"…Welcome to the mountain."
"Okay, sure," Si Hon nodded. "By the way… you said you were an Adve—"
A familiar window cut him off mid-sentence.
[Optional Quest Completed]
Objective: Investigate why Ursa Canis required assistance
Reward: +100 Favorability
Additional Reward: Companion Contract (Delivering…)
[Additional Reward Granted]
Super Growth Unlocked
→ Growth Limit Removed
→ Stat Cap increased: 20 → 100
STATUS
───────────────────────
Tendency: Careful Strategist
Job: Unemployed
Title: Thief (New — tap for details)
───────────────────────
Stat Growth Limit: Strength: 100
Agility: 100
Stamina: 100
Endurance: 100
Luck: ???
Intelligence: ???
Mana: 20
───────────────────────
"…Wow," Si Hon muttered flatly. "Amazing."
Before he could process any of it, Hana stirred in his arms.
She lifted her head slightly and pointed toward the far end of the cave.
"Hmmm… Dad," she mumbled sleepily. "Someone's there. Something black."
Si Hon's body stiffened.
He turned—
The three Ursa Canis growled, low and threatening.
At the edge of the cave, where the light failed to reach, something stood.
A humanoid shape— made of smoke.
No face. No features.
Only a vague outline, barely holding form.
Then—
It vanished.
"…Huh?" Si Hon breathed.
He looked at Arven.
She hadn't seen it— but her posture was tense now, eyes sharp, hand slowly moving toward her pouch.
"…I don't like this," she said quietly.
Neither did he.
Then suddenly—
POP!
Something appeared right behind Si Hon.
"Aghhaneanbel!!?!"
He instinctively pulled Hana closer, one arm wrapping around her head as he stumbled backward, heart slamming against his ribs.
The Ursa Canis snapped to attention.
Growls echoed low through the cave.
Si Hon spun around—
Nothing.
"…Huh?"
He looked down.
A box sat on the ground where nothing had been a second ago.
"…."
A transparent window popped into existence.
「What are you doing, Si Hon? ಠ_ಠ…」
"What the hell was that?!!" Si Hon shouted at the floating screen.
「It's your reward… [Companion Contract]… ಠ_ಠ
Just open it. Why are you so surprised…」
"…Because it literally appeared behind me," he snapped.
The Ursa Canis slowly relaxed, returning to their spots near the cave wall.
Arven let out a breath, then laughed quietly as she sat back down and continued fixing the torn tent.
"Wow," she said casually. "You got a unique one."
Si Hon stiffened.
"…You can see this too?"
She glanced over. "Yes? Of course."
"Oh."
He approached the box carefully. It looked like a gift, neatly wrapped, almost innocent. Still holding Hana, he crouched down and stared at it.
"ಠ_ಠ… why?" he muttered.
"Why do I see it? Why not," Arven replied without looking up. "Systems have personalities. Bad ones."
「ಠ_ಠ…」
"…Okay."
Si Hon reached out and opened the box.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
The moment the lid fully opened, the paper lifted on its own— floating upward, hovering silently in front of him.
[Contract]
Designation: Companion Contract
Type: Mutual / Conditional
Status: Pending Acceptance
Parties Involved
Contract Holder: Si Hon
Companion: [Unassigned]
Species: —
Classification: —
State: —
Contract Purpose
To establish a mutual bond between the Contract Holder and the Companion, allowing cooperation, protection, and shared survival within the Snowfall Mountain environment— and beyond.
This contract does not enforce ownership.
This contract recognizes choice.
Terms of Binding—
Si Hon blinked.
"…Is there a short summary for this?" he muttered.
Arven glanced over. "Skip it. Look at the bottom."
"ಠ_ಠ… uh, okay? How do you know that?" Si Hon asked.
"…Just do it," she said, sighing. "Oh my god."
"…Okay."
Si Hon skipped the rest of the etc etc contract yapping.
[A bond has been acknowledged.]
Companion Contract — Pending
Companion Ready: Sixxy
Holder: Si Hon
The companion joins by choice, not command.
Mutual hostility is prohibited.
Assistance is granted at the companion's discretion.
The bond weakens if trust is broken.
This contract exists because intent was recognized.
Accept Companion Contract?
[YES] / [NO]
"…ಠ_ಠ… you're right," Si Hon muttered.
Si Hon blinked— then tapped [NO].
The paper stopped levitating and fluttered to the ground.
"Oh?" Arven tilted her head. "Why did you decline?"
"I don't need a contract," Si Hon said. "It sounds like I'd be turning Sixxy into a slave. And even if I want to…" he hesitated, then shook his head. "She has a family here."
He glanced over.
Sixxy was cuddled between the two massive Ursa Canis, her tail wagging lazily as she pressed against them, perfectly content.
"And…" Si Hon continued quietly, "I can't just take her away from you."
Arven watched the scene, then grinned, resting her chin on her hand.
"I see…" Her smile softened. "So you're not just handsome— but kind, too."
"ಠ_ಠ… stop teasing," Si Hon replied immediately. "We're still not that close."
"Oh, sorry," she said lightly.
Then, much more softly, almost to herself. "I wasn't joking, though."
"Aigoo…" Si Hon groaned. "My arms are numb."
Arven laughed. "You know you can just put her there, right?" She nodded toward Sixxy and the two Ursa Canis.
He glanced over. "…Are you sure?"
"Yeah," she replied casually, already back to fixing the tent.
Si Hon approached them slowly.
Sixxy opened her eyes, tail wagging the moment she saw him.
"Yo," Si Hon muttered.
He carefully lowered Hana onto Sixxy's side.
Almost instantly, Hana clutched Sixxy's fur in her sleep. Sixxy gently licked Hana's hand, tail swaying. The two massive Ursa Canis glanced over, licked Sixxy's head once each, then settled back into sleep.
