Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Uninvited Guest
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The figure standing in front of the cave was strangely adorned with goat horns sprouting from their head.
'Huh, fantasy world indeed.'
I scrutinized them closely, wondering if they might be a beastkin, but I had no way of knowing for sure.
'They do have goat horns, but...'
They even had a thin black tail that didn't match a goat at all.
And it was pointed at the end.
I racked my brain trying to figure out what animal it belonged to, but my meager knowledge failed me.
'A hybrid? Like some kind of mutt?'
I'd never encountered any other races since coming here.
No way I could distinguish them.
Just the aura emanating from them felt unpleasant, souring my impression right away.
'Feels like standing next to someone smoking.'
For a moment, I pondered deeply whether I was some kind of species supremacist.
But I decided not to dwell on it.
More importantly, there was something else.
'Why did this one come all the way here?'
Even though I was staring holes into their back from just behind, they hadn't noticed at all. They didn't seem like any great powerhouse.
'The aura they're giving off...'
By my guess, probably on par with some beastkin diligently tilling fields.
Their energy felt that pathetically weak.
So what business did such a person have on this remote, dangerous mountain?
To begin with, no one had ever come to this mountain before—except for Nameless.
According to him, the mana concentration was so dense, and the monsters infused with it so numerous, that it wasn't a place for humans to live.
Ordinary people had limits to how much mana they could handle, too.
News to me.
I wondered why Nameless was fine, but he said I'd sucked up all the mana saturating the mountain, lowering the density.
'That makes sense.'
How the hell would I even do that? Probably because Nameless is this world's protagonist.
In any case, that's why no one ever visited the mountain where I lived.
'Someone who came to this mountain on purpose.'
Unless they were like Nameless, fleeing from people and deliberately seeking out a place like this, it was hard to imagine.
"What are you?"
So I asked.
My words came out a bit rough, but after learning my exact age and living with Nameless, speaking casually had become second nature. I didn't feel the need to fix it.
The goat-horned one turned around to look at me, then immediately scowled.
"Hm? A human woman?"
Calling me a "human woman" felt awfully arrogant for the weak aura they exuded.
I was already in a bad mood from their unpleasant energy, and that remark made my face twist further.
I'd asked first, so what kind of answer was that?
Young folks these days lack respect for their elders.
'Whoa, what am I thinking?'
Lately, living with Nameless and feeling my age more acutely must be making my thoughts grow old too.
'Can't let that happen.'
I shook off the stray thoughts and got back to the question.
"I asked what you are."
"Ah, my apologies. I was looking for someone."
Looking for someone? No one lived on this mountain except me and Nameless. If it was him they wanted, I'd better cover for him.
It hadn't even been a few years since he nearly got dragged off unjustly by people.
Anyone seeking Nameless was probably after him for that reason.
So I naturally lied.
"No one lives on this mountain except me."
The goat-horned one seemed lost in thought, stroking their chin with one hand and tilting their head.
"Hm? I heard it was definitely a human man, but the hair color matches for sure."
Heard it was... hair color.
From the response, it sounded like someone higher up had sent them after Nameless.
His black hair was rare here, just like mine.
"You look about the same age too, outwardly."
My shoulders lifted a bit smugly.
'I do look kinda young.'
I revised my assessment of them—from utterly hopeless creep to just kinda unpleasant.
"Well, I can just take you instead, right?"
What the hell? It was so absurd I could barely speak.
Comparing auras, an untrained Nameless might be one thing, but now? They couldn't even subdue him properly.
This one was that feeble.
"You? Me?"
It was ridiculous, but I decided to see what they'd do, staring sullenly.
The goat-horned one began channeling mana at their fingertips, using them like a brush to draw a crimson magic circle in the air.
'Oh, magic. So they had something to rely on.'
This was a fantasy world, after all. Seeing magic for the first time sparked my curiosity—what if I let it hit me? A somewhat risky thought.
'Wonder what it's like.'
Their aura was so weak anyway; even if I took it, nothing serious would happen.
It seemed complete now—chains burst from the magic circle, shooting toward me at high speed.
I had no intention of dodging, so they soon reached me, slowly wrapping around my body.
'Hmm, being bound by chains feels kinda weird.'
That was the extent of my impressions.
Unpleasant energy tried to flow into me through the chains, but I circulated my qi to block it.
Curious how sturdy they were, I tested with a slight flex, and an ominous creak came from the chains binding me—weaker than I'd expected.
"Struggling won't help."
Mistaking it for my desperate resistance, they smirked like some cartoon villain and slowly approached.
'Hmm, feels like I missed the right moment to break free.'
This was someone trying to kidnap Nameless, but casually escaping might embarrass them too much.
They'd failed before anyway, and they were probably just following orders from above.
'My soft heart's acting up.'
But I couldn't just let them take me either. Part of me wanted to tag along and punch out everyone who'd tormented Nameless, but that might teach him bad habits.
Parents are a child's mirror, right?
Masters are the same. If Nameless saw me avenging him, he'd think, "Oh, this is fine," and his behavior might go downhill.
I imagined it for a second.
Nameless with dyed blond hair, spitting on the floor, extorting my money...
"No way!"
A chill ran through me, and I snapped the chains, kicking the goat-horned one flying.
"What..! Gah-!"
"Nameless! Your master is different from these scumbags! No dyeing!"
It was just my imagination, but it soured my mood enough that I lost it.
Oh no.
Shouldn't solve things with violence.
The goat-horned one was slammed into a rock near the cave entrance. Pupils gone, but chest rising and falling—they'd live.
Cold sweat trickled down.
'This is bad...'
Nameless seeing me resort to violence? Nothing good comes to mind.
I absolutely couldn't let him find out.
"As long as he doesn't see..."
Not a crime!
I dragged the unconscious body to a corner of the cave and quietly slipped away.
'Perfect crime.'
Truly flawless.
-Heavenly Nameless
'What the hell is going on?'
I came to my senses lying on Master's lap.
"Awake?"
Feeling her gently stroke my head,
I recalled what happened before blacking out.
My face flushed red on its own.
I'd tried so confidently to take in Master's every move, but it was impossible.
I only felt my own shortcomings. Calling myself her disciple filled me with shame.
I didn't even know what to say, just basking in her touch.
My mood was improving bit by bit.
I should say something,
I was fumbling for words when Master spoke first, as if reading my mind.
"I told you before—it's fine."
She stopped stroking and leaned down, pressing her forehead to mine on her lap.
"You did nothing wrong. It's just my failing as the one claiming to be your master."
Her warmth faded from our touching foreheads, revealing her faintly smiling face.
"So don't blame yourself."
"Thank you..."
Tears welled up, but I smiled—Master always looked pained when I cried.
"Your smile suits you much better."
"...Yes."
She was far too good for someone like me.
But...
"Master, did you meet someone? There's a strange smell."
An unpleasant masculine scent clung to her.
"What?"
Seeing Master visibly flustered made my chest tighten, twisting my face.