༺ S1.5. A 400 Kilometers Escape Journey – 2 ༻
When traveling through wasteland, securing water was of utmost importance. It was especially more so in areas roamed by Variants; these creatures left a nasty, mucous substance within their vicinity, contaminating nature.
Elaine and her party’s third encounter with a puddle was a prime example. This puddle, formed from rainwater, behind a rock was tainted with a murky black slime floating on its surface.
Their water supply in the canteen had been exhausted half a day ago. While it was enough to last until Pero exited the wasteland, the addition of a beautiful lady dressed in a red gown and nothing else to offer meant that their party was running short.
That was the very reason why the duo sat despondently, gazing at the puddle with sorrowful eyes.
“Is it drinkable?”
“If you’re asking if it’s safe to drink…… Even after filtering, it would usually cause stomachaches. Some experience hallucinations or fevers.”
“……Is it drinkable……?”
“If you’re asking about the taste…… Survivors often cracked this joke. That they would rather eat sardine pie than drink Variant slime.”
“I heard this is a desolate world, so can pies even be made in the first place?”“Though they would be missing sugar, salt, sweet strawberry jam, and rich butter, yes, it’s possible to make them.”
“You don’t call those pies then……”
Elaine groaned, covering her scar-ridden face with her hands. It was uncertain if they would find another water source and she was parched. Even a powerhouse, capable of subduing an ogre, couldn’t survive without food and drink.
For the sake of survival, a stomachache was preferable over dehydration, so……. This meant she had to drink this muddy water with sloshy slime as a topping.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Even though it was necessary, it was still something she desperately wished not to do.
Right as Elaine’s mind wandered about to escape reality…… Contemplating whether it was worth contaminating her noble palate, accustomed to exquisite feasts, or whether she should use Pero as a human water filter…
Pero scooped up the water, trying to remove as much slime as possible── And then filled his canteen with the relatively cleanest part. Bracing himself, he took a sip.
Gulp.
“……Eu, eugh……”
Pero’s complexion turned pale and tears welled up in his eyes. After all, the taste and texture were horrendous. However, it was the rule of the world that a bizarre delicacy first pierced with its taste and then again with its scent.
After being hit by the aftermath, the smell akin to the pungent odor of boiling frogs in a pot, Pero’s face contorted as if he was about to vomit any moment.
Just a while ago, the two had roasted a desert rabbit to replenish their precious protein. Since digestion was not yet complete, vomiting now would be disastrous. After all, from a survivor’s perspective, it would be a considerable loss.
That was when the Imperial Princess stepped in.
Elaine, for their mutual benefit ─ she disliked seeing someone vomit and Pero was at risk of losing vital nutrients ─ hugged Pero from behind and firmly covered the boy’s mouth with the palm of her hand.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯!!”
Please, just let me vomit.
Despite Pero’s tearful and pleading eyes, Elaine did not let go of her hold. It was not her own discomfort at stake and she believed it was the rationally correct decision. So, Elaine forcibly fed the fishy, mushy liquid to Pero.
Three minutes later, Pero lay sprawled, his face devoid of any expression. He had taken in water and retained the protein, but it seemed his soul was not able to stay preserved……
Quietly observing this, Elaine spoke indifferently, as if absolutely nothing had happened the past few minutes.
“…..I’m not really that thirsty.”
“……T-That’s a l-lie…….”
“I’ve lost my memory, so I’m not really sure.”
“That’s completely separate… from you losing your memories…… You’re so mean, Elaine!”
Pero puffed up his cheeks in anger. Then, he spread his arms wide and blocked a space of about 160 cm in width, before declaring.
“Elaine, you shall not pass until you drink this as well!”
“Do we really have to do this, Pero? Are you only satisfied when you make me eat something…… sticky and smelly?”
“D-Don’t talk in that sort of way!”
During the past two days crossing the wasteland together, whenever Elaine steered the conversation in a lewd direction, Pero would quickly raise a white flag and flee, but…
Was it the anger caused by the foul slime or had he finally adapted? This time, he did not back down, even though his face turned bright red. It was truly a significant step forward.
However, Elaine knew an eternal truth.
The only thing better than firepower was more firepower.
If lewdness didn’t work, then the solution was just more lewdness.
Elaine spread both her arms wide. To show the rebellious young boy a taste of how spicy an adult could be, she was about to cast her ultimate signature move ── 『Hugging Tightly and Spinning Around』 ── which had been sealed since its use on Irid, when…
Plip, plop.
“……Ah.”
“Oh my.”
It started to rain.
===============================================================
They entered a small cave and lit a campfire.
Finding a small cave in the wasteland was simple. First, one would bring out a strong individual who could carve out rock with their bare hands. Then….. When they tenderly stroke a sufficiently large rock, a small cave would appear like magic.
