I'm a Cool Butterfly on My Way to Becoming a Super Cool Butterfly!

The monster tamer felt a pressure far greater than when Count Zeno's assassin had come to kill him.

Judging by appearances alone, the Count's assassin should have been much more threatening.

After all, this was just a tiny, beautiful butterfly, barely the size of a palm.

He couldn't understand why such an overwhelming presence radiated from a creature like this.

Was it because it had instantly killed someone who seemed utterly invincible? Or was it because it was the messenger of that great being?

"Are you... a messenger sent by that great one?"

He wasn't certain.

But for an insect-type monster to barge in and save him at a time like this, there could be no other explanation.

The great one must have realized Count Zeno's betrayal and sent a messenger to warn him.

If so, it made perfect sense why the Count's underlings had been dropping dead over the past few days.

"Forgive me..."

The monster tamer was, of course, one of the Count's underlings as well.

Knowing this, he fell to his knees and closed his eyes.

He might have stood a chance against the Count's assassin, but he dared not oppose the messenger of that great being.

Besides, he had no strength left to fight.

*Whimper...*

Every monster—whether tamed by him or wild—was bowing its head toward the butterfly.

This was the biggest reason the tamer believed the butterfly was the messenger of that great being.

Monsters were not creatures that bowed their heads so easily to anyone.

Even if their master and source of terror, the tamer himself, had bowed first.

"I am truly sorry... No matter how strict the Count's orders were, I should never have laid a hand on the great one's Shinnok..."

Perhaps it was because he felt his death approaching.

A confession poured out of him regarding the secrets the Count had ordered him to keep—secrets the Count was now trying to silence forever with death.

He wanted to speak the truth and die a slightly easier death.

The story of the man who crossed the great one, only to be trapped in a web and serve as food for baby spiders for a hundred days before dying, was famous.

"Please, have mercy..."

He could only beg helplessly for mercy.

While all of the Count's underlings had a hand in this dangerous betrayal, the monster tamer was the one who had actually carried it out.

He knew the weight of his sins all too well.

He desperately wanted to live, but just as he resigned himself to accepting death, he felt the overwhelming pressure begin to fade.

"What...?"

Humans are, by nature, creatures that cannot resist curiosity.

Even though he knew he shouldn't open his eyes, he couldn't help himself.

And ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there, he saw the messenger of the great one departing, perched on the shoulder of a familiar young girl.

It was as if the messenger were sparing him.

"Ah... Thank you... It seems I still have work left to do..."

Watching the butterfly leave without sparing him a single glance, the monster tamer realized something.

There had to be a reason he was being kept alive.

What could that reason be?

It was easy to guess.

The reason the great one flaunted their connection to Alina, and the reason the messenger had gone out of its way to save him.

Punish the traitor, Count Zeno.

Reveal the whole truth.

"I will obey your command."

The image of a new ruler was reflected in the monster tamer's eyes.

Even if only for his own atonement, he had to succeed.

The monster tamer remained kneeling reverently until Alina and the messenger of the great one had completely vanished from sight.

He had to prepare to strike Count Zeno.

"The traitor will be executed."

What a strange man.

I have no idea who he mistook me for.

But since he was acting all reverent, like he'd just witnessed a divine messenger, it felt a bit awkward to just kill him on the spot.

Even if it's based on a misunderstanding, he doesn't seem like he'll be hostile to me, so I'll just leave him be.

'Alina. Did you achieve your goal?'

"Gwek?"

"I'm fine. Now I know for sure who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my real enemy is."

That wasn't what I asked, but I'm glad she's okay.

And I can see she got what she came for.

Which means she probably has a new goal now.

Hang in there, tree! I'll be there soon!

Just as I can feel the tree's emotions, my will is surely being transmitted to it as well.

"What in the world did you do...?"

Once we stepped out onto the street, Alina noticed that there wasn't a single watching eye left on us and turned to look at me.

On her way out, she had also witnessed the monster tamer—the core of the surveillance network—kneeling and submitting to me.

So it was only natural for her to assume I was behind it.

'I seriously didn't do anything.'

"Gwek."

I shook my head, denying that it was my doing.

Because I really hadn't done a thing.

If I had actually done something, I wouldn't be looking this dazed myself.

I mean, what was I supposed to do when he suddenly dropped to his knees and started confessing his sins?

