SWNOVELXO Chapter 16
**Chapter 16**
“Name.”
“…P-please, spare my life.”
“I do not kill children. Name.”
Does saying they won’t kill children imply that they will definitely kill them once they grow up?
Even while thinking that, I obediently spit out my name.
“…Ain, it’s Ain.”
“Next, address.”
“…”
This guy.
He said he wouldn’t kill me, so why is he asking for my address?
“If you’re a man, you must confidently give your address and work out. Address.”
“…”
To be honest, I didn’t think that telling him my address would translate to being confident, but I didn’t have the courage to say it out loud.
And what kind of gym is trying to gather addresses to prevent people from escaping?
“This is your last chance; give me your address. If not, I will add another weight plate.”
But this isn’t about whether I’m a man or confident.
I realized it was a matter of survival as I felt the weight of the barbell barely supported by my arms.
“37 Etero Street, 29 Deshi…, Aaah! I’m going to die! Seriously, I’m going to die…! Ugh!”
“You won’t die, boy! I will definitely make you into a strong man!”
No.
Even though I’m already providing my address, there’s no way a sane person would add more weight.
“Damn it… Before that, I… Ugh…!”
That’s to say, there’s a crazy person doing this to me right now.
“I will personally guide you so that you can exude intimidation without using such vulgarity! You can do it, boy!!”
“…”
Ah, this crazy muscular bald jerk.
If I die like this, I’ll definitely ask the witch for revenge.
Yansen, who shoved me into this hellhole, and this muscular bald guy who is determined to kill me.
So, the two of them got their names written on my death list.
Should I be glad that I survived somehow?
Or should I say I’m unfortunate not to die?
I wasn’t sure, but for now, I somehow managed to survive and stepped out of the gym.
To be honest, saying I stepped out of the gym feels a bit misleading; it wasn’t by my own strength or will.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, boy! Tomorrow, you’ll become an even stronger man!!”
That was the gym owner, who saw me off while holding me by the collar.
“…”
Moreover, I didn’t respond, feeling annoyed by that fact and just stared at him.
“If you don’t come, I will come find you. It’s my mission as your teacher.”
This crazy guy always spouts some dramatic lines.
And I hate that I can’t shake my head at such nonsense.
“…, I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Good! Be careful on your way home!”
He seemed quite pleased with how he worked me to the bone for three hours on the first day and turned away with a proud look on his face.
So.
I will become strong no matter what.
I will train and work until lifting the barbell filled with weight plates becomes easy.
Honestly, I think that alone won’t be enough, so I will learn swordsmanship or anything else.
I made my resolve again to surely take down that crazy muscular bald bastard.
But.
“No… my legs.”
First of all, I had no sensation in my legs.
No matter what, getting home safely took priority.
Thus, my hectic daily life was barely maintained.
Of course, since my time was already split and divided, after consulting with Uncle Rendo, I did manage to adjust my working hours appropriately.
So now, I decided to leave by the afternoon when the peak time ended, without having to worry about a closing shift. And as a kind and good Uncle, he didn’t reduce my salary.
“Ain, you brat. If you keep pushing yourself like this, you’ll collapse soon. It’s good to work hard for your dreams, but you should know when to rest.”
“Ugh… well, the time is just too tight. But, you know, after some time, huff… I’ll adapt and it will be fine…”
I wanted to say that, but time wasn’t waiting for me at all.
So after saying that, I flopped back down on the counter.
“…, you stubborn brat. If you collapse and can’t come to work, I’ll deduct it from your pay, you little one.”
“You wouldn’t actually do that… you’re just saying that… huff…”
He always pretended to have a nasty temper, but ever since I started working, Uncle Rendo had never been anything less than kind.
First of all, he pays me well.
Moreover, lately, he has also been giving me food or various items each month, telling me to take care of my stray dog.
So as I lay half slumped over at the counter, Uncle Rendo shook his head and said,
“Just clean up that mess and go home, Ain. It’s about time you head to the gym.”
“Ah… um, is the store still busy…?”
“You’re going to go anyway, you brat. Just hurry up and get out of here!”
“Ugh…”
At that, I reluctantly rose, moving slowly while making all sorts of faces, preparing to head to the gym.
Though we agreed to shorten my work hours, I secretly hoped the store would get busier so that I wouldn’t have time to go.
