Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Chameleon (3)
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The missing kitchen knife.
The anxiety of not knowing when, who, or where the knife would swing gnawed at me.
But at the same time, the fact that the monster might have the knife gave me one certainty.
Hiding and watching wasn't the answer.
I had to act before it harmed someone.
'But how?'
If I could, I'd drag them up to the second floor one by one.
The old man and his grandson were always stuck together, though.
The dog—
I ruled it out as a candidate for now.
If I suddenly called someone up to the second floor or acted strangely, the monster might flee or suddenly attack someone nearby.
If it came for me, I could dodge, but—
After agonizing over it, I came up with one idea.
Make it target me instead.
"No way, that's too dangerous."
"She's right. Too risky."
Seo Ji-hyun shot down my words flatly.
Han Sora, who had snuck up behind me at some point, reacted the same way.
I persuaded them calmly.
"The thief took a kitchen knife. Everyone's in danger. Better if it's me—the one who knows everything and... who's done some exercise."
"Exercise? You work out?"
"...Yeah, boxing."
I lied without batting an eye.
It wasn't entirely false, actually.
Right now, my punches were faster and stronger than any pro boxer's.
Honestly, comparing me to boxers was underselling it—I was more like a bear or a gorilla.
"...Then dodge my punch!"
Han Sora suddenly lunged, swinging at me.
Whoosh.
I casually sidestepped.
"Whoa... wow... you actually dodged it?"
She stared at me in admiration, clearly not expecting me to evade for real.
"...Fine. Use the walkie-talkie if things get dangerous."
Seo Ji-hyun finally nodded.
My act began after dinner.
I deliberately lingered around the owner grandma and her grandchild.
I eavesdropped when they talked, stared blatantly from behind when they gazed out the window at the rain.
When the kid drew a picture, I sidled up and peeked.
It was clumsy and obvious enough that anyone would think, 'Has that guy figured something out?'
Once, I even asked the kid or the grandma to come up to the second floor with me.
The child hid behind the grandma's legs, scared of my eagerness, and she refused, saying her legs hurt.
They never separated anyway.
"Sigh, why are you wandering around alone like that? Playing detective?"
Han Sora scolded me loudly on purpose, so others could hear.
"...Stop bothering people."
Seo Ji-hyun spoke more coldly than usual, ignoring me.
It was our play.
I'd noticed something off, but my teammates treated me like an idiot and wouldn't listen.
If one of the suspects was the monster, they'd target me first—the one acting like he'd caught on.
...That's what I hoped.
To make myself an easy mark, I wandered even more blatantly alone.
During a break in the rain, I pretended to stroll around the pension by myself.
When everyone gathered in the living room, I sat alone in the corner, staring out the window.
At night, after the team went upstairs, I stayed in the living room late, claiming insomnia.
Even until the old man, kid, and medium-sized dog entered the big first-floor room, I lingered.
I'd thrown myself out as bait.
Hoping the monster would bite.
And that night.
Everyone else had gone to their rooms.
The couple and fisherman upstairs had locked their doors long ago. Seo Ji-hyun and Han Sora had gone up and pretended to sleep.
In the pitch-black living room, where not even moonlight entered.
I sat in the center, with only the faint glow of my phone lit.
Then, footsteps came from the big first-floor room.
A tiny sound, only audible if you concentrated.
My heart pounded wildly.
'Come out... please...'
Waiting in the dark night, silent living room for the monster to emerge.
The situation terrified me, but I desperately wanted it to appear.
What if it targeted someone in the big room instead of me here?
Should I charge in?
The map showed one of the owner grandma, kid, or medium-sized dog for sure.
The couple and fisherman were upstairs, but the red dot remained on the first floor.
How much time passed?
The door to the big room at the far end of the living room opened silently.
No sound, but I'd focused all my senses there, so I knew.
A silhouette slowly emerged from the darkness.
The living room was so dark at first, I could barely make it out.
