Chapter 113
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: Naming
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After interrogating the bull and securing the information, Woojin severed its neck and sent it off to the afterlife.
Adding the inner core he'd obtained from the earlier hunt made three in total. Perfect timing, since there were three members in the group—one for each.
"Let's make these our lunch."
"Yes. That sounds good."
As usual, they made a meal out of the inner cores.
Each holding a bull inner core, they bit into them in big mouthfuls. Blood juice dripped down like biting into a ripe fruit.
While licking the blood droplets from his hands...
He felt a faint surge of power rising within.
'Did I acquire a talent?'
The bull's brute strength.
It wasn't a big deal. Pure physical abilities had a relatively high inheritance rate, and the bull's strength wasn't some standout talent anyway.
'Still... better than nothing.'
Better than inheriting something bizarre like beastification. With that thought, Woojin continued his meal.
'This one's pretty decent.'
The bull inner core was surprisingly palatable. It tasted like a mix of blood sausage, raw meat, and organ bits. Maybe because it was born a bull, despite being a beast.
He chomped through it like an apple, and soon one core vanished.
'Nice simple meal.'
Woojin, finishing first, let out a satisfied yawn. He'd have to wait a bit. The others ate far slower than him.
Perhaps sensing his gaze, the priestess and squirrel hurriedly chewed their cores. Woojin chimed in.
"Take it slow. You'll get indigestion."
"Y-yes sir..."
Their eating pace visibly slowed. Watching them, Woojin let out a chuckle.
The two shared a lot in common. Talented yet timid, always watching his mood.
Maybe that's why... he felt a fondness growing.
"...You've been through a lot working under me this whole time. You're free to go now if you want."
Woojin said suddenly. Midway through her meal, the priestess looked up in surprise.
"Wh-what? Why all of a sudden?"
"I think I can find my way from here without your help."
He'd pinpointed the enemy base and gathered plenty of intel. All thanks to her sincere assistance.
She'd helped immensely so far. Time to repay that by granting her freedom.
'Yeah, about time to let her go. Things get dangerous up north—anyone around her would be at risk.'
Woojin planned to hammer the dark cultists' defensive line. Dragging her into that wasn't right.
The moment she joined him in striking it, she'd become a dark cultist trophy. Her lifelong career and reputation down the drain.
The priestess hesitated before replying.
"But... I've already betrayed the church?"
She'd eaten an outer god's core and aided the enemy with info. She was effectively an apostate who'd left the church's fold.
Woojin pondered briefly before responding.
"Doesn't matter, right? No witnesses. Nobody knows you helped me."
That 'lord' guy's clairvoyance bugs me, but I doubt it's omniscient enough to detect her betrayal.
And honestly, dark cultists accusing betrayal was laughable to begin with.
"From what I've seen, your church is full of backstabbers plotting at every chance. Guiding someone a bit shouldn't be a huge deal, no?"
"...Is that so."
She'd nearly died to her own subordinate's blade, so she couldn't easily deny it.
The priestess fell into thought. Freedom thrust upon her, she had no idea what to do.
"...What should I do?"
She asked suddenly. Caught off guard, Woojin blinked.
"Why ask me? It's your life."
"You could give some advice."
Advice, huh.
He crossed his arms, thinking. He wasn't exactly living an ideal life himself—no wisdom to dispense.
So, Woojin quoted something from the past. Words from Hunter Hector.
"Just do whatever feels right."
What did she want to do first?
At his question, she tilted her head thoughtfully... then spoke.
"...I want a name."
She gazed at him expectantly, her desire clear. Woojin felt the pressure.
What name to give her?
He'd actually prepared one. Plenty of time had passed.
"Arwen. What do you think?"
It was the result of some careful thought. Whether she'd like it was another story.
"Arwen..."
She rolled the word in her mouth, then asked.
"What does it mean?"
Tough question.
