Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Midnight Guest
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But it's still a fact that it insanely killed a ton of people.
So when we mercy-killed Black Puppy, every time we met it after revival, its specs weakened and it barely attacked—was that because it learned something? Other kids got one-turned, but it saw players stubbornly trying to kill it after reviving and thought, "Oh, people don't like me approaching."
Feels kinda empty now. During CBT, Fey and I took it down with one hit, grinding my teeth like "this bastard is my enemy, I'll kill it"—but seeing this makes it weird.
"We're... acquainted, right?"
"Woof!"
The puppy barked lightly at me as if agreeing.
Pretty damn cute.
"Can I pet you?"
I reached out my hand toward the puppy,
"Woof!"
and it came running in response, rubbing its cheek against my palm.
Really cute.
Running away scared from something this adorable.
"You're so cute, and they still ran—too much, right?"
"Woof!"
The black puppy barked once more as if agreeing.
"Don't have anything to give you, huh."
Something came to mind soon enough.
"Oh, some deer roast left over. Woofie! Follow me."
You're Woofie from now on.
I named it roughly after its bark and headed back to where we'd eaten, leading Woofie along.
"Oh, still there. Here, eat this at least."
"Woof!"
We'd set up the meal site a bit away from camp, leaving it uncleaned at night.
Partly because going to the river for dishes is dangerous, partly to satisfy any scent-drawn monsters and send them off.
I tore off a chunk of deer roast from the spit and tossed it over; Woofie devoured it deliciously.
"Woof! Woofwoof!"
Woofie barked, smacking its lips for more.
"Starved for days? Here."
I tossed over chunks of the remaining roast, and Woofie scarfed those down too.
And then,
"Woofwoof! Woof? Woofwoofwoof!"
"Whoa, hold on! That's..."
Still not full, it finally pawed at Fey's stew.
You Hiddink or what?
Still hungry.
'Isn't human food bad for dogs?'
Thinking that, I tried pulling Woofie away from Fey's stew,
-slurp slurp slurp, slurp slurp slurp.
but it was eating so enjoyably that I ended up scooping some with a ladle and handing it over.
"Otherworld puppy, so maybe it's fine?"
Come to think of it, country dogs usually ate human leftovers.
Decided they grew strong from it, so okay.
"Woof..."
"Lie like that and you'll get fat."
"Woofwoof..."
Woofie, having licked Fey's stew clean to the bottom in an instant, flopped down contentedly.
What a chill dude.
'Separated from its mom or pack?'
So small yet wandering alone, looking starved for days.
Made me suspect it was cast out in the wild.
"Wanna tame it and travel together."
Adventuring with a dog? Peak romance.
Train it well, it'd help in many ways.
As I pondered how to coax Woofie along,
"Woof!"
Woofie suddenly flipped over, sensing something.
"Hm? What's up?"
"Grrr..."
It bared its teeth, on guard, then
"Woof! Woofwoof!"
bolted into the bushes and vanished.
"Ah, Woofie!"
Did I mess up?
Or spot something?
I headed where Woofie ran, but it was long gone.
"Damn."
Life doesn't go as planned, huh.
Wild thing, won't tame easily.
"Really disappointing."
Smacking my lips at the lost romance, I turned back to camp.
-Rustle rustle.
-Crunch.
The wind sounds on the way back felt a bit off,
but probably just my imagination.
And the next day.
"Huh? Someone ate all the leftovers from yesterday?"
After handing night watch to Rack and sleeping, I woke to the group marveling at the spotless pot.
"Not an animal or monster? They don't eat this clean."
"Then... hey Will, was it you yesterday?"
"Ah, that wasn't me, but..."
I stopped mid-sentence.
Big sparkling eyes—
Fey was gazing at me, deeply moved.
"Ah, yeah. Got peckish, so just a bit of soup."
Saying a stray dog ate it sounds weird.
"Not just a bit? Licked it clean."
"Haha..."
As I white-lied benevolently to Fey,
"Hee hee hee, as expected, Will knows good food!"
Fey, way more confident than yesterday, smugly swept back her hair, forehead gleaming in the sun.
'Energy recovered, good... but.'
Hope this doesn't give her weird confidence in her cooking direction.
Prefer it influences positively.
After such light moments, we pushed through the jungle again for mandrakes.
Hours of walking later.
"We're here! This is the mandrake colony!"
We arrived at the goal: the mandrake colony.
"Okay! To recap, while we stand guard around the colony, you all harvest as many mandrakes as possible."
One guild member briefly explained our roles.
"And the most important thing! When pulling mandrakes, you must wear these special magic-treated earplugs! Absolutely!"
Famous fantasy trope.
Pull without, hear the scream, and supposedly bleed from all orifices and die.
We each got earplugs from guild members.
"Ah, Will? Use this one. It's higher quality."
Then Rack called me, handing me different earplugs from the others.
Purple sheen, glossy surface—definitely premium.
"Haha, no need for this."
"You stood night watch for me yesterday? Consider it thanks."
Sweet—
Truly kind.
Image dented a bit from dumping watch on another guildie, but he's kind to us at least.
Yesterday's slip-up? Human touch.
"And, isn't your gear heavy? We just guard, so I'll carry it for you."
Even considerate of support team.
His kindness warmed my heart.
Wish there were more like him.
"Then, if you would."
"Yes, I'll keep it safe."
I handed Rack my gear, including the rifle.
With Fey here, I can handle threats, and lugging it would just hinder harvesting anyway.
Though Fey's words and yesterday linger a bit,
'Been peaceful so far, so relax a little.'
No need to play hard mode in peaceful mode.
Better trust and stay light-hearted than heavy suspicion.
With that, I headed to the harvest site with lighter steps minus the gear.
"...Perfect. Flawless plan."
Golden Duck guild leader Rack grinned vilely, watching Will's back as he parted from Fey.
'Bye, dumbass.'
Never liked him from start to finish.
Failed to win Fey's favor thanks to his heroics.
Plus his nosy meddling forced me into real night watch.
"But oh well, last time seeing that smug face alive."
The earplugs he gave Will didn't block sound.
They were amplification magic speakers, turning tiny noises huge.
What followed was simple.
Will takes mandrake scream full blast and dies; I swap earplugs amid chaos.
No forensics here, so it'll pass as clumsy newbie accident from loose plugs.
"Send him off, comfort Leblanc, snag this relic too. Perfect."
Confident in his silver tongue.
Many aspiring Nether adventurers ruined by it already.
Worst case, invoke hidden poison clauses in contracts.
"...Time's about up."
Rack checked his pocket watch, awaiting Will's death news.
But,
"..."
Time passed,
"..."
no word.
"...What?"
Slacking? Those diligent idiots wouldn't.
'Guess I gotta check...'
As Rack moved toward the colony,
-Boom! Boom! Boom!
earth-shaking vibrations rocked him.
What the—
Ominous dread bit his neck.
"Gaaah! Run!!"
"Giant Brain Licker! Fuck, of all days...!!!"
"Guild leader! Guild leader! It's heading that way!"
Guildies' screams everywhere.
And,
"Kweee... Kraaaah!!!!"
Before his eyes, a house-sized blue-furred ant-licker charged madly at him.
Blood pouring from bite wounds contrasted its blue fur, adding grotesqueness.
"Why here."
Brain Licker.
Top elite monster dwelling deep in Black Forest.
Right in front.
Like all prior luck flipping to curse.
"...Fuck."
Rack's face twisted in horror.