Chapter 18
“Hehe… Sis, did you see that?!”
The next morning, after clearing out an entire goblin village, Allen shouted with a triumphant expression.
“Goblins are no match for me anymore!”
“Good job.”
He really had improved drastically compared to yesterday. His movements were sharper, and the time it took him to take down a group of goblins was much shorter. The results of the Spartan-style training were already starting to show.
“Then let’s move on to the next stage.”
“Huh?”
Allen froze, as if it had never even crossed his mind that there would be something after goblins.
“Why? You only want to hunt goblins forever?”
“N-no, that’s not it!”
Allen shook his head vigorously. Honestly, it looked exactly like that. He desperately avoided my eyes, refusing to meet my gaze.
“So… if not goblins, what are we hunting?”
“Curious?”
“Yeah.”
“Wolves.”
“Wolves…?”
Allen’s pupils quivered.
“I-I think I’ll go back to the village… maybe after I’ve gotten stronger…”
“Allen.”
Where do you think you’re going? I grabbed the scruff of his neck as he stiffly tried to retreat the way we came.
“What’s wrong? Can’t do it? You scared?”
“…”
“If you can’t, just say so.”
“I-I…”
“I’ll at least listen.”
“…Huh?”
“I said I’ll listen.”
Allen’s dazed voice made me laugh. His dumb yet adorable face was cute enough that I wanted to capture it in a picture.
“Let’s go.”
After ending the playful teasing, we headed toward the wolves’ habitat.
“Wait a second.”
At the entrance to the mountain path, I stopped Allen.
Wolves were ordinary monsters that lived in the mountain regions of the Aslan Empire. Since the road to Athens Academy required crossing several mountains, they were a natural choice as the next step for experience.
What’s this?
Through the Holy Eye, the world ahead was tainted in a murky violet hue. I hadn’t even set foot in the mountain yet, but the stench of rot seeped out. Proof that the entire mountain had been corrupted by miasma.
How did this happen?
No clear answer came to mind.
“What’s wrong, Sis? Did you see something?”
“No, nothing.”
It seemed Allen couldn’t see the miasma.
It should be fine.
There was never an option to take another route. Though it was unexpected for this mountain to be corrupted, it wasn’t enough of a reason to turn back.
We stepped forward into the mountain. With just a few steps, the world around us dimmed as if it were midnight.
The sudden eerie atmosphere made Allen clutch tightly at the hem of my clothes.
“…”
The trees around us were withered and brittle. The ground was cracked, and the flowers and grass were all shriveled. Everything bore the mark of miasma’s touch.
Ordinary monsters exposed to miasma became low-class demons. Which meant the wolves here wouldn’t be normal either.
“Ah! Sis, over there!”
“What is it?”
“There’s a wolf!”
The direction Allen pointed held a wolf watching us. Its eyes were lifeless, and drool poured endlessly from its mouth. It had already been corrupted, transformed from a monster into a demon.
“I-I’ll take care of it—! Cough?!”
“Stay back.”
I caught Allen by the scruff before he could recklessly charge forward. Ordinary monsters might have been fine, but it was still too soon for him to face demons.
“Don’t leave my side.”
I stepped in front, shielding Allen. The wolf continued to watch us.
Why is it just staring?
Normally, low-class demons had almost no intelligence. They were usually aggressive and feral, attacking without hesitation.
But this wolf only observed. It didn’t charge, didn’t even bare its teeth. And then, it turned and walked away in the opposite direction.
What’s going on?
I had fully expected it to lunge at us. This was the first time I’d seen such behavior.
“I could’ve beaten it…”
Allen muttered under his breath, clearly upset that I had stopped him.
“Really?”
“Yeah! I totally could’ve!”
“Sure, sure. You’re amazing.”
“Hehe.”
Even though I hadn’t actually praised him, Allen grinned ear to ear.
Still, demons are off-limits for him.
Real combat was important, but I couldn’t let him fight demons yet. At this stage, opponents needed to be on par with him, or just slightly stronger—not beyond that.
