The hunters were still quarreling over the leftover byproducts I had left behind.
– No, there clearly is a contribution ranking. It’s not right if you just take it for yourself.
– What kind of nonsense is that? It doesn’t even show up in the top five.
– Did you fight with your eyes closed? I saw you just running away. Just because you have the numbers doesn’t mean you can claim contribution. That’s just cruel, don’t you think?
– Ahem—any proof that we were running away?
– Ugh—there’s no reasoning with you. At this rate, we’ll have to resort to force.
– Bring it on, let’s see you try with your strength.
Disputes like this often arise under the unfriendly yet kind-hearted operation of the system.
Taking advantage of their fighting, I quickly finished butchering and stuffed all the various leftover parts into my space.
If I give them to Wang-wang, they’ll disappear in the blink of an eye.
The dire wolf’s fangs and claws would make great weapons. If I gave them to Dotti or a lizardman, they’d be thrilled.
Anyway, we wrapped up the battle without any issues and left the dungeon.
I conveyed my intentions to my companions, whose faces were shining brightly since I left work early.
Of course, I communicated through Ran and Yeon-hee.
“Uh… about ‘Alpha Rakan.'”
“Yes, Yeon-hee?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to train with him at our place tomorrow.”
“Wha… that crazy wolf?!”
“I-I’ll keep him in check, I promise…”
“Oh! So we’re finally training in preparation for the Ilseom Guild.”
Ah-rin’s eyes sparkled as she asked, and Yeon-hee nodded and continued.
“Rakan has tremendous health and enjoys one-on-one battles, so he’ll be a lot of help. His movements are a bit unconventional compared to the well-trained knights of Ilseom, but his physical abilities are definitely higher.”
“So, if we can hold our ground against Rakan, the Ilseom should be easy-peasy, huh?”
“Right.”
Upon hearing Yeon-hee’s suggestion, my companions accepted without much hesitation.
“Tomorrow, we’ll clear the boss battle via the shortest route, and in the afternoon, we’ll train at my place. The day after, at 3 PM, we’ll move to the training grounds at the headquarters of the Ilseom Guild. If training runs late, you’re welcome to sleep over at my place… just do as you please. We have a room.”
“Uh… then I’ll just plan on sleeping over tomorrow.”
“Me too!”
“I might have trouble sleeping because of my siblings, but I understand.”
“Siblings…”
Hae-yoon, perhaps not fond of how tied down Ah-rin was with her siblings, mentioned she’d assign bodyguards to keep an eye on them.
“Then I’ll also plan on sleeping over tomorrow!”
In the end, we unexpectedly decided to have a sleepover.
Hae-yoon flashed a light smile before furrowing her brows and continued speaking.
“I checked on the Ilseom battle location, and it seems my suspicions were correct. According to a high-ranking knight who withdrew from Ilseom, there’s an area that disrupts skills and traits. It’s supposed to be near the dungeon that claims to give rewards if we win… the magic flow around there seems to be tangled up.”
“Whoa… does that mean I won’t be able to use magic?”
“Um… that’s why I asked my mom for something. Everyone, please wear this.”
Hae-yoon handed each of us an amulet that looked like prayer beads from her space.
“This bracelet was made by the best artisan among the hunter guild of dwarves, and it’s said to calm the erratic magic a bit.”
‘An item that stabilizes magic… what kind of insane person would make such a thing? Impressive.’
“Wow—this is practically an artifact-level item.”
“There’s a reason dwarves are known for their exceptional traits.”
The faces of my companions lit up at the item Hae-yoon provided. However, she warned us it might not be enough.
“Not precise, but you probably won’t even be able to utilize 50% of your usual abilities. It’s going to be a struggle, and the most important factor is Yeon-hee.”
“Uh… me?”
“If you can’t summon your summoned creature, you won’t be able to do much. I know you have ranger traits, but you’re the best bait for knights.”
“Ah…”
Her words struck home, and Yeon-hee’s expression darkened momentarily.
‘In a situation where she can’t summon it… it’s not impossible, right?’
Yeon-hee seemed to have the same thought as she fidgeted with the bracelet, lost in contemplation.
“Wouldn’t it be better if we summoned it before we get to the headquarters?”
“I won’t say anything against that, but I guess we’ll have to feel it out when we actually go, right?”
“Yeah… I’ve never been to a space like that either.”
“Il-wol isn’t going to be released, right?”
“That I don’t know.”
‘It’s hard to imagine my summoning being released by a force other than Yeon-hee…’
Listening to this, I strangely felt no worries at all.
Even if Yeon-hee tried to release me, I could easily block it by my own will. Who could force me to go away?
‘… This isn’t complacency. It’s certainty.’
“Don’t worry. I’ll go into combat mode.”
Noh Ha-yoon exuded confidence as though she had a backup plan.
‘Well, I didn’t expect her to not prepare for an obvious trap.’
Anyway, we parted ways, and on the way home, I thought while brushing Yeon-hee’s hand, which seemed to hold an inexplicable anticipation towards me.
‘Dealing with the Great Evil… the thought of becoming mentally corrupted without even realizing it. What should I do?’
That thought had been consuming me since yesterday.
I really had no intention of stopping the mission.
My mentor had advised me to keep it in check, so I should follow that.
‘For now, let’s refrain as my mentor suggested. Besides, I haven’t even tested the demon servant yet.’
[Disguise]
It was late afternoon, and it was still before dinner.
