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Chapter 08
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It was an awkward greeting, but for Connie Heart, the timing felt subtly perfect.
[…. Could it be that you understood what I said?]
Connie Heart tilted her head in confusion. Dhiope simply turned away indifferently.
[Was it just a coincidence?]
She cheekily scratched her cheek.
“Little human, you seem quite audacious, don’t you? I don’t sense any respect in your tone!”
Heukhan, displeased with Dhiope’s brief greeting, squatted in front of the pile of clothes, bending his body to make the empty helmet more distinct.
[Don’t yell at Dhiope. If you get angry, it’s doubly frightening because you don’t have a face.]
Connie heart lightly patted Heukhan’s hand with her wing. Then she sat down, pressing her back against Dhiope’s knees, signifying that he shouldn’t raise his voice to the boy.
“……?”
Watching this, Heukhan clenched his fist.
“Hmm? Are you saying I’m wrong?”
Connie Heart confidently shook her head in agreement. Heukhan quickly changed his attitude in response to her firm demeanor.
“Well, asking for respect from a pet human was too much of a demand.”
Heukhan stood up, as if expressing regret.
“Since my head isn’t bothered, as a body, I can’t get angry, right? Kids are naturally mischievous.”
“……”
“Kekeke. Considering this merciful me understands and lets it go, you should feel honored.”
With those words, Heukhan turned away, aiming to intervene in the dispute among the duraan.
[Does he really want to use me as his head?
Connie Heart muttered as she watched Heukhan move away.
[For now, he’s treating us well, but they’re still monsters. If their interest wanes, who knows when their attitude might change.]
Dhiope also agreed with that sentiment.
[Until we escape from here together, they should continue to be friendly toward us.]
‘Together?’
Who with whom?
Dhiope glanced at the chick-like variant monster.
‘Is she genuinely saying this?’
If she was a monster, she wouldn’t utter the phrase ‘we’re escaping.’ Moreover, something bothered him. Connie Heart’s tone and way of speaking differed significantly from typical monsters. There was no doubt about her exceptional linguistic skills.
‘But this is Barun Mountain.’
It was a place infamous for having people enter but none leaving alive.
The situation was unpredictable, considering how cunningly evolved the monsters might be. Judging and deciding based only on what was visible would be foolish.
‘Can’t rule out the possibility of duraan conspiring with each other.’
Dhiope reached a conclusion. Then, he glanced subtly at Heukhan.
Heukhan’s height was roughly over 6 feet, while Dhiope barely surpassed 4 feet. Connie Heart, on the other hand, was less than a foot.
In reality, Connie Heart was practically the size of duraan’s palm. Her fur looked soft and fluffy, akin to a dandelion seed.
Objectively speaking, the variant monster was small and cute enough to evoke protective instincts.
If gods existed, perhaps she was deliberately made small to be lovable by everyone. She had such a quaint appearance that it raised questions.
This creature, seemingly fragile, was on par with duraan.
It was unbelievable.
[I’ll protect you.]
Connie Heart stepped on Dhiope’s knee lightly and climbed up. After spreading her wings wide, she embraced Dhiope as if they were long-lost friends.
‘If I push her away, the duraan will go crazy.’
Dhiope deliberately patted the round back of Connie Heart lightly. The sensation on his palm was as soft as belly feathers.
‘A divine being in Barun Mountain. Unbelievable.’
Dhiope didn’t blindly trust even his closest companion. Human emotions were like plants, easily withering depending on the environment.
Complete trust left humans vulnerable. This principle applied universally, whether dealing with humans or animals.
“That little human was brought in by Baekhan, so Baekhan is the one who invited him. So, you Cheonghan, give up. I am speaking as a leader, so take it to heart and reflect!”
It seemed like a turning point amid the quarreling duraan.
Dhiope looked at the monsters and pondered. If the white-armored one was Baekhan and the blue-armored one was Cheonghan, the one acting like a captain or something was undoubtedly Heukhan.
He quickly scanned the cave interior. There were no usable weapons here, much like the Ogre’s cave.
The inside of the cave was ordinary. The entrance was visible straight ahead, and torches were hung on the walls, despite it being daytime.
‘Three monsters right in front of me.’
It was pointless to rush into a situation where there might be more duraan around.
‘Better restrain myself from any reckless actions.’
Finding the duraan’s weaknesses was the priority. That way, they could figure out a way to escape.
Dhiope quietly resolved himself, simultaneously gently petting Connie Heart’s round head like a cat.
Connie Heart lightly stroked the back of Dhiope’s head, as if wondering if gentle petting was appropriate.
