🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter: 20
“Woooow, amazing……!”
Ryan looked around the old man’s house with his mouth wide open and let out a deep admiration.
Instead of electric lights, the house was lit by the fireplace. Because of the warm heat, the inside felt very cozy. It was already the beginning of hot summer, but a sudden cold had arrived after strong winds and hail.
However, Ryan’s eyes were fixed on the stuffed animals hanging all over the house. Following him, Edwin carefully looked around and politely bowed his head to the old man.
“Thank you for letting us in.”
“Sit.”
Even after Edwin’s polite thanks, the old man coldly turned his body and pointed lazily toward the fireplace.
The sofa in front of the crackling fire was covered with animal furs. Not only the sofa, but the whole room was filled with signs of hunting.
Ryan’s eyes widened when he saw a bear-shaped rug on the floor.
“Jigu! Do you think this is a real bear?”
“Huh? Uh… it looks like a bear……?”
“Woooow……”
Even at a glance, it was clearly very big. It looked like an adult bear, not a cub. Ryan knelt on the floor and stroked the thick, rough bear fur with admiration.
Jigu crouched beside him and quietly looked around.
‘Strange. The detection skill clearly warned of danger.’
The red effect that had covered her vision earlier was now calm again. The faint red glow at the edge of her sight made her tilt her head.
It was slightly redder and wider than usual, but that made sense. Outside, a tornado was raging, and hail mixed with zombie rain was falling.
Unless she was inside the Earth Protection Zone, her vision always stayed around this level.
‘I can’t set the Earth Protection Zone right now.’
It was lucky they had entered an independent area recognized by the system, but she couldn’t use the skill because there were people not registered as party members.
Maya, Peggy, Ryan, and Luke — who joined at the shopping mall.
Everything had been so chaotic on the way here that she hadn’t registered them yet. She could do it now, but the problem was—
Jigu looked at the old man sitting at the dining table.
‘Is it okay to make him a party member?’
As her gaze stayed on him, the old man suddenly chuckled and jerked his chin behind her.
“I caught it with that fellow.”
That fellow? Caught what?
The moment she turned around, something big and black suddenly jumped on her.
Before she could react, Jigu got tangled with it and screamed.
“Ahh— what…!”
“Woof woof!”
“D-dog……?”
“Woof!”
“W-wait!”
Unable to bear the weight, Jigu fell back with a thump. A large shepherd dog with beautiful black and brown fur wagged its tail excitedly and jumped into her arms.
“So heavy! Help me, Ryan!”
“Uh… the dog is too big, what do I do?!”
“Aaah, it tickles!”
The shepherd was even taller than Ryan and very heavy. Its tongue licking her neck and face was extremely ticklish.
As Jigu twisted and laughed, the excited dog sniffed loudly and jumped around even more.
H-how do I stop it? Ryan panicked, but the old man, who had been watching silently, spoke firmly.
“Sam, stop.”
“Woof!”
As if answering, Sam barked loudly and quickly returned to the old man’s side, sitting down obediently.
“Ugh… I’m all wet……”
With the old man’s help, Jigu finally escaped the pink tongue and wiped her wet face while getting up.
“He’s as brave as he looks. Look closely, you’ll see Sam’s teeth marks there.”
The old man chuckled and pointed at the bear rug.
That little dog hunted such a big bear? Jigu and Ryan stared at Sam with wide eyes.
Sam looked like a grown dog, but compared to the huge bear rug, he seemed small. As if noticing their doubt, Sam barked loudly and began digging the rug with his shiny black nose.
“Oh! It’s really there!”
“So cool, Sam!”
Looking closely, small teeth marks were indeed scattered there.
Jigu and Ryan clapped in admiration. Sam snorted proudly and sat proudly in front of them.
Kalif stepped forward, blocking the old man’s gaze, and spoke.
“Are you the owner of Morton Farm?”
“Yes. I am Morton, the owner of this farm. Hunting is my hobby.”
Morton sneered slightly, as if understanding Kalif’s cautious tone, and nodded.
“For a hobby, it seems quite skilled.”
Although he looked like a white-haired old man, his silhouette under the thin shirt and his calloused hands showed he was not an ordinary farmer.
“I see. I am Kalif Roxberg, a soldier of Ranger Shelter.”
“A soldier?”
This time Morton’s face hardened. His sharp voice made the air grow cold.
Jigu, hugging Sam tightly, looked at Morton with unease.
The edges of her vision slowly turned red again.
‘What danger is it warning about?’
Was it Morton? Or Sam, showing his teeth? Or…
“Grrr.”
A threatening vibration came through Sam’s body. His clear brown eyes were now full of alertness, staring somewhere.
Jigu followed Sam’s gaze.
Crackle.
The fireplace light faintly lit the shadow beyond the dark hallway. In the small darkness, a pale little face flickered in the firelight.
“…A child?”
Hidden in the dark was clearly a child — a small girl about Ryan’s age.
As Jigu spoke, Morton’s face twisted harshly.
Bang!
The door slammed shut. The pale face had already disappeared behind it. Standing before the door was Morton, eyes sharp and glowing.
The peaceful room instantly turned hostile.
The hostility filling the room belonged entirely to Morton.
Ryan swallowed nervously in Peggy’s arms.
“…You have a child?”
Kalif broke the silence. Standing in front of Jigu, he asked quietly. Morton reluctantly nodded.
“My granddaughter. My little troublemaker.”
“Her body is weak.”
Though his tone was rough, faint affection showed on his wrinkled face. Kalif nodded.
“I see.”
The tense air softened a little. Morton watched them for a moment, then looked at Jigu peeking from behind Kalif.
“This may be called a farm, but the well dried long ago. Only unripe or rotten crops remain. Even those may be swept away by tonight’s tornado.”
He walked to the kitchen, took out cups, and poured water.
“I let you in because there are children, but when morning comes, leave immediately.”
Children? Plural?
Jigu looked at Ryan in confusion. Only Ryan was a child — why plural?
‘Hmm. Edwin does look a bit young.’
But when Morton returned, his eyes went to Ryan — and then to Jigu.
Jigu tilted her head.
I, Won Jigu, twenty years old.
A full adult.
Still, she didn’t correct him. He didn’t seem like he would throw them out now, but just in case.
She smiled harmlessly. Morton handed her a steaming cup and muttered roughly,
“That is, if you survive tonight.”
At the same moment, a loud roaring wind howled outside.
