Translator: Nox
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: A Conversation Partner
A Conversation Partner
A monster with intelligence equal to a human.
The round, orb-shaped monster groaned as it opened its eyes.
The first thing it saw was a house made of wood. There was also a young girl sitting beside it.
How did this happen? Wasn’t I dead? The monster blinked in confusion, and its eyes met Kim Nari’s.
“Mister! It opened its eyes.”
“Yeah? Then try giving it some water.”
“Got it.”
Kim Nari tilted a prepared cup of water toward the monster’s mouth.
—S-Stop it, you cruel beings!
Startled, the monster flailed its tiny chick-like wings in refusal.
—If there are humans in the Demon Realm, it’s obvious. You’re Hunters, aren’t you? What are you trying to feed me?!
It pushed the cup away with all its might. But as the water touched its lips, its body reacted instinctively and began to swallow.
—Ah… No… Hrrrk… It’s actually… refreshing.
Gulp. Gulp. Its throat moved on its own, swallowing the water. Kim Nari beamed as she watched.
“Mister, it’s cooing like a pigeon.”
“Pigeon?”
“The sound it makes is like ‘guu-guu’. Just like a pigeon.”
Cheon Dowoon didn’t say anything. While it sounded like a pigeon to Kim Nari, it sounded entirely different to him.
—What’s your intention in bringing me here?
Human language.
—Why didn’t you kill me? Planning to sell me alive?
It definitely sounded like a pigeon, but the meaning came through in Cheon Dowoon’s mind as if auto-translated.
‘I’ve never experienced this before. Could it be… this is one of those intelligent monsters I’ve only heard rumors about? Hunters talk about them like urban legends…’
Even in seventy years of coming and going through the Demon Realm, Cheon Dowoon had never encountered one before.
‘It seems like Kim Nari can’t hear its voice. Only I can… maybe I have some of its species’ cells mixed in?’
Just like how the mandragoras recognized him as kin. That was the only plausible explanation.
“Mister, look. It’s drinking the water I gave it. Should I give it more?”
“Go ahead.”
Kim Nari tilted the cup again.
The monster turned its head firmly. It couldn’t just drink unknown water without suspicion.
—Move it away! I won’t dri—Hrkk… Refreshing again.
Gulp, gulp. Deprived of even water for months, its body responded honestly.
Refreshed, the monster looked around with clearer eyes.
Its gaze stopped at Cheon Dowoon. Startled to recognize him, it flinched.
—Y-You… You’re that guy from before.
The one who skinned it. The one who said, “Let’s meet again if fate allows.”
He was right in front of it.
It knew it owed its life to him. But seeing him wearing its fur made its body instinctively shrink.
—D-Don’t tell me… you brought me back to take the rest of my hide?! Ugh. Enough with the water… Hrngh… Refreshing again…
The water Kim Nari poured was like a blessing from heaven. Its soft fur puffed up in contentment.
“Mister, why is it acting like that? Like a pufferfish. Did I give it too much water?”
“No, it’s just happy. Give it some more.”
Still unsure, Kim Nari tilted the cup again. As the water poured into its mouth, its chick wings flapped excitedly.
—So cool… just a little more…
“It really is happy. Its wings are flapping.”
“Yeah.”
“Can I name it now?”
“Sure. Got anything in mind?”
“Flappy. Because its wings go flap flap.”
“……”
Cheon Dowoon fell silent. He couldn’t bring himself to say that was a good name.
“Mister, help me think of a name. It’ll be better if we come up with it together.”
“Me too? Hmm… How about naming it after a trait? Like its cry. What about ‘Guu’? Since it goes ‘guu-guu’ like a pigeon.”
“That’s great! You’re really good at naming things!”
Kim Nari’s eyes sparkled.
“Let’s combine our ideas! How about Flappy-Guu?”
Cheon Dowoon fell silent again.
Flappy-Guu… for some reason, it sounded like a fried chicken brand. Once again, he couldn’t bring himself to say it was good.
‘At this rate, even if we think harder, the result won’t be much better.’
He had to admit it. Neither he nor Kim Nari had a knack for naming.
Accepting that, Cheon Dowoon nodded.
“Then let’s go with that. But when we call it, let’s just say Guu. How’s that?”
“Guu? I like it. Guu, that’s your name now.”
Kim Nari grinned brightly. Meanwhile, the monster, now dubbed Guu, gave a hollow laugh.
—Why are you changing my name without permission? I already have a name. My name is…
It stopped mid-sentence. Even if it said its name, they couldn’t understand its voice anyway.
It had never met anyone who could understand it.
Monsters lacked intelligence, and humans couldn’t comprehend its speech. The thought made it depressed.
‘If I had known I’d live like this… I would’ve rather not had powers at all.’
Telepathy. Its unique ability to read others’ minds.
It didn’t know when it developed this power. It just knew it had grown stronger over time.
‘I didn’t mean to peer into Hunters’ minds.’
Learning language was the real curse.
‘Why can’t anyone hear me?’
Loneliness and desolation.
It wished it could have a full conversation with someone—anyone.
Now called Guu, the monster’s fur drooped in gloom.
* * *
It had been three days since Guu joined Cheon Dowoon’s home.
With its intelligence, it quickly grasped the situation.
‘These people are friendly to me.’
Especially that little girl. She brought fish the size of her forearm every day. It was delightful.
Here, there was no threat from other monsters. That alone made this place satisfying.
The only problem was the man who carved wood every day—Cheon Dowoon. Guu couldn’t figure him out.
Shhhk, shhhk.
Each time Dowoon moved his fingers, thin threads sprayed out and wrapped around the wood.
The thread danced skillfully, carving the wood into shape.
