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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The heroine from Survival Academy who had drifted ashore a few days ago.
The sudden commotion that had occurred in the bears’ territory.
The bears that had been caught and killed in the traps.
A crack had formed in the balance of power on the island.
This fact signaled rather unpleasant news for me.
Firstly, the power dynamics on the deserted island were shifting.
The cause was unknown, but the bears, comprising one-fifth of the entire pack, had been in such a state of panic that they couldn’t even avoid the traps they usually skillfully evaded. Not only those bears but tremors had also resonated from other areas. And they had soon subsided.
The reason would have to be investigated gradually to find out, but the most likely possibility was a fight between the leader and a challenger seeking to become the new leader. The leader had not changed in 10 years, but… 10 years was by no means a short time for either humans or monsters.
The bears were clearly much larger and stronger than grizzly bears, so there was no guarantee their lifespans would be similar to bears, but it was still a plausible scenario. If the leader had changed, there would be more work to do either way.
The previous leader had been relatively intelligent, and after I had grown to a certain extent, he had realized that fighting me would only result in losses and had left me alone. However, if the leader had changed, the story would be different. A change in leadership could also mean a change in the nature of the group as a whole.
If the new leader was excessively belligerent, war would be unavoidable. The snakes probably wouldn’t let them act out so easily… and the fact that eight bears had died in the traps in a panic was also concerning.
The second issue was the movement of the snakes… the multi-headed snakes. Unlike the bears, they were quite clever and even now occasionally sent small snakes to scout my territory. There was a high possibility they would run rampant.
It was the situation I dreaded most. The bears might be too large to break through the traps, but those damn snakes were adept at slipping through the inevitable gaps in my traps. I had scattered things the snakes disliked around, but there was a limit to that too.
Lastly, there was the dungeon.
It was an arbitrary name, but the cave fit the word ‘dungeon’ well. From there, different types of monsters than those living on the island would emerge. Zombies, living skeletons. And occasionally, bizarre monsters would pop out.
Once, it was a dog that breathed fire from its mouth, another time a golem. And yet another time, it was a creature that looked like a troll. Each and every one of them was a formidable foe to deal with. Still, it wasn’t that I couldn’t handle them.
If I couldn’t, I would have been reduced to nothing but bones long ago.
Anyway, when the balance between the three forces was maintained, the monsters emerging from the dungeon were taken care of by each force on their own. But if the bear faction was shaken, it would become difficult to stop the monsters inside the dungeon. As a result, monsters might even invade my side.
“Things have gotten troublesome.”
Originally, I had planned to deal with the snakes first and then hunt the bears, but with things like this, the situation was bound to get complicated.
For now, I had no choice but to completely cancel the existing plan, scout the bears’ territory once to assess the situation, and re-establish the plan.
…The top priority would be improving Karina’s physical condition first, though.
Hopefully nothing had happened to the shelter?
With a sense of exaggerated worry, I headed towards the shelter.
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“So… in other words, there has been a seismic shift in the power dynamics?”
“That’s right.”
Upon returning to the shelter, I immediately conveyed the information I had learned to Karina.
Although I had spoken unclearly, still unaccustomed to conversation, Karina seemed to understand perfectly, and I nodded at her response. As expected of a student who had achieved quite excellent grades at the Academy. No, come to think of it, had Karina even enrolled? It felt a bit awkward to ask that now.
I really wanted to know the exact current point in time, but aside from Karina’s enrollment status at the Academy, I had no way to accurately determine the timeline.
I didn’t know the game’s chronology down to the specific dates. Even if she told me it was the XXth year, XXth month, XXth day, I had no way of knowing when that was. So in the end, the only method I could use was to somehow bring up the topic of the Academy and ask about her enrollment.
“Isn’t this a big deal?! There’s nowhere to run here…”
“It’s fine.”
To be honest, it wasn’t fine. After all, the atmosphere on the island was changing in a completely unexpected direction. But I couldn’t be frank about it. Although Karina’s mental fortitude in the game wasn’t particularly weak, her body was currently in a weakened state. I didn’t want to needlessly increase her worries.
“Trust me. I’ve lived here for 10 years.”
