PRSR | Chapter 4.1

“Block the attack! There’s only one opponent!”

“But they’re too strong… Ack!”

Thwack.

A mysterious figure appeared out of nowhere and swiftly dealt with the thugs. With a single kick, Thug 1 was sent flying, and with one punch, Thug 2 was slammed into the ground. The swift and precise movements of the figure, taking down the attackers one by one, resembled the agility of Jjikjjiki.

“You okay?”

As soon as the thugs were dealt with, the figure approached me and untied the gag. I stared blankly at them, still unable to grasp what was happening.

“Doesn’t look like you’re hurt. Come with me!”

“…?”

Though I was confused, I followed. Well, more like I was dragged along since their grip on my wrist was so strong. It wasn’t so much that I was following—it was closer to being pulled.

I found myself being dragged all the way to a dark forest outside the village, near the edge of the field.

“You’re not much of a runner, huh? Must’ve been the shock. Anyway, I’m Jane. What’s your name?”

“S-Soul…”

“So-Soul? What a unique name.”

Still catching my breath, I couldn’t manage a proper response, so Jane carried on with her chatter.

“Why’d you do something so noticeable, So-Soul? Don’t you know better? Humans, the moment they see a beastman, their first thought is to kidnap and sell them.”

Her voice was filled with anger, as if she herself had been nearly kidnapped before.

‘…No way.’

The heart that I had just calmed began racing again, but for a completely different reason.

‘Could this person… be a beastman…?’

The thugs who had tried to kidnap me had somehow mistaken me for a beastman. And Jane had saved me because she thought I was one of her kind.

“You’re hurt, aren’t you? Transform into your animal form. I’ll check if you’re injured.”

A real beastman. There was an actual beastman standing in front of me.

I’d been hoping to meet one eventually, but I never imagined it’d happen in a place like this, under such circumstances.

“Are you embarrassed because you’re a small animal? It’s okay, I don’t have any prejudice like that. Should I guess what animal you are? Let’s see… You smell a bit like a rat, but you don’t look like one. A cat, maybe?”

Still out of breath and unable to respond, Jane mistook my silence for agreement.

“It’s really fine. I like cats. I’m a Snow Wolf. If you’re shy, I’ll show you my form first.”

“Wait…”

Before I could even finish my sentence, Jane’s body twisted dramatically, transforming into an animal form. What appeared was a massive, pure white wolf, so large it was visible even in the darkness.

The moonlight streaming through the leaves shimmered softly against her thick white fur. The wolf shook its head, ruffling its fur, and approached me.

“Phew. It’s hot. Now, show me your true form, So-Soul.”

“I’m not a beastman.”

“You’re being so defensive. Must be a cat thing. You don’t have to lie, though. If you really don’t want to, I won’t force you.”

I’m telling you, I’m not a cat or a beastman.

“I’m serious. I’m not.”

“…Really? That’s strange. You smell like a beastman.”

Jane leaned in close, sniffing me curiously. The huge white wolf’s head came up to my chest. Gently, I placed a hand on Jane’s head, intending to push her away.

I didn’t want to be rough with the person who had saved my life, so I acted cautiously. But to anyone watching, it probably looked like I was petting the massive wolf’s head. The sensation of her soft, fluffy fur under my palm was far richer than Jjikjjiki’s.

“Actually, speaking of which, there’s something I’ve been meaning to say…”

“Sooul-zzziiii!”

Just as I was about to finally have a proper conversation with the beastman I had long hoped to meet, a small, fluffy figure flew out of nowhere and struck Jane.

“Jjikjjiki!”

Jane was sent flying into the air but managed to regain her balance and land gracefully before hitting the ground.

“Damn it… So-Soul, be careful! It’s an enemy!”

Growl. The once-gentle wolf’s face twisted into a ferocious snarl. Her muzzle parted to reveal sharp teeth as a threatening growl filled the dark forest, adding an eerie tension to the scene.

