The Worst…

◈

It’s already been a month since I became Jin-sang’s party member.

I trained with Jin-sang to try the so-called Rabbit and Shell Formation that Jin-sang proposed after defeating the goblins.

During the training period, we continued to do herb gathering and goblin subjugation together.

Normally, there were virtually no adventurers who would continue goblin subjugation for a month.

I had never spent such a long period subjugating only goblins either.

But I was happy with it anyway.

Because Jin-sang was doing all this for the formation he wanted to do with me.

In other words, it was evidence that he wanted to continue forming a party with me.

Evidence that Jin-sang needed me.

The more we trained, I could tell Jin-sang was gradually building muscle.

His stamina also improved, reducing the frequency of Stamina Heal use.

As for flexibility… thanks to Bleks initially helping Jin-sang increase his flexibility, Jin-sang consistently trained, not wanting to experience that pain again.

During training, Jin-sang would occasionally stare at not just my chest, but also my buttocks and legs.

I could feel Jin-sang’s gaze even when I was running ahead.

It was a bit embarrassing, but… I didn’t mind if Jin-sang liked it.

Rather, if Jin-sang stayed by my side because he liked such things… that would be even better.

…Still, it was very embarrassing when he sniffed while clinging to my back.

I h-hope I don’t smell bad?

Jin-sang would also occasionally glance at Celine’s or Miriana’s chests, not just mine.

Because Jin-sang is a man too.

Miriana is very beautiful.

And looking at Celine’s chest is something most male adventurers do, not just Jin-sang.

But the chest Jin-sang looks at most is m-mine…

And after a month.

Jin-sang finally managed to endure my speed while riding on my back when I performed the Flaming Explosion Flash.

Without flying off, he firmly held onto my body.

As if he would never leave my side, he hugged me tightly.

…After getting down, he th-threw up, but.

S-still!

We can get used to it by increasing the frequency!

J-Jin-sang and my u-ultimate combo formation will still work!

Jin-sang didn’t get tired of being with me for a month.

He didn’t get annoyed even after using Stamina Heal many times.

Thanks to that, whenever we had time after completing quests, I could use the Dance of the Moon Rabbit as much as I wanted outside.

Jin-sang also enjoyed and admired my Dance of the Moon Rabbit many times.

Being with such a Jin-sang…

Living with Jin-sang constantly by my side was enjoyable.

The day we first hunted orcs.

Just like when we hunted goblins, three orcs appeared, and I immediately took down two of them.

I could take down orcs without using techniques, within the limits of my stamina.

I turned around, ready to help Jin-sang at any time.

Jin-sang immediately charged towards the orc and, like with the goblin, thrust his spear toward the solar plexus.

And similarly, he twisted the spear that was embedded in the solar plexus, bringing down the orc.

In the end, he fell backward while trying to pull out the embedded spear before the orc fell.

But killing an orc alone was something that would have been absolutely impossible for Jin-sang at his level a month ago.

Jin-sang “grew” by diligently training whenever he could.

After defeating the remaining orcs and draining the blood from the orc carcasses we were collecting.

I returned, pulling the cart together with Jin-sang.

It was no different from usual.

Only the subjugation target was orcs.

It should have been no different from usual.

“As expected, Luna was amazing today too!”

“He-hehe. N-no. J-Jin-sang was a-amazing today too!”

“Ah, it’s nothing compared to Luna. Well, but~ I’ve grown a little bit, right?”

“Y-yes!”

Growth.

That word made my heart feel heavy.

“Thank you for your hard work, Jin-sang, Luna. Here is your payment.”

“Yes! Thank you, Celine!”

“Not at all. It’s just my job.”

“Oh right! Listen, Celine! I took down an orc by myself, though just one!”

“Really? Congratulations. If that’s the case, Jin-sang, your rank will rise soon.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. You’ve been subjugating goblins for a month as part of a party. And you have the skill to defeat an orc alone. It’s more than enough to rise to E-rank.”

“Yes! Luna! Did you hear that? My rank is going to rise!”

“Y-yes! J-Jin-sang! C-congratulations! I’m sure you can r-rise even more!”

“He-hehe. Really? No, that should be the case! Let’s keep working hard together!”

“Y-yes!”

Jin-sang’s rank is rising.

It’s certainly something to congratulate, but.

Once again, somewhere in my heart felt heavy.

Stopping by Miriana’s house and having dinner together, Jin-sang boasted about today’s events to Miriana.

“Jin-sang, be honest. There’s no way our Jin-sang just cleanly subjugated it, right?”

“Come on, it’s true…”

“Jin-sang?”

“…Ah! I fell backward trying to pull out the spear before the orc fell! There, happy?”

“Puhup, just as I thought, Jin-sang.”