But seriously, who did he mistake me for?

Who on earth is this "great one" that he thinks I'm their messenger?

'Is there some insect-type Great Monster pulling the strings behind the scenes? And since I'm a butterfly, he mistook me for its messenger?'

That makes sense, but at the same time, it doesn't.

If such a Great Monster existed, it would explain why he mistook me for a messenger.

If his confession was true, they had tried to harm the tree, which was a Shinnok that originally belonged to that Great Monster.

So it would make sense to send a monster to punish them.

But the idea of a Great Monster acting as a mastermind behind the scenes is just absurd.

It's not like Great Monsters are just rolling around on the streets.

If one had actually intervened, it would have swallowed this city whole a long time ago.

'Why isn't she believing me? Do I really look like a monster capable of doing something so grand?'

"If you say so, I'll take your word for it. You helped me, so I should trust you."

'That's basically saying you don't believe me at all! I'm telling the truth, this is so unfair!'

"Gweeeek."

No matter how much I protested my innocence, Alina had absolutely no intention of listening.

It's so unfair.

Things turned out incredibly well, so there's no real reason to be upset, but I still feel wronged.

Just who did you mistake me for to put me in this awkward spot!

'If I ever meet that guy again, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind.'

I planned for a future where I had a strong feeling we would cross paths again.

He definitely looked like he was about to cause some serious trouble, after all.

"Can I rest for a bit?"

'Rest up. You need to grow taller.'

Returning to the hideout, Alina asked as she immediately collapsed onto the bed.

I don't know why she's even asking when she clearly has every intention of resting.

Was it just out of politeness?

Her eyes are already half-closed from exhaustion.

'Sleep tight. You can sleep all day if you want. I'll watch over you until you wake up.'

"Gweeeek."

"Thank you..."

She always understands me perfectly when I say I'll protect her.

After making sure Alina had fallen fast asleep, I began to check my own status.

A lot had changed over the past few days.

Several skills had evolved and reset to Level 1, and some had reached MAX, seemingly unable to grow any further.

I had also absorbed quite a few new skills.

But the most important thing was that I could evolve.

There was the minor detail of the required level for the next evolution increasing to 15 levels, but for now, I needed to focus on the evolution at hand.

I'd reach that level eventually anyway.

'So, what kind of evolutions are available?'

There were three evolutionary paths available this time.

One of them was the worm, which had become so familiar that I would've felt left out if it hadn't appeared.

It even came with the grandiose prefix "of Extinction."

Of course, at this point, unless it had a prefix like "Transcendent" or "Divine," I had absolutely no intention of choosing a worm.

If it were transcendent, I might have chosen it since I'd probably be able to change my appearance at will.

'The other two are both butterfly types. Which one should I choose?'

Reading the descriptions, the Primitive Blood Butterfly seemed to be the most standard evolution of the Blood Butterfly.

The description even stated it was "a Blood Butterfly that has taken one step closer to its primordial form."

I couldn't quite grasp the Butterfly of Despair even after reading about it.

It was described as "a butterfly of ruin that scatters despair."

'It looks like some kind of unique evolution, but what were the conditions for it?'

Seeing the condition, it clicked.

When I killed the Crow Hero, there were at least two hundred monsters bowing down to me in the vicinity.

So that was why this evolution unlocked.

'I'm not sure which one would be better to evolve into.'

The Primitive Blood Butterfly is an evolution focused on physical might, while the Butterfly of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Despair is focused on utilizing abilities.

Since both of them were already far beyond the realm of ordinary monsters, it was a tough choice.

Even my Instinct skill wasn't pointing me decisively toward one or the other.

'If I have to choose, let's go with the Butterfly of Despair, which feels a bit more appealing.'

No matter how strong my physical body gets, I'm still a butterfly.

Unless I become a giant butterfly, it's pretty meaningless.

Wait, I'm not actually going to become a giant butterfly, right...?

I couldn't know for sure, but the sudden thought of becoming a butterfly larger than a human made me completely avert my eyes from that option.

Even though it's me, that's just creepy.

'I'll evolve into the Butterfly of Despair.'

My choice was the Butterfly of Despair.

Assuming both paths could eventually lead to becoming a fairy, a spell-casting fairy is much better than a physical-brawler fairy.