Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: To Live in This World
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Time flows faster than we think. When you're aware of it, the time that was racing by seems to slow to a leisurely stroll, but it never truly stops. And if you lose interest in it, off it flies like it had been building momentum just for that moment. Time is something you can never hold onto, no matter how hard you try.
Judah was no exception. Before he knew it, the harsh winter winds had swept in, passed in a flash, and warm spring days had arrived. Four years had already gone by since he came to this place. But to a child, four years wasn't all that long.
He had grown taller and put on weight. Muscle was starting to form on his body, and you could visibly see him transitioning from boy to young man. During that time, he'd kept sparring with Kain and gradually improved his proficiency by showing his Shadow Swordsmanship to Caseun. The only regrettable part was that his stats hadn't increased anymore.
The morning sun rose. The voices of people outside naturally woke him. He let out a yawn that turned into a sigh as he exhaled deeply. Still groggy from sleep, Judah slowly sat up in the large bed. It wasn't the greatest bed, leaving his body stiff and sore.
He got out of bed slowly, roughly straightened the blankets, and headed to the kitchen. Over those four years, he'd adapted to this house so naturally. His heels thudded against the wooden floor.
'Breakfast...'
With sleep still clinging to his face, he went into the storage room and pulled out some eggs. With a click, a simple manipulation ignited a flame. It wasn't a gas stove fueled by gas; it was a pre-installed magic circle drawing mana from a magic stone to produce fire.
When he made games, he'd never put in such minute details for this world. Yet, as if some law governed it, the world flowed without any gaps. Refrigerators, stoves, fans, air conditioners—devices he'd thought only existed in the modern world—were powered by magic.
Of course, all these required money to enjoy, but Judah had the reliable backing of Caseun. Thanks to that, he could live so comfortably. He cracked eggs onto the heated frying pan.
Sizzle—
The whites and yolks settled into a delicious shape. He watched the eggs cook for a bit, sprinkled some salt for flavor, then transferred them half-done to a plate. He took out bread stored at room temperature, along with grape jam and milk from the fridge. After filling his stomach simply, Judah checked the time on the holographic clock in his field of view. It was about time to head out.
He locked the door with his key and left the house. The area around Caseun's mansion was where nobles' estates gathered, so there were no guilds or shopping districts— even in the morning, it was sparsely populated. Bare branches without leaves swayed in the wind. As he walked along the quiet street, Judah felt an odd prickling sensation from behind. It was an aura that induced tension.
"...?"
The moment he turned his head, he saw someone passing by him. A beauty with a pipe like a long-stemmed tobacco pipe in her mouth strode forward with long, slender legs. She wore a warm-looking white turtleneck, a short skirt, and black stockings, drawing his eyes involuntarily. By the time he snapped out of staring, she was ahead of him. She was truly beautiful. The kind of woman who exuded adult maturity.
"Pretty..."
It was the first time he'd sighed in admiration since coming to this world.
As if she'd heard his unconscious mutter, the ears atop her head twitched, and she turned her head. Their eyes met, and Judah unwittingly panicked, clamping his mouth shut.
'Ears on her head?'
Come to think of it, she didn't seem human. There was a tail behind her. Long and rope-like, it had black stripes. But neither the ears nor tail detracted from her beauty. His offhand comment seemed to pique her interest, but it vanished in an instant, like a burst bubble.
"What, it's just a kid?"
She sounded disappointed.
"...Hmph."
She let out a nasal hum, looking down at him seductively with golden eyes and black pupils that seemed to appraise him. A faint smile revealed her fangs. As expected, she wasn't human—she was a beastkin, her teeth looking sharp like weapons. As if she'd thought of some mischievous prank, she removed the pipe from her mouth and exhaled smoke. Then she sauntered over and squatted in front of Judah. An unsettling aura emanated from her. It felt like standing naked before a carnivore. Judah nearly stepped back without thinking.
"Hey, kid. Do you really think I'm pretty?"
"...Yes, you're pretty."
"Huhu— Really? Not scared or anything?"
"You seem dangerous, but not scary yet."
She seemed a bit surprised by his words, widening her eyes and tilting her head. Her slightly upturned lips looked oddly pleased.
"Kids always just say I'm scary. This is refreshing. How old are you?"
"Eleven."
"Oh my. I thought you were cute, and you really are..."
Without warning, she leaned in and kissed his cheek. With a smack, she pulled away, grinning at the startled Judah.
"That's my thank-you for calling me pretty."
The soft sensation on his cheek made Judah blush. A faint scent lingered from her body. She was smoking, but it wasn't the acrid tobacco smell he knew—it was sweet and herbal, like some kind of herb.
"Hehehe. Cute little one. See you again."
She stood to go her way, waved, put the pipe back in her mouth, and vanished with quick steps. Judah stood dazed for a while, touching his cheek and grinning foolishly. It seemed today was a lucky day.
He felt a pang of regret at not seeing her again, but unexpectedly, that regret faded quickly. He ran into her sooner than expected. Heading to the training ground at Caseun's mansion as usual, Judah tilted his head at the gathered people. Normally, only Caseun waited for him at this hour, but today Kain and Liel were there too.
"Oh?"
And the beautiful black-haired woman with golden eyes he'd glimpsed on the way was there as well. She recognized him and looked slightly surprised.
"Come on in, Judah."
"Hello."
