Chapter XXXVI - A Nerd (part 2)

After parting with the team, I went to a diner to grab dinner. After ordering it on the go, I went back to my inn.

After arrival, I began to read some of the books I borrowed for a while before finally getting sleepy. 

How long have I been reading? An hour?

Right. I haven't eaten anything yet. I decided to close the book and opened my meal, and I started chewing while reading the book.

After eating, I felt quite lightheaded, so I decided to clean up and went to bed again. It is already evening, so I thought I could just have a good night's sleep after eating.

However, the time finally came.

CRACK!!!!

When a teapot is filled with water, the pressure given to the pot increases the more water there is.

CRACK!!!

CRAKKK!!!!

If such a teapot were to be damaged until a crack formed, it should not be filled with water.

BRUKK!!!

"W-What's happening--" 

Because if a damaged dam gets filled with an abundance of water...

SHRESSSHHH!!!!!!!

"Guhkkk---"

The crack will get bigger, and larger,

SREEKKKK!!!!!

"A-AAAhhkkk!!!!---"

And all the water will flow out.

... 

Something's wrong with my magic energy, I can feel it.

I tried to focus the circulation through my entire bloodstream, checking if there's anything stuck. But I didn't find anything. My energy circulation is fine, and I'm not lacking energy at all. Nothing was stuck or anything, so then why?

DUG!!!!!!

"Kuhhh--- Fuck!!!"

There it is again. It's twice as painful than before, and I can feel myself losing my mind.

I can feel my sweat flowing down badly from my head as I gasped for air. My consciousness is fading rapidly, and I can tell what is happening is done internally inside my body.

What is it...? Why am I like this?

Thankfully for me, I am still wearing my casual outdoor outfit. I won't have to change clothes, and I can just go outside right away.

So, without further ado, I hurriedly ran outside to try and find help.

But... where can I even go? Who will be able to help me?

One name came to mind. And if I'm not wrong, her shift should be right now.

KRESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Tsk..."

I cannot... I have to hurry.

It's so painful. I'm losing consciousness by the second.

I have to... make it in time.

"KLANE!!!!!"

By the time I arrived at the Office, I already had three painful strikes on my body, with each strikes being twice more powerful than the previous one. 

I entered the Office with my eyes trying to stay awake and my whole body sweating hard. I walked like a zombie towards the receptionist desk, where I could see Klane writing some stuff on the paper.

Thankfully, there isn't anyone in front of the desk. Klane is not busy by any means, and she hurriedly ran out of the receptionist room after seeing me.

"Rize!?"

Klane quickly started running after she realized my condition, and I decided that now is the time I can let go.

My body limply fell to the side, and my vision grew darker rapidly.

"Klane... I'm sorry."

I can hear her shouting my name as I slowly run out of consciousness. And by the time she arrived next to me, I was already out.

...

Ah... how annoying.

Is this it? Am I dying again?

One month. I have only lived in this world for one month.

I fought... many tough opponents. Dangerous, so dangerous that I could've died at some of those occasions. 

And you're telling me that I'm going to die to some... unknown condition inside my body? What is this, a sickness??

A joke... this is all a joke.

After one month of nothing happening to me, something has finally happened. I always thought that it was quite weird that nothing actually happened to me, remembering how I started this world without any magic after all.

I looked back to all my achievements I have done for this one month. It all started with me defeating a demonic bear in one slash. Then the fight with the goblin king. I fought with a dragon, which was also epic. Even with my fire magic, I still wasn't sure whether or not I could kill a lesser dragon alone. Then there was the fight with Galar.

That was only two days ago. I can still remember Galar's fearsome aura. If I wasn't emitting my own aura, I probably won't be able to breathe. 

Truth is, I was very scared. That moment when I saw him sitting silently while watching us from his seat, my heart was pounding like crazy. But I had to keep it calm if I want to keep Hod and Valey stay conscious. I had to suck up all the pressure that Galar was emitting, else those two would lose hope.

I shouldn't have won. Galar was five times stronger than me. I shouldn't have.

But, I wasn't alone. Hod and Valey was with me. It was thanks to them that the pig god turned his face away from me, that way I could stab him with my sword.

It was all because I kept my calm and give Hod and Valey a hope. Otherwise, we should have died.

I wonder why I am recalling such a memory. The fight was two days ago, so why now am I remembering how the fight went?

Perhaps...

This 'condition'. It has something to do with that battle, doesn't it?

My dream of sorrow and guilt slowly dissipates as I regain consciousness. The first thing I saw was a familiar ceiling I had stayed around a month ago, when I just came to this kingdom.

It's the ceiling of the Office's bedrooms.

I slowly turned my eyes towards the first person on top of my face. It was Klane, and she looked quite happy and sad at the same time.

"Thank goodness!!"

She hugged my weak body as tears rolled down her cheek. And seeing her so sad, I was in disbelief.

Was my condition really... that bad?

I looked to the left where my new teammates were standing. Hod and the others are smiling at the scene right in front of them, but they all also wear a similar saddened expression.

Standing right next to them is Jrake. With his arms folded, he smiled as he nodded at me firmly. Only he looks happy seeing me awake, and I can tell everyone else looks concerned.

"What... happened?"

I tried speaking, but my throat felt burning. I can feel my body is extremely weak, and I noticed that this is nothing normal.

Klane slowly pulled her body, and I can see the tears on her cheeks removed as she wiped her face. Jrake pulled her back and walked closer to me, and I noticed that he might be the only one capable of communication.

"Yo~."

"How are you feeling?"

He slowly lowered his body and kneeled on one leg beside the bed, and his eyes were looking at me carefully.

"Quite... weak. But I can still laugh if you tell a joke."

"Hmm. That's good then."

He looked back to see Hod and the others. He nodded at them and left the room with Klane, leaving just me and the team.

I was quite confused as to why both Klane and Jrake left, but it seems like they trust my teammates. Hod stepped forward and pulled a chair, and he sat right next to me beside the bed.

"What happened to me?"

I asked, and Hod let out a sigh before answering

"Well, according to Klane, you suddenly slammed the Office's door open and shouted at her. After that you fell down on the floor with sweat all over you."

He did a gesture where his finger circled towards the head, as if saying that the sweat was on my head.

"And what's weird is that you are wearing your adventurer's outfit. Why were you wearing that?"

I looked at my current attire. It's my usual adventurer outfit. I did not remember putting this on, and for sure I thought I left the inn wearing the same outfit I wore when I went out with them earlier.

"I... figured that this outfit is the easiest clothes to breathe. It's also very light."

I lied. I genuinely don't remember wearing the adventuring outfit. But, after saying that, I realized that it might be the best thing to wear at the moment.

"Hmm..."

He looked back at the others. They all nodded, and Hod turned his head back at me. His face looked very concerned, and he seemed hesitating to say the next few words he was about to say.

I turned my gaze to him at the others confusingly.

"What is it?"

I tried asking, and Hod finally gathered the courage to tell me.

"Rize... I need you to stay calm and listen to me carefully.

You should consider quitting being an adventurer."