The Waiting Fear

"If I don't return within a week, or if the barrier around this room disappears, go straight to the Guildmaster at the counter," Ignatius said firmly. "He might seem gruff, but he's dependable. I'll leave him a message too."

"That's…" Shen Xinghui's words faltered.

Did this mean there was no guarantee of safety?

That it was truly dangerous?

He clung tightly to Ignatius's waist, shaking his head like a stubborn child.

Why did Ignatius have to go?

Couldn't they just wait it out until someone else dealt with the monster?

Why did it have to be him?

"Don't go," Shen Xinghui murmured, barely above a whisper.

His plea made Ignatius smile wryly, his expression a mix of fondness and apology.

He gently stroked Shen Xinghui's head, his touch as soothing as ever.

"If left unchecked, it will cause even greater harm. It's rare for a monster to appear on the main roads, but that makes it all the more urgent."

"But still…" Shen Xinghui protested weakly.

"It's not just about people dying," Ignatius continued patiently. "Trade routes will be disrupted, goods won't flow, and the consequences will ripple far and wide."

As if calming a distressed child, Ignatius stroked Shen Xinghui's back.

However, Shen Xinghui couldn't bring himself to let go.

"I promise you," Ignatius said, his voice steady. "I'll take you to the capital. But for now, you have to let me go."

Shen Xinghui knew he was being selfish, that he was causing Ignatius trouble.

With a deep breath, he slowly loosened his grip.

"Will you come back?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"I will," Ignatius replied confidently.

"…Then I don't need money," Shen Xinghui declared, his voice firm despite his fear. "Just stock up on food and water. I'll stay here, locked in this room, until you return. And if you don't…" He swallowed hard. "Then I'll starve to death right here."

Ignatius's expression softened, though there was a flicker of unease in his eyes.

Still, he nodded his head and promised.

The two of them went shopping, where Ignatius bought a magic bag for Shen Xinghui.

They filled it with food and water and even a few books to help pass the time.

To Shen Xinghui's surprise, he could read the books that were written in this world.

Even more astonishingly, when he wrote something, it automatically transformed into this world's language.

The next day, Ignatius left to hunt the monster.

Shen Xinghui spent his days locked himself in the room, living out the quiet hours.

Despite the chaos that must have been occurring outside, the room was eerily peaceful.

But Shen Xinghui couldn't relax.

He sighed as he gazed out the window, his thoughts circling endlessly around Ignatius.

Even reading didn't help; the words refused to stick in his mind.

His worries always returned to Ignatius's safety.

Lately, he had begun to dream—terrible dreams, the kind that came during brief naps.

In these dreams, he saw Ignatius falling and killed by the monster.

Each time, he would wake with a start, shouting into the silence of the room.

What was wrong with him?

Was he simply terrified of being alone in this strange world, with no one to rely on?

Perhaps that was why he clung to Ignatius so desperately.

But there was more to it than that.

Ignatius was kind, strong, and admirable.

Yet there was also something endearing about him—something that made Shen Xinghui's heart ache.

The way Ignatius ate his cooking with such genuine delight, his eyes lighting up with every bite, was oddly charming.

It was a sight Shen Xinghui couldn't help but like.

"By now, I hope he's eating it."

Shen Xinghui thought as he looked at the waist pouch he had packed with the food he had made.

He hoped that Ignatius was eating it and that it would help restore even a little bit of his energy.

It would bring him some comfort to know that the food he made was helping the one person he cared about.

"Is there really nothing else I can do?"

He was aware of his own weakness.

His physical strength hadn't improved.

He didn't even know how to properly use magic.

Everything seemed so confusing.

"I'm so useless."

He wondered if he had been more useful, would he have been by Ignatius's side right now?

Three days had passed.

Shen Xinghui was now filled with fear.

He had been told that the monster Ignatius was hunting was strong, but the fact that he hadn't returned in three days made him anxious.

Perhaps Ignatius had been delayed in his search.

Maybe he had traveled farther than expected and was having trouble finding his way back.

Shen Xinghui hoped that was the case.

With no way of knowing what was happening, all he could do was pray.

Thud!

The sound from outside the door startled Shen Xinghui, causing his shoulders to jerk in surprise.

When he looked toward the door, there was nothing there.

The room, bathed in darkness, seemed unchanged.

But something was wrong.

As he approached the door, he noticed something liquid, flowing into the room.

It wasn't quite an invasion, but someone had likely spilled something in front of the door, and it was forming a stain in the room.

However, the next moment, Shen Xinghui recoiled in shock as the liquid began to emit a faint smoke.

It must have been a flammable liquid.

"Ugh… Cough! Cough!"

The smoke stung his throat.

He felt as if it might start to burn.

Even when he opened the window, the smoke seemed to increase.

But there were no screams.

The fire hadn't spread to the floor yet.

He had to assess the situation and inform someone.

If it was a fire, it would be a disaster.

He had been told not to open the door.

But this was an emergency.

Shen Xinghui made up his mind and tried to open the door to escape.

But as soon as he did, his body collided with something.