Chapter 248

Chapter 248: Gathering (1)

Though ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍it had been a short life, the experiences of parting, despair, and regret had left deep traces on Adol.

They ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gnawed away at the boy’s mind and created the side effect of irrational self-blame.

But ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the child, who had repeatedly blamed himself and regretted, succeeded in turning the long marks they left behind into his own path.

Thanks ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍to that, in a situation where his life was in danger, Adol finally did not lose reason, nor did he surrender himself to confusion. He was using his head to find a way to survive.

Perhaps ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it was because he had instinctively realized that losing his senses would not help in the slightest to protect Naria in his arms and himself from that yellow-haired Imperial Family member.

Careful ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍not to touch the arrow lodged in Naria’s shoulder, Adol struggled to lift her.

But the human god, as if finding Adol’s state amusing, chuckled and closed the distance between them.

At that smile, where the delight of finding an entertaining plaything was clear, veins rose on Adol’s forehead and strength entered his hands.

His anger toward Renin somewhat subsided thanks to Naria’s pained groan.

“Are, are you all right?”

Adol hurriedly loosened the strength in his hands and whispered to Naria.

“......It hurts so much I could die, so stop pressing on me. It hurt so much I woke up again.”

Naria answered with difficulty, along with a groan.

“Idiot, don’t fall asleep now. If you fall asleep here, you really won’t ever wake up again.”

Adol said as he removed the hand that had been hovering around Naria’s shoulder.

But when even the pain that had barely held onto her consciousness disappeared, Naria’s eyes began to grow dim again.

At that uneasy movement, Adol desperately racked his brain to think of something that would make Naria come to her senses.

“They say monsters and humans go to different places when they die. If Alec was a good person, he’ll definitely end up somewhere different from you. If you close your eyes now, you’ll never see Alec again.”

Even as he was aware that every single word coming out of his mouth was cowardly, Adol could not stop.

Because if he did not even have this, he felt as if Naria’s eyelids, emptied of strength, would simply slide down and never reveal her eyes again.

Fortunately, Adol’s efforts worked to some degree.

“Yes, that’s what they say.”

Naria let out a weak laugh and continued the conversation with Adol.

“Isn’t that a little funny? Dying is already sad enough, but once you die, you can’t even meet again.”

“That’s right. It’s funny. So if you don’t want that funny thing to happen, don’t fall asleep and keep your head straight.”

“Right now, the one who needs to keep his head straight isn’t me, it’s you, you idiot.”

Naria, who had stopped speaking for a moment to endure the pain, glanced sideways at the blond man approaching from behind her.

“Never transform into a monster in front of that bastard. So if you want to live, think of only one thing. Don’t forget your original form.”

With those words, Naria closed her mouth.

As if she had sensed approaching death.

“I like Werewolves. I feel best when hunting them.”

Death approached, humming a hobby no one had asked about.

“Especially right now. My mood was already on the floor, so how fortunate. In return, I’ll kill you in one strike without tormenting you. I’m a little busy too.”

Renin, who had muttered in a voice full of joy, grabbed Naria by the neck and lifted her.

The unconscious Naria swayed pitifully in his hand.

“Stop!”

When Adol could not endure it and shouted, Renin’s eyes, filled with anger, turned toward the child.

“Do not order me!”

Renin shouted, his eyes turning red as if Adol had attacked him.

Adol had only hated seeing Naria handled like an object, so he could not help being flustered by Renin’s sudden and violent reaction.

“Something like you! Must not order me! Do you understand?!”

As if the good mood he had shown moments earlier had all been a lie, the Imperial Family member screamed hysterically.

In the child’s eyes, Renin looked like a madman.

A madman with tremendous force.

Adol’s instincts screamed at him to get as far away from him as possible.

Even so, he could not abandon Naria and run from him.

While Adol’s body stiffened hard and could not think of moving, Renin seemed to be pondering how to deal with him.

Rather than whether to show mercy, he was surely thinking about how he could kill him more painfully, Adol was certain.

Or perhaps he was wondering whether to deal with the Werewolf in his hand first, or the arrogant brat before his eyes.

Like prey before a predator, Adol sat there stupidly.

Into his dazed head, useless thoughts floated up and sank again.

It was purely luck that let him seize the one thing of some value among those floating, useless thoughts.

Because while Renin took his time, the child, who had merely turned his head as his gaze led him, discovered two pairs of eyes looking at him from far away and regained a little of his senses.

Two children had opened the door of the board house on the verge of collapse and were sticking their heads out.

Adol’s eyes met the children’s.

The two children’s gazes moved along Renin, Adol, and Naria.

Unlike Adol’s expectation that if they had any thoughts at all, they would naturally hide inside, they merely watched the situation blankly.

Adol desperately gestured with his eyes instead of telling them to go inside, but the children did not know how to move, as if nailed in place.

Why are you standing still? Hurry up and hide inside!

In his urgency, his efforts to somehow send the two inside were no help at all.

All his gaze, which lingered too long, did arouse Renin’s suspicion.

“Where are you looking right now?”

Renin turned his head with a puzzled face, following Adol’s gaze.

“I, I know......!”

Adol grabbed Renin’s trouser leg and clung to it.

Because Renin shook him off with a displeased face, he rolled across the ground again.

“What do you know?”

But there was a gain.

Because the gaze that had been about to turn toward the children was fixed on Adol again.

“I know where the humans you’re chasing went.”

