Chapter 4: The Disaster Star grew (1)
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Enoch looked around at the peaceful forest scenery.
The forest he'd wandered through before meeting Rionne had also been a forest, but somehow, this one felt different.
"Today, I'll teach you about the forest."
Rionne seemed particularly cheerful today.
Perhaps because she loved the forest, her long ears even twitched excitedly.
[Is there really a need to teach him this? He'll return to the humans eventually, and he won't have much reason to come here.]
"You never know, Undine. It's always good to be prepared."
Rionne, who had been teaching Enoch as if he were a young elf, offered an excuse.
Now that she'd said it, it didn't seem wrong.
"I like the forest, too."
[Wow, is this the first time he's spoken a full sentence? I thought I was going to die of frustration, but his speech is improving.]
Crackle!
[Gyaaaah…!? What was that for, you brat!?]
Enoch, with a disgruntled expression, shot a thin bolt of lightning at Undine and then hid behind Rionne.
"Undine, be nice."
[Wow… just wow! I'm going crazy!]
Undine clutched the back of her head and dramatically collapsed at her friend's betrayal.
The fallen spirit vanished like being recalled, but Rionne didn't care.
Undine would reappear in about five minutes, buzzing around as if nothing had happened.
Rionne glared at the spot where her childish friend had been, then composed herself and turned to Enoch.
"The forest is a kind friend who provides us with many things. Oh, Enoch, do you remember how to write the word 'forest'?"
Enoch nodded and traced the word in the dirt with his finger.
Rionne nodded in satisfaction at the correct spelling.
"Our Enoch is so smart. Good job."
She ruffled his hair as he beamed, then continued,
"Anyway, even though the forest is our kind friend, we shouldn't treat it carelessly, right?"
"Right."
"In the forest, we only take what we need, and we protect it from those who would harm it. It would be troublesome if the forest became angry, wouldn't it?"
Enoch nodded blankly.
Knowing he always listened, Rionne led him through the forest.
"This is a deer nose mushroom. It's delicious grilled. Oh, shall we take some? Let's eat them for lunch."
Round, black mushrooms, resembling deer noses, went into the basket.
"This is scratchy grass. If you have indigestion, wash it well, boil it, and drink the tea. You'll feel better right away."
Enoch examined the scratchy grass.
Covered in bristly hairs, it looked unpleasant to eat raw.
"Oh, look, a rabbit. There are many animals in this forest. Deer, wolves, wild boars, bears…"
The forest, carefully tended by Rionne, was abundant.
It was probably one of the most hospitable forests on the continent.
Then…
-Oink!
A faint sound caught Enoch's attention.
His ears twitched.
Rionne smiled faintly.
"Speak of the devil. A wild boar. Want to follow me quietly?"
"Yes."
Rionne walked lightly.
She seemed to be walking normally, yet there was no sound, not even a hint of her presence.
Enoch watched her with fascination, imitating her as best he could.
"Hehe."
Rionne chuckled, pleased to see his presence diminishing by the second.
Soon…
"Shh."
Hidden in the bushes, they peeked out. A wild boar was foraging for berries.
"It's huge, isn't it?"
Enoch nodded.
"If we catch it, we'll have enough to eat for a whole month… or… maybe not?"
She reconsidered.
Enoch had a prodigious appetite.
When she lived alone, she wouldn't have bothered hunting it, but now, they could probably eat it all without any problem.
"Enoch, do you want to try catching it?"
Enoch nodded, then instantly,
Crackle!
He leaped into a tree, scattering sparks of electricity.
The oblivious boar continued foraging.
Enoch's eyes narrowed.
He couldn't fail; Rionne was expecting him to succeed.
As quickly and stealthily as possible.
He would kill it instantly.
"Haa…"
Enoch held his breath, waiting for an opportunity.
Then…
-Whoosh!
The wind blew.
A leaf brushed against the boar, and its gaze shifted.
An opening.
Crackle-!
Enoch shot forward in a flash of electricity.
"Oink…!?"
The boar's eyes widened as it sensed him, but it was too late.
Enoch reached the boar, drew back his fist, and…
Rumble-!
With a crack of thunder, his fist slammed into the boar.
"Squeal!"
But the boar wasn't so easily defeated.
Living in the abundant forest and absorbing trace amounts of mana, it wasn't an ordinary beast.
It staggered, its eyes turning fierce.
'Insolent human. I'll break your back.'
But the human was gone.
