47

Chapter 47

“Fuck.”

Cha Ara, an F-rank Porter, could not stop swearing for even a moment.

“How is my life like this? This is so fucking awful… In my next life, I’ll be born as the youngest child of a loving nouveau-riche family….”

Inside the vast, complex, anthill-like dungeon, Cha Ara remained alone and exhausted.

“Those fucking bastards left me behind. I’m going to curse them so hard.”

She had been abandoned in a dark cavern filled with luminescent jewels.

One might ask how a cavern filled with glowing jewels could be dark, but dust-like creatures that devoured light lived here.

The background was faintly visible immediately around the brightly glowing jewels, but beyond those areas, nothing could be seen.

“……”

Cha Ara had been abandoned in such a dark dungeon.

“Fuck.”

As expected, it was fucking awful.

“…May you stub your toenail on a threshold, tear a fingernail, and bleed when you pull it off. May you trip while walking, fall in front of a crowd, and embarrass yourselves to death. May you become drunk on predawn sentimentality, post something online, then wake the next day and suffer profound self-reflection….”

The reason they had abandoned her was obvious.

They had boldly entered the dungeon carrying courage smaller than an ant’s tear, but failed to find a breakthrough. Their food began running out without any achievements, morale plunged into the abyss, and in the end they used Return Stones to escape.

She could understand that much.

‘Wasting the money and time pisses me off, but escaping alive is better than dying.’

They said rolling in a field of dog shit in this world was still better than the afterlife. Even if it was only a C-rank dungeon, a dungeon remained a dungeon. No one knew when someone might die, and people’s mental strength weakened especially visibly in a dark dungeon like this.

She had already seen more than enough blood. If a way out existed, taking it was wise.

“……”

But they had been one Return Stone short.

“Fuck…!!”

Return Stones were expensive, so Cha Ara did not know whether they would have given one to an F-rank Porter even if they had possessed enough. Perhaps the claim that they were one short had itself been a lie.

“This is so fucking awful!! May you be dumped the day before your weddings, sob your eyes out, and live as unemployed losers for the rest of your lives, you bastards!!”

Cha Ara pressed herself against a jewel as large as her body and sniffled.

Such incidents were not common. No matter how cold the world had become, people did not ordinarily abandon Porters so openly. They were still companions, in a sense.

“……”

But Hunters merely kept such matters quiet, so it was also an incident that occurred discreetly behind closed doors.

‘…The fact that it happens at all is the real problem.’

This was not the first time Cha Ara had suffered such treatment.

‘The greatest problem is that this dungeon receives extremely few visitors.’

Before now, even when left alone, she had been able to escape by groveling before Hunters who entered afterward and asking to accompany them.

‘Hunters must pay attention to their public image, after all.’

Hunters were a kind of celebrity, so they took great care to avoid controversies over their character. Unless a Hunter had an exceptionally foul disposition, they would usually take pity on one poor Porter abandoned alone and bring her along.

But….

“Ha, seriously. No, really, what am I supposed to do this time…?”

This was the ‘Vein of Jewels.’

It was a C-rank dungeon with unusually few Monsters and poor rewards, so Hunters rarely visited.

“They said one team in a week is considered a lot.”

The paths intertwined in a complex maze, while microscopic creatures absorbed every form of light, whether from a lantern or anything else. One wrong move could leave a person trapped in this dark labyrinth until death. Finding the exit was extraordinarily difficult.

Hunters still visited occasionally because of one Monster that inhabited the dungeon.

“……”

A small Monster with a jewel body that glowed gently like a mood lamp.

Commonly known as the ‘Anti-Cat.’

“…Those idiots. I knew something felt wrong from the moment they said they were after that thing….”

An Anti-Cat was a feline Monster around the size of an adult man’s palm, or slightly larger.

Despite a cute appearance that indiscriminately enchanted people regardless of age or gender, it despised human proximity and fled from them. Like the creatures in the cavern, it also absorbed light and darkened its surroundings, adding to its rarity.

‘Even if they caught one, they wouldn’t be allowed to keep an Anti-Cat.’

The country strictly regulated the keeping of Monsters. Moreover, when angered, an Anti-Cat was a terrifying Monster that burned everything around it with blue flames.

‘Though because it’s that kind of Monster, plenty of bastards are desperate to buy one in secret.’

In any case, she should never have joined this team. She should have fled the moment they said they were going to the ‘Vein of Jewels.’

If only she had not needed money so desperately.

“…What am I really supposed to do…?”

Fewer than twenty-four hours had passed since she became trapped alone in the dungeon, but perhaps because of the surrounding darkness and the silence that swallowed even sound, her mind felt profoundly shaken. She was clearly inside a vast cavern, yet it felt as though she had been confined somewhere sealed on every side.

Some prisons supposedly tormented inmates by deliberately locking them in narrow, dark rooms. It felt exactly like that. Her body was not as uncomfortable as it would have been in such a cramped cell, but she was mentally exhausted.

“Ugh….”

She was beginning to grow hungry too.

