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But I only have 5 Strength points!

And... and I don't have a weapon like Big Sis and Miss Apple!

You trembled, ready to give up the quest and leave the fighting to Lumine and Amber. But then you remembered Miss Ivy's story.

The little duckling never gave up, even though it was small and weak! So I won't give up either. I only have 5 Strength points, but that's better than 0!

You thought about the sword you'd received as a reward from the system—the Harbinger of Dawn. You could use that, couldn't you?

But... swords remind me of that scary guard who wanted to cut me in half. I don't wanna use a sword...

For the first time, you noticed fruits and vegetables littering the ground next to you—an apple, a cabbage, some wheat. The crate you were hiding under must have been used for storing food. You picked up a carrot.

Carrots are sorta sharp, right?

Watching the progress of the battle through the slits in the box, you waited for the perfect moment to jump in. Amber was shooting arrows at one hilichurl, Lumine was fighting another one, and a third was approaching rapidly from the side entrance.

That one! I'll get that one!

Slowly, very slowly, you inched towards the third hilichurl, using your crate as a disguise. When it was practically next to you, you seized your chance. With a fierce battle cry of "Eat your veggies!", you sprang out and whacked the unsuspecting hilichurl with the pointy end of the carrot.

A glowing number appeared over the hilichurl, signifying how much damage you had done. You peered up at it. Thankfully, it was a number you recognized.

[1]

1 damage! Yayyy! I helped Big Sis!

Before the hilichurl could retaliate, you hid back under the crate, carrot in hand. Unfortunately, you soon heard a loud WHACK! and saw the wooden planks above you splinter.

Gasp! The meanie-churl is attacking my new house! 

As the hilichurl's club broke through the top of the crate, you crawled out. Fortunately, you had 50 Agility points, so you easily evaded the hilichurl, keeping far out of its reach. Spying another pile of barrels and crates across the room, you headed towards it.

At first, you planned on hiding in a crate, but the sight of the cylindrical barrels—just like the wheels on your broken-down tricycle—gave you an idea. You positioned yourself behind the nearest barrel and waited for the hilichurl to catch up.

"1... 2... 3..." you muttered under your breath, counting the seconds on your fingers.

CRASH!

You dove to your left as the hilichurl's club smashed a hole in the wooden barrel. The hole was big enough for the fruits inside it to spill out... and more importantly, for you to climb in.

You squeezed inside the barrel. It was a little more cramped than the crate, but if your plan paid off, it would be worth it!

The hilichurl reared back, but you didn't give it a chance to attack—you rolled forward in your barrel like a hamster in a wheel, knocking the hilichurl off its feet. This time, another number appeared over the hilichurl's head.

[5]

5 damage! That's a lotta damage! Even more than 1!

Grinning delightedly, you rolled towards the hilichurl again. But this time, you made your mistake. Every good tricyclist knows you should pay attention to the road, yet you weren't looking at the road at all—you were looking at the murderous enemy intent on killing you.

The barrel rolled right over a round fruit on the ground and split into pieces, exposing you out in the open. The hilichurl ran towards you with a triumphant "Yaaaaa!", ready to brain you with its club.

But if there were one thing you and your fellow kindergarteners were good at, it was screaming. No way was some monster gonna beat you!

You opened your mouth. Took a deep breath. And screamed back, albeit in a much more high-pitched voice: "YAAAAAAAAAA!"

It was a shrill, unearthly noise. You screamed like a child who had just stepped on a LEGO. You screamed like your mama screamed when she saw your papa with those weird, mean ladies. You screamed as if someone had stolen your favorite snack and eaten it right in front of you.

While the stunned hilichurl clutched its ears in pain, you picked up the round fruit that you had run over—an apple, and threw it at the hilichurl. BOINK! The apple bounced right off its head.

"A is for apple!" you informed the hilichurl.

[2]

Next, you threw an orange-colored fruit that looked like a beautiful sunset. You had no time to enjoy it, though. BOINK!

"W is for weird fruit!"

[2]

You hurled a whole restaurant's worth of vegetables at the hilichurl, like a chef desperate to please his last remaining customer. "C is for cabbage! T is for tomato! R is for... uff... too heavy..." You dropped the radish back onto the ground. "R is for... for recess. (Y/N) wants recess!"

You looked down at the hilichurl, who had fallen onto the ground, buried under a pile of healthy food. "Meanie-churl, can you please go bye-bye? (Y/N) is tired. Don't wanna fight anymore." With that, you tapped the hilichurl with a carrot.

[1]

The hilichurl dissolved into a burst of light, leaving only its shattered mask on the ground. You stored the mask in your inventory—it tasted bitter, like almonds.

More Strength points! I wonder if I can lift that radish now?

"(Y/N)! Just what do you think you're doing out of that crate? Didn't I tell you to stay where it was safe?"

You whirled in dismay to find Lumine advancing on you, Amber following close behind.

As Lumine stormed towards you, fury erupting in her golden eyes and her dress billowing out behind her like wings, you couldn't help but think that she looked a whooole lot more like the final boss than that hilichurl.

Big Sis is scary! In a cool way... but still scary!

Amber tried to stop Lumine, protesting weakly, "Now's not the time to lecture them, Traveler! We need to proceed further into the temple!"

Lumine ignored Amber. "(Y/N), as soon as we get back to the Knights of Favonius headquarters, you are grounded!" she declared.

"W-wait!" You held your hands in front of your face. "(Y/N) can explain! Don't ground (Y/N)!"

"Yes?" Lumine folded her arms and looked sternly at you. "It had better be a good explanation."

Ah! I know! What did Amber say to me earlier?

"Big Sis, if you stop being angry, (Y/N) will give you a present!" you said dramatically.

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