Chapter 23: Because He Helped a Hero

‘…I can’t exactly press him on it…’

That was the entirety of the conversation I had with Inas.

I wanted to ask what he meant by that, but…

“Seongyeon, do you believe what Idel said?”

Since Inas struck first like that, I couldn’t ask anything more. After that, I got swept up in him telling me to praise him for properly getting rid of the dream worm.

‘Just what the hell is Idel….’

I spent the whole morning confused about whether it was a dream or reality, and only now did I finally regain my senses.

I reminded myself again and again that Idel still couldn’t enter this house, and that the dream worm Inas burned couldn’t kill me.

All Idel could do was torment me in dreams.

‘If he had planted something to actually kill me, it would’ve been discovered… so he was probably trying to shake me and drive a wedge between us…’

Inas’s magical ability was still an unknown territory to me. I’ve never had a chance to properly see it with my own eyes, after all…

Still, somehow, it felt like he’d be good at detecting traps. Aren’t people who stay cooped up at home usually good at that? It was a logic full of bias, but I decided to believe it anyway.

The conclusion was that planting the dream worm was the best Idel could do, and that his goal was to break my trust in Inas. That hypothesis felt the most convincing.

“Is he trying to make me run out of this house on my own…?”

I wanted to scoff and say I wouldn’t fall for something like that, but unfortunately, I was a little shaken.

Because Inas’s answer had been so unsettling.

“If Seongyeon didn’t lie to me, then I didn’t lie either.”

What the hell does that even mean? What was he implying? Did he say that because it looked like I was doubting him? But if that were the case…

‘Ah… this is confusing.’

No matter what Idel wanted, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being played right into his hands.

“Forget it. Don’t think too deeply.”

I shook my head hard and muttered as if making a vow. Think simply. He just wanted to sow discord.

Either I’d lose trust in Inas and leave, or Inas would grow tired and annoyed by my suspicion and kick me out.

“Yeah, that’s it… he’s trying to drag things down somehow.”

It wasn’t something that needed this much overthinking in the first place.

If Inas had simply denied it and left it at that, I wouldn’t still be agonizing over it…

‘I really don’t know what he’s thinking.’

I thought that as much time as we’d spent together, the emotional distance between us had narrowed too. I even believed I understood his way of thinking to some extent.

At some point, he had started clinging to me at all times like a leech, but I’d arbitrarily taken that as a sign of closeness.

After all, it was something I never would’ve imagined when we first met.

‘Well… calling us close is still a bit of a stretch.’

I still didn’t really know anything about Inas.

I didn’t even know his age, his family, or why he lived in Enns. I didn’t know why he was called a monster either.

‘They’re not things I need to know anyway.’

Just as Inas didn’t know much about me either.

If there was anything I needed to know, it was how he planned to send me back to my world, and whether there had been any progress…

‘It feels a bit awkward to ask now. It might seem like I’m doubting him.’

This was all because of Idel. If that bastard hadn’t spouted nonsense, I wouldn’t even be thinking about lies and such.

“Damn it, that bastard Idel.”

He’s no help at all.

Well, of course he wouldn’t be.

In the first place, all of this happened because of him, no, because of the emperor behind him, dragging me into this world.

Occupying half of this vast continent, yet still so greedy. Summoning a Hero just to wage war…

“Seongyeon.”

“Uwaaaah!”

The anger that had been stretching from Idel to the emperor vanished in an instant.

Thanks to Inas, who had appeared without a sound again today.

“Ah… ugh… that scared me…”

My heart was pounding wildly.

Is he even walking? How is there not a single footstep? Isn’t he basically a ghost? Honestly, it was less startling when he used to fly around—these days, I scream every time I see him.

“Loud…”

“S-sorry…”

My voice had been loud enough to rupture eardrums, so I obediently apologized.

Honestly, Inas was the same as always. The problem was that bastard Idel. Ever since that damn dream worm incident, I’d been getting startled over the smallest things.

Like they say, once bitten, twice shy…

“Ah, did you bring the ingredients? Everything okay today?”

I’d probably get used to it again with time.

