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Episode 49
“… … .”
“… … .”
Oh, what should I do?
‘I did try it anyway…’
Chaara’s legs were shaking like a newborn deer.
‘shit.’
Chaara’s knees, which knew no limits and became cowardly in front of the strong, were already ready to kneel, but in most situations where life and death were at stake, the knees of most humans were not valuable enough to guarantee the survival of their masters.
‘Especially when the opponent is not human.’
First of all, I knew that the opponent was not human. No, I couldn’t help but know.
How could one not be aware of this profound sense of discomfort, when one feels as if the face is not there at all, even though it is only hidden in the darkness and cannot be seen?
‘…fu*k, fu*k, what should I do. But the fact that you’re talking to me means you want to talk to me, right? Of course, if I don’t like it, I can just kill you right away… But for now… .’
Chaara was not a so-called ‘educated hunter’. She had only received basic training from the association, and did not know the exact ecology of monsters or how to deal with them.
But even so, I knew how dangerous humanoid monsters could be.
‘If I ever meet a humanoid monster, I just hope that it won’t hurt and that it won’t kill me if I’m below C-class…’
At home, her pig-like older brother and rabbit-like youngest sibling were waiting for her. Cha-Ara, who couldn’t die quietly, decided to ask for help.
‘First of all, if you can communicate and have the will to talk… it seems like you have it. Right? Right?’
Cha Ara opened her mouth while shivering.
“I, I am… I am a porter. Do you need a slave…?”
“… A porter?”
“ah.”
Not all humanoid monsters were well-versed in human culture. Although it was only a little while before Chaara realized it, it was good news that the other party was interested in what she had to say.
Cha Ara answered with a smile. There was a faint hint of a way to survive.
“A person who carries luggage. I can do many other things besides that. I’m good at cleaning, cooking, and running errands. But if you really spare my life just once, I’ll give it my all… .”
“I’m good at it too.”
“…yes?”
“I’m good at cooking and cleaning.”
“… … .”
What kind of mentality would it be to say, “I’m useful too,” to a person who wants to live by demonstrating his own usefulness? Cha Ara felt like spitting out blood.
‘What on earth do you want from me? Are you not going to let me live? Are you saying I’m useless? Or, or… .’
Even though Cha Ara had a long life as a porter, and thought she had a talent for pleasing others, her top-level social skills were useless in front of monsters.
‘… Ah, no, it’s too early to give up. Since we’re speaking the same language and the other party is willing to communicate, I’m sure I can interpret what that monster wants and what it’s saying. I can do it… Humans will win… .’
Soon Chaara remembered something.
‘…Is this you trying to find something in common with me?’
Whether it was the statement from earlier or what he’s saying now, it was obvious that he was trying to induce Cha Ara to feel favor or intimacy towards him.
“… … .”
It’s so awkward that it only makes me feel more uncomfortable.
“Uh, that… .”
Cha Ara, who had been trying hard to hold back the tackle that instinctively came to her mind, meekly surrendered to the strong force.
“… I see! That’s amazing!”
“thank you.”
“Cooking and cleaning aren’t something just anyone can do! You must be really good at it! You’re so cool!”
“The same goes for Ms. Cha Ara.”
“… … .”
I was speechless.
‘I ended up being the one who put myself up in front of that humanoid monster with such strong pride.’
I really needed a real return stone.
‘Oppa, maknae, I’ll go first.’
As Chaara hesitated in preparation for her painful death, a rustling sound was heard from the other side. Judging from the black cloak she was wearing, it seemed as if someone was tilting their head.
‘You do have a head.’
As a strange sense of relief and fear simultaneously washed over me, the monster spoke.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t need slaves.”
“… … .”
I’m sorry, youngest. I love you, oppa. Cha Ara once again prepared herself for a horrible death.
‘Ara, I’m going to die here.’
I hope those bastards who abandoned me will appear on the 9 o’clock news, get beaten up by the entire nation, and never show their faces in this industry again.