Only a month has passed since I started working out, but it was my earnest wish.
And.
Speaking of which, as I became a child, maybe my head got a bit dull too.
I kept believing that if I held on a bit longer, things would get better over time.
********
Time went by, and my busy life continued.
A mere ten-year-old child’s body inevitably reached its limits.
Moreover, with my body feeling weaker, I felt like a foolish adult running madly.
Like always, I woke up in the morning and attempted to rise, but unlike usual, my body felt heavy and my mind was hazy.
“…, ah.”
I somehow managed to get up, but it was hard to keep my balance as I staggered to open the door.
Even while realizing I was in bad shape, I had no choice but to stand up and step forward.
And I had plenty to do.
I had to work at the grocery store, and I couldn’t skip my workout either.
Plus, today was the day I would meet the witch, which made me struggle to leave the room, leaning against the wall to stay upright.
It hurt and I felt fatigued.
I thought I might faint from dizziness.
As I thought, I lifted my head and saw a familiar sight.
In the kitchen, my mom was always standing, even early in the morning.
I could hear the sizzling sound of something being cooked.
I had teased her for sleeping in until breakfast, but she was always preparing it before I woke up, just a few steps away.
So.
It was for that simple reason.
Even as I thought it was just an ordinary woman’s back.
It was somehow a sight that reminded me of past memories.
It was also a figure that calmed my troubled heart a little.
I couldn’t help but think of her as my mother.
Just by facing such a scene, I slowly leaned towards my emotions, using my haziness as an excuse.
Holding back all kinds of feelings that threatened to bubble over, I kept my mouth shut and merely stared at her back.
“…”
Did my body truly feel younger, making me a child? Just feeling pain made my emotions tangle and swell.
That back, which I usually passed by indifferently, stirred up feelings I had tucked away.
I wanted to ask.
Is that woman who is busy moving around to make breakfast for her son really just a character in a story?
I pondered this.
Those gentle eyes that looked at the me who had been struggling in the past were just a bunch of words, weren’t they?
The questions I had always pushed aside while helping the witch and preparing for a journey were now bubbling up, provoked just by this subtle pain.
Since the moment I came to realize this world was a story, I hadn’t been able to discard even a single moment of doubt.
Now they crawled back up to me, seeking answers without reprieve.
I swallowed those feelings back down, gazing at the figure moving for me.
Still.
One thing was certain: as I watched the woman’s back while swallowing my various doubts, I felt tears starting to form.
How long had I been staring?
As my vision blurred and my legs began to give, I hit the wall with a thud.
My mother, who had been diligently making toast while yawning, turned around at the noise and called out to me.
“Ah… Ain, if you’re awake, you should eat toast before going to work… Ain? Are you crying?”
“…, Mom.”
Seeing the tears flowing down my cheeks, she dropped what she held and rushed over.
That sight, in turn, was strangely reassuring to me.
As I struggled to hold on, my body finally gave out and fell to the ground.
“Uh, huh? Son…! Son, are you okay? Son, open your eyes. No, what do I do…!”
My mother’s frantic voice grew faint as she didn’t know what to do.
The hand lifting me was very gentle.
When I opened my eyes, a bit of time had passed.
“…, insane.”
“Don’t use such strong words; it makes you look weak.”
And as soon as I opened my eyes, I couldn’t help but curse at the sight of that muscular bald man looking down at me.
“Am I still dreaming…?”
“No, this is reality; it’s just that I came to look for you since you didn’t come to the gym until dinner.”
“….”
Crazy bastard.
As I gazed up at him with thoughts of contempt, he nodded once and rose from his seat.
“Since I’ve confirmed you’re awake, I will take my leave, but you should come back to the gym once your body is fine. And this is a hospital visit gift, boy.”
He set a large tub down next to me.
Protein supplement.
“When you’re sick, it’s all about protein. Well then, excuse me, boy.”
“….”
Seriously, this guy is genuinely insane.
As he left my room, my mom entered through the door again.
“Son, are you awake? The, uh, gym owner…? He said he was worried when you didn’t come, so he came by, but he’s not a weird person, right…?”
“…, he’s not a bad person, but he definitely is weird.”
Among everyone I’ve met in this world, he’s the oddest and most eccentric person I believe.
“Oh, and the grocery store owner seemed worried you didn’t come, so he stopped by for a bit before heading back. He also brought ingredients to make the porridge you eat when you’re sick.”