Si Hon smiled.
He turned, walked back to where the contract paper lay, picked it up, and tucked it into his spatial bag.
"By the way," he said, glancing back. "Those two Ursa Canis… are they Sixxy's family?"
Arven giggled. "Of course… Look closely. Sixxy got the polka dots from her dad." She nodded at the white-furred one. "And the size? Definitely her mom."
Si Hon blinked. "So she's a hybrid?"
"Yep. A rare one."
"I know."
"ಠ_ಠ… why ask then?"
He moved closer and sat beside Arven, then glanced toward the far end of the cave— where the smoky figure had appeared earlier.
"…Is that a pond?"
Arven followed his gaze. "Natural spring. And it's warm."
Si Hon's eyes widened slightly.
"…Seriously?"
She nodded.
For the first time since arriving, he smiled without restraint.
I finally can take a bath…
Sixxy and her parents were now sprawled comfortably on a massive pile of hay, completely at ease.
"Amazing, right?" Arven said.
"…Yeah."
His gaze drifted toward the cave entrance— wide, open, and bright.
Si Hon suddenly stood, hand going to his katana.
"Wait— Arven!" he said urgently. "The entrance is open!"
Arven looked at him and immediately she burst out laughing.
"No, no. Relax. There's an invisible barrier. And an illusion."
"…Then what about the light?" Si Hon protested. "Earlier, outside, it was blinding!"
Arven sighed and smacked the back of his head.
"Do I really need to spell it out?" she said flatly.
"I. L. L. U. S. I. O. N."
She sighed again and went back to the tent.
Si Hon rubbed the back of his head. "…Then how did you even get attacked?"
"…Clumsiness," she muttered. "I forgot to put the barrier up. One of the MUNCHES tripped and broke the illusion."
She said it quickly— clearly trying not to make it a big deal.
Si Hon stared at her.
Then burst out laughing.
"Wait— seriously? That's how?"
Arven covered her face with both hands. "Yes. Now shut up. Someone's sleeping."
"Yes, yes," he replied, still grinning.
Eventually, Si Hon placed his spatial bag against the cave wall.
"Well," he said, stretching slightly, "I don't really have anything to do."
He glanced at the half-fixed tent.
"So… I'll help."
He sat beside Arven.
And together, they worked through the night.
"Arven," Si Hon said after a moment. "Earlier… you said you were an adventurer, right?"
She looked up from the torn fabric in her hands. "Yeah?" she replied casually. "Aren't you two adventurers as well?"
"ಠ_ಠ… no?" Si Hon replied flatly.
The needle slipped from her fingers.
"…What?" Arven stared at him. "Then how— why— are you even in this region?"
"Region?" Si Hon frowned. "What do you mean? This floor?"
"…Floor?" Arven frowned.
The two stared at each other.
"This ###O#" Si Hon stopped, rubbing his face. "This F####. #L### #N3… Sn###ll Moun##n?"
The name refused to come out right.
Arven's expression changed instantly.
"…Si Hon," she said slowly. "What are you trying to say?"
"This place," he insisted. "Isn't that what it's called?"
She stared at him.
"…No."
Her voice dropped.
"This place is called the White Graves."
Si Hon's mind went blank.
"…Huh?"
The air felt heavier.
Arven stepped closer and placed her hand over his, grounding him as if afraid he might vanish.
"Si Hon," she said quietly. "Please explain. How did you end up here?"
He swallowed.
"…I was dragged in," he said. "By a hybrid monster. Half dragon. Half wolf. It pulled me into a portal."
The color drained from her face.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
"…That's impossible."
She turned slowly toward the cave entrance, eyes distant.
"That creature has many names," she whispered. "Winter's Maw. Whitefang Calamity. Frosthowl."
Si Hon blinked. "ಠ_ಠ… sounds edgy."
She didn't react.
"It hunted by pure instinct," Arven continued. "It never spared anyone. Entire expeditions disappeared without even leaving corpses."
Her voice trembled.
"It didn't die by blade or spell," she said. "It only vanished because it grew old. It was the last of its kind. It had no mate."
She clenched her fist.
"And it was intelligent. Smart enough to recognize barriers. Illusions. Even Safe Zones."
Her gaze snapped back to him.
"No one survived an encounter with it."
"ಠ_ಠ… I mean. I'm alive though."
That didn't reassure her.
It frightened her.
"Si Hon," Arven said quietly, "at this point… I don't even know if I can leave this region anymore."
"…You keep saying that," he said. "Region. What do you mean?"
She took a long breath.
"This isn't just a mountain," Arven said. "It's a sealed region."
She gestured around them.
"A place that doesn't have a rules, systems, and more."
"Si Hon…" Arven said quietly. "This place isn't what you think it is. This pla— this world is mas—"
The words cut off.
A familiar window slammed into existence midair.
Not gently. Not passively.
It forced itself into reality.
「Si Hon. Si Hon. (~￣³￣)~ You shouldn't know this yet.」
The window drifted— slowly, deliberately— away from Si Hon.
It stopped directly in front of Arven's face.
「<(￣︶￣)↗ And this woman… has been saying far too many things you are not supposed to hear yet.」
Arven stiffened.
"…What?" she whispered.
「Rules were violated.」
The words appeared one line at a time.
「Information Disclosure: Restricted.」 「Sequence Breach: Confirmed.」
「Punishment is required. Right?」
Arven gasped as her hands moved— not by her will. Her fingers rose, trembling, then closed around her own throat, tightening as her breath hitched.
Her body fought it, shoulders shaking, eyes wide with shock, but the force guiding her didn't hesitate.
「<(￣︶￣)↗ Spoilers are not allowed, hmm?」