Closed Door

At first glance, it was clear that this was a gathering of people who were obviously not in their right mind, and those who seemed normal at first glance, but upon closer acquaintance turned out to be not quite normal. I wondered if such people were deliberately gathered, or if this was a side effect of the hunter profession. I began to worry about the future of those who had to enter gates and hunt with such team members, no… I began to worry about Sa Gongwoo’s future.

Moreover, if I recall the words of Cha Yeseung, who came before returning to the past…

“Little brother! Hey, little brother!”

“Yes?”

“Why are you standing like a statue? Are we eating too well? Admiring?”

It seems I was too lost in my thoughts, standing right next to the customers. I came to my senses when Cha Yeseung patted my arm, and shook my head.

“Ah, I was just lost in thought for a moment. Sorry. I’ll step away. Enjoy your meal.”

“No, you can watch us eat. By the way, can we have more kkakdugi?”

“Yes, you can take it from there.”

“Delicious, very delicious. Changgun praised the kkakdugi so much that I even scolded him for it, but now I understand – it perfectly complements the seolleongtang. This needs to be eaten hundreds and thousands of times. It’s so delicious that you can’t scold for eating a lot.”

“…Eat in moderation.”

It seems the kkakdugi will run out right after opening.

∞ ∞ ∞

『Nom-nom, delicious? How cutely our Beauty eats.』

Roy’s smiling face filled the field of view.

Actually, I hesitated for a long time before deciding to observe Cho Roy’s face like this. I gave the cat to Roy, but separately from that, I pondered whether I could “look at him like this”.

I shouldn’t. Of course, I shouldn’t, but…

I can’t always be around, and Roy probably wouldn’t allow it either. After several days of deliberation, I eventually justified myself, deceived and compromised, telling myself it was inevitable.

Ah, what trash I am.

Although I was tormented by self-deprecation, seeing Roy’s expressions that he didn’t show me, I thought that maybe being trash wasn’t so bad after all.

『Were you hungry? You’re eating so well. Wow, if you eat like this, our Beauty will grow up quickly.』

I wonder if Cho Roy knew?

Did he know that he himself was cuter than the cat when he made such an expression, as if not knowing what to do from adoration, and spoke in a slightly childish voice.

Sa Gongwoo secretly smiled, thinking that only he knew how Cho Roy looked at this moment, unless you put a mirror in front of him.

He said “cat, cat,” but secretly he had already given her a name. Even the way he pretended nothing was happening was cute.

But Beauty… So the cat is female?

For a moment I had doubts, but I didn’t remember checking. Thinking that I would need to come again sometime and check, Sa Gongwoo intently watched the visible image of Roy, as if imprinting it in his memory.

『Why is Beauty staring so intently at brother’s face today? Suddenly noticed how handsome brother is?』

In response to Roy’s joke, the cat meowed “kyang,” as if answering. Although it was just a cat sound, Roy laughed joyfully, as if it was something pleasant.

『You’ve eaten, now play. Brother needs to prepare for evening work, so he’s busy again. So busy that I think, why all this… Beauty, maybe brother should go on strike? I think, for what wealth and glory am I doing this, really digging the ground, no, digging grandmother’s account to run this business, but is it worth wearing myself out… now I wonder, why am I even doing this at all.』

Roy sighed, complaining like a person who suddenly lost all motivation, but then stood up, making an “usha” sound as if trying to cheer himself up.

『But since I decided to do it, I have to do it. Sometimes I think, why rest, then I think, why work. Beauty, are you the same? Brother’s soul is too complicated. I want to work in moderation and rest in moderation. Why is there no meaning of “in moderation” in this cursed restaurant work?』

Ignoring Roy’s complaints, the field of view suddenly rose, apparently the cat had climbed the cat tower. Looking down, I saw Roy raise his head and meet my gaze.

『Did you like the cat tower? I’m glad I didn’t make it in vain. You even climb to the very top well. Beauty, you’re a brave cat, aren’t you?』

Roy reached out, stroked the cat meowing “kyang-kyang” and left the room.

Follow him.

I mentally transmitted this to the cat, who was licking and grooming her fur. The cat jumped up, leaped off the cat tower and ran on her short legs.

The world from a low perspective seems unfamiliar, but fresh. Everything looks big and tall.

The cat walked around every corner of the house with her small paws. She inspected the living room and even peeked into the master bedroom, which used to be grandmother’s room. Nowhere was Roy, who had just disappeared, to be seen.

Not finding Roy, the cat started loudly meowing “kyang-kyang” and wandering around the living room.

『Beauty. Brother is here. I haven’t gone downstairs yet.』

Hearing the voice from the bathroom, the cat started constantly meowing in front of the bathroom door.

