chapter 5
5. Here we go again (2)
The heroine of the survival academy that floated away a few days ago.
A sudden uproar in the domain of bears.
Bears killed in traps.
A crack has formed in the power of the uninhabited island.
This fact presented me with not very pleasant news.
First, the power landscape of uninhabited islands is fluctuating.
The cause is unknown, but the fact that 20% of the bears in the group were so panicked that they couldn’t even avoid traps that they normally avoided. The fact that vibrations echoed not only in those bears, but also in other places. And to the point that it soon subsided.
You can find out why this is the case later, but the most likely one is the fight between the boss and the challenger who wants to be the boss. Although the boss hasn’t changed in 10 years… 10 Years is by no means a short time for both humans and monsters.
There is no guarantee that the lifespan will be similar to that of bears, as it is significantly larger and stronger than a brown bear, but it is still possible. If the boss has changed, there will be more things to do.
Up until now, the bosses were smart anyway, and after I grew up to a certain extent, they realized that fighting would only cost them a loss, so they didn’t touch me. However, if the boss has changed, the story is different. The fact that the leader has changed means that the tendency of the group itself may change.
If you are an overly belligerent boss, you cannot avoid war. I don’t think it’s going to be that easy because of the snake… But it’s also bothering me that the bears panicked and killed eight of them in the trap.
The second is the trend of snake-headed snakes with multiple heads. Unlike the bears, they use their brains quite well, and even these days they occasionally send small snakes to scout my territory. It’s more likely that they’ll hit the bow.
This is the thing I hate the most. Bears are said to be unable to break through traps because of their large bodies, but snake cubs often burrow into the gaps that inevitably exist in my traps. They scatter things that snakes don’t like, but there is a limit to that.
The last is the dungeon.
Although the name was given arbitrarily, the word dungeon fits well with the cave. There, monsters of a different kind from those living on the island pop out. Zombies, animated skeletons. And strange monsters popping up from time to time.
Once a dog breathing fire from its mouth, once a golem. Another time he was a troll-looking guy. They were difficult opponents to deal with one by one. It wasn’t something I couldn’t handle though.
If it hadn’t been dealt with, there would have been only bones left.
Anyway, when the balance of the three factions was maintained, each faction would take care of the monsters that popped out of the dungeon. However, if the power of the bear side is shaken, it will be difficult to stop the monsters in the dungeon. In the aftermath, monsters could attack me.
“It’s getting complicated.”
Originally, I was going to take care of the snake babies first and catch the bears, but this will inevitably complicate things.
For now, I have no choice but to completely cancel the existing plan, scout the area of the bears, grasp the situation, and re-establish the plan.
…First of all, improving Karina’s condition is the first priority.
Something didn’t happen to the hideout, did it?
With a lot of fuss and worry, I headed for the hideout.
——————
“Uh…So, does that mean there’s a seismic shift in the power map?”
“Yes.”
Returning to the hideout, I immediately relayed the information I found out to Karina.
I nodded my head at Karina’s reaction, which she understood perfectly well even though I was still unfamiliar with the conversation, and even though I was talking nonsense with her. As expected, he was a student who achieved quite good grades at the academy. No, come to think of it, did Karina go to school? It’s a bit vague to ask.
I want to know exactly when the current time is, but there was no way for me to accurately determine the time, except whether or not I entered the academy.
I don’t even know the timeline in the game. Even if they told me that it was the XX month XX day of the year XXX, there was no way for me to know when it was. So in the end, the only way I could do was to somehow bring up the academy-related topic and ask for admission.
“Isn’t that a big deal?! There’s nowhere to run from here…”
“It’s okay.”
To be honest, it’s not okay. Anyway, the atmosphere of the island is changing in a completely unexpected direction. But I can’t tell you honestly. Karina’s mentality from the game is not weak, but her body is weakened now. She didn’t want to add to her worries.
“Trust me. I’ve lived here for 10 years.”
Karina and I met eyes. It’s beautiful eyes what is the intention Unable to hold on, she turned her eyes to the side and stared into space. This communion was too burdensome for me. I think it would be easier to catch a passing bear and make eye contact.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
I shook my head at a face full of determination to help with anything. Where the patient is trying to overdo it.
