The past few days, she had been showing more and more excitement. This reaction was somewhat expected.
At first, I thought she was a bit of a strange person, but as we spent more time together, she didn’t seem like a bad person.
Lacking a bit of social skills?
Well, considering she’s a Level 9 Awakener and a celebrity, she might just have a case of celebrity syndrome.
Whatever the case, even that celebrity syndrome was nearly cured thanks to my food.
“Is this the dungeon where those items came from?”
“Yes, it is. Let’s take a look around together.”
We made our way to the village, walking softly on the snow.
On the way, Woffy ran up, wagging its tail excitedly. I patted its neck, and it joyfully ran around.
“You’ve tamed a Flame Wolf?”
“Ah, yes. It became part of the family by chance.”
Katrina gave me a strange look.
Now that I noticed, she seemed quite interested in Woofy.
Does she like dogs?
I casually called Woofy over and presented it to Katrina.
“Would you like to pet it?”
“Hmm, I suppose I could.”
Her tone was as if she were doing Woofy a favor. Yet, her face betrayed a subtle twitch of excitement she couldn’t hide.
-Huff huff huff.
When Katrina petted it, Woofy rolled over and exposed its belly.
Apparently, she liked that and crouched down, enthusiastically rubbing Woofy’s belly.
“Aren’t you cold? It’s snowing, after all.”
How could a Flame Wolf feel cold?
I listened to Katrina’s slightly silly remark and then resumed walking. Woofy also trotted along cutely by Katrina’s side.
“Are there no monsters in this dungeon?”
“There are. But they’re all my familiars.”
“What?”
“I lured them in with food. Haha.”
It wasn’t a lie. But Katrina looked at me as if that made no sense.
“Then why hasn’t anyone else been able to tame familiars with food until now?”
“Because their food isn’t as tasty as mine?”
“Taming familiars requires a narrative.”
“A narrative?”
“A story. You can’t just tempt them with food. There has to be an emotional connection.”
Come to think of it…
I’m not sure.
I just said, ‘I’ll give you food, so follow me,’ and they all came along.
Maybe there was some kind of emotional exchange in the process?
Well, whatever works.
The fact that they’re my familiars doesn’t change.
“Hmm?”
Katrina suddenly stopped, as if she’d noticed something.
The village wasn’t even in sight yet, but her reaction suggested she saw something.
“Over there…….”
“You’ve got sharp eyes!”
“I’m a Level 9 Awakener.”
“Even so, your eyesight is impressive.”
Katrina looked at me incredulously.
Maybe I’d picked up some of Ara’s quirks. After saying something pointless, we continued toward the village.
“Oh! You’ve arrived!”
Sensing Ara approaching, she came running energetically.
The village was now filled with snow sculptures made by the children.
“Katrina! This is our home! Welcome!”
Ara’s voice was lively, but then she suddenly adopted a solemn expression, speaking as if she were welcoming a guest to her kingdom.
‘Little King.’
Watching her adorable demeanor, I soon saw Seon-ah, Jae-seong, and Orie step out from inside.
Cheong, clinging to Seon-ah’s back, was a bonus.
“Welcome.”
Jae-seong, whom Katrina had met a few times, greeted her first, followed by Orie.
Seon-ah, upon seeing Katrina in person, trembled slightly and barely managed to speak.
“H-H-Hello!!”
She stammered, her pronunciation awkward, to the point of embarrassment.
Even as her older brother, I felt a little ashamed.
After brief introductions, Katrina began exploring the village.
I thought I’d be her guide, but Seon-ah stepped forward first.
‘Looks like the kids went ahead. That’s a relief.’
The snowman-making contest seemed to be something that would only conclude after Katrina had left. There wasn’t any need to show the Seven Deadly Sins, after all.
-I am Ras.
…Or so I thought, but why am I hearing that voice?
When I hurried over, I saw that the children hadn’t left yet.
They were in a corner of the village, diligently building snowmen.
It seemed like all the notable spots had already been taken, so they ended up here.
“Is that… a dog?”
-I am not a mere dog.
An unusual encounter.
Katrina seemed fascinated by the talking monster, her face brimming with curiosity.
“Ras! This is a guest!”
