If the Condition was anything to go by, then 99 Poisoned Apples were required to completely weaken the Forest of Everlasting Envy. The Poisoned Apples in question were the Sweet Thorns.
Defeating a Sweet Thorn caused the darkness in their immediate surroundings to dissolve, revealing a vibrant, emerald woodland. It was clearly still a part of the Corrupted Zone. The skies were still dark, and there wasn’t a source of light to illuminate the world.
But it was tranquil, and was the only place in the entire Corrupted Zone where they did not have to fear being attacked.
Snow’s diary revealed what were called Conditions. Red remembered seeing the Conditions before, but it was only regarding the Forest of Everlasting Envy not the Corrupted itself. Yet Snow was able to determine the Conditions of the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns.
The mechanism behind her diary was bizarre to say the least.
“Emotions can alter the state of my diary, but it’s rarely ever happened to me. As a Healer, my emotions are constantly suppressed.” Snow explained in the background as Red followed a light that shone deeper within the forest.
It was another Sweet Thorn. Ever since they had killed the first, the remaining Sweet Thorns seemed to emit a golden light from within their chests. She took it down with a swift strike to the left of its chest.
With Snow, they were able to determine where exactly the Heart of Poisoned Miracles resided, allowing Red to kill them in one move. It was all written in her diary.
“Healers can’t harm. We can’t curse. Nor can we feel hatred. But in my case, that changes when I manage to amass enough emotions.” She added.
“98 more to go~! Pwaaah~! Hey, what makes you so different?” Red asked as she feasted on the Sweet Thorn.
“I’m still trying to figure that out.” Snow said truthfully. “Like you, I was born one day into this world. Ran into trouble. Lost my way. Was thrown to the wolves. Eventually, I ended up here in these forests with nothing but the clothes on my back and this diary.”
“So where did you get the diary from? I want one too!”
“Ahaha…” Snow chuckled. “It depends a lot on what kind of a Healer you are.”
“Then what kind of Healer are you?”
“The kind that needs a book.” Snow didn’t elaborate further. “But this book is special.”
“Maybe its your version of my Fairytale’s Bane.” Red took out a hilariously tiny firearm from her Dimensional Storage. “Grrr. What am I supposed to do with this little guy? But isn’t that cool!”
She crawled up to Snow and darted her head between her and the Huntsman.
“What is?” Snow wondered.
“That both of our tools get stronger the more emotions we feel!?”
Red wasn’t dumb enough to not notice this. The Hunt Must Go On increased in strength depending on her emotions. Then, there was the Fairytale’s Bane that activated when her emotions reached what was called the First State.
Snow also noticed this, but the fact that her emotions were constantly suppressed made it difficult to activate it that way. However, Red’s emotions had somehow managed to rub on her, which inadvertently caused her to resonate with her diary.
* * *
3 hours later, and they had removed another 9 Sweet Thorns.
< 89 Poisoned Apples scour the Forest of Everlasting Envy in search of the one perfect apple >
Snow had the opportunity to reveal the second way of activating her diary.
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“Red. Let take some damage.”
“No way!” Red threw her arms up in defiance. “You’re not getting hurt!”
“Then try to receive an injury. I’ll heal you immediately.”
Red was willing to put her body on the line if it meant that Snow wouldn’t have to get hurt. She received a laceration along her right arm from an Envious Bramble. It wasn’t anything too dangerous, but it would take some time to heal with Snow’s low proficiency in Healing magic.
However –
“Gh… ngh… Ouch… How were you… able to receive an injury like this… and still act fine?”
– Snow transferred the injury from Red to herself. White and red particles lifted from her wound before they were syphoned into Snow’s body. Immediately, a mirror image of the same laceration that debilitated her right arm manifested on the Healer’s.
“Snow!?”
Red clasped onto her arm, feeling guilty as though she was the one who had wounded her.
“I’m fine… Just give me some time…”
“Leave her be, little Red. Snow has two ways to Heal the body.” The Huntsman croaked. “The first is using traditional Healing magic. As for the second…”
“The second?” Red stuck out her tongue and began licking the edges of her wound. “I saw Three Paw doing this once. Does it help?”
