The situation was awkward, with only my head peeking through the bushes.

Having just shown my anger, it felt odd to simply come out, and yet, it was strange to hide again while being partially visible.

Staying still as a rock in my spot, a girl approached from behind.

“Gyeoul, what are you doing there?”

“I-I-thought a goblin was coming, so I was hiding…”

Immediately after speaking, I regretted it.

Hiding in such a foolish pose.

I deserved to be treated like a chicken that only hides its head.

“I see…”

Was my answer that funny?

Her voice sounded unusually cautious.

With only grass in sight, I couldn’t even imagine the expression on her face.

Whatever it was, she must have been thinking very poorly of me.

As I sighed silently in the bushes, the girl poked my lower back.

“Eek!”

Startled by the sudden touch, my tail shot up straight.

Slap!

It sounded like my tail had struck the girl’s skin.

Though it wasn’t intentional, the fact that I had hit her made me urgently crawl out of the bushes.

However, she just started talking to me as if nothing happened.

“Hey Gyeoul.”

“Yes-?!”

“I have something I want to say to you, Gyeoul. Can you listen for a moment?”

What was she going to say with such a serious tone?

I just swallowed hard and nodded.

“First, I really want to apologize to you, Gyeoul.”

“Apologize?”

“Yes. I’ve been truly sorry until now.”

Swish

The girl bowed deeply to me.

Her apology was so perfect and textbook-like, her hand resting above her belly button.

Why was she suddenly apologizing to me?

I instinctively took a defensive stance in this strange, more bizarre than bullying situation.

“What is it…?”

“Just as I said. I originally planned to apologize as soon as Gyeoul woke up, but I missed the timing because it was so chaotic. My head isn’t the best, you see, I’ve spent my life just swinging a sword.”

Missed the timing to apologize?

What did that even mean?

I widened my eyes, unable to understand the witch’s intentions.

“Why are you apologizing to me…?”

“I didn’t know until recently that Gyeoul’s body had no mana.”

“That’s…”

Hiding my mana-less state was my own doing.

There was no reason for the girl to apologize for that.

Unless it was an apology for modifying my body.

My distrust towards the girl only grew in this puzzling situation.

“Without knowing what situation Gyeoul was in, I foolishly judged you for not being able to catch a horned rabbit. If I didn’t have mana, I wouldn’t have been able to catch even an ant, let alone a horned rabbit.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I’m truly sorry. I’ll formally apologize.”

Swish

Once again, the girl bowed deeply.

Despite her seemingly genuine demeanor, I couldn’t let go of my suspicion.

The lack of explanation about my changed body was the issue.

“I understand you’re sorry, but why did you change my body like this…?”

“Your body, Gyeoul…”

The girl started to speak but then stopped in her tracks.

After a moment of thought, she continued.

“Your body had no mana, so potions and healing magic didn’t work. That’s why we had to change it to a body with mana.”

“What…?”

My body has mana?

Surprised, I looked down at my palms but couldn’t perceive any changes, as I didn’t understand the concept of mana.

I fiddled with my fingers for a while before looking up at the girl.

“I don’t have mana.”

“No, you definitely do. Haven’t you noticed a higher accuracy while hunting? Or more sensitive senses?”

“Yes. My body is very sensitive.”

“Right. That’s all because of the mana. It enhances your physical abilities whenever you need it.”

So, the sensitivity of my body was due to the assistance of mana.

Indeed, my physical abilities were on a completely different level compared to when I had no mana.

‘Was she really helping me?’

I reflected on the past few days spent with the girl.

Indeed, she hadn’t laid a hand on me or said anything cruel.

It all just felt like she was beating around the bush.

‘Really…?’

I was dumbfounded.

If what she said was true, then everything she had done for me was genuine kindness.

Life had been so harsh that I might have grown too distrustful of people.

“Is it easy to fix a body without mana…?”

“Hmm… it wasn’t easy. You’re the first person I’ve seen born without mana.”

That made sense.

It wouldn’t be common for someone from a mana-less world to travel to another dimension.

My curiosity was how she managed to fix the first case like mine.

“How did you manage to fix it if it wasn’t easy?”

“That, that is…”

The girl stumbled over her words.

She even avoided my gaze.

Was she hiding something?

In the moment of suspicion, the girl suddenly pointed beyond the bushes.

“Ah! A goblin!”

“A goblin!”

Did it come because of the noise?

Focused on the conversation, I had neglected my surroundings.

Instinctively, I hid behind the girl.

It seemed the conversation would have to wait.