“Uncle is a kind and good person, unlike that earlier guy.”
It was surprising to me that two such different people came to visit.
As I thought this, my mom approached my bed and gently touched my forehead.
“Since you can joke now, you must be feeling better.”
“…, um. I feel much better.”
“Thank goodness… I really was quite worried. You’ve definitely been overdoing it lately, son.”
She looked down at me with somewhat tired eyes.
It made sense since my son, who fainted in the morning, woke up when the sun was setting.
I immediately blurted out an apology.
“I’m sorry…”
“Ain. It’s good that you pursue what you want, but let’s maintain a limit so you don’t collapse. I won’t stop you from doing what you want.”
That was why.
Even while harboring questions, I ended up thinking of them as my parents.
“…Yes, I will.”
“Good, our son is smart. I believe you will do well without me having to tell you everything.”
She genuinely cared for me, and her expression was relieved as she smiled at my answer.
I nodded slightly at that thought.
“Yeah.”
“Then let’s rest well today.”
Saying that, my mom smiled kindly and rose.
“Um… Mom.”
However.
Even while apologizing to my mom, there was something I needed to say.
“Huh? Is there something you need?”
“I… Can I go out for a bit?”
Unlike the two people who had come to the house, there was one person who couldn’t come all the way here.
A gray-haired girl who must have been fidgeting in the alley, waiting for this month to pass.
So I said that, and my mom looked at me for a moment before giving me a slightly bittersweet smile.
“…Should I go with you?”
“Ah, no. I just want to thank Uncle Rendo and will be back quickly.”
While I thought that was a pretty awkward excuse, there wasn’t a proper reason to go out right now, so I just said it.
“…Okay. Son, be careful and come back, understood?”
“Yes. I’ll be back soon.”
With that, I got up from the bed, changed my clothes, and quietly stepped outside.
And.
“Son.”
“Yes?”
When I opened the door in response to that calm voice calling me, I turned around to see the woman still smiling kindly.
“I’m on your side.”
“…”
What could that mean, saying she’s on my side right now?
Is it a statement made because she senses where I’m heading?
Or.
Is it an answer to the long-standing questions I’ve held?
As such thoughts crossed my mind and I watched her, my mom spoke again, almost like she was trying to cut through my doubts.
“You understand, right?”
“…, of course.”
So.
I nodded, even without properly comprehending what her words meant.
As I glanced briefly at her hand waving me off with a “be careful,” I stepped towards the alley.
A little late now.
The sun was almost down, and in the darkening alley stood a girl looking around like she was waiting for someone.
As I approached, I heard the sound of footsteps, and a strangely cute girl perked up like a rabbit, lifting her head.
“I’m sorry… I’m a bit late.”
Just as I spoke first, she stepped out from her little wooden shack and approached me leisurely yet not hurriedly.
She soon asked,
“…, are you hurt?”
Since she had been watching for me during that time, whether she knew immediately what was wrong or not, she showed her concern instead of asking why I was late.
So I answered honestly.
I knew that provoking the gray-haired feelings would do no good.
“Um… I’m not feeling so great today.”
“Don’t get sick. You shouldn’t get sick.”
I thought I wanted to see that worried gaze directed towards me.
She said I shouldn’t get sick and, moving a bit quicker than usual, started checking everywhere on my body for injuries.
Just like I had done for her in the past.
She gently touched my forehead, cautiously raised my arms to check for injuries, and peeked at my legs and feet to see if they were alright.
But still unsure, she ran back to her wooden shack and quickly returned with the ointment and band-aids I had given her.
“…”
“If you have this, it won’t hurt.”
At that, I couldn’t help but smile.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t get sick. You can’t die.”
Her reply made me feel a bit touched.
“I promise I won’t get sick,” I replied, squeezing some of the ointment onto my uninjured palm and waving it towards her to show her I’d be fine.
Even so, her lips still didn’t curl into a smile.
She kept looking worriedly at me with a strange gaze, observing me intensely.
And.
Just when our short meeting after a month was about to end, I turned to leave.
She quietly called my name.
“Ain.”
“Yes?”
“…, it’s okay if you don’t come when you’re sick.”
“….”
“I can wait longer.”
I didn’t respond to her words.
However, I stared softly at the witch, who kept her eyes fixed on me as she spoke.