Kyle listened to Alara’s orders, nodding along with the others.

Weston moved first. He approached the corpse of the fallen boss, crouching beside its massive head with a grim expression.

He worked the jaw open and got to the tusks, careful not to crack them.

"Good price on these," he muttered, pulling one loose. "Quality holds even with the damage."

Across the cave, Leo was going through the goblin bodies one by one. Turning them over, checking belts, emptying the crude pouches.

Alara sat with her back against a rock, bandage around her shoulder, watching all of it quietly.

Kyle and Mira took the tunnel the boss had come from. If it had a room back there, it was worth checking.

They went in together, keeping their steps light.

The passage didn’t go far. It opened up into a smaller chamber—tight compared to where they’d just fought, but enough space to move around.

Bones littered the floor. Some were scattered. Others piled against the walls. But this was not what shocked them—

Mira covered her mouth. "Oh gods..."

Kyle’s expression darkened as nausea twisted in his gut when he saw them... bodies.

Several human corpses lay throughout the chamber—armored figures twisted at unnatural angles.

Their faces were destroyed beyond recognition, flesh torn and rotting, the stench of decay thick in the air.

Adventurers, scouts, patrol members... All of them dead.

Kyle and Mira stood there for a while, staring at the brutal scene in silence. Then they began to move.

They moved quietly among the bodies—careful, respectful. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Kyle knelt beside one corpse and removed a necklace—a small metal locket, dented but intact.

Another had a ring engraved with a family crest. Mira found a worn leather wallet with a faded portrait tucked inside.

They were looking for anything that could identify the bodies, so it could be returned to their families.

Once they finished, they gathered the belongings and turned back. The others were already waiting in the main cavern.

Weston had wrapped the tusks carefully in cloth. Leo stood near their leader, his expression grim but composed.

Alara straightened as they approached. She pushed herself to her feet, grimacing slightly. "Good work, everyone. Let’s head back."

She tried to take a step forward, but winced and caught herself on Leo’s shoulder.

Her leg bent slightly, pain flashing across her face before she forced herself to stand upright.

"Alara..." Leo said worriedly. "You shouldn’t push it. I can carry you."

Alara shook her head immediately. "No. We will need your shield if something attacks us on the way back."

"But how will you move with this injury...?" Mira asked, stepping closer.

Alara paused, looking torn. She looked at the tunnel, then her gaze shifted to Kyle.

Her cheeks flushed faintly as she looked away for a second—then back at him.

"...Kyle."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Can you..." she swallowed, "...carry me?"

The cavern went quiet. Mira blinked. Leo froze.

Kyle stared at her for half a second—then smirked. "Of course, leader."

Alara stiffened as he stepped closer.

When he lifted her, she was surprisingly light. She grabbed onto his shoulder instinctively, her grip tense.

"Don’t drop me," she muttered.

Kyle smirked faintly. "Relax. I’ve got you."

Her face burned red with embarrassment.

The party turned toward the exit, their footsteps echoing as the cave fell behind them.

***

"...Didn’t think you had that in you, Kyle." Mira was still grinning at him.

The carriage moved easy along the forest road, trees breaking up the sunlight as Weston kept the horses at a steady pace to the city.

Everyone was inside—worn out, covered in cave dust, but loose in a way they definitely hadn’t been on the way there.

Leo slouched back with his shield propped next to him. Alara sat across from Kyle, bad leg stretched out, back straight despite everything.

"Full of surprises, that one," Weston called from up front. "Glad he’s with us."

Leo nodded.

From there it just opened up—stories from the fight, everyone jumping in, filling in what the others had missed.

The mood was easy now that they were out of there.

Kyle smiled along, but his head was somewhere else.

`An evolved monster...`

He’d never come across that term before. In fact, he knew nothing about monsters.

Everything he knew about them came from novels from back home. He had no real information.

Suddenly, something had been on his mind for a long time popped into his head.

He looked around at the group, then leaned in a little. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

They looked over.

"What’s the difference between animals and monsters?" He frowned slightly. "I’ve genuinely never been clear on that."

The carriage went silence. Complete silence.

Mira stared at him. Leo froze mid-stretch. Even Alara’s brows knit together in disbelief.

Then—

Mira burst out laughing.

"Wait...seriously?" Mira burst out laughing. "You killed dozens of goblins and you don’t know the difference between them and animals?"

Kyle frowned. "I know they’re different. I just don’t know how."

Leo and Alara exchanged a surprised glance. Alara sighed, shooking her head in disbelief.

"Under what rock were you hiding?" Leo asked, just as incredulous.

Kyle raised his hands slightly. "What? I’m asking now, aren’t I?"

"Alright, alright. Basically—" Mira wiped a tear from her eye, still smiling. "animals are just animals. They don’t change. A wolf stays a wolf. A bear stays a bear."

"And monsters?" Kyle asked.

"They can evolve," Alara said calmly. "That’s the key difference."

Leo nodded. "Take skeletons. Let them gather enough mana, and some may turn into liches."

Mira leaned forward, clearly enjoying this. "Or fox monsters. A two-tailed fox can become three-tailed. Then four. Each tail means it’s stronger, smarter... and more dangerous."

Kyle’s eyes narrowed a little as it clicked.

"Like that thing we just fought," Weston added. "Goblin Warrior, an evolved species of goblin... Much stronger than a regular one."

"So monsters can grow, change form, get stronger," Kyle said. "But animals just... stay what they are?"

"Exactly," Alara said. "A bear could tear through a dozen goblins. Put it against a goblin warrior and it’s dead."

Kyle sat with that for a second.

It tracked—the goblins had been manageable, but the boss was something else completely.

"Got it. Thanks."

"Anytime~" Mira waved him off, still smiling. "Anything else you need explained, just say so."

She let that sit for half a second—then leaned in slightly, lowering her voice playfully.

"Like... the difference between a boy and a girl~"

Kyle stiffened as the carriage lost it.

Leo nearly choked. Weston laughed from the front. Alara turned to the window, but her shoulders were shaking.

Mira giggled at his reaction, clearly satisfied.

Kyle forced a chuckle his gaze was focused on something else—Mira’s status screen was in his sight.

[Name: Mira]

[Strength: 19 | Intelligence: 22 | Endurance: 21 | Agility: 26 | Mana: 37]

[Affection: 39%]

`Oh, I’m sure I’ll be the one to tell YOU what the difference is, Mira.` Kyle smirked. `And it won’t take long.`

The carriage continued rolling forward, laughter lingering in the air as the city drew ever closer.