Chapter 49

“…….”

“…….”

Wh-What do I do?

‘I just went for it, but….’

Cha Ara’s legs were trembling like a newborn deer’s.

‘Damn it.’

Cha Ara’s knees, which became spinelessly servile before the strong, were already prepared to kneel, but in most life-or-death situations, a human’s knees did not hold enough value to guarantee their owner’s survival.

‘Especially when the other party isn’t human.’

I could tell, at least, that the other party wasn’t human.

No, it was impossible not to know.

Even though his face was just hidden in the darkness and couldn’t be seen, it felt as if it wasn’t there at all, so how could I not recognize this vast sense of disharmony.

‘…Fuck, fuck, what do I do. Still, the fact that we’re talking means he’s willing to talk to me, right? Of course, if he doesn’t like me, he could kill me in an instant… but still, for now….’

Cha Ara was not what one would call an ‘educated Hunter.’

She had only received the basic training provided by the Association and did not know the precise ecology of monsters or how to deal with them.

But even Cha Ara knew how dangerous humanoid monsters were.

‘They said if you meet a humanoid monster, C-Class or below should just pray for a painless death….’

At home, her pig-like older brother and rabbit-like youngest sibling were waiting for her.

Unable to die so meekly, Cha Ara decided to try begging.

‘First off, we speak the same language and he has the will to communicate… It seems like it. Right? He does, right?’

Cha Ara, while trembling, opened her mouth.

“I, I’m… I’m a porter. I was wondering if you might need a slave….”

“…A porter?”

“Ah.”

Not all humanoid monsters were well-versed in human culture.

Cha Ara remembered that belatedly, but the fact that the other party showed interest in her words was good news.

Cha Ara’s face brightened as she answered.

A faint path to survival was visible.

“Someone who carries luggage. B-Besides that, I can do many other things. I’m good at cleaning, I’m good at cooking, and I can run errands exceptionally well. If you just spare me this once, I’ll give it my all….”

“I am also good at them.”

“…Pardon?”

“I am good at cooking and cleaning.”

“…….”

What kind of mentality says ‘I’m useful too’ to a human trying to live by asserting their usefulness?

Cha Ara felt like she wanted to vomit blood.

‘What in the world is he trying to get from me with this way of speaking? Is he saying he won’t spare me? That I’m useless? Or, or….’

In her long life as a porter, Cha Ara thought she had a knack for pleasing others, but in front of a monster, such max-level social skills were useless.

‘…N-No, it’s too early to give up. As long as we’re using the same language and the other party shows a willingness to communicate, I should be able to figure out what that monster wants and what he meant by that. I can do it… humanity will prevail….’

Soon, Cha Ara thought of something.

‘…Is he trying to find common ground with me right now?’

From the formal introduction earlier to what he was saying now, it was obvious that he was trying to induce Cha Ara to feel goodwill or intimacy towards him.

“…….”

It was so awkward that it only heightened the sense of unease.

“Uh, um….”

Barely holding back the retort that reflexively came to mind, Cha Ara meekly succumbed to the greater power.

“…Is that so! That’s amazing!”

“Thank you.”

“Cooking and cleaning aren’t things just anyone can do! Your skills must be truly incredible! So cool!”

“The same is true for you, Ms. Cha Ara.”

“…….”

She was at a loss for words.

‘I’ve ended up praising myself in front of a humanoid monster, known for its immense pride.’

I desperately needed a Return Stone.

‘Big bro, little one, I’m going first.’

As Cha Ara, prepared for a painful death, flinched, a rustling sound came from the other side.

Judging from the black cape he was wearing, it seemed he had tilted his head.

‘So he does have a head.’

Just as a strange sense of relief and fear washed over her simultaneously, the monster spoke.

“I am sorry, but I do not need a slave.”

“…….”

Little one, I’m sorry. Big bro, I love you.

Cha Ara once again braced herself for a horribly gruesome death.

‘Ara dies here.’

May the bastards who abandoned me appear on the 9 o’clock news, get beaten by the entire nation, and never be able to show their faces in this industry again.

