Too Short a Date
"Too short a date."
"Doesn't even a single fragment drop?"
"Yeah. Looks like they only give them to you."
Rewards obtained after a summon defeats an enemy are normally transferred to the summoner. Fragments, however, were different. They only dropped from enemies I had contributed significantly to defeating, and even then, the fragments couldn't be stored in Yeonhee's subspace.
...Well, it doesn't matter. As long as someone collects them, that's enough.
That was why the other summons focused solely on subduing and restraining enemies, leaving the finishing blows almost entirely to me.
"We need to finish that 500-monster quest quickly... Hmm. It's taking longer than expected."
You thought we could do it fast, didn't you?
Yeonhee's quest to obtain the Mysterious and Auspicious Summoning Scroll by personally slaying 500 monsters. Under normal circumstances, it would take her a very long time to kill that many enemies with her bow. So we needed to work around the system's rules just enough to make progress. With our forces significantly strengthened, we would achieve it without much difficulty.
That summoning scroll, whose very name suggested something extraordinary would emerge. Using it would surely grant us a unique creature like the Shadow Drake. It was the reward we needed to secure first upon entering a C-rank dungeon.
The first dungeon's terrain is a bit tricky... We'll handle it in the next one.
While lost in thought, I easily dispatched the members of the "Do" organization. The more I caught their scent, the more clearly I could distinguish them.
"I'm... starting to get a feel for it."
"Huh? For what?"
"Their smell."
"Really? You mean you can tell when someone connected to 'Do' is nearby?"
"Yeah."
I had reached the point where I could differentiate between Blue Eye members and "Do" members even when they occupied the same space. Of course, if they were too far away or deliberately suppressing their presence, it would still be difficult to detect them quickly. But growing accustomed to dealing with them was a positive sign.
I stored the twelve corpses in the subspace and immediately left with Yeonhee.
Only about ten minutes left.
I had tried to hurry, yet the Mimicry time was nearly up. The sun had not yet set and was still pouring its last strength into the world. We descended to the surface, enjoying the warm sunlight of early spring, and decided to take a walk together until my transformation ended.
Emerging from the narrow alley, we found ourselves on a lively street lined with coffee shops. We strolled slowly, taking in the surroundings as if seeing them for the first time. Walking through a crowded place like this with Yeonhee was almost a first for us. Her face lit up with excitement as she kept glancing between the passing streets and me.
A low murmur rippled through the crowd.
— Oh my...
— Wow...
People passing by turned their heads sharply to stare at us.
Hmm? Do I smell like blood? Or maybe...
The weather was unusually warm for the last month of winter. People wore bright, colorful clothes.
It might be the outfit.
I was dressed in my usual hitman-style suit, and today I had even transformed my shirt into solid black, giving off the impression of funeral attire.
Calling this a date... the clothes are a bit much. No wonder they're staring.
Yeonhee, perhaps still exhausted from the association waiting room earlier, had pulled her hood low and wore a thick brown mask.
"It's really different seeing Ilwol's face when it's bright."
"Is it?"
"Yeah. But your eyes are a little red—why is that?"
"Hm? Ah—this. I can change it."
I extinguished the flame energy residing within me, and my eyes returned to their original deep black.
"Ooh—You look like a magician. Want to go see a magic show together later? I heard they're really fun!"
"Let's do that. Definitely."
The world had flipped upside down; now magicians were rarer than actual mages. Tickets were supposedly extremely expensive. I expanded my senses to check if anyone was watching us.
The tail is already gone.
When we left the association building, two people who looked like staff had followed us out and dragged the man tailing us somewhere. The pursuer had been quite skilled, but after the association employees chanted some unknown spell, he had staggered after them like a half-conscious zombie.
It should be fine. Jo Giman... He's suspicious at first, but once his doubts are cleared, he tends to let his guard down.
As long as that guy wasn't personally managing the tracker, he wouldn't notice anything strange for a while.
"This is nice."
"Huh? What is?"
"Everything. Walking with you just feels good."
"Hehe—I like it too!"
Watching Yeonhee beam like a puppy, I felt the strange illusion that I had truly become human again.
This is supposed to be my original appearance... It's funny how unfamiliar it feels now. Anyway, I don't need to cover my face, right?
If anyone tried to photograph me, I could just activate Stealth. There was still some risk, but I had the feeling I would regret it deeply if I didn't fully enjoy the sunlight pouring down right now.
Maybe I'm finally starting to feel it...
For two months I had felt strangely detached, as if wandering through a dream. Now, standing here in my own body, the reality that I had truly died and come back hit me. It was almost overwhelming.
I... am alive.
I stopped in the middle of the street and gazed blankly up at the sky.
It's warm. I don't know anymore whether I'm feeling this because I wanted to, or because my body is actually reacting.
Yeonhee watched him quietly, her arms linked tightly with his. She was incredibly happy right now, yet a faint anxiety lingered beneath it.