Tap. Tap. Jane crouched low and pawed at the ground, preparing to charge as soon as the enemy revealed themselves.

Trying to explain the situation, I placed a hand on Jane’s tense back.

“It’s not an enemy. That was my rat…”

Thwack!

“Urgh!”

The sudden attack came so quickly that even the highly alert Jane couldn’t react in time. Before I could finish my explanation, Jane was kicked again, sent flying into the distance. This time, she couldn’t even land properly, her pristine white fur now sullied with dirt.

“You punk!”

Jane, who had been calmly assessing the situation, lost her temper and lunged recklessly in the direction of the attack.

“You think I can’t find you just because you’re using invisibility magic?!”

She thought it was an invisible enemy? Unfortunately, Jjikjjiki wasn’t using any magic; he was just too small to be seen.

“You damn slave traders! Once I find you, I’ll rip you apart…!”

Whack!

Jjikjjiki, who had landed on the ground, leapt high into the air and delivered a kick to Jane’s jaw. Letting out a yelp, Jane slammed into a wall.

Growl…

Despite having taken down the Field Boss of Beginner Village with a single blow, Jane was still standing. Very, very angry, but standing nonetheless.

“I’ll kill you!”

After being struck three times and rolling on the ground twice, Jane finally noticed Jjikjjiki. She charged at him at a speed too fast for the eye to follow, headbutting him.

Jjikjjiki flew in a wide arc before slamming into a tree. Crash. The tree shattered, but Jjikjjiki remained unscathed.

After rolling once, Jjikjjiki stood on two legs and quickly climbed the tree. From above, he leapt down toward Jane.

Although Jjikjjiki was fast, Jane wasn’t slow either. She kicked Jjikjjiki mid-air, sending him flying again.

Thud!

“Jjikjjiki!”

Jane leapt high into the air, intending to crush Jjikjjiki beneath her body. But she underestimated Jjikjjiki’s agility.

Whoosh. Jjikjjiki rolled to the side, dodging her attack, and climbed onto her back.

“Argh!”

Once on her back, Jjikjjiki began furiously yanking out her fur.

Jane tried to shake him off by rolling on the ground, but Jjikjjiki clung on tightly, continuing to pull out her fur at an even faster pace.

“You dare—touch my fur—while trying to seduce So-Soul?!”

“Argh!”

Jane seemed more upset about losing her fur than being thrown against walls or slammed into the ground. She thrashed around violently, eventually shaking off Jjikjjiki. But a noticeable bald spot remained where Jjikjjiki had been pulling.

“You little…!”

Her growling voice grew sharper. Jane bared her teeth at the culprit, while Jjikjjiki prepared for another attack.

“I’ll kill you!”

“So-Soul is mine, Jjik!”

The two of them looked ready to fight to the death.

‘This can’t be happening!’

I wanted to stop them, but they were moving so fast that my eyes could barely keep up. Feeling helpless, I did the only thing I could think of—I shouted.

“Jjikjjiki! Come here!”

At my call, Jjikjjiki, who had been wildly attacking Jane, turned in mid-air and darted toward me.

“Jjik!”

His voice was full of affection as he responded.

“…Huh?”

Jane looked at me with utter confusion, but Jjikjjiki ignored her and clung to my chest, nuzzling his head against me.

“So-Soul-zzziii, I was so worried! You disappeared, and I was scared I’d never see you again! I missed you so much, Jjik!”

He even started crying with tiny squeaky sobs.

“I’m sorry, Jjikjjiki. You must’ve been so scared. It’s my fault.”

I patted his back and comforted him, letting him snuggle against me. As he clung tightly to my clothes, I lifted him up and peppered him with kisses.

“Jjik, jjik!”

“Stop crying. I’m sorry, okay?”

“More kisses, Jjik!”

“Yes, yes, alright.”

As I kissed his dirt-covered white fur, Jane—equally dirtied and battered—approached us, looking thoroughly irritated but somewhat calmer.

