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Chapter 5
Gulp.
Embarrassingly, I had let my nervousness show.
He had ignored everything I said time and time again, yet apparently he had heard my quiet mutter perfectly well.
His expression had been so intense that I felt like I would never be able to forget it, even after I returned.
Fortunately, the child said nothing and simply turned his face away again, focusing on what he was doing.
He neither confirmed nor denied being a Titan, but I was almost certain that he was one.
Most people currently thought of the Titans as a vanished clan and paid little attention to them, but they had a history of persecution. He probably didn’t want to reveal his identity himself.
‘Wait. A Titan is the guardian of the Hidden Dungeon?’
Titan.
The unfortunate clan that had been slaughtered following the appearance of the Black Tower.
A child who treasured a ring bearing the symbol of his clan.
An emblem like that was usually something that would belong to the heir of a clan.
And the implication behind a child that young being the last guardian was unsettling as well.
The Last Guardian of the Hidden Dungeon.
In the world of the World Calendar, a message from the System was practically the same as a prophecy.
It couldn’t have given me that message without meaning.
Then what exactly did it mean?
“Stop being interested in me. We won’t have any reason to meet again.”
Perhaps my persistent gaze was irritating him, because the child spoke sharply.
“We won’t have any reason to meet again?”
“Both you and I just need to accomplish our goals.”
Goals?
Right. Good choice of words.
“What’s your goal?”
“I need to concentrate, so stop babbling. You’re distracting me and I can’t concentrate.”
He shook the necklace as though he were holding someone by the collar.
“Ah, okay, okay. Just say it. Be gentle with it…”
Tch.
With the necklace held hostage, I was completely powerless. I was the absolute weaker party here.
It wasn’t as though the necklace would be damaged just because he shook it like that, yet my lips instinctively pursed.
Still, I didn’t dislike him.
I found him cute, like a much younger little brother.
There weren’t any people around my age near me, so having someone like him around was fascinating.
He was the first child I had ever made friends with.
Although, physically speaking, he looked older than me…?
Wow. Older?
Did that mean I was supposed to call him hyung?
No. Get a grip.
What did something like that matter?!
Being left alone with a child this young was practically a first for me, so everything about it felt fascinating and new.
And for some reason, I kept feeling unusually excited.
I slapped both my cheeks lightly with my hands to come to my senses.
“Here.”
“Huh? Huh—Aah!”
My life came flying toward me.
It wasn’t as though the necklace would break if it fell, but my heart still trembled.
I stretched out my leg and caught the necklace.
Coincidentally, it was positioned at just the right distance that I had to assume a somewhat humiliating pose to retrieve it.
Could he have done that on purpose?
“What? Why?”
A cold gaze immediately pierced into me.
He really was one sharp-tongued child.
It didn’t seem like he would do something so childish.
I simply shook my head.
“Huh?”
[Updating.]
[12:12:12]
A message I had never seen before appeared above the necklace.
The time steadily counted down.
I had found it.
The thought that I could finally see with my own eyes the skill I had never known about until the day I died in my previous life made my heart pound violently.
“Thank you… Ah! What’s your name?”
“You’ll be able to leave once the update is finished.”
Whatever that cold face had been saying, it looked as round and adorable as a full moon to me.
Actually, it was only natural that I felt so fond of that child.
This child was the first miracle that had ever appeared before me.
After all the agony and frustration I had endured, my skill was finally being unlocked so easily.
Of course I was going to be excited.
I was in no state to contain my happiness right now.
I needed to release these emotions immediately, but there was nothing else to do except talk to the child.
Karen would worry if I stayed here for more than twelve hours, but judging by the child’s expression, he clearly wanted to kick me out immediately. Yet he was staying still, so there was no way I would be leaving before the update finished.
I had no books to read, and the only person I could talk to was him, so I couldn’t help becoming fixated on him.
Even though he was sharp and cold toward me, he was my benefactor, so I was simply happy to be around him.
I found myself becoming more and more fond of him to the point that even I found my own feelings suspicious.
I decided to approach him carefully once more.
“How did you do it?”
“……”
“Um. Excuse me…?”
“……”
“Hey, kid? Guardian?”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Then won’t you tell me your name? As for me… you can call me Hani.”
There was no way a Titan wouldn’t know the meaning of my name.
Normally, knowing my identity would make someone feel burdened, but honestly, I wasn’t sure about this kid.
Still, I hesitated to tell him everything, so I only gave him my nickname.
It felt awkward.
There was no one who would even call me by my name, let alone my nickname.
Of course I knew it was my name, but it was a name that hadn’t been spoken for more than twenty years.
And naturally, he never called me by it.
It was blatant disregard.
“What’s your name?”
There was something strangely compelling about this child, something that made people want to keep pestering him.
Was it a sense of challenge?
“Guardian. Hey, Guardian. Won’t you tell me your name?”
His beautiful face twisted like that of a ghost.
“There was nowhere to escape in this cramped space, and perhaps he was simply more annoyed because I was being so persistent. The child finally growled fiercely.
“Ruizel Tritan.”
“Wow. Even your name is pretty. Rui… Ruizel Tritan?”
I knew that name.
It was one of the names I could never forget.
