episode_0123

Fortunately, Groots and I didn’t rush towards us or anything. Rather than that, he just left without any interest.

Jules and Julias have a more relaxed expression than Denis and Shir. Thanks to this, it feels quite strange. Isn’t it dangerous?

That’s a young Grootsrang, or something that won’t attack us for some reason…

“Jul, why did Groots leave?”

“He’s slow compared to his size. At most, it’s about Julias. They decided they couldn’t catch us even if they ran.”

“I don’t think I’m slow, right?”

“That guy is big.”

Jules chuckles and puts the dagger he had been storing back in his waistband.

“Concerns are bound to be as profound as intelligence. All kinds of situations come to mind, so I have to be careful in everything I do. Why would something as huge as that be on a tree?”

“······Do you want to jump down and attack your prey?”

Jules shakes his head.

The eyes were on me.

“I felt an aura of disgust. Since it has a power similar to that of the owner of this forest, wouldn’t it be enough to make you curious mixed with wariness? You probably think one of us is a descendant of Lindt.”

I am the one with the disgust. in other words····.

“Me?”

“Okay. You are the safest. He probably doesn’t want to fight with the owner of this forest.”

I feel relieved.

At the same time, questions began to arise.

“But, you said he’s taking revenge?”

“First, we will monitor and find out from afar who the owner of Yeokrin is, and then target Ajin around him. It must be Nana, Julias or Dennis.”

“Can’t Sur be included?”

“The smell coming from Shir has changed a lot recently. Should I say it smells as ferocious as a wild animal? It has an excellent sense of smell and hunts while thinking, so it would be very uncomfortable to attack Shir.”

Shir looked between me and Jule in great confusion, and eventually began to cry.

“Aunt! Do I smell something strange?! Sihyeon! Do I smell?!”

“I don’t know.”

I’m not a hosot, so why are you asking me that?

“I’m not saying it’s nasty. It smells foreign. A majestic and ferocious smell. It’s a smell that boys would like.”

After Jules explained further, the tears subsided.

It’s amazing. When the internal muscle structure changes, body odor also changes, right?

Shir looked at me and tilted his head.

“····You mean it’s good?”

“Okay. It got better.”

When I saw Shir’s smiling face, I felt dizzy.

This is because the tension disappeared after hearing Jules’ awkward encouragement and laughter.

Just like that, the night in the Black Forest began to arrive.

*

Thanks to the power of Yeokrin, the crossing was not difficult.

Sometimes, when the bushes rustled, it was most likely the sound of people running away.

How long did it take to walk like that?

“I can smell cockatrice blood from ahead. It looks like it was eaten, but something is strange.”

It was the calm before the storm…!

Shir holds the crossbow.

Dennis put an arrow on the bowstring and began to look around with fierce eyes.

“····Is there a Grootsrang around?”

” Well, I think it’s a trap. To make the smell spread far away, they crushed the smelly digestive organs. The organ smells so bad that I can’t smell anything else thanks to it.”

····You crushed my internal organs?

It’s like spreading groundbait before catching a fish.

“Are you saying they used the intestines of a cockatrice as bait?”

“Okay. It might be digging in the ground and sticking its nose out, or it might be up on a tree like before. Detour····.”

“Let’s go catch it!”

Jules’ expression frowned, and in contrast, Julia’s expression brightened.

“Julias. Don’t be weird. That guy’s nose is faster than Lamia’s. There’s even poison. If you get bitten, you have no choice but to die.”

Julia gently shook the leather canteen on her waist.

“There is still a panacea left. And····.”

Something drips from Julia’s fingernails.

Soon it was melting away, staining the ground black.

Chi-ik!

“If he smells the poison of Lindt, he won’t be able to act rashly. Because he’s a guy who thinks a lot. There is an aura of disgust───.”

“That is an act of abusing injustice. If you do that, you’ll see the ruler of the mangrove forest angry?”

When Juul interrupts Yulias, Yulias looks at Juul with a shocked expression. Julias is also a person who has seen a root snake in person.

I became much more cautious when dealing with dragons than when I first passed through this forest.

“What…Wouldn’t it be okay if you just go to Shiru with me?”

“It’s a dangerous action. There is no need to fall into the trap he set. Anyway, he will attack us somehow before we leave the forest.”

Julias seemed to be following Jules’ words.

Juul, who works in the field, knows more about the ecology of animals. By the way, I heard that it was receiving poison from the Lindtwort, so I wondered where it was put, and it seems that it ate it itself.

