The Story of Becoming a Married Man in Another World - Chapter 24



024 The First Hunt is Special

A rabbit was caught in the snare. Judging by the fact that it hadn’t lost its strength yet, it must not have been long. Maybe since dawn or morning. Good. This amount of strength left is just right for the first prey.

Gus glanced at Juhwan. Juhwan seemed somewhat flustered at the sight of the rabbit caught in the snare. Judging by his reaction, it seemed like it was his first time seeing a rabbit. This man is strange. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where, but there was something that didn’t quite fit. Like a lid that doesn’t close properly.

‘But it doesn’t matter.’

Whether noble or commoner, priest or sinner, it doesn’t matter. Hunting beasts is completely separate from human life. Only the simple fact that a human kills a beast remains.

Seeing Juhwan, who had calmed down after a moment of confusion, Gus smirked. He could roughly guess what he was thinking.

‘But….’

If he thought that just because he had killed a beast before, he wouldn’t hesitate when hunting, he was mistaken. Killing a beast that attacks you and hunting a defenseless animal are completely different things.

As with everything, hunting becomes familiar and dull over time. But the shock and emotions felt the first time will last a lifetime. That’s why the first hunt is important.

Gus’s first time was when he was twelve. The day his father first allowed him to hunt a beast with his own bow, everything was familiar except for the fact that he was aiming his bow at prey.

He remembers the mountains and bird songs, more familiar than the houses in the human village, comforting his pounding heart. The trembling of his fingertips was due to excitement, not fear or disgust.

Many hunters’ children walk the path of a hunter due to their father’s coercion, but Gus was different. He was indifferent to disassembling the animals hunted by his father and getting his hands stained with red blood. Rather, he was enthusiastic.

The first hunt was no different. He was happy to be recognized by his experienced hunter father and proud to shoot arrows with his own hands.

Gus’s first prey was a fawn that had just been born. The mother was nearby, but as soon as she realized her fawn was going to die, she ran away.

Unlike other times, his father did not catch the mother deer, which was a better prey. He did nothing and left everything to Gus. That hunt was entirely Gus’s.

Still, the fact that his father was watching from the side did not change. He was being protected. The first hunt was conducted in a safe state, and he thought he was part of the mountain. He was a blessed hunter, blending into the mountain.

That’s why he was caught by the goblin. He always believed in a corner of his heart that he alone would be safe. Even if everyone else suffered an unexpected accident, he believed that he alone would never be like that, so he didn’t notice the black hole opening at his feet.

That feeling remains somewhere even now, in his old age. Even now, knowing painfully that it is not true, it does not disappear.

Gus took a slow breath, sending air into the forest, and then spoke briefly to Juhwan.

“Take out the arrow I gave you.”

Juhwan was probably the smartest person he knew. Even though he hadn’t been in the mountains for long, he already remembered a considerable number of words and used them to form sentences. Unlike before, there was no need for gestures; they could roughly communicate.

Even now, Juhwan quickly understood what Gus said and nodded. But he seemed to take it as a request to give him the arrow, as he handed over the iron-tipped arrow he had given earlier.

Gus shook his head and pointed to Juhwan’s bow. He expressed with his hand to nock the arrow there and said,

“You are the one hunting. This is your first hunt. Hunting is a cruel thing, and I will make sure you understand that. You will never forget today’s time.”

Gus pushed Juhwan slightly forward. He walked towards the snare. He stopped when he reached a distance close enough to ensure a hit if he shot the arrow.

Juhwan looked back and forth between Gus and the rabbit with a puzzled face. He didn’t seem to understand why he had to shoot an arrow at a rabbit caught in a snare.

But he was a smart person. He understood well that when Gus made him do something, it was a teaching action. Even without knowing the reason, Juhwan picked up the bow. And he looked at Gus as if asking.

—

—

“Shoot. Aim for the leg first.”

You must not kill it in one blow. First, shoot the leg, then aim for a place far from the heart. This is training to hit a living, moving target. First, a calm animal, then a target writhing in pain, and after that…

You will gain something from this process. Juhwan, being smarter than me, will surely learn something very valuable, something beyond what I know.

To Juhwan, who had not yet drawn his bow, Gus spoke once more.

“Now, shoot.”

The mountain is fair. No one is special before the mountain. The mountain is equally generous and equally cruel to both humans and beasts.

Gus looked at Juhwan’s face.

This man will surely become a great beast hunter. Whether I will live to see it with my own eyes, I do not know, but the instincts of an old hunter whispered so. This man is special.

But no matter how skilled and experienced a hunter is, mistakes are inevitable. The moment you feel familiar with the mountain and think you are loved, special, you will fall into danger.

To avoid that, you must deeply understand that hunting is a cruel task, and that everyone is the same in the mountains. The position of the hunted beast today could be yours tomorrow.

Knowing that Juhwan might not fully understand his words yet, Gus opened his mouth.

“The mountain is fair. It does not side with humans. If you continue to act cruelly, there will come a day when the beasts will have the upper hand.”

Seeing Juhwan trying hard to understand his words and actions, Gus smiled wryly.

“If you want to return home safely, do not forget today.”

A hunter is the kind of person who targets a mother feeding her young.

The mountain and the hunted beasts know this.

Only humans do not understand what that means.

If you run along a circular path, there will come a day when the one ahead steps on your tail.

*

When Gus handed him the bow and arrows, Juhwan guessed they were going to hunt deer or birds today. Bows and arrows are probably used for that. At least, they are not used for animals caught in traps. Juhwan knew that much.