‘May you become so damn famous that you get hit by flying eggs if you don’t cover your face even when you go to the convenience store to buy snacks, you sons of bitches.’

As she poured out love and curses in her mind, with cold sweat like tears streaming down, the other party continued.

“Is your occupation a slave?”

“…No…?”

It was just something I said with the meaning of ‘Oh, you can work me to the bone, just please spare my life, hehe.’

What kind of slave would there be in a law-abiding country like this these days?

“Ah, of course, that is, secretly… on the down-low, some rich people, um… I’ve heard stories that they illegally buy and sell slaves….”

“How terrible.”

“R-Right. It’s terrible. Tsk, tsk, they’re very bad people.”

“It is frightening.”

“…….”

At the ‘frightening’ that was just polite and noble, without a shred of emotion let alone fear, Cha Ara was truly speechless.

But she was getting a feel for it.

‘…Is he doing this to imitate a human right now? Is he pretending to be scared?’

It was something she had never imagined, so she realized it late, but thinking about it, that was it.

‘The greeting from before, the exchanging of names, the way he tried to empathize with me….’

It was so formulaic that I didn’t even know what he intended, and it just felt strange.

‘Could it be that he was trying his best to act human?’

No, n-no.

‘This is frustrating??’

Fuck, even if it’s an imitation, it has to be a little bit human-like for me to pretend to fall for it and go, ‘Ah fuck, I see’…!

‘This isn’t even a modified past exam question. Fuck, imitate in a way that I can at least understand the test-maker’s intention. Who would be fooled by this.’

Even the leader who abandoned me told jokes whose intentions were easier to grasp than this.

‘If he’s acting like this and then feels proud thinking, “Ah, I’m doing an amazing human imitation right now,” I think I’d be truly dumbfounded.’

Feeling a bizarre sense of injustice that was hard to experience even once in a lifetime, Cha Ara haltingly opened her mouth.

“Yes, th-that’s right. Right, it is frightening.”

Once she realized the other party was imitating a human, she could roughly grasp the situation.

‘Wasn’t it a similar feeling when he wouldn’t answer or repeated himself until I returned his greeting? Like learning how to use a machine….’

He knew that when humans greet each other, they return the same greeting, but Cha Ara hadn’t responded that way.

‘Is it like hitting a broken TV to get it back to its senses…? Or like repeating the same question to an unresponsive AI…?’

Analyzing it like this, it seemed he had studied and imitated humans diligently and I felt sorry, but honestly, I couldn’t understand it at all.

Whether he knew Cha Ara’s feelings of fumbling, not knowing how to react at all, or not, the monster, who was stroking the Anticat in his arms, opened his mouth again.

“I will not kill you, Ms. Cha Ara.”

“…….”

“I will not hurt you, nor will I make you sad.”

“Uh….”

“I did not want to frighten you either.”

The monster wrapped in the black cape continued.

“I wanted to make a friend.”

“…A friend?”

What?

‘Does he mean he’s searching for a sacrificial lamb to drag to the netherworld?’

The word itself was very gentle, but the other party’s atmosphere was not gentle at all, which naturally aroused suspicion.

Even though I couldn’t see him well, the heavy presence of this being that made me feel suffocated and like my heart would stop wanting a ‘friend,’ it definitely didn’t seem to mean an ordinary friendship.

‘He looks like a chief mourner at a funeral or a grim reaper, so maybe…? Is he really looking for an afterlife buddy…? Something like that…?’

Before Cha Ara’s suspicion could fully form, the monster continued.

“To make you my friend, you are too young, Ms. Cha Ara.”

“…….”

He says I can’t because I’m young, was he really looking for an afterlife buddy?

‘…No, more than that.’

Cha Ara faintly frowned at the monster’s attitude, which seemed to be using the words ‘young’ and ‘weak’ as synonyms.

‘At my age, I’m not that young, but I guess he doesn’t know these things since he’s not human.’

At 18, Cha Ara was old enough to be married.

She was treated as a full adult, but seeing her as merely young, she once again felt a sense of alienation.

‘…Still, he said he wouldn’t harm me….’

It was foolish to believe a monster’s words, but she couldn’t help but feel a little relieved.