-Hmm, a guest? Enjoy yourself while you’re here.
The little one chattered on, and Katrina seemed tempted to touch it, extending her hand.
Ras, however, deftly avoided her hand and crossed its arms.
-You are a hundred years too early to catch me.
It seemed like she was just trying to pet it, though.
Regardless, Katrina appeared to take it as a challenge.
She quickly reached out her hand with incredible speed.
Though not a physical-type Awakener, her abundant Level 9 magic made her movements exceptionally fast.
However…
Her opponent was none other than Ras.
The boss monster representing Wrath among the Seven Deadly Sins.
An overwhelmingly powerful being that required several Level 9 Awakeners to confront.
‘It might look like a dog wearing boots, but…’
Even Katrina’s slightly serious attempt was skillfully dodged by Ras.
This left the great witch momentarily flustered. Her expression seemed to say, “This can’t be happening.” Then, with even faster movements, she lunged at Ras. But once again, Ras effortlessly dodged her as if toying with her.
Katrina soon realized something was off.
She glanced at me for an explanation. But I had nothing to say.
There was no way I’d reveal that Ras was part of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Vrrr—
A strange noise reverberated.
It sounded like the very air was vibrating.
In an instant, Katrina disappeared from sight and reappeared behind Ras. Yet, Ras’s ears perked up, and he moved the moment Katrina vanished. His speed was astounding.
Naturally, Katrina’s hand grasped at nothing but air.
“What the…!!”
She seemed momentarily surprised but then regained a serious expression and used her ability again.
This time, without any warning signs, Katrina’s body shifted instantaneously, and the surrounding air grew heavy.
‘Gasp!’
Is she manipulating gravity?!
My body felt heavier!
It was an ability befitting a Level 9 Awakener. It seemed she used such a skill to avoid harming Ras, but could she actually catch him?
“This looks fun,” Ara murmured enviously.
It probably looked like a game of tag.
“Should I ask her to do it for me too?”
“Yeah!”
While Ara and I were casually chatting, six or seven exchanges had already taken place in the blink of an eye.
All ended in Ras’s victory.
Katrina stood frozen in disbelief.
“This makes no sense! What kind of monster is that…?”
-Did I not tell you? You are a hundred years too early to lay a hand on me.
“I want to play too! Tag is fun!”
Ara dashed forward with excitement.
Naturally, I thought she wanted Katrina to tag her, but that wasn’t the case.
-Hmph!!
Ara’s target was none other than Ras.
And thus, round two began.
Whoosh~!
Whizz!!
Their speeds steadily increased.
Initially, Ras’s superior physical capabilities gave it an overwhelming advantage, but Ara, who had been growing stronger thanks to my crops and food, was now nearly on par.
At this point, it was an even match. A fierce game of tag between equals ensued.
Katrina and Seon-ah stood frozen, jaws dropped as they watched the scene unfold.
The sheer speed, almost invisible to the naked eye, was beyond comprehension.
To top it off, the occasional small sonic booms indicated they might have even broken the sound barrier.
“Ha ha,” I let out a nervous laugh.
How was I supposed to explain this now?
It was clear to anyone watching that this wasn’t ordinary.
Thud!
Finally, Ras was caught by Ara.
If it had been Ashu, she might have escaped, but Ras, being specialized in strength, was inevitably captured by Ara.
A cloud of white dust rose, and the ground around them was deeply dented.
The intense marks left on the earth were the result of nothing more than a game of tag between those two small figures.
“What on earth is this?” Katrina asked, eyes wide.
But there wasn’t much I could say to her.
“They’re quite energetic, aren’t they? I guess eating well gives them so much vitality. After all, the crops I grow are practically items themselves.”
“Ridiculous!” Katrina shouted as Ara confidently approached, carrying Ras on her shoulder.
“I caught him!”
“…So much for “a hundred years too soon.”
“Would you like to touch him? Ras is fluffy!”
Ara’s casual question left Katrina visibly flustered. But as Ras’s tail wagged like a helicopter blade, she gulped and hesitated.
“Can I pet it?”
-It is still a hundred years too soon.
Ras, clearly distressed, repeated the same phrase.
Well, considering how Ara used to struggle to even keep up with Ras but could now catch him, he probably felt quite defeated.
