Life didn't get easier, even in another world-Chương 412: Live for a little bit longer

There once stood one single house in the middle of the plain and nothing else in the area except for a temple and a few small, abandoned farms. However now, there were several tiny and large houses centered around the first house, creating an environment suitable for multiple people to live in.

"Master, I brought you your food- Gasp!" A little kid who'd entered the room without even knocking held her breath first before stomping inside. She threw the tray of food on the table as she walked to the man who was sitting behind a desk.

"What are you doing? Haven't we told you to rest up? Put that book aside and go to bed!"

"Ah, Sarah, hi!" The young man shifted his gaze to the little girl and gave her a smile as a greeting. The girl's brows twitched upon seeing the weak yet sincere smile, her rage flaring up once again.

"Go back to your bed right now!"

"Hey, calm down."

"I won't calm down! Why aren't you listening? Can you get up? Do you need my help?"

The young man put down his pen as he let out a helpless sigh. As he lifted his head up from the book, his hazel eyes twinkled under the light of the candle, seeming like two little golden stars, two stars that were close to losing their glow.

"I really am fine, Sarah, so please stop worrying. I'll go to sleep as soon as I'm done with this, alright?"

"....."

The little girl stood in front of Reynold's desk for a while, glaring daggers at him the whole time. After finding her efforts fruitless, she let out a heated breath and turned around, stumping out of the room as furiously as a ten-year-old child could ever be.

BANG

She didn't forget to slam the door as hard as she could.

"Hah!"

Reynold watched the scene in a daze before going back to his studies. He couldn't help but think back to the time he first met the child at the slums while he was wandering around, and decided to pick her up and take her with him, like the many other children who traveled with him.

Now they all resided in the small village built on this plain. It was a lively place during the day and warm, during the night. There were other people living in the village as well, most of whom were Reynold's friends, or some people who took an interest in him and his studies and followed him around. A few even traveled here from faraway cities, asking to be taken in as a disciple, and ended up staying in the village. The village was gradually formed like that.

Everyone had a job here. Some would farm, some look after the livestock, and some take care of the cooking. The children of every age would gather around Reynold in the morning to study and learn different subjects from him. He would gladly teach them and whoever else requested to be taken in as a disciple. This was the job he chose after wandering around for a long while. Children were the most adorable and teaching them new things was the most enjoyable. He loved this career more than anything else.

However, some problems happened after a while. The teacher, the one who founded this village near the temple, the person whom everyone was gathered here for, couldn't keep up with his classes anymore. His frail body was like a swaying leave in the wind, unable to hold up and near to crumble. They had no choice but to postpone their studies until he got better.

Arthur once joked with him, asking why he didn't establish an orphanage instead of being a teacher if he liked to help those children. Reynold thought about that joke a lot. Actually, he loved it a lot. If he had the money, he would definitely establish a few orphanages.

Money wasn't a problem, he could earn plenty by teaching people. What he lacked was time. If he had the chance, he would gladly build houses and let those homeless and orphan children experience safety and warmth. He dreamt of that future a lot, often when he was bedridden and unable to do anything else. If he could live a little bit longer, if he was slightly healthier, he could build up a home for many.

Tat tat tat

Several repeated taps to his window snapped him out of his daze, forcing his mind, which was wandering in a dream world and thinking of his wishes for the future, back to reality.

"It's raining..."

The droplets hitting the glass window created quite a harmonious melody.

"Is it because of the rain, or is there a problem with the candle?" Reynold tilted his head to one side, "It's hard to see the contents of the book..."

The pages were somewhat blurry. The young man robbed his eyes and leaned closer, attempting to read the pages. After a few minutes of struggling, he had no choice but to accept the truth.

'My eyesight has gotten worse...'

He rubbed his eyes, exhausted, yet he didn't give up on the book. Just as he leaned even closer, a gasp left his lips and his back bent. "Cough cough!"

Pain struck his body akin to a thunderbolt and he shuddered. Crimson droplets scattered across the pages of the book, dyeing it red.

"Argh, cough cough cough!"

His skinny body trembled uncontrollably and his breaths went short. His already blurry sight turned dim as his insides burnt and tore apart.

"Urgh, damn-"

This was happening again, sooner than he expected it. His body felt worse than ever. It ached all over. Pushing himself to the limits, Reynold barely got up from his seat, his body leaning on the desk, and staggered to the other side of the room, to where the painkiller medical herbs were placed. Yet before even taking two steps, his fuzzy mind took over him and he fell down to the ground, weak and exhausted.

Caught in a coughing fit, Reynold continued to throw up blood and groan in pain. It was unbearable. He wanted to cry but didn't have the energy for it. His back bent and his posture crumbled under the intense struggle happening inside his soul that was tearing apart his physics. He thought he was close to throwing up his inner organs. His heart beat so fearously that it threatened to jump out of his chest and his lungs were close to coming up out of his throat. His whole was burning up.

'Ah...' Realization dawned on him in that instant like another bolt of lightning. 'I guess I don't have much time left.'

Maybe less than he imagined.

His body was at its limit. He has been living in this state for a long time, pushing himself to the edge and forcing his exhausted self to move on, yet, it seemed that he couldn't keep going anymore. Not for long. Maybe one more week, or barely a day. Reynold could sense it with each passing second, with each word he failed to see or every time he threw up blood, the times he'd faint, and by the looks the others gave him. He could tell that he was at the end of the path.

'But... I can't leave without seeing him for the last time...'