‘You guys, if you don’t cover your face when you go to the convenience store to buy a snack, you’ll get hit with flying eggs. Get so dirty and famous.’
As I poured out love and curses in my heart and shed tears of cold sweat, the other person continued speaking.
“Is your job slavery?”
“…no…?”
I just said this to mean, ‘Oh my, you can treat me like a rat, but please just let me live, hehe.’ In a country governed by law like today, what kind of slaves would there be?
“Oh, of course, that’s true… I’ve heard whispers that some rich people buy and sell slaves illegally…”
“This is terrible.”
“Yeah, that’s right. It’s horrible. Oh, they’re just bad people.”
“It’s scary.”
“… … .”
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Cha Ara was truly speechless at the polite and noble word ‘scary’ that did not convey even a hint of emotion, let alone fear.
But I sensed something.
‘… Are you trying to imitate a human now? Are you pretending to be scared?’
It was something I never imagined, so I realized it too late, but when I think about it, that’s what it was.
‘The greeting from earlier, the way you made your name known, and the way you tried to empathize with me…’
It’s so formulaic that I can’t even tell what it was intended for and it just feels strange.
‘I wonder if they were trying to act like humans in their own way?’
No, no, no.
‘Isn’t this unfair??’
Even if it’s just an imitation, you have to be at least a little bit human to pretend to be fooled and say, ‘Oh, shit, that’s how it is!’
‘This isn’t even a modified version of a previous question. I’m telling you to imitate the questioner’s intentions so that you can understand them. Who would fall for something like this?’
Even the leader who abandoned me made a joke that was easier to understand than this.
‘If he were to be proud of himself for imitating an awesome human being and then say that, that would be really ridiculous.’
Cha Ara stammered and opened her mouth, feeling a strange sense of injustice that she had only felt once in her life.
“Yes, that’s right. That’s right, it’s scary.”
Once I realized that the opponent was imitating a human, I had a rough idea of the situation.
‘Wouldn’t it be similar to not answering or repeating something until I acknowledged your greeting? Like learning how to use a machine… .’
I know that when people greet each other, they greet each other in the same way, but Cha Ara didn’t react that way.
‘Is it like hitting a broken TV to bring it back to its senses? Like asking the same question over and over again to an AI that doesn’t respond?’
When I look into it in detail like this, I feel sorry because it seems like I studied and imitated humans so hard, but honestly, I don’t understand it at all.
The monster, who had been stroking Anti-Cat while holding it to his chest, opened his mouth again, not knowing whether he knew Cha-Ara’s feelings of not knowing how to respond.
“I will not kill Ms. Cha Ara.”
“… … .”
“It won’t hurt you, and it won’t make you sad.”
“uh….”
“I didn’t want to make it scary.”
The monster wearing a black cloak continued speaking.
“I wanted to make friends.”
“…friend?”
what?
‘Does this mean that you are wandering around looking for a scapegoat to drag to the afterlife?’
The words themselves were very mild, but the other person’s tone was not mild at all, so I was naturally suspicious.
If this heavy, stout being, whose appearance was barely visible but whose breath was suffocating and whose heart was about to stop, wanted to be a ‘friend’, it certainly did not seem to mean ordinary friendship.
‘He looks like a funeral parlor attendant or a grim reaper. Could it be…? He really saves his comrades from the afterlife…? Something like that…?’
Before Cha Ara’s doubts could even end, the monster continued speaking.
“Cha Ara is too young to be my friend.”
“… … .”
You can’t do that when you’re young, right? Isn’t this really like looking for a companion on the way to the afterlife?
‘… No, more than that.’
Cha Ara faintly frowned at the monster’s attitude, which seemed to use the words young and weak as synonyms.
‘I’m not that young, but I guess I don’t know much about these things since I’m not human.’
At 18 years old, Cha Ara should already be married. She is treated as an adult, but she feels a sense of alienation once again when people look at her as if she is still young.
‘… But I said I wouldn’t hurt you… .’
