Boreas and Nivalis (I)
"…And that's the reward?"
「AGREE: 0
DISAGREE: 0」
Si Hon stared at the floating poll in silence.
I still don't know what this poll even is… he thought,
irritation creeping in. None of this made sense— systems weren't supposed to work like this.
Tak.
A sharp clicking sound echoed through the air, dry and mechanical, like a clock snapping forward.
「AGREE: 1
DISAGREE: 0」
"Huh…?" Si Hon muttered, speechless.
Tak, tak, tak.
The clicking continued.
「AGREE: 1
DISAGREE: 3」
Si Hon and Arven could only stare at the screen, their confusion growing by the second. What kind of mechanism was this supposed to be? It felt wrong— unnatural. Every system book, every game, every story Si Hon had ever read had rules, logic, structure. None of them involved polls.
The clicking didn't stop.
Not until it fully stopped.
Silence.
Then—
「AGREE: 18
DISAGREE: 17」
The poll vanished, and almost immediately another transparent window appeared in its place.
「17 disagree and 18 A####### have voted that Si Hon will receive better rewards. 18 agreed, Congratulations.」
A reward list unfolded beneath it.
「Reward: 8,400 EXP
Reward: Any two Common Spells of your choice
Additional Reward: Information
Additional Reward: An Unexpected Event
(The system will notify you.)」
"…That's it?" Si Hon asked flatly.
「Fortunately, yes. Now please accept the quest.」
"No," Si Hon replied without hesitation.
The air crackled.
The system window flickered violently, text distorting as if something behind it had snapped.
────────────────────────
Quest 3: Survive and Reach the Safest Zone
Threat Level: EXTREME
Objective:
Reach the Safest Zone— no matter the cost.
During this time, you will be actively hunted by the following hostile entities:
1st — MOLE-RATS
Estimated Number: 139
Threat: Slightly Hostile
2nd — MUNCHES
Estimated Number: ??? (DEPENDS)
Threat: DEFINITELY HOSTILE
3rd — Whitefang Calamity
Designation: 1
Threat: It is looking for you
Distance to Target: 30,012M
[Quest Status: FORCIBLY ACCEPTED]
────────────────────────
"Forcefully accepted?!" Si Hon protested.
Before he could say anything else, Arven reached out and poked his cheek. "Let's go inside, Si Hon," she said.
"We've been out here since earlier— and you do realize it's getting colder, right?"
Si Hon glanced back at the swirling snow, then nodded.
"Yeah… alright," he admitted. "I forgot about that too. Let's go."
***
(Inside the Cave)
Entering the cave, Si Hon spotted Hana happily talking to the three Ursa Canis, her hands moving as if the massive beasts could understand every word she said.
…Now that I think about it, I'm the only one here who can't talk to them.
His gaze slowly slid to the side.
Arven was standing beside him.
She noticed immediately and looked back.
"ಠ_ಠ …What are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm just wondering…" Si Hon said slowly, raising a finger. "Why… you… and Hana…"
He raised another finger.
"Can… talk to Sixxy…"
A third finger.
"And her parents…"
His side-eye widened to a concerning degree.
"I wonder why…"
"ಠ_ಠ… Si Hon," Arven said flatly. "You know you can just ask like a normal person, right?"
"Hm?" Si Hon replied. "I'm not a-a-a-asking."
He gestured vaguely. "I'm just… C. U. R. I. O. U. S."
ಠ_ಠ This guy's pride is unbelievable… she thought.
Arven slapped a hand against her forehead and sighed.
"It's a skill," she said. "Called Speak with Animals."
"…I expected the skill name to sound cooler," Si Hon replied immediately.
"That name is lame."
"Ugh— whatever." Arven waved it off. "Just help prepare. We're leaving today."
She turned and went into her tent, returning moments later with two massive scrolls tucked under her arm.
"What are you going to do with those?" Si Hon asked.
She walked over and shoved one into his chest.
"Take one. Put it in your bag."
He accepted it, stepped over to the cave wall, opened his spatial bag, and slid the scroll inside.
"Okay," he said. "But what are you going to do with yours?"
"I won't tell," Arven replied calmly.
"Because apparently that might count as a spoiler according to your System." She paused, then added, "Also, put saddles on Boreas and Nivalis. You'll find them inside the tent."
With that, she walked deeper into the cave and stopped beside the pond, the faint ripples reflecting light onto the stone walls. The massive scroll rested securely in her arms as she stood there.
"…Well, alright." Si Hon said, brushing it off as he stepped inside the tent.
The interior was far larger than it looked from the outside, it looked more like a compact circus tent than a simple shelter, the ceiling was high enough that he didn't need to duck. Thick fabric walls curved outward, reinforced with rope and wooden supports, giving it a sturdy, almost permanent feel despite being portable.
Fresh stitches ran across several sections of the tent, dark thread standing out against older seams, repairs done recently, and hastily. Some of the fabric still bore faint, rust colored stains that hadn't completely washed out, there was even old blood in the fibers from past fights.
The ground was layered with heavy furs and woven mats, creating a rough but effective barrier against the cold stone below. Packs, tools, and supplies were arranged in clear order, scroll cases tied shut, weapon oil, dried herbs, cord, and spare cloth, and a saddle all within easy reach.
