, like me, while others can hardly communicate and usually act on instinct.”

“Humans are slower and prefer to live in fixed communities, making them the favorite targets of monsters. Additionally, mating with human women can produce… more viable offspring.” Hamoyin paused. “That’s why you and those women were captured and why people hate monsters.”

Nagu wasn’t surprised by Hamoyin’s explanation. She was just relieved that he wasn’t upset; otherwise, he wouldn’t have told her about monsters. “But you haven’t done those things. Why do they call you a monster?”

“How do you know I haven’t?”

“…Because you’re kind to me.”

Hamoyin turned to look at Nagu, his pure golden eyes reflecting the warm firelight but showing no warmth. “Have you ever wondered why I’m kind to you?”

“…”

“Have you ever thought that it’s because you’re injured, and that’s why I haven’t done anything?”

“…”

“You don’t seem to think about anything. If you met someone else, you wouldn’t know how many times you’d have to die.” Seeing Nagu’s pale face, Hamoyin looked away. “Don’t chat with me just to make conversation, and don’t plan on staying here. Once you’re healed, leave Azuran’s forest quickly. Head south to the Sea People’s territory. They welcome women and will surely treat you well, providing good shelter and protection. Staying here with me isn’t safe.”

So, he knew what I was thinking all along. Nagu felt a mix of shock and shame at having her plans exposed. “I-I understand. I’ll leave once I’m healed.”

“Good.”

“I won’t plan on staying here, but can’t I talk to you sometimes?”

This woman is really strange.

Hamoyin sighed slightly, his shoulders slumping a bit in resignation. “Do as you like.”

“What did you mean by the Sea People? Are they people who live by the sea? Are there no monsters there?” Nagu immediately started asking questions, feeling relieved.

“The Sea People don’t have ritual practices, but they are protected by the Sea God, so there are almost no monsters there.”

Hamoyin spoke as if the concept of ‘gods’ was real. Nagu nodded, somewhat understanding. “Will they really accept me?”

“Just say your original tribe was attacked and you fled. The Sea People value women who can bear many children, so your status will rise.”

So, it’s like that… Nagu’s expression stiffened. She knew that as someone who couldn’t do much, she had no right to be picky about survival methods in such a place.

But, but…

There must be a better way. She decided to think it over while she healed.