I'm the Only Totem in Another World - Chapter 202

Chapter 202: Epilogue （2）

“…Uh, Hanna. Long time no see.”

I said after swallowing a big bite of my sandwich. I hope the filling doesn’t splatter out while I’m talking.

“Sorry I couldn’t visit you at the hospital. Dina said there might be some demons left, so she asked me to help with the subjugation…”

“I know. You told me in the message.”

“R, Right. I did?”

“Yeah.”

“…”

Hanna just blinked, seemingly unable to think of what to say next.

“…”

It was the same for me. It’s a bit funny, but things have become a bit awkward between Hanna and me.

Maybe it’s because we started as online friends?

You know how it is. You can type all sorts of nonsense when you’re chatting, but you feel awkward when you actually meet face to face. That’s exactly how it felt.

“Paladin, if you have nothing else to do, move aside. You’re blocking Sanz-nim’s way.”

Of course, the fact that Rake was always by my side whenever we met played a part. Rake insisted on being my 24-hour bodyguard, saying that I was in danger now that I was in a normal human body.

It wasn’t something I forced on her. I agreed with her. Since I could die even from a normal person’s stab wound, I agreed to stay with Rake, my reliable guardian.

The problem was that this meant Rake was always present whenever I ran into Hanna. They had a bad relationship, starting as kidnapper and hostage （or sacrifice）.

Every time they saw each other, they glared at each other with such intensity that even I felt intimidated. I wish they would just fight or argue so I could at least try to intervene, but they just stared at each other, leaving me with no way to mediate.

“…Tsk.”

Hanna seemed like she wanted to say something, but after looking at my face, she lowered her head and walked past.

“Please take your time.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Rake snorted as she watched Hanna leave and handed me a water bottle.

“Phew.”

As I gulped down the water, Rake, who was staring at me intently, spoke.

“That Paladin seems to have feelings for Sanz-nim.”

“What? No, I don’t think so.”

Oh man, I almost spat out my water. What is she talking about all of a sudden?

Rake, are you a hardcore shipper （someone who constantly tries to pair people up romantically）?

“Her eyes looked at you with affection.”

Wow, she’s an expert in reading minds. She’s like Gung Ye （a historical figure known for his ability to read minds）.

“I, I told you about the community, right? We’re friends from there. She’s probably just feeling guilty about not being able to visit me at the hospital.”

“What do you think, Sanz-nim? Do you like that woman?”

“…”

Do I like Hanna? Honestly, I don’t know. Of course, I enjoyed exchanging private messages with her. When I was a totem with limited mobility due to my lack of limbs, there was nothing more fun than that.

But like her? That’s a different issue. I never felt any butterflies or anything.

I’m a bit picky, or rather, cautious when it comes to relationships. Some might say I’m just naturally bad at dating, but that’s absolutely not true.

A lover is someone you get to know over time, you see if your hobbies and sense of humor match, you agonize over whether your feelings are fleeting, and through that process, you gain the conviction that ‘I can spend the rest of my life with this person,’ and then you start dating.

…Well, maybe I shouldn’t be saying this, considering I ended up dating my ex-girlfriend because I was weak to her tears.

I’m a man who’s weak to a woman’s tears, you see?

I was about to honestly answer that I didn’t know when…

“She has a bad personality, and her breasts are small. She wouldn’t be able to raise a child well and healthy.”

“Pfft.”

I burst out laughing. What kind of logic is that, something a hanbok-wearing grandpa would say?

It really hit me that Rake isn’t a modern person from the 21st century but a native of a fantasy world.

Come to think of it, Dodo’s bizarre way of thinking, judging good and bad girls by their breast size, might actually be normal in this world.

“S, Sanz-nim?”

Rake’s eyes wavered in surprise at my laughter.

“You sounded a bit like Dodo just now.”

“…!”

The corners of Rake’s tightly closed lips rose sharply.

She’s sulking. She’s so cute when she’s pouting like a little kid.

“I guess you’ve had a light meal. How about a light walk for rehabilitation?”

“…Alright.”

She’s sulking, but she still answers me. She’s a good kid.

I headed to Training Ground No. 2 with Rake. Unlike the original training ground, which was only for warriors, this one was open to ordinary people as well. It had a separate running track, which I planned to use.

[Not a Netkama: .]

[Not a Netkama: .]

[Not a Netkama: .]

[?]

[Not a Netkama: She still with you?]

[Who? Rake?]

[Not a Netkama: Yeah]

[You guys always together.]

[Not a Netkama: Wasn’t she Malak’s clingy follower?]

[Not a Netkama: She used to brag so much about being his guardian, why is she your clingy follower now?]

