SWNOVELXO Chapter 89
“I’m home!”
After finishing a day’s work, I returned home. As I stepped inside, I was greeted by Eve, wearing an apron.
“Welcome home, Master.”
As I removed my armor piece by piece, I realized how relieved I felt. Until now, even though I had rested inside The World, it was merely a physical respite.
But just now, I had unconsciously said, “I’m home.”
By acquiring this house, I had come to recognize it as my place to return to.
I turned to look at Eve, who had welcomed me back.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
In my previous life, there had been no one to welcome me home. The gratitude I felt towards Eve for doing so now was overwhelming—but admitting it felt too embarrassing.
Eve tilted her head in curiosity, and then…
“Master, what is that creature on your shoulder?”
She narrowed her eyes, carefully observing it. If it had any intention of harming me, she would not hesitate to act.
“I gave it a peach, and it got attached to me. It wouldn’t leave, so I brought it along.”
The squirrel-like creature in question simply gazed at us with its round eyes, unconcerned.
“Hmm… I’ve never seen an animal like this before.”
Considering Eve’s extensive knowledge of creatures, I had hoped she might recognize it…
Could this mean it’s a rare species not even listed in the monster compendium?
I watched as the creature scratched its cheek with its tiny foot, its gesture so endearing that I almost stopped thinking altogether.
“Are you planning to keep it?”
Eve tilted her head again, studying the little creature.
“Kyururun?”
The squirrel-like creature mimicked her head tilt. Both of them were undeniably cute.
“If you’re going to keep it, let’s give it a name.”
While I had been lost in its cuteness, Eve had already decided that we would keep it.
I thought for a moment and then said, “Alright. Your name will be Carol!”
“Kyururun!”
Carol let out a happy sound and rubbed its cheek against my hand in delight.
“Oh my, how adorable. I want to pet it too.”
As we were having this conversation—
“Kueeeee!”
Kaiser burst into the room and immediately leaped at me.
“Whoa, Kaiser, I’m home.”
“Kuek kuek!”
Kaiser flapped its wings and nuzzled against me affectionately. The sensation of its soft feathers at the end of the day was always comforting.
As I relaxed, smiling—
“Gyururururu!”
Carol suddenly started growling at Kaiser, as if trying to intimidate it.
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“Gueeeeeh!”
Kaiser, in response to Carol’s hostility, let out a loud cry and glared back.
“Kyuru! Kyururu! Kyururunru!”
“Gueh! Gueh gueh!”
The two locked eyes for a moment before—
“Hey! Stop that!”
—they lunged at each other, starting a fight.
Carol pounced, and Kaiser took on the challenge.
The two rolled across the floor, wrestling.
“Huh. Carol’s stronger than I expected.”
Even though Kaiser wasn’t flying, it possessed the strength of an A-rank creature. Yet Carol wasn’t being overpowered. As expected from a creature that lived in a Rank VII environment.
“Master, stop spectating and do something!”
Eve glared at me, so I stepped between them and pulled them apart.
“Hey! You two, get along!”
“Gueh!”
“Kyur!”
I bonked both of them lightly on the head.
“Kuek kuek kueee!”
“Kyuru kyurukyuuun!”
They looked up at me with teary eyes, pleading, but I remained firm.
“If you keep fighting, no dinner for either of you.”
“Kueh!”
“Kyur!”
At my words, both of them immediately straightened up and, in the next instant, snuggled close to each other as if they had always been the best of friends.
“Most likely, both Kaiser and Carol didn’t like the idea of sharing you, Master,” Eve explained.
Since she was the only one who could understand everyone here, her insights were invaluable.
“Kaiser. Carol.”
I called out to them, feeling a little guilty for hitting them too hard. They still looked a bit down.
“Kueh~”
“Kyuru~”
“I’m not mad, okay?”
I spread my arms wide in a welcoming gesture. Instantly, both of them leaped into my embrace.
Feathers and fur brushed against my cheeks, their warmth and softness comforting me. There was no need for them to fight. They were both equally precious to me.
I whispered that sentiment to them as they snuggled closer.
“Well then, I’ll go prepare dinner,” Eve said, exasperated, before leaving the room.
“Mmm… Is it morning already?”
I woke up, feeling a heavy weight on my chest. Looking at the light filtering in, I realized it was morning.
The sunlight was an illusion created by Eve’s magic. Since time perception could become distorted in a dungeon, she had set it up to maintain a sense of routine.
“Man… yesterday was eventful.”
During dinner, Kaiser and Carol had eaten as if competing with each other.
After that, I had crafted weapons using the metal we had collected.
Then, I had soaked in the hot springs to relax my body. After that, I didn’t remember much—probably because I had passed out the moment I lay down.
I sat up and noticed Carol sleeping on my chest.
“No wonder I felt heavy.”
I had made a basket as a bed for it, but it must have gotten lonely and crawled in with me during the night.
“Master, are you awake?”
“Yeah, just now.”
The scent of breakfast wafted through the air. Eve must have prepared it. As I placed Carol back in its basket and got up—
—rustle, rustle—
Something slid off my blanket and fell to the floor.
“Oh, come on, don’t make a mess,” Eve complained as she started picking up the scattered objects.
I didn’t remember bringing anything like that into bed…
“Wait! This is…!”
Eve’s voice rose in surprise.
“What is it?”
She handed me the small golden fragments she had gathered.
“This is… orichalcum.”
“Huh?”
“Master, where did you get this?”
Apparently, even Eve had no idea.
I hadn’t done anything since going to bed. But there was only one possibility…
Reaching the same conclusion, Eve and I turned toward the basket simultaneously.
“Kyurukyururun.”
There lay Carol, sleeping peacefully, completely oblivious to our discovery.