――This place might actually be Australia.
Because, I can't read any of the constellations.
It was kind of shocking to realize that some constellations were missing. I couldn't help but keep staring at the stars until I finally understood that most of the constellations I knew were upside down, and I could see what looked like the Southern Cross.
The sun had been shining brightly all morning, painting everything in vibrant colors. The forest looked lush and green, and I could feel the heat rising from the hot ground. And it's warm, I mean, of course, it's the southern hemisphere so the seasons are the opposite of what I used to. So, does that mean there was a sunburned Santa Claus that wears a half-sleeve shirt and shorts while delivering presents on a surfboard here?
At that moment, a wall of common sense inside me broke, screaming "That's no way!" Am I really in Australia?
Well, there's still a possibility that we're somewhere in Mifosis. It can't be Australia, right? The common sense within me put up its final resistance. Because it's just impossible.
――I spotted Kangaroo in the distance...
Yeah, yeah, fine, Australia. It really is Australia.
Feeling a bit resigned, I grumbled to myself and woke them up. After serving them breakfast, I carefully picked out camping supplies from the SUV and packed them into a duffel bag. Then, with the bare minimum of equipment, we set off.
By the way, as a side note, when I punished Jiangshi girl Yufan with the Daruma punishment for attempting to assassinate Titania, I packed her into this same duffel bag and took her to Fort. From the outside, it was obvious that there was a body inside the bag, as it was bulging. So, this bag doesn't have the ability to store everything in the fourth dimension.
Only weapons can be stored in the fourth dimension. Anything other than weapons doesn't benefit from it. It is just like a normal bag for everything else. It seems that even the mysterious technology of the aliens is not as omnipotent as I thought. I don't quite understand why such an annoying restriction has been placed on it.
Therefore, I couldn't bring many useful supplies due to the limited capacity of the bag. The most we could take was a tarp and a thin summer sleeping bag for one person. After packing water and rations, the duffel bag was bulging. I couldn't feel confident about survival with this setup. I regretted not having a backpack.
However, the car's tire marks were clearly visible on the ground, so I figured if I just followed them, we wouldn't get lost. I was optimistic. We should be able to arrive quickly, so there's no need to worry about camping. It'll be fine, no need to worry.
――I seriously want to punch myself from a few hours ago for thinking that.
"Ugh..."
Beneath the vibrant canopy of trees, I knelt down and unintentionally let out a groan.
On the ground, I could clearly see the intersection of tire tracks.
"Hah... Hah... How is it?" Haruka caught up with me, breathing heavily.
I could have acted like everything was fine, but there was no point in pretending.
"It's the same place. We got lost."
I can't believe we got lost. Especially for someone like me who used to be a scout, so embarrassing.
Last night, Haruka shared her stories about getting lost in these woods multiple times. I feel like I can understand the meaning of that now.
――Something is strange about this forest.
I consider myself a professional scout, trained as a ranger, and I have complete confidence in my ability to navigate mountains and forests.
But here's the thing, despite moving straight based on the position of the sun and the visible terrain, I was struck by the supernatural phenomenon of consistently returning to the exact same location.
And it doesn't seem like my sense of direction is off or anything. The tire tracks also show multiple intersections in the exact same place, suggesting that no matter what direction, it will end up in the same spot.
In other words, there must be a problem with the terrain itself.
I can't really grasp the whole mechanism behind it, but it seems like a loop? I don't know if I can call it that. It's as if we passed through a tunnel that only leads us back to the very beginning. We are stuck in the same place, almost like we're trapped in a horror movie.
That's probably why the goblins were able to catch up to them. They were going around in circles and were eventually overtaken by a goblin on foot.
When I shared my thought, she just pressed her lips together and said, "I guess so..."
This girl, she doesn't make a fuss, which is a relief. You know, some people, regardless of their gender, tend to get really anxious or scared and start rambling, making it hard for me to focus. In that regard, Haruka is the kind of person I like.
"But don't worry, it'll be okay."
"Do you know the right way?"
"No, I don't, but we can get it from someone who does."
"?"
I pointed to the footprints and continued.
"Goblin footprints. Since they followed you after falling behind, they probably took the correct path when you got lost. Let's follow this next."
"Ah, I see. I understand."
"I underestimated them—"
I picked up Yakumo and the machine gun and stood up. The sun was getting closer to its highest point in the sky.
"We have to be more careful. Something more serious is happening than I thought. One wrong move and there's a risk of getting lost."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Well... let's see..."
Suddenly, I asked something that had been nagging me.
"Can you eat koalas?"
"Wha...?!" Haruka's face twitched, caught off guard.
"Since it's my first time in Australia, I have no idea what's edible and what's not. It would be helpful if you could teach me about that."
"Well, um... I've heard rumors that the indigenous people used to eat them, but overall... They are not considered suitable for consumption... as they are endangered species and――"
"Do they have natural predators?"
