***
With the rising morning sun at my back, I ran.
Straight westward, I kept running.
Passing through the forest, crossing a river, before I knew it I was running across an endless nameless prairie.
At full speed.
How much time had passed?
The dark sky had transformed into a beautiful blue, and the sun was already nearing its zenith.
“…Hah, hah, hah…”
Finally feeling fatigue, I inadvertently slowed down and came to a stop.
The summer warmth caused sweat to stream endlessly.
Wiping my brow, I turned back toward the direction of the village…eastward.
No signs of pursuit.
<…After running for nearly half a day, there should be no worry of being taken back to the village.>
“Hah, hah…haah…”
Bending over with my hands on my knees, I took a moment to catch my ragged breath before raising my face again.
Exhausting.
Not even a gentle breeze blowing at a time like this.
Hot.
Thirsty.
I try gathering water in my palm with 【Collect Water】, but the dry air or my unstable mana control prevents it from working properly.
Finally managing to collect a bit of water, I take a sip before starting to walk unsteadily.
* * *
It was about 30 minutes later, as I slowly trudged across the prairie, that the sound of trickling water reached my ears.
Hurrying over, I found a small spring and stream.
The water gushing from the spring was clear and transparent, looking beautiful.
I was about to jump right in when a voice stopped me.
“Gaaahh…Goaaaaahh!!”
Turning around, there was an abnormally massive tortoise – large enough to swallow me in one gulp.
Not just its shell, but its neck, limbs, and other parts were covered in rugged stone-like protrusions.
Actually, I had noticed it in my peripheral vision earlier but ignored it since it wasn’t moving.
<Th-This is a mutated variant of the Tezonkah Turtle…! Be careful, Emi! This tortoise’s shell is reputed to have defenses tougher than any mineral…!>
“……”
Because it was noisy, I punched it hard – shattering the vaunted shell into powder.
The tortoise was blown away and died.
<…I should be proud, but well, this is just Emi being Emi…at this level, nothing poses a threat anymore, ahaha…>
Extra-sama laughs with apparent delight.
But more importantly, water!
I want to drink water.
I jump into the spring fully clothed.
The cold water refreshingly cools my body after all that running.
It feels nice.
After gulping down some water, I use 【Peel】 to remove the grime clinging to my body and clothes.
The dried blood sticking to me peels off, causing the spring to turn inky black.
Lying on my back, I idly gaze up at the white clouds drifting across the blue sky as I float on the water.
“Shumimimimi…Shumimimimi…”
The sounds of some unknown insect can be heard from the surrounding grass.
<That’s the cry of a slug called the Shumicappe.> Seriously? …A slug’s cry?
It’s a sound I also heard in Grounoddka Village.
……………..
<H-Hey, Emi…you’re not thinking of going back to the village or anything, are you?>
…No way.
I told you, didn’t I? I refuse to be brainwashed.
But still.
Even if I was brainwashed…or rather, perhaps because I was brainwashed…the villagers were kind to me, weren’t they?
Thinking about how I abandoned those people and fled on my own…it makes me feel…a bit apologetic.
<……………….>
……………..
<Hey, Emi. If you punch them, will their brainwashing be undone?>
Eh? That’s impossible.
Besides, if I punched a regular human, they’d die.
<Yeah, that’s true. Then it’s impossible. Emi, you can’t undo the villagers’ brainwashing.>
…Don’t make it sound like violence is my only good quality…
<My apologies. However, there’s nothing you can do about that village. That’s a fact. It’s futile to dwell on what you cannot change. As painful as it may be, let it go.>
……………..Understood.
<…………Yes, let’s forget about that village. The villagers have surely forgotten all about you as well by now.>
……………..I wonder.
<Even the death of an elderly woman they had lived with for many years immediately became a ‘trivial matter’ to those villagers. Your existence will be no different.>
……………..You’re probably right.
<They’ve surely forgotten all about you already and are happily expanding the wheat fields as usual.>
……………..’Happily’, huh…
* * *
A light breeze blows, whistling softly.
The cool air caressing her wet face made Emi finally realize her body had grown quite chilled.
She swims over to the spring’s edge and slowly emerges.
Shaking her body like a dog to dispel the water, she uses 【Desiccate】.
Aided by the sun’s warmth, her body quickly dries.
“…….”
Emi turns her face toward the direction she had run from.
All that can be seen is the endless prairie and summer azure sky.
Not even a trace of the forest or village remains in sight.
But still.
She lowered her head.
For a while, she remained motionless with her head bowed.
A bow laden with many meanings.
Yet a bow devoid of any meaning.
But still.
It was all she could do.
