NOVEL NEXT Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: What We Can Do Now
Chapter 76: What We Can Do Now
On that day, we had dinner earlier than usual.
It’s still a bit bright outside. During this time of day, the daytime heat subsides, making it very comfortable.
“Let’s think about what we can do now for the village’s reconstruction.”
We discuss among ourselves what kind of assistance we can provide for the reconstruction. First and foremost, it would be supplying food. At least we can supply smoked meat from the Kidanakemo. In fact, we can’t consume it all ourselves, and it’s just going to spoil at this rate. If we ask Kuro and the others, it should be possible to secure even more.
Then there are plenty of tubers, fruits, and other foods within our group that we can’t possibly finish eating. Of course, it’s impossible to provide a continuous supply. However, it wouldn’t hurt to provide some temporarily.
“Well, in any case, it will be temporary.”
“Even so, the food here is really delicious. I think it will definitely lift everyone’s spirits.”
Mil has been making a large amount of smoked meat with the meat she recently acquired. She probably anticipated this kind of situation to some extent. I also want to bring food to them.
“What about transportation? Elizabeth would be quite helpful, wouldn’t she?”
“Hmm… It might be a bit difficult.”
Gisella mentions transportation. Certainly, I also had high hopes for Elizabeth’s transportation abilities. However, unexpectedly, Shiro puts a stop to it.
“Maybe Elizabeth can’t go as far as Savoia.”
“Hmm?”
Among us, everyone seems a bit puzzled, but only Kuro nods in understanding. Certainly, Kuro and Shiro often wander around with Elizabeth, but I wonder if there’s some reason behind it. Everyone is confused, then Elizabeth, as if she heard her name, quietly comes over.
“Elizabeth~, can you not go to Savoia~?”
“Meee?”
“Even though Elizabeth is on the smaller side for a Kidanakemo, her body is still very large――――”
From Shiro’s fragmented explanation, it seems that the farther away from the center of the Hell’s Cauldron Elizabeth goes, the less she can maintain her sanity, and ultimately she goes mad. It seems that Kuro, Shiro, and Elizabeth have noticed this rule while roaming around this area. It seems that we’ve extended our reach much farther than I thought…
And this tendency, as far as Shiro understands, is mainly influenced by the size of the body. Therefore, the larger the Kidanakemo, the less likely they are to stray from the center.
Suddenly, I remember the giant snake I saw when I first arrived here, so huge that it seemed like the terrain was moving.
“Elizabeth can probably move safely up to the vicinity of Triangle Rock.”
“In that case, it’s difficult to travel between the village and Savoia, huh?”
“If Elizabeth pushes herself a bit, she might be able to get closer to Savoia and the village, but… Well, it might be difficult.”
“Meee…”
According to Shiro’s assessment, relying on Elizabeth as a means of transportation is indeed difficult. Elizabeth also seems a bit reluctant, as if she doesn’t want to go too far.
“Don’t force yourself.”
“Meee~”
“Meee~”
Recently, Elizabeth has been acting like she wants to be with Kuro and Shiro, so she quickly leans on them. I also want her to rely on me more, but… it might be physically impossible. Occasionally, when she plays around, even Shiro seems like she might be overwhelmed.
“Certainly, when I think back to the exploration we did before, it was dangerous to go to the center of the Hell’s Cauldron… I wonder what’s in the middle of the Hell’s Cauldron after all?”
“We know there’s a forest there, but I’ve never heard of anyone entering and returning. There are stories that there’s a monster sleeping there that could end this world, and there are also stories about the house of the god who created this world.”
“It’s one of the Ten Wonders of this world.”
Mil and Gisella supplement the general knowledge. There are ten of them… But still, Elizabeth’s range of movement is quite limited. It’s a bit disappointing considering the various activities we envisioned for the future.
“Meee~”
“No, no, it’s fine. You’re just cute.”
Did my disappointment show on my face? Elizabeth looks apologetic. I feel like I did something bad. She’s already contributing enough at the hideout. And she’s cute.
Furthermore, even if she can’t return to the hideout, she can go outside from there. For now, that should be enough. As for procuring materials and transportation, that’s another matter.
“I’m thinking of consulting Menas about procuring materials and transportation.”
“That’s a good idea,” Kuro nods in agreement. Come to think of it, you were also transported… Menas and the others’ faces have been on my mind since I heard Azir’s story. Their trade routes should be quite close to the route between Savoia and the village. Of course, now I understand that they’re involved in some shady business. It might be difficult to get their cooperation, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask for advice.
“Oh, the ones leading the caravan?”
“Yeah, Menas and the others come from the Tamir Empire side, so maybe they can help.”
“Oh~. I didn’t know there were such merchants. I’ve never been to the village, so I didn’t know.”
Mil seems completely unaware. Menas and the others should have passed by quite close, but it seems they haven’t stopped by the village. Maybe there are Tamir Empire eyes on that village that we’re not aware of.
“…Speaking of which, I’m worried about whether we’ve been involved in this Black Wolf incident.”
