Chapter 103
Two days had passed since arriving on the island.
I repeated the cycle of eating and sleeping every day.
These were the most luxurious days since waking up in this world.
Despite taking a rest, my body was still lethargic.
I chided myself.
To survive, one must not fall behind.
Borrowing the power of [Cool], I shook off the temptation of the bed and stepped out of the room.
When I descended alone, Vale was sitting in front of the door, letting out a series of yawns.
“You woke up early.”
“Yeah.”
“How long have you been awake?”
“Not long. Maybe about thirty minutes ago?”
I stepped outside and looked toward the ship.
Fortunately, the ship was still in its place.
I could see the dawn breaking beyond the vessel.
“I felt like I would be at peace only if I did something like this.”
Vale spoke with a hint of apology.
“Being able to fight zombies or other survivors is not the only way to be helpful.”
“Is that so?”
“It is.”
Vale began to giggle to himself.
“I didn't know I had a talent for sailing. Once I grabbed the wheel, I understood how to drive it.”
“Once the situation settles down, why don't you try a trip around the world.”
“That’s a good idea.”
He dusted off his seat and stood up.
“If you’re planning on going for a walk, won't you let me join?”
“It won't be a very pleasant exercise.”
“For me, that’s actually better.”
I nodded and headed to the barn with him.
The chickens swarmed toward us.
In an instant, we were surrounded by dozens of chickens.
They seemed to be hungry.
“How about letting them loose in the fields to eat bugs once the feed bags run out?”
I mentioned the thought that came to mind to Vale.
He didn't answer.
When I turned my head, his eyes were trembling as much as when he faced a zombie.
“Sir Vale?”
“Ah, sorry.”
“Are you afraid of chickens?”
“It’s partly fear, but saying I’m not used to them would be more accurate. There were separate servants to manage the livestock.”
I thought Vale was the person closest to being an ordinary noble.
Nobles have no interest in how the dishes that come to the table are made.
They simply enjoy the taste.
But the world had changed.
If one wanted to eat chicken, they had to have the guts to wring a chicken's neck.
“Tonight, let's boil a chicken to eat. You handle the preparation, Sir Vale.”
“W-What?”
“You said you wanted to be helpful. I’m giving you work as you wished.”
“There’s plenty of other work.”
“I’m intentionally giving you a difficult task. If you can't even overcome this, how will you reclaim your family?”
When I provoked him by bringing up his family, Vale showed a reaction.
He scooped up a rooster.
The rooster did not resist and stayed quiet in his arms.
“Let's go outside.”
Vale moved far away from the barn.
Then, he took out the dagger he possessed and cut the chicken's neck.
His hands were trembling.
“It's simple, right?”
“I don't feel good.”
“Is it worse than when you killed a zombie?”
“A zombie is a dead human. But a chicken is alive.”
“You did well.”
“You’re just like a professor, the way you touch a person's weak points and guide them to overcome them.”
“I am a true professor, a rare sight in this day and age. The rascals by my side should know that.”
Vale looked toward the ground, perhaps feeling hit by the comment himself.
“That includes me, I suppose.”
“Yes, so always strive. If you show such a clumsy side next time as well,”
“If I do?”
“You’d better be prepared.”
I replied chillingly.
It was with the hope that he wouldn't make a mistake at a truly vital moment.
Vale's eyes looked more terrified than when he saw a zombie.
* * *
When afternoon came, I led the knight squad outside.
I intended to plant the seed potatoes and radishes I had obtained as a reward.
The ground was already prepared.
I had overturned the earth and made ridges so the crops could be planted.
The only thing left was fertilizer.
“Is something bothering you?”
Leo asked.
“Eggshells alone make for difficult fertilizer. Radishes and potatoes are inherently strong vegetables and would grow well without it, but their value as merchandise would drop.”
“Are you planning to sell them?”
“Bartering is the basic of survival. To use them in trade, high-quality goods are better.”
“Will the taste be bad too?”
Leo wore a serious expression.
“Probably.”
