Reunion with My Little Sister
I met my little sister.
For some reason, my eyes kept drifting toward her oddly, and it turned out she was none other than my younger sister.
I was truly shocked.
After three years, the sister I reunited with had become a hunter.
Not just some mediocre low-rank hunter, but an S-rank hunter who was quite famous even among other hunters.
She'd always been the quiet type who preferred reading over being active, so it was surprising in every way.
But my surprise was short-lived. Her situation was dangerously precarious, so I moved without hesitation.
It was an urgent moment, so I couldn't explain everything to Snow.
I just gave her the bare essentials.
That the woman collapsed over there was my sister.
Of course, I'm a monster. My sister is human.
Our relationship made no sense, and Snow looked a bit confused, but she didn't pry further.
It really was that urgent.
I was grateful for Snow's calm nod of acceptance.
What had cornered my sister was an S-rank monster, Fenrir.
A beast like that should only appear in the Plains Zone at earliest.
It was a high-rank monster that absolutely shouldn't show up in the Forest Zone.
I wondered why something like that was here, but I shelved the question for now.
All I could see right then was one damn mutt baring its jaws wide at my sister.
Who the hell does this bastard think it's snarling at?
I casually shoved the damn mutt aside and hurriedly checked on my sister.
Her body was covered in dirt and streaming blood everywhere.
Not a single spot was unscathed.
The girl who'd always been so neat and tidy in my memories was a total mess now.
A single tear streamed down from her dazed eyes looking up at me.
...I'll never let this slide.
I turned from my sister and advanced on the damn mutt.
It hadn't fully grasped the situation yet, growling and baring its teeth at me.
I stared it down silently.
My partners' reactions in my mind were fiery hot.
[Kill it! Don't just kill it—rip off its flesh and skin, chop it to pieces!]
[Kill─it─.]
Rarely, my partners and I were in complete agreement.
My sister's voice calling me repeatedly from behind reached my ears, but I ignored it like I hadn't heard.
She was probably worried about me, but it was unnecessary.
I'll be right back, so no worries.
And Snow, take care of my sister while I'm gone.
[Leave it to me.]
Snow had quietly descended into the clearing at some point and nodded once.
She looked incredibly reliable.
With her there, my sister would be safe.
Now I could focus fully.
“Grrr... Grrooong─!”
"Impossible...! This can't be...! I, the king of this vast forest...! How could I fall to a mere human...!?"
[You talk big without even grasping who I am. Shut up and die quietly.]
“...Groong─?”
"...You're not human...? Then why...? Why help a human!?"
[You picked the wrong target to mess with. And I happened to be here. Blame your bad luck if you want.]
“Kyaaang...!”
"Y-You! Why me...!? Why betray your own kin...!?"
I could've ended it quick with Magic Eye, but that felt too merciful. I handled it with my body directly.
Even as an S-rank monster, it dodged nimbly and held out, but with Weakling Extermination backing me, it was just futile struggling.
To the end, it died puzzled why I was attacking it.
From its perspective, it must've felt like a bolt from the blue.
It had just attacked and killed a human like always.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
But today, that human happened to be my sister, and I happened to be here.
Strictly speaking, it hadn't done anything major wrong.
Just bad luck—and weaker than me.
I silently gazed into its puzzled eyes one last time, then turned away.
As I headed back to my sister, my left head suddenly blocked me.
It wanted to take Fenrir's corpse as a gift for her.
To us, it was worthless trash, but to a hunter like my sister, it'd be a priceless treasure.
My left head had a rare smart idea.
I quietly admired it, and it puffed up immediately.
So I praised it more.
Then my left head started getting annoyed.
Why?
Puffed up, then irritated.
The switch was too fast; it threw me off.
Embarrassed, maybe?
Anyway, I accepted the left head's suggestion and decided to drag Fenrir's body along.
But it was too bulky to carry properly.
We compromised on dragging it across the ground.
It felt a bit harsh for an area boss and S-rank monster corpse, but...
Dead men tell no tales.
Being weak was its sin.
I returned to the clearing where my sister and Snow waited, dragging the massive Fenrir corpse in one hand.
The wolves gathered around eyed me warily, slinking back.
I figured Snow would've handled them, but apparently not.
I glanced at Snow, and she lightly shook her head.
Seeing those guys had touched my sister reignited my briefly quelled rage, but Snow astutely intervened.
You guys got lucky.
I tossed the Fenrir corpse aside and checked on my sister.
Suli and To Soon-i were nestled in her arms.
My sister, still a bit dazed, was petting Suli repeatedly.
Suli, enjoying the touch obediently, barked “Kyung kyung─!” toward me.
