Chapter 181: Loot (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 181: Loot (2)
I struck the egg with all my might, but I never intended to pierce it all the way through.
All I had to do was pull back the moment I felt it crack.
Just then.
- C-c-crack….
A dull resistance met the tip of my spear, followed by the sound of the egg cracking.
Spiderweb-like cracks slowly spread across the egg's surface.
I immediately pulled the spear back.
And from the gaps in those cracks, a blinding white light began to seep out.
- Crack!
Finally, the eggshell shattered completely.
- Hiss….
And from within, something revealed itself.
With a pounding heart, I watched to see what would be born.
The moment the smoke cleared and I could see it with my own eyes.
“Oh…”
A single peregrine falcon stood there.
It only came up to about my knee, but…
it was no ordinary falcon.
Its feathers were a black deeper than the night sky.
They seemed to absorb all the bright light of the Isolation Room, yet their blackness didn't fade in the slightest.
Its sharp beak and talons were as cool and menacing as well-honed obsidian.
And its eyes.
The two eyes looking up at me burned with a golden light.
And so, my Guardian Spirit revealed itself to the world for the first time.
“……”
But I was on high alert.
I had awakened the Guardian Spirit.
I’d awakened it, but… the problem was that this might not be the end of it.
Some Guardian Spirits, upon being born, would attack their masters to test if they were worthy of wielding them.
There were some very tiresome cases where a master-servant relationship was only established after the master fought and subdued the spirit by force.
Kang A-rin's, Yu Hana's, and Cheon Yeo-wool's Guardian Spirits were gentle and good-natured, but that meant the protagonist’s wasn’t always like that.
I was tense, wondering if this little guy was that kind of Guardian Spirit.
Honestly, if I had to fight right now, I wasn't confident.
My mana was drained, and my body wasn't in any condition to fight.
The creature tilted its head, its gaze shifting toward me.
“Uh… right. Hello?”
I offered an awkward greeting.
Instead of answering, it tilted its head again, this time to the other side.
It looked so cool, but doing that made it look kind of cute, too.
Seeing that it had no real intention of attacking, I cautiously took a step toward it.
And slowly… I reached out and brought my hand to its sharp beak.
- …….
It didn't shy away from my touch.
Instead, it accepted my touch and slowly closed its golden eyes.
The beak, which I'd expected to be cold, was surprisingly warm.
- Cheep.
Cheep?
For a moment, I doubted my ears.
- Cheeeep...
Apparently pleased that I was stroking its beak, it flapped both wings and let out a happy cry.
“Heh.”
I let out a short, incredulous laugh at the cute, absurd sight and stroked its beak a little more.
Thankfully, it seemed I could avoid the farce of brawling with my own Guardian Spirit.
As I continued to stroke its beak, I pondered a name for it.
Naming it was entirely up to me.
And I don't exactly have a knack for naming things...
I looked it over once more.
Feathers as deep and dark as the night sky.
And two burning, golden eyes.
After some thought… I gave it a name.
“Ahem… ahem…”
I cleared my throat for a moment.
“Horus?”
- SKREEEEEEECH!
At my call, it turned its head and let out a sharp cry.
“You like it that much?”
- Squawk!
When I reached out to stroke it again, it sharply knocked my hand away with its beak, as if annoyed.
“……”
Fine.
I'll rethink it.
The first thing it does after being born is throw a tantrum at its master.
What would be a good name…
My deliberation didn't last long.
What’s going to change just because you don’t like it?
I decided to just go with my gut.
Since it has feathers as jet-black as the night sky…
I met its eyes and said firmly.
“Bam.”
- Hmph.
The falcon briefly closed its eyes and snorted.
Then, it slowly nodded its head.
It was as if to say, I suppose I'll allow it, but I'm not particularly fond of it.
It acted as if it were doing me some great favor...
I let out another short laugh at the sight and said,
“Thanks for your permission.”
And once again, I gently stroked its beak.
Just then.
- Whoosh...
The door to the Isolation Room opened.
“Whoa…”
A gasp of admiration came from the doorway.
When I turned, Kang A-rin was standing there, with Cheon Yeo-wool peeking inside from beside her.
It seemed they'd stopped by Maengju Building.
“Looks like you got something new?”
Kang A-rin nodded, looking at my Guardian Spirit, now hatched from its egg.
“It's cool.”
She sounded genuinely impressed.
As if it understood that Kang A-rin was praising it,
Bam tucked its wings against its sides, like a person putting their hands on their hips, then squared its shoulders and puffed out its chest.
“Look at this one.”
“Hahaha!”
Kang A-rin and Cheon Yeo-wool burst out laughing at the sight and walked over to me.
“Wow~ It's so cool~”
Cheon Yeo-wool, who had appeared from behind Kang A-rin, seemed to find Bam's reaction to the praise adorable. She came closer, clapping her hands and showering it with compliments.
“Look at its wings! They look so strong!”
- Skreeee!
