“Geuru is a flying squirrel! Flying squirrels are the kings of squirrels.”
“Really?”
“Yesh.”
Geuru chattered on and on about everything that had happened.
The oak tree farms where acorns grew, and her squirrel friends.
Gnosis weasels, squirrels that hunted Gnosis, and the strange cohabitation of flying squirrels protected by the two.
When she mentioned that Sereuhi oppa had realized what Gnosis was, her ears drooped.
“Tha’s why. Geuru ran away ’cause she’s a flying squirrel! Like this, flying!”
Geuru spread her arms wide and pretended to fly.
“Also, flying squirrels are fine with contamination too, and they can find the ultimate acorn too……. Huh, the acorn?”
Geuru quickly rummaged through her clothes. The special Purification Acorn was still inside.
*Uwaaaaah! Now’s not the time for this!*
What about Gnosis? What happened to Mister Sahbu?
Her vision swam! Geuru tapped rapidly on Jurim’s shoulder and babbled,
“Guild Masterr. We gotta go purify quick. We gotta go to the swamp! Quick, quick!”
*
After Irina and Sereuhi had left.
The contamination that had wrapped around the swamp like thick fog had faded considerably.
It was thanks to the giant snake that was wrapped around the Blood Mass.
“Get up, we have to get out of here…….”
“Uuu…….”
“Careful……!”
“Urk!”
The Hunters who had borne the swamp’s contamination with their entire bodies were barely regaining their senses. They woke their comrades and leaned on each other to rise.
Bareut looked around at the injury-filled surroundings, then pushed his fallen master’s arm with his head.
Siwon had collapsed after mobilizing all his mana to block the contamination and save the Hunters, and since then, there had been no response.
He seemed conscious, but that was all. He didn’t appear able to move an inch.
Just then, a new presence approaching its master was felt. Bareut, who had raised his head, opened his eyes wide.
Meanwhile, Geuru, who had come straight to the swamp with Jurim, had frozen after inadvertently meeting eyes with the snake.
*A giant snake!*
It might eat squirrels!
Geuru hid behind Jurim’s legs and peeked out with only her eyes.
But the snake lowered its head before Jurim and Geuru as if paying its respects.
*Huh?*
It opened and closed its mouth as if saying something, but no words could be heard.
“I can’t hear a thing they’re shaying.”
“It says it doesn’t eat flying squirrels.”
“For real?”
“Probably.”
“Huh?”
Jurim patted Geuru’s head, then approached Siwon.
*He did something more foolish than I expected.*
Despite his blank face, I had thought he was quite the sinister human since he reeked of blood.
“Guild Masterr, is Mister Sahbu alright?”
“It’s just mana exhaustion, that’s why he can’t move. He’ll be fine after some rest.”
“That’s a relief…….”
*Then Sereuhi oppa is……?*
Geuru carefully looked around.
Among the Hunters leaving the swamp, the boy’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
Whether he hadn’t come from the start, or whether it was related to Siwon’s mana exhaustion…….
“I’m Gnosis.”
While she was making a gloomy face, recalling her last moment with Sereuhi.
Bareut slithered to Geuru’s side.
*Eek!*
Perk! The flying squirrel’s ears and tail stood straight up.
The snake slowly circled around as if to show that it wasn’t dangerous. Its white scales sparkled with every movement.
“Pretty.”
Geuru patted the snake’s head once, which had lowered itself deeply in a bow.
*Now that I’ve checked Mister Sahbu is safe.*
Geuru pulled out the acorn with a flourish.
*Now I have to do my job!*
As she tried to approach the Blood Mass with quick steps, the giant snake offered its back to Geuru.
“Geuru, want a ride?”
The snake nodded its head.
When Geuru glanced at Jurim, he came over and lifted her onto the snake.
Sliiide-
*Wow!*
The snake carried Geuru across the swamp right up to the Blood Mass.
Geuru pressed the ‘Special Purification Acorn’ against the Blood Mass.
At that, the surface of the Blood Mass moved with a crackling sound. The sticky mucus turned to sand and flowed down, and the things that had been sleeping beneath it were all…….
*Butterflies?*
They were a swarm of countless butterflies.
Crackle-
The butterflies spread their wings and began to fly away.
What remained after the butterflies flew away was a giant flower bud.
