Chapter 99: (Self Edited) Forest without Fire

“I’m back.” (Yuri)I called out. Carol was still sitting safely in the shadow of the tree in front of her.

“…Yeah.” (Carol)

Carol looked up at me with relieved and tired expressions, perhaps because she was so worried.

“Let’s talk later. I’m going to walk a little bit more today.” (Yuri)

With that said, I quickly arranged the luggage at the place I left behind. The luggage I stole earlier were the so-called backpack type, and regardless of how they were made, it seemed more convenient to use them for walking.

I threw away some unnecessary things to cut down the excess luggage. Fortunately, they had a sword-type type hand shovel, so I buried what I didn’t need in a lightly dug hole and covered it with soil. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Nʘvᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Even so, I didn’t think I could grab an arrow. Although it was a slow arrow with a slow initial velocity due to a poorly made short bow, I was scared myself. Humans could do ridiculous things when cornered.

However, it hurt when the hangnail was stuck in the hand, so it was better to avoid it normally from the next time. It was an arrow that was enough to pierce through my cheeks even if I grabbed it.

“Alright, shall we?” (Carol)

I lowered the backpack to the front, squeezed waist band, and crouched down with my back turned to Carol.

—

When the sun started to set, I put Carol at a suitable place.

“Let’s have a big dinner.” (Yuri)

The backpack was quite heavy, probably because they were planning a long march. Naturally, there were a lot of preserved foods inside. Until this morning, there was a slight feeling of hunger, but now, the weight of the food became a burden.

“Eh, why don’t you make a fire?” (Carol)

“They have already caught up with me. So, it’s scary to light a fire.” (Yuri)

‘The light of the bonfire can be seen from a distance. If the enemy and I were in the opposite position, and if the enemy found out that they were on a bonfire, they would call companions to surround us, wait for the night and wrap us up.’

‘At that time, we would be sleeping on the spot where the bonfire was up. Carol might be awake, but it is impossible to break through the enclosure with Carol from that state anyway.’

“Is that so? It can’t be helped then.” (Carol)

Carol was convinced without rebutting.

‘It’s painful that you can’t taste the warmth of fire. Even a piece of bread with good smell can be eaten deliciously just by baking it lightly on the fire and reheating it again.’

“Sorry.” (Yuri)

“It’s fine. You don’t have to apologize.” (Crol)

“…Aah. Alright.” (Yuri)

‘That’s right. It feels strange to be sorry.’

“Well, once you’re done eating, let’s go to sleep soon.” (Yuri)

“Leaving that aside, you haven’t told me the situation today yet. I haven’t heard it, you know.” (Carol)

‘That’s right. Anyhow, I thought it was the first thing in order to gain distance, so I didn’t talk about it. Although Carol was curious, she didn’t ask me on the way probably because she understood the situation.’

“Am I going to talk while eating?” (Yuri)

Then, I sat down on the wet ground. Right next to Carol. For the time being, I spoke quietly.

“Well, I have time, so I’ll talk from the beginning. First of all, I suddenly killed a person, and there was another person, so I took him down. There were two of them.” (Yuri)

I used the crutches that Carol now had. No matter how thin the spear was, its handle wasn’t weak enough to break when it hit a person, and it could be used as a normal weapon.

“I… see.” (Carol)

“It looks like he was still alive, so I talked to him.” (Yuri)

“So, did he talk?” (Carol)

“Yes. They seem to be chasing us with 1000 people.” (Yuri)

“Ehh?” (Carol)

Carol was about to drop the bread she had for a moment. It must have been shocking information. When I heard this, I felt like we were almost out of luck.

“But 600 of them are looking elsewhere. I think they are going straight to Reform. It seems that they are exploring along the coastline.” (Yuri)

“Aah, I see.” (Carol)

“Yes. We’re heading to Nyuka for the time being, but they don’t know there’s a reason to go there. It was a correct decision that we didn’t go along the coastline.” (Yuri)

The coastline of this country is complicated, but it isn’t split like the fjord area on the inner side of the Shaalta mountainous area. The trees are low along the coastline, so you can walk normally. The roads are well maintained, and it is many times easier to walk there than walk through the forest with overlapping trees. In fact, I had considered walking along the coastline to reach Reform, but I didn’t do so because it was dangerous.’

If I were alone, I would have definitely chosen that path because I was confident that I could walk faster than the enemy if I rushed. However, if I carry Carol on my back, I have to think about my actions on the premise that they can catch up.’

‘As a result, the decision was correct. If I had chosen that, we would have been run over by 600 people by this time.’

“So… is it leaked to the other side?” (Carol)

“It seems that they didn’t get deceived by the corpse that I made. Apparently, they are following our track. For the time being, I’ve leaked a convenient lie.” (Yuri)

‘I don’t know if that guy will survive. It would be best if he got picked up by someone with the commander position and make them believe in lies.’

‘And with the help of two people, it would be great if they could retract it backwards. Even so, the number of people decreased by three from 200 people.’

“It might be because of the preconception, I think they’re acting together.” (Yuri)

“? That’s because they are two people.” (Carol)

‘That’s right.’