Bam let out a majestic cry, as if thoroughly satisfied with the barrage of praise from the two humans.
Then, just as Kang A-rin reached out to stroke Bam,
- Chirp!
it whipped its head away before her arm could touch it.
Then it shook its head from side to side.
As if to say, Permission denied.
The more I see of it, the pickier this thing is.
“It's so smart.”
Kang A-rin was impressed yet again.
“It's cute. Just like Hae-in,” Cheon Yeo-wool added, sticking close to my side.
“But… it's a bird, right? Gani is a bird, too. Should I have them say hello?”
Cheon Yeo-wool tilted her head and tapped her own shoulder.
“That's not a bad idea.”
Having the Guardian Spirits socialize is a good idea.
It's easier for them to get along if they're of a similar species.
“Guess I should find my Gani a boyfriend.”
Cheon Yeo-wool playfully closed her eyes, and a white magic circle materialized in the air.
- Tweet tweet!
From it, a small white bird flew out.
“Gani!”
Cheon Yeo-wool waved her hands at the white bird in greeting, and Gani started to approach us, but then...
- Tweet?!
Gani suddenly shrieked and shot back up into the air.
“Huh…? What's wrong?”
Confused, Cheon Yeo-wool looked up at Gani, who was now circling frantically in the air.
“……Bam.”
I knew the reason instantly.
Bam, who had been puffing its chest out proudly just moments before, was now glaring fiercely at Gani.
Gani seemed overwhelmed and flustered by its sheer presence.
Bam had only just been born, but there was a considerable size difference between it and Gani.
Of course, Gani would also grow to be huge later on, but for now…
it was the difference between a falcon and a pigeon.
- SKREEEEECH!!
Bam let out a sharp cry.
‘Do not compare me to the likes of that pigeon.’
Huh?
As it cried out, a telepathic message, like an inner thought, was transmitted into my head.
It seems it can use telepathy, too.
Flustered, I apologized to Cheon Yeo-wool.
“Sorry. It seems he's a little shy around strangers.”
Gani, apparently startled, was still circling in the air.
“Yeah… he's a bit prickly…” Cheon Yeo-wool replied, looking a little surprised.
She gestured again to open the magic circle, and the terrified Gani hastily escaped back inside.
“Finding a boyfriend for her might be tough, huh?”
“…Well, you never know.”
But Cheon Yeo-wool gave a meaningful smile.
- Hmph.
As soon as Gani disappeared, Bam snorted in satisfaction.
Then, as if it had successfully driven an intruder from its territory, it proudly puffed out its chest and gave its jet-black wings a great flap.
- Flap, flap.
“Yeah, yeah, you're so great.”
I tapped Bam on the head.
- Chirp.
It tilted its head in response, as if asking, What's that for?
“Jeez…”
It seems I've ended up with a bit of a troublemaker for a Guardian Spirit.
But despite how it acts, this companion will be a great source of strength in the final battle against the Evil God.
It seemed right to raise it diligently, helping it grow in both size and power.
Bam, who had been strutting around energetically, showing off its majesty,
- Chirp...
suddenly let out a drooping cry.
“What's wrong?”
Its golden eyes began to slowly close.
Is it sleepy?
Then again, it hasn't even been thirty minutes since it was born, so of course it would be sleepy.
But where does it sleep?
Do I need to make it a nest or something?
- Chirp...
Instead of answering my question, Bam plopped down right where it stood.
Then, its jet-black feathers began to dissolve into black smoke.
And that black energy shot straight into my forearm, as if being sucked in.
“Ack…”
My skin wasn't pierced, but I felt a slight pain, like someone was carving letters into my forearm.
When the pain subsided, I lifted my forearm.
There, a small, black, wing-shaped tattoo that hadn't been there before was now etched into my skin.
“So that's how it works.”
This is its nest.
It's the method chosen by Guardian Spirits who prefer to be with their masters at all times.
It seems this one has taken a liking to me, too.
“Congratulations. I don't know what it is, but it looks pretty sleek.”
Kang A-rin came over and congratulated me, looking at the tattoo on my forearm.
“Thanks for retrieving it for me.”
I took her hand and thanked her as well.
It would have been impossible without her.
“Is this it for today's schedule?”
I asked Kang A-rin, my voice filled with desperate hope.
I was already tired, and then Bam sucked my mana dry.
I really just wanted to go home and rest now.
Kang A-rin nodded.
“Yep. That's it for today.”
“Nice.”
I could finally go home and rest.
I let out a sigh of relief.
“Should we go together?”
“I'd like to, but… I still have something to take care of. You go on ahead.”
She said, frowning slightly.
Then she gestured with her chin toward Cheon Yeo-wool, who was standing behind me.
“She'll take you.”
I turned my head.
As I turned, Cheon Yeo-wool must have noticed my gaze, because she looked up at me.
A bright smile bloomed on her face.
- Wave, wave.
“Let's go~”
Cheon Yeo-wool was beckoning to me.
“…Yeah.”
I nodded.