‘How can I eat dragon poison?’

Looking at the melted ground, it looks like it’s a very strong poison. Don’t you think the poison sacs will burn up?

“If he gets behind us, I will be the one attacked. At least tonight.”

The weapon was broken, so where did my confidence come from?

Julia shrugs with a sulky expression and turns away.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

*

As a result, Juul’s prediction was wrong.

Although we were almost halfway through the Black Forest, Groots had not yet appeared.

Thanks to this, a strange thing happened that made me keep watch during the day.

Above the forest, the leaves shining through the sunlight shine light green like emeralds, and the further down they go, the darker they become.

Thanks to this, it feels like looking at the sky from a deep hole.

Shir is sleeping against me. The body I was leaning on felt heavier than before.

‘It used to be such a scary forest, but now it’s comfortable.’

Just by being seen, perception changes like this.

That’s not the only thing. Because what I hated in the first place were guys with lots of legs. Thanks to this, I quite liked this villain.

So much so that I don’t like the idea of having to return the favor.

When I touch the back of the necklace, I feel the ugly finger bones as well.

I roughly shake off my hands…

─I came to take back the curse.

“······Ugh!”

A strange, unintentional scream escaped my throat.

Shir, who slipped, rubs his eyes.

“Umm······ Heeuuuu──?!”

It let out a similar scream.

This is because in front of me stood a Lintbell bigger than Grootsrang. It wasn’t some kind of bat-man, and I didn’t even notice it coming. How can someone that big move so quietly?

The cockatrice opened its eyes wide and pretended to be dead.

Shir was also looking up at Lindt with his big eyes wide open. I got angry for no reason.

“····Can you please pretend to be popular?”

─I thought he knew I was there because he put his hand on Yeokrin.

As I held out the bottle to Lindberg, a huge hand approached me. Lindtrum took over the leather pouch and looked through it. It was as if the inside could be seen.

─You didn’t manage to exploit it.

How did you determine that?

Well, it doesn’t matter what happens. Because it’s out of my hands now. Lindt’s huge hand crushed the leather pouch.

Break it!

The sound of something breaking inside the leather pouch can be heard without filtering. Lindtrum, who had been working on the leather pouch a few times, dropped it as if he was not interested.

─Now it can only be used as a medicine to repel flying insects. You take that.

what?!!

“····Thank you!”

Lindwurm glanced at Shir.

But even for a moment. Lindberg began walking toward the forest with quiet steps like a cat.

Because Jules was sleeping. It’s hard to believe that this is a dragon that treated Juul so coldly.

Shir couldn’t take his eyes off the place Lindwurm had left.

By the way, it’s a mosquito-repelling medicine! In the first place, I never thought of Yeoklin as anything more than a way to ward off mosquitoes. I tidied up the torn leather pouch by tying it back to the necklace.

Sur was slightly surprised───.

“Did you see it?”

Shir is smiling brightly.

“What?”

“····My aunt said that the vibe I was giving off had changed…! That’s why it looks at me like that because it works on even an ancient dragon! Right?!”

You weren’t surprised…?

I sigh for no reason at the kid-like eccentricity.

“I don’t know.”

*

After that, I spent some time roughly adjusting to the chattering Shir.

Lindt’s theory was that it had no effect beyond repelling insects. In other words, it means that your energy has weakened, and this is a variable.

“Jul. wake up. Now it’s time to leave.”

“···· Yes. What is it… What is the smell of Lindt…”

Jules head comes closer to my chest, sniffling.

Why are you sticking your head into someone else’s chest?! I pushed away the approaching head.

“I came to get the yeokrin back. But when he said he would get it back, he ground it into powder and gave it back to me. They said there is no longer any benefit other than to repel bugs.”

Jules lifted his head at my explanation and let out a laugh.

“Ugh. That scrawny old man…”

Jules grabbed my shoulder and used it as a support to stand up.

“It might not attack us until we leave the Black Forest.”

“They won’t attack you?”

“Grootsrang has a better nose than Hosott. Since the direct scent of Lindt’s body remains on your leather pouch, he will be even more wary of you.”

“····Wasn’t it all because of disgust?”

“There are many different smells, and a particularly strong smell coming from one place is considered a type of territory marking. I’ll wait for the others. Let’s go out.”

Jules walked out of the mud house first, shaking off the dirt, and I quietly followed behind. After hearing the explanation about the Lindt call, Julias frowned.