“They didn’t think that you’re injured. And we’re acting with special circumstances. The fact that they don’t know what’s going on is that they can’t predict what we’re going to do. Even if the other side reasonably guesses, it doesn’t match with our actual behavior. They think that this guy, which is me, is a big guy.” (Yuri)

‘No effort is made here, and the insights of their side are off the mark. They can’t imagine me walking with a person on my back.’

“Is that so?” (Carol)

Carol didn’t seem to be convinced.

“Well, it’s fine. All the good things happened today. At least, we don’t have to worry about eating tomorrow.” (Yuri)

‘Bad information came in, but nothing bad happened. I only knew the situation from the start. I have to lighten the mood even if I have to force it.’

Let’s eat quickly and go to sleep. If there’s no bonfire, you don’t have to stay up either.” (Yuri)

‘If people like the Queen Sword, who can act freely in the forest at night, are chasing, it would be useless anyway. Plus, I want Carol to be careful during the day.’

—

After the meal, Carol and I put on oil paper separately under the same tree.

‘Tonight, the darkness is very deep. The day before yesterday was a new moon, so today is a crescent moon… Is it dark?’

‘Without a bonfire, I feel like I’m really wrapped up at night. Especially in the forest… Besides, it’s cold. Even with a bonfire, it’s completely different with it and without it.’

‘The cold soaked into the bones. Although it’s particularly cold this winter… it is especially cold today. The painful foot loses its warmth as if it has frozen the fatigue as it is.’

‘I may not be able to sleep today. It feels like I can’t sleep today, so will I be able to continue tomorrow? It still takes three or four days to get to the Nyuka village…’

*Awooooo–…*

‘Aah, it’s a wolf howl.’

*Swish*

There was a rubbing sound of paper next to me.

‘It seems she still is not asleep. No, she’s awake. Even I, who is exhausted, can’t sleep…’

“…If you’re worried about wolves, we will be fine.” (Yuri)

“…Yeah.” (Carol)

“The will will go over there because I shed the blood when I killed that guy.” (Yuri)

‘His neck bone was broken, so I put a blade in the back of his neck, and then, cut his carotid artery. Since his heart was beating, there was bleeding. The wolf that traces the smell will head there.’

“No… It’s cold.” (Carol)

“Ooh, is that so… yeah.” (Yuri)

‘Should I make a bonfire tomorrow? No matter how dangerous it will be…?’

“Uhmm… can’t you sleep if I get close to you? That’s because… it may be warmer that way.” (Carol)

‘What…? Why are you saying foolish things? That’s what I think.’

‘However, I don’t have any reason to deny. Even in winter mountains, when people are in distress, they stick together.’

‘Rather, I wonder why I didn’t have that idea until now. I wonder if I am unconsciously not trying to think about it.’

“Alright… that is if you don’t mind it.” (Yuri)

“I don’t mind.” (Carol)

“Really…?” (Yuri)

“T-then… I’ll go over there…” (Carol)

Carol said it and started to move next to me.

‘What are you trying to do? I can’t see anything in the dark.’

I took off the poncho-shaped oil paper I was wearing.

‘Although it was made quite large so that it could be worn and walked with luggage on its back, could two people fit in it?’

Carol groped and touched my shoulder. When I expected that she would stick side by side, she put her hand on my lap and turned to the front of me.

“Open your knees.” (Carol)

“Aah, yes.” (Yuri)

With an empty mind, I opened the knees just like how I was sitting during the physical education lesson. Carol put her hands on both knees and let her body enter the gap. Her back suddenly hit my chest plate.

I put on the oil paper. The large oil paper somehow covered the bodies of two people. Carol seemed to have taken off her oil paper.

Her body was so cold that I couldn’t feel the body temperature. I couldn’t feel the warmth even if I held her in my chest. It might be because it was cold to the core of my body.

When I grabbed Carol’s hand, it was cold as if I was holding a cold steel. My hands, which I thought were cold, were still warmer.

‘It may be because the air is dry, her hands were not only dry, but also rough. However, if I hold her hands like this, it will get warmer soon.’

“Phew…” (Carol)

Carol breathed out as if she was comfortable.

“It’s warm. I wish we had done this from the beginning.” (Carol)

She held my hands tightly.

“Not good.” (Yuri)

‘This is not good.’

“Why? Do you not like it?” (Carol)

“It will be bad for your future husband.” (Yuri)

“Oophf… hehehe… hehehehe.” (Carol)

Carol laughed as if trying to hold her laughter at the same time.

“Future husband in this situation… is it? Hehehe…” (Carol)

“Is it weird?” (Yuri)

“Yes, don’t worry about it. This is the basis of survival.” (Carol)

‘You’re right.’

However, I’m not a person like Buddha who refused worldly desires, and I’m feeling something in this kind of situation. It would be different if Carol is a big-sized woman with a bed smell, but now that my body smells terrible, her smell is a really good smell.’

‘Well, I’m exhausted today, so it’s better to sleep now before my libido is activated.’

“It’s true, but it’s better not to do this with a man. I know it’s unavoidable in this situation.” (Yuri)

“I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t you. I won’t feel good anyway.” (Carol)

‘Uhmm…’

“…Shall we sleep?” (Yuri)

I said it in desperation.

“Sure…” (Carol)

—

TLN:

When the next turn to translate this novel, I will translate an introductory of the Tyrellme Godly Empire chapter. The chapter is even longer than this chapter and I think I need to translate that first before proceeding with the main story chapter.