Chapter 16
Chapter 16 - Leila
"Hmm."
It has been almost three days since I started hunting.
I silently shed a tear while looking at my status window.
[Name: Park jeong-yong]
[Title: 163417413th Hero. Guardian of the Demon King's Egg. One Bound to Immortality]
[LV. 17]
[HP: 215/345 MP: 130/130 Physical Condition: Severe Hunger]
[Strength: 27 Agility: 38 Intelligence: 10 Hero Sense: 3]
[Remaining Ability Points: 0]
During this time, I have raised my level quite a bit. My level is now 17, which is the highest record throughout my previous lives.
I have become surprisingly strong. I feel embarrassed by how I grew through despicable and petty methods.
To what extent? Even at just level 17, I could slice through most rocks with full power. My running speed would make Usain Bolt look like a casual jogging club member on Chilgap Mountain.
'I initially wondered if I was just getting lucky... but I guess I've really become a hero.'
It's a growth rate that gives me such a realization.
If my level reaches around 50, I might be able to smash steel and walk on air like a martial arts master. I'm growing so rapidly that such thoughts come to mind naturally. The growth system prepared by Minerva and the second-tier gods is definitely incredibly effective.
'But... what now.'
The reason I'm worried is simple. My level-up has slowed down.
The reason for my worry is even simpler. The cause of the slowdown is something I cannot overcome through effort.
I muttered with a deep sigh.
"Well, this isn't a game. As expected, it doesn't regenerate..."
Regen. More precisely, regeneration.
In games, when monsters in a field disappear, users cannot hunt. Therefore, monsters are programmed to respawn in the hunting ground after a certain time. This is called Regeneration, or simply "regen" in slang.
In games, the respawn rate is adjusted according to the field's rotation rate. This maintains the game system by ensuring the hunting ground never runs out of monsters.
But this world is not a game.
While the speed at which I hunt monsters - hunting rats - increases exponentially day by day, the reproduction speed of hunting rats is arithmetic. Now that I've hunted and killed the last one hiding.
'Those sewer rat pups... their species has dried up.'
That's right.
There are no more to hunt. Not a single one is visible. That's why I can't level up.
I placed my hand on my forehead and shook my head.
"I should have raised them in captivity or something."
If I had thoroughly managed them like aquaculture, capturing and killing them little by little. The leftover meat could have been eaten to solve the food shortage (?) as well. It would have been killing two birds with one stone, but it's unfortunate.
Well, that's already in the past.
'If it comes to this... is there only one way?'
I returned to the intersection and glanced left and right. With only the slow-flowing water sounds in four directions, the ceiling's echo was particularly loud.
There's nothing more to gain from the front and back waterways. Then I have no choice but to attack the right and left waterways that I've been putting off.
Whether there's a suspicious figure or another monster ahead. It was something I had to do eventually.
It's just happening a bit earlier than expected.
'My level still feels a bit low...'
Perhaps because the hunting rats were large in size, their population was smaller than expected. Also, the experience points required for the next level increased dramatically as the level rose. Around level 15, even killing 100 rat pups wouldn't fill half the experience bar.
'Well, I'll just have to charge in.'
Worrying about something inevitable doesn't suit my personality. I'm not a fool, even if I'm naive. Worrying about something that can't be solved is something only intellectually pathetic people do.
"Alright. Let's decide right away."
Strike while the iron is hot. I decided to first determine the direction to investigate.
I rummaged through my pouch and took out the crest. Then I tossed it high into the air. The crest spun in the air before crashing to the ground.
Thud. I stepped on it before seeing which side was up.
'If the moon appears, go left. If the goddess appears, go right.'
The simplest and quickest decision method when there are two choices: a coin toss.
I slowly lifted my foot. With a racing heart, I checked the crest's state.
The crest was reflecting the goddess's image.
"Okay. I'll go right."
I picked up the crest and put it back in my pouch.
Since I trusted you with it, please look after it, Ancient Saintess. With a meaningless prayer, I started to walk along the right waterway.
* * *
"I wonder if there are some tasty monsters here?"
After walking along the right waterway for some time, I muttered this and then naturally felt self-loathing for thinking such a thing first.
But what can I do?
Even if the clothing (衣) and shelter (住) are dirty and disgusting, I can somehow endure it. But hunger isn't something you can solve by enduring it. I'm getting tired of the act of lighting a fire with an ignition device and roasting rat pups.
Although I grew up in harsh conditions and have no aversion to eating it, the problem is that it doesn't taste good.
"Hmm?"
I was walking lightly when I suddenly stopped. I focused my eyes and quietly stared beyond the darkness. Then, I drew my sword, trying to make as little noise as possible.
'Something's there.'
Beyond the darkness, I heard the sound of metal friction and countless overlapping footsteps. Moreover, I heard voices that rumbled like metal clanging.
I realized the nature of these sounds and held my breath.
The sound of armor colliding. And voices directed at each other.
'Intelligent beings. And they're using tools!'
I crouched down and tried to minimize my body's presence. It was a movement ingrained in me from hunting rats these past three days.
'Stealth.'
