Chapter 98

Chapter 98

A ruin overgrown with all manner of mysterious plants. Vehicles drove lazily over the asphalt, which was dotted with tree roots.
“Hmmm, hmmm.”
Kim drummed her fingers on the steering wheel and hummed a ballad from memory. Today was a good day. I wouldn’t say tension was high, but I felt relaxed.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve felt so comfortable walking around alone.
The first time I went to Bastitera was the last time. Even then, I didn’t take it easy because I had an important purpose: to kidnap, or rather, protect, Ainoa.
On the other hand, what about now.
People don’t even look human. You might see the occasional monster, but if you pass by, that’s it. Few of them can run and chase your car.
A car’s exhaust, a hum. No noise interferes except for your own intended sounds. It’s like driving in silence.
It was a pleasant silence.
“Sometimes you need that time.
Sure, I have permission to go out and use the car.
……A walk. Really?
You’ve been living a lie. To get some air.
It’s also worth taking an agent with free hands…….
Oh, come on, I’m just going for a walk.
Hmmm.
I said yes, and they were happy to oblige.
Normally, I would have to contact management and go through the formal process. There was no reason to go back far when all I needed was a word from the lab director.
They weren’t lying when they said it was a walk.
“Although it has other purposes, too. It’s a copula, copula, copula.
We just have some business to take care of on the way out. I’ve packed everything I can think of. I’ve even tracked down the source of the rumors and pinpointed the exact location.
After a while, the car reached the beginning of the forest.
“Wow, I’ve come a long way.”
I wondered how the reserve agent had ended up in such a remote location. Apparently, life in the underground facility had gotten to him.
Within the lab, it’s organized in a “glad you made it back safely” kind of way. Some of the descriptions are sketchy, so I’m sure the agent left some things out.
But it was also an eerie tale, if all true.
“The forest for the mad.
Some agents have already embraced it. Basically a closed-off lifestyle unless you’re out and about. It’s not uncommon for them to over-immerse themselves in each issue.
“The atmosphere is actually quite…….”
I parked in a suitable clearing and looked around the forest. It’s broad daylight, but the sun isn’t shining. The oddly twisted and gnarled trees blocked out the sun.
The marks on the trunk of a tree resemble a human face. If you look away, they seem to come alive and squirm. The entire forest is filled with an eerie, grotesque atmosphere.
“I would have been nervous if I came in knowing nothing.
My knowledge of the game was still relevant in the parts of the game that were far from the main story, like now. Unlike in Bastitera, I don’t have to worry about unexpected problems popping up.
“Let’s see.”
Kim opened the trunk and took out the items he had packed. There was quite a bit of camping gear, as she had just packed a lot. In the past, she would have had a hard time getting them out.
‘I’m definitely feeling better.
His physique hasn’t changed, but his stats are at least twice as high as they were when he was a 1-star.
The blade was stashed roughly under the driver’s seat. I had it with me, but I didn’t see any reason to draw it. It’s much easier to use the spell in case a monster comes out.
“Huh, good.”
When he’s finished setting up, he sits down in a picnic chair. In front of him is a barbecue grill and a dining table. The forest had been transformed into a campsite.
“Just sit back and let it happen.
If you’re a “guy,” you know the drill. Bright and innocent. This is evident in the way he helps the new recruits.
But like wild animals, they’re also wary. Running around with lights on will only backfire. If you try to hide or run away, you’ll be hard to find.
“I’m the one who’s bothering you.
Kim picked up the tongs. The vacuum-packed meat was placed on the grill.
Cheers!
The sound of grilling meat began to spread through the forest.
* * *
“Yuck.”
Arya flared her nostrils. Trees and grass. Damp moss and animal feces. She could clearly distinguish even the faintest scents that a normal person wouldn’t even detect.
And now. An intense scent like nothing I’ve ever smelled in my life assaulted my nose.
“Sniff.”
Tilt your head in the direction of the odor. At first, the dog seems a bit puzzled, then it inhales deeply, as if savoring the smell. Even the squatting body tilts downward.
“fhahahah…….”
An ecstatic gasp escaped my mouth. At the same time, her stomach growled instinctively. Hunger was a familiar friend to Arya, who had been wandering the wilds since the day her memories began.
But it wasn’t very welcoming. Human society or wilderness. No creature would starve for pleasure. It was inevitable that my legs would be drawn to it.
It didn’t take long to reach the clearing.
“……hick.”
As soon as he spotted them, Arya ducked behind a bush, and even then, the golden scent tickled his nose. If anything, it grew stronger as the distance grew closer.
I watched the situation carefully.
At that moment, the man was transferring the meat to his mouth. A drop of oil dripped down. The man’s mouth watered, and he spat out a stream of hot steam.
Gulp.
Arya’s pupils dilate.
The only meat she’s ever eaten is the occasional wild animal she’s lucky enough to find, and even then, she eats it raw.
The spectrum of foods she knew was so narrow. She couldn’t even imagine a specific flavor. It was definitely uncharted territory, but her senses were tuned in.
It was a sight to behold.
“Keying.”