If a rabbit was caught in a trap, he thought he would kill it with a knife and get the fur and meat. If two were caught, they would probably split them, and if there was only one, they would separate the fur and meat.

If they had to split the fur and meat, Gus would take the valuable part, and Juhwan would get the rest. Juhwan was fine with either the fur or the meat.

He did not think Gus would take everything.

While teaching Juhwan to hunt, Gus never shot an animal himself. Even when there were good opportunities, he did not. Perhaps hunting was forbidden for Gus.

But Gus was probably hunting secretly in this mountain. He had never shown himself hunting, but Juhwan could tell.

There were many clues: the occasional bloodstains on his clothes or bag, the changing number of arrows in his quiver, his unusually precise knowledge of rabbit droppings.

Gus did not try to hide this fact, though he did not openly reveal it either.

The villagers probably knew as well. Perhaps they received a bit of meat in exchange for turning a blind eye to Gus’s hunting.

Since Gus was hunting on his own, he did not covet a single rabbit when they were together. Juhwan had learned this much about Gus during their time together.

So, Gus’s words were unexpected.

—

—

Gus told him to shoot the rabbit’s foot. Shooting such a place wouldn’t kill it. It would only cause pain.

He didn’t know why Gus demanded such a thing. An unpleasant feeling crawled up from his throat. It wasn’t good at all.

“##Start#. Rabbit###foot###head##. #Keep###shooting###.”

Gus pointed at the snare once more and spoke. From Gus’s repeated actions and words, he thought this might be training for shooting a living animal.

The rabbit sensed the ominous atmosphere and moved around. Its ferocious-looking face changed to a threatening expression as if warning not to come closer.

The more it moved violently, the tighter the snare became. Whether it was in pain or fear, the rabbit started making strange noises.

Juhwan took a light breath and aimed the arrow.

His eyes met the rabbit’s.

For a moment, the scene inside the carriage when he first came to this world flashed in his mind.

Miserable people, withered bodies, corpses that were not cleared away even in death, a narrow space where humans were no longer human.

Everyone inside was fighting over the belongings of the dead, carrying them on their bodies. Those who were dying were already treated as dead. Juhwan himself barely survived that way.

He knew nothing about the mountains or hunting. He didn’t know much about life in this world either. The only thing he knew now was that Gus was trying to train him to live as a hunter.

After taking a light breath, Juhwan aimed the arrow at the rabbit. The close distance made it unlikely for the arrow to miss.

The rabbit, sensing the fear of death, thrashed about.

Watching the rabbit’s face as a backdrop, Juhwan quietly aimed the bow, waiting for the foot to be exposed.

A stationary target and a living, moving animal were completely different. It wasn’t just that aiming was difficult; the desperate movements of the animal disturbed his mind. The terrified eyes of the living creature struck his heart strongly.

The rabbit struggled and twisted its body.

In an instant, a good angle appeared.

Before he could think, the arrow left his hand.

With a thud, the arrow pierced the foot and stuck into the ground.

Squeal, squeal!

The rabbit screamed and flapped its body.

Gus spoke quietly again.

“###.”

Seeing that Juhwan didn’t seem to understand, Gus tapped his own arm. He was telling him to shoot the rabbit’s foreleg.

Unconsciously, Juhwan looked at Gus’s face.

Gus didn’t move an inch. He quietly met Juhwan’s eyes. Their gazes collided.

Juhwan was the first to look away. For some reason, he saw in Gus’s eyes that he believed this process was necessary.

Juhwan recalled the faces of Lizzy and Dorothy and picked up the bow again. The terrified rabbit flapped and looked at Juhwan.

Though he didn’t know much about this world, he knew that the mountains and hunting were dangerous. There might be creatures worse than wolves. If a bear appeared, even with his large build, he wouldn’t be able to win. In a world with magic, who knew what kind of creatures beyond wolves and bears might exist.

—

—

If Gus thought this process was necessary, there must be a reason. Before feeling pity for the beast, think of Lizzy and Dorothy first. To protect and support them, I can become a demon or a murderer.

‘A mere beast.’

It’s okay. It’s okay, it’s just a beast. Don’t listen to the sound. Let it pass. It’s just a beast, after all.

Juhwan listened to the rabbit’s wailing as he shot another arrow. Despite the close distance, the arrow missed because the rabbit moved. The arrow pierced between the rabbit’s head and ear.

Gus approached the rabbit. He stepped on the rabbit’s body, which was screaming and trying to escape, and pulled out the arrow.

Now I understood why Gus made me use smooth steel-tipped arrows. It was to easily remove the arrows from the beast, just like now.

Gus returned and handed Juhwan a new arrow from the quiver. Gus spoke calmly.

“Front leg.”

“….”

In the silence, only the rabbit’s screams echoed around.

Juhwan nocked another arrow. He released the tightly drawn bowstring.

The arrow struck the rabbit’s front leg, which had become slightly sluggish.

Once more, following Gus’s instructions, he shot the remaining leg of the rabbit.

It didn’t die because he avoided the vital points. The rabbit’s cries echoed through the quiet forest.

“….”

Gus said nothing more.

Is it okay to put it out of its misery now?

The rabbit’s cries, which had been screams, turned into sobs. It cried out long, as if calling for someone.

Juhwan drew his bow again.

The final arrow pierced the rabbit’s head. The rabbit, which had been trembling for a moment, soon became still.

“….”

Dorothy’s face, with her sparkling eyes, briefly came to mind and then disappeared. Killing beasts to survive is necessary. He would kill many more beasts in the future. Juhwan let out a small breath. The saliva he swallowed was mixed with bitterness.

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