[Hey, clingy follower is a bit harsh. She volunteered because she’s worried about me.]

[Not a Netkama: Worried?]

[Not a Netkama: Did something happen between you two?]

[What are you talking about?]

[Are you a forced shipper too?]

[Not a Netkama: What’s a shipper, you weeb?]

[She’s just being my bodyguard because I’m weak now. No weird thoughts. ㄴㄴ]

[Not a Netkama: I can be your bodyguard.]

[I am Malak-nim’s messenger.]

[I do not accept the protection of a Paladin.]

[Not a Netkama: Ah]

[Not a Netkama: Okay]

[Not a Netkama: Sure~]

I didn’t forget to reply to Hanna’s private message.

“Hahaha! Isn’t that Messenger Sanz-nim! I thought you were still in the infirmary!”

Kanto, the strongest alpha male in this world, the muscle-bound Great Chieftain, greeted me in front of the training ground.

He’s a scary guy with a huge axe （it hurts） that he lifts effortlessly and a killer smile.

“What brings you here? An order from Malak-nim?”

Why are you at Training Ground No. 2 instead of No. 1? People are going to run away because you’re so intimidating.

“It’s nothing special. I just thought I’d stretch my legs to celebrate being discharged from the hospital.”

I spoke with as much dignity as I could. I’m trying to act as dignified as possible in front of the barbarians and the civilized people, even if Rake and the possessed know the whole story.

“Oh, exercise! That’s great! This Great Chieftain, no, the Berserker Kanto chosen by Malak-nim will personally train━!”

No, you crazy bastard. Can’t you see I’m in a cast?

Even if I wasn’t, exercise with Kanto? I can only imagine my body, which couldn’t even handle harsh training, turning to dust.

It wouldn’t be Sanz’s fun exercise time, but Kanto’s happy origami time.

“Rake?”

I asked my reliable guardian for help.

“Move aside. While I’m still asking nicely.”

“…Let’s do it together next time!”

Kanto backed down at a single word from Rake, who was in a bad mood after being compared to the milk jug youth.

It’s not that Kanto is a coward, but he got badly beaten by Rake during a spar a few days ago. He bragged about how much stronger he’d gotten and challenged Rake. He came back completely wrecked.

How do I know? Well… because Kanto was in the room next to me in the infirmary.

Unlike me, who only had a bandage on my right arm, he was carried in with his whole body wrapped in bandages. I thought he was a mummy.

That bastard Kanto. He’s got no fear. In a world where the super strong like Jin Malak, the Seven-Headed Dragon Demon, the Evil God, and Dark Cloud Karon are gone, he dared to challenge Rake, who stands firmly as the strongest.

He’s not a berserker, he’s just a rabid dog.

“Oh.”

There were quite a lot of people on the running track. I could even see groups of children leisurely strolling and chatting.

It’s almost like a university track field.

“It’s noisy. Should I chase them all away?”

“Don’t. Please.”

I was walking slowly with Rake, exercising, when…

“Messenger-nim! Sanz-nim!”

A Paladin came running towards me urgently. It was Noah, now a grown woman.

“What’s wrong?”

“Tt, Tteunteuni is…!”

Noah was breathing heavily, as if she had run all the way here.

“Breathe and tell me.”

“Tteunteuni is acting strange!”

“What?”

▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄

I moved as quickly as I could when I heard that something was wrong with Tteunteuni.

“Messenger-nim!”

Paya, pale as a sheet, was holding the head of a monstrous pigeon the size of a house.

Coo…!

Tteunteuni, who had been growing bigger by the day, had finally become a giant monster and collapsed on the ground.

“What happened?”

“Tteunteuni, Tteunteuni is…!”

I calmed down the panicking Paya and listened to her story.

Tteunteuni had been groaning since last night, and this morning he collapsed and couldn’t get up.

“Tteunteuni’s spiritual power is going out of control! But I don’t know why…!”

“I will ask Malak-nim for help.”

I signaled to Rake. Rake lifted Totem No. 3 from her waist.

The current Malak is resting to recover his divine power, which was depleted from killing the Evil God and enduring Karon’s final attack.

I told everyone that only I, Sanz, could communicate with Malak for the time being, so they should call me if they needed Malak.

I quickly transferred my consciousness to the totem. Rake carefully supported my body.

━ Priestess Paya, I have arrived. Do not worry.

“Malak-nim!”

I checked Tteunteuni with the totem’s, or rather, the divine being’s vision.

A powerful energy was writhing within Tteunteuni’s spiritual body.

This energy… what?

Rake, who was examining Tteunteuni with me, frowned.

“Could it be… a Loa?”