A small charm hung from one of the central support ropes— a simple carved piece of bone wrapped in thread and feathers, worn smooth by touch. It swayed slightly as Si Hon moved, catching the dim lantern light.
"Wow… I should've accepted sleeping here last night," Si Hon muttered as he sat down on Arven's bed.
It was soft— soft enough that it bounced slightly when he shifted his weight. He leaned back, then lay down fully, the mattress yielding under him. The pillow felt dangerously good. With a sigh, he grabbed another one and hugged it to his chest.
"Man… I wanna sleep," he mumbled, eyes slowly drifting shut.
Then—
Arven stepped inside the tent and froze.
"W-what are you doing?!" she blurted out, flustered.
"Huh?" Si Hon cracked one eye open. "I'm just lying down. Your bed feels really good…" He sighed, then sat up. "My bad. My bad."
Arven's cheeks flushed red.
"D-don't just lie on a stranger's bed, Si Hon!"
"Yeah, sure," he replied casually. Then added, almost as an afterthought, "You're not a stranger though."
She made an incoherent groan.
Si Hon stood up, stretched lazily, and grabbed the saddle.
"Alright, alright. I'll put this on Boreas and Nivalis now."
With that, he stepped out of the tent, dragging the heavy saddle behind him as he headed toward Hana and the three Ursa Canis.
Hana was telling a story.
"And so that's what happened! Dad protected me and took the big club, so I rew—"
She noticed him.
"Oh! Hi, Dad," she said, waving.
"What are you doing?" Si Hon asked, running a hand through his hair.
"I'm telling them a story," she said proudly.
A low bark followed, as if in agreement.
"Alright," Si Hon said simply.
He approached Boreas.
Up close, the Ursa Canis was massive, far larger than he'd really thought before. Si Hon glanced down at the saddle in his hands.
"…How am I even supposed to put this on?" he muttered.
Then his eyes drifted to Sixxy.
Now that he thought about it… Sixxy was actually tiny compared to Boreas and Nivalis.
Si Hon stood in front of Boreas, the saddle hanging awkwardly from his arms.
Boreas lowered his massive head and stared at him.
Just stared.
"…Okay," Si Hon muttered. "So. I will… put this on you. Somehow."
He pressed the saddle against his own stomach and tried to shove it forward. Boreas let out a low, questioning rumble.
Sixxy immediately started barking.
"Woof! Woof— grrf!"
Si Hon flinched and stopped. "Hey, why are you mad?"
Hana gasped. "Oh! Sixxy says you're holding it wrong!"
"…Holding what wrong?" Si Hon asked.
She pointed excitedly. "The saddle! You're supposed to flip it first!"
Si Hon looked down at the saddle in his arms. Then back at Boreas.
"…Flip it how?"
Sixxy barked again, louder, hopping in place.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
Hana nodded seriously. "She says you're embarrassing yourself."
"…"
Si Hon turned the saddle sideways and tried pushing it against Boreas's side, awkwardly shoving it toward what he guessed was the right spot.
Boreas snorted.
Sixxy barked.
"No, no!" Hana waved her arms frantically. "Not like that! Sixxy says you're about to poke his shoulder!"
Si Hon froze. "…Poke what?"
Boreas shifted slightly and lay down flat, stone grinding beneath his weight. One ear rose. A deep snort rolled from his chest.
The ground trembled.
Si Hon immediately pulled the saddle back to his chest.
"Okay! Alright! I won't push it randomly!"
Sixxy barked again, shorter this time.
"Woof."
"Oh!" Hana clapped. "She says you need to climb!"
"…Climb," Si Hon repeated slowly.
"Yes! On Boreas!" Hana said brightly.
Si Hon slowly looked at Boreas's face. It resembled one of those bulldogs whose default expression made it seem like it was glaring at you, even when it wasn't.
Boreas blinked.
"…Why can't Arven just do this…"
He hesitated for half a second— then grabbed a fistful of thick fur and hauled himself up.
His foot slipped.
"Woof! WOOF!"
Hana panicked. "She says hold tighter! TIGHTER!"
"I AM HOLDING!?!"
Si Hon scrambled, clinging desperately, the saddle dangling from one arm, while Boreas remained perfectly still— patient, unmoving, and most of all unimpressed.
After several seconds of deeply undignified struggling, Si Hon finally flopped onto Boreas's broad back and lay there, gasping.
"…I hate this."
Sixxy barked triumphantly.
"Woof~!"
Hana beamed. "She said, now put the saddle in the middle!"
"The middle," Si Hon repeated flatly as he stood up. He stared at Boreas's massive back.
"…Which middle?"
He stepped forward.
Bark.
"Not that middle," Hana translated instantly.
Si Hon moved again.
Bark.
"Still wrong."
Boreas released a deep, patient huff that vibrated straight through Si Hon's bones.
"…I'm sorry," Si Hon said immediately.
After several more barks, corrections, and one moment where the saddle nearly slid off and almost took Si Hon with it, the saddle finally settled into place.
Silence.
Sixxy sniffed.
Then barked once.
"Woof."
Hana smiled. "She says… acceptable."
Si Hon collapsed forward, hugging Boreas's neck.
"…Never," he muttered, "am I doing this without instructions again."