The Problem Was Actually Me

"Does the monster we're dealing with this time have any special backstory?"

"Probably not. It's just an ordinary wraith that, due to some coincidence after death, failed to dissipate and became a monster."

"Then there has to be some special way to activate it on the way there, right?"

"...Probably not. It's bound to that area and can't move around freely."

"Strange. Why does this monster sound so ordinary?"

"Is it possible that it really is just an ordinary monster?"

"Impossible. Absolutely impossible."

Iris shot the necromancer a sidelong glance. "Since you said it could increase my strength, it must have something special about it. It can't be as easy to deal with as an oversized slime, can it?"

"It is somewhat troublesome," Linton said flatly. "But the troublesome part is that its true body is an intangible soul. It's fragile, but because it has no physical form, it's always hard to find, like playing hide-and-seek. Every now and then, it attacks from outside your field of vision and catches people off guard. It isn't some enormous, mana-overflowing stat monster like you imagine."

"Like an assassin?" Iris began considering it seriously. "If it's an assassin, then it really will be difficult for me, as a knight, to handle. Though I don't look like a knight at all right now."

Knights were known for their huge health pools and high defense, for charging into battle, taking damage, and drawing aggro. Yet although Miss Knight had the knight class, she had chosen an extremely lopsided path—dancing along the blade's edge, charging in with no intention of returning.

From that perspective, Iris was somewhat similar to those priests who swung their staffs around wildly and assassins who carried greatswords as they tore through enemies. Anyone who didn't know better might have thought she was a player!

"Don't worry. Although its bizarre mechanics do make it difficult for ordinary people to eliminate it," Linton said confidently, pointing at himself, "I'm the foremost expert in dealing with soul creatures."

"It'd better be." Iris paused, then looked at the man in confusion. "I'm not going in alone?"

"Why would you think that?" Linton asked strangely. "Even when the Knights Order goes to subjugate a monster, they fight as a team. Do you think one person can defeat a monster that has existed for who knows how long?"

"Are you looking down on—"

"Though I do think you could manage it, you'd definitely sustain considerable damage. And if I wanted to repair you, I'd need to search for rarer materials. During that time, you wouldn't be able to grow stronger. Wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse?"

Linton's words left Iris speechless. After grumbling twice under her breath, she reluctantly accepted the reality of team combat.

"I got it. How much farther is it?"

"Not far."

The two continued along the foot-worn path for another half day, until a village appeared in their sight.

Seeing wisps of smoke rising in the distance, Iris asked in surprise, "People actually live in a place like this?"

Her question was perfectly reasonable.

The two were deep in the mountains, far from any town. At an ordinary person's pace, the journey would take at least a week. To get here, they had spent a hefty sum renting a carriage from the merchant guild, drawn by exotic horses and enhanced with magical formations. Even so, the trip had taken nearly an entire day.

Linton guessed casually, "Maybe their families have lived here for generations, and they don't want to leave?"

Though it was a secluded mountain village, it wasn't as isolated from the outside world as the Peach Blossom Spring. Traveling merchants occasionally stopped here to rest, while the villagers traded grain and other goods with them.

—Linton had caught glimpses of all this back when he used to grind for materials.

"Let's stop there first. The monster won't appear until nighttime."

"Okay."

Iris obediently went along with Linton's suggestion.

When they reached the village entrance, several young children were playing around. Seeing strangers dressed rather suspiciously, they showed no fear of unfamiliar faces. Instead, they laughed and greeted Linton and Iris.

"Hello, big brother and big sister from outside!"

"Hello." Linton smiled gently and took several candies from his bag. "Here, take these."

"Thank you, big brother!"

The children giggled happily and ran off to play somewhere else.

Iris was a little surprised by Linton's behavior. "I couldn't tell, but you like children."

"Innocent children are the most precious treasures in this world, especially children as simple and unspoiled by worldly stains as these. Isn't it normal for me to like them?"

"That's true. If they were children from Falasong, they'd probably mistake you for a trafficker and glare at you if you gave them candy. Compared to them, these kids really are adorable. It's just that the impression you left on me before was too strong!"

"So if I slapped every dog I saw after entering the village, cut every earthworm in half, and poured boiling water into every anthill I came across, would that fit your impression?"

Iris nodded like a pecking chick, only to receive a knock on the head.

"Quit letting your imagination run wild!"

The girl clutched her head and glared resentfully at Linton, then silently turned away, too angry to speak.

Though she said nothing, she suddenly found Linton somewhat adorable.

"Wait, why would I think that?!"

Iris immediately locked that thought away and slapped a seal over it reading, This is all the necromancer's conspiracy.

That guy spent every day deceiving her and toying with people's hearts. How could he possibly have anything to do with the word adorable?

"I didn't hit you that hard. I shouldn't have knocked you stupid, so why did you suddenly stop moving?"

Only then did Iris realize that Linton was already several steps ahead of her, looking back as he waited.

That bastard really was still a bastard.

That was what she thought, but Miss Knight's feet didn't stop. She hurried after him all the same.

After entering the village, Iris found nothing particularly different about it from any other village, so she gave up on investigating and asked instead.

"Where are we resting? There doesn't seem to be anything like a square nearby."

"We can just find any house." Linton picked a house with an intact roof and knocked lightly on the door three times.

The door opened from within, and an elderly woman with a weathered face stepped out.

Linton pressed his palms together and bowed slightly. "Hello. We are travelers from afar. Would you be willing to let us rest here for a while?"

As Iris listened to the necromancer, her eyelids twitched.

Who asked someone for help like that? At least say something like, "We'll provide suitable compensation."

To them, we're complete strangers. Who would agree to let you into their home based on words with no explanation whatsoever?

There was no way they'd let them in.

"No problem. You came at just the right time. We're preparing dinner."

The old woman smiled kindly, then turned and called into the house, "We have guests. Add enough food for two more people."

"Please, come in."

Still smiling, Linton bowed again in thanks and followed the old woman inside, leaving Iris standing where she was, doubting herself.

"Could it be... the one with the problem was actually me?"