They'd gotten close quick?
A smile slipped out.
She looks fine now, so that's that.
Unlike your boss, you lot are really lucky.
Afterward, I faced my sister properly.
I had a ton to say after three years apart, but the words wouldn't come easy.
After three years—and returning not as a human, but a monster—did I even have the right to say anything to her now?
Hadn't I already resolved to live as a monster, not a person?
Was it okay to reconnect like this with ties I'd thought severed?
It was.
Once the words started flowing, they came smoothly after that.
There was a brief spat, but it was just typical sibling bickering.
Nothing major.
We wanted to catch up on three years' worth, but the spot wasn't ideal.
Her comrades were starting to wake one by one, so regrettably, we wrapped up.
We'll talk more after leaving the labyrinth.
Don't worry, I'm not planning to ghost you like this.
I won't run away.
So no need to cling to my arm like that.
No, sure, I didn't contact you for three years, but there were circumstances...
I'll explain calmly later.
So let go of my arm first.
Her comrades watching could help pry her off...
Okay, yeah, not contacting you was mostly my fault...
But isn't she clinging too much after all this time?
She wasn't like this before...
The quiet girl suddenly so lively—I couldn't adjust.
Hey, is she always like this?
Her comrades said it was their first time seeing her so energetic.
Yang Yu-i, the hunter I'd talked to before, muttered “brocon” quietly...
Who? Her?
Nah... no way, right?
In the end, I ended up traveling with my sister and her comrades.
I hadn't planned to split anyway after reuniting, but she clung relentlessly.
Like she'd never let go, hanging on my arm...
She'd really changed a lot.
[...Not that it matters now, but you okay with this?]
[Oh? It's fine for me. Seeing you so flustered is novel, after all.]
[...Sorry. I'll explain the details later.]
Snow gave a small smile at my quiet apology.
[No rush. Just explain properly whenever... More than that, I'm worried about Rue.]
With that, Snow subtly lifted her arm.
A snake peeked out from under her sleeve.
“Shii───.”
[...I see. I wasn't considerate of you... Sorry, Rue.]
Rue cried “Shii─” again at the gentle head pat.
Unlike Suli and To Soon-i, who had no issue with humans, Rue—as a G-rank still unable to resist the labyrinth's will—must find this situation quite distressing.
Impressive that the nearby hunters hadn't triggered her yet.
[Rue's truly clever. She senses the gap between herself and them clearly. She knows charging would mean certain death, so she's holding back on her own.]
I quietly admired Snow's explanation.
I'd known she was smart, but not that she could endure the labyrinth's will herself.
Feeling proud, I gave her head a light pat, and Rue happily hissed “Shii─.”
[...Still, tell me if it's too hard. We can split off and travel separately.]
“Shi─.”
Rue cried once, saying she was fine.
I patted her praiseworthy head again.
A bit late to check, but Snow and Rue seemed okay for now.
Good.
That left Suli and To Soon-i...
But they were no real worry.
Suli was already winning over my sister and her comrades with her curiosity and affinity.
To Soon-i was...
“This really a rabbit...? Not a pig?”
“...Maybe a monster midway between rabbit and pig? A new species?”
“Look at that plump flesh. Poke it—jiggles so nice.”
...getting love in her own way.
Definitely not bullying.
Good thing To Soon-i didn't understand human speech.
My sister and her comrades had severe injuries, but Snow's healing magic had mended them perfectly.
They were fit for battle right away, but no pushing it.
They'd been near death; even if physically fine, the mental shock lingered.
So again—no overdoing it.
Thus, stop raising weapons at the wolves.
They don't look eager to fight.
With me and Snow here, no issue, but without us, you'd lose.
Even without Fenrir, that number's too much.
Don't get so gung-ho.
Snow seemed impressed by her comrades' gritty resolve.
She said she'd heal any wounds, so fighting now was fine...
Who was it that subtly signaled to go easy on the poor wolves moments ago?
Switch-up too quick.
In the end, we let the wolves go peacefully.
I'd planned to wipe them out initially, but changed my mind a bit.
Too much now, but sparing them could pay off later.
We'll meet the wolves again after they prepare.
My sister and her comrades looked like they had objections, but I tuned them out.
Hunter duty this, avenge dead comrades that— from a monster's view...
If we're splitting hairs, I'd be the one to kill first.
I gazed at distant mountains, pretending not to hear their earnest rants.
It just didn't land with me.
Given the hunters I'd killed so far...
So don't waste energy—focus on doting on Suli and To Soon-i.
That'll make revenge feelings fade for sure.
I guarantee it.