*Siwoo POV

“It’s quite a sight.”

“So this is the front line…”

Looking around, a completely different landscape from a moment ago unfolded before us.

While the atmosphere was slightly rigid due to security, it was a place where people lived, quite unlike the quarters.

The buildings that would have soared high into the sky were now skeletal remains covered in dust and dirt.

The city that would have shone brightly in various colors now looked dull and gray, as if witnessing the end of the world.

“Surprised, cuties?”

“Of course, we’d be surprised to see this… It’s as if…”

“The city you lived in was destroyed?”

“Yes.”

I know that’s not entirely true.

While many buildings have collapsed here and there, some remain standing, not yet felled.

Brushing away the dust obscuring the letters, I saw an advertisement slogan.

An ordinary event slogan, except for the date being hundreds of years ago.

If the architectural style differed, could I have accepted it as a story from a novel or movie?

I’m not sure, but I thought it would at least be less shocking than it is now.

The sight of skyscrapers that once soared towards the sky now bent and broken felt like the city I lived in until a few days ago had transformed like this.

“Everyone feels that way at first. But soon, you’ll realize with your own bodies that this place is different from where you lived.”

“Huh? What do you…”

“I’ll head back to the main force. You can handle searching the area, right? I’ll be watching to see the juniors’ skills.”

“Wait a minute!”

I tried to stop the woman who was hugging and rubbing against me during the meeting from leaving us.

However, she kept walking as if she had nothing more to say.

“Different?”

“Ugh, why is she trying to scare us like that? Creepy.”

Hearing the unbelievable, I turned my head.

Perhaps noticing my expression, Amelia looked at me with a sulky face.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“So there are things you’re scared of.”

“You! How exactly do you see me, Siwoo?! Of course there are scary things!”

No, I thought you were someone with nothing to fear, given how you act with your father…

“Excuse me, Siwoo. No matter how close you are to a woman…”

“Woman? You??”

“Hey?!”

“…”

I turned my head slightly at Dorothy’s dumbfounded gaze.

It hadn’t even been ten seconds since I started talking before I insulted her.

But I hope she understands.

See Amelia as a woman? I absolutely can’t do that.

I’d sooner call a mannequin feminine.

“Do you sense anything with your Intuition right now?”

“No, not yet. Nothing in particular.”

Arte, who seemed to be in a good mood for some reason, asked me.

What’s this?

She clearly ruminated after talking about something unknown with the Commander.

Was it nothing important?

I was planning to properly ask later, thinking she might have heard something bad.

Fortunately, she seemed fine.

Or so I thought, until the moment I felt a sudden sensation and spoke in a voice that sounded urgent even to my own ears.

“Everyone, get down!”

“?!”

Swish!

A sharp-looking thorn that narrowly passed over our heads got stuck in the wall of a building barely maintaining its shape.

The building on the verge of collapse naturally couldn’t withstand that level of impact.

With a huge roar, the building began to crumble, spewing out dust and dirt.

“What the heck is this now?”

Amelia muttered in disbelief.

What would have happened if they hadn’t listened to me?

Seeing that scene, Dorothy’s face turned pale as if that thought occurred to her.

“Wha- what?!”

“Where did it come from?”

“There, behind the statue on that building.”

“Got it.”

As expected of Arte.

She skillfully untied the thread on her gloves and accurately shot the thread at the location I specified, smiling.

“Caught you, you vile thing.”

As if playing tug-of-war, Arte lowered her stance.

I marveled briefly at her ability to support her body with a single thin thread.

In the distance, something black began to be dragged over.

“Kieeeek!”

“Die!”

And as soon as its location was exposed, Amelia quickly approached and struck its head down with her spear, ending it.

It was an absurd death, unlike the sharp surprise attack.

“A spider?”

“No, is it really a spider?”

“But it looks like a spider.”

Perhaps thinking everything was over, the three began discussing what exactly the creature that ambushed us was.

