Chapter 13
Normally, being a light sleeper would just be a small quirk — but in an apocalypse, it’s an advantage that can save your life.
Even though both of them were heavy sleepers, I still lowered my voice and spoke softly.
“Isis, did I do okay today?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, as far as I can remember, this was the first time I’ve been outside for so long.”
I laughed awkwardly.
I had tried my best all day to look like someone useful to Isis — hopefully, it worked?
“Hmm, I think you did fine.”
“Really?”
What a relief!
Step by step, my mission to become someone essential to Isis — for the sake of increasing his favorability — was going smoothly!
Honestly, the best thing would be getting a chance to use my healing skill.
Since “Healing” was said to be a rare and special skill, using it even once would make me instantly indispensable.
But… wishing for someone to get hurt just so I could use it felt a bit wrong.
“About earlier, when I fought that creature by myself.”
“Yes?”
“Could you give me any advice?”
“…When fighting a snake-type creature, you usually grab it right below the neck, not by the tail. That prevents it from biting you.”
That was pretty similar to how you’d catch a real snake.
I repeated it in my head — Grab below the neck, not the tail.
“But in that case, the creature’s body was so large that grabbing below the neck didn’t seem feasible.”
“Right.”
I nodded. It really had been huge.
“So grabbing its tail instead was a good decision.”
“…!”
The straightforward praise made me happy. My cheeks felt warm.
“You seem to have good reflexes, Laryana.”
“Me?”
Isis nodded. Did I really?
“I was just… desperate not to die, honestly.”
“Most people freeze when their lives are in danger. You, on the other hand, try to act.”
If that was how Isis saw me, I’d take it. Another reason for him to think I was capable!
“I didn’t know that. Another strength of mine, huh?”
I smiled and met his gaze.
“Thank you for pointing it out.”
“……”
[‘Isis Clentain’ favorability has increased by 2.]
[Current favorability: 21/100]
He didn’t say anything in reply, but the status window spoke for him.
I stared blankly at the flickering fireplace, the soft crackle filling the silence, when he suddenly stood up.
“Then, I’ll rest now.”
“Okay.”
“If you hear anything at all — even the smallest noise — wake me immediately.”
“I will.”
With that, Isis lay down beside Jade and closed his eyes.
About thirty minutes later.
If something had happened, I might have stayed alert — but it was so quiet and peaceful that sleep started creeping up on me.
Just as drowsiness began to nibble at my mind, I heard a sound.
“Mmm…”
It was Luca, tossing and turning.
Gasp.
Startled by the small noise, I slapped my cheeks lightly. They’re all sleeping so peacefully because they trust me to stay awake — I can’t fall asleep!
I shook my head hard, muttering “Go away, sleep!”, and somehow, it worked. My mind slowly cleared.
To keep myself awake, I looked around the room.
I studied the wallpaper patterns, peered out the small window, and when there was nothing left to see — my eyes fell on the sleeping people.
Isis’s eyelashes are longer than I thought.
From above, I noticed things I never did before. It felt strange, almost fascinating.
He really does look like a cold, handsome guy.
He always had a somewhat icy aura, but his polite manners softened it. Now, seeing his face relaxed in sleep — yeah, definitely cold and handsome.
I was still thinking pointless things like “He’s good-looking” when I suddenly remembered what he’d told me before — his goal.
He wanted to return to a world without creatures.
He wanted to eliminate every single creature that existed…
That must be so difficult.
Even the Marquis of Drain’s territory — where we were headed — was said to be crawling with monsters.
I sighed. How do I even know that, you ask?
[Lia: Anyone near the Marquis of Drain’s estate?]
[I’m the Protagonist?!: Why? Are you heading there? I don’t know much about that area ㅠㅠ]
[Sansan: That place is probably swarming with monsters. I heard even the survivors who were there recently got wiped out.]
[I’m the Protagonist?!: Gasp. Really?]
Yeah. I asked in the chatroom.
Being able to communicate long-distance through the status window was one of its best features.
[Sansan: Yup. I was near that town a month ago. A Creature Wave hit, and after that, their numbers exploded. We had to move our camp.]
[Sansan: Lia, are you seriously going there?]
[Lia: Yeah, I’m heading there this time.]
[Sansan: Be careful! There’s a giant bear-type creature there. It’s huge and barely takes damage no matter how much you attack it.]
[Lia: I’ll be careful!]
[Sansan: There’s a survivor camp near there, in the Saver territory next to the Marquis of Drain’s land. If things get bad, evacuate there!]
[Lia: Thank you.]
Honestly, after hearing that, I really didn’t want to go to the Marquis of Drain’s place.
Why go somewhere overflowing with monsters?
But… how was I supposed to explain that?
Saying, “Oh, I know because I have a status window that lets me chat online,” wouldn’t sound very believable.
They’d probably think I’d lost my mind from fear.
So I stayed quiet.
Besides…
From what I’d seen today, those three were incredibly skilled at fighting creatures.
They took down monsters like it was nothing.
Well, it has been four years since this whole crisis began — surviving this long already proved they were capable.
Putting all that together, I concluded that even if the Marquis’s territory was a monster kingdom, we probably wouldn’t die there.
And if we weren’t going to die, then going wasn’t such a bad idea.
Honestly, it’s kind of strange, right?
A place where the number of creatures suddenly skyrocketed… maybe there’s a clue there about what caused all this.
I had to help Isis achieve his goal, after all.
And if things got too dangerous, I could always run to the survivor camp “Sansan” mentioned.
If I helped the wounded there using my healing skill, they’d probably let me stay a day or two.
I opened my status window and entered the chat.
The chatroom, which had been busy in the evening, was quiet now that it was late at night.
[Lia: Anyone still awake?]
[I’m the Protagonist?!: Me! I’m still up.]
Someone actually replied — I hadn’t expected that.
[I’m the Protagonist?!: If you’re awake at this hour… you’re on night watch too, right?]
[Lia: You too?]
[I’m the Protagonist?!: My ID’s too long, just call me ‘Heroine.’]
[I’m the Protagonist?!: It was supposed to be a joke name, but it got stuck like this…]
[Lia: Ah…]
I remembered how I’d complained about the same thing when setting my username — guess I wasn’t the only one.
[I’m the Protagonist?!: I panicked when I found out you couldn’t change it later.]
[Lia: Then I’ll call you Heroine.]
[I’m the Protagonist?!: Thanks!]
And so, I spent the rest of my watch chatting with “I’m the Protagonist?!”
It wasn’t anything special — just mutual complaining about suddenly being thrown into this crazy world.
But through it, I realized something…
I’d been a lot luckier than most people.
[I’m the Protagonist?!: I woke up in a weird forest. You wouldn’t believe how much I struggled before I found a survivor camp…]