***
With the rising morning sun at my back, I ran.
Straight westward, I kept running.
Passing through the forest, crossing a river, before I knew it I was running across an endless nameless prairie.
At full speed.
How much time had passed?
The dark sky had transformed into a beautiful blue, and the sun was already nearing its zenith.
“…Hah, hah, hah…”
Finally feeling fatigue, I inadvertently slowed down and came to a stop.
The summer warmth caused sweat to stream endlessly.
Wiping my brow, I turned back toward the direction of the village…eastward.
No signs of pursuit.
<…After running for nearly half a day, there should be no worry of being taken back to the village.>
“Hah, hah…haah…”
Bending over with my hands on my knees, I took a moment to catch my ragged breath before raising my face again.
Exhausting.
Not even a gentle breeze blowing at a time like this.
Hot.
Thirsty.
I try gathering water in my palm with 【Collect Water】, but the dry air or my unstable mana control prevents it from working properly.
Finally managing to collect a bit of water, I take a sip before starting to walk unsteadily.
* * *
It was about 30 minutes later, as I slowly trudged across the prairie, that the sound of trickling water reached my ears.
Hurrying over, I found a small spring and stream.
The water gushing from the spring was clear and transparent, looking beautiful.
I was about to jump right in when a voice stopped me.
“Gaaahh…Goaaaaahh!!”
Turning around, there was an abnormally massive tortoise – large enough to swallow me in one gulp.
Not just its shell, but its neck, limbs, and other parts were covered in rugged stone-like protrusions.
Actually, I had noticed it in my peripheral vision earlier but ignored it since it wasn’t moving.
<Th-This is a mutated variant of the Tezonkah Turtle…! Be careful, Emi! This tortoise’s shell is reputed to have defenses tougher than any mineral…!>
“……”
Because it was noisy, I punched it hard – shattering the vaunted shell into powder.
The tortoise was blown away and died.
<…I should be proud, but well, this is just Emi being Emi…at this level, nothing poses a threat anymore, ahaha…>
Extra-sama laughs with apparent delight.
But more importantly, water!
I want to drink water.
I jump into the spring fully clothed.
The cold water refreshingly cools my body after all that running.
It feels nice.
After gulping down some water, I use 【Peel】 to remove the grime clinging to my body and clothes.
The dried blood sticking to me peels off, causing the spring to turn inky black.
Lying on my back, I idly gaze up at the white clouds drifting across the blue sky as I float on the water.
“Shumimimimi…Shumimimimi…”
The sounds of some unknown insect can be heard from the surrounding grass.
<That’s the cry of a slug called the Shumicappe.> Seriously? …A slug’s cry?
It’s a sound I also heard in Grounoddka Village.
……………..
<H-Hey, Emi…you’re not thinking of going back to the village or anything, are you?>
…No way.
I told you, didn’t I? I refuse to be brainwashed.
But still.
Even if I was brainwashed…or rather, perhaps because I was brainwashed…the villagers were kind to me, weren’t they?
Thinking about how I abandoned those people and fled on my own…it makes me feel…a bit apologetic.
<……………….>
……………..
<Hey, Emi. If you punch them, will their brainwashing be undone?>
Eh? That’s impossible.
Besides, if I punched a regular human, they’d die.
<Yeah, that’s true. Then it’s impossible. Emi, you can’t undo the villagers’ brainwashing.>
…Don’t make it sound like violence is my only good quality…
<My apologies. However, there’s nothing you can do about that village. That’s a fact. It’s futile to dwell on what you cannot change. As painful as it may be, let it go.>
……………..Understood.
<…………Yes, let’s forget about that village. The villagers have surely forgotten all about you as well by now.>
……………..I wonder.
<Even the death of an elderly woman they had lived with for many years immediately became a ‘trivial matter’ to those villagers. Your existence will be no different.>
……………..You’re probably right.
<They’ve surely forgotten all about you already and are happily expanding the wheat fields as usual.>
……………..’Happily’, huh…
* * *
A light breeze blows, whistling softly.
The cool air caressing her wet face made Emi finally realize her body had grown quite chilled.
She swims over to the spring’s edge and slowly emerges.
Shaking her body like a dog to dispel the water, she uses 【Desiccate】.
Aided by the sun’s warmth, her body quickly dries.
“…….”
Emi turns her face toward the direction she had run from.
All that can be seen is the endless prairie and summer azure sky.
Not even a trace of the forest or village remains in sight.
But still.
She lowered her head.
For a while, she remained motionless with her head bowed.
A bow laden with many meanings.
Yet a bow devoid of any meaning.
But still.
It was all she could do.