Adol hurriedly answered before his attention disappeared.

“They told me where they were going. Those people went to catch the Werewolves.”

“Nonsense. There is no reason for them to shake me off and go all the way there.”

“It’s true. I don’t know the reason either...... but they definitely said that. That they would go to the Werewolves’ lair. I told them the way myself, so I’m sure.”

If it had been the usual Renin, he would have believed Adol’s words without much thought.

Because he would not have imagined that any being would dare tell him a lie.

But Renin had already been attacked by insignificant humans, and Adol, who was rudely speaking informally in front of him, was enough to draw his suspicion.

Renin roughly grabbed Adol by the hair.

“If you are playing tricks before me to buy time right now......”

“It’s not a lie! It’s true! I saw it with my own eyes! I know the whole way too!”

Adol cut off Renin’s words in his hurry to answer.

“You can kill me anytime. But if you kill me now, you won’t be able to find the people you are looking for......”

Adol could not finish speaking.

Because of the sudden strong force pressing down on the back of his neck.

His body sank to the ground, and at the impact that choked off his breath, Adol struggled for a moment, unable to understand what had happened.

Then the force grinding his face against the ground grew stronger.

Suppressing his instinct to survive before the overwhelming difference in strength, he stopped struggling, and a low voice mixed with elation and anger settled over the child’s head.

“Fine. I will listen to you. But if you cut off my words one more time, it will not end with this much.”

Only then did Adol realize this was punishment for cutting off his words and butting in.

“And I am not a being a bastard like you can dare speak carelessly to. Use proper honorifics. Unless you were not even taught that much.”

At that narrow-minded warning, Adol barely nodded, and the force pressing on his neck slowly disappeared. A small sigh was heard.

“Ah, but one thing is solved. One annoying matter has been reduced.”

Muttering as if relieved, he moved Adol aside as if throwing away trash.

But Adol had no leisure to feel relief that he had survived.

Because he had discovered Naria collapsed in the direction Renin’s steps headed.

He did not know what Renin intended to do, but there was no way he would kindly lift Naria to her feet and even dust her off.

“To go inside!”

At Adol’s shout, Renin stopped walking irritably.

Rather than because he was willing to listen to Adol, he seemed to be wondering how he should punish the child who had stopped him again this time.

Before Renin could hand down his judgment, Adol hurriedly opened his mouth.

“To go inside, you need a Werewolf. Ordinary humans can’t go in.”

Though he used honorifics as Renin had demanded, this time too, Adol unintentionally touched Renin’s pride.

“I am not an ordinary human!”

Adol did not know what had offended him this time, but the mere fact that Renin raised his voice was terrifying enough, so Adol shook his head.

“I mean no one can go inside unless they’re a Werewolf! It’s true! If we get there later and you can’t go inside, you’re going to blame me!”

Perhaps judging Adol’s desperate excuse somewhat valid, Renin narrowed his eyes and lifted Naria.

Then he draped Naria over the back of his horse’s saddle.

Confirming that Renin had no intention of killing her, Adol could finally let out a sigh of relief this time.

“What are you sitting there stupidly for? Do I have to put a leash on you for you to follow?”

As if he had never allowed even that brief instant, Renin urged Adol on.

Every corner of Renin 's body was hurt, but Adol had to stand.

Because the blond god was a bastard who would really put a leash around his neck and drag him around if even the slightest thing went wrong.

As he followed behind him, Adol hoped desperately that Jing and Ria would reach their destination and join Ran.

If there was someone blocking them, Adol prayed, before a god, that they would please fall and break their nose.

***

Fortunately, Jing and Ria reached the cave safely without knowing of Renin’s existence as he chased behind them.

To be precise, it would be more correct to say that right in front of the cave, they met someone who had blocked their path.

The uninvited guest, who did not dream that someone was praying for his nose to be smashed, looked at Jing and Ria as if observing them, with a face that could not hide his impatience.

“Are you the companions of that arrogant black-haired bastard?”

Feeling the deep anger in the voice that especially stressed “black-haired,” Jing and Ria briefly exchanged glances.

“Judging by appearances, you are not human. Are you on the side that was holding our companion?”

“So, is that person a Werewolf too?”

When Jing nodded slightly, Ria narrowed her eyes and examined him once again.

But this time too, Ria, unable to find any clear point that distinguished him from a human, met the monster’s eyes full of displeasure and showed an awkward smile.

“I’m sorry. We resemble each other much more than I thought, you know. That’s why I found it fascinating.”

But Ria’s apology clearly only worsened the other’s mood.

He furrowed his face as if he had heard the most insulting words in the world.

“You choose unpleasant words exactly like that bastard. There is no need to confirm it.”

Ria thought even eyes looking at a bug would be warmer than that.

But to be frightened by such a thing, his eyes were too rational.

At least compared to an orc charging in to eat her.

“So, why did you reveal yourself before us like this, not as a surprise attack? Are you trying to retaliate against the companions of the person who made you uncomfortable, or are you simply trying to stop us from entering your base?”

When Ria asked as if it were nothing, his expression grew even harsher.

“To clean up the terrible thing your companion did. You will have to come quietly with me.”

In the end, it meant he intended to take the two hostage.

At that, Jing and Ria quietly exchanged glances once more.

As if finishing their silent exchange of opinions, Jing slowly opened his mouth.

“So you are Mona.”

Faint smiles appeared on both their faces.

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