“Ah, Noona, please!”

“Okay, sorry~. But Jin-sang has grown a lot, huh?”

“Well, I’m a man who grows continuously without stagnation!”

“My goodness. Keep being so haughty and you’ll regret it?”

“Ah, really, on such a celebratory day, can’t you just praise me?”

“Can’t yoo jus pwaize me~.”

“Noona!”

“Celebratory? Just for subjugating a single orc alone.”

“L-Luna! Miriana-noona keeps bullying me!”

“M-Miriana… J-Jin-sang really d-did work hard and d-did well.”

“Look at him, hiding behind a woman? Don’t you have pride as a man? Well… that’s also one of Jin-sang’s cute points, but? Anyway, you did well, Jin-sang. Heh heh, at this rate, won’t you really become a berserker like Bleks?”

“Noona! Please don’t say such horrible things! That’s crossing the line!”

“He really dislikes Bleks in a strange way.”

“He’s just creepy, I don’t dislike him? I’m even grateful that he’s been helping with training recently.”

“Pfft, and this is the guy who screamed and hated it when I recommended him?”

“Ahem, ahem!”

Growth, Bleks, berserker.

Why.

Today especially.

Strangely.

Those words kept…

Making my heart feel heavy.

“Luna! Good night!”

“Y-yes! G-good night to you too, Jin-sang.”

“Yes!”

After parting ways with Jin-sang, I walked through the living room to my room.

“Why… am I like this?”

It wasn’t really any different from usual.

Rather, I should be happy because many good things happened to Jin-sang.

But in my heart, a heavy feeling kept piling up.

“I-it’s good that J-Jin-sang is g-getting stronger… Our u-ultimate combo is b-becoming more u-ultimate, so why…”

With such questions in mind, I fell asleep.

◈

“J-Jin-saaaaang! Jin-saaaaaaang!”

In the pitch-black darkness, I was running while calling for Jin-sang.

But no matter how much I ran and ran and ran.

I couldn’t catch up to Jin-sang who was ahead of me.

“Jin-saaaang! Waiiiiit! Jin-saaaaaaang! Please! Stop for meeeeee! Jin-saaaaaaaaaang!”

Suddenly Jin-sang stopped and turned to look at me.

“Luna…”

But Jin-sang didn’t have the eyes he usually had when looking at me.

It wasn’t the slightly perverted face that would grin while looking at my chest or buttocks.

It wasn’t the face with shining eyes saying my techniques were amazing.

It wasn’t the face that would smile brightly to comfort me when I was down.

It was a face with the same apology and resignation as the companions who had abandoned and left me.

“J-Jin… sang…”

“I’m sorry. I said I would stay with you… but I can’t anymore.”

“N-no! We c-can! We can stay together! J-Jin-sang and I c-can be the u-ultimate combo…!”

“We can’t.”

“N-no… no…! No…”

“Luna, I realized. I can become stronger on my own without you. I can raise my rank all by myself. I don’t have to restore your stamina at all… look!”

Jin-sang swung his arm, and suddenly light shone in that direction, revealing a pile made up of countless monster corpses.

“These are all monsters I subjugated by myself. Even the King~ Slime~ is no match for me now. And I don’t have my stamina depleted like you, Luna.”

“N-no, no, no…! J-Jin-sang! Jin… sang…!”

Jin-sang shrugged and said.

“Luna, we are not the ultimate combo anymore. I had a different partner to be my ultimate combo.”

At that moment.

“Jinsang.”

Bleks had appeared beside Jin-sang and called his name.

“Ah! Bleks! Luna, let me introduce you. This is Bleks, who is truly suitable as my partner, not Luna, who is a defective product with weak stamina.”

“Ufufu! Oh my, partner? Jin-sang, how.em.bar.rass.ing♡”

“Hahaha, showing such a coy reaction. Such a.cute.ie♡”

“Aiing~♡”

Bleks patted Jin-sang’s shoulder, and.

Jin-sang poked Bleks’ pectoral muscles with the index fingers of both hands.

“J-Jin-sang? S-snap out of it, Jin-sang!”

“I am in my right mind, Luna. From now on, I… Heup!”

Riiiiiiiip!

Jin-sang tensed his body, and.

Jin-sang’s top tore apart, and Jin-sang.

Became a massively muscular figure, and.

Smiled at me, showing shining white teeth.

“From today, I am the ultimate combo berserker with Bleks.”

Sparkle☆

◈

“Nooooooooooooo!!! Jin-saaaaaaaaaaaang!!!”

My body shot up.

“Heok! Heok! Heok! Heok!”

Cold sweat covered my entire body.

My heart was pounding.

My heavy breathing wouldn’t stop.

“Ah, a dream…”

It was the worst nightmare.