*It’s huge!*
Geuru lightly touched the petal enveloped in a white glow.
The flower bud opened wide, revealing a round core.
*Found it. The Dungeon Core!*
“Guild Masterr, here!”
At this, when Jurim gestured, the trembling core shattered with a crack! Tiny fragments rolled and fell over the swamp.
[Dungeon ‘RE; Corrupted Canal’ Clear]
[The exit is opening.]
Along with the notification, a gate leading outside rose up in the distance.
The gate connected heaven and earth like an aurora descending from the sky.
“Woooow!”
Geuru exclaimed in admiration and bounced over to Jurim’s side.
Jurim took her hand.
“Hyung! Is that Geuru over there?”
“Geuru!”
Gidan and Nayeon came running from afar.
They seemed to have hurried to the swamp as soon as the dungeon was cleared.
“Dani oppa! Nayeon unnie!”
While Geuru was greeting them, her pocket wriggled.
“Peep!”
Mepisto, which had poked its face out from her pocket, swiftly flew up.
The tiny bird gulped down a few fragments of the core and returned to sit on Geuru’s head.
Jurim, who had watched all of this, narrowed his eyes.
It eats that?
“What’s that?”
“Ah- a baby hatched from an egg!”
“……That refrigerator egg?”
“Refrigerator?”
“So it wasn’t taken out of the refrigerator, but something you made?”
Nod, nod.
“Aah…….”
So it wasn’t simply an egg from the refrigerator, but something she had made herself.
It wasn’t strange. Even if it didn’t feel real, the child was a veritable S-rank Production-class.
“Can I keep it?”
“Hmm, what does this one eat?”
If it’s a bird that feeds on dungeon cores, it might be a bit difficult to raise.
“Ha!”
“You don’t know?”
“What do I do……. What if Mepi starves because it can’t eat?”
“Then you can just make one more……”
Jurim, who had been answering indifferently, trailed off.
Seeing the baby flying squirrel’s trembling ears and glistening eyes, he changed his words.
“We’ll figure it out by feeding it various things outside. It won’t die.”
“Yesh……”
Jurim glanced at Mepisto.
For some reason, Mepisto, which had been staring intently at Jurim’s glove, yawned and fell back asleep on top of Geuru’s head.
Ding!
[Caregiver Quest: Find ‘Mepisto’s Fragment’ and Be Devoted!]
[Complete!]
A cat paw print stamp slammed down.
*Huh?*
Was one of Mepi’s fragments here somewhere?
Geuru tilted her head in confusion as she put the acorn in her hand into her bag.
*
“Wow……. So many, so many.”
The station master let out an exclamation unwittingly.
The train station was packed with passengers.
With the corrupted zone purified, a giant aurora connecting the sky to the ground had appeared, and travelers were overflowing to go see it.
Most of them were weasels, but seeing them dragging even the injured along just to see the aurora, they certainly had tremendous passion.
“Gasp!”
Just then, the station master let out a short breath upon seeing the black wolf boarding his train.
Jurim, who was about to board the train, swept his gaze over the man’s face.
“You don’t seem happy to see me, Station Master.”
“Ah, ah, ah, it's a misunderstanding!”
As if he’d be happy. Every day was a blood-draining experience!
“Why so nervous? I’m just a passenger today.”
The black wolf waved the tickets.
“Two?”
When he lowered his head, he saw a baby squirrel holding the wolf’s hand.
The flying squirrel, who was holding a candy bag with strawberries printed on it, bowed politely when their eyes met.
“Ah, so you’re the prodigy.”
The station master lowered himself to meet her eyes.
Prodigy? Geuru let out a “Huh?” and opened her mouth.
He had thought the wolf was struggling because he had someone like himself in tow, but to think it was such a small and cute squirrel.
“What a cute daughter.”
For the first time, the black wolf smiled softly.
“Isn’t she.”
The station master, briefly showing a surprised face at this, smiled and spread his arms.
“Welcome. Family trips by train are quite delightful, aren’t they? The little one must be happy to go on an outing with her dad.”
“I’m happy to go on an outing……. But he’s not my dad.”
Geuru stole a glance at Jurim.
“Is that so?”
The station master whispered into Geuru’s ear.
“If the wolf mister is a bad man, shake your acorn.”
Jurim narrowed his eyes. Why does everyone doubt me?