The voices got closer.
At first, they were just background noise, easy to ignore, but now I could clearly hear them—multiple people talking, their footsteps moving steadily in our direction. It sounded casual, like they weren't expecting anything unusual.
Which made this whole situation even worse.
"…Mira," I said quietly, glancing toward the trees. "There are people coming."
"I know," she replied.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
When I looked at her, I immediately noticed something had changed. The softness from before was still there, but it was… different now. Sharper. More focused. Her hand tightened slightly around my sleeve, like she was making sure I stayed exactly where I was.
"You're gripping pretty hard again," I pointed out.
She didn't respond.
Instead, she stepped a little closer, almost like she was trying to hide me behind her.
"…You do realize I'm taller than you, right?" I said.
Still nothing.
That was when the group finally appeared.
Five of them stepped out from between the trees, talking to each other like normal. They were carrying baskets and tools, probably returning from work or gathering something nearby.
For a moment, they didn't notice us.
Then one of them looked up.
And everything stopped.
"…What?"
Her voice came out quiet, almost confused.
Then another one noticed.
Then another.
Within seconds, all of them had gone completely silent.
They were staring at me.
Not casually.
Not curiously.
Staring.
"…Okay," I muttered under my breath. "That's not a normal reaction."
One of them stepped forward slowly, her eyes wide like she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"…What is that?" she whispered.
I blinked. "Wow. Okay. First of all, rude."
She flinched slightly when I spoke, like she hadn't expected me to talk at all.
"He… speaks," another one said, sounding just as shocked.
"Of course I speak," I replied. "What did you think I was, a statue?"
That didn't seem to help.
If anything, it made them more confused.
They started murmuring among themselves, their voices low but clearly panicked.
"I've never seen one before…"
"Is it real?"
"…Is that a man?"
I froze.
"…Did you just say that like it's a myth?" I asked.
No one answered me.
They just kept staring.
And the longer it went on, the more uncomfortable it got.
Some of them looked curious.
Some looked shocked.
And a few…
A few were looking at me in a way I didn't like.
At all.
Mira suddenly moved.
She stepped directly in front of me, blocking their view as much as she could. Her hand tightened around my sleeve again, pulling me slightly back.
"He's with me," she said.
Her voice cut through everything.
The group went quiet again, their attention shifting from me to her.
"What do you mean he's with you?" one of the older women asked, frowning.
"I found him," Mira replied.
"That doesn't explain anything," another one said, stepping forward. "What is he? Where did he come from?"
"I don't know," Mira said.
That part, at least, was honest.
"But he's mine."
I choked slightly. "Okay, no, we need to stop saying that."
No one reacted.
At all.
It was like I wasn't even part of the conversation anymore.
"…Yours?" one of them repeated slowly.
Mira didn't hesitate. "Yes."
Her grip tightened again, like she was proving it.
I glanced down at her hand, then back at the group.
"…I feel like I should have a say in this," I muttered.
Still ignored.
Great.
The atmosphere shifted again.
The confusion in their expressions didn't disappear.
It just… changed.
Became something sharper.
Something more focused.
One of the younger girls stepped forward, her eyes practically shining with curiosity.
"…Can I touch him?"
I froze.
"…Why is that even a question?"
"It's just a hand," she said quickly. "I just want to confirm—"
"No."
Mira's response was immediate.
Firm.
Cold.
The girl flinched slightly.
"Hey, I'm not going to take him," she said, sounding a little defensive.
Mira didn't respond.
She just held onto me tighter.
And that was when I felt it.
That same strange warmth from before.
But this time…
It wasn't just coming from her.
It was coming from all of them.
Faint at first, like small sparks, but definitely there.
"…Oh, that's not good," I muttered.
[Ding.]
Right on cue.
A new message appeared in my mind.
**[Multiple Targets Detected]**
**Emotional States: Curiosity → Interest**
**Devotion Energy Increasing**
"…Yeah, I noticed," I whispered.
This was bad.
Really bad.
Because I could feel it building.
Something invisible.
Something heavy.
And it was getting stronger.
"…Mira," I said quietly. "I think something's happening."
"I know," she replied.
"You sound way too calm about that."
"I'm not," she said.
Her tone didn't match her words.
One of the women stepped closer.
Just one step.
But it was enough.
Mira reacted instantly.
She pulled me back sharply.
"Don't."
Her voice wasn't loud.
But it carried something with it.
Something that made everyone freeze.
Even me.
"…Okay," I said slowly, raising my hands slightly. "We might be overreacting a little—"
"No."
That word again.
Short.
Firm.
Final.
The woman frowned. "You're being unreasonable. We just want to understand what he is."
"I told you," Mira replied. "He's mine."
"…I'm really starting to have a problem with that sentence," I muttered.
Still ignored.
Amazing.
The tension in the air thickened.
It felt like something was about to snap.
And then—
Someone moved.
The same girl from before took another step forward, clearly running out of patience.
"I'm just going to check," she said.
That was it.
Mira moved.
I didn't even see it properly.
One moment she was next to me.
The next—
She was in front of the girl.
Her hand was raised.
Not striking.
But ready.
"…Don't touch him," she said.
Her voice was quiet.
But it wasn't a request.
The girl froze.
Not by choice.
I felt it too.
That pressure.
That strange, invisible force.
"…What was that?" I whispered.
No one answered.
They were all staring at Mira now.
And for the first time since I met her…
She didn't look gentle.
Her eyes were sharp.
Focused.
Dangerous.
"…Mira?" I said carefully.
She didn't look back.
"He's mine," she repeated.
And this time…
It didn't sound soft.
It sounded like a warning.
The group slowly stepped back.
Not all at once.
But enough.
"…We need to tell the village," one of them said quietly.
"Yes," another agreed. "This is not something we can handle."
"…Handle?" I repeated. "I'm not a problem to handle."
Still ignored.
I sighed.
"Okay, that's getting annoying."
Mira finally turned slightly toward me.
"Let's go," she said.
"Go where?"
"Somewhere safe."
"That doesn't sound reassuring."
She didn't respond.
She just tightened her grip on my sleeve and started pulling me away.
I glanced back at the group.
They didn't follow.
But they were still watching.
Every single one of them.
"…Yeah," I muttered. "I'm definitely in trouble."
And somehow…
I had a feeling this was only the beginning.