019. Hunting Competition (7)
Kyle glanced around and confidently spoke in a fabricated tone.
“After some time passes, everything will melt, and it’ll be as good as new.”
“…”
Although it seemed unlikely, Owen decided not to argue about it. There didn’t seem to be a clear answer.
Instead, he brought up the question that had piqued his curiosity.
“But, you mentioned that it costs a lot to restore the forest. So where do you get the money?”
The northern regions, experiencing winter for almost three seasons, made it difficult to harvest crops. It would be challenging to gather enough money to buy dozens or hundreds of magic stones in such a place.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“…?”
“We get it by selling monster corpses. Monster corpses are expensive, you know.”
Oh, right.
After hearing Kyle’s words, Owen could recall the setting of “The Flower of the Empire” once again. In the original work, monster corpses were very valuable and precious. The fur and leather of monsters were expensive and high-quality materials for clothing. Moreover, there were gems embedded in the nuclei of monsters.
Furthermore, monster meat and bones were used to make feed for livestock, making monsters unexpectedly useful in various ways.
“…Wait a minute. So, it’s okay if I use that ability?”
Listening up to this point, Owen became doubtful about Kyle’s objection he heard earlier. Clearly, Kyle had mentioned earlier that restoring the vitality of a barren land required many magic stones. He also emphasized that acquiring magic stones required a significant amount of money.
However, if they could obtain a vast amount of money by selling the corpses of the many monsters they killed, there shouldn’t be a reason to worry about the cost. When Owen raised this question with a puzzled expression, Kyle blinked silently and responded.
“…I guess?”
“…”
This guy.
Owen swallowed the curses that surged up to his throat.
‘If you weren’t the sub-protagonist, I would’ve punched you by now.’
He calmed himself by reminding himself that Kyle was the sub-protagonist.
With such excellent looks and abilities, Kyle was outstanding enough to make one envious. However, seeing such a flaw made Owen think that he was indeed human.
Owen sighed and stood up from his seat.
“Let’s go back to headquarters a bit later.”
Due to their repeated hunting in the abyss, the number of monsters they had hunted was already comparable to that of the others. So, it was time to return to headquarters after a few more rounds.
“Already?”
However, from Kyle’s perspective, who generally enjoyed hunting for a long time, it wasn’t easy to accept that idea. Perhaps it was because he spent most of his days doing paperwork and research in the Mausoleum, only coming out into the world twice a year. There weren’t many places to use magic and magical power unless it was at the Mausoleum. Besides, there weren’t many wizards capable of handling and countering the magic of the Tower Lord.
“I have a promise.”
Owen responded briefly to Kyle’s question, which left Kyle puzzled.
“A promise? You?”
In response to Kyle’s question, Owen nodded his head as if to express his disbelief at Kyle’s tone, which seemed to be very dismissive.
“Yeah. A promise.”
“You don’t have many friends, right?”
Despite Kyle’s response, Owen slowly answered.
The statement about not having many friends was true, but it didn’t sound particularly pleasant when said like that.
‘…It’s not wrong, but it feels a bit unpleasant.’
“You said that with your own mouth. Anyway, who is it? The person you made a promise with?”
In response to Kyle’s question, Owen turned his gaze away and pursed his lips slowly.
“…A confusing person.”
Upon Owen’s answer, Kyle narrowed his eyes.
“A confusing person…? What does that mean?”
“Well, it’s just someone like that.”
Explaining it would be lengthy and complicated. Expressing all my thoughts and emotions about Lucia and specifying them precisely would be challenging.
As Owen sighed and responded, Kyle squinted his eyes even more.
Owen chuckled as he observed Kyle’s reaction.
“You’ll find out soon too. That person is going to appear. Or maybe you’ll realize it right away.”
Owen added, touching his chin lightly.
Upon hearing this, Kyle’s expression became even more peculiar.
“What are you talking about? Speak in a way I can understand.”
Kyle demanded an explanation as the flow of Owen’s words seemed utterly incomprehensible.
However, instead of explaining, Owen let out another wry laugh.
“I can’t say it right now. It would be cheating.”
There was no other option. Revealing the answer now would truly be cheating.
And the sub-protagonist, Kyle, would realize it in an instant without the need for Owen to mention it. The moment he laid eyes on the female protagonist, Bella, he would feel his destiny.
And in a fleeting moment, he would grasp what love truly was.
“Cheating? What kind of strange talk is that…”
However, from Kyle’s current perspective, everything sounded like absurd nonsense.
As Kyle continued to express his frustration, a rustling sound was heard from one side, followed by a voice.
“Ah, finally found it.”
At the sound of breathing in a place where there shouldn’t be any life, the gazes of the two involuntarily turned towards that direction.
As their eyes landed on the spot, the person standing there greeted them with a bright smile.
“Finally found it. A person.”
Silver hair that seemed to be made of moonlight, and clear silver eyes as if holding the moonlight.
An appearance that faithfully embodied the description from the novel.
Bella Taylor, the female protagonist of “The Empire’s Flower,” was standing there.
‘Bella…?’
As a fan of the original work, Owen naturally recognized her identity immediately.
Silver hair and silver eyes, combined with the appearance faithfully depicted in the cover illustration.
