70 – 14 – Irregular Mutation – 5

[Damaged Jarnvidr’s Pass (Legendary Minus)]

[An entry pass that allows one to enter the secret realm, the Iron Wood. However, it is torn in half, so it will not take effect unless the other half is found and combined. If you infuse mana into it, it will guide you to where the other torn half of the pass is.]

[Damaged Jarnvidr’s Pass (Legendary Minus)]

[An entry pass that allows one to enter the secret realm, the Iron Wood. However, it is torn in half, so it will not take effect unless the other half is found and combined. If you infuse mana into it, it will guide you to where the other torn half of the pass is.]

As soon as Gi-jun checked the coin’s information, he sealed it deep inside his inventory.

Jarnvidr was the name of a forest said to be located in Jotunheim, the land of the Jotuns, the giants appearing in Norse mythology.

It meant the Iron Wood, and it was said that giants and powerful wolves resided within it.

Yes, wolves.

This very Jarnvidr was the birthplace of Skoll, the wolf who swallowed the sun, and Hati, the wolf who swallowed the moon.

As an added note, the father who sired those two wolves was the famous God-Devouring Wolf, Fenrir.

‘Am I crazy enough to visit such a demonic place?’

Furthermore, it was obvious that the other half of the pass would be with Skoll. While Skoll was undoubtedly an extremely attractive target to hunt, if he were asked if he could hunt it right this instant, he couldn’t help but shake his head.

Hati was a formidable opponent whom he could not guarantee victory against even if they fought again right now.

If not for Ruthven’s timely support, and if Gi-jun himself had not possessed an attribute completely opposite to Hati’s.

He would have never been able to kill it.

―But somehow, I feel like you’ll get involved with werewolves later if you keep that, Contractor. Right?

‘I was thinking the same thing, so don’t go reminding me for no reason.’

Let’s forget about it.

Right now, just thinking about the vampires he would have to face in a year gave him a headache.

“I am glad you are safe.”

“In.”

Gi-jun, who had already noticed In’s approach through his sensory assimilation with Lucy, raised his head to welcome him.

Although In was covered in blood, dirt, and filth all over his body, fortunately, no major wounds were visible on his body.

Considering the blood and marks on him, his body was so excessively fine that it was puzzling, but In resolved that question right away.

“You completed the quest for us. Thanks to that, I survived. No matter how sturdy of an Orc I am, I really came close to death this time.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Gi-jun let out an exclamation of realization, remembering that In and Laura were still in his party.

That was right.

The moment the hidden quest was accomplished, it was not just Gi-jun who received the quest rewards!

In, and presumably Laura as well, had leveled up thanks to the quest rewards, and recovered because of it.

“I’m glad it helped. …But what about Laura?”

“…She was bitten. You even warned Laura in advance, yet she ended up in this state, so I have no excuse.”

Gi-jun’s complexion stiffened in an instant.

There was no need to ask who had bitten her.

If she had recovered through a level-up, there would be no reason for Laura to be lying down as if she were dead, which meant…

“Did she… become a vampire?”

“That is what is strange. If she had become a vampire, she should have naturally lost Ishtar’s holy power, but she didn’t.”

“Ishtar’s holy power?”

“Ah, I have yet to explain.”

With those words, In belatedly revealed to Gi-jun that he was Laura’s half-brother and also a priest of Ishtar, apologizing for hiding it.

However, since Gi-jun had also hidden the identity of the vampires without revealing it immediately despite knowing it, he was in no position to get angry at In.

“Rather, I am the one who is sorry. Since I dragged you guys into a dangerous place…”

“My participation in the party was to prepare for the appearance of vampires in the first place, so if you say that, I will have even less face to show.”

“Anyway, as the party leader, I should have protected you… Ah, never mind that now. You can speak comfortably too. I’m exhausted, and I don’t even have the energy to stand on ceremony.”

Gi-jun let out a sigh and took Laura from In’s arms.

After confirming the two distinct wounds on her neck, he asked Lucy.

‘How is she?’

―First of all, she’s not a vampire. Seeing that she has the ‘blood power’ that only vampires possess, is she a half-vampire? No, but in the first place, there’s no way a vampire could survive while harboring this much light.