After confirming there were no people around, I used my disguise and spoke to her.
“Shall we eat out?”
“Huh? Eat out?! Suddenly?!”
“I want to do something ordinary… like everyone else.”
“Really? In places with lots of people, women… But I do want to try eating out. Just that…”
Yeon-hee thought for a moment and placed her hand over her mouth.
“Then… shall we go to a meat house? I think I saw one in a corner.”
I didn’t know why she wanted to go to a corner, but it was fine by me.
‘Maybe dating Yeon-hee will help me feel better.’
We held hands tightly and stopped by a small pork belly restaurant on the way home.
Clang—
The inside of the shop was empty.
It was already past four, so it was a bit early.
“Hehe… no one’s here.”
Yeon-hee nodded, seeming pleased with this.
“Welcome!”
A rather young-looking owner greeted us happily, and after placing our order, we sat down to chat.
“About that skill you got from defeating the Great Evil… isn’t that a bit dangerous?”
‘Did I mention that? But my information is all accessible anyway, right?’
“In what way do you think it’s dangerous?”
I thought it seemed quite useful.
‘As long as I don’t mess with anyone with an evil heart, it should be fine, right? As long as I manage the mental corrosion…’
When the meat started sizzling on the grill, Yeon-hee cautiously brought up her thoughts about the demon servant.
“It just feels a bit… I don’t know, commanding living people? It feels like it might be something I shouldn’t say as someone who summons creatures?”
“It’s fine. Keep going.”
Yeon-hee, after glancing at the meat sizzling away, continued speaking.
“Sometimes, I wonder if the summoned creatures are truly happy to follow my orders. Even though I did ask for their consent before summoning them.”
‘Consent… did I? Not really something I understood at all.’
I recalled my first summoning, but it was too vague, so I just nodded and signaled her to keep going.
“But even if there’s a spell that asks for their wish in the summoning paper, most of them seem to agree and come out. I wonder if that’s really okay.
So… if I bring a person’s will through that skill, I just wondered if Il-wol would be able to handle it. Just! That thought came to mind suddenly.”
‘Oh… she’s seeing something I completely missed while my mind was busy thinking about how to use that skill.’
I hadn’t even considered the perspective of those being affected by the skill, and yet Yeon-hee was striking right at that part.
Could she have already sensed my changes lately?
– Darkness stirs the aura.
– The weight of existence grows heavier.
– I become a bit cooler and a bit bolder.
I mulled over the messages that popped up when I absorbed the aura of the Great Beast again.
‘Becoming a bit bolder and cooler… Perhaps that’s when the changes started.’
If that means changing towards forsaking humanity for efficiency, and my tendencies get stronger while dealing with the Great Evil…
‘What’s the difference from Jo Gi-man? Hmm, when I think about it like this, it’s a bit scary.’
They say power comes with responsibility.
Especially if that power comes from harming others, it’s even more significant.
‘I need to keep my footing.’
Nowadays, things are changing rapidly in the world, and I’m acting hastily to keep up, but it’s not an easy task.
‘But I have to do it.’
I stared intently at Yeon-hee, who had her head down shyly as she fiddled with the salt in the dipping sauce.
“Thank you, Yeon-hee.”
“Huh? What, for what?”
“If you think of anything, you can always tell me. You’re much better than me at anything you do.”
“That’s not true…”
I’m a summoned being.
There’s no need for me to act on my own.
‘Protecting Yeon-hee and helping her is the top priority…’
I nodded and placed the well-cooked meat onto her plate.
She smiled happily as she consumed the meat.
“It’s delicious! Hehe—You should try it too.”
“Um… I should eat…”
Strangely enough, when Yeon-hee had something in her mouth, I felt satisfied even without eating.
Of course, I wouldn’t feel hungry after not eating for a year.
Drupp—
I put a piece of meat in my mouth.
Habitually, saliva started to flow, and I chewed mechanically, sending the crumbled food down my throat.
‘…… I still don’t get it.’
No matter how human my form may be, I couldn’t taste anything.
I could sense sounds, smells, and vibrations, but no amount of effort could allow me to taste.
As if that privilege was only bestowed upon living beings.
‘Guess there’s nothing to be done about it.’
I raised my eyebrows nonchalantly and wrapped vegetables up with the meat, sauce, and garlic before holding it towards Yeon-hee’s mouth.
“Huh?”
She glanced around, her face flushed, before opening her mouth to bite the food at the tip of my finger.
Seeing Yeon-hee blissfully enjoying the food.
She sparkled her eyes, staring longingly at the vegetables, asking for another wrap.
When I pushed the third wrap into her mouth, a group of young men and women entered the shop.
I quickly pulled out a hat and sunglasses from my space and placed them on Yeon-hee.
“Aww?”
“You’re a celebrity, after all.”
“When did I become—”
I fed her another wrap and sensed them with my aura.
‘Just regular folks. College students.’
Their sweatshirts proudly displayed their school emblem, showcasing their pride in their university.
Thanks to the couples flocking in, the once-quiet shop began to buzz with excitement.
But the moment they wandered in and made a ruckus, they quickly quieted down, and before long, they turned to stare directly at us.
Eavesdropping on their whispers, it seemed I was the subject of their evaluations.
‘Is my appearance really a trait of my species…?’
I put on my glasses and continued enjoying my date with Yeon-hee.
Each time I fed her a piece of meat, I felt my happiness level rise significantly.
Could this spark some change?
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