"Huh? Uh, yes. They are targeted by birds of prey, land carnivores, and reptiles."
"Since they have a lot of natural predators, does that mean we can eat them too?"
"..."
If there is only one type of natural predator, then there is a possibility that the predator has developed a specific adaptation to the venom or toxin. But if there are multiple predators, it's unlikely that there is any kind of that stuff on them.
When I shared my opinion, Haruka's face changed subtly, and she asked in a quiet voice.
"Um, do you want to... eat koalas?"
There was a hint of disapproval in her voice. She mentioned studying in Australia, so maybe she likes koalas.
"There might come a time when we have to."
We have four nutrition bars as provisions. One for lunch and one for dinner, and that will be it. If we can't reach the cabin by the end of today, we'll have to find food along the way.
"Just to clarify... their natural predators mainly target young koalas..."
She added with a somewhat resigned look, her voice becoming quieter at the end, showing her true feelings.
"Well, then maybe we can consider going for the young ones too. The adults may have built up toxins from what they eat, but the little ones might not have any yet, you know, like pufferfish."
"..."
Haruka's face visibly soured, but there was no helping it. Being cute is not a reason to avoid eating in extreme situations.
When you really think about it, pets aren't cute without their fur. Actually, they look pretty creepy without it. Have you ever seen a hairless cat called a Sphinx? It looks weird when you first see it, isn't it? The cuteness of animals mostly comes from their fur. It makes them look rounder and more adorable. It's only the fluffy fur that makes them cute. If you shave off the fur of any animal, it will look scary. So even a koala, if you remove its skin and turn it into meat, you won't feel guilty about it. You've been tricked by a piece of meat. You might even think, "I'm gonna eat you!" By the way, I just thought of something. A girl who looks cute even without fur is probably the most superior as a pet. If it comes to having sex, it should be with a girl, not an animal. That's right.
For now, let's have nutrition bars for lunch. We'll decide in the evening whether we should get food from local sources, not just koalas. But first, let's eat.
I placed Yakumo and the machine gun at my feet. *Plop*
Out of nowhere, a wind enticed me, and I couldn't help but look up.
The sun feels extra bright, casting a vivid light on everything around me. I notice the unfamiliar chirping of a bird I don't recognize. The sound of cicadas is also different from what I'm accustomed to. Most of all, the scent of the forest is different. Even the sound of the wind is different, which surprised me. It must be because of the different terrain and plants around here.
I have been around 88 since I can remember. I had a similar sensation when I went to Mifosis, but seeing the true nature for the first time in my life, something hot permeates my chest. Maybe traveling actually fits my nature. I want to see more places before I die.
I was feeling somewhat cheerful and sat down next to Yakumo, who was sitting in the shade, drawing a picture. I peered at his hands. Wow, you're really good at drawing koalas. Do you want to eat it? Alright then, leave it to this butcher.
I was thinking that when...
"Ouch... What is this?"
Haruka, who was drinking water a little distance away, narrowed her eyes at the small specks that hit her face.
I caught the falling drops with my hand and they disappeared, feeling the cold sensation in my palm. It left my hand wet. When I looked up, the blue sky and black clouds were engaged in a fierce struggle, competing for control over half of the sky.
A cold breeze swept through my feet.
"Snow...? No, hail...?"
As I tilted my head, ice came pouring down.
They were quite large, and the sound of them hitting the ground was violent. The dirt jumped up, leaving our feet covered in mud.
I was somewhat surprised by this sudden weather change.
"What is this? Haruka, Is this what the weather is like in Australia?"
"I've never seen anything like this...!"
For now, let's take cover. I hugged Haruka to protect her from the hail.
Taking a look around, I noticed that the area beneath the large tree where Yakumo was sitting had become a safe zone. I positioned Haruka next to him and observed the situation.
It was clear that I couldn't move from here with both of them. We'll have to stay here for a while and wait for the weather to subside.
However, the dropping temperature did not allow for that.
"...!"
Haruka clenched her teeth and shivered, hugging herself tightly. She's wearing a summer outfit with her midriff exposed. Judging from her reaction, it was clear that the temperature was getting to her. It seems that my sense of temperature is loose because of the ridiculously sturdy butcher body.
"Let's start a fire. Haruka, cuddle with Yakumo and warm yourselves up for now."
"Y-Yes...!"
Following my instructions, Haruka hugged Yakumo tightly from behind. Her ample breasts rested on both of Yakumo's shoulders. Whether she was wearing a bra or not, the lump of fat that changed shape enveloped the back of his head. I'm jealous.
In Australia, it's currently summer. The ground was wet and damp, and there wasn't any dry wood available to use as fuel. We'll have to burn fresh wood to get any fire.
I brought "this guy" along just in case. And it might actually come in handy in this situation.
