Chapter 111

Upon hearing there was an intruder, the first thought that popped into my mind was, “Which big guy thought he could sneak into this place?”

It’s true that most of the facility is empty. Ria chose the schedule and location considering I would be in my swimsuit, so it’s just the two of us ‘playing’ here. Since Ria mentioned this to her ‘uncle,’ it seems highly unlikely anyone from the association would have sent someone while we’re here.

However, it wouldn’t make sense for there to be no one managing this huge facility. Even if the building isn’t being patrolled while we’re having fun, there must be guards keeping an eye on the entrance. They’d likely be patrolling at night too.

The number of people is small, but there are probably CCTV cameras inside, and some security system is likely active. Buildings that are mostly empty for a year are prime spots for suspicious characters to waltz in.

So, upon hearing such news, it’s only natural to wonder, “Who in the world?”

And right after that thought came another—

Was I hearing things?

Perhaps the sounds of the patrolling guards were mistaken for ‘intruder’ noises. There could even be a stray cat wandering inside or maybe a window left open, causing the wind to play tricks on my ears.

“Who was the first to hear something?”

Having changed from my thin, casual sleeping attire into my everyday nun’s outfit, I asked, and a hand cautiously shot up.

Davi.

She was Glaria’s maid.

Hmm.

I don’t really know much about Davi. She didn’t even appear in the original story.

But I doubt she’d be the type to lie. After all, she was the one who somehow saved Glaria in that situation. Moreover, there were frequent mentions in the novel that an elf’s senses are often sharper than those of ordinary humans.

“…It sounded like something was wriggling,” she finally said.

What Davi mentioned seemed a bit off from a normal situation.

“You said ‘intruder,’ right?”

When I repeated her words, Davi shrank back.

She looked far better than when I first saw her, but still maintained a strong air of wariness. Given that her duty was to protect Glaria, it made sense.

And the horrific experiences she had when she first crossed over into this world were no doubt etched deeply in her mind. Those who have faced danger respond sensitively to suspicion and hostility.

Yet, seeing Davi being just a bit ahead of Glaria, it seemed she was also well-aware of her duties. So, it made sense that she reacted to the sound right away.

“I don’t really know what kinds of races humans are aware of. I’ve been studying a bit, but I’ve never encountered a world with so many gates,” she admitted.

Glaria chimed in, replacing Davi in speaking.

“There are demon races with snake-like lower halves. There are so many kinds of monsters that many of them can’t even be categorized into specific races. The beings we classify and name are mostly those that have stubbornly survived and taken root in the earth.”

And such rooted beings tend to possess some characteristics of life. Those kinds of beings can’t survive in overwhelming magic. Just like how creatures on Earth began life in the ocean before eventually stepping onto land.

“So, it could mean it’s a monster after all.”

“Since the nearby area is the sea…”

Hmm.

I looked at Ria.

Ria seemed to shrug her shoulders casually, as if she had already thought of how to resolve this while listening to the story.

“Well, in that case, there’s only one way.”

With a smile, Ria said, “Of course, we need to call in an expert!”

Ria’s perfectly reasonable suggestion made me chuckle and nod along.

*

In stories featuring energetic youth, it’s common for characters to ignore pre-established ‘procedures’ or ‘expertise’ when they’re too young.

They say the less you know, the more you think you know. Or maybe, it’s just that they’re unaware of their own ignorance that leads to such situations.

People charge into dangerous places without telling anyone, end up bruised and bloody, or do things that experts would definitely advise against.

Well, I get it. If the protagonist were a character who listened well, nothing would ever happen in the story. And such stories tend to be pretty boring.

But everyone here is an adult. Most of us may still have some baby fat on our faces, but according to our country’s laws, we are legal adults starting this year. Glaria and Davi might’ve been treated as adults even before that.

And being an adult means you’re responsible for your own actions.

The hardships I faced in Gnome Village or the Dwarf Kingdom were the results of my own choices. There were gains and losses from those experiences.

Moreover, the thing about adults is that they don’t feel the need to take on the responsibility of others.

