Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Chapter 1 - Meteor #4
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Language data analysis.
No matter how much of an AI Integra was, it was impossible for her to immediately interpret words she'd never heard before in her life.
But if given sufficient sample data, the story changed.
As an AI, Integra could accurately remember any word she heard even once, and using computational speeds no human could match, she could analyze countless patterns and acquire a language in a short time.
Of course, the language acquired this way could be immediately installed into Luther.
'Whoa...'
This was future technology.
Letting out a small sigh of admiration, Lee Yun-ho refocused his attention on the girl and the youth in front of him.
'I need more conversation.'
To collect language data, they needed dialogue first and foremost.
And to achieve that, they needed to drop their guard against him.
'Neither face rings a bell, at least.'
It would have been great if they were characters from Dragon Hunter 3, but unfortunately, both were unfamiliar faces.
'Still, lucky they're both pretty calm-looking.'
Unless something sudden happened, they didn't seem like the type to show hostility rashly.
"■■, ■■■? ■■■■■?"
The youth spoke again, and the girl quietly observed him.
Her green eyes, nestled between strands of black hair, looked incredibly intelligent.
'Is he asking who I am?'
[Master, silence is golden, but not right now.]
Luther agreed.
So, to emphasize his lack of hostility even more, Luther raised both hands a bit higher and took one very slow step forward.
'There has to be something, anything.'
Even though communication wasn't possible yet, Lee Yun-ho knew the world of Dragon Hunter 3 well.
If he observed carefully, he could find something to open dialogue or improve the situation.
And it was right then.
"■■■. ■■■■."
The black-haired girl spoke to Lee Yun-ho in a low voice.
It sounded incredibly clear, with a fairly friendly vibe.
'Is she telling me to come closer and sit?'
In scenes like this, lines like 'How about warming up by the fire together?' or 'Come sit here. The night air is chilly' were common, but without certainty that's what she said, he couldn't move rashly.
'Her expression and tone seem friendly, though.'
Words always carried nuance.
By considering the speaker's expression, tone, and emotions in their voice, you could usually guess what they meant.
'I just need... some kind of trigger.'
A trigger to create a more friendly atmosphere.
[Master, it seems like we need to take action either way.]
It wasn't time to stall.
And as if on cue, something caught Lee Yun-ho's eye.
'Kapuya meat!'
What caught his eye was the Kapuya meat laid out dismantled near the campfire.
It was a wild animal from the Forest of Primordial Beasts, and the gourmet Alisa especially loved it.
"Kapuya. That, Kapuya."
When Lee Yun-ho pointed at the Kapuya meat and said that, curiosity lit up in the girl and youth's eyes.
Not missing the change, Lee Yun-ho pointed at the Kapuya meat again.
"Kapuya."
"Kapuya■■ ■■■."
The girl smiled faintly and replied.
Lee Yun-ho smiled back at her, then turned his gaze to the Kapuya meat again.
'As expected, they didn't butcher it properly.'
Kapuya meat wasn't anything special, really.
It wasn't bad, but just ordinary meat?
Yet, the reason gourmet Alisa called it her favorite was because of Kapuya's special cut.
'A special cut you can only get about two finger-sized pieces from per animal.'
Its location was near parts usually discarded during normal butchering, so ordinary people often tossed it without knowing.
'Alright, let's give it a shot.'
Having made up his mind, Lee Yun-ho quietly asked Integra.
"Integra, got any cooking programs? Like knife skills."
[Basic Cooking Lv1 and Knife Fighting Lv1 are available.]
It seemed far from cooking knife skills, but it was knife work, so it'd help.
"Install both."
[Understood.]
[Installing Basic Cooking Lv1 and Knife Fighting Lv1.]
-Zzt!
Feeling a flash pierce through the crown of his head, Lee Yun-ho took a deep breath, then spoke to the girl and youth still watching him.
"Kapuya."
"I'll cook it."
"Cook."
"Special cut."
"Butcher with knife."
He spoke as slowly as possible, adding hand gestures, and reached for the Kapuya meat. The youth flinched, but the girl immediately raised a hand to stop him.
"■ ■ Try it."
He could understand her a little.
[This is still an interpretation with added inference.]
[Please keep that in mind.]
Either way was fine.
Flashing a soft smile, Lee Yun-ho pulled the Kapuya meat toward him, picked up the knife he'd gotten from the kobold, and began additional butchering with swift cuts.
"Oh... ■■ is ■■ good."
While the youth murmured quiet admiration, Lee Yun-ho extracted the special cut, glanced at the girl and youth, then approached the campfire.
[Master, placing meat directly on the grill with bare hands might cause disgust.]
Even Lee Yun-ho thought so, but there were no other options.
He placed the special cut on the metal grill and smiled at the girl and youth again.
[Master, the girl and youth's reactions seem positive.]
At Integra's words, Lee Yun-ho clenched a tiny fist as if to say he knew it.
Luther Lightseeker, one of Star Savior's playable characters, was an incredibly handsome young man.
'As expected, looks create plausibility.'
Even the youth's reaction wasn't bad, not just the girl's.
The girl was even blushing slightly.
'Good, keep going.'
Confirming their gazes were fairly friendly, Lee Yun-ho finished grilling the special cut and said,
"Eat."
"Tasty."
"Really tasty."
