Re:Zero: No Job, No Magic, Just a Stupid Romance System

The cold wind blew Roltz's heart into ice. At the moment of life and death, his brain was full of thoughts.

"This kind of thing is too unexpected."

"Luffy… Noda… I haven't yet…"

The ferocious mouth of the forest snake was getting closer and closer to his face. The fangs were already within reach.

Then, it broke apart.

In the air, in Roltz's horrified and regretful eyes, that certain death was shattered into more than ten pieces, falling past his face like food scraps tossed into a kitchen bin.

At the same time, he felt a gust of wind brush by his cheek.

A trace of light flickered in the air.

The hot blood from the forest snake splashed on his face. Only then did the exclamations around him erupt like a tide.

Roltz had no time to pay attention to the concerned responses from the crowd. He turned to look at the figure that had suddenly "appeared" beside him from thin air.

"Are you okay?!"

That voice—he'd heard it every few days over the past six months.

The wind just now hadn't come from any part of the snowy mountain forest.

It was carried in by someone.

"Dad!"

Sylphy's panicked shout approached quickly. Roltz looked at the dead forest snake on the ground, then up at Allen who stood anxiously in front of him. He was stunned for a long time before returning from his trance.

"Thank you. You really helped a lot."

As the adrenaline subsided, fear returned. Roltz's legs buckled, but Allen supported him in time.

Allen checked Roltz's condition from head to toe and, seeing nothing wrong, breathed a sigh of relief. By then, Sylphy and Rudy had already rushed through the snow to join them.

Sylphy saw the forest snake's corpse and instantly understood what had happened. She pursed her lips, lowered her head into her father's arms, and at the same time reached out to tightly grab Allen's sleeve.

Roltz gently stroked Sylphy's head, still shaken, and whispered words of comfort.

Allen smiled at the little hand clinging to his sleeve.

'Good thing we made it in time.'

Paul also arrived, face annoyed.

'Are you okay? I was focused on the noise from the other side, damn it. That was close…'

He looked at the chopped-up forest snake in the snow, chunks that could almost be thrown straight into a pot, and twitched the corner of his mouth.

'You're really getting better and better with that Silent Sword… your moves are so fast.'

'It was just luck.'

'But your reaction just now—did you notice it before me?'

'I kept my senses up. Didn't you say there might be monsters, Uncle?'

'You're really thoughtful.'

Allen gently touched Sylphy, who had turned and thrown herself into his arms again. He smiled helplessly at Lorz and Rudy, who was scratching his head.

The hunting preparations lasted five days. Nearly the entire forest was surrounded. Allen also learned the specific hunting method: use hunting nets to divide areas, toss torches into the forest to awaken hibernating monsters, then shoot arrows behind the nets. This reduces the number of weak monsters that rely on high fertility to survive the winter.

Stronger monsters, like the "End Wild Boar," are rare, and their black fur makes them easy to spot against the snow. If encountered, retreating is the safest option.

Well, not necessary anymore.

Because almost all the wild boars in the forest had been eaten by Chef Ai.

On the surface, this seemed like a good thing. But in fact, Allen's behavior had removed the natural predators of weaker monsters. According to Paul and Roltz's estimates, the monster population might be 30% higher than last year.

Large groups of weak monsters posed a greater threat to winter crops and villagers than strong solitary beasts.

So the net needed to be tighter.

Five days later, the snow fell again, and everyone left the forest and returned to their homes.

When the snow stopped again—it was time for the actual hunt.

"Dear! You're back!"

"I missed you so much, Senis~"

Rudy and Allen both covered their faces at the same time as Paul acted like a big dog. As soon as he got home, he tossed aside all the calm he had outside, impatiently rushed over to Senis, and pressed his face against her belly.

Senis, long accustomed to such flirtatious displays in front of the children, simply smiled at Allen and Rudy, then gave Paul a light slap on the head.

"You missed me so much, yet you didn't come back?"

Paul looked up with a grin.

"The forest was too far. This year the push went deeper. Lorz almost got into trouble—I had to stay."

"Alright, alright. Let's eat~"

Just then, Lilia brought food out of the house. She smiled at Rudy and Allen, then set the plates.

Dinner was warm and cozy.

But during it all, Allen kept shifting his gaze between Paul—who was clumsily cozying up to Senis—and Lilia, who was sitting quietly, staring straight ahead, pretending not to notice.

A teasing smile slowly appeared on Allen's face.

The Grayrat household didn't have the best soundproofing.

Especially for a Water God Style swordsman trained to sharpen his five senses.

The first night.

Senis and Paul were chatting next door. Then, strange sounds.

Unlike the usual moans—it sounded more like someone eating.

Before long, Senis sounded tired. She whispered something to Paul, and it went quiet.

Half an hour later, the door opened.

Paul went to the bathroom… and took a long time.

The second night.

Again, the midnight snack sounds.

This time, Senis tried to be pleasing, but it didn't last long either.

Paul went to the bathroom again, this time with a hot bath.

The third night.

Buena Village nights were especially quiet in winter. Even the faint rustle of falling snow outside was clearly audible.

More strange sounds next door.

Tonight, there was the sound of curtains being pulled.

Maybe once the snow stops and monster hunting begins, Paul will burn off that excess energy.

The snow didn't stop.

By the fourth night, Allen found Lilia in the kitchen boiling water late at night, bundled in clothes.

Then she returned to her room with the basin to take a bath.

Winter really made the house feel especially cold.

Every night, the sound of the door opening next door.

The seventh night.

After the door opened… the male footsteps didn't return.

After a while, Allen, lying on the bed, heard strange sounds.

Faint conversation came through the wall. Soft and broken—yet even as a Water God Saint, he couldn't make it out clearly.

But it was definitely not Senis talking in her sleep.

Allen quietly got up and slipped into the hallway.

He traced the sounds… to the maid's room on the second floor.

".You. Have been holding it in for a long time."

".Nonsense, I didn't."

"Oh really?"

"Ah yes, ah no."

"Do you like it?"

"..."

The bed creaked.

"Oh, I like it."