A Friend's Requiem
[…An utterly monstrous foe. At the very least, half a step to a full step ahead of this lady.]
As we left the 69th floor and entered the 68th, Snow spoke quietly.
I glanced at her.
[You can sense that much?]
[Of course… If things went south, I would have had to grab you and Suli and flee, so I kept a close eye out.]
Snow was saying something surprisingly reliable.
[Arde wouldn't attack us, though.]
[His presence was so sharp. But once I realized there was more to it, I could relax.]
[I see.]
I nodded calmly.
[More importantly, is Arde that strong? From my perspective, you two seem about equal.]
[He's quite strong. If we fought, nine times out of ten, this lady would lose.]
[…That's surprising. Is the gap that big?]
Even among SS-rank monsters, Arde—who had lived over a hundred years—clearly outclassed Snow, who hadn't even reached twenty.
[…This lady needs to train harder. After defeating my rival, I thought there was no one left who could match me…]
Who would have thought such a foe lurked in the upper floors.
I couldn't help but chuckle at Snow's muttering whisper.
This was an unexpected side of her.
[Try thinking from my perspective sometime. As husband and wife, a big gap isn't ideal.]
[…I'd rather not hear that from you. Do you know how fast you've grown? Compared to when we first met, you're as strong as if Tosun-i had become an ogre.]
[…I don't think it's that much.]
[This lady does not lie.]
Her calm voice left me grudgingly conceding the point.
I was well aware of my own rapid growth.
Is it all thanks to the status window?
[Anyway, are you alright?]
[Hm? With what?]
As I watched Suli and Tosun-i—who had hopped off my head and were now bounding around happily—Snow suddenly asked.
[The one who died—wasn't he your friend?]
[…Yeah. We were close, like friends. I owed him quite a bit while staying here.]
Snow continued as I nodded in affirmation.
[Then, are you fine not seeking revenge? It doesn't matter to me… but if you want, I'll watch Suli and Tosun-i while you go.]
Her thoughtfulness toward me brought a smile to my face.
I shook my head lightly.
[No. The elder said as much, so I have no intention of taking the forefront.]
[…Ho? No intention of taking the forefront?]
[Sharp as ever.]
[We've known each other long enough. And we're husband and wife, aren't we?]
I nodded quietly at Snow's steady voice.
She was right.
[So, what's your plan? Something on the side?]
[…I'll make a little move. I should mourn my friend's passing properly, so mind Suli and Tosun-i then.]
[Leave it to me.]
I nodded at her reliable reply and pondered silently.
The hunters were on the 58th floor, right?
With my talk with Arde in mind, I had no plans to go wild.
I just wanted to soothe my old friend's soul.
[Time for some gluttony after so long!]
[Hun─gry─…]
My two partners were raring to go as well.
After that, we headed upward at a steady pace—not too slow, not too fast.
Sightseeing what there was to see, enjoying what there was to enjoy.
While keeping a close eye to ensure Suli didn't cause any mishaps.
Thus, we leisurely crossed the lava zone.
And finally, we arrived at the 58th floor.
The moment we entered, the air was thick with hunters' presences.
I handed Suli and Tosun-i to Snow.
I'll be right back.
As planned, I wasn't going to rampage too much.
I had to leave plenty for Arde's share, so I'd just take mine and return quickly.
Incredible.
Among the hunters I spotted directly, there was even an SA-rank.
Plus three S-ranks—no wonder the Red Wyvern didn't stand a chance.
Part of me wanted to wipe them all out, but that would complicate things.
I'd stick to the lower-ranks.
Even "lower" here meant B or C-rank—not truly weak by any means.
It had been a while since I fully unleashed my Stealth ability.
Even SS-rank Charlotte hadn't noticed it right away—this level was beyond them.
The hunters here were helpless.
I quietly hunted the sentries and a few stragglers separated from their groups.
After about thirty kills, the hunters noticed something was wrong.
I torched their supplies as a final touch, then slipped away silently.
It felt insufficient from my view, but it should suffice to honor the Red Wyvern's soul.
Farewell, friend.
By the time I returned to Snow and the family, a problem arose.
Or rather, I'd momentarily forgotten something.
The Labyrinth Will.
No issue for me or Snow, but Suli and Tosun-i were the problem.
Having lived in the snow mountain zone with no human intruders, this was their first real contact.
They lacked any mental resistance skills.
They might be fine now, but if they got too close—visible to the eye—the Labyrinth Will would intervene without fail.
Tosun-i aside, I couldn't bear as a father to see Suli lose her mind and charge blindly at hunters in murderous rage.
So, I consulted Snow.
[No problem. Suli can handle it.]
[…How? Does she have resistance?]
[Hm? Didn't this lady mention it? Our kin have a special ability. Trifles like voices in the head are nothing.]
Suli must be quite the golden spoon.
Dismissing the Labyrinth Will as mere "chatter."