As he mimed eating deliciously, the girl and youth looked at each other and spoke.
"Hmm... ■■■."
"■■■?"
"I'll try ■ ■ it. It's just ■■ Kapuya meat, right?"
The girl, smiling as she spoke, nimbly sliced the special cut with her knife and popped a piece into her mouth.
And gulp.
"Oh my."
Letting out an involuntary gasp, the girl widened her eyes, shoved the rest into her mouth, chewed a few times, and broke into a full smile.
'She's pretty.'
Like a flower blooming?
With her lead-actress beauty smiling brightly, Lee Yun-ho couldn't help smiling too.
[Master is lighting up. Noted.]
"Huh?"
That was when Lee Yun-ho unwittingly replied to Integra.
Having taken the girl's recommendation, the youth shoved a piece of special cut into his mouth and jumped to his feet in shock.
"Delicious?!"
Now even the youth's face showed more goodwill than wariness.
Satisfied with their change, Lee Yun-ho seized the moment and picked up the bundle of Paparius he'd set on the ground.
"Paparius."
"Yes, Paparius."
The girl responded to his words.
Then the youth held out the remaining Kapuya meat.
"Do this ■■ too."
He could roughly guess.
Clearly asking to extract special cuts from the rest.
"Anytime."
Nodding, Lee Yun-ho butchered the special cuts from the remaining Kapuya meat and placed them on the grill.
-Sizzle.
The delicious sound of meat cooking.
Having tasted the special cut already, the girl and youth swallowed unconsciously, and Lee Yun-ho did the same in anticipation.
And one bite.
"Urgh..."
Letting out an involuntary groan, Lee Yun-ho smiled widely.
'So this is what Kapuya meat tastes like. No wonder Alisa's obsessed.'
Incredibly tender, like it melted in your mouth—slight exaggeration or not.
[Master, is it that good?]
"Yeah, that good."
Maybe his imagination, or maybe not, but Integra's voice seemed tinged with envy.
'It's really different from the original.'
Star Savior's Integra had a kind voice, but her basic tone and personality were rigidly AI-like.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say she never spoke with leaking emotions like this.
What was going on?
Was it the difference between reality and the game, or something odd from the crash?
And right then.
"Karen. Karen."
The girl pointed to herself and said.
The youth did the same, repeating,
"Max. Max."
Karen and Max.
Probably their names.
"Luther. Luther."
Lee Yun-ho pointed to himself and said.
With communication already impossible, he avoided using his exotic name, Lee Yun-ho.
"Luther. Karen, Max."
The girl—Karen—pointed at 'Luther,' then at herself and Max in turn.
She seemed to find the situation quite fun.
'Well, I am too.'
First contact with people whose language he didn't speak.
"Sky."
"Ground."
"Fire."
"Meat."
As Karen pointed at surrounding objects one by one, teaching pronunciations, Integra's language interpretation speed improved dramatically.
Karen, seeing Luther memorize words instantly, continued with a mix of surprise and curiosity.
"Miss, his language acquisition speed is ■■ ■ ■■ fast. ■■ Is he acting?"
Max whispered very quietly, and Karen replied softly.
"Doesn't seem like it. You can tell just by looking, Max."
From their talk, they didn't think Luther had learned enough to understand their language yet.
'Good, now drive the wedge of camaraderie.'
Deciding, Luther looked at the bandage on Max's arm.
It was relatively new, but blood seeped in the center, suggesting a laceration.
"Integra, can it heal others too?"
If self-repair worked, maybe others too?
Star Savior's Luther never healed others, but it seemed possible.
[Yes.]
[It will consume a small amount of nanomachines, however.]
"How small?"
[0.1% of Master's current nanomachine reserves.]
That was fine.
Luther's nanomachines were self-replicating anyway.
"Max, wound. Heal. Me."
Breaking words for clarity, Luther extended a hand to Max, who exchanged glances with Karen.
"Miss."
"What... do you think?"
At Karen's question, Max seemed to ponder briefly, then steeled himself and looked at Luther firmly.
"I'll trust you. Give it a try."
He offered his wounded left arm, tense but slightly.
[Master, direct skin contact is needed for treatment.]
[Please unwrap the bandage.]
"Got it."
Quietly replying, Luther slowly unwrapped Max's bandage, while Karen watched with intense curiosity.
And moments later.
As soon as the bandage came off, blood welled from Max's wound, but Luther pressed his palm firmly against it.
[Injecting nanomachines.]
[Beginning treatment.]
And a miracle occurred.
Max's wound began healing as if time rewound.
"My God! ■■■■?!"
Shocked, Max's eyes bulged, and Karen gazed at Luther with admiring eyes.
A sudden stranger.
But not just any stranger.
Clothes in a unique style unseen around here.
Intellect acquiring language at astonishing speed.
And the miracle of healing.
Moreover, Karen recalled an event she'd witnessed before meeting Luther.
"No way... ■■?"
Muttering softly, Karen pursed her lips, then suddenly pointed to the sky.
She slowly arced her finger down to the ground.
Sky.
Ground.
From sky to ground.
"A meteor—from the sky into the Forest of Primordial Beasts. Is Luther connected to the meteor?"
One fallen from the sky.
A meteor from the sky.
At Karen's question, Luther hesitated briefly, then nodded.