Amazed by this miraculous searching ability, Pero opened his eyes wide and applauded in admiration.
The warmth that made them drowsy, the refreshing sound of rain pouring down, and the small space for the two, colored in warm hues by the light of the campfire; due to this, Elaine hummed a tune without herself realizing.
Pero shook his head to the rhythm of the humming, before looking outside the cave and speaking.
“It’s a relief that it’s raining. We have plenty of water now and…… When the rain stops, the sand will settle, and the sky will be clear. It will be easier to find our way!”
“That’s true, Pero. How fortunate it was that the rain came right at that time……”
After all, she didn’t have to taste the unpleasant Variant slime nor feel its texture on her tongue.
Elaine was serious when it came to teasing the young boy, but she didn’t actually plan to endure without drinking water. She would have disliked it immensely, but survival overshadowed everything else. In the end, she had consumed it.
Whether it was chewing the foul-smelling Variant Wolf meat or embarking on a journey through the wasteland to find Paradise, it was all for survival.
In the First Princess’s world, personal preferences came far behind survival.
Therefore, all her choices culminated in ‘what to abandon’. She abandoned acknowledgement, expectations, trust, and…….
“──Elaine, Elaine?”
“⋯⋯?”
At some point in time, Pero’s face had come incredibly close. He pressed his forehead against Elaine’s gauging the temperature. This bold physical contact momentarily halted Elaine’s thoughts.
“You don’t seem to have a fever…… Are you feeling unwell somewhere? You didn’t respond even though I called.”
“No, not really. I’m completely fine.”
“Your face is a bit red.”
“……It’s because of the light from the campfire.”
“Really? If you’re sick, don’t hide it. Tell me right away. I’ll go get some herbs!”
“You’re not doing all this while being aware, right?”
“⋯⋯?”
Pero tilted his head in confusion. Elaine wavered for a moment and then quietly moved away. It could be considered a strategic retreat. The distance between Pero and her: about 1 meter.
The boy, absolutely bursting with consideration, interpreted Elaine’s behavior as a sign of ‘wanting to be alone’ and moved to the other side of the campfire. The distance between Elaine and him: about 3 meters.
Perhaps that bothered her a bit, as Elaine pretended to get closer to the campfire when her real intention was to reduce the distance between them. The distance between Pero and her: about 2 meters.
And then, both sides stopped moving. Both Pero and Elaine thought the 2 meter distance was quite adequate. It was neither too far nor too close. They could see each other but could hide each other’s scents.
And just like that, the two waited until the rain stopped.
===============================================================
The day had cleared up.
The fierce sandstorm that obstructed their field of vision and scratched their skin had absorbed so much water that it calmed down. Although the land was still desolate and covered in dreadful slime here and there, the sky was blue and clear.
They took a deep breath for the first time in a while. The refreshing air filled their lungs and left with their exhale. They could feel the fact that they were alive throughout their entire bodies, as the air flowed through.
Pero held Elaine’s hand to signal her and pointed beyond the horizon.
“We must have walked more than we thought!”
“Oh my…… The ground is a vibrant green, huh? It’s sparse, but still.”
Green grass? It truly did feel like it had been a long time since she had seen such a thing.
Since falling into this desolate world, the only plants she had seen were withered old trees, mushrooms growing disgustingly in corners, or tumbleweed. Pero couldn’t hide his joy and let it show through his voice.
“We’ve made it out of the wasteland. Ahead is the ‘Plains of Meeting’. I guess we didn’t even notice the exit because of the sandstorm…… Hehe.”
“‘The Plains of Meeting’……you say. Is there a reason for that name?”
“It’s relatively safe because there are fewer Variants there. Survivors in the area often pass through the Plains of Meeting when planning their routes. So, you can meet many people there!”
“Doesn’t anyone settle there? If it’s that nice of a place to live, it would be good to make a base.”
“Ah, about that…… Because it’s a plain, it lacks hiding spots or shelter, so……”
Pero paused for a moment, then smiled faintly and continued.
“Those who tried to use this location as their base all died.”
“Ahhh……”
Elaine looked at the ‘Plains of Meeting’ with a gaze of understanding. Good encounters would always call forth bad ones as well. She was reminded, once again, that meeting people wasn’t always a positive thing.
Then, she suddenly had a thought.
Pero didn’t say that he heard about it. He definitively stated that those who tried to use this location as their base died…… Almost as if he saw it with his own eyes. Maybe Pero was one of those who tried to make the ‘Plains of Meeting’ their base.
With low combat ability and possessing only various skills necessary for survival, it was worth considering how Pero had managed to survive.
A small seed of suspicion blossomed beneath Elaine’s eyelids.
===============================================================
Distance remaining to Paradise.
About 320 kilometers.
***
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