“Are you here alone?”

“…Ah, ah, yes. I’m alone.”

Surely he wouldn’t kill me for being alone.

Cha Ara grew tense.

It was basic knowledge known to all Hunters in the world that monsters had their own rules.

Many of those rules felt bizarre and cruel from a human perspective.

‘They said humanoid monsters in particular have stronger adherence to such rules….’

Like a monster that only kills Hunters who are alone?

“Oh dear.”

Fortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.

“I am aware that people in dungeons usually move in groups. Am I mistaken?”

“Uh….”

He describes people as if they’re a pack of dogs.

I really thought his way of speaking was disgustingly monster-like, but Cha Ara was top-notch when it came to being perceptive.

She noticed a faint hint of goodwill within the voice that was so polite it was jarring.

It didn’t seem directed at Cha Ara personally, but rather a comprehensive and impartial goodwill towards the entire human race, but….

‘He wasn’t completely devoid of emotion.’

She felt a little more at ease.

It was far less scary dealing with a monster that had emotions than one that didn’t.

“…No, you’re right. It’s just, I wasn’t alone originally… but things happened, and my party abandoned me. I didn’t have the strength to leave the dungeon alone, so I was wandering around….”

“…….”

“…I saw the Anticat and….”

Ah fuck, so that’s it.

‘That… that Black Cape wanted a friend or a sacrifice, so the Anticat brought me, a human, to him.’

In that case, is that humanoid monster the unknown boss monster of this dungeon?

‘It’s not uncommon to see monsters cooperating….’

But one-sidedly obeying commands wasn’t that common.

‘Since I haven’t learned anything, I can’t fucking define what this is. I never thought I’d see a humanoid monster in my life, ah fuck. I really want to go home.’

It was around the time she was naturally getting depressed.

Grumble―!

“…….”

It was a disgustingly loud belly button alarm.

“…I’m sorry.”

“You seem to be hungry.”

“I’m sorry…!!”

Cha Ara learned for the first time today that shame and fear could strike at the same time.

Because the other party was trying so hard to accommodate human standards, as scary as it was, it seemed she had the leeway to feel embarrassed.

“I haven’t eaten for the last 3 days….”

“3 days?”

“Yes, it’s been a little over 13 hours since I was abandoned. But not eating started then….”

“3 days?”

“…….”

Wh-What is it?

‘Did I hit a nerve?’

Humanoid monsters were not the kind of obvious monsters that appeared in the Association’s textbooks.

Each individual humanoid monster had different rules, so no one knew what kind of strange rule the invisible monster before her might have.

But fortunately, the monster didn’t seem to be angry at Cha Ara.

“They are bad people.”

“Kururuk.”

Cha Ara was startled by the new voice.

“Heok, wha-what was that….”

“He is my son.”

“Pardon?”

“…….”

The monster was silent for a moment, then, holding the Anticat with one hand, he moved his other hand behind his head.

It wasn’t very visible due to the darkness, but….

Cha Ara soon realized where the cry from a moment ago had come from.

“Honey.”

Pardon? What?

“You have to say hello.”

“Kkung.”

“He is a good student.”

“…….”

Before the absurd words ‘good’ and ‘student,’ something else caught Cha Ara’s eye.

On the monster’s pale hand, there was a small, sweet honey-colored bird full of all kinds of jewels.

“…….”

…Cu-Cute.

“…His name… is Honey?”

“Yes, and he bites.”

“He bites?!”

He doesn’t look like he would bite at all?

“But he will not bite, because I do not wish for it.”

“Uh… I see….”

“Honey, let’s go home now.”

It was at that moment.

Hwaaaak―!

“……!”

The small bird’s body shone brightly, illuminating everything in the cave.

“…Wow, waah….”

The jewel cave, its form laid bare.

‘Amazing.’

It was fantastic.

At the beautiful sight, something hard to see even once in a lifetime, Cha Ara forgot that she had been in a state of terror and gasped in admiration.

‘So this is what the Water Vein of Jewels originally looked like.’

All sorts of large and small jewels were clustered together as if one body, and the cave’s paths were bored through like an ant tunnel.