“That’s a problem.”
There was something to obtain.
The reason to visit the mainland had increased.
“For now, there's no choice but to work as is.”
Leaving the regret behind, I distributed the seeds needed for sowing to the boys.
The rest was repetitive work.
Bend over and plant, bend over and plant.
“I’m excited to eat potatoes.”
Even in the sweltering heat, Talleon diligently planted seeds.
“Would it be better to roast them? Or boil them?”
“We can do both.”
“There was such a simple way!”
The boy showed a happy expression.
The other two were not much different from Talleon.
“Around when will we be able to eat them?”
“Even if I use my magic, it will take three months.”
“Does it take that long?”
“Potatoes are originally planted in spring and harvested before the rainy season.”
“Ugh.”
Talleon looked lost in thought.
In this world, three months felt like an incredibly long time.
“The work will finish quickly since there aren't many seeds.”
Leo spoke as he straightened his back.
Once the sowing was finished, it was my turn.
I approached the spots where the boys had planted seeds and cast [Growth].
Leaves sprouted above the soil.
“It’s amazing every time I see it.”
Gavinu spoke in admiration.
“You’re going to plant the Mana Herbs too, right?”
“Yeah.”
The shape of the field took hold.
Radishes, potatoes, and Mana Herbs took their places with intervals between them.
Now, we just had to wait.
Though I would have to take care that the field didn't become a mess until then.
“Shall we try building a fence?”
Leo rolled up his sleeves.
“Joshua, do you have something like a wood-chopping axe?”
“My bag is not a general store you know.”
“I feel like you have one.”
I took an axe out of my bag and threw it to him.
“As expected!”
“Use it gently and return it.”
“Don't worry.”
Leo wrapped his Aura around the axe and began chopping a nearby tree.
Bang! Bang!
The tree went down.
He split the broken tree into several more pieces.
“You guys help too.”
Talleon and Gavinu immediately headed toward Leo.
“Are you planning to use it as firewood?”
“No, I’ll use them as pillars. Once I carve the wood, you guys just set them up near the field.”
Oho.
It seemed Leo had matured.
He thought of a task he wasn't told to do to be helpful to the group.
Pillars surrounding the field were created.
Leo's ideas didn't stop there.
He pulled wire strings he had picked up somewhere from his bag and connected them between the pillars.
“How is it? Doesn't it look a bit safer?”
He was waiting for my evaluation.
He swallowed dryly and grew very tense.
It made me feel a bit sorry for him.
I thought about when the last time I gave him a carrot was.
[Clever] said it didn't really know.
“……Hmm.”
I approached and inspected the fence he had made.
It looked clumsy and crude.
Nevertheless, I highly valued the fact that he put his thought into practice.
“It’s at least worth 5 points.”
“R-Right?”
He let out a sigh of relief.
“You’re amazing. Captain, I’m proud of you.”
Talleon jumped up.
The boy was as happy as if it were his own doing.
Only then did Leo’s tension seem to loosen, and he laughed lightly.
“Gavinu, you say something too.”
“I’m so used to getting points deducted that this is a bit unfamiliar. Well, you didn't eat something wrong, did you?”
Leo wrapped his arm around Gavinu’s neck and tightened it.
“The Captain did something good, and instead of being happy, you say what?”
“Keugh! M-Mistake.”
“Are you happy, or not?”
“I’m happy! I’m proud of the Captain.”
Only after hearing the desired answer did Leo release Gavinu.
“Next time, speak honestly from the start. We’re a team.”
“Ugh.”
Gavinu touched his neck with his hand, as if it were uncomfortable.
I snorted and stepped between the two.
“Is the comedy act over?”
“It’s not comedy, it’s education.”
“If it’s over, let's go elsewhere. There's a lot to do today.”
I took the boys and stood at the entrance of the forest.
“We will search the island.”
“We’ve stayed here for a few days, but I haven't felt a sign of any person.”
“We can't be at peace with just that. It needs to be made certain.”
We went inside the forest.