‘It isn’t as though I’m strong enough to clear this dungeon alone. What circumstances made the exit appear again? I think it required several people….’

Yet simply waiting for rescue was equally hopeless.

“……”

Cha Ara squeezed her eyes shut, then soon rose.

“…Let’s move, at least.”

It was easy to say that fewer than twenty-four hours had passed, but while sober and alert, that was a considerable length of time.

She was sick of doing nothing merely to prolong her lifeline. At this rate, she would go mad before rescue arrived. Moving seemed preferable if only to prevent herself from losing her mind.

“At least the Vein of Jewels has relatively few Monsters. With no food, stamina, or ability, I can’t even dream of clearing it alone. But as long as I watch out for the ghostlike Monsters that appear without warning… I should be fine.”

Fighting Monsters was not the primary focus of the Vein of Jewels.

Its entire clear condition was ‘Find the exit,’ but the place was correspondingly as complex and dark as an anthill. Mental fortitude mattered more than attack power in this dungeon, so if Cha Ara kept her wits about her, she could escape without dying.

“……”

Yet after roughly three hours, she felt ready to lose her mind anyway.

“Argh, this is driving me insane.”

She was hungry and thirsty, sleepy, and her limbs ached. The leg injured during her last raid had yet to recover, so she even walked with a limp.

At this rate, she would clearly be unable to flee if danger appeared.

‘But sleeping peacefully in a place crawling with Monsters that drain your life force would be idiotic.’

She had received no separate education and knew only what she had overheard or witnessed herself, but she at least understood that every Monster inhabiting the ‘Vein of Jewels’ resembled a ghost.

In the same vein, the Monsters here attacked by draining Hunters’ life force. Their physical attack power was low, but if one let down one’s guard, one’s lifespan could be cut in half.

‘At least while I’m awake, I can keep my senses and drive them away….’

It was while she trudged along this way.

“……”

In the distance, she saw something glowing faintly. The light was exceedingly weak.

“…It isn’t a jewel pillar….”

Or so it seemed.

Cha Ara narrowed her eyes. Her vision was not poor, but the object was so small that she could not see it clearly.

‘What is that?’

She knew as soon as she saw it. That was not one of the glowing jewels spread through the cavern.

It was far smaller, with a round shape that entered her vision at once. Most importantly, it possessed four feet that moved in prim little steps as lightly as the daughter of a prestigious household.

“Huh.”

Pointed ears and a tail covered in abundant fur.

“Huhhh….”

Though its body was only the size of a kitten, its fur rivaled that of any long-haired cat. It was a tiny, jewel-furred Anti-Cat that fit neatly in one hand.

“…Holy shit. I actually get to see one.”

If the Hunters who had already left learned of this, they would pound the ground in regret.

‘That thought alone has completely restored my exhausted body and mind. All of you can go fuck yourselves together.’

Cha Ara gained a little strength and observed the Anti-Cat.

‘…There’s no way I could capture it, and I don’t want to.’

This might be a world where one could escape consequences simply by keeping quiet, but capturing it was illegal to begin with. If caught, Cha Ara—an F-rank Porter with no powerful patron—would likely face severe punishment.

Thus, she had no desire to capture the Anti-Cat.

‘There was a story that they move toward the exit. It isn’t confirmed information, but still….’

Perhaps noticing Cha Ara, the Anti-Cat abruptly turned toward her.

“Ah.”

“……”

“……”

According to what was known, an Anti-Cat that noticed a human would extinguish its own light, absorb all surrounding illumination, and leisurely escape. Fortunately, the one before her did not.

Cha Ara swallowed an inward sigh of relief.

‘…I-I’m saved.’

This was also the first time Cha Ara had seen an Anti-Cat glow so gently. No, it was the first time she had even heard of one doing so. She had learned that Anti-Cats devoured all surrounding light, hid in darkness, and avoided humans.

The Anti-Cat swayed its tail, then soon began walking in tiny steps. Its movement was light and elegant, like a soft balloon bouncing or a flower petal swaying.

“……”

Was it permitting her to follow?

‘…As a Monster, it can’t be keeping its light on because it intends to help a human. Still, it doesn’t seem to intend to attack me. They say it closely resembles a cat in temperament, so as long as I maintain a reasonable distance, it shouldn’t suddenly attack….’

As Cha Ara cautiously followed the Anti-Cat, she noticed something strange.

“……”

“……”

“…?”

The Anti-Cat seemed to be checking whether she was following.

‘…What is this?’

One could call it the miraculous goodwill of a Monster, but no matter how low her rank, Cha Ara was a Hunter. She knew very well that a Monster would not genuinely like a human and offer proper goodwill.

Anti-Cats in particular were infamous for hating humans.

‘But it definitely seems to be luring me….’

Wait.

“……”

Luring her?

Read only on MUGEX

Cha Ara faltered and tried to flee.

“Hello.”

“H-huaaaaaagh…!!”

Splat—!

The strength left Cha Ara’s legs, and she collapsed.

“Wh-whatwhatwhat, what, what….”

“……”

“…Wh-who are you…?”