It might be foolish to believe a monster’s words, but it couldn’t help but give me a little bit of peace of mind.
“Are you here alone?”
“… Ah, ah, yes. I’m alone.”
Surely he wouldn’t kill me alone? Cha Ara suddenly became nervous.
It was basic knowledge known to all hunters in the world that monsters had their own rules. From a human perspective, there were many rules that felt strange and cruel.
‘In particular, humanoid monsters are said to have stronger such regularities… .’
A monster that only kills hunters who are alone?
“Oh, like that.”
Fortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.
“I thought people in dungeons usually act in groups, but am I mistaken?”
“uh….”
You’re describing people like a pack of dogs.
I really thought she was being really dirty and monster-like, but Cha Ara was really perceptive. She was so terribly polite that I could sense a faint hint of goodwill in her strange voice.
It seemed like a comprehensive and fair favor not directed at Chaara as an individual, but toward the entire human race… .
‘It’s not like I had no feelings at all.’
My mind was a little at ease. It was much less scary to face a monster with emotions than one without.
“… No, you know very well. That’s because I wasn’t originally alone… but somehow my group abandoned me. I didn’t have the strength to leave the dungeon alone, so I wandered around…”
“… … .”
“… After seeing the anti-cat… .”
Oh shit, I see.
‘I… I wanted to know if that black cloak was a friend or a sacrifice, so Anti-Cat asked me, a human, to bring it to him.’
So, is that humanoid monster the unknown boss monster of this dungeon?
‘It’s not uncommon to see monsters cooperating with each other, but…’
It wasn’t that common to hear one-sided orders.
‘I don’t know how to define it since I haven’t learned anything. I never thought I’d see a humanoid monster in my life. Oh, shit. I really want to go home.’
It was around the time when I started to feel depressed.
Gulp!
“… … .”
It was a dirty, loud belly alarm.
“…sorry.”
“You seem hungry.”
“sorry…!!”
Today, Cha Ara learned for the first time that it is possible to feel both disgust and fear at the same time. Since the other person is trying so hard to meet human standards, it is scary, but it seems that she has the luxury of feeling disgusted.
“I haven’t eaten for the past three days….”
“3 days?”
“Yes, it’s been a little over 13 hours since I was abandoned. The food started then… .”
“3 days?”
“… … .”
What, what is it?
‘What did I do wrong?’
The humanoid monsters weren’t the kind of monsters that would appear in the association’s textbooks.
Humanoid monsters each had their own set of rules, so no one knows what kind of strange rules the invisible monster in front of you might have.
Fortunately, however, the monster didn’t seem angry at Chaara.
“They are bad people.”
“Gulp.”
Cha Ara was surprised by the new voice.
“Ugh, what, what….”
“This is my son.”
“yes?”
“… … .”
The monster was silent for a moment, then he held the Anti-Cat in one hand and moved the other hand behind his head. It was hard to see because of the darkness, but… .
Cha Ara soon realized where the crying sound just now came from.
“honey.”
Yes? What?
“I should say hello.”
“Kung.”
“He is a good student.”
“… … .”
Before the ridiculous words like ‘good’ and ‘student’ came into Cha Ara’s sight, there was something else.
On the monster’s pale hand rested a small, honey-colored bird, filled with all sorts of jewels.
“… … .”
… ears, cute.
“…Your name is… Honey?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Ask?!”
It doesn’t look like that at all, is that a paragraph?
“But I won’t ask because I don’t want to.”
“Oh… I see… .”
“Honey, let’s go home now.”
That was the moment.
Hwaaaaak―!
“… … !”
The little bird’s body glowed brightly, illuminating everything in the cave.
“…Wow, wow… .”
A jewel cave with its appearance clearly revealed.
‘awesome.’
It was fantastic.
I forgot that I was in a state of fear and was amazed by the beautiful sight that I would only see once in my life.
‘So this is what the veins of the jewel originally looked like.’
