“Kuuhh.”
“…Sleep well?”
The hell.
The moment I opened my eyes, Kim Wooju’s annoyingly handsome face was right there, and for a second my heart nearly dropped out of my chest.
Even though he’d just woken up, his face wasn’t swollen at all—if anything, he looked even more delicate and pure. With that hazy gaze of his, he was staring solely at me.
At his gentle whisper, his low voice tickling my ears, I felt an odd flutter, so I answered curtly.
But even to my blunt reply, Kim Wooju leaned closer to my ear and whispered again, as if he thought it was cute.
“Our Aru must’ve slept well. Your eyes are all puffy. Even though it’s morning, your scales are cold—it feels nice. Makes me sleep so well… I wish we could always sleep like this. And also… mmph.”
'…Shut up already.'
From the moment it was morning, he wouldn’t stop mumbling this and that. I slapped my front paw over his mouth.
Was he always this talkative?
In the webtoon, I could’ve sworn he barely spoke except to give orders to his subordinates…
Mostly it was that blank face of his, killing people without a shred of emotion, right?
Seeing him act the complete opposite now… it felt weird.
Was it because of how much he’d suffered, that he changed this much?
“Krhh?”
Then I felt a strange sensation sliding down my paw.
When I looked, despite having his mouth covered, Kim Wooju’s cheeks were flushed and, unbelievably, he was pulling my paw closer, pressing his lips against it like he couldn’t get enough.
The feeling against my paw—those were his lips.
I jolted in shock and tried to pull my paw back, but he held on so tight I couldn’t shake free.
As if even that wasn’t enough, when my paw slipped just slightly out of his grasp, his red lips parted and his tongue flicked out.
N-no way…!
My face went pale.
Right before his tongue could touch my paw, I shot up into the air and barely escaped his grasp.
“Kruhh, kruuuhh kruhh….”
Hah, hah… this bastard really is a pervert, isn’t he?
The hypothesis I’d briefly forgotten last time came rushing back.
Chills raced all over my body.
I knew he wasn’t right in the head, but wasn’t that supposed to be after his corruption? So he was twisted from the sprout, huh?
“…What? Where are you going, Aru…. I was joking…. Come here. I’m hungry. You have to feed me. Yeah?”
When had he been looking at me like he was going to devour me whole? Now his eyes were back to blank again, whining like a child. I stared at him, conflicted.
'…What the hell? Is he a pervert, or… maybe just starved for affection?'
Don’t tell me he sees me as some kind of pet to own?
Neither conclusion sat well with me.
I was deep in thought, grim-faced, when—
Grrrrooowl.
This time the sound came from my stomach, not his.
Now that I thought about it, I had skimped on dinner yesterday while fussing over Kim Wooju.
I rubbed my belly.
He had to be hungry too. Let’s eat first, then worry about it.
I mimed chewing and pointed outside—meaning I was going hunting.
“I’ll go too!”
Kim Wooju shot to his feet.
I shook my head—too dangerous—but he insisted, stubborn as hell.
“Kruhh, kruhh.”
…Fine, do what you want.
I sighed deeply and gave up, flapping my wings as I flew out of the cave.
Naturally, Kim Wooju started following me.
Well, as long as he stayed in my sight, nothing should happen.
After all, I was the Boss of this Dungeon. Nothing here was more dangerous than me.
Seeing him keep up, I relaxed a little and looked around.
What should we have for lunch today?
I wanted to see this scrawny kid fill out soon.
Maybe a boar this time.
Having chosen my target, I soared higher into the sky.
'…There it is!'
From up here the view spread wide.
A herd of rabbits and a group of deer scattered in panic at my presence.
Among them was a fat boar I’d had my eye on.
The way it waddled, plump and full of meat, made my mouth water.
I conjured a fireball with Mana and hurled it, aiming straight for two deer and the boar.
Of course, bullseye.
Shrieks and death-throes rang out as the three beasts collapsed where they stood.
“Aru!”
Kim Wooju dashed in, quick as ever, raising both hands to make a circle above his head.
A sign of hunting success.
Then he casually slung the animals onto his back.
I nodded in satisfaction at the sight.
Let’s go roast them right away.
I’d eat the deer, and Wooju the boar.
Ah, that would hit the spot.
I drooled a little at the thought.
But then—
Something alien, a strange wave of Mana.
I froze, staring toward the portal, my face tightening.
'An intruder!'
Lately, intruders were showing up too often.
I had to check what kind of person it was.
But… Wooju.
When I stopped moving, he tilted his head with that blank look, puzzled.
“Mm? What’s wrong?”
“Kruhh kruuhh. Kruhh.”
“Hurry and go eat? Okay. Sure.”
Haah.
Of course he didn’t understand.
I sighed and grabbed a fallen branch. Like last time, when I’d written my name, I carefully scratched words one by one.
“In-tru-der. Check?”
Yes, that!
I tossed the stick aside and nodded hard.
“You mean an intruder came in and we have to go check? Okay. Let’s go, Aru.”
“…Kruhh.”
Wait—together?
He really had no intention of leaving my side.
What I meant was he should wait while I went alone….
Forget it. Writing that out would take too long.
Fine. I’ll check quick, kick them out, then we’ll eat.
I flew toward where I sensed the intruder.
Wooju, of course, stuck to me like a shadow.
I scanned the area as he followed.
'Should be around here… ah, found him!'
The tall back of a man with a cropped, sporty haircut.
He stood out immediately thanks to his height.
Let’s see who—
“Kruhh?”
Suddenly, Wooju lunged, snatched me up, and without hesitation sprinted the other way, clutching me tight as he dove into the underbrush.
'What the hell! Where are you dragging me?'
I hadn’t even seen the intruder’s face yet!
I thrashed, but the desperate way Wooju ran froze me.
I stopped struggling and looked at his face.
Not the blank mask, not the sly smirk—his face had gone pale, stricken, the clear mark of one emotion: fear.
'…He knows him?'
Who the hell could it be, that just the sight of his back terrified Wooju this much?
I turned my gaze behind us.
Whoever it was, they weren’t ordinary.
Someone dangerous had stepped into my Dungeon.
***
“What was that?”
It felt like someone had been there just now….
Kang Cheon turned his head. Nothing. Only dense trees stretched behind him.
'…Must’ve been my imagination.'
He turned back, scanning the surroundings again.
Not much to see.
After snapping Kim Cheolsu back to his senses, he’d gotten the location of the rift. Lucky for him, the moment he stood up, he’d been swept into it.
Out of three, two had gone insane, and the last one, Kim Cheolsu, wasn’t looking too good either. So he’d expected this Dungeon to be something terrifying.
But it was no different from a normal one.
If anything, quieter than most.
Well, the Dungeon didn’t even show a proper rank. How dangerous could it be?
If it had felt dangerous, he wouldn’t have stepped inside in the first place.