Unlike the forest we passed through to head to Stalia, sunlight settled here.
“That’s a relief. It seems bright here at least during the day.”
Talleon spoke with relief.
He looked as if he were sick and tired of the darkness now.
It had only been a few weeks, but the darkness of the forest gnawed at one's mind.
One had to use all their strength to keep their reason.
I was fine, but it must have been a difficult journey for the students.
“Hmm?”
Gavinu stopped.
He seemed to have felt something, as he stopped walking and looked somewhere.
“What is it?”
Leo approached him.
“I felt like there was something.”
“Did you not see it?”
“No.”
“Which side did you see it on?”
“Over there.”
Leo slowly approached the place Gavinu pointed to with his hand.
A rustling sound was heard between the branches and leaves underfoot.
He seemed to think that was bothersome, as his gaze kept turning toward the ground.
Flutter!
“Whoa!”
The boy saw something pop out of the thicket and fell over ridiculously.
He quickly pulled the sword from his waist.
However, there was no need to swing it.
The opponent was more terrified than the boy and fled busily.
“It’s a rabbit!”
A brown rabbit, as if camouflaged with the soil, ran toward the opposite side.
“Calm down.”
I restrained the boys from trying to chase it to the point of breaking formation.
“As long as we know it exists, we can catch it later.”
This island was one chosen by the Academy for the purpose of educating students.
One didn't know what might be where.
“If we caught it, tonight would have been rabbit meat.”
Talleon dropped his head, unable to overcome his regret.
“If that bastard exists, it means there's a burrow somewhere. We just have to dig it up. If we succeed in catching them, we will raise them instead of eating them. Rabbits breed easily.”
“Ugh, we are holding back again?”
“The more you hold back, the more advantageous it is for surviving in this world.”
I walked again.
Perhaps because it was summer, the inside of my clothes felt sticky and unpleasant.
Now, even the environment felt as if it were tormenting me.
“If something unusual happens to your bodies, tell me immediately.”
I warned the boys.
My magic could not treat illnesses.
Even heatstroke could be fatal.
“Isn't there a lake here? The water is starting to run low.”
Leo spoke after some deliberation of his own.
Knowing a way to obtain water was important.
“The fact that animals are living here is evidence that there is drinkable water. Even if not, as long as there's a puddle of rainwater, there's no worry about water. We can use [Purify] or [Holy Water].”
“Holy magic is the best! Uhahaha.”
Leo laughed refreshingly like a person whose troublesome problem was solved.
We walked again.
The sound of beasts passing through the thicket was heard.
As expected, I thought this island was a place rich in resources.
Whoosh!
The wind blew.
The sweat that had flowed down cooled chillingly.
[Cool] dismissed it as nothing and urged me to move.
“Joshua, there’s a path here.”
Leo called out.
A path that looked as if it were man-made appeared between the thicket.
I made [Clever] recall what this path was.
“It’s the path leading to the training center.”
“If it’s a training center, do you mean the place where knights are taught?”
“Yeah.”
“Can we go see it?”
Leo uncharacteristically made a suggestion first.
When with me, he avoided asserting himself as much as possible.
It seemed he believed that was consideration for me as the leader and the correct posture as a subordinate.
“I intended to check every place thoroughly from the start. The training center is no exception.”
“Then we're going?”
“Yeah.”
“Great. The first one entering is me.”
We followed the path and approached the building at the end of the road.
“……Hmm.”
The building was broken, and bloodstains were splattered on the walls.
In the yard, straw men that knight apprentices used for training lay scattered haphazardly.
At a glance, they almost looked like people.
My gaze turned to the front door.
The wind passed through the slightly open gap in the door, making a sound like a person crying.
It was much like a haunted house.
“What are you doing?”
Leo was hesitating.
Whether it was because it wasn't the image he imagined.
Or if he was swallowed by the fear brought by the building.
Either way, he had to keep the word he spoke.
“Huh?”
“Go in. You said you’d be the first to enter.”
The boy’s face grew dark.