Chapter 21
“This isn’t some random mutt, why ‘Mungchi’?”
Cha Si-hyeon, realizing I was serious, let out a mocking laugh.
“Even countryside dogs these days aren’t named so carelessly.”
“……We’re going to release it anyway, does the name matter that much?”
And what’s the difference between this and a random mutt anyway.
“Fine, go ahead. It’s not my name anyway.”
Is it really that bad?
I’d never thought my naming sense was that poor, but his reaction made me feel awkward.
I think it’s fine though. I glared at him before gently poking the monster’s black nose. Its face wobbled.
Finding it cute, I giggled, and the creature that had been sleeping until just now suddenly opened its eyes and bit me with a “woof”.
“Doesn’t that hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
However, this was the third time I’d been bitten so far.
Thinking I shouldn’t touch it anymore, I turned to look at Cha Si-hyeon.
He was looking at the sleeping creature with a subtle expression.
“By the way, can I ask you one thing?”
“What.”
Cha Si-hyeon answered without a moment’s hesitation. I expected him to be cautious first, so it was quite unexpected.
“Can I really ask?”
“Yeah, just one question.”
“Then, how old are you?”
At my casually thrown question, Cha Si-hyeon raised one eyebrow.
Wondering if it was a sensitive question, I started to worry, but he suddenly made an expression of disbelief.
“You don’t know my age?”
His tone suggested he genuinely couldn’t believe it.
“Should I know……?”
“My information is all over the news.”
So that’s how it was.
The reason was so trivial it made my earlier tension seem foolish. Wondering how to respond, I shrugged.
“I don’t really watch that stuff, so I don’t know.”
“Twenty-six.”
Then Cha Si-hyeon generously told me his age. Twenty-six means……
“We’re the same age? Why are you speaking informally only to me? That’s petty.”
Come to think of it, Cha Si-hyeon had been speaking informally since we first met.
I was curious about it, and now to find out we’re the same age.
Feeling somehow cheated, I narrowed my eyes slightly.
Cha Si-hyeon let out a laugh, as if finding my reaction amusing.
“Then you can speak informally too.”
“Okay.”
“……?”
Why, what. You said to speak informally. I raised my head proudly towards Cha Si-hyeon, who was making a dumbfounded expression.
‘Hmm, come to think of it, Cha Si-hyeon seems to be the comfortable one.’
Ignoring his disgruntled muttering beside me, I rested my chin on my hand.
Cha Si-hyeon’s face, with a hint of mischief when he smiles, had become familiar now.
……This is why time is scary.
After muttering to myself, I soon stood up, brushing off my knees.
“Wait, where are you going?”
“I’m not going anywhere, you need to go.”
I smiled as I handed the sword hilt lying nearby to its owner, Cha Si-hyeon.
“Just go kill a few monsters. We need to eat breakfast.”
“Are you serious?”
“I’ve never not been serious.”
“Saying things like that doesn’t make this situation a romance, you know?”
He grimaced as he got up. Just as I thought he was leaving, he turned back.
“Hey, do you always talk like that?”
He asked vaguely. Talk like what?
“Never mind.”
Cha Si-hyeon sighed and then moved away.
It felt like I was oddly dismissed, or was that just my imagination?
Scratching my cheek, I then turned my gaze to the white bundle curled up sleeping.
Looking at the round head sleeping so innocently, I quietly opened my mouth.
“Don’t repay this favor.”
If you’re going to repay it anyway, I’d prefer if you told me how to get out of this dungeon. Muttering this joke to myself, I closed my eyes tightly.
‘Whether it’s a favor or whatever, there are more important things right now.’
I sighed, thinking of Baek Doha whom I had pushed away.
‘I wonder if he’s okay.’
💎
I stand corrected. This was definitely not okay.
Baek Doha started avoiding me again.
After initially dealing with the situation, I thought he would come if I waited a while, but Baek Doha didn’t come even until dawn had passed.
Of course, that’s only when I was awake.
I heard he came about twice in the meantime, but both times were when I was sleeping.
‘You’re avoiding me again!’
Not knowing the reason for his avoidance added to my frustration.
“Hey.”
“……”
“C-rank.”
“……”
“Yoo Yi-joo.”
“What.”
Why do you keep calling me.
As I was clutching my head alone, Cha Si-hyeon approached and spoke to me.
“Don’t worry. He’ll come later.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I just… Anyway, he’ll come. Well, he won’t come back dead, so don’t worry.”
What an irresponsible statement. Is it okay as long as he doesn’t die?
I let out a weak sigh at those words that weren’t comforting at all. Cha Si-hyeon shrugged lightly.
“He said he’d handle it, so he must have a plan.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind if you didn’t hear.”
What’s that about? I narrowed my eyes and glared at him, but Cha Si-hyeon just snorted and pressed my head.
“Anyway, don’t worry about it.”
…How can I not worry?
Baek Doha had such a kind image that I expected if he fought with someone, it would be with Cha Si-hyeon or Im Yoo-chan.
‘Of course, not fighting at all would be best.’
Not knowing the cause made me feel frustrated. As I was sighing at my completely wrong prediction, suddenly, the white bundle got up.
“Oh.”
Mungchi, who I thought was sleeping, had woken up.
It sniffed the air, then started moving its short legs.
As I watched it sniffing so intently while walking, Cha Si-hyeon let out a laugh.
“From what I see, its leg seems to have healed.”
“After just one day?”
“What does time matter to a monster?”
Couldn’t it matter? I grumbled internally while keeping my eyes fixed on Mungchi’s back.
It wandered around for a while, wiggling its behind, then started walking towards the forest…
“Ah! Where are you going!”
Finally alarmed, I got up.
“Leave it be, it’ll come back on its own.”
“No, but still! I’ll bring it back soon!”
Cha Si-hyeon looked at me like he couldn’t understand, but I hadn’t spoken to hear his opinion anyway.
Hurriedly leaving the cave, I reached out to Mungchi.
“Good boy, come here.”
But it was far from good. Mungchi turned around once in place, then started heading somewhere again.
‘Ah, don’t go!’
Worried that shouting would startle it and make it run away faster, I silently whimpered as I followed Mungchi.
But it was a monster after all, so fast that I couldn’t catch it.
After playing this forced game of tag for a while, I finally got tired first and stopped to catch my breath.
My vision was blurry. I sighed, realizing I had come deeper into the forest than I thought.
When I looked up, Mungchi, the cause of all this, was hiding behind a tree.
Even so, its tail sticking out made me chuckle involuntarily.
“This time, please stay still…”
Deciding I just needed to catch it quickly and go back, I gritted my teeth and pleaded with Mungchi.
Then, after taking a deep breath, I carefully took one step at a time.
Fortunately, Mungchi didn’t move. I should have done this from the start.
Feeling relieved that I might catch it this time, but why…
The shadow in front of me was too big to be Mungchi’s. By the time I felt something was off, I had already seen it.
[SYSTEM] ‘Main Quest-8’ has arrived.
The scene of Baek Doha, who had been avoiding me all this time, coughing up blood under a tree.
[SYSTEM] Main Quest-8 [Remove Companion ‘Baek Doha (S)’s Abnormal Status]
▸He’s having a seizure due to incorrect medication in the past! Remove companion ‘Baek Doha (S)’s abnormal status within the time limit.
▸Abnormal Status: Side Effect (Immeasurable)
Baek Doha raised his head. Our eyes met in mid-air. His eyes, widening in surprise, held the black color I had seen that day.
It was the moment when the anxiety that had been barely contained finally overflowed.
💎
Thank you for reading! ♡