Her appearance clearly revealed her identity.
And Kyle asked with a puzzled expression, “Who are you?”
It was a look of bewilderment, as if questioning why an ordinary person had come this far.
‘…Wasn’t he supposed to fall in love with Bella at first sight?’
Owen felt a bit puzzled, but instead of contemplating deeply, he awaited Bella’s response.
The most problematic aspect here was not Kyle’s reaction but the sudden appearance of Bella.
This was not just something out of the original work; it was more like a destruction of the source material.
“Ah, I got lost…”
When Bella responded, Kyle wore a bewildered expression.
“Lost?!”
The expression seemed to question how someone could end up in the abyss even if they were lost. Owen couldn’t help but agree.
While it was true that in the original work, Bella awakened after being chased by debt collectors and accidentally entering the forest, that did not involve the abyss. Not to mention, it happened even earlier.
“Yes…”
Was Kyle’s reaction disbelief, wounded by Bella’s response? Bella lowered her head and answered cautiously.
“Don’t cry, I wasn’t trying to blame you. It’s just… I find it hard to believe—no.”
“No, it’s okay. I understand. What fool would venture deep into the forest to find a person…”
As Kyle began to say things that clearly contradicted his initial reaction, Owen contemplated whether he should step aside, observing their interaction.
Even though he should have stopped since Bella addressed him, Kyle, who seemed to find it completely unbelievable, started to express that it wasn’t the case.
While observing their situation, Owen wondered if he should step aside, especially considering Bella had come to talk to him.
“Um, do you happen to know a way out of this forest?”
It was strange that she asked him instead of Kyle, who she was just talking to. Nevertheless, Owen simply nodded.
Upon Bella’s question, Owen gestured towards Kyle and said, “This friend over here will guide you.”
“Me, me?”
Although Kyle seemed bewildered, Owen shamelessly nodded.
“Yeah. I mentioned I have a promise.”
With a promise to Lucia, he couldn’t afford to spend time with Bella. If they arrived at the headquarters together, Lucia would undoubtedly disapprove. While it was possible to avoid her gaze and arrive without Bella, Owen didn’t want to hide the truth from Lucia for no reason.
There was no need for him to exert effort when there was a sub-protagonist right next to him.
“…Yeah, that’s right.”
Kyle nodded in agreement with Owen’s words.
Letting out a brief sigh, Kyle addressed Bella, “Come this way. There are horses in the central area, so we can ride together.”
Instead of looking at Kyle for guidance, Bella turned her gaze back to Owen after hearing Kyle’s instructions.
“What about you? Won’t you come?”
In response to her puzzled expression, Owen replied succinctly, “I still have things to do.”
His voice was indifferent, and his eyes went beyond indifferent, bordering on icy.
Frozen black pupils gave off an impression of not just indifference but callousness.
Bella stiffened at the cold, deep-set eyes.
Kyle, with a smirk, said, “Why is he so aloof? His words are truly rough. Don’t get too hurt; he’s known for being like that.”
Even with Kyle’s attempt at comforting, Bella remained rigid.
Kyle sighed briefly, attempting to change the atmosphere, “Anyway, how did you end up here? It couldn’t have been easy in a forest overflowing with monsters.”
After Kyle asked this question, Bella’s gaze moved away from Owen.
While Kyle continued with his inquiry, she locked eyes with Kyle, lips slightly trembling.
“Why are you so cold? Your words are so blunt. Don’t get hurt, it’s just how he is; that’s what the rumors say.”
Kyle’s attempt to console Bella did little to change her stoic expression.
After Kyle switched the topic with a heavy exhale, Bella’s eyes, which were focused on Owen, drifted away.
Looking at Kyle, she smiled delicately and spoke, “I gained a unique power.”
“A unique power?”
“Yes.”
Bella nodded and raised a white aura from her hands.
“When monsters tried to attack me, I gained this power.”
Owen, who had been silently listening to Bella, remained speechless.
‘I had a feeling…’
The plot was indeed twisted, likely due to him.
‘Is it because of me?’
There was only one reason for the plot to deviate.
Things that shouldn’t have happened were created by him.
Traveling with Lucia or becoming friends with Kyle, it was all due to Owen.
‘But that has nothing to do with Bella.’
Whether it was a mere butterfly effect or some other reason.
‘…It’s a headache.’
As Owen sighed, narrowing his eyes, Kyle, with astonished eyes, muttered, “Divine power, huh.”
“Divine power?”
Bella questioned Kyle with a puzzled expression.
“Yes. The power of light is called an divine power. However… Did you say you used this to confront monsters?”
“Yes…”
“Amazing.”
Kyle mumbled in disbelief. His reaction was expected because the era where people could freely use divine power had passed several centuries ago.
Suddenly claiming to have confronted monsters with aura was indeed hard to believe.
“Really.”
Bella let out a voice that seemed to express injustice at Kyle’s reaction. Her perspective could also be understood. After all, she was a rare saint who could genuinely wield divine power, the first one in 200 years.
“If what you’re saying is true…”
Owen, who had been silently listening to their conversation, spoke slowly.
Both Kyle and Bella turned their attention to Owen.
“Kyle, we might need to check the ‘distortion’ you mentioned.”
