The Servant in the Horror Game is Suspicious Chapter 55

The next morning, Jade, Ian, and Buster headed out to grab another round of the skewers they’d had yesterday.

Buster made his appeal by splaying out his stubby fingers, insisting he needed two for himself. It was a marvel how such a small body could hold so much food.

Being the North, there was predictably no seafood to be found. They decided to make a final purchase of parsnips—often called “sugar carrots” here—and stop by the general store one last time before heading back to the villa.

“Huh?”

As they headed toward the inn with a sack of carrots slung over his shoulder, Jade noticed a crowd gathered up ahead. Wherever people swarmed, there was bound to be either good merchandise or delicious food. Jade peeked through the gaps between the people.

“There are so many people over there.”

However, the crowd wasn’t entering a shop or standing in a line. They were all moving together toward the edge of town. Despite the market not being over yet, they were walking briskly toward a specific destination.

“That road leads out of the village. I wonder where everyone is going.”

“Maybe they’re going to the temple?” Ian suggested.

The temple. It was a place Jade hadn’t even considered. It was a setting that had never appeared in the game, and above all, a “temple” didn’t seem to fit the vibe of a horror game at all. When you think of a temple, doesn’t it usually feel holy and untouchable?

“Is there a temple nearby?”

“The Great Temple is in the center of the Empire, but there’s a small provincial temple in both the North and the South.”

Since the territory of the Vilhelm Empire was so vast, provincial temples had been built at the northern and southern fringes. They were constructed to signify that the gods watched over even the regions furthest from the capital.

A provincial temple wasn’t significantly different from the Great Temple. They were run by priests dispatched from the center and were subject to the Great Temple’s authority.

“Oh, a temple…”

Jade scratched his head. He wasn’t religious, but he was always well-disposed toward religious spaces. Temples, churches, cathedrals—weren’t they all places that made the heart feel at peace?

“Can anyone enter the temple?”

Jade’s hazel eyes sparkled. A temple—why hadn’t he thought of that until now?

From the moment he left the villa, Jade would effectively be a fugitive. There was no way the Linwood family would leave him alone after he’d simply pocketed their money and vanished.

Moreover, after Jade left, the family would discover the true state of the villa. They would see how much it had changed from when Jade first fell into this world. They would realize that the dilapidated villa they had sent Ian to die in had been meticulously cared for by Jade.

Truthfully, he felt anxious no matter where he thought of going. The Linwood family’s influence stretched across every corner of the Empire. How well could Jade, who wasn’t well-versed in the world’s culture or geography, really run away?

But what if he went to a temple? No matter how powerful a Duke’s family was, they wouldn’t dare cause a scene at a temple. It might not be a bad idea to seek sanctuary in religion.

“Any citizen of the Empire can visit.”

“I suppose some people even entrust their lives to the temple?”

“Seeking sanctuary is only possible if you have divine power or a noble family name.”

Well, there goes that plan. Jade’s rosy dream of the future shattered instantly.

There was no way Jade had any grand abilities like divine power. Nor was he of noble birth. Jade grumbled as he crunched on a piece of sugar carrot.

“Isn’t that total discrimination?”

“Everyone believes the temple must remain untainted. That’s why they only accept those with a verified status.”

“That is exactly what discrimination is.”

In a class-based society, this was just the way things were, but in Korea, such an idea would have been met with a metaphorical iron hammer. Shouldn’t religion be the one place open to everyone?

“Maybe it’s to prevent criminals from swarming the place?”

“Oh, that could be it. I didn’t even think of that. You’re smart, Ian. I think you’re officially done with fairy tales.”

Jade clapped his hands and gave a thumbs-up. He had bought a few fairy tale books out of worry for Ian being left alone, but once Jade was gone, there would be no one to read them to him. That had been weighing on his mind, so seeing Ian act so maturely gave him a sense of relief.

“…Let’s just go. We’re going to be late.”

However, Ian didn’t seem to care for Jade’s praise. He lowered his gaze with a somewhat cold expression, urging them to leave. Assuming Ian was just sad to be heading back, Jade turned toward their lodging.

“Right, let’s do that.”

They had so much packed luggage that Jade had to trek between the room and the ground floor three times. Once he had gathered everything in the lobby, they waited for the carriage he had requested from the innkeeper. Money really did make life easier. It had taken a whole day to walk to the village, but the return trip would be comfortable.

“Get in, Ian.”