He'd waited, he'd survived for so long with only one thought in his mind; he wanted to see that man again. It was painful, it was hard. He thought of giving up long ago and surrendering to the illness. Dying would be a lot easier. He would've gone through less pain, at least. Yet, he didn't give up, not until now.

"Cough cough cough."

His vision was getting darker and his body kept losing strength. He tilted to one side, helpless and powerless, his mind getting dragged into a dark space.

'...A little bit...'

He wanted to wait for that man for a little bit longer.

"Hey... old!... Reynold!"

A loud shout shattered the black landscape, dragging his consciousness back to reality. Upon coming to his senses, he noticed the person kneeling down in front of him without any regard to the bloody floor and grabbing Reynold's arms, shaking him back and fro.

"Reynold! Reynold! Hey, look at me! Can you hear me? Look! Please! Reynold?"

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The blonde-haired blue-eyed youth pulled Reynold's limp body up, leaning his back against his knee and tapping his cheeks. The liquid blocking Reynold's breath found its way out due to the movement, and the young man shivered, throwing up blood and gasping for air.

'Arthur...? When did he...'

"My god, Reynold!" The young man smoothed Reynold's posture, careful not to hurt his feeble friend by using too much force. "It's alright. You are gonna be alright! Deep breathes, Reynold, breathe, please!"

"Cough, gasp..."

"Ah, what should I do, what should I do..."

The swordsman's hands were shaking even more than the sick scholar's. Even with his blurry sight, Reynold could see Arthur's blue, teary eyes.

"Didn't we tell you to rest? Why don't you ever listen? You're so fucking frustrating! So stupid!"

'Huh... Did Sara... call him...'

"Cough, a-at this point, cough, what g-good can, gasp, can resting-"

"Hey, shut up!"

It became even harder to breathe after wasting his energy on conversing, so Reynold did as he was told, shutting his mouth, resting his head on his friend's chest, and doing his best to resist his sleepiness, take breaths, and endure the pain. He wouldn't die today. No. Even if it was just one more day, he wanted to live on.

"This room is so cold and damp, why the hell do you keep staying here with this body? Huh? You have no brain! They call you a genius? You are so fake! Cheater! Ah, your body is freezing as well! Hey, are you cold? What should I do? Hey, Reynold? Hey? Hey???"

Arthur blabbered on without rest while holding his friend tight in his embrace. It has become a habit of his over time to talk about random stuff whenever something happens to Reynold. It was as if he was trying to divert the sickly scholar's attention from his pain or prevent him from closing his eyes and fainting. He sucked so much when it came to aiding the sick.

"Reynold? Say something. Oy??"

"Mmm..."

"Ah, you are still conscious. No, wait, this place isn't suitable for you, let's go somewhere else. Okay? Hmm? Say something. Reynold? Reynold? You hearing me?"

"...Mmnn."

Upon hearing the response, Arthur took off his coat and covered his friend's freezing body before lifting his body up as carefully as he could. He didn't forget to fully cover Reynold's head and body before stepping out in the rainy weather.

"Reynold. Reynold? Hmm? Reynold?"

"Mmnn."

"Oh."

While they walked, all the children poked their heads out of the windows, following the blonde swordsman's footsteps with worried gazes. They whispered among the others and nervously prayed for the well-being of their dear master. To those who were given a new life, there was nothing more important than that man in the world.

"My house is warm, so you'll be comfortable. Don't worry about it. I won't let you move around this time. I'm serious. I'll lock you inside the room, no, to the bed. You won't get away. Don't panic, though. I'll let you read books from time to time. What do you think? Hmm? Reynold? Reynold???"

No response.

"Reynold? You listening? Hey? Say something. Hey?"

Again, no response.

"Damn!"

He kicked open the door of the house and rushed inside, carefully placing the silent body down on the bed. His eyes were closed tight.

"...He's still breathing."

Breathing, faint and short, but still breathing.

. . . . . . . . .

It took him a long time to understand where and who he was once he opened his eyes. He didn't know how long he was unconscious, but it mustn't have been long. Reynold stared at the ceiling blankly, not having the energy to lift a single finger. His body felt worse than ever, screaming with every breath he took.

'Uh...?'

But what was this restless sensation he was feeling? It was strange, yet familiar. Furious yet warm. What was this?

Reynold had to find out. He needed to find out. He repeated that in his mind and forced his limbs to move. This was familiar. He was sure of it. He'd dreamt and thought of a similar situation a lot, but none were as realistic as this. The presence was clear. Reynold dragged his body out of the bed. This was a spark of hope, a last ray of light that he wanted to gasp no matter what.

The tiny window was big enough for him to pass through. He limped forward, staggering and falling down from time to time. It was night, but the ground was dry. It seemed that a few days had passed since his last collapse.

"Argh, cough."

He could feel it better the closer he got. High up the hill. There was something at the peak, inside the temple. It didn't matter how; he had to climb up even if it meant he needed to crawl.

Reynold didn't know how much it took, but he finally got there. He got there after falling down countless times and coughing until he was breathless. His clothes were dirty and wet with blood, but it didn't matter at all. He was at the temple, at the peak. Even if he collapsed dead here, he wouldn't mind.

It was because in his dim eyesight, with the help of the moonlight, he could make out a person. A man, a man with long, crimson hair.

"...Mister."

It took him all his courage and remaining energy to mutter that single word.

"..."

The red-haired man froze on his spot before hurriedly turning around. His eyes narrowed slightly, his face filled with question.

"...Who?"