It’d be nice if Inas made some noise when he moved around… but since he seemed to enjoy startling me, I decided not to expect much.

“Today’s delivery…”

I spoke casually, as if nothing had happened, and moved to bring in the ingredients that were probably dumped carelessly in the living room as usual.

Maybe because I ordered them before Idel appeared in my dream, I couldn’t quite remember what it was today. It was something Inas had unusually said he wanted to try eating…

“There’s none.”

“…What?”

“The cart didn’t come.”

“…Huh?”

I stopped mid-step.

What did he just say? The cart that always arrived at the exact same time didn’t come?

A delivery accident? Did monsters attack it on the way?

“The goods didn’t arrive.”

Unlike me, who was confused, Inas acted as if he had expected this outcome.

“The cart isn’t returning because it couldn’t get the items it needed.”

“…You mean the merchant didn’t prepare the goods?”

“Yeah.”

“W-why? Were my requests too much? So… they decided to stop trading?”

If that were the case, it would be the worst possible news. It meant our only source of food was gone.

“Wow, I didn’t even consider that. Wait… what do we do then? Since your potions are such high quality, they acted like they’d give us anything… Ah, did I get too greedy? Should I start adjusting from now on? But there’s no way to contact them…”

I was in full panic mode.

“Inas, are we going to starve? Can’t we find another supplier? I mean, without any notice…”

It felt unfair. At first I may have made excessive requests out of spite, but later I only asked for what we actually needed…

“Calm down, Seongyeon…”

Inas grabbed me firmly as I fidgeted in agitation.

“Is there a solution?”

Maybe he had some clever idea? That’s why he was so calm…

“No?”

…What kind of answer is that?

He even looked like he was wondering why I’d ask him that in the first place.

It was my fault for expecting anything. I knew his personality well, yet I fell for it every time.

“There is a problem.”

I wanted to shut that mouth of his that talked about problems instead of solutions.

What could be more serious than not being able to get food right now?

“Idel seems to have found the merchant.”

“…What?”

“He probably killed him.”

…There was something worse.

If that shocking statement I could barely believe was true.

“W-who? The merchant is dead? Idel… killed him?”

Inas tilted his head slightly. Then, uncharacteristically, he began to explain calmly.

His speech was slow and omitted many details, but to summarize:

Inas’s unmanned cart had a warp function. It erased its traces and moved secretly, making it difficult to track. That’s why, even though Idel had seen Inas bring in the cart every time, he couldn’t do anything.

But in the end, Idel managed to track it. The dream worm had been a distraction, he found the merchant supplying the ingredients and cut off the trade.

“But still… okay, let’s say that’s true… then he could’ve just stopped the trade. Why would the merchant… automatically be dead…?”

Inas’s lips moved slightly, then closed again.

Normally, I would’ve brushed it off as him being lazy, but this time, it felt like he was deliberately holding back.

“Is there… another reason?”

If it was anyone else, I might’ve pressed further, but since it was Inas… maybe I shouldn’t?

Just as I wondered whether I should take back the question I had already asked…

“Because he helped a Hero.”

As if he had never hesitated, Inas answered simply.

“Helped a… Hero…”

Something in my mind felt like it snapped. The words were too heavy to even process properly…

“We won’t be able to trade for a while.”

Inas looked completely unconcerned, which made it even harder to grasp.

Was the merchant really dead? Just for the crime of helping a Hero?

“They’re probably making an example out of him. Showing what happens if you help a Hero. They must’ve figured out I was involved too.”

I didn’t want to believe it.

Even if it had nothing to do with my intentions, the fact that someone had died because they were connected to me…

If I accepted that, it felt like I’d also have to accept that I was a hunted criminal.

“Seongyeon.”

“…Ah, yes.”

“We still have reserves, so it’s not like we’ll starve immediately, right?”

“…”

What kind of answer was I supposed to give right now?

To Inas, who sounded completely indifferent to whether someone lived or died…

‘…Won’t this person also become endangered because of me?’

To someone who was protecting a Hero far more directly than that merchant ever did… what should I even say?

Could Idel really not kill Inas?

Idel, who calls him a monster?

‘What should I do now?’

My existence… was harming more and more people.