On my way to the market, I bought some fruits that Nur might like and headed to the greenhouse. Throughout my walk along the side path, Jin’s words kept lingering in my mind. Dehid flower, a roaring male lion. Could this possibly relate to the prophecy about Karsa Empire’s downfall in the novel? I felt deeply frustrated being forced to stand by while clearly watching the situation escalate.

Entering the greenhouse, I saw Nur sleeping soundly. Previously, he would startle awake at the slightest sound, but now he sleeps peacefully without concern. Not wanting to wake him forcefully, I crouched down and stared blankly at him.

It had been a long time since I rescued Nur and brought him here. Time flowed endlessly, but the situation remained unchanged. I still felt helpless, unable to do anything for him. Hugging my knees, I spoke to Nur who slept curled up.

“I’m sorry, Nur. This might be all I can do.”

Did he recognize his name? Nur, who had been sleeping deeply, slowly opened his eyes. His deep eyes seemed to reproach me somehow, making me offer excuses.

“I tried my best but… my position and abilities are severely lacking.”

Though unfair, that was reality. I just need to finish the tasks in front of me while waiting for someone to solve the case. When I resigned myself to this thought, my shoulders, heavy with responsibility, felt oddly lighter, yet I couldn’t shake off the bitter feeling. Looking straight into those large grape-like eyes, I twitched my lips in resignation.

“I promised I would catch the criminals who did that to your family.”

I sighed softly while mumbling an apology.

“…I wish someone better than me had rescued you.”

I voiced the thought that had lingered since the moment I rescued Nur. Though I didn’t want to admit it and had pushed it aside, I could no longer deny it. Strangely, it felt relieving. Afterward, I stood up and took out the pouch of fruits I bought at the market.

There’s no time to be gloomy when I should be happy that Nur miraculously woke up. Just as I bent down to place a handful of colorful fruits in a suitable spot—

[Me…]

I heard a youthful voice that seemed to have just passed puberty.

[Do you regret saving me?]

The moment I realized it wasn’t an auditory hallucination, I whipped my head around. The door was firmly shut. I looked around for the voice’s owner, but there was no one else in the greenhouse. As confusion washed over me, I felt a warm temperature near my ankle again. When I dropped my gaze, Nur, who I thought was lying on the stone, had somehow come close. …No way. It can’t be. Stroking my dry face with trembling hands, I spoke.

“…N-Nur?”

But the answer I wanted didn’t come.

[Do you regret it?]

Those black eyes without light looked like deep pits. While I kept falling endlessly into them, I finally came to my senses and lowered my body. When I knelt down, Nur climbed onto my thigh seemingly waiting for this moment and looked up at me. Seeing my dumbfounded face reflected in those clear eyes, I hastily shook my head.

“No. I don’t regret it. I don’t regret it at all. But someone other than me…”

[That’s enough then.]

Nur cut me off lightly and began nibbling at the fruits in my hand. The warm sensation following his breathing told me this wasn’t a dream. Just as I was about to be surprised that he approached me first for the first time, his quiet voice filled the greenhouse as warmly as the sunlight coming through the window.

[I don’t regret meeting you either.]

No regrets. Just that alone made me feel compensated for all the hardships. When I smiled brightly at Nur, cheerful notification sounds rang in succession.

—NO. 12 ‘Sainur’ feels intimate with you.

—Your relationship evaluation with Sainur has progressed. ‘Common Language’ has been unlocked.

Finally, a new function opened in the Monster Encyclopedia. Since Nur knew better than anyone what obstacles we’d overcome, it felt especially meaningful. Though his hands were empty after quickly eating all the fruits, Nur didn’t turn his back as usual. When he licked my palm with his rough tongue, I felt unexpectedly choked up. Shortly after, Nur looked up and said:

[Give me more fruits.]

“Oh? Okay. Just a moment.”

I hurriedly opened the pouch and poured all the remaining snacks into my palm. The Sainur licked around his mouth with his pink tongue and swallowed fruits the size of kidney beans in one gulp. After finishing his meal, he got down from my lap and stretched leisurely, looking quite satisfied.

[If you have questions, ask now. Since you were thoughtful enough to buy fruits, I’ll tell you what I know.]

Thoughtful… Being praised with such a young voice felt strange in many ways. Still, I couldn’t miss this chance to ask questions. I sat comfortably cross-legged in front of Nur, who was grooming himself with his short muzzle, and asked.

“Do you remember anything from that day? Like the human’s appearance?”

Unlike my worry about making him recall painful memories, Nur remained calm.

[Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand.]

“What do you mean?”

[These eyes see through to the essence, not unnecessary shells. So I don’t know the ‘appearance’ you want.]