It was a space full of a dreamlike, fantastical confusion, both beautiful and chaotic.

Cha Ara was seeing the true form of the Water Vein of Jewels for the first time.

“…….”

Thanks to that, she also realized what a monster ‘Honey’ was.

‘…He drove out all the Darkness Silverfish that inhabit the Water Vein of Jewels.’

The ‘Darkness Silverfish,’ which doesn’t attack physically but is impossible to exterminate without an A-Class or higher priest.

That thing, which absorbs all light except for the light from some luminous gems, was lit up in an instant by that small bird.

It felt as if a giant sunbeam had descended.

“…….”

“Ms. Cha Ara.”

“…Uh.”

Only then did she see the monster’s face.

“We have met before.”

“…Uh, uh uh…!”

As he said, Cha Ara had seen him before.

“That time, the jewel…! The portrait…!”

“I am glad you seem to remember.”

“…You were a monster?!”

“I am human.”

“Th-That’s not, I mean, I guess so, but…!”

Not wanting to get on the monster’s bad side, Cha Ara quickly agreed.

It seemed he wanted to be seen as human no matter what and she didn’t want to die by retorting, ‘Stop lying, what part of you is human.’

“…….”

Hesitantly, Cha Ara asked.

“…Do I… die… now…?”

“You will not die.”

“…….”

“Good people must be rewarded.”

“Um….”

Cha Ara suddenly realized.

‘That monster… is trying to treat good humans well.’

From the ‘good student’ he mentioned earlier to calling the party that abandoned Cha Ara ‘bad people,’ even the uneducated Cha Ara could figure out that the other party was sensitive to good and evil.

“I apologize for startling you last time.”

“Uh….”

“It had been a very long time since I had seen a virtuous student like you, Ms. Cha Ara, so I ended up following you without realizing it. It must have been unpleasant, and I would like to take this opportunity to apologize.”

“Ah, no, there’s no need for that….”

“I had no intention of startling you this time either. But for some reason, people are frightened of me, and in truth, I had never seen anyone as frightened of me as you, Ms. Cha Ara, so I did not know how to respond. I also apologize for any discomfort my confusion may have caused you.”

“…….”

He was one hell of a polite monster.

‘Does he not know that being this courteous actually makes the other person feel sorry.’

It was a strange feeling.

The appearance of the monster who introduced himself as ‘Seo Jio’ was like that of an ordinary human.

‘No.’

He looked like a very handsome human.

But the sense of intimidation and vastness enveloping the black cape was so great that such things didn’t even register.

How could a mouse standing before a giant compliment its opponent’s looks?

No matter how fragrant the scent, from the perspective of a mere insignificant creature, it didn’t even have the presence of mind to evaluate it.

“…….”

He was very gentlemanly.

And at the same time, vast, and thus, an alien being.

‘…It’s like the universe is imitating a person….’

She just couldn’t get a grasp on how to treat him.

Then, ‘Seo Jio,’ readjusting the small monsters in his arms, spoke to Cha Ara.

“I am going to return home.”

“…Ah, yes, I-I see. To your home….”

Huh?

‘He has a separate home?’

Wasn’t this his home?

‘The gift he gave me last time was also a jewel… plus, the Anticat follows him so obediently, I thought that monster might be the real master of this dungeon.’

Or did it mean there was another habitat deep within this ant tunnel?

“…….”

“If you would be alright with it, Ms. Cha Ara.”

“Yes?”

“Would you permit me to extend an invitation?”

An invitation?

“An invitation, what do you mean…?”

“You are young, Ms. Cha Ara. This place is dark, and there is no food. You look tired and hungry, and I do not wish to simply pass by. I would be grateful if you would permit me to serve you a meal.”

“…I, I’m….”

“I swear I will not harm you and I promise I will return you to Seoul after one meal. I say this in my son Honey’s life, so please do not doubt me.”

“Ah.”

“Does that put you a little more at ease?”

It wasn’t that she trusted the monster.

“…….”

But to reject such an obvious display of kindness, as ‘Seo Jio’ had said, Cha Ara herself was still young and weak.

“…Please do.”

It meant she was tired of being left alone.

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