Home/I Saved the Villain and Fell Asleep/ch 14

Chapter 14

"Wow, are you actually worried about me right now?"

When I asked with a grin, Kali's expression changed in an instant.

Hey, you don't have to look that disgusted!

"I told you, I'll be fine! If it looks like I'm going to get hit, I'll just dodge!"

"Damn it, I don't care what happens to you!"

"I won't die! I told you, I won't die! Even if I die, I'll bring myself back to life!"

Kali placed his palm on the pitching machine again. It shuddered briefly before quickly settling down. The magic circle activated, and a pebble began to emerge from the opening.

I gripped the club with both hands and channeled my inner baseball player. The only batter I knew was Lee Dae-ho, and I'd never been a regular at baseball games, but I had quite a bit of experience at batting cages—you know, the ones with the nets where you put in coins and swing the bat.

Back in college, I'd throw in a thousand won and bet with my friends all the time, and I always ranked first or second among them. My dynamic visual acuity and reflexes were really top-notch!

Maybe because I remembered going even alone whenever I was stressed, I somehow felt like I could hit a home run. The stone came flying fast, wrapped in a red glow.

I can hit it. I can hit it. I can hit it!

"Gyaaah!!"

How am I supposed to hit that?!

The stone tapped against a tree trunk and fell. Fortunately, the fire didn't spread anywhere.

"With fire on it, it's really scary!"

If it were a regular baseball, I could have hit it, but a ball wrapped in flames coming at you was no joke in terms of intimidation. But I had no intention of giving up.

I had to make this ugly club work somehow. If I could just learn to use it properly, I wouldn't die so pathetically anywhere.

"What even is that?"

Kali had approached me at some point and was pointing at my club.

"My magic."

"...Magic? That?"

Thanks to Kali's expression, which looked like he was seeing something bizarre, I pouted and hugged the club.

"Don't look at it like that—it'll get its feelings hurt!"

Of course, I also think it's really ugly!

The fact that this looks like a goblin's club is something only I know. There's no such folklore about goblins in this world.

So to him, it probably just looks like a crude, clumsy club.

"So what is it?"

"Can't you tell? It's a club! A goblin club!"

"Goblin? What's a goblin?"

"It's, well... a creature from... ancient mythology somewhere!"

Wait, no. Is it a yokai? A ghost?

"What can you do with it?"

Kali scrutinized the club in my hand. With its ugly color and rough gems embedded in it, it must have looked quite peculiar.

"This thing never breaks! It won't burn, crack, or anything!"

"This?"

"Yeah. It probably won't even flinch at your fire."

"Give it here."

Seeming slightly offended by my words, Kali held out his hand. I snorted as if to say "go ahead" and placed the club in his hand.

My club had already endured all sorts of abuse at Irein's hands. Irein, who had gone off the deep end in new and creative ways, had done all kinds of crazy things to it over time, yet miraculously, the club remained intact without a single scratch.

It's already a proven item!

Kali glared at the club and unleashed flames. The way it flared up and then died down looked like he was trying to control it.

After burning fiercely for a while, the club dropped to the ground. The fire on it went out immediately, but there wasn't a single scorch mark.

There was nothing wrong with the club. If there was a problem, it was with him.

"Kali! You really..."

Kali was shaking his hand to extinguish the flames that had transferred from the club to his skin.

"Pfft!"

I knew I shouldn't laugh, but I kept bursting out.

He'd controlled it so well earlier—why is he doing this again?

Kali frowned and glared at me as I choked back laughter.

"Pfft—huff—hck. O-okay, first, put that out—pfft—put it out..."

I grabbed his other hand, which wasn't on fire, and led him to the lakeshore. When I plunged his burning hand into the water, it sizzled and went out.

"I thought your wrist was going to fall off. You were shaking it so violently."

"Shut up."

Embarrassed, Kali silently scrubbed his hands, then picked up my club from the ground. He seemed fascinated that it looked like a wooden club but had no soot whatsoever.

"How is it? Amazing, right? It won't even get cut by a sword. It's super sturdy."

"It is sturdy. But is that all?"

"Of course not. It's a unique magic, after all. Watch closely! I'll show you something awesome!"

What should I summon? What did I put in the gem pouch?

The water gun... I used it on Sier last time and didn't put it back. I think I shoved all sorts of odds and ends in there when I was testing it. A handkerchief? No, too boring. A quill? That's also meh.

After quietly peering into the pouch, I finally raised the crude-colored goblin club toward the sky.

Let's pull this out and eat it!

"Cookie, come out, tta-dak!"

It wasn't a necessary chant, but it felt right. Immediately, a palm-sized cookie fluttered down from the air.

I caught it in one go, snapped it in half, and stuffed it into my mouth. The crunching sound echoed through the air.

"Here, eat."

"What?"

Kali's face instantly twisted.

He must have been dumbfounded. I'd boasted about showing him something awesome, and all I did was summon a single cookie.

I shoved the cookie into Kali's open mouth, then held the club out in front of him as he chewed with a strange expression.

"For now, I can only put small things in, but later I'll be able to store bigger things."

"What are you going to put in?"

"Mana bombs? Magic shields? Lots of offensive and defensive magical tools!"

"Are you going to war?"

"I need that much to protect myself!"

For now, I can only store small, light things.

My plan is that once I can store heavier items, I'll ask Irein for a bunch of self-defense magical tools and cram them all into the club.

There are only ten slots, so I'll need to choose carefully. If it's an incredibly expensive gem, I might free up one slot...

"The color changed."

Kali poked one of the faded green gems with his finger.

"That's because I summoned the cookie earlier. If I refill it, the color will come back."

"This one has a different color."

Kali examined the club with curiosity. He seemed more interested than I'd expected. Maybe because it didn't burn from his fire.

He'd been downcast because everything he touched caught fire—now here's a club that absolutely won't burn. Of course he'd be curious!

"Hehehe."

"...What."

"This one, you see."

What Kali was curious about were the three golden gems lined up between the green almond-shaped ones.

To be generous, they were gold—but really, they were a dull yellow, rough stones that didn't sparkle or shine.

Honestly, these are the real treasures. A subspace that can store other people's magic! I want to use it. But I don't know how!

Damn it, if I could just figure this out, I'd never have to worry about dying from a magic attack!

"It's a secret!"

"What?"

"I'll tell you when I can use it! But by then, you have to do me one favor too. Deal?"

"Why would I."

"You're curious, aren't you? Don't you want to know? These gems are a different color from the green ones—they must have a different ability, right? Aren't you at least a little curious about the special power of this club that absolutely, absolutely, absolutely won't burn?"

"..."

Kali visibly wavered at the phrase "absolutely won't burn."

"Do what you want."

Yes! One of these golden gems will be yours someday. So grow up fast and share some of that fearsome fire with me!

Czerban Caelius's corrosion and flame magic were unparalleled. Everything he touched crumbled and burned.

I was particularly interested in the flame magic rather than the corrosion. Because its destructive power is completely insane! I'll save it for when my life is in danger, then use Kali's magic and make a run for it. Hehehe.

"Okay, enough explaining—let's practice again!"

"...Why are you even doing this?"

Kali couldn't take his eyes off my club, clearly fascinated by it. He'd barely asked any questions before, but now it was like his mouth had finally opened—he was asking all sorts of things, and it was honestly kind of cute.

When he asks with a face like that...! Of course I have to answer!

"Because I need a way to protect myself?"

Kali looked me up and down, then glanced briefly at the tree behind me—where Aisa was positioned.

"Aren't you a princess?"

He's missing the point in the strangest place.

Back   Next