But as the shadow approached the center and entered the faint phone light, I swallowed hard.
"Oh dear... so late at night..."
"...Grandma?"
It was the owner grandma.
"..."
But her appearance was completely different from usual.
Her slightly hunched back was straight as if by magic.
Posture so upright, it was hard to believe she was elderly.
And in the old woman's hand gleamed one of the missing kitchen knives.
She was no longer a kindly country grandma.
Straight back, hollow eyes, kitchen knife in hand.
The old woman slowly turned her head, locking eyes on me in the darkness.
Murderous intent flashed in her gaze.
"...!"
Terror made every hair on my body stand on end.
I'd expected it, but facing it for real blanked my mind.
I couldn't run now. This was the situation I wanted.
I gritted my teeth.
"...Come here... come.."
The old woman—no, the chameleon in her form—muttered in a raspy voice.
She gripped the kitchen knife tighter and advanced slowly toward me.
I swallowed dryly and backed away.
Swoosh!
The monster swung the knife.
Incredibly fast for an ordinary old woman.
But it was clear as day to me.
I twisted my waist lightly, dodging.
The blade grazed my collar, leaving a chill.
Swoosh! Slash!
Seeing me evade, it swung repeatedly.
I dodged by a hair's breadth now, raising my fist for a counter.
But I couldn't strike.
"...?"
Confusion filled the monster's face.
It looked puzzled at how easily I'd dodged, while I grappled with a different dilemma.
'...I can't hit it.'
Every dodge gave me countless chances to counter.
One punch, and it'd end like the mannequin—easier, even.
But... the enemy before me looked too perfectly human.
Wrinkled face, graying hair—aside from being unusually spry for an elder.
It just seemed like a normal person.
Swinging a fist like a deadly weapon wasn't easy.
"...Urgh...!"
Sensing my hesitation, the monster swung wildly.
A rough voice unbecoming an old woman burst out.
Right then.
"...Grandma?"
The door creaked open, and a child's sleepy voice called out.
The bedroom door where the old woman and grandchild slept swung open. The half-awake kid rubbed his eyes and stepped into the living room.
Too dark; he hadn't seen us yet.
"...!"
The monster and I both turned toward the child.
A strange glint flickered in its hollow eyes.
'No way!'
The kid was in danger.
I read the monster's intent instinctively.
No time to hesitate.
It might attack the kid or take him hostage.
I clenched my teeth.
In an instant, I dropped low and dove into its guard.
Fist clenched, targeting the solar plexus.
Whoosh—!
Thud!
My fist pierced its chest without resistance.
No crunch of bone or tear of flesh—just a sickening sensation like punching through wet paper.
"Guh...?"
The monster looked down at its chest in disbelief.
I twisted my fist and pulled it out.
In that moment, the old woman's form collapsed rapidly.
Wrinkles melted from her face, her body distorted, then turned into thick, dark red liquid that pooled on the floor.
The liquid bubbled briefly, steaming as it burned black and evaporated.
All that remained was a small bead.
"...Grandma? Have you seen Grandma?"
The kid, now in the living room, looked at me with teary eyes.
I quickly schooled my face to normal and knelt before him.
"Grandma... went out for some fresh air? Not sure... It's late—go back to bed. She'll be back soon."
"...Okay..."
I soothed him as gently as I could.
He still looked anxious but nodded and returned to the room.
I watched his back with a bittersweet expression.
Silence returned to the living room.
Only a faint stain remained where the monster had melted.
Woof.
"Hm?"
A sudden sound drew my eyes down—the dog approached, rubbing its head on my leg.
With its hind paws, it scratched repeatedly at the faint stain where the monster died, as if burying something.
Then it darted back into the big room after the kid.
"..."
Thinking back, maybe the dog was why it hadn't targeted the child.
It was always between the kid and the old woman.
"...Monster neutralized."
I reported mission complete to the team.