"...No special meaning. It's uncommon, and the sound's nice."
"I see."
Woojin added defensively.
"Cut me some slack. Naming a grown woman? First time. Way too hard."
Not a nickname— a proper adult name. Right in front of her, no less.
His naming skills weren't great to begin with. This was tougher than expected.
Luckily, she seemed pleased.
Murmuring "Arwen" like savoring it, she smiled faintly. Then bowed her head to him.
"I want to serve you."
Woojin blinked.
"...Suddenly? Why?"
"You said to do what feels right."
She preferred living as Arwen over being a bishop. With that, she bowed deeply.
Caught off guard, Woojin panicked inwardly... but soon understood.
It tied back to their earlier talk.
No names, no jokes, just endless backstabbing plots. That summed up the dark cultists he'd met.
'No wonder she doesn't want to go back.'
Time for a fresh start. That seemed to be her conclusion.
Woojin welcomed it.
"Lift your head."
Arwen complied readily. Woojin reached out slowly toward her face.
He removed the butterfly mask.
For the first time, he saw her face. Younger and paler than expected. Rare purple eyes.
'White eyebrows.'
Albinism or something?
Just a guess—not important. Brushing it off, he dangled the mask visibly.
"No use for this anymore, right?"
"...Yes."
Arwen nodded.
He crushed the butterfly mask with a firm grip, smashed it to bits, and tossed it into the distant brush.
Ready for a new beginning.
"Let's get going again."
As he helped Arwen up...
"Squeak."
A small cry sounded. He turned toward it.
The silver sky squirrel stared intently. Eyes full of expectation. Woojin felt a pang of dismay.
'...Haven't named that one yet.'
One mountain after another.
"Squeak!"
The squirrel puffed its cheeks. Upset at not getting a new name.
'Kept putting it off, and now this...'
Woojin scratched his head. He'd met the squirrel before the priestess, but naming got pushed back somehow.
Better do it now. What name suited it...?
"...Coco. How's that?"
Arwen suggested suddenly. She'd been pondering it too.
Woojin tilted his head.
"Too cute? It's the boss beast from the deep zone."
Sounded more like a pet than a monster. Pointing that out, Arwen held out the puffed-cheek squirrel.
It turned away sulkily.
"See? It really is cute."
"...Yeah."
Hard to argue.
Woojin nodded and tried the name.
"Coco."
The squirrel's ears perked up.
Pretending to sulk, but it'd eavesdropped the whole time. Clearly pleased.
'One worry down.'
Naming crisis over. Now, head north.
Woojin and his group pressed on without rest. Half a day later, their destination came into view.
'That's it.'
The farm faction's defensive line. From a rocky hill, Woojin surveyed the enemy camp.
First to catch his eye: wooden palisades. Stretching endlessly. Hastily built and massive, so not very tall.
But no pushover. Thorny vines laced with poison everywhere, deep moats dug below.
Silent bull beasts at work. Using massive shovels, they deepened the moats, piling the earth into sandbags to reinforce the walls.
Hard to believe it was built in just three days. Only possible thanks to the bulls' immense labor power.
'No wonder—strength like that builds camps insanely fast.'
Each bull scoop rivaled a backhoe load. Faster, even.
The line still expanding. Arwen voiced concern.
"Their numbers... way more than expected."
Bulls laboring in herds, watchtowers manned by burly chickens.
Winged warriors clutching spears. Weaker than bulls, dim-witted birdbrains, but they laid eggs daily—huge numbers.
"How do we deal with them?"
Arwen fretted. Woojin scratched his chin, staring at the palisades.
'Coated in sap.'
Fresh-cut logs left sticky sap stains. Brick buildings half-done.
Watching sparked an idea. Woojin grinned slyly.
"Ever played with fire?"
"Never have."
"Really?"
Arwen had lived her life as a dark cultist. No room for pointless pranks.
'First time for everything.'
Nothing's harder than the first.