It certainly looked like a spider to anyone…

But to call it a spider, it was large and had sharp thorns on its back.

“I guess this is what it shot?”

“Probably. Hmm, it has a unique appearance.”

“It looks sharp. Could it be used as a spear?”

“I don’t really want to use something so gross as a weapon…”

“As long as it works, it doesn’t matter if it’s gross.”

Seeing them quickly regain their senses and converse despite the shock, they really aren’t ordinary people.

Still, now wasn’t the time to have this conversation.

“Get ready, guys. There’s more to come.”

“Eh? More?”

“The building.”

“…Ah, damn it.”

It was good that we dodged, but the problem was that the thorn happened to hit a building that was about to collapse.

That building crumbled with a tremendous noise that would have reverberated through the surroundings.

It’s no surprise animals fled out of it.

“They came quickly.”

“Wow, how many are there?”

“Who knows… Looks like quite a lot.”

But these things aren’t ordinary animals.

I didn’t think they would run away from this noise.

As if proving that thought wasn’t wrong, numerous enlarged animals slowly walked towards us.

They look hideous.

“Monsters are monsters indeed… Ugh, I won’t be able to eat meat for a while.”

“You? Really??”

“I’m really curious, Siwoo. What kind of person am I in your head?”

“Enough. Get ready. Looks like it’s about to start.”

“I’m seriously not letting you off later…”

***

“Arte, at three o’clock!”

“Don’t worry.”

“Hey, Amelia! That’s enough! Get out quickly! It’s dangerous!”

“I’m still going strong?!”

“Stop talking nonsense and get out! Hurry!”

“Ugh, damn it! Fine!”

“Dorothy!”

“I’m retaking the buffs! Who should I give it to next?!”

“To Arte!”

Lionel let out an exclamation at the sight before his eyes.

They’re handling it much better than he thought.

“How is it?”

“Amazing. That’s my daughter for you.”

“I didn’t come here to hear you brag about your daughter.”

“Oh, you already know, so why are you asking?”

“Anyway… These kids are a problem because they don’t even bother answering. Ugh, kids these days…”

“Kids these days, you say. We’re just too old. Those are the kids these days.”

Lionel couldn’t take his eyes off his daughter.

The daughter he felt sorry for not being able to stay with for long since childhood.

The child who was like a sore thumb had already grown up so much.

Just as she used to tease him and run away, she moved nimbly among the monsters, drawing their attention as much as possible.

When they tried to ignore her, she annoyingly poked them with her spear, an admirable and irksome sight.

He’s somehow empathizing with the monsters.

Is it because he used to be on the receiving end?

“Don’t think anything weird.”

“Hehe… Well, it’s amazing. Even if we don’t go, those kids can handle it on their own, right?”

“Hmm.”

“Considering how he immediately noticed the surprise attack and located the monster’s position, his tracking ability seems sufficiently proven.”

“Good. That’s enough.”

“Yes. Let’s go, guys! We’ve seen enough of the juniors’ skills!”

Amelia, who looks much more like her mother than Lionel, was sweating as she moved, looking so admirable.

He continued to watch his daughter until the surrounding situation was completely resolved.

***

“Hmm.”

Not yet. It’s not time yet.

The Reader’s emotions haven’t been stirred. This much isn’t enough.

Surely, this battle will make her a bit closer to the Protagonist, but it’s clear that the emotion couldn’t be called love.

Her pounding heart is merely due to the battle.

The feelings of love haven’t sprouted enough yet.

No, saying they haven’t sprouted is a lie.

They have sprouted but are being ignored.

Lying to one’s own feelings.

“Just a bit, a tiny bit more…”

But just a tiny bit.

Just take a few more steps.

Because she can feel the Reader’s heartbeat quickening when she looks at the Protagonist.

She just hasn’t realized it yet herself. Her emotions, just a little bit more.

The moment they’re stimulated even a tiny bit, there will be no way to back down.

The pure girl stared intently at the world, openly showing her excitement as she eagerly awaited that moment.