“Next time, leave it to me!”
“I’ll think about it.”
“It’s a promise!”
He stuck out his pinky finger.
“Sis? Hey, promise…”
Of course, I didn’t take it. Allen followed me with a sulky face.
We’d better get across this mountain quickly.
Originally, the plan had been to stay about a week hunting wolves here. But with the corruption, I decided to cut it short. There were other places where Allen could gain experience.
“Hel—”
Just then, from the dried grass, a hand shot out and grabbed my ankle.
“Help me… please…”
A small, emaciated body. A child appeared out of nowhere, repeating the words before fainting.
Ding!
【A new Hidden Quest has appeared!】
【Hidden Quest #3: The Light of Purification】
【Uncover and eliminate the cause of Golgotha Mountain’s corruption. 0/1】
【Reward: Sacred Relic – Michael’s Silver Brooch】
Until just a month ago, the village had been peaceful.
Life in the mountains had its inconveniences, but the villagers managed by helping one another.
That simple happiness crumbled overnight.
Suddenly, miasma swept in, killing plants and animals. Villagers who touched it directly writhed in agony.
Since the mountain’s corruption, no one dared enter. Which meant they couldn’t seek help from outside.
Even infants under three years old weren’t spared. The black stains on my younger sister’s body spread day by day.
I couldn’t just stand by and watch.
Even when my parents tried to stop me, even when the villagers begged me not to go, I had to find someone who could help. Otherwise, my sister would die.
By the time I reached the mountain’s entrance, I heard voices. Clinging to the faintest hope, I forced myself forward—and there were people.
I latched onto one of them, begging desperately for help.
Please.
Please save us.
And then my consciousness faded. That was the last thing I remembered.
“Sis… can’t we just leave him?”
“You want to leave someone in this condition?”
“Well, it’s not like it has anything to do with us.”
“If you’re just going to talk crap, shut your mouth.”
“….”
Allen pouted. He’d been sulking ever since the boy popped out of the grass.
What’s with him?
I couldn’t figure Allen out. Right now, the boy came first.
Lifting his shirt, I saw the scars of long-term miasma corrosion.
For him to stay sane like this is impressive.
Not only had he moved, but he’d begged for help. That kind of willpower only came from desperation.
And he’s malnourished too.
He looked like he hadn’t eaten for days. His arms and legs were skin and bones, but his stomach was bloated—the classic sign of starvation.
I pulled out a canteen from my inventory and trickled water into his mouth. Rehydration came first, before food.
“I don’t get it.”
“What now?”
“Back in the village, and now too… why do you help other people? You don’t even know them. What’s the point?”
“So you’ve got a problem with it?”
“I just… I just wish you only cared about me…”
Allen hesitated, and I felt an odd sense of dissonance.
This is strange.
That mindset—if it doesn’t concern me, it doesn’t matter—was something Allen only developed later, after being worn down by war in the main scenario.
One of the conditions for clearing the main scenario was changing that very way of thinking. I never managed to, though—it always felt impossible, and since there was no penalty for failing, I eventually ignored it.
But right now, Allen sounded exactly like his future self.
“I want you—no, I wish you would only care about me.”
“…What?”
Did I just mishear that? I froze for a second.
Allen ducked his head, ears blazing red.
“I-I didn’t mean it weird! You said you’d get me into the Academy, right? So until then…”
He scrambled to cover his words.
“Alright, calm down.”
I understood. It was just simple jealousy, nothing more. Like a child crying when their toy gets taken.
“Don’t overthink it. Here.”
I tossed him a dry cloth and some water.
“Wet it.”
“…Okay!”
His mood instantly brightened.
I laid the boy down and placed the damp cloth on his forehead. His body was ice cold, so I lit a fire as well.
“Ugh…”
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when—
“Gasp!”
The boy woke with a start. The moment he saw us, he fell to his knees.
“Please, I beg you! Save our village! My little sister—my sister is…!”
His words dissolved into sobs.
