Chapter 16: If It’s an Abandoned House, Let Us Rest There

We made it through the Elefia Mountains more easily than expected.

That was thanks to Yuto’s Sokuteki Sonar skill. By steering clear of any suspicious readings and hiding under the trees, we managed to avoid combat as much as possible.

She said the miasma had shortened her detection range, but even so, it was more than effective enough.

I did try suggesting that we ought to engage in a few fights—partly to test our strength, and partly for coordination practice.

“This isn’t a game. Fighting small fry won’t level us up. We should hurry to the Demon Dragon instead.”

Yuto’s firm declaration settled the matter.

Beyond the mountains, the terrain was overrun with dense forest.

The southern region of Elgrand had once been fertile land, rich in forest resources and crops. The elves had thrived on that bounty, and their lands were said to rival even the royal capital in prosperity.

But now, there was hardly a trace of that past.

The birds were gone. All that remained in the miasma-corrupted forest were eerie, writhing monsters.

The thick haze distorted our senses and threatened to throw off our sense of direction.

We pressed on toward the site where the Demon Dragon had last appeared, relying on the compass Karen carried.

Several days passed.

At one point, we decided to visit a nearby farming village.

It was a slight detour from our route, but—

“There may still be villagers who couldn’t escape,” Karen suggested.

After some hesitation, both Yuto and I agreed.

“…This is awful.”

Karen nodded in response to my quiet murmur.

“Yes… There’s not a single person here…”

The village had been completely abandoned.

The roofs of the homes had collapsed, and the fields were trampled and ruined.

This village was likely one of the furthest from the Demon Dragon’s current position—and yet it had suffered like this. The chance of any survivors seemed grim.

“But… there aren’t any bodies.”

Yuto said it with quiet conviction.

“They all escaped. I’d rather believe that—that’s the kinder way to think about it.”

And sure enough, no corpses could be found.

We offered a moment of silent prayer, hoping the villagers had made it safely through the mountains—

“…Feels a bit like looting, but let’s take what we can actually use.”

At Yuto’s suggestion, we began gathering supplies.

Unfortunately, we didn’t find much of value.

Naturally, the villagers must have taken whatever they could carry with them.

Still, we managed to scrounge up a small stockpile of food.

The buildings had clearly been ransacked by animals or monsters, but some preserved goods stored in a cellar remained untouched.

When you rely on foraging during a journey, your meal options start to get repetitive.

Trembling with anticipation at the thought of a real meal, we looked forward to eating something special.

“The sun’s about to set. Let’s rest here tonight.”

“No objections.”

“Yes… I feel bad, but let’s make use of what’s left.”

This suggestion, too, was unanimously accepted.

We searched for the most intact abandoned house. Luckily, two homes with minimal damage were easy to find.

Yuto, carrying her spoils in one hand, set about preparing dinner.

It was the last bit of venison we’d gotten on our first day. She baked it into a gratin with herbs, mushrooms, and some cheese we’d just found. The scent of the browning cheese was enough to make our mouths water.

Stuffed and satisfied, I couldn’t help but say,

“That’s the first proper meal we’ve had in a long time.”

To which Yuto, puffing out her cheeks in mock indignation, replied,

“So all the other stuff I made wasn’t proper, huh? Fine, I won’t cook anymore.”

“Wait, no—I didn’t mean it like that…”

I hurriedly bowed my head in apology.

But Yuto still looked sulky.

Just as I was about to press my forehead to the floor, seriously considering a dogeza, she spoke up.

“I’m just teasing. Honestly, it’s been a while since I’ve made a meal I was actually satisfied with.”

Then she added with a laugh like the tinkling of a bell,

“Didn’t think you’d go that far.”

“It’s just—your cooking’s always good, Yuto. The thought of not getting to eat it anymore is a little painful.”

“…Um, have you been eating Yuto-san’s food that often, Lord Raiga?”

Karen asked quietly as I solemnly nodded.

“Yeah. Back home… I used to crash at her place about once a month.”

“S-Stay over…!?”

“She’d come barging in even if I said no.”

“Even when you said no, she forced her way in…”

Karen repeated that to herself, thinking hard about it—then blushed deep red.

“You okay, Karen? Your face is bright red. Must’ve caught a chill—those tents get cold at night.”