But I didn’t approach him with caution. I could have said it was a hunch. Despite the fact that I was eating defenselessly, the man seemed very alert.
It was a far cry from the man who had wandered into the forest before. Even then, Arya had waited until he was asleep to act, lest she be seen.
What to do this time.
At this rate, they’ll be drawn to the scent just as you are. If you help them, you may be able to get some bean soup…….
Arya’s underdeveloped brain was whirring.
“Off.”
The man burped, stood up, and headed in the exact opposite direction of Arya. Soon, he was out of sight.
Opportunity.
Arya hesitated for a moment, but eventually took the step. Once she overcame her hesitation, her actions became bold. She approached the grill ready to pounce.
“…….”
Stopping again on the way, you look to see where the man has disappeared. After a dozen seconds of steady vigilance, he reaches over the grill. He picks up a whole, uncut piece of meat.
Bam.
I took a bite out of it.
He moved his jaw up and down a few times. Her entire body shuddered as the juices spread in her mouth. Even her toes curled up tight.
“Hahaha…!”
It was still undercooked and the meat was still pooling with blood. Still, Arya felt a thrill he would never forget-a satisfaction he couldn’t describe.
She’s always eaten mushrooms and grass stalks that she doesn’t recognize. Eating was the act of appeasing hunger. It had never meant anything else, but now was different.
It’s time to start biting into the meat with gusto. All sorts of hormones were released in its nervous system. Any thoughts of caution were quickly thrown out the window.
In a moment of life’s best moments renewed.
“hehe…….”
A sudden wave of dizziness swept over him, and he fell to the ground, clutching the half-eaten chunk of pork loin with both hands.
And after a while.
As if he’d been waiting, Kim returned. He looked down at Arya as he picked at his teeth with a wooden skewer. Arya had stumbled backward and was now lying face down.
“I’m glad you didn’t get your face in the fire.”
5-Star Agent Arya.
His unkempt hair was the mane of an animal. His face was covered in grease and dirt. It was even worse than the illustration in the first scene.
Believed to be in her teens, but her exact age and identity are unknown. It’s a secret, Nabal, and even she doesn’t know her origins. A girl who has lived in the wild, with little contact with humans.
To summarize the event, here’s what it looks like
One day, a bizarre rumor about the forest begins to spread around the lab. The professor sets out to find out the truth. He encounters Arya, who lives like an animal in the forest.
‘Almost tamed by the professor.
Arya is initially wary of the professor, but eventually warms to him. No one is killed in cold blood, and there are no criminals in the story.
“I could have done the same thing.
Frankly, it was annoying.
Why take a detour when there’s a quicker way to get there? After all, it wasn’t Kim she was supposed to trust.
“It’s more interesting in person.”
Arya’s upbringing isn’t the only thing that’s unusual about her. She has animal ears sticking out of her hair. There’s no real explanation for this in the game.
We can only assume it’s a mutant species similar to Pecatum.
“Hmm.”
Suddenly, my curiosity was piqued. As with all Sioux characters, Arya’s illustration had side hair covering what should have been a human ear.
But what about in practice?
There’s no reason not to check it out.
Kim brushed her hair away with the back of her hand.
“Ah. So this is how it works.”
As it turns out, it’s not a big deal.
“Oops.”
I lifted Arya up. She was smaller than Chelsea and weighed less. She hadn’t let go of the meat, even in her sleep. She looked incredibly happy.
Somehow, she felt more guilty than she had since Ainoa. Kim muttered to herself in frustration.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you’re fed.”
Not me, someone else.
* * *
“……!”
Arya’s hazel eyes widened.
The first thing I noticed was that it was bright. A light different from the sun was illuminating my surroundings, and my back felt fluffy and different from the ground.
Bam!
I scramble to my feet and curl up on the bed. For some reason, my skin feels smooth. Nothing but unfamiliar sensations. She looked around with a bewildered expression on her face.
That’s when I locked eyes with a woman with horns on her head.
“What are you doing as soon as you wake up?”
Asterike’s reaction was tepid. She didn’t even bat an eye at the blatant display of wariness. She simply closed the book she was reading and pushed her plate across the table.
On the plate was a cold steak. Kim had prepared it in advance. Arya growled and looked back and forth between the meat and the asterisks.
“Why, aren’t you eating?”
“…….”
“Not if you don’t want to.”
Hand the bowl back to him, saying, “You’re on your own. She sits cross-legged in her chair and closes her book. Arya watches Asterike for a moment, then hesitantly moves her hand to her steak.
All this time, no one stopped her. This nonchalant attitude actually reassured Arya.
I picked up the steak and took a bite.
“Suck……!”
Sweet sauce and bursting gravy. Arya’s tastebuds expanded once more. She chewed frantically, then glanced at Asterike.
“Eat it all.”
Asterike simply clenched her jaw and turned the page, her expression one of complete indifference. But words and actions are perceived differently by different people.
It was a kindness unlike anything Arya had ever experienced. Someone with inhuman horns, with a striking appearance, who coolly served up heavenly food.
That’s… so to speak.
“God.”
“What?”
It was the day the two gold stars met.