🔊 TTS Settings
CHAPTER 07
With a sensation of his body floating, the surrounding scenery changed rapidly.
He was so strong that even while holding me with one hand, he showed no sign of strain. His movements were effortless.
Amazing. As expected, men should be strong.
“We’re fine up to here. I’ll continue scouting the surroundings, so please stay a short distance away and follow me.”
“Yes, yes.”
Calion set me down on the ground and once again pushed through the bushes ahead.
But there were many obstacles around—what if there were monsters he failed to notice?
Rustle.
Just as I worried, a suspicious sound came from the bushes.
They say “what you fear will happen,” but there’s no way another sudden quest is popping up, right?
Unlike me, who was tense at the rustling, Calion did not assume a combat stance at all.
“Calion. The bushes over there just moved…”
“It’s not a monster.”
It was a brief answer, but not enough to explain the situation.
If not a monster, then what? A person?
Just as I thought that—
THUD.
A huge tree across from us split open with a cracking sound.
“Eek!”
A monster stood behind the tree.
No, it had a human shape—but the dramatic entrance was so terrifying that I instinctively hid behind Calion.
Did it split the tree with brute force? Is that even human?
“What’s this, Calion? You’re fine?”
A voice called out. It was a strong man’s voice.
“I thought you were dying since you sent an emergency signal. Were you just exaggerating?”
“…There were circumstances.”
Both of them spoke briefly. They clearly knew each other.
‘So he’s an ally?’
The man stepped forward.
When he had been hidden in the tree’s shadow, everything looked dark, but now in the light I could see his dazzling red hair.
“Whoa… he’s huge…”
He was about the same height as Calion, but much more heavily built.
Unlike Calion, who wore silver armor, this man had his hair and clothing loose… far too unguarded for a monster-infested mountain.
‘Is muscle his armor or something?’
Calion felt like a winter mountain, but this man was like a raging flame.
With his red hair and golden eyes, and sharp brows and fierce gaze, he looked like a fire spirit.
“Calion. Who’s that behind you?”
Calling a person “what’s that?” is a bit rude.
‘Still, he seems to be Calion’s acquaintance, so it shouldn’t be dangerous.’
I cautiously peeked out from behind Calion.
“….”
The man’s expression hardened when he saw me.
It looked like he had seen something he shouldn’t have.
‘Do I look that strange? Or is it because I’m a woman traveling with Calion?’
Whatever it was, his reaction wasn’t friendly. I missed my chance to introduce myself.
Just as things were becoming awkward, Calion stepped slightly aside to mediate.
“We met during our mountain journey. She was unconscious due to an accident and lost her memory, so I was planning to escort her to the nearest village.”
“…Lost her memory?”
The man’s tone rose skeptically.
He probably thought I looked suspicious. I couldn’t blame him.
Just as I considered hiding behind Calion in case things turned bad, the man scratched the back of his neck and looked away.
‘If he’s not hostile, that’s good.’
Calion then introduced him.
“I apologize for the late introduction, Juin. This is Sennes. He’s my older brother.”
That last part surprised me.
‘Brother? They don’t look alike at all.’
Aside from both being handsome, they were completely different in hair, build, and overall appearance.
Sennes was also a monster hunter like Calion. However, they didn’t hunt together; they operated separately and only exchanged signals in emergencies.
It seemed that yesterday, when Calion was badly injured, he had sent an emergency signal to Sennes.
Though honestly, I wasn’t sure what good it did for him to arrive a day later.
Anyway, introductions were done—I should greet him.
I put on my “social mode” face and began politely.
“No, nice to meet you, Sennes…”
“Who gave you permission to act like you’re his master?”
Huh?
He interrupted me rudely right away.
“Excuse me?”
“Calion’s master? You? On what authority?”
Ah. That’s what this was about.
“Um, I think there’s a misunderstanding. I’m not pretending to be his master—my name is actually ‘Juin,’ so Calion just calls me that.”
“Your name is ‘Juin’?”
“Yes.”
“…Why is your name like that?”
Sennes frowned, clearly displeased.
What, did you contribute to my naming or something?