—That looks like silk from a S+ Grade Moth. Just who is this guy?
He looked human. But the energy he exuded was pure monster.
Even before losing its powers, Guu doubted it could’ve beaten this guy.
“Ah, it broke again. Why does this wood split so easily?”
Crack. The wood Dowoon was carving split down the grain. Guu clicked its tongue softly.
—That kind of wood is weak to impact. Too many grains; it shatters easily.
“Hm… so it’s naturally fragile?”
Dowoon muttered as if replying to Guu’s comment.
Feeling like they were having a conversation, Guu’s fur fluffed up in excitement. It spoke again.
—If you’re going to make something, choose a lighter-colored wood. They’re usually harder. Better for crafting.
“I guess I need to find harder wood.”
Dowoon dusted off his hands and stood up. Guu’s fur stood on end again.
Being near Cheon Dowoon made it feel like it was really talking to someone. Even if it was a delusion, it was comforting.
—Hmm hmm, hrrrk. Hmm hmm.
Guu hummed tunes it had heard from Hunters’ minds. Dowoon looked on in fascination.
A monster singing trot songs. Even after seventy years, he’d never seen such a sight.
‘Surprisingly docile. I’ve watched it for days, and it hasn’t been aggressive.’
Not all monsters were violent.
Some, like the mandragora, were docile species. Maybe Guu was like that too.
‘Still, better keep an eye on it. It could be hiding its nature because it’s weak right now.’
If he left, only Kim Nari and Guu would be alone.
If Guu attacked thinking she was weak, it’d be over in an instant.
He hoped this wasn’t all an act. Cheon Dowoon walked off into the forest with that thought.
* * *
When he returned with wood, the house was quiet. Dowoon spread his mana to scan the area.
He only meant to check their location, but the sound of a distant scream sent him racing.
‘That scream… someone’s in danger.’
From the footsteps, he could tell Guu was protecting Kim Nari.
By the time he reached them, the situation had changed.
Kim Nari was hiding behind a tree, holding Guu in her arms.
From a low cliff, Dowoon saw them and immediately jumped down.
“Mister…!”
—What took you so long?! Leaving a child alone in the Demon Realm?! You fail as a dad!
Though it sounded like a scolding, Guu’s voice was filled with relief.
Dowoon smiled faintly at the sight.
A monster protecting a child. He’d never seen anything like it.
This monster is safe. With that judgment, he spoke.
“Let me clarify first. I’m not Kim Nari’s dad. And she’s not as weak as you think. Now tell me—what happened?”
—I don’t know. Suddenly, a Hunter appeared and attacked…
Guu’s voice faded. Its eyes widened. Jaw dropped.
It stared at Cheon Dowoon, trembling.
—You… you just responded to me? You can hear me?
Shock, doubt, and joy swirled in Guu’s eyes.
Why did you pretend not to hear me until now? Why didn’t you talk to me?
There was so much it wanted to say—but the words got stuck in its throat.
Dowoon turned his gaze to the bushes.
“No need to say more. I see who was chasing you.”
A man emerged from the direction Dowoon looked. A Hunter who had been tracking Kim Nari.
“Oh? A guest? You’re after that brat too, aren’t you? From which guild are you—wait, what the hell are you wearing?”
He looked at Dowoon’s leather-hide outfit with confusion.
“I don’t know what your deal is, but don’t try to interfere. That kid’s mine.”
The man formed a fireball in his hand and threw it.
“If you don’t wanna die, step aside!”
Dowoon didn’t plan to.
He calmly extended his hand.
He rotated the mana in his body at high speed. Released it outward. Stabilized the dispersion.
A dome-like barrier surrounded them.
With a boom, the fireball hit the shield, exploding into a massive flame pillar.
“Strange. Kim Nari was being chased by someone like this?”
His skills were decent, but not enough to threaten Kim Nari.
Dowoon frowned. Guu stepped forward.
—You’ll understand when you see this.
A vision flowed into Dowoon’s mind.
A lab setting. In the corner, silver liquid metal squirmed like melted pudding.
It hadn’t yet taken shape. That was Kim Nari before gaining form.
Then the door opened. An old man entered. Just seeing him made the metal tremble and crawl into a corner.
[Looks like she’s starting to form a sense of self.]
The man formed a fireball in his hand.
Seeing it, the liquid metal began to shiver. A metallic hum buzzed as it vibrated.
[Don’t be afraid. We always do this. Just testing your durability. Come here.]
With a flat expression, the old man dropped the fireball onto the metal.
Though artificial, the fire burned instantly. The humming sounded like cries of pain.
“Stop.”
The memory ended. Dowoon looked at Guu grimly.
“What was that?”
—Telepathy. My ability.
Guu watched Dowoon nervously.
His power allowed him to read minds—or implant memories, like now.
—It doesn’t work on the strong-willed. Normally, I keep it closed…
He looked at the flames outside the shield.
—When I saw that fireball, her memories just spilled into me. Seems like the trauma shattered her mind.
The researcher and this Hunter were different people.
But seeing fire magic triggered her trauma. Kim Nari froze in place.
“Are you afraid of fire?”
Dowoon asked. Kim Nari averted her gaze.
She knew the fireball didn’t break the barrier. Still, she couldn’t say she wasn’t scared.
“Alright. Then watch carefully.”
Dowoon jumped through the shield.
His mere leap parted the flames like a path.
“W-What?! How are you unharmed?!”
The man panicked as Dowoon emerged.
Before he could react, Dowoon’s kick flew into his face.
It ended as quickly as it began.
Dowoon only hit him hard enough to knock him out.
The man was launched, tumbling to the ground unconscious.
Dowoon dragged him back to Kim Nari.
“Look. He’s just a bald uncle now.”
