Reincarnated as a Gun in Another World with a System!

Chapter 4 - Bounty Hunter or...?

Princess Chloe is already getting the hang of it with the gun - with me. But… she still has a lot of miles away to trek and train, especially her aim. I am not flaming her for it. It’s just that… this is Princess Chloe’s first time wielding a gun, and I am no expert in these sorts of firearms or the like. But I know what it does and how it operates. My knowledge is limited.

And that is demonstrated right after she hits the tree. Although Chloe has made a clear shot at the bronze bark, she has squandered a few bullets just to cut the tree down. And that is a problem. It only takes five shots or more just to cut that plant down, I think, or even less if she uses her wind ability or any other elements except if she uses a fire attribute. But that didn’t happen. All 19 shells are exhausted before that tree is taken down.

The same applies when Princess Chloe hunts for rabbits. We need some food, so she gets out of the cave, bringing me with her. She finds one, thanks to my guidance and my system, but she ends up wasting all 19 ammunition for one bunny. I could give her that, considering hares are fucking annoying. But Chloe’s aim really grinds my gears. Thankfully, I do not need to eat because my… metallic body does not require me to. But the fact that she has to spend every bullet inside the magazine is alarming to me.

However, Chloe couldn’t skin the hare. She tries her best and drains the hare’s blood, but a lot still remains. Well, we have a campfire. Burning the blood and flesh should cook and eliminate the bacteria that come with it. If only we had a dagger, we could have done this more efficiently.

The worst part is… I cannot train the princess thoroughly. Maybe it’s because of the environment, and we are constantly threatened by everything and everyone. Or it’s because I am a new weapon for her.

I ask her if this place is really an excellent environment to sleep in. Chloe answers me by shaking her head and telling me with a straight-up “No” as an answer.

“Adventurers and mercenaries are continuously on the hunt for me. I am a princess, so it is without a doubt they would look for me either for my bounty or because my brother hired them. It’s not only that. Monsters also live in this area. We can never be safe as long as we’re outdoors.” Is what Chloe says, while gently devouring the roasted hare even though she’s hungry.

What choice do we have? It isn’t like we could choose where to go, especially after witnessing a chase like that.

“That reminds me, princess. How much money do you have with you?” I ask... out of the blue.

Upon nearly finishing her meal, Chloe responds, “Hmmm. I didn’t bring any of my Credits... That is going to be an issue.”

Ah, Credits. It might be the currency used in this world. I should consider that because I gained 20 Credits after killing the [Forest Cerberus] a few hours ago.

After feasting on the almost-cooked rabbit, Princess Chloe makes a temporary bed and lays her back on it. The evening is longer than usual in this world. And heavy rain pour covers the sky, and it ends up almost flooding the ground. Thankfully, the cave is somewhat in a higher place. But that does not prevent the drizzle from reaching this place.

“Does your world… also have wars, Kuro?” After a few minutes, Chloe starts a conversation with me. It’s about war and fighting. She might have asked this because her world is experiencing one, and she wants someone to talk to pass the time.

Surprisingly, I do not need sleep to function well. So I offer Princess Chloe to be the guy who watches over her, checking if enemies are nearby while entertaining ourselves with the conversation.

“Yeah. We had two wars that happened in my world. But now it is already… somewhat resolved. The third world isn’t that far, but we’re trying to prevent it. Every country… err, every Kingdom has united and values peace over conflicts.” Countries do not exist in this world, I deduce. Only Kingdoms, cities, and Empires.

“That sounds… really fantastic, Kuro… I wish I could live… in that kind of world.”

Moments later, Chloe falls asleep, vulnerable and innocent. But she still has me in her arms and the trigger resting between her fingers.

I… took my world for granted. Kepler is a fantasy world, but war is happening elsewhere. Having a war is even far worse than hell, because hell chooses its people, but war chooses none. Children who have not sinned can die, while hell takes away the sinful humans of the Earth.

I am reminded that Chloe is still in her teenage years, yet she is responsible for bringing peace to the Kingdom and other empires. If everything ends well, Princess Chloe will face her brother and become Queen someday. And since I am also involved with her, I might as well teach her the basics of life and how she could rise towards her throne.

“You’ll become a great leader someday, Chloe. I know it,” I mumble under my breath as I watch her sleep peacefully under the chaotic rain.

Chloe has much to learn. After living for 42 years, I could teach her some tricks to deal with other people and their countries. Until now, she must protect herself…

My system becomes alive after I have made up my mind. It is a quest. When I open it, it tells me the main objective of this second life that fate has given to me.

[Main Quest: Find peace in the Kingdom with Chloe]

[Reward: A second chance in life]

I have already gotten my second chance. And this is it. But I need to become a human being again in this world.

However, that is not my priority. Not yet. I have to do what I have to do as a gun… I shall become the one thing that will protect Chloe in the heat of the battle…

………………..

I have now realised that this world has more hours compared to Earth. Kepler has thirty hours and five moons hanging above the darkened clouds. And when the night ends, two suns rise in the air, hinting that it is already morning. But the weather is still warm and pleasant, despite the two bright stars shining in broad daylight.

However, there is something that catches my eye. When I glance at my map, a blue mark wanders beside us. I do not know if that living being knows where inside the cave, but we need to ensure that the dot isn’t an enemy.

So I gingerly flinch at my side, take a deep breath, and become the alarm clock itself.

“Wakey, wakey, princess! It’s already morning! There’s no time like the present, if you know what I mean!” I raise my voice, hoping it could reach her. And it did.

As soon as Chloe blinks her eyes, I now know she is awake.

“This is… my first time waking up without a servant catering to me or a schedule I have to follow… At first, I hated it… But losing it right now makes me feel like I took everything for granted.”

“That is lovely and all… But you have to get up right now. We have a visitor.”

When Chloe hears my voice, she instantly sits, aims at me at… nothingness, and paranoidly waves me around as if I am a sword, not knowing I am a gun. But I thought we’d established that already. Maybe I’m wrong.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

Chloe then immediately places me back and answers, “Sorry… Hold habits. I thought you were my sword or a wand. I still don’t know what a gun is.”

Exactly, Chloe. Exactly. Even after using me for a fight and killing a hare, you still… nevermind.

Moments later, the blue dot that I have detected approaches our direction. But it seems… This person, I guess, still does not know there are people inside the cave… Okay, a princess and a talking gun. Either way, this lost individual has no idea this cavern is preoccupied.

So Chloe is the first one who meets this person. As soon as Chloe steels her heart, she leaps to the cavern, only to see a peddler with a backpack behind his spine.

“Oh, it’s a merchant!” Princess Chloe hurriedly lowers her gun, which is me, and flashes the trader with a smile. “H-Hello! What brings you here, merchant?”

Unbeknownst to us, there is a coffee-like poster clipped in the merchant’s man. In that poster is an image of the princess and a bounty written beside her name….