When I leaned in to check on her, her blush deepened even more.

“Raiga, your face is too close.”

“Ah—sorry.”

Prompted by Yuto’s comment, I quickly pulled back.

“This house seems to have a bath too. The tub looks intact, thankfully. Let’s warm up before bed so we don’t catch anything.”

It was Yuto’s third suggestion of the day.

Karen’s face lit up instantly.

Apparently, having to get by with just wiping herself down every day had been quietly tormenting her—hardly surprising for someone raised in such sheltered conditions.

—Come to think of it, it’s been a while since we last slept indoors.

As I rubbed my full belly, I took comfort in the solid walls and roof that protected us from the wind.

I found myself thinking about how natural it now felt to sleep in tents—and chuckled at the thought.

Back in middle school, I’d only ever used a tent once, on an overnight camping trip in second year.

And then my thoughts drifted back to that time.

I’d been nominated as one of the committee leads for that camping trip. Everyone pushed me into it, and I just sort of went along with it. Normally, I could handle stuff like that without breaking a sweat—but not that time.

It was because of the task my parents had given me.

They told me to multiply the money they entrusted me with by a hundred before I graduated high school. A completely ridiculous demand—but at the time, I hadn’t been making any progress at all.

Things went well in the first year.

I probably just got lucky as a beginner. I played it safe, invested steadily, and slowly grew the fund. I figured with five years to go, I could make it happen at that pace. I was way too optimistic.

But things started going off the rails in my second year. I got cocky, thought I had it all figured out—and paid the price. In a single night, I lost ninety percent of what I’d built.

That broke me. Shockingly easily. Cleanly. Completely.

I had to live up to my parents’ expectations. That pressure clawed at me, but the results just wouldn’t follow.

Even just glancing at the financial newspaper I used to read regularly made something bitter rise in my throat. I still remember that feeling vividly.

But I couldn’t possibly tell my friends what was really going on.

As far as they knew, I came from an ordinary salaryman household. And even if they had known the truth, I was just a student. Who’d be able to deal with a story that far removed from reality? No one would know what to say.

So I kept up appearances, even as everything inside me fell apart.

Bright, cheerful, the class mood-maker who never said no when asked for something.

That was the convenient version of “me” I forced myself to play.

I defined myself by it—and got trapped in that role.

And that’s when Yuto showed up.

Back then, I barely registered her. Just thought she was some weird kid who kept to herself.

I called out to her on reflex, like I always did.

“Hey. You’re by yourself—something wrong?”

“Not really. I’m fine. Actually… aren’t you the one struggling? Always watching people’s faces, worrying about how they see you. You know, nobody cares about you as much as you think they do.”

Then she just walked away.

It was blunt—cutting, even. Most people would’ve gotten mad if their kindness got brushed off like that.

But for some reason, I felt a weight lift off my chest.

—You’re always watching people’s faces. What are you so afraid of?

She’d nailed it.

I was struggling. I was terrified of failing, of disappointing the people who believed in me.

—Nobody cares about you as much as you think they do.

…Was that really true?

Maybe not. But—

But thinking that way… it felt so much easier. So much freer than living scared and constantly second-guessing myself.

That was the moment I realized it.

“—What are you thinking about?”

“Uwah!”

Lost in my thoughts, I let out a pitiful yelp as someone poked me from behind.

It was Yuto.

“Don’t tell me… you were imagining Karen-san in the bath or something…”

“No, I wasn’t!”

Karen had gone off to bathe already.

We’d decided the order by playing rock-paper-scissors—and she’d won the first round, heading off right away. Side note: apparently, this world doesn’t have any games like rock-paper-scissors.

When I explained the rules, she’d looked deeply intrigued, pondering over it with great interest.

“…Just thinking about the past,” I muttered, turning my face away for some reason, suddenly overcome with embarrassment.

It felt like she’d caught me digging up some deeply buried cringe memory.

“…Worried about your family?”

Yuto asked, her tone soft, eyes slightly warm as she looked up at me.

I…

“Not really. I didn’t complete the task they gave me, after all. I figure they’ve cut ties with me by now. I gave up on that a long time ago.”

I blurted it out, maybe a little too quickly.