Necromancer Survival

Chapter 413

I looked at Dawon's desperate eyes and answered almost immediately, "O-Of course…"

"That's a relief." Dawon smiled cutely, but I couldn't bring myself to return his smile.

‘…He's a ‘Shikigami?"

During our conversation, I was hugging Dawon, so my body was in constant contact with his. Warm and soft, he felt like a human child–not an inanimate object.

‘But…'

As a Necromancer, I could resurrect the dead and command them to move as I wished…Perhaps Dawon-ie was a stand-in–a conduit–for Jo Chanyoung's thoughts. After all, this place was manifested by the Summoner's consciousness.

‘Does that mean, he won't want to sign a contract with me?'

‘I think Dawon told me that he really likes animals.'

However, until now, I hadn't seen a single animal. Were there only Shikigami and plants in this large mansion? Of course, the Shikigami moved about like animals, but there was something unnerving about them.

"Dawon-ah. By any chance…. are there any real animals here? Like a dog or a cat?"

"Real animals? Hmmm…." Dawon tilted his head. "You kicked them all out, didn't you?"

His tone didn't sound accusatory; nonetheless, I had finally received a hint from his answer.

"I did? T-Then… Do you remember where I kicked them out to?"

"I don't know…" Dawon whined before clamping his mouth shut.

I couldn’t tell if he genuinely didn’t know or if he was withholding information intentionally, which made me anxious. "Then…"

But, before I could ask any further, Dawon grabbed onto my shoulders first.

"Never mind that. Hyung-nim, why don't you eat with me?"

"Huh?"

"I thought you might be hungry…"

I wasn’t particularly hungry, but ignoring Dawon’s words seemed impossible. "You… eat too, right?”

Even though Dawon had revealed he was a ‘Shikigami' I had made, he still seemed like a living person to me. Therefore, I couldn't help but ask what may be a redundant question.

"Yes. I want to eat chocolate cake." Fortunately, Dawon smiled and answered sweetly. Then, as if asking me to place him down, he tapped my arm. I slowly lowered him to the ground.

‘Now that I think about it, he's far too light…'

As I pondered Dawon's weight–which was hardly a burden even though I had carried him for a long while–I found myself wondering whether I should take his words at face value.

"Let's go."

"……" But, for now, there was nothing I could do except stay around Dawon. The child held three of my fingers before boldly walking ahead.

Jingle–! Jingle–!

I could hear the quiet ringing of the bells on the servants’ neck behind us, but I didn't look back.

* * *

‘This is a downright feast.'

A long table stood in the center of the dining hall within the mansion that Dawon-ie had guided me to. On it, a variety of delicacies were spread out, almost as if they had been waiting for us. The food was piled up in layers of various dishes and resembled a tower.

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‘…This mansion is just too artificial…contrived.'

The sumptuous food looked tempting, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it was a trap. Perhaps my tenseness was to blame. Though the food appeared delicious, its vibrant colors stood out too much in this setting, making the dishes seem even more suspicious.

Unlike me, Dawon, who sat in a chair by my side, enjoyed the chocolate cake he was craving earlier. I glanced at him and saw that he had chocolate smeared around his mouth like a baby.

‘His posture is so dignified, though…'

Was the real Dawon like this when he was young? I didn't bother to point out the messiness–Dawon was too cute like that. Plus, I was a little relieved to see him eat like a ‘human child.'

‘Then, what on earth are Shikigami anyway? If they can move dolls or stones around…but also are able to eat like Dawon-ie…Then…'

Weren't they basically almost living beings? Just as I thought that, Dawon-ie, who had been diligently eating cake, stopped shoveling with his fork and looked at me, "Why isn't Hyung-nim eating?"

Faced with his puzzled expression, I felt a bit embarrassed that I had been caught staring, "Ah… I-I'll eat now." I brought a random nearby plate close, a half-smile frozen on my face.

It was a warm soup with a savory aroma wafting up from the dish. Despite my unease about this place, my stomach started to growl at the smell, reminding me of how hungry I was. It felt as if my stomach would gnaw itself.

Slurp–!

However, when I scooped up a bite of the soup with a spoon, I felt puzzled.

‘Why can't I taste anything?'

Unlike Dawon, who seemed to be enjoying his food, the soup in my mouth had no flavor–it only had warmth and a gloopy texture.

‘Was it not seasoned enough?'

But, the soup wasn't bland. On the contrary, it tasted a bit like boiled water disguising itself as soup. It was unpleasantly tasteless.

"……" I abandoned the soup and brought a nearby steak to my front. Even though a long time must have passed, the food remained steaming hot. When I took a sniff, a delicious scent entered my nostrils.

Swallow–!

However, I couldn't taste anything–even when I had placed it in my mouth. Even though my teeth were actively chewing the steak, it felt like I was eating a thick, soggy lump of dirt.

"Does it taste bad?" asked Dawon, who had eaten half of his chocolate cake slice, a bit belatedly.

On a whim, I asked him, “…Could I have a bite of your chocolate cake?”

"Yes?" Dawon-ie seemed surprised, but soon blushed and carved off a corner of his cake with the fork he had been using. "Say, Ah…."

I obediently opened my mouth–though he was rather shy, it was clear he was eager to feed me. The chocolate cake that smelled so sweet before entering my mouth…

"…Mm."

No matter how much I chewed the cake, it didn't taste good.

It wasn't that it tasted awful, but the dessert lacked any flavor that one might expect from a chocolate cake. Seeing Dawon's expectant, sparkling eyes, I reluctantly said, "It's… not too sweet, huh?"

That was the kindest evaluation I could give.

Dawon nodded, "Yes. I like it because it's not too sweet."

…Honestly, the cake tasted like it had no sugar inside.

I thought he was trying to make fun of me, but Dawon's expression was far too serious for that. Rather, he looked like someone who didn't know how to crack a joke.

‘Then, are my tastebuds the problem?'

I forced myself to chew more of the leftover food at the table, but, by the time I swallowed, the food was beyond tasteless. The forced bites were even disgusting. Even so, I was still incredibly hungry.

‘Even if I endure and shovel it in, I don't feel full…'

Moreover, the indistinguishable dishes that I continued to eat only made me hungrier with each bite.

‘I think I'm going to vomit…'

As I was thinking this, Dawon suddenly picked up a cookie and brought it to my mouth.

"Ah…"

He must have misunderstood–perhaps he thought I enjoyed the chocolate cake from earlier. Though I was flustered, I couldn't turn away from Dawon's excited face.

So, eventually, I had to open my mouth. Naturally, as soon as the cookie touched my tongue, it tasted like rotten, unset cement. At the end, when his finger touched my lips slightly, I tasted something faintly sweet.

‘Does this cookie have a sweet aftertaste?'

I ate another cookie in the basket.

"Urgh…"

This time, however, it tasted completely different. I couldn't resist and spat out the cookie into a napkin.

"Hyung-nim… Are you okay?" Startled, Dawon held onto me and leaned in close. And at that moment, I started to smell something like milk. It was such a delicious smell that I couldn't help but sniff.

"What is that…"

Was that smell coming from Dawon-ie?

My hand reached out with my thoughts. Dawon's eyes grew wide as I grabbed his wrist with my hand. Then, I breathed deeply with my nose plastered to his wrist.

Slurp–!

Then, almost involuntarily, I licked his wrist…

‘What…is this taste…?'

This wrist was perhaps the sweetest and most delicious thing I had ever tasted.

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TL: Ngl, I edited this chap right as I was cooking. The descriptions made my appetite disappear lmao.