――This place might actually be Australia.
Because, I can't read any of the constellations.
It was kind of shocking to realize that some constellations were missing. I couldn't help but keep staring at the stars until I finally understood that most of the constellations I knew were upside down, and I could see what looked like the Southern Cross.
The sun had been shining brightly all morning, painting everything in vibrant colors. The forest looked lush and green, and I could feel the heat rising from the hot ground. And it's warm, I mean, of course, it's the southern hemisphere so the seasons are the opposite of what I used to. So, does that mean there was a sunburned Santa Claus that wears a half-sleeve shirt and shorts while delivering presents on a surfboard here?
At that moment, a wall of common sense inside me broke, screaming "That's no way!" Am I really in Australia?
Well, there's still a possibility that we're somewhere in Mifosis. It can't be Australia, right? The common sense within me put up its final resistance. Because it's just impossible.
――I spotted Kangaroo in the distance...
Yeah, yeah, fine, Australia. It really is Australia.
Feeling a bit resigned, I grumbled to myself and woke them up. After serving them breakfast, I carefully picked out camping supplies from the SUV and packed them into a duffel bag. Then, with the bare minimum of equipment, we set off.
By the way, as a side note, when I punished Jiangshi girl Yufan with the Daruma punishment for attempting to assassinate Titania, I packed her into this same duffel bag and took her to Fort. From the outside, it was obvious that there was a body inside the bag, as it was bulging. So, this bag doesn't have the ability to store everything in the fourth dimension.
Only weapons can be stored in the fourth dimension. Anything other than weapons doesn't benefit from it. It is just like a normal bag for everything else. It seems that even the mysterious technology of the aliens is not as omnipotent as I thought. I don't quite understand why such an annoying restriction has been placed on it.
Therefore, I couldn't bring many useful supplies due to the limited capacity of the bag. The most we could take was a tarp and a thin summer sleeping bag for one person. After packing water and rations, the duffel bag was bulging. I couldn't feel confident about survival with this setup. I regretted not having a backpack.
However, the car's tire marks were clearly visible on the ground, so I figured if I just followed them, we wouldn't get lost. I was optimistic. We should be able to arrive quickly, so there's no need to worry about camping. It'll be fine, no need to worry.
――I seriously want to punch myself from a few hours ago for thinking that.
"Ugh..."
Beneath the vibrant canopy of trees, I knelt down and unintentionally let out a groan.
On the ground, I could clearly see the intersection of tire tracks.
"Hah... Hah... How is it?" Haruka caught up with me, breathing heavily.
I could have acted like everything was fine, but there was no point in pretending.
"It's the same place. We got lost."
I can't believe we got lost. Especially for someone like me who used to be a scout, so embarrassing.
Last night, Haruka shared her stories about getting lost in these woods multiple times. I feel like I can understand the meaning of that now.
――Something is strange about this forest.
I consider myself a professional scout, trained as a ranger, and I have complete confidence in my ability to navigate mountains and forests.
But here's the thing, despite moving straight based on the position of the sun and the visible terrain, I was struck by the supernatural phenomenon of consistently returning to the exact same location.
And it doesn't seem like my sense of direction is off or anything. The tire tracks also show multiple intersections in the exact same place, suggesting that no matter what direction, it will end up in the same spot.
In other words, there must be a problem with the terrain itself.
I can't really grasp the whole mechanism behind it, but it seems like a loop? I don't know if I can call it that. It's as if we passed through a tunnel that only leads us back to the very beginning. We are stuck in the same place, almost like we're trapped in a horror movie.
That's probably why the goblins were able to catch up to them. They were going around in circles and were eventually overtaken by a goblin on foot.
When I shared my thought, she just pressed her lips together and said, "I guess so..."
This girl, she doesn't make a fuss, which is a relief. You know, some people, regardless of their gender, tend to get really anxious or scared and start rambling, making it hard for me to focus. In that regard, Haruka is the kind of person I like.
"But don't worry, it'll be okay."
"Do you know the right way?"
"No, I don't, but we can get it from someone who does."
"?"
I pointed to the footprints and continued.
"Goblin footprints. Since they followed you after falling behind, they probably took the correct path when you got lost. Let's follow this next."
"Ah, I see. I understand."
"I underestimated them—"
I picked up Yakumo and the machine gun and stood up. The sun was getting closer to its highest point in the sky.
"We have to be more careful. Something more serious is happening than I thought. One wrong move and there's a risk of getting lost."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Well... let's see..."
Suddenly, I asked something that had been nagging me.
"Can you eat koalas?"
"Wha...?!" Haruka's face twitched, caught off guard.
"Since it's my first time in Australia, I have no idea what's edible and what's not. It would be helpful if you could teach me about that."
"Well, um... I've heard rumors that the indigenous people used to eat them, but overall... They are not considered suitable for consumption... as they are endangered species and――"
"Do they have natural predators?"