On an uninhabited island where people can die for trivial reasons, they must always maintain their best condition. I couldn’t, but Karina at least wanted to suffer less.
I’m not even a sadist, so I have no reason to want my new colleague to suffer.
“Recover your body first.”
“Yes, that’s right…But I’ll do my best to help you when it’s all better!”
For some reason, Karina put on an apologetic expression. What does she have to be sorry for? It’s unavoidable. It’s enough to just help make meals like now. That’s what I was hoping for in the first place.
I cut down the fire by shoveling the firewood in the slow-burning brazier. If you leave it as it is, it will burn on its own, but it would be more convenient to leave some embers behind. I buried the remaining embers in the ashes of the dying fire. If you leave it as it is, it will be convenient the next time you light a fire.
“I’ll go back.”
At my words, Karina staggered to her feet as if she was going to walk alone. As her baby took her first steps, I quickly grabbed her by the shoulder in a precarious move. Karina looked up at me as I grabbed her shoulder, her face blushing a little embarrassed.
“Don’t overdo it.”
“Still, it’s a bit far away, but carrying me around is a bit…”
“It’s okay.”
I squatted down with my back to Karina. It was to carry her on her back. Whether it was because I wasn’t wearing her top, or if it was just embarrassing, I could hear Karina let out her embarrassed moans.
“Get up.”
“Well then, excuse me.”
Soft flesh wrapped around his neck. The voluminous lump of fat touching her shoulder blades, the feel of her arms around her neck, and the feeling of her breath in her ears all combined to make blood flow to areas that would be very difficult to get caught.
…Didn’t I just have to carry it?
I thought it would be more convenient to carry it on my back, so I decided to carry it on my back, but I didn’t expect this. Still have to be patient I’m not the kind of person who goes out of their way to reach out to a patient who can’t even resist.
If you have an accident, the future is very uncertain. If she didn’t get her cooperation, a red flag would be turned on for survival, let alone escape. The probability that the world of ‘Survival Academy’ will be destroyed is also increasing.
Come to think of it, Survival Academy…Is it okay? Aren’t they in a frenzy because the saintess is gone? If Karina was left out of the game story, wouldn’t it progress properly? There must be an event where the main character dies if the saintess doesn’t save him in the beginning.
“John.”
“What happened?”
“That, my hands are a little…”
Ah. It seems that what I was holding was the butt. It was somehow soft and fluffy. I got up from my seat with my thighs supported instead of my butt. Now I have to go back soon so I can go to bed on time.
I stepped on the stairs leading out of the hideout.
————-
When we arrived at the house, it was around sunset when it was almost completely submerged in the water.
I immediately set her down on her bed and put some of her fresh firewood into her brazier, which was only full of her almost burnt wood. The fire is still alive, so if you leave it as it is, it will light up the house on its own. After confirming that the fire was properly lit, I drew water from the well and filled the pot halfway.
Tonight, as always, caterpillars. If you put a few pieces of dried meat in it, it should be a meal worth eating in moderation. Anyway, Karina should have recovered enough to eat the ingredients without any problems, so there’s no problem.
“I can’t believe that there was such a commotion in front of the fire.”
“No one knows a threat until it’s right in front of them.”
“Yes, that’s right…Whoops.”
Karina, who had only shown a worried face all day, finally smiled comfortably. She must have been under a lot of stress today, but I’m glad she seems to have eased up a bit.
I dropped the ingredients into the bubbling pot, then took a shovel and wiped it off with a rag. It’s not made of minerals, but the bones of a monster that popped out of a dungeon, so it won’t rust, but I still can’t stand the dirty things I use.
As I began to clean the shovel, the house quickly filled with the sound of rags rubbing against each other, water boiling, and fire sparking.
The ensemble of quiet sounds makes you forget for a moment that this is a place where you can lose your life at any time. Looking sideways at her, Karina, who was sitting hugging her lap, was also looking at the hearth with her soft eyes, as if her peaceful atmosphere wasn’t bad.
It was a peaceful evening.
Tomorrow will be the beginning of another war.