My eyes met Karina’s. Beautiful eyes. I wondered what her intention was. Unable to endure it, I averted my gaze to the side, staring into the void. Such moments of connection were too burdensome for me. I felt it would be easier to catch a passing bear and make eye contact with it instead.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
Faced with her expression full of determination to help with anything, I shook my head. How could a patient overexert herself?
On a deserted island where even a minor reason could lead to death, one always had to maintain the best condition possible. I had failed to do so, but I hoped Karina would at least suffer less.
There was no reason for me to want a new companion to suffer, as I was not a sadist.
“For now, focus on recovering.”
“Yes, you’re right… But once I’m fully healed, I’ll do my best to help!”
Karina had a somehow apologetic expression. What was there to be sorry about? It was an unavoidable situation. Just helping out with preparing meals like now was enough. That was the extent of what I had hoped for from the beginning anyway.
I poked the weakening fire in the hearth with the shovel, reducing the flames. It would burn out on its own if left like this, but it would be convenient to leave a few embers. I buried the remaining embers in the ashes. This way, it would be easier to start a fire next time.
“I’ll be heading back.”
At my words, Karina unsteadily tried to stand up and walk on her own. Seeing her precarious movements, like a baby taking its first steps, I quickly grabbed her shoulders. When I held her shoulders, Karina looked up at me with a slightly flushed face, as if embarrassed.
“Don’t push yourself.”
“But still, having you carry me when the distance is far is a bit…”
“It’s fine.”
I turned my back to Karina and crouched down. It was to give her a piggyback ride. Perhaps because I wasn’t wearing a top or she was simply embarrassed, I heard Karina let out a flustered moan.
“Get on my back.”
“Th-then, excuse me.”
Soft flesh wrapped around my neck. The sensation of the plump fat pads pressed against my shoulder blades, the arms encircling my neck, and the breath I could feel against my ear all combined, causing blood to rush to a very problematic area if discovered.
…Should I have just carried her in my arms?
I had told her to get on my back thinking it would be more comfortable, but I hadn’t anticipated this. Still, I had to endure it. I wasn’t the kind of man who would go so far as to lay hands on a patient who couldn’t even resist.
It would make my future very uncertain if I messed up. If I couldn’t gain her cooperation, not only escape but even survival would be in jeopardy. The probability of the world of ‘Survival Academy’ facing destruction would also increase.
Come to think of it, Survival Academy… was it okay? Wasn’t it in chaos now with the Saint missing? The game’s story wouldn’t progress properly if Karina was absent. Even the protagonist would die in an early event if the Saint didn’t save him…
“Sir Johann.”
“What is it?”
“Um, your hand is a bit…”
Ah. It seemed the thing I had been holding was her buttocks. No wonder it felt soft and squishy. I lifted her up, holding her thighs instead of her buttocks. It was about time to head back if we wanted to get a good night’s sleep.
I stepped on the stairs leading out of the shelter.
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We arrived home just as the sunset had nearly sunk into the water.
I immediately laid her down on the bed and tossed a few new logs into the hearth that was filled with nearly burnt-out firewood. The fire was still alive, so if left like this, it would naturally illuminate the inside of the house. After confirming that the fire had properly caught onto the new logs, I drew water from the well and filled the pot about halfway.
Tonight’s dinner was larvae, as always. Adding a few pieces of dried meat to it would make a decent meal. Karina should have recovered enough to eat solid food without issue by now anyway.
“Being in front of the fire like this, it’s hard to believe such a commotion occurred during the day.”
“Threats usually go unnoticed by anyone until they are right in front of you.”
“Yes, that’s true… Hehe.”
Karina, who had worn a worried expression all day, finally showed a relaxed smile. I was glad she seemed to have relieved some stress after such a stressful day.
I threw the ingredients into the boiling pot and brought the shovel over to wipe it with a cloth. Since it was made from the bones of a monster that had popped out of the dungeon, not a mineral, it wouldn’t rust, but I still couldn’t stand my cherished item being dirty.
As I started wiping the shovel, the house quickly filled with the sound of the cloth rubbing, the water boiling, and the fire crackling.
The symphony of tranquil sounds made one forget, even if just for a moment, that this was a place where life could be lost at any time. Glancing to the side, I saw Karina, sitting with her knees pulled to her chest, also gazing at the hearth with soft eyes, not seeming to mind the peaceful atmosphere.
It was a peaceful evening.
But tomorrow would be the start of another war.
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