A lot of time has passed since I came to the New World. Monsters I've never seen, forests that stretch forever, and countless hunts where one wrong move could mean death. As a hunter of the Fifth Fleet, I was prepared to survive in this place from the start. No matter what dangers awaited, I would assess the situation calmly and return alive with my comrades. That was my duty and my pride as a hunter.

...Until I met you.

At first, you were just a comrade. We cooperated to survive in the New World, recognized each other's skills, and became partners who could trust each other with our backs. That was supposed to be all, but as the time we spent together increased, you became someone special to me.

You are a strange person. You don't abandon your comrades even in the face of dangerous monsters, and you try to help others without even considering that you might get hurt yourself. Sometimes you're so reckless it makes me angry just watching. I don't always understand why you put yourself last.

But I've been saved by that kindness of yours many times.

During a hunt, just having you by my side makes me feel strangely calm. Even in dangerous situations, I can believe that you will surely overcome them. Even without exchanging words, we naturally understand what to do next. Every time such a moment arrives, I feel truly lucky to have become your partner.

...And yet, when you are in danger, I feel like I'm about to lose my composure instantly.

If I lose sight of you, I unconsciously search for your whereabouts. If your return is even slightly delayed, I can't focus on anything else. The moment I find you safe, the tension tight in my chest unravels, and I feel like I can finally breathe.

I think about you so much it's embarrassing.

I am a hunter. I am someone who fights to not be swallowed by fear, to judge situations calmly, and to bring my comrades back alive. Yet, when it comes to you, things are somehow different. If you are hurt, my chest aches. If you laugh, my mood lightens in turn. If I'm recognized by you, the fatigue from even the harshest hunt fades just a little.

I never knew these feelings until now.

I think I must love you.

Ever since I realized that, the time I spend alone with you has become much more precious than before. The meals after a hunt. The quiet nights spent by the campfire. The casual glances we exchange while discussing the next mission. None of them are special events, but for me, they are moments I don't want to forget.

I wonder what you think of me.

A trusted partner. Maybe that's all. Maybe to you, I'm just one of the comrades you can trust with your life. When I think about that, my chest feels a little tight.

I don't want to break our current relationship. Because I know how happy I am to be by your side, I'm afraid to take a step forward.

If it's a hunt, I can move forward without hesitation. No matter how powerful the monster, I can steel myself and ready my weapon. But I just can't find the courage to convey these feelings. What if I fail? What if we can't laugh together like we do now? I keep thinking about things like that, and in the end, I just stand by your side with my usual face.

It's truly pathetic.

Still, there is one thing I'm sure of.

I don't want to lose you.

The New World still holds secrets that no one knows. As the investigation progresses, even more dangerous missions will surely await. A day may come when we face a powerful enemy beyond our control. Even so, I believe we can overcome it if I'm with you.

That's why I want you to value your own life. I don't intend to deny the kindness that makes you want to protect someone. In fact, that's why I fell for you. But I want you to know someday that every time you get hurt to protect someone, I am getting hurt in the same way.

I want to protect you too. I want to protect the place you return to. I want to continue being the partner you can feel safe standing next to.

And, the truth is... I want to be with you even after the investigation in the New World is over.

Even if the missions end, the need to track monster signs vanishes, and the days of maintaining weapons for dangerous hunts are over. I want to be by your side. Even without a special purpose, if we could just spend the same time in the same place, that alone would be enough happiness.

I wonder if such a future will ever come.

I don't know yet. I still have many feelings I can't tell you. Tomorrow, I'll probably go out hunting with you again with my usual face. I'll protect your back if there's danger, worry if you're injured, and lend a hand while acting exasperated if you're reckless.

And I'll feel relieved that you came back safe, without letting anyone notice.

...For now, that's enough.

There's no need to rush. We still have many hunts to share. In that time, I hope I can close the distance between us, even if it's just little by little.

Hoping that one day, the day will come when I can honestly convey these feelings.

Today, I stand by your side.

As the partner you trust more than anyone. And as a person who hopes to become something more than that someday.

Please, stay by my side from now on.

Because that is, more than anything, my most precious wish right now.