“… Sort of, haha.” She patted her head. “The second is [Bloody Exchange]. One hour. All I need to do is endure it for an hour and I can transfer it to my diary.”
“And then?”
Snow wanted to show her an example rather than to recite it. She cradled her injured arm for another hour as they pushed through the dark forest. Slowly, and agonizingly, the Huntsman’s legs began to give out, requiring them both to carry him along.
“I’m sorry you two…” He groaned.
“Don’t be. Just eat with us. I can always remove the poison for a moment.” Snow urged him.
“The poison… has already been rooted into me. I can barely feel my legs.”
Mr. Huntsman | HP: 140 | 450
His HP was dangerously low. Snow reached into her Dimensional Storage to retrieve vials of red liquid. These were called Healing Potions. They were incredibly abundant across the lands of Elysia and were a staple for every known profession, whether they were a farmer or an Adventurer.
However, they had severe limitations.
Healing Potions could only mend superficial wounds as well as restore a small fraction of one’s vitality. Taking more would not increase its effectiveness. Due to the lack of readily available methods to heal from an injury, Healers became highly sought after.
Indeed, to the point where Kingdoms would wage war over the custody of just one.
He gulped down a number of potions. But his condition never improved. Snow could only Heal him so many times before her Mana depleted. And whenever it was low –
*Munch*
*Squelch*
*Slurp*
She would match Red’s ravenous hunger. Red didn’t notice it right away, but some of her teeth became razor sharp whenever her eyes turned red.
Agate. What kind of Healers are there?
Currently Known Healers
Healers | White Dove
Eh? That’s it? Huuuh? Agate, stop messing around! Oh wait, these are the Healers I only know about? So there’s a lot more, right?
< Indeed >
Her only clues about Snow being an abnormal Healer had nothing to do with her diary. It was the fact that she could bypass the emotional suppression that chained the Healers. Furthermore, her flickering eye color, abnormal hunger, sharp teeth and strange way of Healings made it obvious.
Noticing Red’s gaze, Snow put her food aside and held her diary close.
Then, she slashed her right hand and smothered the book with her blood. Immediately, the book absorbed every ounce of her blood.
“It’s disappearing…”
Precisely. The laceration along her right arm gradually disappeared. Fresh, tender flesh replaced it. She turned to the page that held her injury.
Suddenly, a prompt appeared in front of Red.
Envious Bramble
< [Envious Lash] >
< Lash and lash again, until the flesh tears and opens for us to take for ourselves >
ATT : 300 MAG ATT : 300
“What’s with the weird phrase underneath it?” Red said out loud, causing Snow to smile.
“You really can see it too. Is it because we’re next to each other? I still don’t get it but…”
Suddenly, she took one of Red’s hands and placed it on her lap.
“… I’m happy I can share it with another person.”
Not only was Snow able to receive the Conditions or the Parts of a Corrupted, but also the descriptions of their attacks. But Red’s brain didn’t register this immediately.
She was far too preoccupied with the soft sensation of Snow’s gentle hand.
For someone with such a cold name, she was an awfully warm person.
The Huntsman smiled at the scene, adoring how much Snow had softened around Red.
“Consider this, Red. I’m the only other person who knows about the truth of her diary.” He said.
“Are you bragging that that you were her friend first?” Red growled competitively.
“Aha. Forgive me little Red if it appeared that way. Aaah.” His usual gruff demeanor disappeared.
It became one of deep contemplation as he stared off into the darkness with a nostalgic expression.
“I was merely… just thinking about when I first met Snow. It wasn’t different from the scene in front of me. We met over a corpse, no?”
“We did. I didn’t trust you at all.” Snow giggled.
“Naturally. But I think you should trust Red in your entirety. My guts are ruined. But the feeling I have is never wrong. Red is a good girl.”
“I know she is.” She patted Red’s head. “But that’s why I’m afraid.”
Snow’s gaze lowered. She couldn’t bring herself to look into Red’s eyes.
No you don’t!
Red threw herself to the ground so she could stare up into her eyes.
“You’re not avoiding me. No matter what happens, we’re friends, right!?”
A bead of tears formed in the corner of Snow’s eyes.
“Haha… Yeah. You’re right.”