We called for security. Surprisingly, it turned out there were quite a few people stationed at this facility, and soon the gathered number was nearing thirty. It seemed it had all been happening just outside our immediate view.

Though labeled ‘guard,’ they were all hunters affiliated with the Hunter Association. They simply took on this task at this location.

After all, if any monsters from the sea showed up, someone had to deal with them.

That’s right. Since there are experts present, should we really check this entire massive facility ourselves? Those who’ve worked in this place for years could confirm things much more reliably than we could.

The experts were wandering around with some equipment in hand to assess the situation. I mean, it seemed the building itself was rigged with tons of devices to measure magic levels.

Additionally, several people were out in the sea, measuring magic levels there with devices similar to the hover bike Ria had taken me on.

As things escalated, Davi’s complexion began to pale gradually.

Glaria stole glances at Davi. After all, she was probably the only elf in this world different from her. Though I’d never seen the two conversing openly in a friendly manner, it’s understandable she’d be somewhat concerned.

“Um… Upon checking, I see no abnormalities.”

The guy who looked like the leader among the guards said that.

“I’ll need to investigate further, but for now, it seems this isn’t a monster issue.”

At that, Davi’s face grew even more solemn.

“What about the possibility of it being a person or some other creature?”

Glaria asked.

“That’s something we need to continue to investigate,” the leader nodded and answered.

“For now, we’ll keep verifying the situation as best we can. We’ll also arrange for guards to be stationed in front of your doors.”

“Thank you!”

Ria said politely.

Throughout that exchange, I paid careful attention to Davi, who’d been showing a somewhat flustered expression since the initial no-big-deal comment. By the time Ria expressed her gratitude, she was trembling subtly.

I imagined the scenario: If our country had a princess, and if I were the maid who accidentally woke up the princess’s tranquil slumber in the dead of night—

Honestly, I can’t quite wrap my head around it. Atheists generally believe in the equality of people. I know, in reality, that it’s impossible for everyone to be equal, but it’s just absurd to claim I have some biological advantage over another human. The very concept of superiority stems from an idea created by intelligent beings.

In terms of mere ‘upper hand’ as living beings, it’s surviving. Surviving and leaving offspring.

…I admit, I’m in a somewhat ambiguous position here.

I cautiously approached Davi. Aware of my approach, Davi’s face turned even more pale. No, it was more accurate to say she grew ‘more’ pale.

“Don’t worry too much,” I whispered softly.

“Better safe than sorry, right?”

Honestly, I can’t really scold Davi for being anxious. Given that I’d crawled into real danger under the pretense of a prophecy, how could I ever judge someone based on just a single warning?

…Knowing that there are those who try to take the Saintess for themselves in the original story, having someone looking out for you isn’t such a bad thing after all.

But even so, Davi still seemed to tremble her shoulders at my words.

Glaria looked at Davi with an expression that showed she didn’t know how to reassure her.

Hmm.

While I might not be able to do much right now, I thought with time, just keeping her close would help ease her worries.

Watching the fidgeting Davi, that’s what crossed my mind.

*

In the end, nothing else happened until the next day.

We had planned to return to Seoul a bit late in the afternoon today, so I decided to hit the beach this morning to have some fun.

And to me, Ria said—

“Hey, want to give that another go?”

She asked if I wanted to take another ride on the magic bike.

“…Why would I?”

“I thought you looked scared yesterday. I just want to see that expression on your face more.”

Could she possibly be teasing me for being scared?

I was about to refuse. It was obvious she was saying this just to one-up me, and I wasn’t about to fall for it.

“Why? Are you scared?”

I know that’s a provocation.

Ria said it with a cheerful smile, so—

“…Alright, I guess since I’ve tried it once already, it should be fine this time.”

But honestly, when Ria says something like that, it’s tough to resist.

So I turned back to glare at her as I replied.

I’m not sure why, though.

Could it be that this relationship is following the original plot? Am I being affected by such a storyline as well?

Staring at Ria, who wore a smile like a carnivore eyeing its prey, I found myself deep in contemplation.