A month had passed, and eighty waves remained. Returning from enduring waves that felt urgent in terms of frequency but distant in terms of remaining counts, Sa-yoon sprawled on the bed with a sigh. On the opposite bed, Geon-joo, unable to handle the murderous wave schedule, was already lying down as if unconscious.
“Hyuuung.”
Noah, perhaps bored, called out to Geon-joo while poking around. Sa-yoon called the boy to his side as he poked the fallen one’s leg and pressed his waist. While kneading Noah’s cheek like dough, Sa-yoon checked the quest window.
Next to the clear condition of enduring a hundred waves, the words ‘In Preparation’ were floating. It was the same phrase, not a single syllable changed, as when they had endured the first ten waves.
Since that phrase appeared, or rather, since the eleventh wave after the ‘In Preparation’ message appeared and disappeared, the level of monsters had risen a notch. Seeing it appear again right after the twentieth wave ended, it seemed the monsters’ level increased every 10 waves.
How long would this maintenance take?
Last time, there were no waves for two days during preparation. Because of that, the knights who thought the monster raids had ended and let their guard down had to suffer helplessly when the attacks resumed on the third day after the waves stopped.
How incompetent they were.
If it hadn’t been for him, the castle would surely have fallen.
Sa-yoon frowned, recalling the knights falling like scarecrows. Thinking that if the waves started similarly this time, it would be right to rest well for a day and then be on guard again, Noah, whose cheek was being held, let out a groan. It seemed Sa-yoon had unconsciously pinched too hard while lost in thought.
“Aren’t you bored being alone?”
Sa-yoon asked, looking at the boy who must have had to endure long hours alone, as he and Geon-joo had been out of the castle almost every day for the past week due to waves coming at half-day to one-day intervals. Noah nodded.
“I’m not bored.”
“Seems like being a loner suits you.”
“…I don’t think that’s it.”
“You said you weren’t bored.”
“It’s just, if I wait, hyungs will come back.”
If that was the case, saying it was bearable would have been more appropriate than saying he wasn’t bored. Sa-yoon didn’t bother to correct this fact and put the boy, who had been on his stomach, down under the bed. Noah made a quite regretful expression. Sa-yoon’s eyes narrowed.
The wave had just ended, and the knights would be in the middle of reorganizing. Expecting that there would be no attacks for at least half a day due to the monster enhancement preparation period, Sa-yoon glanced at the fallen Geon-joo and got up from his seat.
The one Geon-joo collapsed on the bed without moving seemed unable to even walk, let alone go outside, and the little runt looked increasingly bored. Thinking that he, being magnanimous, should step up to also build up Geon-joo’s affection, Sa-yoon took off his armor and changed into casual clothes.
“Little one.”
“It’s Noah.”
“Right, Noah.”
“Yes.”
“Want to go out?”
“What?”
His eyes widened as if he had heard something unexpected. Sa-yoon rummaged through his pocket and took out the identity token he had received from the lord.
Just showing it would allow free outings, right?
It was an identity token given by the lord after Sa-yoon repeatedly showed outstanding performance in the recurring waves. Although it was difficult to be away for long given the unpredictable monster attacks, Sa-yoon thought it would be fine to take the little one out for a short while. He extended his arm to Noah.
“Come if you want to go, or don’t if you don’t.”
He thought he should buy a couple of toys the little one could play with while out, to be less concerned. Thinking it would be better to take Noah along since they were going anyway, Noah, who had been blinking and staring at Sa-yoon, quickly clung to him.
“Are we really going?”
“As opposed to fake going?”
“Can we really go outside?”
“Have you only been deceived in life?”
Perhaps because pretty boy had been raising him, it seemed Han Geon-joo’s skepticism had rubbed off on him in that short time. Sa-yoon tapped the forehead of the boy who clung to him readily but looked at him with disbelieving eyes.
“You’ve only learned useless things.”
“What?”
“Hold on tight. We’re going down through the window.”
That was faster than going down the stairs. Sa-yoon, who had warned him, put strength into the arm holding Noah and walked towards the wide-open window. That window, which a monster had broken and entered through during the first wave, was still unrepaired.
“Isn’t the door over there?”
“Windows are doors too, little one.”
“But there’s no window.”
“Where are you getting sassy?”
“……”
When Sa-yoon scolded him, raising an eyebrow, the quick-witted boy shut his mouth tightly. Sa-yoon, holding the now quiet Noah, jumped out the window in one go. “Eek!” A short scream was heard from his arms. Sa-yoon cradled Noah’s head, guiding his face into his chest, and landed safely by kicking off the castle wall.