“They seemed quite capable, so I think we’ll be fine.”
“Maybe we should stop by Triangle Rock before going to Savoia next time…”
“Azir wasn’t there when I sent him today.”
“Well, luck plays a part in this too.”
I miss the days when I used to go to Triangle Rock almost every week. I miss seeing Menas, Edda, and Jeda’s faces.
“Then there’s the reconstruction of the houses. This is… I can’t say anything until I talk to Hajiramu and see the site.”
“There are three onis. I think they’ll be quite useful for manual labor.”
“That’s for sure.”
Zamza seems quite enthusiastic. Maybe he’s feeling a bit restless.
“Well, anyway, this is about all we can think of for now, right? The rest will have to wait until we get to Savoia.”
“Hey, Bonus, when are we going to Savoia?”
Mil asks with a lively expression.
We could go tomorrow if we wanted, but I’d like a day for preparation. Also, arriving at Savoia earlier than Hajiramu might not be a good idea. It would be awkward for both parties if we continue to be unable to move while meeting the villagers. It also feels awkward to set up shop leisurely ahead of Hajiramu. Hajiramu said he would arrive in Savoia in five days… so let’s aim to arrive in three days.
“Let’s prepare for two days and leave the hideout on the morning of the third day. If Elizabeth can take us as far as she can, we should arrive at Triangle Rock by mid-morning even if we stop by there.”
“Got it! Let’s finish the smoked goods by then…”
“Well, since we have quite a bit of excess ingredients, let’s take as much as we can.”
Mil seems to be organizing what to do in his head. Maybe because he feels refreshed, he has a bright, energetic expression.
Mil said she wanted to rely on others, but with that kind of face, anyone would want to rely on her…
“Anyway, it’s better to prepare a quantity that can be transported even without Elizabeth. Well, as long as my backpack can hold it, I think I can carry as much as I want.”
“I think it’s safe to assume the amount the three onis can carry is quite substantial.”
“I think my strength has increased a bit compared to before, so please leave it to me.”
The onis seem quite motivated. Certainly, compared to what Kuro and I can carry, it’s just a margin of error. Mil seems to be organizing what to do in her head, but she seems to be at a loss for what to do next. She brings Elizabeth’s yarn that she spun at night and starts knitting a blanket.
“Gyaugyau!”
“Oh, Kuro. Then I’ll leave it to you from here.”
Kuro seems to enjoy handling Elizabeth’s fur, so she eagerly joins in the work. She’s been participating since the yarn-making process and has been a big help. She’s already knitting faster than Mil. With this, we might be able to prepare everyone’s share before departure.
“Meee…”
“Well, thanks, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth watches her fur being knitted with a subtle expression that’s hard to describe. Certainly, I can’t imagine how it feels to see those guys happily knitting with your own fur…
“Here you go, Bonus.”
“Thank you.”
Shiro seems to have brewed coffee without me noticing. She hands me a cup and sits quietly beside me. Recently, Shiro has been brewing coffee for me more often. She’s not particularly skilled, and she admits it herself. But she always tries to understand my feelings more than anyone else and acts accordingly.
“I was just thinking about having coffee now.”
“Hehe~”
Before I knew it, the sun had set completely, and it was starting to get a little chilly. Shiro leaned her overly large body against me and showed a bit of dependence. The significant difference in size makes it uncomfortable to sit, but recently, I’ve started to feel that it’s not so bad.
Zamza seems to be getting some advice from Gisella on how to handle weapons. He swings a few times and nods appreciatively. Surprisingly, Gisella is good at explaining things. She’s actually involved in weapon production, so it will be quite educational for Zamza.
As everyone spends time as they please, I suddenly felt something moving in my pocket.
“Huh? Pink, what’s wrong?”
Pink slowly crawls out of my pocket. She climbs onto my shoulder and looks up.
“Hmm?”
I follow Pink’s gaze and squint my eyes. At the top of the cliff, I see one small, round, yellow object floating alone. It looks like a tiny moon.
What could it be? As I pondered, I suddenly felt the darkness around me ripple as if it were moving.
“Bonus, sorry. I might not be able to protect everyone.”
Shiro stands up suddenly and says something like that out of the blue. Everyone looks up at the same direction, where the small light is.
Just a moment ago, Shiro, who was smiling shyly, now wears a painful expression. Kuro has drawn a knife unnoticed and stands motionless with an expressionless face. Everyone else is searching for the identity of that light. And Elizabeth lowers her head, ready for attack but… trembling.
Unable to grasp the situation, I can only gaze blankly at the sky. Then suddenly, along with the small yellow light, the darkness around us moves as if it’s waking up. At that moment, I feel my body freezing with fear.
“What in the…?”
With its smooth, distinctive movement, it becomes apparent that the darkness is a living creature. Once I capture its outline, there’s no mistaking it. A one-eyed giant black panther is peering down at us from the top of the cliff. That small moon-like light turns out to be the panther’s eye.