In contrast, Dennis seemed relieved and at ease.

“Aunt! So when I looked into Lindt’s eyes, he looked into my eyes!”

“If you ever encounter another dragon, don’t do it. Since it was an old dragon, I didn’t think much of it. If it had been a young dragon, I might have died.”

Shir’s expression turned awkwardly at Jules’ warning.

This guy was glaring at Lindt without me knowing! Somehow, he glanced at Shir!

“Ah~ I really wanted to catch you… Juyul, how about leaving Sihyeon behind? Then with Groots───.”

“Do you want to die?”

Jules frowns at Julias’ joke.

A mischievous smile is in full bloom on his face. I just want to pick on you for no reason.

“Julias… Are you going to abandon me…?”

“I want to do that, but I don’t think I can because of Juul.”

“······.”

It worked well for Jules, but not for Julias.

Julia started to move ahead with a sigh. Dennis is stroking the crest of a particularly affectionate cockatrice with a faint smile on his face.

After packing up my belongings, I lit the torch and stood at the head of the group. Although I was in the lead from the beginning, it was because I was confident that Grootslang would not attack me.

“Lee, I can’t see well in the light, so can you come out the back?”

“Ah… Yes.”

“Thank you.”

Just like yesterday, I started crossing the Black Forest after standing behind Dennis.

After today, this boring forest will be goodbye. The long journey that lasted more than half a year is coming to an end.

The last one is always the hardest.

Perhaps because of that, the faces of the group were bright but at the same time stained with extreme fatigue. Even though he doesn’t say it, he has become that much more sensitive───.

“Stop. I can feel the presence of Groots in the ground.”

The footsteps stopped almost simultaneously.

“In the ground?”

“Yes. I’m sure it’s lurking somewhere with its nose sticking out with its pores dug out. I can’t find the exact location. They may attack if they get close, so please look around.”

What are the limits of this animal?

A creature the size of an elephant digs, moves across the ground, and climbs trees. I think I understand why there are so few survivors who have seen Grootslang.

That’s because he doesn’t show up at all.

“Ah, what do you find difficult?”

When Julias touches the ground, he sees something writhing beneath the ground. Like a mole, it began to crawl around on the ground around it, and soon dirt was flying in all directions in the darkness ahead.

Passsuk!

Boom──!

Something is pounding beyond the darkness.

He’s coming!

I threw the torch towards the place where the noise came from.

At the same time, the bow was picked up, and Shir held the heavy crossbow. Now, I pull back and fire back─── There is no one anywhere.

The sound of footsteps moving away in real time from afar makes me lose heart.

He just ran away.

why?

I know it helps to be cautious, but isn’t that too timid? Or is it right to run away like that, assuming we are being prudent? In some ways, this is along the same lines as the sniper’s location being discovered.

It’s strange that I discovered this in the first place.

“Did Julia kick you out?”

“No? I was just looking around with magic, and I felt something catching… so I patted it here and there to find out.”

While you are tense with the intention of attacking someone, something unknown is scanning your hidden body?

····It’s worth giving goosebumps.

“If you do something like that, of course you will run away.”

“No. Since the leather is so thick, it is normal not to feel even a small amount of pressure. Just, that…”

Julias smiled sheepishly and looked at me.

“It was a male.”

Did you look through my cheeks?!

“You really are a crazy bitch.”

Jules laughed as if it was absurd.

I now understand the sound of those heavy footsteps. The guy who got scared and ran away didn’t chase after the group anymore.

While the peaceful crossing continued, as the blue light of early dawn began to fall, Shir began to look anxious, like the face of a child who had not received a gift.

“······Master. What about the cross section of Groots’ nose?”

Julias stiffened at the earnest expression on Shir’s face.

“Wouldn’t they attack us again…?”

“I just hope no one messes with it.”

When Juul glances at Yulias with a sneer, Shir’s eyes turn to Juul.

“Where is it?”

Jules’ face stiffened at Shir’s sudden question.

“Huh?”

“Where is it?”

“······It’s Groots’ weakness. The skin is thinner than other places and there are important organs, so it is a sensitive area.”

A mischievous feeling arises.

I frowned and looked up at Jules.

“Even such a monster has a weakness, right? I didn’t think there would be anything like that.”

Jules shakes his head.

“Of course it is. No matter how flawless it may seem, all living things have weaknesses.”

····I thought the lies were very believable.