The body that had been following gravity came to a stop firmly on the ground. Noah, who had tightly closed his eyes and hugged Sa-yoon’s neck, realizing the fall was over, slowly opened his eyes.
“……”
The boy, experiencing such a bizarre fall for the first time in his life, had a dazed expression. Sa-yoon glanced down at Noah, who looked both amazed and confused, and took a step forward.
When he showed the identity token to the knights guarding the entrance of the lord’s castle, they asked the purpose of the outing and then bowed their heads to see Sa-yoon off. Unconsciously sneering at the treatment so different from when he first entered the lord’s castle as a mercenary, Sa-yoon headed towards the village while carrying Noah.
After walking for about 20 minutes, Noah, who had been quietly nestled in his arms, started fidgeting around. Thinking he might be uncomfortable, Sa-yoon adjusted his hold, but the boy kept moving. Sa-yoon’s gaze lowered.
“What?”
“…Can’t I walk on my own?”
“Are you uncomfortable?”
“A little.”
“Then endure it.”
“……”
“Walking on your own feet would be too slow.”
If he walked with Noah, whose feet were small, their moving speed would be halved. Detesting unnecessary waste of time, Sa-yoon refused, and the boy pouted his lips in dissatisfaction. It was the result of his considerably increased boldness over the past month.
Where had the boy he met in the burning house gone, leaving only this fearless little runt? Sa-yoon let out an exasperated laugh and, after some consideration, put Noah down. It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand the desire to walk on one’s own feet after being cooped up for so long.
“If you fall behind, know that we’re going back to the castle, outing or not.”
“I can run well.”
“I know. You’re always running around in the room.”
Unlike them, who had to conserve energy to endure the waves, Noah, who had hidden in the wardrobe during each wave, often ran around the room unable to contain his excess energy. Not just in the room, he would sometimes jump on the bed too, often getting scolded by Geon-joo.
Recalling that, Sa-yoon smirked and looked behind him. He could see the boy alternating between jogging and quick steps to keep up with his long strides.
Clicking his tongue, Sa-yoon slowed his pace, and only then did the boy walk comfortably and grab Sa-yoon’s hand.
“But why did we come out?”
“To sell you off.”
“What?”
“Sell you and buy some clothes.”
“……”
“That man over there is looking at you. Maybe he’s interested.”
“Eek!”
The young boy was incredibly naive. Seeing Noah’s face turn pale, believing Sa-yoon’s words about selling him at face value, Sa-yoon’s lips curled up. Whenever they encountered someone who looked intimidating, Sa-yoon would ask, “What do you think of that person?” and Noah’s already fair face would turn even whiter. It would be a lie to say it wasn’t fun to tease him.
Noah, who gripped Sa-yoon’s hand tighter with each prank, seemed to realize it wasn’t serious after about the fourth repetition, looking up at Sa-yoon with dissatisfied eyes. Pretending not to notice that gaze despite being aware of it, Sa-yoon took Noah into a toy store.
“Pick what you want.”
“Anything?”
“Preferably something you can play with in the wardrobe.”
A doll would be just right. As Sa-yoon was briefly wondering if boys that age played with dolls, Noah, who had been looking around the toy store with curious eyes, suddenly wore a worried expression.
No, it was closer to a look of caution rather than worry.
“…Do you have a lot of money, hyung?”
Sa-yoon chuckled at the words Noah hesitantly uttered after moving his lips a few times.
“If it’s not enough, I’ll just sell you to cover it.”
“…I know it’s a joke now.”
“What if it’s not?”
“……”
“Just go and choose.”
Sa-yoon pushed the boy, who still naively fell for it even after being tricked so many times, towards the display shelves. Noah, looking back at Sa-yoon anxiously, touched the toys. His hand was still hesitant.
“I can buy you whatever you bring, so choose freely.”
Sa-yoon finally added. Only then did the boy relax and start looking around the store to his heart’s content.
Noah examined the shelf with dolls, then turned around to touch the wooden swords for children, and even held balls in his hands. Sa-yoon watched this scene with a subtly satisfied feeling.
“Is he your nephew?”
The store owner approached and spoke with a pleased expression. Finding it bothersome to explain in detail, Sa-yoon just nodded vaguely. At that moment-
“…Huh?”
Suddenly, Noah made a puzzled sound. At this, Sa-yoon, who had momentarily taken his eyes off Noah to look around the store, turned his head back towards the boy. Sa-yoon’s expression quickly hardened, thinking Noah might have finally found a toy he liked.
“……”
Noah and Sa-yoon’s gazes pointed in the same direction. Above the young boy’s head, something like an unfamiliar parchment was floating.