Echoes of Hollow

"What are you going to build that needs so much space? This place is way too big for just two people."

With the arrival of the workers, a lengthy data collection process began for later analysis, including topography and local infrastructure. All that was left for Hye and Alyia to do was sit under a tree and watch, while ensuring the surroundings remained safe. Even though all the workers were at least rank B hunters, there was an A-rank dungeon in the area, which meant it was likely that other dungeons existed, and one could have already experienced a dungeon break.

"We’re going to build some houses... around five hundred, I think."

"Five hundred houses...? Are you planning to rent them out after solving the problems around the mountain? It might be a good idea, but unless there’s a real guarantee that no dungeon breaks will happen, I’m not sure many people would be willing to move out here. I think they’d still prefer to stay under the hunters’ associations’ protection, even though the risk still exists."

"We’re not renting them out; the people who will live there have already been chosen. They are... those who came out of the dungeon with us."

"From inside the dungeon...? But weren’t you the only ones who came out? Ah, I see... what species are they? Are they humanoid? If they’re beautiful, forget it; send them back."

"I don’t know if the women are beautiful or not... I think my standards are pretty high given the number of people I consider to be beautiful, but they’re werewolves."

"Werewolves..."

Alyia raised her hand to her mouth, clearing her throat, as she felt her chest, for some reason, warm in a comforting way.

"...That’s interesting. As far as I remember, they’ve never been seen before, and in such a large number... if you’re building five hundred houses, there must be hundreds of them, right? So where are they? It would’ve been impossible to hide them in the middle of the city, where the portal you came through appeared."

"They’re with me, in my ability. I’m not exactly sure how it works yet, but it seems to be something like a different dimensional space, similar to system inventories. But... aren’t you a little too calm? I just told you we’re going to accommodate over five hundred werewolves in this place... five hundred monsters."

Stretching her legs, Alyia smiled.

"You’re not the first to bring monsters to this side, and you won’t be the last. Monster slavery by humans has existed since the portals first appeared. And you’re not the first to do something like this either; that idiot you met a few days ago has been doing it for a while, and Theodore has a rather... exotic pet hidden in the forests of his country."

"Monster slavery…? Wasn’t that abolished years ago?”

"Well, humans are... complicated..."

Lifting her head and looking up at the blue sky, a small, painful, and sorrowful smile formed on her face.

"Like you, he also thinks that’s true, and I hope it really is. But... if you asked me what I think about it... no, the answer would definitely be no."

As the area analysis progressed, the sun continued its journey across the sky, and time passed slowly. At some point, after reaching the last area to be analyzed, while the afternoon breeze touched their faces and gently swayed their hair, Hye felt a weight on his shoulder. With a smile, he carefully brushed away the strands of hair that had fallen over the face he so longed to admire without any obstacles, no matter how small.

"Sir..., uh... we’re done now, we’re ready to go."

A small nod was given in response. With extreme care and tenderness, while the others went ahead, Hye first adjusted Alyia’s head so it wouldn’t fall. Kneeling down, he gently brought her into his arms, carefully resting her head on his shoulder.

The winds sway the leaves of the trees, and as you walk along a path that alternates between the brightness of sunlight and the shadows of the surrounding trees, the dance of the leaves above your head is irrelevant to you, for in your eyes there is nothing in that place but the two of them. Nothing to look at, except that face, so bright with beauty and certainly curious, being one of the few capable of making you feel.

When they reached the car, Tom was quick to open the door and let them in. With Alyia sitting on his lap, the journey was silent and, to his view, slow, but not slow enough. For at the moment the car stopped, it was the instant his time of contemplation ended, and his unanswered questions momentarily fled from his mind.

"Oh, we’re here already?"

Without any noise or disruption from sudden movements, yet still, when the wheels stopped turning, it was the exact moment Alyia’s eyes opened as if she had never truly been asleep.

"So, did you enjoy watching me while I slept?"

"So you were awake... why didn’t you say anything?"

"You seemed to be enjoying it, so I decided to let it be. Or was I wrong? Would it have been better if I had gotten up by myself?"

"No..."

Placing his hands on her waist, Hye brought their mouths closer, slowly, until they finally touched.

"Definitely not..."