It took her some time to understand the situation.

Panting as she steadied her breath, Cha Ara realized that someone other than herself stood in the darkness.

Nothing in the dungeon was visible unless it stood immediately beside a glowing jewel. She had never imagined that someone might be waiting beyond where the Anti-Cat was heading.

‘It isn’t… a Monster. Right?’

What Monster in the world could speak?

“Who… who are you…?”

Though she stammered, Cha Ara gathered her courage and awkwardly rose.

Porters were sometimes killed inside dungeons for entertainment even when the other party was human. It was better to be cautious about everything.

‘Please calm down, you idiot.’

Meanwhile, the Anti-Cat approached ‘someone.’ It glowed a little more brightly than before. Its blue but gentle light and even softer movements revealed the affection it held.

When its small body drew close, Cha Ara could see only pitch-black suit trousers and pale bare feet. The Anti-Cat rubbed itself against the ankle affectionately.

“……”

It was an impossible sight.

“…The Anti-Cat….”

Was this not a creature famous for hating humans?

“Um, excuse me, are you perhaps… a-a Tamer? And….”

“……”

“Which guild’s Hunter are you…?”

Certain that someone capable of serving as a Tamer would not work freelance, she asked, but the other party still did not answer.

A strange silence continued.

‘…Why isn’t he saying anything?’

No, to begin with….

Why had she sensed no one’s presence?

‘No matter how incompetent I am as a Hunter, I would still notice a person this close….’

Cold sweat ran down Cha Ara’s cheek.

She instinctively sensed that something was wrong. At this point, even the pitch-black suit trousers and pale bare feet beneath them felt eerie.

Yes. That was right.

“……”

No lunatic would enter such a rough cavern barefoot.

“……”

…Let’s think.

Anti-Cats hated people.

‘They said even Tamers were no exception.’

If a Tamer could solve the problem, Anti-Cats would be sold much more openly.

But Anti-Cats loathed contact with humans, and that included Tamers capable of contracting with Monsters. The ‘Anti’ in their name did not exist for nothing.

‘Yet that Anti-Cat is behaving so affectionately….’

At that moment, the stranger bent down and lifted the Anti-Cat.

Even Cha Ara could see the Anti-Cat’s tiny body fit neatly into the large hands. It offered no resistance and entrusted its body completely.

“……”

“Hello.”

“…Y-yes.”

Ah. Could it be?

She had been so overwhelmed that she had let it pass, but Cha Ara recalled that she had never answered the stranger’s greeting.

‘I only screamed, didn’t I?’

Feeling strange, Cha Ara awkwardly bowed her head.

“H-hello….”

To abruptly repeat the same words under these circumstances—perhaps he was asking again because she had not answered the first greeting.

It was absolutely not an ordinary response.

‘Is he obsessed with etiquette?’

Even as she thought so, Cha Ara faltered backward.

Her cautious movement, intended to avoid provoking the stranger, revealed that she had already classified the man before her as dangerous.

‘…Something is strange.’

The Anti-Cat, a creature that hated people, rested in the man’s pale hands and rubbed its cheek against him.

Even if the man had tamed it expertly, this was strange. A Contracted Monster did not naturally feel affection for its master. Most such relationships were extremely dry, and some were even bound by hatred.

‘And I’ve never heard of an Anti-Cat glowing gently in someone’s arms like that. It’s so rare that not even a photograph has been taken.’

The light resembled that of an anglerfish luring prey in the deep sea.

“……”

An Anti-Cat never liked humans, but Monsters sometimes offered tribute to a stronger Monster.

“…Uh….”

Come to think of it, speaking Monsters did exist in the world. They were so rare that she had not dared imagine one, but they certainly existed.

Humanoid Monsters.

“My name is Seo Gio.”

“……”

“May I ask your name?”

A face submerged in darkness, nothing of it visible.

She could faintly see the hands holding the Anti-Cat and the chest above them.

A pitch-black shirt, a pitch-black suit, and a cloak blacker still. Even the large, thick fingers were deathly pale….

“……”

Cha Ara quietly took in the sight.

Though darkness merely concealed it, the figure felt like a human without a face.

“……”

And naturally,

there were no faceless humans in the world.

“…I-I’m….”

“You are nervous.”

“……”

“Are you afraid of me?”

“……”

“I promise I will cause you no harm.”

His voice was excessively courteous.

‘…What is this?’

It was a voice so pleasant that it sent chills down her spine.

It was neat and clear like an announcer reporting the weather, yet gentle and firm like a teacher instructing a student. Cha Ara abruptly felt that the voice was so perfect that it became alien.

Perhaps she took too long to compose her confused thoughts, for ‘it’ spoke to her again as though dissatisfied with the silence flowing between them.

“Do not be afraid.”

Cha Ara realized.

“……”

Ah.

That thing….

“I would like to know your name.”

Was not human.

“……”

“……”

“Cha-Cha Ara… My name is Cha Ara.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Cha Ara.”

Within the darkness.

She saw eyes darker still.

“Would you converse with me?”

(To be continued)