The campfire flickered in the darkness as Himmel and Sophia sat across from each other. Sophia, who was eating, g Himmel with curiosity.

  "By the way, you never introduced yourself," she said, her eyes filled with i.

  Himmel looked at the girl and figured it was only proper to introduce himself. "I'm Himmel," he said nontly, tossing a stito the fire.

  "Himmel!?" Sophia’s eyes lit up at the familiar name. "Are you the hero who killed the Demon King?" she asked, excitement clear on her face.

  Himmel hesitated for a moment, debating whether to reveal the truth. In the end, he decided to be ho.

  "Yes, I am," he said, watg her rea.

  "Pfft! You think I’ll believe that? I heard he's old!" she scoffed, ughing.

  Himmel’s ears twitched with irritation, but he quickly calmed himself.

  "Whatever. It’s not the first time someone mistook me for Himmel, the hero," he muttered, pying along.

  "Haha, you must’ve gotten a lot of free stuff using his name, right?" Sophia teased.

  ---

  "By the way, what dungeon are you heading to?" Himmel asked, ging the subject.

  Sophia, who had been expeg a rea to her teasing, cursed him inwardly. This damn bastard… is he made of stone?

  "I don’t know much about it," she admitted, "but I heard an old saint who reached Grandmaster tier created it as his tomb."

  Himmel’s i piqued at the mention of a Grandmaster-tier mage. That meant there would be a lot of advanced magiside. If he went, he could gain some powerful spells.

  He looked at Sophia like a predator eyeing its prey.

  "I’m ing with you," he said.

  "W-What!?" Sophia stammered, disbelief written all over her face.

  "It’s not what you think," Himmel said, pg one hand on his chest and raising the other in the air. "As a warrior, it’s my duty to protect a beautiful girl traveling alone."

  Sophia’s face turned red at his words.

  "I-I don’t need a protector!" she shouted, quickly turning away with a pout.

  Himmel watched her rea, dazed for a moment. Did she actually believe that nonsense? he thought to himself with a smirk.

  ---

  Realizing they had talked for a long time, Himmel decided to sleep.

  "So, will you keep watch first, or should I?" he asked, gng at Sophia’s bandaged body.

  Sophia looked back at him proudly and pulled out her staff from her space bag. Now that her mana had recovered, thanks to the robe Himmel had given her, she cast a spell. A rge barrier formed around them.

  "This…" Himmel stared at the massive barrier. I think she’s a higher tier than me… what a big fish, he thought, imagining how much he could learn from her.

  "e forward and pay your respects to this beautiful and powerful sister!" Sophia decred, closing her eyes and puffing out her chest proudly.

  Himmel gave her a quice—then immediately y dowhe fire and closed his eyes.

  Sophia, expeg praise, opened her eyes and saw Himmel already sleeping.

  Irritation fshed across her face as she ched the robe in frustration before lying down on the opposite side of the campfire.

  ---

  The m sun bathed the nd in warm light, and birds chirped in the forest.

  Himmel, lost in a dream, slowly opened his eyes as sunlight hit his face.

  He looked around and saw the ashes of the campfire—and Sophia, still sleeping peacefully.

  The m light revealed her elegant figure. Her jade-white skin glowed in the sunlight, her long legs stretched out, and her chest rose and fell with each breath.

  Himmel froze.

  Her robe had loosened, exposing more of her chest.

  Screw this.

  Knowing she would definitely bme him if she woke up and saw him staring, he quickly got up and slipped into the forest.

  As his figure disappeared, Sophia opened her eyes, watg the dire he left.

  With a flick of her staff, she cast a small fme, tightening her robe.

  She had actually woken up before Himmel and had cast an illusion spell on herself to test his rea. But instead of anything iing happening, she ended up embarrassing herself.

  Her face turned red like a tomato.

  ---

  Meanwhile, Himmel, having barely escaped temptation, was now chasing two small rabbits.

  His food supply was running low, so he decided to hunt.

  ---

  Half an hour ter, Himmel returo camp, two rabbits in hand. He saw Sophia was awake—but she was avoiding his gaze.

  Does she think I did something to her? he thought, pg the rabbits he ashes of the campfire befathering firewood.

  Sophia, still distracted, also started gathering wood, lost in thought.

  Suddenly, she felt a cold chill run down her spine.

  She jumped to the side, reag for her staff—

  But it wasn’t there.

  She had left it he campfire.

  Her eyes widened in horror as she turoward the source of the killing i.

  A goblin stood before her.

  No, not just a goblin.

  It was taller, more muscur, and wielded a massive mace.

  "A… hobgoblin," Sophia muttered, her voice trembling.

  She had no bat training outside of magid without her staff, she couldn’t take the risk.

  I have to run!

  ---

  Ding!

  Himmel, who had been gathering wood, suddenly heard the mini-map’s warning.

  He quickly ope—

  A small blue dot.

  A rge red dot.

  His eyes narrowed.

  Sophia was in danger.

  "Fuck—my big fish!" he cursed, sprinting toward her location.

  ---

  To be tinued…