191 Poor Fate, Requesting Compensation Several Times Compared to the Damage (1/2)

Day 21 – 5:20 PM – Mountain Village, Mount Malabito, General Nakar, Quezon

After bringing Nicole inside the house, Mark let her lie on the bed comfortably despite the fact that the bed made of wood was really not that comfortable. This time, the emotionless Mark felt a bit strange while looking at the unconscious girl. Before he revealed his face to her, he could see how much she struggled despite being ill. The moment she recognized him however, she let go of her struggle and left herself completely defenseless in front of him. Just how much trust did it take? Or was it just because she had no other choice?

No, her relieved expression told that it was the first one or else, why would she let out that expression. Why though?

”My L-…”

Did she not trust her group at all?

”My Lor-…”

Maybe, she did not really know the members of their group at all aside from Hallie.

”MY LORD!!!”

”What is it?”

Mark turned his head towards Amihan who was already screaming on his ear.

”Why are you spaced out? Do you know this female human?”

Amihan asked pointing at Nicole.

”I'm not spaced out. I'm just thinking about something and I do know her. Why?”

”Uhmm… Nothing, it just looked strange that you're blankly staring at her.”

Mark then picked up the sylph from his shoulder and stared at her.

”Wha-what are you doing?”

He ignored her opposition and put her down on another pillow.

”You're tired yourself so rest up.”

What Amihan did to the other man with a gun was unexpected but it was not surprising since she was a spirit of the wind. However, it seemed that it had taken quite a toll on her since her already light colored skin looked even paler. It was very likely that even if she could do that, controlling the wind to the extent of making a full grown man fly at that distance, it was not something she could do as she willed. If she could, then there was no reason for her to receive too much fright even from the enlarged animals and insects in the forest.

The little sylph did not want to rest since there were other humans around but her resistance was futile. After Mark used his finger to push her head unto the pillow and caressed her head comfortably, she fell asleep almost immediately. She succumbed to her own fatigue from overexerting herself not to mention that she must not have enough rest last night. When the wild boar wandered into the village in the previous evening, Amihan was still not around. It was likely that she returned already past that time.

Looking back at Nicole who was flaring up with fever, Mark's eyes became resolute. Since she trusted him that much, then he should return it in kind. Mark rather had bad relationship with his family so he valued friendship too much. It was just that he find it hard to mingle with others no matter how he tried causing him to stray away from almost everyone.

There was also that case he experienced in college that caused Freed to seal most of his memories at that time. Unfortunately, the method Freed used to bring him in his subconscious also opened his subconscious memories freely for him. Even the memories he did not want to remember anymore started to haunt him from time to time since he woke up. He remembered that what happened in college almost driven him to commit suicide. It was just lucky that Freed already existed inside him at that time and prevented it.

That kidnapping incident with Mei was not the first time Freed saved his life.

The unconscious Nicole made him feel something that he never felt for a long time from a friend.

Still, this would be a huge problem. Nicole's fever was not caused by Evolution so she needed proper medication. Unfortunately, the whole village was devoid of any kind of modern drugs for illnesses. Just how did the people in this village treat their ill people? Maybe, because it was a forested mountain, they might be using herbal medicines. He remembered that he saw some dried up leaves in one of the nipa huts in the village. If those leaves were the medicine, then it was no wonder since the village seemed abandoned for a long time now.

After shuffling around the house for a bit, Mark went out.

***

Since the time Mark brought Nicole into the house, the people outside were talking in whispers.

”Is it really fine to leave Nicole to that guy? What if he did something to her? She fainted you know?”

Trisha asked Hallie but it was Huey who answered.

”What about that? Even if he wanted to do to any of us, we won't be able to resist at all.”

”Says someone who chickened out.”

Jollene looked at Huey with dissatisfaction but the latter just shrugged at her.

”I know what you want to say but I'm just being rational. Someone who can slash a bullet into two is not your average person so from the beginning, we have no way of winning. Besides, since you have a liking with Jefferson, then why don't you help him? I'm sure he'd appreciate that.”

Huey looked at Jefferson who was unconscious covered in organs of the large dead monkey. That also made Jollene look at Jefferson only to turn her head away in disgust. It was no secret that she had a crush at Jefferson even back in the company but even though she had already experience encountering zombies and such, disgusting things was still disgusting. Even if she wanted to help Jefferson, there was no way that she would touch him right now.