“…”

Jade, who had climbed in first, reached out his hand toward Ian. After a moment of hesitation, Ian took only the tips of Jade’s fingers and climbed up. He muttered a complaint about being able to get in by himself, but he didn’t look like he hated the gesture.

“Traveling by carriage is just so convenient.”

“Meow!”

Looking at it from the outside—a small wooden carriage—Jade had wondered if it would even run well, but once inside, it was surprisingly spacious. There was even a bit of room left after loading all the luggage.

Buster, who had been trapped in the backpack the whole time, hopped out and stretched. He pulled his wings this way and that as if they felt stiff.

Clatter, clatter. The carriage swayed and slowly pulled out of the village. It crossed the uphill climb Jade and Ian had walked yesterday with ease and sped along the dirt road. The carriage rocked from side to side.

Jade leaned against the window to watch the scenery. Ian, watching Jade, began to admire the view outside as well. Buster, sitting on Jade’s lap, clung to the window frame.

Dry fields stretched out endlessly, and the distant mountain range was still capped with snow. It looked as if that snow would never melt, not even year-round. It wasn’t a landscape brimming with green life, but it was vast and magnificent.

“Ian, your hair looks just like cotton candy.”

The chilly spring breeze coming through the window blew Ian’s blonde hair about. His hair really was beautiful. When it fluttered like that, he looked almost like a newborn puppy.

“What’s cotton candy?”

“Ah.”

It seemed cotton candy didn’t exist in this world. It was a shame he couldn’t show it to him. Besides his hair, Ian’s whole person reminded him of cotton candy—especially his small, soft appearance.

“It’s a treat made of sugar. It looks like a cloud of wool.”

Jade explained enthusiastically with hand gestures. He didn’t forget to add that you eat it off a stick. Ian, who had been quietly watching his movements, spoke up.

“…Will you make that for me later, too?”

“That…”

Jade’s hands stopped mid-air. Normally, he would have boasted that he’d make it next time, but he couldn’t do that anymore.

Next time? How many “next times” were actually left between him and Ian? A week at most.

“Haha, I can’t make that. You need a special machine for it.”

“…”

“I’ll make you a cake instead. I’ll make it absolutely perfect for you.”

While he distracted him with the promise of cake, the carriage entered a flat stretch of road. The rattling of the wheels became rhythmic. Jade’s eyelids grew heavy, blinking slower and slower.

“Are you sleepy?”

“Huh? Oh, no. Yawn. I wasn’t nodding off.”

“Sleep if you’re tired,” Ian suggested softly.

Was it the peaceful scenery, the rhythmic swaying, or the cozy tone of Ian’s voice? Suddenly, sleep came crashing down on him like rain.

“Then… I’ll just sleep for a tiny bit…”

Finally surrendering to sleep, Jade leaned his head against the carriage window and closed his eyes. All the accumulated fatigue hit him at once.

“…”

“Meow…”

“Leave him alone. Don’t touch.”

“Meow…”

Buster, who had tried to climb onto Jade’s lap, was intercepted by Ian. He began to scratch irritably at the wooden wall of the carriage with his front paws.

Someday, I’ll scratch that arrogant human’s face with these sharp claws. As Buster made that vow, his body was suddenly lifted into the air.

“Meow?”

“Don’t be noisy.”

“Meow…”

Ian had picked Buster up by the scruff of his neck. Ignoring the creature’s squirming, he whispered for him to be quiet. Unlike when he spoke to Jade, his voice was low and chilling. Buster folded his ears flat with his paws.

“Meow?”

“…”

Ian tossed Buster into the seat he had just occupied and sat down in the spot next to Jade where Buster had been. Every time the carriage jolted, Jade’s head would bounce off the window and back again. Suddenly, his torso tilted forward.

“…!”

Instinctively, Ian reached out and caught the swaying body. Thanks to him, Jade didn’t tumble forward.

It would be better if he could lean on something more comfortable. But Ian’s shoulders were too low. Compared to Jade’s frame, his own body was slight. He wasn’t sturdy enough to support a grown man.

“…”

After a moment of thought, Ian eased Jade’s body back against the window frame. Jade’s head moved in time with the carriage’s rhythm. For some reason, Ian looked down at his own hands with a bitter feeling. His hands were too small. And because he was short, his legs didn’t even reach the carriage floor.

“Sigh…”

Inside the speeding carriage, Ian let out a deep sigh. Today, of all days, he hated being so young.