The Espers Who Regretted Losing Me Chapter 51

Cha Eunhwi was here now, so he could probably find me right away—but I really didn’t want to end up inside a monster’s stomach again.

I wrapped my arms around Cha Eunhwi’s neck and clung to him.

He flinched in surprise but tightened his hold on me and gave an order.

“Dogyeong. We don’t have a detailed plan, but you can handle this alone, right?”

“…Do I really have to?”

“Yes. You know you’re the only one who can. Don’t worry. We’ll all get out together.”

Was I the only one who didn’t understand what they were talking about?

I glanced at Yeon Dogyeong. He looked like he truly hated the idea, but still nodded.

That guy actually obeyed without arguing…?

He usually listened to Cha Eunhwi—but only barely.

If he really didn’t want to do something, even in emergencies, he refused until someone coaxed him endlessly.

…I don’t care, but could he stop looking at me like that?

Even after I looked away first, Dogyeong kept staring so hard my cheeks almost hurt.

After a short silence, Dogyeong raised his hand.

Flames burst out beyond Lee Shinra’s now-smaller barrier.

Like he had never hesitated to attack, Dogyeong burned everything in sight.

It didn’t take long for the burning area to turn into black ashes.

“Hyeya, it’ll be hot. Please endure it for a bit.”

The heat was intense enough to make me sweat.

The burning smell was strong, but smoke and ash were blocked by Shinra’s barrier.

Black creatures crawling down from the mountain had come closer—and I froze when I saw them.

They weren’t bugs.

…Snakes?

Yes. Snakes.

Snakes with human-like faces on their heads—and legs attached near their upper bodies.

“….”

They were so creepy I couldn’t speak. My spine went cold.

Even Dogyeong cursed under his breath and shuddered.

“What the hell is that?”

The snakes rushed into the flames like moths flying toward light.

Seeing them burn and hearing their shrill screams made my stomach churn.

They weren’t quite human, but close enough to feel deeply disturbing.

Dogyeong strengthened the flames so none could approach and muttered,

“Paradise, my ass. What kind of paradise is this?”

“This gate is called Paradise?”

“Huh? Yeah. ‘The Reclaimed Strange Paradise,’ or something like that.”

I didn’t know what had been “reclaimed,” but it was definitely strange.

Dogyeong, who had just answered shyly, suddenly coughed and spat blood.

“…I think I need to guide you more.”

“No, no. It’s fine for now. Do it after we get out.”

After speaking, Dogyeong expanded the wall of fire outward.

I can’t believe I’m seeing Yeon Dogyeong refuse guiding.

Well, if he said he was okay, I didn’t need to force it.

Earlier was different—it really felt like he’d die without it.

The ground kept shaking, so Cha Eunhwi had to keep moving while holding me.

Frowning, he stared at the cracked ground.

“There’s definitely something down there.”

“Should I just burn it all the way through?”

“That would be easy, but… if we’re careless, the volcano could erupt. We’d be fine, but it’d be dangerous for Hyeya.”

“Then I guess we wait until it comes out. Most of the small monsters are cleared—
…Wait. What’s that? Why is it so tough?”

I followed Dogyeong’s gaze and thought the same thing.

The giant lop-eared rabbit sat calmly, wrapped in flames, without a single strand of fur burned.

Its posture hadn’t changed at all.

Its face was even more savage now—nothing but a monster.

When the rabbit bared its teeth at me, Dogyeong stepped in front and sneered.

“Why you glaring like that? Wanna die?”

Why was he talking like that to a rabbit?

Is his personality still the same…?

It was strange.

Before, he aimed that attitude at me. Now it was at a monster—one hostile toward me.

Dogyeong kept staring at the rabbit and said,

“Oh right. Our Yoon Hyeya eats rabbit meat just fine too. You—”

“D-Don’t keep trying to feed Noona weird stuff!”

Lee Shinra yelled and kicked Dogyeong’s shin.

Dogyeong yelped dramatically even though it didn’t hurt and shot Shinra an annoyed look.

“Kid, are you rewriting memories? Hyeya ate it willingly. And she probably ate a few rabbits while living here too, so why—”

“I didn’t.”

I would’ve hunted if I had no food—but that wasn’t necessary.

Dogyeong turned back awkwardly.

“R-Really…?”

“There were lots of trees. All kinds of fruit grew. Not just fruit—everything. Chocolate, candy, bread, meat, fish, butter.”

“…Why would that grow on trees?”

“No idea.”

I wondered too.

But now everything had withered or burned, so we couldn’t investigate anyway.

Shinra visibly relaxed and patted his chest.

Then he whispered very softly,

“Thank goodness…”

I heard it—so Eunhwi and Dogyeong must have too.

Cha Eunhwi hugged me tighter and said,

“Hyeya and Dogyeong… how should I put it. They matched well in strange ways. No, I don’t mean you were close.”

When my expression changed, Eunhwi quickly shook his head.

“You both shared curiosity—wanting to know how monsters that resembled plants or animals tasted.”

In that sense, he wasn’t wrong.

Of course, I tilted my head like I didn’t remember.

A bitter smile flickered across Eunhwi’s face—only for a moment.

Then he returned to calm and added,

“That’s why I said it was a relief. That you lived here safely, without worry.”

Shinra nodded enthusiastically.

When our eyes met, he looked down like a scolded child and fidgeted.

The mood is weird again.

I hated saying this myself, but I was used to being treated roughly.

And the reason I got used to it… was these guys.

It felt like swallowing a mouthful of bitter fruit.

Instead of reacting, I looked past Dogyeong’s back and said,

“The rabbit. It’s staring at you now.”

“…Ah. Yeah. Just asking—but is it okay if I kill it?”

That question was completely unexpected.

When my eyes widened, Dogyeong hurriedly explained.

“Hyeya, you lived here peacefully with it, right? If you hadn’t guided us, it wouldn’t even be hostile to you.”

“……”

“Just to be clear, it’s not that I can’t kill it. It just looks tougher than it seems, so I wondered.”

I hadn’t said anything, yet Dogyeong kept talking, his face turning red.

If the baby snake is the named monster, then we don’t need to kill the others.

Unlike the other animals I just found cute, that rabbit felt familiar.

If we didn’t have to kill it, I wanted to leave it alone.

Even though everything else had burned and the place looked like hell now.

…Looking at it this way, we kind of look like the villains.

I pressed my lips together, unable to answer.

Cha Eunhwi, still holding me, started walking forward.