* * *

There are some things that Juyoung Yoon knows and Seohee Yoon doesn't.

For example, things that might not be a big deal to someone else, but because it was within their own capabilities, because they could do it, they didn't refuse it just because it was bothersome.

Yoon Seohee called it meddling, and Park Jieun, who had received help from Yoon Seohee, described it as a brief comfort that allowed her to breathe a little easier, and another person who sought her help described it as indifferent salvation.

Yoon Seohee's life was mostly like that.

It was also like when she went through dungeons right after awakening, even risking her life for a child in an orphanage, and after raising the surgery funds, she saved as much as needed and then donated the rest mostly to the orphanage or used it to help people in difficult situations.

And like when she gave up her own performance to a coworker who had a sick sibling because she didn't have enough money to give, or even when she passed her gate pass to another hunter in a moment of life-threatening danger.

To her, all of that was just something she did because she could, not some particularly special act of kindness or salvation.

Therefore, it also stems from her indifferent benevolence that Yoon Seohee doesn't know about the small salvation she unknowingly provided to Yoon Juyoung.

Perhaps that day was just an ordinary day for Yoon Seohee.

It must have been the day when, without thinking, she put her umbrella over a man who was standing in front of death in the pouring rain.

On a day when she casually shared her umbrella with a man standing in front of death in the pouring rain.

It was raining. In a city night where there were no stars in the sky and no grass on the ground, there was a man facing death and a woman holding nothing but an umbrella. And then.

And then, the woman who covered the man with a worn-out umbrella and smiled brightly while getting soaked in the rain herself.

There was a woman like that.

"Who decided that our lives must be valuable?"

Therefore, the man did not miss the chance to belong to her.

* * *

He might have expected it to some extent. No, he did expect it.

What he expected were the various threats a C-class hunter could suddenly face, and at the same time, all kinds of schemes directed at the great being who dared to describe the world as her 'garden' with her arrogant skill.

Therefore, when a black wolf appeared out of nowhere and bit Yoon Seohee's ankle, trying to drag her into a strange darkness, Yoon Juyoung chose without hesitation to grab her hand and dive into that darkness together.

Behind him, he could hear the A-class and B-class hunters, taken aback by the sudden situation, letting out cries close to screams, but that was none of his concern.

After all, how could he care about them when he couldn't even have a proper conversation with his master because of their gazes? He easily dismissed the future of the party members left alone in an A- class dungeon without an S-class hunter.

The place where Yoon Juyoung was forcibly dragged into by the black wolf, holding Yoon Seohee's hand, was a deep, dense darkness where not a single source of light could be found.

He carefully held Yoon Seohee, who seemed to have lost consciousness due to the sudden situation, in his arms. The deep darkness, as if it were water, comfortably embraced them, also slowing down their fall.

Holding Yoon Seohee with one arm, he rummaged through his inventory with the other hand. Although he hadn't prepared for such a situation, fortunately, there was something that could serve as a source of light. He took out a round orb emitting a soft golden light from his inventory.

<Magic Orb (Light)>

An orb containing concentrated light attribute magic.

There is a risk of explosion when the orb breaks.

Originally brought as a kind of flash grenade, this orb was not useless in this situation. Like any object enchanted or filled with light attribute magic, this orb also emitted a bright light just by being left alone.

'...What?'

Despite lighting up, nothing resembling a landscape could still be seen around him. The new source of light only illuminated his master and his own clothes.

He slightly furrowed his brows and listened carefully to see if there were any sounds around.

[No sound either.]

He thought he might at least hear the howling of the wolf that had bitten his master's ankle and dragged her into this darkness, but there was none. The sharp senses of an S-class hunter were keenly aware that there was no sign of any living creature around.

[Then what is this place…]

With a view darkened without a single point of light, and a body floating as if there was neither ground nor sky, he stirred the surroundings with the hand that wasn't holding Yoon Seohee. As expected, it seemed there was nothing around.

While pondering how to deal with this unexpected situation, he suddenly felt a small movement from within his arms. He immediately looked down at his master in his embrace.

"Master?"

Normally, she would have detested being called master, but she said nothing. Yoon Seohee was still closing her eyes as if she had fainted in his arms.

However, the keen senses of an S-class hunter were alerting him that something was different.

Something different.

He narrowed his brows and stared intensely at Yoon Seohee's face, then suddenly looked down at her fingers.

[...The ring.]

The color of the originally golden ring had faded. He looked at her face again with widened eyes.

