Farewell to the hero! chapter 55

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He let out a long sigh, still shocked by the idea that a human attacked by Morhan’s claws could transform into a young monster.

Ruen, noticing Owen nodding in acknowledgment, regained his smug smile.

“So? Still think my information isn’t worth trusting?”

“No one can say for certain if it’s reliable until we face Morhan ourselves.”

“You’re not even grateful I shared it with you. You…”

But his smile quickly faded when Owen gave his another sharp retort.

Ruen glared at him, pulling his hood down in annoyance.

As his vibrant red hair disappeared under the cloak, his muttering voice was muffled.

So Morhan was a tiger-like creature. If it’s tiger-like, that would make it a feline.

Watching Ruen quiet down, I began to contemplate this new information.

I processed what I’d learned about Morhan.

It was well-known that most feline monsters housed their core in their tail.

If only one of Morhan’s tails remained still, it was almost certain that the core was there.

While not entirely precise, it seemed plausible enough.

Unlike in the case with Mother, this information might actually hold up.

Even if it turned out to be wrong, we’d find a way to adapt.

That was fine.

As I shook off my thoughts and shifted my gaze, I suddenly met Kaindel’s eyes.

“…”

“…”

Our gazes locked mid-air, like two coiled snakes, calm but hiding danger below the surface, like the deep ocean.

Barely breaking free from the intense green eyes watching me, I called out to Daniel.

I needed something to clear my mind.

Remembering that he had mentioned he’d help me train if I ever needed a distraction, I took the opportunity.

At my call, his dark eyes turned to me with a blank expression, as if waiting for me to say something.

My throat suddenly went dry under his gaze.

Clearing it, I spoke in a lowered voice.

“Shall we train later? We missed our session this morning.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“I’m fine. How about you?”

“I’m fine as well.”

I watched Daniel nod, then glanced over at Kaindel.

Luckily, his attention had shifted, and he was talking to Sehir while motioning at a map with his chin, looking as composed as ever.

Though his current lack of interest in me was reassuring, the undefined nature of our relationship nagged at me, like a torn cuticle that refused to go unnoticed.

“Friend… friend.”

“Interesting.”

The murmured words Kaindel had said earlier that day echoed in my mind.

What exactly was he finding interesting, and why did he want to confirm that we were friends?

I could never fully read his intentions, but he’d never been this opaque before.

A sigh of unease escaped my lips, forming a faint cloud in front of me.

The increasingly thick breath reminded me of the oncoming winter.

It was already the heart of the season.

“Just in case, I plan to go on a search mission soon. Anyone want to join?”

After finishing his conversation with Kaindel, Sehir turned to the rest of the group.

“I’ll go.”

“I’ll go too.”

Following Owen’s enthusiastic response, Kaindel nodded.

Sehir blinked slowly, a bit taken aback by Kaindel’s uncharacteristic eagerness.

With a slight smile, he remarked that having more people was better.

---

After Sehir, Owen, and Kaindel left to scout the area, Daniel and I looked for a suitable clearing.

Ruen had stayed behind, saying he was sleepy after eating and wanted to guard the camp while she napped.

Daniel and I practiced for about an hour, aiming at a large rock nearby since there were no trees around.

I carefully absorbed Daniel’s instructions, diligently practicing my dagger techniques.

Compared to my first day, my skills had clearly improved, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride.

After completing 300 repetitions, we took a break.

I massaged my sore thighs and sat on the ground to quench my thirst.

It used to be challenging just to reach 100, but now I could easily go beyond 300 with only a bit of shoulder stiffness.

Daniel waited until I finished drinking, then spoke up.

“You’ve improved a lot.”

“Really?”

“Yes, not only has your speed increased, but your throwing strength has significantly improved.”

Smiling, he retrieved the dagger I had thrown.

“So, do you think I can take on a monster with this skill?”

“Well… hard to say.”

When I playfully asked, he hesitated for a moment before answering honestly, implying that I probably couldn’t yet.

“Looks like I need more practice.”

With a bright nod, I closed the water bottle. I wasn’t bothered by his answer.

Unlike writing, mastering a sword in just three weeks was unrealistic.

It would take at least 20 years of training to reach Daniel’s level.

Daniel then changed the topic.

“I noticed you talking with Kaindel earlier.”

“…”

My shoulders flinched at the unexpected question, and a chill crept up my spine.

“…Did you hear our conversation, too?”

“I was too far away to catch the words.”

Thank goodness.

Watching Daniel shake his head, I quietly let out a sigh of relief.

Though I had kept my voice low while talking to Kaindel, I couldn’t help but worry since their conversation spot wasn’t that far from the campsite.

If Daniel had overheard our exchange, then Owen, who was right beside him, would have heard it too, which would’ve been even worse.

“Then why bring it up all of a sudden?”

“I was just concerned, wondering if speaking with Kaindel left you deep in thought again.”

“Oh, I see.”

I had long known that Daniel was sharp; every time Kaindel unsettled me, Daniel would catch on as if he had a sixth sense.

So, he noticed again this time too.

I held back a sigh of amazement. Had I shown my emotions that obviously?

I thought I had kept a neutral face, but maybe it hadn’t been enough.

“No, I’m fine,” I said, smoothing over my surprise with a faint smile.

In truth, I wasn’t lying.

After all, I was the one waiting for a response after recklessly confessing my feelings.

Right now, the most confused one had to be Kaindel.

The only thing troubling my mind was figuring out how to repair our relationship if I got rejected.

Beyond that, I was fine.

I had to be fine.

Daniel, seeing me shake my head, opened his mouth to speak, then abruptly bent down on one knee and waved his hand in a sweeping motion.

“Isa, could you please close your eyes for a moment?”

Close my eyes?

What for?

I gave Daniel a sidelong glance at this sudden, strange request.

His expression was unreadable, revealing nothing of his intentions.

The trust I felt toward Daniel grew, but so did my wariness.

Sighing, I finally gave in to Daniel’s odd request, reasoning that Daniel would never do anything to harm me.

As I closed his eyes, a soft rustling noise reached my ears.

The sounds gradually distanced, as if Daniel was stepping away, but then they shifted direction, drawing closer.

The faint rustling of robes against my shirt, the crunch of grass underfoot, and the quiet clink of a dagger reached me.

Soon after, I felt something warm settle onto my thigh.

A comforting warmth nestled into place, as if it were settling in for good.

What is this?

Suppressing my curiosity, I resisted the urge to reach out and touch whatever had come to rest on my thigh.

Just as my eyelashes began to flutter with the effort of keeping my eyes shut, Daniel spoke again.

“You may open them now.”

As soon as I got Daniel’s permission, I opened my eyes and looked down, focusing on the source of warmth.

Resting calmly on my thigh was a small bundle of brown fur, with long ears and a scattering of white spots across its body.

I looked closely at the familiar little creature, and as realization dawned on me, I murmured in surprise.

“This is…?”

“It’s that rabbit from before. It seems it’s been following us.”

Just as I had suspected.

Seeing my suspicions confirmed, I felt tension melt away.

I remembered the brown rabbit we had encountered near Geam Lake and compared it with the little one on my thigh.

The only noticeable difference was that it had grown a bit bigger.

Its blank stare and perky ears were exactly as I recalled.

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