"Do you know anything about golem crafting?"
Haruto's words lingered in the air, settling over the group as their meaning slowly sank in. The goblins exchanged glances, their expressions caught somewhere between disbelief and awe. He had just turned down a technique powerful enough to dominate a battlefield, only to ask for knowledge in something as intricate and specialized as golem crafting.
To them, it meant one of two things.
Either this Majin already possessed power far beyond what they could comprehend…
Or he simply valued something else entirely.
Venora studied him carefully. There was hesitation in her gaze, but she eventually nodded.
"As a matter of fact… I do," she replied. "But if you don't mind me asking, why golem crafting? It's a highly complex branch of magic engineering. Very few can even begin to grasp it properly. And if you already have the intelligence and control required to learn it… wouldn't it be better to invest your efforts into something more immediately useful?"
Her reasoning was sound.
From a practical standpoint, she wasn't wrong.
But Haruto's interest had nothing to do with battle.
With a small smile, he waved his hand dismissively. "No, no. You're misunderstanding," he said. "I'm not planning to use it for combat or anything like that. It's more of a personal project."
That answer only deepened her curiosity.
Personal?
For something this complicated?
Still, she quickly weighed the situation. There was no real loss on her end. If anything, she stood to gain far more from this exchange.
"…Very well," she said at last. "I'll teach you the fundamentals. Beyond that, I can't offer much. It was never my main field of study. However…" she paused briefly, a faint, mischievous smile forming, "…if you wish to pursue it further, I can introduce you to someone far more knowledgeable in the future."
Then, with a subtle shift in tone, she added, "Though, I must admit… this deal feels rather one-sided. Allow me to balance it a little."
Haruto raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."
Venora pointed a finger at him, her expression carrying a teasing edge. "I don't know what you're planning to do with this knowledge, but I won't mind offering additional assistance where necessary. For example, during the construction of a magic core. It's the most delicate phase of golem creation. One minor mistake… and the entire structure collapses before it even begins to function."
That caught his interest immediately.
"Thanks. I appreciate it," he replied with an easy smile. Then he extended his hand forward. "Sounds like a fair deal to me."
Venora glanced at his hand for a brief moment, as if measuring something unseen, before accepting it. Their hands met in a firm handshake, silently sealing the agreement.
---
From the side, Hana and Haruna observed the exchange in silence.
Hana adjusted Haruki slightly in her arms, her eyes lingering on Venora's hand still brushing against Haruto's for just a moment longer than necessary. Her lips pressed into a thin line, something subtle shifting in her expression.
"…That woman is dangerous," she muttered, though her tone carried more than just caution.
Haruna's gaze remained fixed on the same spot. The way Venora spoke, the confidence in her posture, the ease with which she inserted herself into the conversation—it all rubbed her the wrong way.
"…Yes," Haruna replied quietly. "Very much so."
But neither of them moved.
Neither looked away.
There was a faint tension in the air around them, something unspoken yet painfully obvious. Their eyes followed every small interaction, every glance, every shift in distance between Haruto and Venora.
Too close.
Way too close.
Hana's fingers tightened slightly around Haruki, while Haruna's grip on her sleeve stiffened just enough to give her away.
Haruki felt it immediately.
The subtle heat behind their gazes.
The quiet, irrational irritation neither of them wanted to admit.
And…
She already knew exactly what it meant.
A soft giggle echoed gently through their minds.
"Damn…" she whispered, her tone dripping with amusement. "You two are seriously down bad."
Both of them froze.
"You're not even trying to hide it," Haruki continued, clearly enjoying herself now. "Getting all tense just because another girl talked to him for a minute… like relax, sis. It's just business."
Hana's face flushed instantly. "W-what are you even talking about?!"
Haruna stiffened, her usual composure cracking just enough to betray her. "That's not—I would never…" she whispered.
"Oh please," Haruki cut in, laughing softly. "You both looked like you were about to jump her. You really don't have to hide everything from me, you know."
Both of their faces burned red, the embarrassment hitting all at once now that it had been dragged into the open.
"…But I would never," Haruna muttered, turning her face away, though even she didn't sound convinced.
Hana, meanwhile, tried to look anywhere but in Haruto's direction, completely failing to hide the way her eyes kept drifting back.
Haruki only giggled again, far too entertained and satisfied.
...
Meanwhile, on the western edge of the great forest, a violent disturbance tore through the stillness of the snow-covered land.
A towering pillar of flames surged into the sky, twisting wildly as if trying to claw its way into the heavens. The explosion that followed shattered the silence—dust, snow, and debris erupting outward in a chaotic wave, while a deafening screech of pain echoed across the frozen terrain.
Then—
With a thunderous crash, a massive body collapsed.
The ground trembled as the scorched corpse of a colossal, serpent-like monster slammed into the snow, its immense form carving deep into the frozen earth. Smoke curled from its charred scales, the air thick with the stench of burnt flesh.
As the dust slowly settled, the creature was revealed in full.
A giant cobra-like beast lay lifeless, its body twisted and ruined. Embedded deep within its skull was a massive greatsword, driven straight through its eye and into its head with brutal precision.
The only sound that followed was the steady crunch of footsteps against snow.
A muscular man approached without urgency, his presence heavy yet composed. Reaching the corpse, he wrapped his hand firmly around the hilt of the greatsword and, with a single pull, wrenched it free. The blade slid out with a wet sound, dark crimson blood spilling from the wound as the lifeless body twitched faintly before going still.
He flicked the sword to the side, scattering droplets of blood across the snow.
Bringing it closer, he examined the blade for a moment—then sighed.
"…Guess I'll have to clean you again," he muttered. "This stench isn't coming off on its own."
Without another glance, he turned away.
"THE TARGET IS DOWN!" his voice rang out, loud and commanding. "EVERYONE CAN STAND DOWN!"
Almost instantly, the distant tension broke.
From beyond the trees, cheers erupted—laughter and loud voices spilling into the open as the rest of his group celebrated the successful hunt.
The man rested the greatsword over his shoulder and began walking back toward them at an unhurried pace.
For a brief moment, however, he stopped.
His steps paused mid-crunch.
Slowly, he turned his head, casting one last glance over his shoulder at the massive corpse lying in the snow.
A faint, satisfied smirk curled at the corner of his lips.
Then, just as quickly, he faced forward again and continued on his way.
"GET THINGS READY!" he called out. "WE'RE CAMPING HERE TONIGHT!"
...