Companions Beyond Trust

The next morning, Hayeon slowly pushed herself up from the creaking bed. Her entire body ached, a dull throb of muscle soreness colliding with the vivid rush of last night's memories. Red marks left by Kadel's rough hands were still scattered across her pale skin.

Kadel was already awake. He had been silently polishing his greatsword, but the moment he saw Hayeon stir, he tossed a rusted dagger, letting it clatter at her feet. "Pick it up and follow me." His tone was cold and dry, a stark contrast to the heated whispers of the night before.

"...Where are we going?" Hayeon asked, clutching the blanket tightly to her chest, her eyes filled with deep wariness.

"Where else? The dungeon. I need to see for myself how useful you actually are. You can't hide behind my back forever, can you? If you're going to be my woman, you should at least be able to protect your own skin." Kadel chuckled, urging Hayeon to get dressed. Before long, the two of them arrived at the Central Square.

In the middle of the square, heavily guarded by sentries, stood a massive portal swirling with a dark, blood-red light. Without hesitation, they stepped through the threshold.

Beyond the portal, a vast outdoor expanse unfolded. The ground was choked with dirt and dust, littered here and there with broken debris and shattered stones. Under a crimson sky, a desolate ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠plain stretched into the horizon, dotted with occasional crumbling ruins. The wind blew dry and sharp, and a low, distant howl echoed from somewhere, tightening the knot of tension in her chest.

Kadel gestured to their surroundings. "This is the first floor of the dungeon, the Plains of Twilight. It's where rookies get their first taste of real combat. Don't let your guard down."

Moments later, their first monster appeared. It was a lone Goblin lurking near a pile of rubble. It was small and agile, a green-skinned creature with glowing red eyes, clutching a crude dagger in one hand.

That's... a Goblin. Hayeon instinctively swallowed hard.

Kadel silently raised his hand, signaling her. He leaned in and whispered in a low voice, "I'll draw its attention from the front. You creep along that ruined wall and stab it in the back. Don't make a sound, and don't hesitate. End it in one strike. If you fail, you die."

Hayeon nodded. The hilt of the rusted dagger was slick with her sweat, and her heart began to hammer against her ribs. As Kadel threw a stone to distract the Goblin, she crept silently along the shadow of the wall.

I can do this. It's just a beast. If I want to survive... I have to kill it first.

The moment she reached the Goblin's blind spot, Hayeon drove the dagger home. Squelch. The sensation of tough hide tearing and the blade scraping between ribs vibrated up her wrist.

"Kieeeek!" The Goblin shrieked in agony, its body convulsing violently before going completely limp. Hot blood sprayed, splattering her hands and face, the metallic stench of it invading her nose.

Hayeon barely managed to suppress a gag. The raw sensation of a living creature turning cold right before her eyes left her mind momentarily blank. In that exact moment, a system window materialized before her eyes.

"Oho, not bad for a first timer," Kadel said, walking over with a satisfied grin. He roughly patted Hayeon's head. "You've got guts, and your reflexes are quick. You might actually have talent."

Hayeon turned her head away, dodging his touch. It was repulsive, but she kept her mouth shut.

...I didn't kill a human. It's just a Goblin. It's not a person. It's fine. It was unavoidable... She desperately tried to rationalize it to herself. Still, the fact that she hadn't frozen in terror and had actually moved her body to survive brought her a small sliver of comfort.

Kadel scanned her face and sneered. "What, feeling guilty? If you don't kill them, they kill you. Do you still not grasp that simple reality?"

He yanked the dagger from the Goblin's corpse and casually wiped the blood off on the hem of Hayeon's clothes. "Listen closely, gorgeous. You don't fight stupid bastards like this head-on with brute force. You aren't strong like me or Brek, and you aren't built like a brick wall like Burg. Your weapons are your light body, your quick feet, and that pretty face of yours."

"...My face?" Hayeon asked back, her expression laced with confusion.

"Yeah, your face. Whether it's a man or a beast, when ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they see something beautiful, they're bound to lose their focus, even if just for a second. That split second is your only window to slit their throats. Keep that in mind." Kadel tapped her cheek with his finger, a sly, wicked grin spreading across his face.

"Get this: creatures like Goblins and Orcs might be stupid, but they're incredibly faithful to their instincts. Especially their obsession with 'females'—it's beyond your wildest imagination. In their eyes, you aren't just a tasty meal; you're a female they can use to satisfy their lust."

Hayeon's face paled at his words. The horrific mental image of being violated by monsters flashed through her mind.

"Those bastards will try to pounce on you before they even think about killing you. And that is your second opportunity. The exact moment they lose their minds to lust and rush you—that's when they are at their most vulnerable. Use your pretty face and body as bait, and plunge your blade straight into their hearts. Got it? To survive in this world, you have to weaponize everything you have. Even if it's your own flesh."

Kadel's words were brutal, but they laid bare a cold, hard truth. Her peerless beauty was not a blessing; it was a hazard that invited danger, yet it was also the only weapon she had to overcome it.

Hayeon bit her lower lip. In the end... it's the same here. To survive in this body... is this really my only choice?

Their next targets were a pair of Goblins. "This time, do it yourself. I'll watch from behind. Just do exactly as I taught you. The moment you hesitate, your head will roll." As Kadel stepped back, Hayeon caught her breath.

