episode_0040

“Did I hear that right?”

Mahana blinked her eyes and hesitantly asked again.

“Wh-where are you planning to sleep?”

Yuseha, upon hearing the question, tilted his head in confusion.

‘Why is he reacting like that? Did I say something wrong?’ Mahana thought to herself and casually replied, “I was planning to take a nap at the PC bang.”

“…”

Mahana’s mouth fell open in shock.

H-He’s really planning to stay overnight?

‘No way.’

Yuseha.

One of the most handsome men Mahana has ever seen in her life.

Moreover, now an adult with a delicate and pure physique.

Surely, he would be lured by some bad older girls and end up doing something regrettable.

This is an inevitable fact.

‘N-No! Absolutely not!!’

Mahana had her reasons for this thought.

Whenever she walked with Yuseha in the guild, numerous female hunters would always glance at him with interest.

Not just a glance, but a thorough look from head to toe.

Some even licked their lips.

Every time that happened, Mahana would switch positions with him and shield him from all the stares.

‘I’m glad I’m by his side.’

Yuseha might find it absurd, but at least in Mahana’s eyes, he was too defenseless.

Moreover, as a valuable comrade and benefactor, the thought of him staying overnight was unacceptable!

She could not allow it.

Therefore, a ‘courage’ that she would never have under normal circumstances suddenly emerged from her heart.

She approached him with determination.

Swiftly! She grabbed his hand.

“Hey, Meow?”

“Let’s go to sleep!”

“…Huh?”

“Tonight, at our house…”

Go to sleep!

* * *

“Excuse me.”

Yuseha finished his formal greeting and stepped into Mahana’s house.

Oh, this is…

‘…overwhelming.’

The corner of the room looked so different from a week ago that he wondered if he had visited the right place.

The neatly cleaned space, with all the suspicious ingredients gone, gave the impression of a place where people lived.

Especially impressive were the properly functioning water and electricity.

‘…Wow!’

He was touched by the warm water coming out of the sink.

Knowing that Meow was taking care of her basic needs brought tears of joy to his eyes as a guardian.

But still, it was not enough.

Cleanliness also meant emptiness in another sense.

Old furniture…

There wasn’t even a common vanity table that a woman would naturally have.

There were only a few pieces of clothing that the kind nun had picked out.

‘Alright, I’ve made up my mind.’

His determination flared up again.

To earn a lot of money for our Meow.

And to buy a building for the characters that would come in the future.

‘The best room among them will be Meow’s.’

He knew all the furniture and equipment she would like.

Starting with a cat tower.

Next is a cat wheel.

Oh, and I should also buy a soft special material paper box.

Her baking bread and fluffy appearance in that place was his favorite, enough to set it as his phone wallpaper.

*

Meanwhile, as Yuseha indulged in his fantasies mixed with affection and perversion.

Mahana swallowed hard, feeling a lump in her throat.

‘…Huh.’

Huh, um, huh?

Am I, am I…

‘Did I…do something…ridiculous?’

Yes.

As Mahana boldly welcomed Yuseha into her sanctuary, she suddenly realized the reality of the situation.

The realization that they were in a confined space of only one room, excluding the bathroom and balcony, paralyzed her senses.

Being with a man from outside.

Of course, it’s not a stranger.

He’s a precious benefactor.

Putting your life on the line, it is a dream that is not at all regrettable and is like hope itself.

However, when it comes to matters between a man and a woman, the story takes a different turn.

“J-just calm down. This, this isn’t the first time, right?”

Him visiting the house.

It happened just a few weeks ago.

But back then, it was during the day, and he quickly left.

So the situation is completely different now.

He’s actually going to sleep at the house.

There is only one bed here in Mahana’s possession.

“Sh-sharing a bed?!”

A 19-year-old adult sharing a bed, sharing a bed, sharing a bed?!

“M-mew, mew, mew!”

Even though Mahana now looks like a middle schooler, she is a respectable(?) woman who knows a thing or two.

Of course, exactly how to…

She doesn’t really know…

She once looked it up on the internet and immediately closed it when she saw a picture of people cuddling.

So she doesn’t know exactly what they do…

But, well, she has a rough idea.

So, she was aware that there was a high probability that the two of them being together would lead to that kind of atmosphere.

“M-mew…m-meow…”

As Mahana’s imagination unfolds(?), steam rises above her head.

And then, Yuseha’s hand reaches out over her shoulder.

“Are you okay, meow?”

“Mew?!”

Thump thump―!

“Y-Yuseha’s hand…is it this big?”

Of course it would be big.

Because he’s a man, and a prosecutor.

Oh, she knows that.

Mahana turns her head with great effort and nervously responds.

“I-I’m fine…”

“Uh, can I take a shower first?”

“Yeah! Just, just make sure to pay the water bill…and have warm water.”

“Okay, got it.”

A little while later.

Yuseha borrowed some clothes that Mahana’s late father used to wear and went into the bathroom first.

“……”

Mahana glanced at the bathroom for a moment.

She quickly turned her head when she saw him taking off his shirt behind the opaque door.

“M-mew…”

Then her eyes met a photo on the shelf.

It was a picture of her father and her from her childhood.

“Would…would Dad faint if he saw this?”

No, probably not.

He might even be happy that his daughter has made a precious friend.

Mahana carefully covered the photo with her fingers.

“Sorry, Dad.”

But don’t misunderstand.