Lucy, who focused her senses to examine Laura, eventually tilted her head and spoke.

―I think she has also changed in a strange way. Contractor, if you have any silver, do you want to try bringing it close to her?

Gi-jun nodded at those words, and after obtaining In’s permission, he took out the silver from his breast—the silver imbued with moonlight—and brought it close to Laura.

However, far from Laura being harmed, the silver reacted with the holy power inside her body and simply emitted a brilliant light.

―As expected. Didn’t she become something similar to the dhampir that kid Ruthven mentioned earlier?

‘Then is Laura still in the Light Faction?’

―That’s for sure. If she were in the Dark Faction, I would feel it right away.

‘As expected, you’re the best, Lucy.’

―Kiit!

‘Yes, of course our Ur is the best too.’

Normally, if one was bitten by a vampire and their species changed, it had to be assumed that they would unconditionally transition to the Dark Faction.

Yet, the fact that she remained in the Light Faction despite her species changing after being bitten by a vampire meant that Laura had undergone the same irregular mutation that Gin had experienced earlier.

Indeed, looking at the message Biche had sent, she had spoken as if irregular mutations were extremely rare, so it was simply absurd that two people had mutated on the same day.

‘Though it is a relief that both remained in the Light Faction.’

Gi-jun, after confirming that Lucy’s power would not harm Laura, immediately poured in her spirit power to boost Laura’s energy.

Perhaps because the spirit power of light, which shared a similar source, stimulated the holy power inside her body, a dazzling golden light soared up along with a blood-colored energy, wrapping around and stimulating Laura.

Only then did Gi-jun notice a minor change in Laura’s appearance.

A portion of her bangs, which had originally been a bright and beautiful golden color, had turned red, as if she had gotten highlights.

Eventually, as the light subsided, Laura’s eyelids trembled and slowly began to open.

“Mmm… Brother…?”

Perhaps mistaking Lucy’s spirit power for In’s holy power, Laura, who opened her eyes completely while murmuring the word “brother,” met eyes with Gi-jun.

Fortunately, her two eyes, blue and pure like a cloudless sky, remained the same.

Gi-jun felt relieved and asked her.

“Are you awake?”

“…Sigh.”

She did not answer Gi-jun’s voice for a moment; then, she closed her eyes again and let her head drop weakly.

As the flustered Gi-jun was about to speak to her again, In, standing beside him, shook his head heavily and spoke.

“She fainted.”

“Why?”

“Still, it is a relief that she is safe. I will carry her on my back again.”

“No, In, you should rest now. I’ll carry her, so…”

“I will take only the thought. If you were to carry this child on your back, it feels like Laura would never wake up for the rest of her life.”

“But why!”

―Ah, I knew it would turn out like this…

‘Lucy, you knew it too…?!’

Leaving Gi-jun to shudder at the possibility of a terrifying fainting magic dormant within him, In, who hoisted Laura onto his back, suddenly let out an exclamation of surprise.

Gi-jun, looking back toward where In’s gaze was directed, spotted a man slowly walking toward them and let out a low groan.

With his disheveled blue hair resembling a wolf’s mane and flashing silver eyes, he was wearing the exact same clothes that Ruthven had been wearing.

With his mother’s battle-axe and father’s magic shotgun slung in an X-shape across his back, and a pistol and a crossbow equipped in their respective custom holsters on each side of his waist, his outward appearance was that of a fully seasoned hunter.

Of course, he was Gin.

“Where is Ruthven?”

“He has departed. …I wanted to bury him near my parents, but he left nothing behind and turned into ashes.”

Turning into ashes and disappearing upon death was a widely known characteristic of vampires.

Judging by how he had inherited Ruthven’s equipment in its entirety and the complicated expression on Gin’s face, it seemed Ruthven had not simply asked Gin to kill him.

Since both of them had broken free from the limitations of their species and harbored hostility toward that very species, they must have shared a mutual understanding.

Gin, approaching closer to the silently nodding Gi-jun, bowed his head and spoke.

“According to him, you will be fighting against vampires in the future, Jun-nim.”

“So?”

“I want to help. My life belongs to you, Jun-nim, so please use me as you wish.”

“No, I don’t need that.”

