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.
With practiced movements, he pried open its jaw and began working carefully at the lower tusks.
"These will fetch a good price," he muttered, pulling one free. "High-quality materials... even damaged."
Leo, meanwhile, moved among the scattered goblin corpses. He knelt, turning bodies over, checking crude pouches and belts.
Alara was still sitting with her back against a rock, her shoulder wrapped in a bandage. She watched the others work, her expression pensive.
As for Kyle and Mira, they headed toward the tunnel the boss had emerged from.
They believed that it led to the boss's room and might contain something important.
They moved together, stepping carefully through the passage. Moments later, the tunnel opened into a smaller chamber—not nearly as vast as the battlefield, but wide enough.
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.
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 they 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.
---
"...I really didn't expect you to be that strong, Kyle." Mira glanced at Kyle with a grin.
The carriage rolled steadily along the forest road, sunlight filtering through the trees as Weston guided the horses toward the city.
Everyone was seated inside—tired, dusty, but relaxed in a way they hadn't been hours earlier.
Leo leaned back, his shield beside him. Alara sat across from Kyle, her injured leg stretched out carefully, posture composed despite the lingering pain.
Weston chuckled from the driver's seat. "He's full of surprises. I'm glad he's on our side."
Leo nodded in agreement. "Indeed. His actions in the cave were... unconventional, but effective."
The conversation flowed easily after that, laughter and chatter filling the carriage as they recounted the battle, each adding their own perspective.
Laughter came easily now that the danger had passed.
Kyle listened, a faint smile on his face. However, his mind was elsewhere, pondering the system message he had received.
`An evolved monster...`
He had never heard of an evolved monster before. In fact, he knew almost nothing about monsters at all.
Everything he knew about them, he had learned from novels he had read in his original world.
Suddenly, a question that had been on his mind for a long time popped into his head.
He glanced around at the others, then leaned forward slightly. "Hey, I have a question for you all."
They turned to look at him, curious.
"What's the difference between animals and monsters?" he asked, brow furrowed. "I've always wondered about that."
The carriage fell 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, shaking 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 sharpened slightly as he listened.
"Like that boss we fought," Weston chimed in. "It was an evolved species of goblin, called a goblin warrior... Much stronger than a regular goblin."
Kyle nodded slowly, absorbing this new information. "So monsters have the potential to become stronger and change forms, but animals don't."
"That's right," Alara confirmed. "A single bear could kill several goblins, but it wouldn't stand a chance against a goblin warrior."
Kyle leaned back, considering this. It made sense—the goblins he had fought were weaker than many animals, but the boss had been far stronger.
"I see," he said softly. "Thanks for explaining."
"No problem~" Mira waved her hand dismissively, still smiling. "And if you have any other questions, just ask."
She paused, a playful grin spreading across her face.
"For example..." she leaned a little closer, lowering her voice playfully, "if you're wondering about the difference between a boy and a girl~"
Kyle's features stiffened at Mira's teasing words as the carriage burst into laughter.
Leo choked, coughing as he laughed. Weston let out an amused chuckle from the driver's seat. Even Alara turned her head away, shoulders shaking slightly.
Mira giggled at his reaction, clearly satisfied.
Kyle forced a chuckle but 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 | Magic: 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.