His round pupils suddenly became sharp as needles. I belatedly recalled Asrein’s explanation about the ‘Ma-an.’ The most expensive item traded because only Sainurs possess it. I touched my embarrassed lips as I remembered the ‘one thing’ missing from the group of Sainurs who met their end in the nest.

“Then is there anything else you remember besides appearance? Like sounds or smells?”

[There is.]

“Really?!”

Nur slightly lifted his head and sniffed the air.

[Mother told us not to go where that smell was, but the foolish one got caught in a trap.]

“That smell?”

[That hideous purple flower you brought. All the humans who smelled of blood had that flower’s scent mixed in.]

“The Dehid flower… I see.”

[I don’t know what you call it.]

This confirmed that all the poachers in Bivrint Forest had Dehid flower sachets. He, who feared me and confused me with someone while under the influence of the hallucinogen, clearly shouted that it ‘wasn’t complete.’ And according to the innkeeper, he left suspicious words. The one who obtains fire shall obtain the world.

My temples started throbbing as numerous unsolved clues piled up. Just before being consumed by thoughts leading one after another, I shook my head vigorously enough to scatter my hair.

“Thank you. That was very helpful.”

Nur silently focused on grooming. As he licked his thick paws with his small mouth, I already couldn’t estimate how big he would grow. Proving that large animals show signs from youth, Nur’s bone structure was different from the start.

According to the encyclopedia, an adult Sainur stands nearly 2m tall on two legs. Not only that, it easily exceeds 300kg in weight, naturally bringing to mind predatory bears. Add to that the ‘Ma-an,’ and if they hadn’t preferred living in closed groups, they would have been Level 1 dangerous magical creatures.

Swallowing my admiration, I examined Nur thoroughly out of professional habit. His crescent-shaped ears and round face had no sharp angles anywhere. Fluffy gray fur covered him from his legs to his tail as long as his legs, making me wonder how he’d manage in summer.

Then Nur, noticing my burdensome gaze, slowly raised his head. Captivated by those eyes containing vast universes, I mumbled softly.

“Such mysterious eyes.”

[Why the sudden praise. Curious about your essence?]

“That wasn’t why I praised you… but can you see something?”

[You don’t need careful observation.]

That hurts my pride a bit. As I pouted dejectedly, Nur stood straight on all fours and said.

[It’s not about power.]

“Then what is it?”

[You’re so empty there’s nothing to see.]

Wait a minute. Being about power would be better. Empty of magic and empty of essence. What kind of vessel am I meant to be? At least I’ve managed to stuff my head with knowledge.

[Don’t take it negatively. It means you can accept anything.]

Then Nur muttered, looking at my shadow stretched across the dirt floor. ‘You’ve already taken something in.’ While staring blankly at those empty eyes, chills ran down my spine. Is this how it feels to visit a skilled fortune teller? Without me saying anything, he noticed Agnus living in my shadow. To him, outward appearance truly was just an unnecessary shell.

After personally experiencing such an amazing ability, I suddenly remembered that day.

“Then… what about the Professor?”

When traces of the hallucinogen remained, I vaguely saw a strange magical creature overlapping with Asrein. Even after losing consciousness, I saw a magical creature with mesmerizing golden light in my dreams. Though one horn was half-cut, rather than feeling pity, it exuded an overwhelming pressure that made me want to bow my head immediately.

I don’t think it was a simple hallucination. I just couldn’t attempt to think about what connection there might be because I didn’t know. When I asked with sparkling eyes, Nur responded indifferently.

[Professor? Who’s that?]

“You know, the one with hair down to his waist who’s really good-looking… Ah, right, you can’t see appearances.”

I needed to explain, but the most important physical description was useless to Nur. Even if I mentioned his low voice and authoritative attitude, he wouldn’t understand. While biting my lips and racking my brain, Nur seemed to realize something and asked.

[Are you talking about the one you get nervous around?]

“Oh! Yes. So did you see the Professor’s essence too?”

It was the same Nur who had answered without hesitation when asked about memories that could be traumatic. But this time was different. His confident attitude disappeared, and Nur subtly avoided eye contact. His tail thumping the dirt floor even seemed somewhat anxious. Finally, a voice tinged with clear tension was heard.

[No.]

“Huh. Really?”

An essence that even Nur with his Ma-an couldn’t see. Are there separate conditions for seeing essence, like how I need to see a magical creature’s eyes to register them in the encyclopedia? Or maybe he just doesn’t want to tell me. Unable to think of any plausible reason no matter how much I considered it, I asked again.

“Why didn’t you look?”

When I tilted my head curiously, his round eyes narrowed with suspicion.

[It’s not that I didn’t look, I couldn’t see it.]