Time... is too short.
She liked Ilwol as a skeleton soldier, but the time spent with him in human form was truly special. It felt even shorter because there was so little of it, but that wasn't the only reason.
What do I do... There's barely any time left!
They had already spent three minutes on the café street. But Ilwol was lost in deep thought, and she felt she shouldn't disturb him, at least not in this moment.
Just being together is enough...
With that thought, she stepped in front of him and slipped into his arms. Soon she felt the gazes pouring toward her.
......What?
Glance— Glance—
Men and women alike. Everyone was staring in one direction. Yeonhee suddenly recalled the looks she had received during the promotion exam, but these felt different.
They're not looking at me...
Only after realizing that did she truly see.
— Oh my... My goodness......
— Wow... Damn, he's insanely handsome......
— Are they filming something? He's just standing there?
— Whoa... Hey, look at that guy. His proportions are insane.
— He must be a hunter. No way a regular person has skin like that.
Most of the people staring at Ilwol were women.
......Hmph... He's mine.
For a moment, Yeonhee felt a surge of pride. He was hers, someone who looked only at her, yet every woman in the world was gazing at him with envy.
— ......!
— Ooh... That jawline...
......
But the feeling didn't last.
Still, staring that openly is a bit much.
The women's blatant gazes—lingering on his lips, collarbones, and eyes—began to make Yeonhee uncomfortable.
Shake— Shake—
"......Hm?"
When Yeonhee tugged sharply on his sleeve, I snapped out of my daze and immediately sensed her discomfort.
"What's wrong?"
"Ugh... I-Ilwol. Put on the mask. Quickly."
"Huh? O-okay."
Yeonhee handed me the Ent mask and urged me to cover my face. Once I put it on, she finally smiled in satisfaction and linked her arm with mine again.
— Aww, it was nice though. Even with the mask, his looks don't get hidden. How is that possible...
— But the girl next to him dressed like a rag— is that his girlfriend?
— Nah, probably his little sister.
What are they even saying? Those idiots.
To my eyes she looked nothing but cute and pretty, yet these clueless people kept running their mouths.
Smack—!
"Eek...?!"
I kissed Yeonhee's lips in plain view. Her face turned bright red in an instant, and she lightly punched me with her fist for no real reason.
— ......
The suddenly quiet street gave way as we turned back into the alley. It seemed to be what Yeonhee wanted.
Step— Step—
"D-Do we look like we're on a date?"
"Yeah, we do. A date."
"R-Really? Well, walking together, watching a movie, eating something delicious... I guess that's pretty much it."
She said something similar last time too.
I gently stroked her flushed cheeks and ears as we walked. A few minutes later, my Mimicry time finally ran out and I returned to my full-body armor form. Yeonhee didn't let go of my arm even after the change.
Before heading home, we stopped by the Hunter Market and bought a large assembled tent along with various other supplies. Money wasn't an issue, and everything I thought we needed looked surprisingly cheap. This must be what it feels like to have wealth.
We also stocked up on cooking tools like the mana brazier, preserved foods, a large bed, blankets, pajamas, and instant ramen in bulk.
"......This still won't be enough, right? Since food doesn't spoil in the subspace anyway, I should keep stocking up whenever I can. Should I buy a ton of kimchi later too?"
Nod—
Even after storing enough food to last one person several years, she still felt it was insufficient. That anxiety probably stemmed from her meeting with Maeng Seong-yong. Having felt how close the day might come when the world stopped functioning properly, Yeonhee couldn't easily walk away from the market.
"Let's stop by often and stock up on things that don't come in large quantities. Do you ever feel like the subspace is running out of space?"
"Clack clack."
"Wow—Is Ilwol's subspace really infinite? How is that possible?"
Well... I'm not even sure if I should call it my subspace.
I didn't mention the other residents. A grandfather from another world in the form of a bead, and a talking tree from Australia... The world's secrets were slowly unraveling, but that space remained completely beyond my understanding.
Several hours after returning home.
After eating too much of the braised ribs I had made, Yeonhee—now with a full stomach—listened to my request to unsummon me before bed starting tomorrow.
"Huh?! Why, why?"
Lately Yeonhee often slept using my legs as a pillow, so she gave me a look that said she wouldn't accept it without a proper reason. I didn't bring up Master Marble—it sounded too vague—so I simply explained that training in that space was far more efficient.
Besides, it's not a lie.
"Ah... Well, if it's that special a space, I guess it makes sense. If that's the reason... Still, you'll come out right away if I call, right?"
"Clack clack clack!"
Since Yeonhee's summoning spell would immediately pull me through the gate anyway, it wasn't a difficult request.
"Oh, and. I got a message from the person Yeonsu-unni introduced. We might be able to move this week."
"Clack clack clack!"
With my abilities, moving would be no trouble at all, and I was eager to leave this place as soon as possible. Besides, the neighborhood had started to feel cursed. This place just wasn't right anymore.