All sorts of large and small jewels were gathered together as if they were one body, and the paths of the cave were like ant holes. It was a space filled with a beautiful yet messy, dreamlike, and chaotic confusion.
Chaara saw the true form of the jewel vein for the first time.
“… … .”
Thanks to that, I also realized how much of a monster ‘Honey’ is.
‘… I drove away all the dark insects living in the veins of the jewel.’
The ‘dark bug’ that doesn’t physically attack, but is impossible to defeat unless you’re a priest of class A or higher. That little bird instantly revealed it, absorbing all light except for the light from some glowing jewels.
It felt like a huge ray of sunlight was shining down.
“… … .”
“Ms. Cha Ara.”
“…uh.”
Only then did I see the monster’s face.
“We are familiar with each other.”
“… Uh, uh uh… !”
As he said, I have seen someone named Cha-Ara.
“At that time, the jewel…! The portrait…!”
“I’m glad you remember.”
“… It was a monster?!”
“I am human.”
“That, that’s true, well, that may be true, but…!”
Chaara quickly nodded, not wanting to offend the monster. It seemed like he wanted to look human somehow, but he didn’t want to die after yelling, “Stop joking. What kind of human are you?”
“… … .”
Cha Ara, who had been hesitating, asked.
“… Am I… going to die now…?”
“I won’t die.”
“… … .”
“Good people deserve to be rewarded.”
“that….”
Cha Ara suddenly realized.
‘That monster… is trying to treat good humans.’
Like the ‘good student’ I mentioned earlier, and also calling the group that abandoned Cha Ara ‘bad people’. Even though Cha Ara was uneducated, she could tell that the other person was sensitive to good and evil.
“I’m sorry for surprising you last time.”
“uh….”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a kind student as Ms. Cha Ara, so I ended up following her without realizing it. I know you must have felt uncomfortable, so I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize.”
“Oh, no, there’s no need for that….”
“I didn’t mean to startle you this time either. But people are strangely afraid of me. In fact, I’ve never seen anyone as afraid of me as Cha Ara, so I didn’t know how to react. I apologize for any inconvenience caused by my confusion.”
“… … .”
That was a dirty, polite monster.
‘Don’t you know that being so strict makes me feel sorry?’
It felt strange.
The monster, who introduced himself as ‘Sergio’, looked like an ordinary human being.
‘no.’
He seemed like a very handsome man.
But the oppressive and distant feeling of the black cloak covering him was so great that he couldn’t even see that.
How could a mouse praise the appearance of a giant in front of him? No matter how fragrant the smell was, a mere creature would not have the presence of mind to even evaluate that.
“… … .”
It was very gentlemanly.
At the same time, it was a distant and heterogeneous existence.
‘… It’s as if the universe is imitating humans… .’
I had no idea how to deal with it.
At that time, ‘Sergio’ held the small monsters in his arms and spoke to Chaara.
“I want to go home.”
“… Ah, yes, that, I see. At home… .”
huh?
‘Do you have a separate house?’
Wasn’t this home?
‘The gift you gave me last time was also a jewel… and since the anti-cat is following me like that, I thought that monster might be the real owner of this dungeon.’
Or did it mean that there was another habitat deep within this ant hole?
“… … .”
“If you don’t mind, Cha Ara.”
“yes?”
“Would you like to accept the invitation?”
invite?
“An invitation? What the…?”
“Ms. Chaara is young. It’s dark here and there’s nothing to eat. You look tired and hungry, and I don’t want to just pass you by. I would appreciate it if you would allow me to treat you to a meal.”
“… I, I am that…”
“I swear I won’t harm you, and I promise to return you to Seoul after one meal. I’m saying this on the back of my own child, Honey, so please don’t doubt me.”
“ah.”
“Would that make you feel a little bit more at ease?”
I didn’t believe in monsters.
“… … .”
However, just like Sergio said, Cha Ara herself was too young and weak to reject such obvious affection.
“… Please.”
I’m tired of being left alone.