As the boar looked around, it felt a sudden weight on its back.
"Oink!?"
Enoch, now on its back, gripped its fur tightly. The boar thrashed wildly.
If this went on, Enoch would tire.
He made a quick calculation and acted. He wreathed his teeth in lightning and bit down on the boar's neck.
-Crunch!
"Screeeech…!!"
The boar shrieked at the top of its lungs.
"D-Don't bite, Enoch…!!" Rionne yelled, startled.
Why bite when he had perfectly good arms and legs!?
Combat was inherently brutal, but this wasn't good for his development.
"Hmm?"
Enoch looked up at Rionne's horrified expression.
Spit-!
He spat out a chunk of flesh, blood dripping from his mouth.
The boar, weakened, staggered, unsure what had happened.
Well… she'd told him not to bite.
Obeying, Enoch charged his hand with electricity and slammed it down on the wound he'd inflicted, as if to crush it.
The boar shuddered and collapsed.
Enoch jumped off the dead boar and stared blankly at Rionne, ignoring Undine, who had reappeared.
[…Crazy brat. Savage. Disaster Star.]
"Enoch, you shouldn't do that."
It was understandable in dire situations. Survival came first.
But if this became a habit, it would be problematic when he went out into the world.
Even though Rionne didn't know much about humans, she doubted they had a custom of biting people's necks.
"…Okay."
Enoch hung his head dejectedly at her scolding.
"I-I'm not scolding you, Enoch! Don't be so sad!"
"Okay…"
"You did well! There's no human your age who could take down a boar like that!"
[I think there are quite a few, actually.]
"Undine!"
[Eek!?]
Rionne stuffed her disruptive friend into her pocket and smiled gently.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"No."
"Shall we explore the forest a little more? Or do you want to go home and rest?"
"Explore more."
"Alright."
Rionne tapped Enoch's mouth with her finger.
A water droplet materialized, cleaning the blood from his face.
"Let's go!"
****
After their eventful forest expedition, they returned home.
Rionne washed Enoch, made him study even though he was nodding off, and then stretched luxuriously.
"Ahhh…!"
Her pale skin glowed radiantly in the deepening sunlight.
She gathered her golden hair and draped it over her shoulder, then asked Enoch, who was pouting,
"It's a bit late for a nap. Shall I teach you some more martial arts?"
Studying was boring, but martial arts training was fun. Enoch quickly nodded.
"Then… let's see."
Rionne headed to the yard, mentally sifting through her vast library of knowledge.
Compiled, the knowledge she'd accumulated over her long life would fill a library and then some.
Having found a suitable technique, she recalled it.
"Yes, this should do."
The 'Buneunjogeong' – the Angry Hawk Claw Technique.
A claw technique that mimicked the movements of an enraged hawk.
Claw techniques involved tearing apart opponents with fingers curled like a beast's talons.
Enoch instinctively fought in a similar manner, so it seemed like a good fit.
"You've learned the basics of punches, so this shouldn't be too difficult."
Although punches and claws were distinct techniques, they shared similarities.
Moreover, the Angry Hawk Claw Technique was considered a basic technique.
It wasn't too difficult, so Enoch should be able to learn it without much trouble.
"Here."
Rionne beckoned with her finger, and a plant stem sprang from the ground, forming a scarecrow.
"Try imitating… huh?"
Rionne stared at Enoch, who was waving his hands in the air.
She watched, curious, and realized he was weaving mana, drawing a picture.
"Oh…!"
And that picture resembled the magic she'd used.
Enoch was memorizing and replicating the flow of mana she'd used for a split second.
Crackle!
The crudely formed magic circle activated.
Electricity surged from the ground, briefly taking the shape of a scarecrow before dissipating.
Looking closely at the ground, she saw a tiny sprout, blackened and dead.
"Oh my…!"
'Our child is a genius…!'
Undine, pushing aside the fussing Rionne, grumbled,
[Looks like he has a talent for magic, too. How unexpected.]
From the way he acted, she'd expected him to be a savage, biting everything in sight, not someone with magical aptitude.
'Is that brat pretending to be dumb when he can actually speak perfectly well?'
"Grrrr…"
Rionne hugged Enoch tightly to calm him down, then lifted him up.
"Enoch! Should Noona teach you magic!?" she asked excitedly.
Enoch rolled his eyes.
He didn't want to learn more things…
"Should I…!?"
There was no way he could refuse. He smiled brightly and nodded.
"Yay!"
Rionne cheered.
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