[Dhiope, the blessing of the gods will be with us.]
Dhiope smirked crookedly.
‘The blessing of the gods.’
I don’t believe in that sort of thing.
***
Cheonghan ran away.
‘I’ll find something brave too!’
It had been two days since he boldly shouted and left the cave. Cheonghan hadn’t returned yet.
“Baekhan! Go find Cheonghan now!”
Heukhan’s order was given. Baekhan had no choice but to track down Cheonghan.
“Ugh! Where on earth did this idiot go that he hasn’t come back?”
Baekhan descended along the mountain path as if being driven away.
Even before properly starting the search, something familiar appeared nearby.
“What’s this? Isn’t that Cheonghan?”
Where could he be and what was he doing?
Strangely enough, Cheonghan was crying right in the middle of the sunlit road.
“Huu… huu…”
This was a path frequently used by duraan for patrol shifts. The leader must have passed by here during the morning patrol.
It was clear that Cheonghan, hidden so well that he wasn’t visible, now revealed himself with the obvious intention of seeking comfort.
“Cheonghan, what are you doing here? The leader is looking for you! Come back quickly!”
“No matter how much I search, I can’t find anything brave!”
“What?”
“Until I find something brave, I won’t go home! If I keep searching and you don’t come out, then I’ll just die right here!”
Cheonghan sobbed like a child throwing a tantrum.
“It’s unfair! Why don’t I have a pet human? Make me a pet human too! I want one too!”
Baekhan retorted with an unfamiliar sharpness.
“Do you have no pride?”
“None. Huu… huu…”
The response came without a moment’s hesitation. From the perspective of the one watching the wailing Cheonghan, it was baffling.
Who knows when and where some other creature might pass by!
A knight-like creature sitting on the roadside, whining like a child!
“Fine, stop crying. It’s irritating.”
“Huu… huu…”
“Alright. From today, let’s take turns taking care of the pet human. How about that? Sounds good, right?”
In the end, Baekhan showed some compassion. It was a proposal for shared parenting.
At that, Cheonghan’s tears miraculously stopped, as if it were a lie.
“Huu…? Are you serious?”
“Kekeke! Of course!”
Whether the sobbing was genuine or not, Cheonghan’s escape was abruptly settled.
From that day onwards,
Cheonghan and Baekhan took turns looking after Dhiope each day.
“Nom nom, my pet human.”
They recommended Lava fruits to Dhiope every morning, hoping to make him strong, just like them, with resistance to divine power.
Concerned about the cold, they carefully covered Dhiope from head to toe with an adult-sized cloak when he went to sleep.
“Drrreong, my pet human.”
Whenever Dhiope accidentally tripped over the cloak, they would rush over and catch him before he fell, displaying unexpected kindness.
‘No separate surveillance.’
They never wanted to be away from Dhiope for even a moment.
Whether sitting, standing, observing Connie Heart, or when Connie Heart spoke, the duraan’s gaze was always glued to Dhiope like a shadow.
The situation was no different for Connie Heart.
Connie Heart had Heukhan, who was fixated on her head.
“Hoo… It’s heard, it’s coming, it has come, ah…!”
Today, she was pretending to be heavy.
Heukhan grabbed Connie Heart with both hands as if lifting a massive weight. His sturdy arms shot up into the air with great effort.
“Kekeke. I heard it!”
[Silly. I’m not heavy!]
“Hoo… I hear it. It’s coming, it has come, ah…!”
As Connie Heart’s expression changed, the telepathy play began immediately.
The rattling sound of her armor diminished as if it were suddenly laced. The seemingly trivial clinking of the armor ceased at some point.
“Ho-ho? This body needs my touch on its head!”
In truth, he just wanted to touch it himself.
Heukhan, now comfortably seated, chuckled dryly. It was to stroke her curly fur without restraint.
Connie Heart’s fur felt good in the hands. Unconsciously stroking it created a strong addiction, making it difficult to withdraw the touch. Therefore, until sunset, Heukhan sometimes placed Connir Heart on his lap to cuddle.
Is that all?
Heukhan often spaced out, gazing at Connie Heart.
Whether she sat with her bright yellow beak wide open, fluttering her smooth wings as she strolled through the cave, or even when she woke up suddenly to survey her surroundings with sleepy eyes.
Even when she grumbled while climbing up a pile of clothes as if climbing a mountain.
His gaze never strayed beyond Connie Heart’s range of activity.
“Why is my head so luxuriously furry? I even like how her robust beard covers my face.”
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