Katrina hesitantly touched Ras’s fur.
Once she started petting the fluffy creature, she couldn’t stop, her hands running all over him. Ras, meanwhile, leapt off Ara’s shoulder, standing proudly with his head held high.
-The defeated must remain silent! Pet me as much as you wish.
Despite his words, Ras looked as though he might take off with his wagging tail.
Eventually, Katrina, enchanted by the sight, set aside her earlier confusion and doubts, fully captivated as she continued to pet Ras.
Indeed, cuteness could save the world.
Later, Katrina was “attacked” by a swarm of gnolls, leaving her covered in their fur.
She toured the fields, experienced harvesting firsthand, and discovered the joy of farming.
When she saw the kitchen bustling like a factory with countless rabbits, she was so shocked that she accused me of monster exploitation.
She was also moved by the collaborative dish made by Ashu, Jae-seong, and Orie.
After the meal, we explored the dungeon’s beach and floating islands. Finally, we relaxed in the hot springs.
“Ha… not bad,” Katrina murmured as she soaked in the warm water.
Still, she couldn’t be completely honest with herself.
‘But she’s a Level 9 Awakener, after all.’
I had almost forgotten, considering how casually I treated her, but Level 9 Awakeners were incredibly prestigious figures.
These days, a Level 9 Awakener was treated with more reverence than the president of a country. As I pondered how extraordinary she was, I also let the hot springs ease my fatigue.
“How did you find a place like this?” Katrina asked.
“Well, I was lucky, I guess.”
“And your familiars… none of them are ordinary. Actually, I didn’t mention it earlier, but that rabbit, Ashu—it’s the White Nightmare, isn’t it?”
I sighed and finally nodded.
There was no point in denying it now that she had figured it out.
“Yes, you’re right.”
“I also know you’ve visited Kyler and the Dungeon of Lust. But I never imagined you’d have tamed one of the Seven Deadly Sins.”
Katrina gave me a meaningful smile as she continued.
“The others… they’re part of the Seven Deadly Sins too, aren’t they?”
“… … …”
“I also saw that you participated in the Dungeon Break in China involving the Sin of Greed. And not long after your involvement, Greed mysteriously vanished.”
“Hey now, that’s quite the leap in logic.”
“I’m not here to cause you trouble. In fact, doing so would be disastrous—for me. I don’t have a death wish.”
Her words were sharp, but did she think I was the type to harm someone just because I was annoyed?
“I was just curious. It feels oddly satisfying to know your secret, like I have some exclusive privilege.”
“You don’t seem too surprised, though.”
“When faced with truths that are too overwhelming, I suppose it’s natural to become indifferent. Ras, Ashu, and probably Mammon hiding somewhere… And then there’s Ara, who managed to capture Ras. Cheong, too, must be far from ordinary.”
Hearing her lay it all out like that made it feel much more real.
I’m truly amazing!
“Your younger siblings don’t seem to know anything about this. I’ll keep quiet,” Katrina said.
“That’s very kind of you,” I replied.
The kids and my siblings were playing to their hearts’ content in another hot spring. Their boundless energy was truly remarkable.
‘Should I just go ahead and tell her that Ingo is Mammon?’
Since so much had already been revealed, I decided to share one more truth.
“By the way, Katrina, did you know this?”
“Know what?”
“All the pieces of art you’ve purchased—they were all created by Mammon, the Sin of Greed.”
“…What?”
“Why do you think I stopped you from meeting the artist?”
“… …”
This revelation seemed to have genuinely caught her off guard.
Katrina let out a hollow laugh, clearly shaken.
“This one got me. I never imagined the Seven Deadly Sin themself could be the creators of such works.”
“Perfect rarity and a captivating narrative, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Art created by one of the Seven Deadly Sins… It’s incredible. Not something I can ever disclose, though.”
With even the final secret revealed, we turned our attention to the radiant World Tree, now sparkling brilliantly.
“This has been a perfect day,” Katrina said.
“I’m glad to hear you’re satisfied,” I replied.
“…Would it be alright if I came back again?”
Uncharacteristically, Katrina spoke with a cautious tone.
I smiled warmly at her.
Cliche Novel 