Do cats always meow so constantly? It seems this will be too noisy to keep. If she meows like this 24 hours a day, will Roy be able to rest normally when he needs to? Maybe I was wrong to give him a cat? Maybe I should have looked for a quiet pet that doesn’t whine?

While I was briefly lost in thought, the bathroom door suddenly opened.

『Why is Beauty crying so much today? Scared that brother disappeared? Brother needs to wash quickly and go downstairs again. If you wait quietly, I’ll give you a treat.』

It seemed to be a familiar situation, the cat obediently sat in front of the bathroom. In the cat’s eyes, clear as glass marbles, a dazzling naked body was reflected.

Twenty, no, nineteen. Despite being almost an adult age, still a small build. Especially the white skin that hasn’t seen the sun. Unlike me, clean skin without a single scar. A body with no muscles at all, so obviously soft to the touch everywhere. Smooth lines from shoulders to chest, waist and hips. Light fuzz on the body and between it, a visible small pink piece of flesh that undoubtedly has never been used.

“Oh!”

Sa Gongwoo sharply inhaled and coughed loudly.

“…What’s wrong?”

“What, ahem, what? Why? What?”

Cha Yeseung, who was sleeping sprawled on the couch, sleepily opened her eyes and looked around. Sa Gongwoo quickly interrupted the shared vision, awkwardly coughed and tensed up.

“I just asked why such a sigh… Eh? Why such a violent reaction? Strange.”

Cha Yeseung squinted and stared intently at Sa Gongwoo.

“You’re the strange one. Stop talking nonsense, if you have nothing to do, go home and sleep there. When entering gates, everyone complains they want to rest, but when there’s time to rest, why does everyone come to the office?”

“Lying at home or in the office is the same! But if you lie at home, you’re unemployed, and if you lie in the office, you’re getting paid! It’s much nicer to be a salary recipient than unemployed!”

“…Agreed.”

Ma Changgun, who was lifting dumbbells in the corner of the office, quietly supported Cha Yeseung’s words.

“Don’t talk like office workers when you don’t even get a salary. Everyone, disperse!”

“What’s with the sudden dismissal? And these unexpected lectures. Suspicious, very suspicious.”

“Are you still not awake?”

“No, really suspicious. Your expression right now is just like…”

“Again trying to make me look strange.”

“Yes, exactly that expression. When was it? Last time when I brought snacks to your dormitory. Cholsoo, who was enjoying his personal time in the room, was caught red-handed by me and sat with exactly the same expression.”

“Khe, annoying girl. I can’t believe you still remember that.”

“Look how he talks to his older sister. No manners at all. Should rip out that tongue. Come here, pup.”

“You devil! Evil of society!”

Park Cholsoo, who was sitting on the opposite couch reading a comic book, jumped up with a shout and ran outside. It seemed he was running not so much from anger as simply not wanting to get his just deserts.

“Eh, when will he become human.”

Cha Yeseung clicked her tongue and turned to Sa Gongwoo. Under her piercing gaze, Sa Gongwoo awkwardly coughed and turned away, looking out the window.

“You probably weren’t watching porn in the office.”

“I’m an extremely rational person with normal moral principles…”

“Mr. Sa, are you wearing the ring artifact you got in the previous gates?”

“…”

“You gave up your personal share to get this trash that’s not even worth its money. What’s its effect?”

“…”

“Taming.”

Instead of the silent Sa Gongwoo, Ma Changgun quickly answered.

“Yes, taming. Recently Mr. Sa gave a cat to the younger brother from the seolleongtang restaurant, right?”

“…Ah, I’m feeling a bit hungry, maybe I should go eat?”

“It’s only been two hours since lunch. Sit down, bastard.”

“Not hungry, but, on the contrary, feeling heavy. I’ll go for a walk.”

“If you run away, I’ll take it as an admission and tell everything to the younger brother from the seolleongtang restaurant.”

Cha Yeseung threateningly said to Sa Gongwoo, who was trying to leave inconspicuously. Sa Gongwoo, who had already stood up, obediently sat back down.

“Although you can’t control the tamed animal or monster like a puppet, you can give commands: attack, hide, run, go in a certain direction, come back. But it doesn’t give new abilities or make them stronger, so it’s no more than the level of a well-trained dog. Taming, which is almost useless in combat, is most useful for reconnaissance. The reason is…”

“Shared vision.”

“Changgun, correct.”

Ma Changgun, who was usually silent and seemed slow-witted, seemed particularly talkative today.

“In this sense, team leader Sa.”

Cha Yeseung called Sa Gongwoo in a serious tone, lowering her voice.

“What did you see?”

“I’ll exercise my right to remain silent.”

“Even if you remain silent, you won’t be able to escape my sharp intuition. Judging by the fact that your face is red, you’re coughing and trying to distract, you… saw something indecent.”

“…!”