Chapter 118: Choice

No snow fell that day, and the snow that remained on the ground was not very thick. The sun just appeared a few moments ago. My colonists had gathered in front of the house, wearing full warm clothes, as well as carrying their own bags of goods. Of course, they also brought their respective weapons. Kat with her bow and arrow, Manu with the ax originally belonged to Hans, Eric with his katana, and Leva with her pickaxe.

Seb finally came out of the house, closed the door, and forced a smile on his face. "Actually I wanted to bring the chessboard, but we can't bring too much stuff."

"When you get there, I'll make you a new chessboard, Seb." Manu smiles back.

Leva sighed, sending white steam out of her nose and mouth. "Ah, I'm going to miss your bone broth, too, Seb."

Manu looked at his colonists, then said sternly. "Is there anything else you missed? We're leaving now. All or nothing."

"Come on, boy." Kat stroked her dog, which was barking with delight. The pets certainly didn't know where they were going and what to do.

They started walking to the north.

Because I want to keep an eye on them, I don't use the fast-forward feature. I only used it after they passed the stream because they all kept quiet. Manu and Leva's expressions were full of determination, but the faces of Seb and his son were gloomy. While Kat used her usual blank expression.

Maybe they think now is not the time to do chit-chat.

The sun moved fast and finally set. My colonist stopped the first of three nights before reaching the Congraylham colony. Manu dug up the snow in a small area, then arranged the firewood in such a way that it didn't get hit by the snow. Meanwhile, the others flattened the snow in places of their choice, then covered it with small leafy branches and spread a sheet of leather over it, making it a kind of bunk for sleeping.

Even while doing the activity, they only talk as necessary. Looks like I have to step in. Traveling can be very boring at this rate, and it will affect their morale. I want their mental condition to be as optimal as possible, even though it can't be optimal, of course.

I watched one by one my colonists were eating jerky, then chose Eric to open the conversation. As my newest colonist, he must have a lot of questions. He also needs to get along with his new colleagues more.

"By the way, Kat." Eric spoke after I ordered him to say whatever was on his mind, as long as it wasn't too offensive. "When I told you about the fate of that great expedition ship, and the theory of time distortion, you didn't seem surprised. Why are you like that?"

"Kat is like that." Leva chuckled. "Only earth-shattering events can make her expression change. Looks like your story isn't an earth-shattering event, Eric."

"I was surprised about the story." Kat said after swallowing the bite of the jerky she was eating.

The conversation didn't continue. Eric waited, but Kat continued to eat in silence instead.

"You should ask more, Eric." Manu shrugged.

Slightly scratching his hair, Eric asked again. "But didn't that story have any effect on your mind?"

Kat lowered the jerky she was eating, then looked at the fire. There was silence for a while, Eric had opened his mouth to continue the conversation again, but finally Kat spoke.

"I just.... I guess there's nothing I miss from Earth."

All the colony members stopped eating and looked at Kat, who now stood up, took a fiery log, and left with her dog.

"Where are you going, Kat?" Leva asked while chewing. "Want to pee? Don't go too far, okay. There's a myth about goblins who like the smell of women's pee, you know."

Kat just glanced at Leva with her usual expressionless face and kept walking.

"I think she wants to say that we are more valuable to her than the people from her original world." Leva spoke again when Kat was out of sight. "She conveyed it in the best way she could."

Seb's smile bloomed. "Kat's development has been amazing, you know."

"I remember, she used to ask why we had to bury the bodies on the sky ship she was on. She reasoned that the bodies wouldn't smell because they were burnt, so there's no need to bother with them." Manu added.

"Ugh, that sounds awful." Leva grimaced, then looked at Eric. "How about you, Eric? Do you miss where you came from?"

"Of course." Seb's son smiled faintly. "But, I've actually also gotten very close to my friends here...."

Eric's words stopped. His eyes widened slightly. He then looked down and clenched his fists tightly.

No one dared to speak. The atmosphere became quiet again and awkward. I took the initiative to ask Leva to say something.

"I take my word for it, Eric." The red-haired girl spoke in a low tone. "You don't have to join the raid if you don't want to."

"I agree." Manu turned his head to Seb, who was also looking down. "You can just keep your father away from your former tribe, Eric."

Over time, I felt sorry for him. I'm too cruel to force him to kill his own friends, after all.

"There's nothing more to discuss." Eric started to arrange his sleeping bag in his bunk. "Without me, your chances of winning from them are getting smaller. If you don't win, then my father will also be in danger."

The others fell silent again. Kat, who had just arrived and seemed to have heard everything, also chose not to say a word and sat down where she had been.

I approached Eric, who was already lying down, wanting to ask him to follow Leva's suggestion not to join the raid. However, I gave up my intention. Eric has a point. If I want to win, I need this man. Apart from increasing the strength of my colonists, he is the one who knows the terrain best.

Shit. Why am I so wishy-washy and confused?

"We'd better get some sleep." Manu sighed. "As discussed earlier, the order of the guards is Kat, Eric, me, then Leva."