A Morning of Relief
When I woke from that deep sleep, I couldn't easily open my eyes. What if everything up until now had just been a delusion in my mind, and opening my eyes would force me to face that cruel reality again? The fear made it terrifying to even try. The sensations still lingering on my skin—the strange whispers slicing through my head, the eerie energy burrowing deep into my bones. The terror that crushed my breath. Tied spread-eagled on the cold, damp stone floor, the pain of indecipherable patterns being carved into my flesh... Tense with dread, I finally managed to pry my eyes open, and to my relief, it wasn't the church's underground dungeon that greeted me. It was the same tidy, if worn, room as yesterday. I lay in a soft bed, wrapped in a warm blanket.
Slowly sitting up and pulling back the covers, I saw I was dressed in the clean clothes Vivian had bought me yesterday.
"...This is... really not a dream, right?"
I muttered softly, steadying my breath before carefully swinging my feet out of bed and walking toward the door. Birdsong drifted in from somewhere, mingled with voices talking outside. Peeking out, I saw a few inn staff yawning sleepily as they swept the hallway. Creeping cautiously down the stairs, I spotted the innkeeper handling an early check-out for an adventurer at the front desk. Slipping past unnoticed, I quietly exited the inn.
Soft morning sunlight brushed my cheek, cool air laced with light mist touching my skin. The inn sat on a hill overlooking the city's outskirts. A short walk down revealed a scenic bench with a perfect view of the city below. I sat there for a moment, gazing out.
Red rooftops layered across the cityscape. Beyond them, green forests and a river stretching west into the distance. Resting my hands on my knees, I took a deep breath. Fresh air filled my lungs, loosening the tension in my body. For a fleeting moment, the nightmare memories etched into me seemed to recede.
And then, I spotted someone jogging up the hill with an enormous load strapped to their back. It looked casual, but the speed was incredible—faster than I'd expected. In the blink of an eye, they were right in front of me... dressed in light clothes soaked with sweat from a recent workout.
It was Reina.
"Oh, you're awake~"
Our eyes met.
"...Uh, yeah..."
She beamed, waving as she casually set down the massive, heavy-looking bundle from her back.
What a weird person...
How could anyone be that cheerful first thing in the morning?
"I had something to talk about... perfect timing."
"...?"
She approached naturally and plopped down beside me without hesitation. The good thing was, she smelled like fresh-cut grass—crisp sweat, not unpleasant.
"Truth is, last night Vivian, Carlos, and I discussed what to do with you."
"About me?"
"And... we concluded the best option is to place you in a reliable safe facility."
She paused, studying my face carefully.
"You wouldn't hate going back to an orphanage, right? Oh, of course! Not the place you were before! Carlos said it's a monastery run by the church... They take in kids with nowhere to go and run it like an orphanage."
"A monastery...?"
"Yeah! It's stricter than most places, but that's got upsides. Monsters can't approach near a monastery, so it's super safe..."
I'd been putting off worries since reality still felt unreal, but I'd already started thinking about what came next. In this world with no parents, no one to rely on—and no skills, money, or info—my options were slim. Considering my situation, as long as it wasn't some church dump, a safe facility didn't sound bad.
Is she worried I might have trauma or something?
It felt unfamiliar—everyone I'd met so far had been awful.
She's a good person.
I wasn't thrilled about an orphanage, but I couldn't ignore reality. Letting out a small sigh, I opened my mouth cautiously.
"...Sis—"
But "sis" didn't come out easily. I knew I had to accept being a girl, but instinct still rebelled.
Still... I need to get used to it.
Gathering courage, I tried again.
"Reina sis..."
I forced an awkward smile.
"...Thanks. But I'm okay."
"!"
In that instant, shock flashed across Reina's face.
"?"
Like something unexpected had stabbed her heart.
"...Teresa..."
And deep in that expression, I sensed a faint, buried longing.
Did I say something wrong?
I felt flustered too.
"Sis?"
A brief silence, then she smiled again.
"Ah, sorry. Got lost in thought for a sec."
"Lost in thought?"
She seemed like she wanted to say more, but changed the subject.
"Oh, right—are you hungry?"
Come to think of it, my stomach was rumbling a bit.
"A little?"
"Perfect. I'll treat you to something delicious for breakfast."
"Delicious?"
Reina grinned with strange excitement.
"Heh heh heh..."
She stood, hoisted the massive bundle.
"It's a monster called the Mukhyang Wild Boar. Grows eating rare mushrooms and plants in dark forests—low fat, deep flavor. A delicacy among those in the know."
Curiosity widened my eyes. What I'd thought was just a lump shifted as she moved it, revealing its true form—its huge haunch no longer hiding it. Amid thick gray-brown fur, black root-like patterns twisted like branches. A heavy, damp earthy scent hit my nose. Its back shell looked rock-hard, body slightly larger than a normal boar, with soggy mane down to its knees, eyes like deep night. Dead and limp over her shoulder, but to me seeing a monster for the first time, it was intimidating.
"Th-that... you hunted it, sis?"
"Yep. On my morning run, spotted some monsters around the city. Took care of 'em on the way, and this guy was there."
Taking care of monsters as a bonus?
Right—she was an adventurer. That must be normal for them.
"Butchering and cooking'll take time, so rest in your room. I'll call when it's ready."
"Butchering? You do it yourself?"
"Sometimes I leave it to pros if busy, but this isn't much, and we're eating right away."
She slung the carcass over her shoulder. The weight thudded against the ground, mismatched with her light movements. Without another word, she strode back to the inn. I followed cautiously.
After a quick word with the innkeeper, she headed to a small building behind the inn. A half-open door to a shed-like space. Inside: a large wooden workbench, stained cutting board, hooks and butchering tools on the wall, a big blood-catching tub below.
Reina hooked the monster upside down on the bench. Grabbing a butchering knife from the wall, she expertly sliced open its chest. As innards spilled, she carefully pried apart dark red meat and ribs, extracting something lodged like a foreign object.
Blood dripped. The dark, half-melted crystal-like thing twitched faintly, as if fused to the heart.
It moved!?
She set it on the bench and swiftly slit the neck veins. Dark red blood poured into the tub below. I blurted,
"What's that for?"
"Removing blood and any lingering mana. If you don't drain it quick after taking the core, bad mana seeps into the meat and ruins it."
She explained kindly while working deftly. With nothing to do, I watched blankly.
Gained a small amount of Butchering skill experience.
Life skill ‘Butchering’ has been unlocked.
Huh?