“…I know I am lacking, but…”

Gi-jun snorted at those words.

“I’m not saying you’re lacking. I just find it ridiculous that you, who barely escaped the shackles of the Vrykolakas, are stepping up to bear another yoke.”

“It’s different!”

At Gi-jun’s words, he shook his head firmly and spoke.

“I now have the freedom to decide my own actions, and I have a will! It is because I want to do so that I am trying to help you, Jun-nim…! If it’s not a burden, I would be grateful if you would let me join you!”

“Fine.”

“Pardon…?”

Gin was stunned by how easily Gi-jun nodded, unlike his initial refusal.

Gi-jun flicked the forehead of the blank-faced Gin.

“Ow!”

“Don’t forget the precious freedom you’ve regained. I’m telling you not to say things like asking someone else to use you.”

“…Jun-nim.”

“And don’t make such a touched face, either.”

Gi-jun, who let out a snort, pushed away Gin, who was making an overwhelming expression, and spoke firmly.

“Once we settle the matter with the vampires, think it over carefully and decide what to do next. That is, if you don’t die in battle.”

“Understood! I will never die!”

Gin’s appearance, responding vigorously and bowing his head, did indeed seem much more stable compared to his image of burning with revenge just a moment ago.

To think that Ruthven had taken care of someone in the same situation as himself until his very last breath; thinking about the things Ruthven had done up until he met Gin and died only brought a chuckle.

Gi-jun thanked him from the bottom of his heart.

―Consequently, your choice was right, Contractor. That’s a relief.

‘Of course it was, this time. However, I have no intention of calling my choice right just because it ended with a good result, Lucy. I simply want to continue making choices that do not deviate from my standards under any circumstances.’

―Right, I will support you no matter what, Contractor.

Lucy’s words brought another smile to his face.

It wasn’t bad to have at least one ally who would support him unconditionally.

“Jun.”

Just then, In, who was looking up at the sky that had turned pitch black after losing its moon, spoke in a serious voice.

“It seems we should leave quickly. The energy supporting the ruins has vanished, so it will collapse before long.”

“Yeah. …We just need to go back to where we first entered.”

The exploration of the ruins was entirely over.

The quests were also all finished, and although they couldn’t save everyone… one werewolf had obtained freedom.

Looking back at the party—which had entered with five members but was now four, with two dead and one added—he made a brief declaration.

“Let’s go back.”

The expedition, which had been scheduled to last up to several months when they first left the small town, thus ended in just four days, including the round-trip travel.

Though, the ripples brought about by that short expedition were by no means small.

* * *

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): You don’t care either way? I naturally knew that would be the case, okay? Did you think I was trembling in fear, worried you might dislike it?]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): Do you really want to die? You’re slowly getting cocky because I haven’t scolded you lately, aren’t you?]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): You want to meet even if you get scolded? What, what, you’re not Jun, are you!]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): No, who told you not to say it?! Did I or did I not say you can say it once in a while!]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): (This message has been deleted.)]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): You didn’t see it, right? If you saw it, I’ll kill you. I’m really going to kill you.]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): I’m suspicious, but I’ll let you off for now. When we meet later, everything you’ve hidden from me is bound to be revealed.]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): Hm? An irregular mutation occurred twice in a row? A hybrid of a priest and a vampire, and a hybrid of a werewolf and the moon? What is that, some new trendy way to commit suicide?]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): And they’re both fine… Whew, kids born like that are usually called ‘Adversaries.’ The dhampir you mentioned is a prime example, but those two who appeared this time are truly blatant.]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): Raise them well, since they will be a great help. Ah—by the way.]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): Did they eat your sparkling cooking?]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): As I thought, they did. I’m jealous.]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): It must have been delicious. I want to eat it too.]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): You know you have to make a ton for me when we meet later, right? Like, a real ton, enough to completely fill up my inventory.]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): (This message has been deleted.)]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): …Don’t go saying those kinds of things to just any woman. Got it? Answer me right away.]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): Ha, I really can’t let my guard down.]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): You said one of the mutated kids is a girl, right?]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): She fainted after looking at your face? Why?]

[Biche♥ (Dimensional Waiting Room): I’m still anxious… There aren’t more women joining you there, are there?]