"Huh? Uh, yes. They are targeted by birds of prey, land carnivores, and reptiles."
"Since they have a lot of natural predators, does that mean we can eat them too?"
"..."
If there is only one type of natural predator, then there is a possibility that the predator has developed a specific adaptation to the venom or toxin. But if there are multiple predators, it's unlikely that there is any kind of that stuff on them.
When I shared my opinion, Haruka's face changed subtly, and she asked in a quiet voice.
"Um, do you want to... eat koalas?"
There was a hint of disapproval in her voice. She mentioned studying in Australia, so maybe she likes koalas.
"There might come a time when we have to."
We have four nutrition bars as provisions. One for lunch and one for dinner, and that will be it. If we can't reach the cabin by the end of today, we'll have to find food along the way.
"Just to clarify... their natural predators mainly target young koalas..."
She added with a somewhat resigned look, her voice becoming quieter at the end, showing her true feelings.
"Well, then maybe we can consider going for the young ones too. The adults may have built up toxins from what they eat, but the little ones might not have any yet, you know, like pufferfish."
"..."
Haruka's face visibly soured, but there was no helping it. Being cute is not a reason to avoid eating in extreme situations.
When you really think about it, pets aren't cute without their fur. Actually, they look pretty creepy without it. Have you ever seen a hairless cat called a Sphinx? It looks weird when you first see it, isn't it? The cuteness of animals mostly comes from their fur. It makes them look rounder and more adorable. It's only the fluffy fur that makes them cute. If you shave off the fur of any animal, it will look scary. So even a koala, if you remove its skin and turn it into meat, you won't feel guilty about it. You've been tricked by a piece of meat. You might even think, "I'm gonna eat you!" By the way, I just thought of something. A girl who looks cute even without fur is probably the most superior as a pet. If it comes to having sex, it should be with a girl, not an animal. That's right.
For now, let's have nutrition bars for lunch. We'll decide in the evening whether we should get food from local sources, not just koalas. But first, let's eat.
I placed Yakumo and the machine gun at my feet. *Plop*
Out of nowhere, a wind enticed me, and I couldn't help but look up.
The sun feels extra bright, casting a vivid light on everything around me. I notice the unfamiliar chirping of a bird I don't recognize. The sound of cicadas is also different from what I'm accustomed to. Most of all, the scent of the forest is different. Even the sound of the wind is different, which surprised me. It must be because of the different terrain and plants around here.
I have been around 88 since I can remember. I had a similar sensation when I went to Mifosis, but seeing the true nature for the first time in my life, something hot permeates my chest. Maybe traveling actually fits my nature. I want to see more places before I die.
I was feeling somewhat cheerful and sat down next to Yakumo, who was sitting in the shade, drawing a picture. I peered at his hands. Wow, you're really good at drawing koalas. Do you want to eat it? Alright then, leave it to this butcher.
I was thinking that when...
"Ouch... What is this?"
Haruka, who was drinking water a little distance away, narrowed her eyes at the small specks that hit her face.
I caught the falling drops with my hand and they disappeared, feeling the cold sensation in my palm. It left my hand wet. When I looked up, the blue sky and black clouds were engaged in a fierce struggle, competing for control over half of the sky.
A cold breeze swept through my feet.
"Snow...? No, hail...?"
As I tilted my head, ice came pouring down.
They were quite large, and the sound of them hitting the ground was violent. The dirt jumped up, leaving our feet covered in mud.
I was somewhat surprised by this sudden weather change.
"What is this? Haruka, Is this what the weather is like in Australia?"
"I've never seen anything like this...!"
For now, let's take cover. I hugged Haruka to protect her from the hail.
Taking a look around, I noticed that the area beneath the large tree where Yakumo was sitting had become a safe zone. I positioned Haruka next to him and observed the situation.
It was clear that I couldn't move from here with both of them. We'll have to stay here for a while and wait for the weather to subside.
However, the dropping temperature did not allow for that.
"...!"
Haruka clenched her teeth and shivered, hugging herself tightly. She's wearing a summer outfit with her midriff exposed. Judging from her reaction, it was clear that the temperature was getting to her. It seems that my sense of temperature is loose because of the ridiculously sturdy butcher body.
"Let's start a fire. Haruka, cuddle with Yakumo and warm yourselves up for now."
"Y-Yes...!"
Following my instructions, Haruka hugged Yakumo tightly from behind. Her ample breasts rested on both of Yakumo's shoulders. Whether she was wearing a bra or not, the lump of fat that changed shape enveloped the back of his head. I'm jealous.
In Australia, it's currently summer. The ground was wet and damp, and there wasn't any dry wood available to use as fuel. We'll have to burn fresh wood to get any fire.
I brought "this guy" along just in case. And it might actually come in handy in this situation.