If you were dropped into Korea, your name would sound weird too.
“Anyway, so you’re not Calion’s master.”
Sennes sighed, then turned to Calion.
“So Calion, you’re not injured?”
Not even an apology to me? How rude.
Calion hesitated briefly, then nodded.
He must have decided not to mention that I healed him to avoid revealing my ability.
“I just made a mistake because it’s my first time protecting someone while moving, brother. There were no other issues.”
“Of course there weren’t—for you.”
Sounds like there were issues for me.
‘And you still haven’t apologized for insulting me earlier?’
I glared at Sennes. He met my eyes.
His expression was rough, and I briefly flinched, but I didn’t back down.
A strange UI window suddenly appeared between us.
Current party members: (1/1)
A party invitation has been sent. Do you accept?
Instead of apologizing, he sends a party invite? Are you joking?
I looked at him in disbelief, but he quickly avoided my gaze.
‘Why is there no reject button?’
When I used healing skills, there were “Yes / No” options—but here there was only “Accept.”
So basically, it’s “accept or don’t bother resisting”?
‘Well, I refuse!’
I pushed the system window aside. If there’s no reject button, I’ll just ignore it.
I’m not accepting until you apologize.
“Anyway, Calion. So the three of us are going down the mountain together now?”
“Yes. Now that my brother is here, I can support you while traveling. That’s a relief.”
Relief? I absolutely do NOT want to party up with this rude guy!
I tried to signal Calion with my eyes, hoping he’d understand I wanted him to support me instead—but Sennes cut in sharply.
“Support her? Is she injured? She looks fine.”
“She seems to get tired easily due to weakness.”
“I asked her, not you.”
Then he looked at me again.
Why are you picking a fight now? Because I didn’t accept your party invite?
“I don’t need support. Let’s just go.”
“Go where? You look like you’d collapse after one step.”
Didn’t you just say I looked fine?
“I am fine, you know.”
“Lack of sleep. Lack of exercise. Severe nutritional imbalance. Your feet also look swollen.”
Sennes sighed and pulled out a small bag.
Before I could even guess what it was, poof—a pot and cooking tools appeared.
…Wait. Cooking tools?
“First, we need to eat and recover your strength. Calion, take out all your ingredients.”
He’s cooking here? Is he insane? What if a fire spreads in the mountain?
“I only have emergency rations. It might be better to use my brother’s supplies.”
“Then do that. Go fetch water too. There’s a spring below the cliff.”
“Brother, what about nearby monsters…”
“I’ve already cleared them. It should be safe for now.”
“I see. Understood.”
Calion calmly left to fetch water, completely unfazed by the absurd situation.
‘…I guess this is normal here.’
Ignoring my reaction, Sennes continued pulling out bags of ingredients from his inventory endlessly.
You call yourself a monster hunter, but why are you carrying so much food?
‘Are you actually a chef?’
Even in zombie apocalypse stories, food content always shows up, so maybe chefs are essential in every world.
‘I don’t even know what genre this world is.’
Maybe it’s a survival-adventure-romance mashup? If this is a game, I’d love to ask what kind of target audience it’s aiming for.
Still, he looked skilled.
Sennes moved his hands quickly, preparing ingredients with precision that didn’t match his rough appearance.
Then he took out something red from his pouch.
‘A jewel?’
No—it was too rough to be a jewel, too translucent to be a stone.
He grabbed the fist-sized object with both hands—and snapped it in half.
‘…He broke a rock? With his bare hands?’
Suddenly, fire burst beneath the pot.
“F-fire?!”
He’s making a fire in a mountain! Is he insane?!
I panicked and started trying to clear away nearby leaves and branches, but Sennes shouted irritably.
“Stay still. I’m the one cooking, so why are you panicking?”
“But fire—what if it spreads!”
“It won’t. I used mana stone.”
“Mana stone?”
“A monster core. You don’t know it?”
How am I supposed to know that?!
“…You really did lose your memory, huh.”
Sennes narrowed his eyes and scanned me from head to toe.
‘I feel like he believes me… but why does that still annoy me?’