I had used my skill. With a "push" sound and a deflating noise, my body melted into the darkness. Although my skill level was still low and I wasn't completely invisible, identification would surely become difficult.
I hid my body in a side alley of the sewers and held my breath while watching the situation carefully. Disorderly footsteps and commotion were getting closer and closer.
"Gyaak! Gaggyaak!"
"Do-yeok! Monster!!"
When their figures finally became close enough to discern. I involuntarily blurted out a word upon seeing their appearance.
"Goblins?"
Green-skinned, about 1 meter tall. Long ears and ugly faces. Around 6 of them were wearing crude armor and holding rusty swords with missing teeth, frantically running while constantly looking behind them.
I immediately focused my eyes and stared intently at one of them. As if waiting, a panel appeared.
[Monster Information]
[Name: Sewer Goblin]
[Health: 43/121 Magic: 5/5]
[Strength: 13 Agility: 16 Intelligence: 6]
[Details: Goblins settled in the sewers of Halcenberg Border Territory. They live in small groups and are among the less intelligent goblin species. They can use simple tools and speak in a stammering manner.]
Just as I thought, they were indeed goblins. So goblins exist in this world too. Long live fantasy.
What was particularly noteworthy was how significantly their health had been reduced. Looking at the other individuals, it was the same for all of them. Even just looking, they were covered in minor wounds.
Moreover, the way they kept looking back and running in a panic. I arrived at a certain conclusion.
'...Are they running away? From whom?'
I once again felt alertness permeate my entire body. However, the target was not the goblins desperately fleeing before my eyes.
It was wariness towards something beyond the darkness. Some existence that made the goblins flee.
"Gyaaak!"
"Save me! Gyaak! Run!"
The goblins didn't even notice me hiding right in front of them. Trailing tears and mucus, they ran past me down the path I had come from.
I stared blankly at their retreating figures before suddenly coming to my senses. And I focused my gaze towards something that had not yet revealed itself.
Krreek, kreek.
Then I heard a sound.
Like an old machine's gears turning. Or like some wheels arduously rolling...
Focusing my eyes again, I saw something writhing and approaching. As it drew closer, its outline became clear.
It was a cart making the sound.
A yellow handcart.
A cart seemingly overloaded and wobbling was coming this way.
'That is...!'
What was piled in the cart, nearly overflowing, were the blue-cold corpses of goblins.
Corpses. And a yellow handcart. These two words struck an image in my mind like a flash.
"Somehow... familiar?"
My entire body stiffened.
My head shook, and my vision swayed. Meanwhile, the yellow cart and its puller were approaching moment by moment.
I definitely had seen this cart somewhere before.
In my previous life. Or maybe the life before that.
'That which was placed before the pile of corpses...!'
I trembled with a shiver racing down my spine.
Let's think. I witnessed this cart before a pile of corpses in my previous, previous life. In my previous life, I didn't even go near the corpse pile, so I can't know if it was there.
So now. In this life, was there a yellow cart in front of the corpse pile?
'...No.'
There wasn't.
No matter how much I searched my memories, there was no yellow cart in this life.
I was so shocked I could barely breathe.
'Different from before?'
It's not just me who has changed with time's return.
The actions of others could also be different from before. Whether this was triggered by my actions different from the previous life, or for other reasons, I cannot know.
In any case, the important point is that the cart previously beside the corpse pile is now absent. And.
Krreek. Kreek...
The one who had piled human corpses in the front and back waterways in my previous life.
Now appears from the right waterway, filled with goblin corpses.
"Damn... What should I do...!"
Should I run away like the goblins?
No. Too late. My line of sight is already clear enough, and if the cart's owner is the suspicious figure, they won't let me go easily.
Then should I confront it?
No. Is that possible with my current level? But I have no other choice. What should I do?
As I sat there unable to do anything, fidgeting.
"You hiding there. Who are you?"
Such a voice was heard. Naturally, it was a foreign language I'd never heard before.
For a moment, goosebumps covered my entire body, but that tremor quickly turned to questions. An exclamation burst out involuntarily.
'...A woman?'
What I heard was not a modulated, gruff voice, but a female one. Moreover, it was extremely delicate and seemed lacking in confidence. An unexpected situation left my mind blank.
Meanwhile, the woman pulling the cart continued speaking.
"Would you come out first? The goblins have already fled."
"....."
"If you continue to remain silent and hidden, I'll have no choice but to suspect your identity."
Indeed. With a heart heavy like eating mustard while crying, I made my decision.
Dragging my reluctant feet desperately, I emerged from the narrow alley and stood directly in front of the cart. And I carefully observed the cart's owner with my own eyes.
As expected, it was a woman. A female in a black and white intersecting maid outfit. Her brown hair was tied in twin tails, and beneath that, her impressively gloomy, deep green eyes stood out.
"My name is Leila. I am a maid of the lord of this sewer's Halcenberg Border Territory."
The maid woman, Leila, bowed her head lightly upon seeing me emerge. Her etiquette seemed ingrained in her very being.
She stared at me, frozen, and then took a step closer and asked.
Her voice was somehow melancholic, sinking into one corner of the heart. Just like these sewers.
"Who are you?"