“Hey.”

She alternated her glares between me and Jjikjjiki.

“Now that your little drama is over, would you care to explain?”

Ah, right. I’d completely forgotten Jane was there while calming Jjikjjiki.

“Sorry, Jane. Like I said earlier, I’m not a beastman. The one who is… is my rat here.”

“If you’re not a beastman, then what are you?”

“I’m human.”

“So you’re saying the one I saved is human, and this one is… a rat beastman?”

“Don’t call me a rat, Jjik!”

“What else should I call a rat if not a rat?”

“Jjik!”

I grabbed Jjikjjiki to stop him from lunging at Jane, which, surprisingly, seemed to amuse her.

‘Wait… they can understand each other?’

Although Jjikjjiki couldn’t understand the speech of Tutorial Field residents, he seemed to have no issue communicating with Jane. Could it be that beastmen, even from different dimensions, could understand each other?

Jane, however, looked more surprised that I could communicate with her than the other way around.

“This makes no sense. How can you, a human, understand me in my animal form? Normal people shouldn’t be able to!”

“Uh… because I’m Jjikjjiki’s owner?”

Her eyebrow twitched at my answer. I thought she was reacting to the absurdity of my claim that owning a beastman made their animal form understandable. But that wasn’t it.

“…Owner?”

Jane’s voice carried a faintly menacing tone. Oh no. She already seemed hostile toward humans who enslaved beastmen. Was she misunderstanding me as one of those cruel people?

I quickly clarified before things got out of hand.

“Jjikjjiki is my precious pet!”

“So-Soul is my precious human, Jjik!”

Jjikjjiki perched on my shoulder and wrapped his arms around my neck.

Nice assist, Jjikjjiki. The murderous aura aimed at me seemed to dissipate slightly.

“Some clueless beastman you are. Fine. I won’t bother with some puny rat who can’t even humanize.”

Hearing this, Jjikjjiki flinched. Was he sensitive about his inability to humanize? I gently stroked his head, reassuring him.

He closed his eyes, squeaking softly in delight, before flipping onto his back and curling up. I held him in one hand and scratched his round belly with the other.

“….”

Jane’s expression grew stranger by the second. It was a mix of disbelief and disdain.

“Keeping a beastman as a pet? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I didn’t know Jjikjjiki was a beastman when I started taking care of him.”

“So you’re saying you thought this guy was an actual rat and treated him as such?”

“Yes.”

Without hesitation, I answered, and Jjikjjiki pumped a tiny fist in agreement.

“That’s what doesn’t make sense! Do you seriously believe this guy acts like a rat because he’s an actual rat?”

What was she trying to say? I tilted my head, looking down at Jjikjjiki, who returned my gaze with big, sparkling eyes.

“Jjik.”

His expression seemed to say, Don’t listen to the wolf, So-Soul!

“Beastmen may be part animal, but they’re not just animals with a human form. They’re more like humans who take on an animal form. Beastmen think and act like humans, even if they’re young or unable to humanize.”

“But Jjikjjiki…”

“Beastmen are as intelligent as humans. And rats, in particular, are cunning and clever.”

Still in her wolf form, Jane pointed a paw at Jjikjjiki.

“That guy is faking it.”

“Jjik!”

Jjikjjiki squeaked in protest, but Jane just smirked.

“That clingy, snuggly little ball? It’s a full-grown adult male.”

“…”

I already knew that Jjikjjiki was a mature, male beastman who could theoretically humanize. But hearing it phrased like that suddenly made me feel… odd.

I imagined a fully grown adult man clinging to me, rubbing his cheek against mine, and asking for kisses.

“…Ugh.”

Why did I even think about it?

“Other beastmen might think differently, but to me, Jjikjjiki is a precious companion, no matter what form he takes.”

“That’s right, Jjik!”

“I think the beastmen where Jjikjjiki lived might have a different view compared to the ones here.”