She had to face two of them alone. Her heart began to race once more. The Goblins spotted her, letting out guttural, repulsive screeches as they closed in.

Hayeon recalled Kadel's advice. Read their gaze. Gauge their center of gravity. She intentionally put on a terrified expression, twisting her body slightly as if shrinking back. One of the Goblins stared intently at her face, while the other let its eyes wander down to her chest.

Now! Hayeon lunged forward, kicking off the dirt. She slipped past the flank of the nearest Goblin, dragging her dagger deep across its thigh. Slash.

"Kieeek!" Leaving the shrieking, collapsing creature behind, she spun on her heel. The remaining Goblin swung its blade in a panic, but it was already too late. Hayeon ducked beneath the swing, driving forward to thrust her dagger upward. She felt a slight resistance as the blade pierced through the soft flesh beneath its jaw.

"Kuuu-urk...!" The second Goblin convulsed and collapsed. Hayeon panted heavily, clutching the blood-drenched dagger. Her sweat-soaked clothes clung to her skin, and her legs gave out, sending her slumping to the ground.

"Not bad. You've got a quick mind," Kadel said, walking over. His tone was still casual, but a spark of genuine interest flickered in his eyes. "Yeah, that's how you do it. Turn your weakness into a weapon, and strike when they show an opening. That's how girls like you survive in this business."

From then on, Hayeon moved not just with Kadel, but with the entire Golden Mane party who had accompanied them into the dungeon. Kadel's training remained merciless, and he continued to deliberately push her into perilous situations. Whenever she was surrounded by a pack of monsters, he would watch from a distance, only stepping in when she reached her absolute limit. After cleaving through the enemies in a single sweep, he would always add, "See? You only truly grow when you're on the brink of death. This is real combat."

Hayeon gritted her teeth and endured the brutal training. She did it to survive, and to one day surpass him. Her anger at her own helplessness and her burning desire for vengeance grew darker and deeper with each passing day.

After the hunt, the Golden Mane party set up camp on a rocky hill deep within the twilight plains. Jules gathered firewood and skillfully built a campfire, while Spine silently cast a protective barrier. Burg, with his massive axe resting on his shoulder, patrolled the perimeter of the camp in absolute silence. Brek took advantage of the brief respite to maintain his weapons, and Kadel hummed a tune by the fire as he pulled out their rations. Hayeon sat quietly among them, wiping and re-wiping her blood-stained dagger with a cloth. She was now, undeniably, a member of this hellish crew.

As they warmed themselves by the fire, Jules spoke up, addressing Kadel. "By the way, Boss Kadel, why are we dragging her along? Sure, she's gorgeous, but shouldn't we just leave her back at the inn to enjoy? She's useless in a fight. If anything, she's just going to put us in danger."

From beneath the deep hood of their robe, Spine chimed in apathetically, their dry voice carrying over the wind. "Jules is right. Her mana response is weak, and her physical stamina is lacking. There is no logical reason to drag her into actual combat. If it is merely to satisfy physical desires, there are far more efficient methods."

Kadel chuckled as he listened to them, nodding in amusement. "You guys just don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠get it. That's why you'll spend your whole lives stuck with Silver or Bronze Plates. I have an eye for talent. You can't judge what's real just by looking at the surface."

He glanced at Hayeon across the campfire and said, "That woman is going to become incredibly strong one day. My gut has never been wrong."

Hearing this, Hayeon scoffed inwardly, thinking of her status window. Potential? Don't make me laugh. You just dragged me along so you could sleep with me every night. You're just wrapping it up in pretty words...

Yet, a small part of her wavered. Does he actually have an eye for these things? Or is he just bluffing?

At that moment, Kadel walked over to her side. He tossed a log into the fire and smiled smugly. "Well, if my woman is going to stand by my side, she's got to have at least that much potential. Right?"

And then, without warning, he reached out and grabbed her ass.

Hayeon slapped his hand away, her face remaining entirely expressionless. In that brief instant, a torrent of curses flooded her mind. Of course. In the end, it always comes back to this. I was an idiot to even give him the benefit of the doubt for a second.

But Kadel only laughed, and she sat back down in silence, resuming her task of wiping the dagger. She suppressed her rage for now. She knew all too well that she couldn't win against him yet.

Over the next three days, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she became capable of handling Goblins and wolves on her own. After numerous real battles, a small change finally appeared in her status window.

It was a small change, but a clear and tangible achievement. Yet, even as she felt a spark of joy, a sense of lingering disappointment washed over her. How strange... My level does go up through combat, but... it rose so much more easily just by having sex.

She felt deeply conflicted. Don't tell me... is sleeping with men actually a more efficient way for this body to level up?

A bitter chuckle escaped her lips. To think that she could grow strong far more easily by enduring humiliation and pleasure in a man's embrace than by shedding blood and sweat in battle. This was no blessing; it was a curse designed to subjugate not just her body, but her very soul.

Damn lazy God. In the end, if I want to get strong quickly, that's the only way... She looked up at the crimson-tinted night sky. Are there stars inside a dungeon too? Up there, a massive, burning red star blazed—a sight she had never seen back on Earth. The night of this other world was unfamiliar, and terribly lonely.