The ring worn by his master had the effect of offsetting a certain amount of shock three times. And he had personally seen the first opportunity of the ring being used.

[But there are still two opportunities left, how could the color have faded already?]

The <Ring of Superior Protection> that Yoon Seohee was wearing was not high-level equipment for an S-class to use, but it was not just any ordinary equipment either.

Though he had told Yoon Seohee a discounted price, originally, this ring was worth nearly ten million.

Considering that it was impossible for such an item to have exhausted its power without fulfilling its three opportunities, there was only one answer.

[Could it be...]

A deep tremor settled over Yoon Juyoung's green eyes.

[...Did that wolf possess abilities related to the mind or dreams?]

* * *

There was a sudden light.

And when the light faded, what remained for me was a small black puppy whining and burying its snout in my embrace.

...Really, just one small puppy. Nothing more, nothing less.

“…….”

─huuuwwhh…… (whine)

“...Where did that wolf go…”

─huuwwh?

“What kind of puppy…”

The small puppy, presumed to be the wolf from before, kept burying its head in my embrace, making pitiful whining sounds.

Honestly, to an outsider unaware of the situation, it would seem like a really cute puppy deserving of a head pat, but knowing the situation, I felt somewhat... not bad, but it was a bit much.

The fact that a giant beast that had been baring its teeth at me until just a moment ago was now whining in my embrace...

[It's fortunate that the skill worked...]

So, I really don't understand how the wolf that was menacing just a moment ago turned into a tiny puppy.

Could my skill have such an effect? Turning a fearsome beast into a tiny cub?

That's a rather useless yet not bad effect. At least it seems to consider the fear I, the caster, would feel.

“What should I do now.”

For someone whose only experience with pets was a chick forcibly passed on by a peer during elementary school, this was a very difficult situation.

Come to think of it, I wonder what my chick is doing now. I heard that chicks sold in front of elementary schools are sickly and die quickly, but for some reason, mine was healthy and lively, growing into a splendid adult chicken with an impressive title.

By the way, the chick is still producing eggs every morning in the orphanage's chicken coop. Let's give a round of applause for my good chick.

[No, this isn't the time.]

Now wasn't the time to think about the chick dozing off in the orphanage's chicken coop, but rather, I needed to think about how to escape from here with this menacing... no, somewhat cute puppy in my embrace.

I carefully massaged my legs that had gone limp right after the wolf turned into a puppy. Hmm, it seemed a bit better than before.

"Ugh..."

I carefully lifted the puppy that had been burying its snout in my embrace and placed it down in front of my knees, then slowly got up. There was definitely some strength returning, and although my posture was awkward, I had no problem getting up.

I looked around.

"It's still dark..."

Although I could see faintly ahead, unlike when my life was being threatened by the wolf, it wasn't bright enough to make out the surrounding environment clearly.

I tried moving my legs, which still had some tremors. Fortunately, I could walk just fine.

─huuuwwhh...!

Thinking I was going to leave it behind, the creature that had been circling around my legs immediately clung to me, rubbing its body against mine.

I felt like a terrible owner who had abandoned a puppy without a second thought. Eventually, I sighed and picked up the puppy, holding it in my embrace.

[Oh well, since my skill worked on it, it won't pose a threat to me anymore.]

Considering it was once a monster from a former A-class dungeon, it was somewhat reassuring... Although it was anything but reassuring when it was my enemy, but that's not the case now, is it?

I looked at the puppy, which started wagging its tail happily as soon as I held it, with mixed feelings.

"So, how do I really get out of here?"

It seemed like I had been separated from my party members, including Yoon Juyoung, all by myself... I wasn't sure what to do.

The thought of not doing anything and quietly waiting for rescue in a disaster situation came to mind if I tried to leave here and explore the surroundings, but sitting here doing nothing didn't seem right either, given that this situation was [not normal].

[What should I do?]

I reflexively stroked the fluffy thing in my embrace and gently bit my lower lip. If both staying put and exploring the surroundings came with their own risks...

I stopped pondering and glanced down at the small animal in my embrace.

[Since I have this little guy... Maybe I should try exploring the surroundings.]

Fortunately, I had a small weapon I could use in a sudden crisis situation.

I gently stroked its head as if to say I was counting on it. The creature wagged its tail like a propeller and cried out happily.

...Honestly, it was really cute.

* * *

TLN: Alright, guys, give me your opinion about this novel so far. Should I continue with the novel? Let me know in the comment section!