They’re just party members staying together.

Clunk.

About 5 minutes later, Yuseha opened the door and came out.

Does he always take a bath that quickly?

Mahana, who was curious, blushed again when she saw him.

His wet black hair like obsidian, eyes with a unique shade of purple, a prominent nose.

A subtle blush from the heat of the water. And his appearance, shining even more after being cleaned.

Even though he was covered in sweat and dust in the dungeon, his appearance was eye-catching, and now, completely clean, he looked almost unfair.

“M-mew? I’ve cleaned up everything. You can go take a bath now.”

“M…meow.”

“…?”

Of course, Mahana didn’t know that Yuseha, who had just finished a military-style 3-minute bath, was wondering, ‘Why is she like this?’

*

“…Phew.”

30 minutes later.

Mahana, who had relaxed in the bathtub, came out cautiously.

Huh? It’s quieter and darker than I thought.

“I thought he would be watching TV.”

As she looked around, she noticed Yuseha was sleeping soundly on the floor next to the bed.

He seemed to be tired without realizing it, covering himself with the pillow and blanket she had prepared.

“Of course.”

It was all the result of his efforts for her over the past few days.

Gratitude and apology.

Filled with various emotions, Mahana slowly approached him and sat down next to him.

She watched him for a while.

Unconsciously, a smile formed on her face.

‘…Is this what it feels like when Seha looks at me?’

A feeling that is hard to put into words… a warm sensation.

‘…Looking back, it really feels like a dream.’

One day, he appeared like a comet and saved her.

He believed in her dreams.

Encouraging her that she could do it, he held her hand and led her.

Mahana raised her hand to her chest.

And slowly closed her eyes.

Deep inside…

She felt a burning sensation of something unknown.

Faith, determination, resolve, nobility, and so on.

A feeling that is hard to define once again fills her entire body.

‘…Father told me.’

That someday, a master who she could trust and follow would come.

And that the one who found it would shine brighter than anyone else.

‘…Yes, that’s right. Dad.’

I feel like I found it.

Yes, that seems to be the case now.

Mahana slowly bowed her head towards Yuseha.

And whispered softly so as not to wake him.

“I swear.”

I will be the shield that protects you wherever and whenever.

“Even if this body breaks.”

“…Is that a happy thing?”

“Eek?!”

Mahana fell back in surprise.

Yuseha, who seemed to be pretending to sleep, laughed softly and got up.

“Did, did, did you… not sleep?”

“No, I just woke up.”

“Liar!”

“Hehehe…”

After laughing for a while, he slowly raised his hand above her head.

“Thank you for believing in me. So, I promise too.”

“Eek?”

“I will never betray you.”

“……”

She couldn’t say anything for a moment.

It was a strange feeling.

While Seha was looking at her.

What should she say?

Why couldn’t she say a word?

‘……Ah.’

Then she soon realizes.

That’s right.

Until now…

She was afraid.

‘…I was scared.’

As much as she was happy, worries also came.

Unhappiness that she tried hard not to care about.

Afraid that he might abandon her.

Leave her.

Return to her pitiful self as before, and so on.

All those worries combined into fear.

Yuseha, who saw through it, said.

I will never… abandon you.

Mahana forced back the rising tears.

Yes, now…

‘As much as I’m happy, I don’t cry because…’

I wanted to smile.

Raising her head, Mahana smiled brightly, holding the happiest smile in the world.

“……Yes!”

* * *

A few days later.

In the underground arcade.

The long-awaited final day of training.

“……Hoo.”

Mahana pulled the zipper of her workout top up to her neck.

She tied the headband she had brought from her waist to her forehead.

The headband with the words ‘Victory! Abandon yourself!’ shone brightly.

Behind her, dozens of people had gathered as if they had been waiting for this day.

All of them, knowingly or unknowingly, had gathered to cheer her on, captivated by Mahana’s dance and passion.

“Cheer up, furball!”

“Let’s go!”

Encouraged by her comrades(?), Mahana gained strength, and a screen appeared in front of her saying ‘READY? 3, 2, 1. GO!’

The panels, modified for real combat rather than practice, flew at a rapid pace.

But Mahana was not flustered.

Her body, honed through sweaty practice, had reached a level where it followed without her having to think.

Before she knew it, her arms and legs began to follow the image of the woman on the screen.

“Good, that’s it! Meow, you can do it!”

Yuseha, who was watching, shouted loudly.

In her hands were two fluorescent cat cheer sticks shining brightly.

At the same time, there was another voice cheering loudly.

―Our Meow. Fight on!!!

It was Im Hyeja.

More precisely, it was Im Hyeja appearing briefly on the speakerphone.

Like Yuseha, she held a cheer stick and waved it around wildly inside the store.

“Mew, mew, mew!”

Continuing the highly anticipated 30-minute zero-to-hero.

Mahana, with a rising sense of pride, presses down firmly and starts to perfectly follow along.

Before she knew it, the cheers spread like a contagious disease, heating up the atmosphere.

Finally, at the message ‘Perfect! 100%! Congratulations!’, everyone cheered loudly.

“Congratulations!”

“Congratulations!”

“Mew, mew…”

Mahana, feeling her legs give out, hesitated to sit down.

She nodded her head towards the supporting girl.

“Congratulations, Meonyang. With this, the preparation is complete.”

“…Finally.”

“Yes.”

3★ Promotion.

It’s time to take the final test.