Salvation Through Delusion C134

Chapter 134

She waited a moment as if expecting me to continue, then lifted a brow in puzzlement.

“What’s the problem with being slow?”

For a split second, a dreadful suspicion crept in — that talking with her might be just as suffocating as dealing with that bear. No, no. At least she could speak normally. Surely she wasn’t that bad.

“Well… if you say so.”

I gave a vague reply and stepped past her to stand before the bear. The divine beast had clearly heard everything, yet it refused to initiate conversation. Once again, I found myself missing that talkative snake tail.

“Black Bear wants confirmation of your existence. Do you have a method?”

Creeeeaaak—

The bear rose even more slowly than yesterday. Here we go again. I watched with weary eyes as its arms lifted at glacial speed. Yesterday, I’d once tried to jump ahead of its answer.

‘You’re saying no, right? Then I get it, let’s talk about—’

It ignored me entirely. It finished spelling everything it intended to say, then answered my interruption. It took even longer.

Today, I would not interfere. I sealed my lips and observed. When it lifted its arms a second time, I already knew the answer would be “ㅇㅇ” — yes.

Of course it was.

Would it kill you to add the method too? But the bear would never volunteer information.

“So there is a way. What is it?”

Creeeeeeaaak—

The bear stood again. My patience was already fraying, but I focused hard — this answer mattered. Its arms slanted downward: ㅅ. Then ㅈㅇ.

What…?

[Based on prior divine beast encounters: “hold hands.”]

“Oh — hold hands?”

Creeeaaak—

DAMN IT! That wasn’t a question!

I screamed internally while the bear dutifully spelled its confirmation before sitting. I wanted to kick myself for speaking too soon. Instead, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply.

“The divine beast says to hold hands. Please give me your hand.”

Black Bear looked down at my hand, face stiff, then slowly extended hers. Her palm was rough with calluses from sword training. As I turned toward the bear, I saw it beginning to rise again.

“Wait!!! I’ll come to you!!! Stay right there!!”

I rushed forward. The bear paused and stared. Why did it look offended? Still, compared to dying of frustration, that was nothing.

“Come on. Hand. Hand.”

I shook my hand insistently. The bear turned its head away like a sulking child and extended a paw.

I grabbed it.

Nothing physical touched me — yet I saw the massive furry paw envelop my hand. There was no sensation.

I wasn’t disappointed. When Borhumi’s beast coiled around my wrist, I hadn’t felt much either. Just warmth.

But the person connected to me reacted differently.

I turned my head — and sure enough.

Black Bear’s eyes widened to the point of tearing, her pupils trembling like candle flames. The shock lasted only a moment before her knees buckled.

“Ugh!”

She clutched her chest. I released the paw immediately.

“Are you okay?!”

“Ha… ha… I’m fi—”

Thud.

She collapsed unconscious.

“What?!”

I caught her and glared at the bear.

“She fainted!!”

The bear slowly stood.

You’re seriously doing body language right now?!

My face twisted, but it calmly spelled:

“ㅇㅇ.”

What a spectacular waste of time.

I swallowed every curse clawing up my throat. If I let one slip, it would respond… and then I’d faint too.

As I moved to carry her inside, the bear stood again. I braced myself — but the word it formed softened my expression.

[“She’s fine.”]

“Really?”

Creeeaaak—

“No, that wasn’t a question! Just an exclamation!”

Too late. It finished its “ㅇㅇ” anyway.

Time passed — long enough for Black Bear to awaken.

“Are you okay?”

She blinked slowly as I helped her up.

“No headache? Anything?”

“….”

“Black Bear?”

She rose unsteadily and turned toward where the bear sat — staring, even though she couldn’t see it.

When she faced me again, her eyes were turbulent with emotion.

“Did you feel—”

“You truly are a savior.”

“No.”

The denial escaped before I could think.

“I mean — no one really knows what a savior is—”

“To me, you are.”

“….”

“The power I felt through your hand… it was unfamiliar, but unmistakable. It was Sarne’s divine beast.”

She looked at her trembling hand.

I waited silently as she steadied herself. Tears began slipping down her cheeks — unnoticed by her — dripping to the ground.

Whatever pain lay behind them was far beyond my guess.

After a long silence, she spoke.

“Forty years ago, Sarne attacked my homeland without warning. Everyone was asleep. Innocents were slaughtered without even knowing why. I…”

Her voice faltered.

“I escaped with the village elder’s help. Since that day, those killers have hunted me. My choices were simple — die, or fight.”

She stared at her shaking hand.

“I chose to grow stronger. And I learned why Sarne was so desperate to kill me.”

A bitter smile curved her lips.

“For generations, Sarne had no one who inherited the divine beast’s power. They theorized it must be beside another bloodline descendant. My grandmother… was Sarne’s hidden illegitimate child.”

She lifted her eyes.

That was all she said — yet her gaze revealed the weight of her life.

And why seeing the divine beast had shaken her.

I glanced behind her.

Sarne’s beast still sat like a doll — eyes fixed on her.

So the divine beast had been lingering beside someone else for generations…

Why had it only watched? Did wielding its power require some ritual?

Then Black Bear suddenly knelt before me.

“Savior.”

“Hey — don’t do that.”

I tried to pull her up, but she pressed her forehead to the ground.

“I will serve you for life. Please… have mercy. Let me use the divine beast’s power. Grant me strength for vengeance.”

…How exactly am I supposed to do that?