Caseun greeted him warmly. Oddly, Kain and Liel were quiet. They glanced at him, sweating a little, and waved weakly. They greeted him timidly in pained voices.
'Something happen?'
But more than their discomfort, he was drawn to the beauty he'd just met. It was the first time he'd seen such a beautiful woman in person. Celebrities and actresses were only on TV or computer screens, and even then, he'd only glimpsed their outlines from afar at a university festival. She was smiling. Judah bowed his head toward her.
"Hello, and nice to see you again!"
"Yeah, kid."
Caseun looked surprised at their friendly exchange.
"Gentia, you know Judah?"
"Yeah, we met just before I came here. A cute and brave little kid."
Brave? Judah puzzled over her words as she chatted with Caseun. He didn't think he'd done anything particularly brave. If calling her pretty counted, she'd probably say courageous instead. It was hard to understand. Caseun seemed equally baffled, staring at her like she'd spouted nonsense.
"Well, since you know him, this'll make things easier. Gentia here was a member of the mercenary company I used to lead. You can tell by the ears—she's a beastkin."
Judah nodded. Caseun, owner of the Platinum Badge, had been the first leader of the [Brothers of the Battlefield] mercenary company. Gentia must have been one of them. But Judah had no memory of creating an NPC named Gentia. She was probably just one of the world's inhabitants completed by some underlying law.
As Judah thought, Gentia had indeed been part of Caseun's old mercenary company. She excelled at hunting and scouting beyond others. After Caseun retired, she'd kept working as a mercenary until he contacted her. She paused her work for a break and came to Serenia.
"Gentia will teach you kids the basics needed for hunting or travel. The southern forest is dangerous, so she'll take you hunting in the eastern forest sometimes. That's why I called her here."
"Uh, couldn't you teach us, Grandpa?"
Kain asked cautiously, eyeing Gentia warily.
"Hm, I could, but I'm short on time. And all I can teach is brute force. I'm no good at using my head. So Gentia can teach you much better than I could."
"No."
Gentia cut Caseun off. Ignoring his puzzled look, she grinned down at Judah.
"I've decided."
"Decided what?"
"I'm not interested in the others. They can learn from you or figure it out. I only want to teach this one."
Gentia walked lightly to Judah's side. Caseun sighed and shook his head.
"What are you saying? I asked you to take all three kids."
"True. But Captain, you're mistaken about one thing—this isn't a commission, it's a request, right? The choice is mine."
"Well, yes, but..."
"Fine, you're not convinced. I'll tell you why."
Gentia stepped toward Kain and Liel. Liel whimpered in fear and hid behind Kain. Kain wasn't shaking as badly, but he gritted his teeth, body rigid with caution. She handed her long pipe to Judah.
"Hold this for a sec."
Judah nodded and took it unexpectedly. Then she started undressing right there. She removed her stockings, skirt, turtleneck—stripping naked in seconds. Unfazed by shame, she looked around at everyone nude. Judah didn't avert his eyes like an idiot. Blushing, he stared as fur sprouted from her body, transforming her into a beast. She was a black tiger. A chilling growl rumbled from her throat.
"Whoa."
While Judah exclaimed in awe, Kain tensed up immensely, and Liel screamed and collapsed. She turned her gaze from the terrified Kain and Liel to Judah. Her sharp golden eyes glared fiercely, but Judah thought she looked cool rather than scary. He knew she wouldn't harm him without reason.
Someone close to Caseun wouldn't attack him for no cause. As she reverted to human form, Judah quickly turned his head away. Gentia paused at his reaction, then looked down at him fondly.
'Cute.'
It was a satisfying response. A child who didn't fear her without any special effort—without Caseun there, she'd have hugged him tight. She was growing fonder of this little kid. Gentia dressed haphazardly while Judah held her things, then shrugged at Caseun's awkward cough.
"See?"
"......"
"These kids are scared of me. Captain, I didn't come here for volunteer work. I came at the request of my old captain. Do you expect me to cozy up to them, cooing 'It's okay' to ease their guard?"
She snorted.
"I hate that stuff. Doesn't suit my temperament. Sure, I like kids, but I'm not dating them—why go through the hassle to get chummy? Right?"
Gentia glanced at Judah, reached out, and stroked his head. Her eyes screamed 'adorable.'
"In that regard, this kid passes. He doesn't fear me and even called me pretty. Hehe."
"Urgh."
Caseun furrowed his brow. Beastkin subtly exude an intimidating aura. It was natural Kain and Liel were frightened. But someone of Gentia's skill should control that aura—her not doing so was puzzling. Maybe it was to teach only Judah. Dealing with multiple kids must be a hassle. Caseun tried to persuade her but soon clicked his tongue and nodded.
"Tch, fine. Do as you like."
"Of course, Captain."
Gentia drew deeply on her pipe, grinning.
========== Afterword ==========
I got a ton of business cards from Joara staff, and met a bunch of authors.
Lignus sat next to me, and in front of me was Heuk Kong, author of Wind and Starry Night.
Saw Jo Kyung-rae and Uzelang too. Surprisingly, lots of women authors ;
After meeting them, I went to see friends, so I don't know what happened lol.
Anyway, met friends, drank, pulled an all-nighter at PC bang.
Just got home on the KTX. Felt like death then, still does.
But seriously, not a single touching comment?
I was hoping for one that'd make me tear up like "Author-nim, don't say that!"
Someone said they'd bind my soul with necromancy if I die ;