A fitting heir to an SS-rank monster.
Good—at least Suli was safe.
What about Tosun-i?
[Hmm… Tosun-i is indeed an issue.]
Snow pondered with a hum.
Tosun-i panicked under our sudden scrutiny.
[…We'll have to rely on grit for this one.]
Snow had no ready solution either.
Was she overly fond of "grit"?
If she were a sports coach, she'd be the ruthless type treating players like tools.
In the end, we'd just keep a close watch on Tosun-i—no "grit" needed.
If we held her tight, she wouldn't charge off.
With Suli fine, no major worries.
Having honored my friend's soul, we left the 58th floor and pressed upward.
Finally reaching the 55th floor: the plains zone.
I'd warned them, but the sudden fierce storm upon arrival threw everyone off.
Especially Suli on my head—she nearly blew away in the gale, causing chaos.
I aged a decade in that moment.
Suli seemed to enjoy it thoroughly, though.
Snow's magic then blocked the wind and rain.
She knew so many useful spells.
(Tosun-i, for reference, wasn't fazed by the wind at all.)
She's heavy.
From the plains zone onward, hunters appeared more frequently, so we decided to use Inhwa's Art and travel in human form.
Suli was thrilled at our human appearances after so long—though she'd been excited since our outing began.
Everything was so novel to her.
As long as she looked happy, it was fine.
More importantly, Snow—I'll carry Suli, you take Tosun-i.
No, not because she's heavy.
After a brief tussle, I ended up carrying Tosun-i.
[M-Master…! It hurts! Your grip's too tight…! Hnggg─!]
Sorry, I didn't mean to…
Anyway, Tosun-i.
Let's exercise when we get home.
This won't do.
It's a racial trait? Nothing's impossible.
Grit solves everything.
If not, evolve or something.
I'll slim you down if it kills me.
Despite my words, carrying Tosun-i wasn't bad.
No fluffy Suli feel, but the soft plumpness was nice in its way.
Oddly addictive…
Is this what they mean by body pillow?
I'll use it often in human form.
For some reason, Snow then took Tosun-i.
Handing me Suli in exchange…
I had no idea why.
Fine by me—I got Suli.
[Ma-Madam! I wasn't thinking anything! I was just there! Unfair! So unfair… Heuk! S-Sorry! Spare me! Hnggg─!]
Snow had told me to be nice to Tosun-i recently…
Yet here she was tormenting her.
Tosun-i's mine to bully?
"Cungcung─!"
[Daddy! Look, Tosun-i! So many Tosun-is!]
Suli looked blissful, so whatever.
But Suli, those aren't Tosun-i.
They're a different species called orcs.
Even if they look alike, don't compare…
It's rude to the orcs—no, to Tosun-i!
No matter the resemblance…
Anyway, the orcs were slyly closing in.
Our reduced presence in human form made us seem easy prey.
I glanced at Snow; she nodded calmly.
Do as you like.
Suli, looks like pork for dinner tonight.
It's delicious.
No, not Tosun-i—these Tosun-i friends.
Anyway, very tasty—look forward to it.
I dispatched the gathering horde in one go.
Killed cleanly with Magic Eye, then dismantled neatly with water magic.
Wind magic might be better for this, but I hadn't learned it.
Snow knew it—maybe ask later?
I grilled the meat to a perfect medium.
Pork, not beef, so not overdone—everyone loved it.
Snow especially; she raved.
She prefers pork to beef, it seems.
The plains zone wasn't all bad—added reason to linger, even if pushing it.
After eating, we strolled the plains for digestion when I remembered something.
I rummaged through the item bag I'd prepared.
The family eyed me curiously.
I pulled out the Cheongsong Sword.
Thought it'd suit Snow, but I'd forgotten until now.
With human forms for blending as hunters, a sword was fitting.
But on second thought, wouldn't Charlotte's White Rose sword suit her better?
Late regret—I should've played dumb and kept it.
Sorry to Charlotte.
I figured Snow could wield a sword, but she struggled.
Unexpected.
She seemed capable at everything.
[Even so, how would this lady wield human weapons?]
Fair point.
Still, she looked stunning holding it—so no taking it back.
Decorative was fine.
As I belatedly gifted it to Snow, Suli cried out "Cungcung!"
[Daddy! Gift for Suli! Gift for Suli too!]
Oh, right—I'd promised.
Completely slipped my mind.
Suli looked so disappointed at my fluster.
I blurted desperately.
Your gift's outside, Suli.
Too precious to carry casually.
I'll give it right away once we're out.
Obvious excuse, but she beamed anyway.
I'll consult Lisa immediately outside.
Something expensive and nice.
We wandered the vast plains leisurely after.
The weather cleared, so I let Suli and Tosun-i play.
Suli dashed excitedly across the plains.
She loved the new green scenery.
Wondered how she'd react in the forest zone later.
During this relaxed time, we encountered a group of hunters.