Chapter 7

The campfire was ready. The wood crackled and popped, and it felt very warm when I held my hands out to it. Looking at the fire is so comforting, I wonder why.

I savored the warmth of the fire for a while. Since recalling my past life’s memories, I’ve taken various actions, and it feels like things are going better than expected. I can’t help but wonder why I didn’t act sooner, and if I had, maybe my current situation would be different.

“Sigh, I’m feeling a bit down.”

I really regret not doing anything before. I let myself feel a bit down.

“No, no, this won’t do. Okay, let’s put the sadness aside and eat some crabs and mushrooms.”

Yeah, the best is yet to come. I slapped my cheeks to shake off the weak feelings.

I picked up a thin branch I had set aside and took a crab from the basket, skewering it on the branch. I skewered one after another until I had six, then moved on to a different branch. I skewered five more crabs on the remaining branches and also skewered the mushrooms on a separate branch.

I stuck the skewers into the ground and slowly roasted them over the infrared heat. As the crabs, which had been moving quickly, gradually stopped moving, a fragrant aroma filled the air. I flipped them over to ensure they cooked evenly and continued roasting them.

Juicy liquid started to ooze from the crabs’ mouths, and when it dripped onto the campfire, it evaporated, turning into a delicious smell. I sniffed the air, and my stomach growled at the delicious scent.

The crabs, which had been brown, gradually turned a bright red. I adjusted the branches to prevent them from burning and continued roasting them slowly. The mushrooms beside the crabs also started to cook, and juice began to seep out.

“Are they ready yet? I hope so, I’m hungry.” I fidgeted while waiting. As I watched the crabs closely, I noticed their legs starting to char a bit.

“They should be ready now.”

I quickly pulled the branches away from the campfire and stuck them in the ground. The mushrooms were also perfectly cooked, so I moved them away from the fire. The roasted crabs and mushrooms looked delicious, and I couldn’t resist.

“Let’s start with the crabs... Ouch!”

When I tried to remove a crab from the branch, it was still hot. But my hunger was stronger, and I managed to pull it off despite the heat.

“Blow, blow.”

I rolled the crab in my palm and blew on it. I could feel the heat gradually dissipate. I tentatively pinched it with my thumb and index finger... it was warm but manageable.

“Here we go.”

I opened my mouth wide and threw the crab in. As I bit down, it crunched satisfyingly and broke apart. The flavor of the crab immediately filled my mouth.

“Mmm, delicious!”

It was fragrant and had a great texture; it was delicious. The meat was minimal, but the crispy shell was incredibly addictive. I immediately went for the second one. I rolled it in my palm and blew on it, then threw it in my mouth while it was still warm.

“Mmm, mmm.”

As I chewed, the fragrant flavor of the crab spread in my mouth, and I couldn’t help but kick my legs in delight. The shell crumbled easily with a little force, and I swallowed it quickly.

I eagerly cooled the crabs and threw them into my mouth, crunching and swallowing them one by one. I finished them all in no time.

“Ah, that was delicious.”

I savored the lingering flavor of the crabs in my mouth. As I spaced out, I noticed the remaining mushrooms out of the corner of my eye. Oops, I completely forgot about them.

“Let’s see how these are.”

I immediately took the branch and removed the mushrooms. They were no longer too hot and were still slightly warm. I tore them apart with my hands and threw them into my mouth. As I chewed, the mushroom juice seeped out, and the flavor spread in my mouth.

“Mmm, the mushrooms are juicy and delicious too.”

They had a slightly chewy texture, different from the crabs, which I enjoyed. It would have been even better with some salt or soy sauce. I wonder if there’s soy sauce somewhere in this world.

“Mmm, the world. Right now, I’m focused on my own situation, but what do I really want?”

I thought about it while chewing the mushrooms. Right now, my mind is only on improving my situation, but if things get better, what would I want to do?

“Maybe my big goal is to leave the refugee camp. I remember people who receive morning rations go to town to work, so maybe I can get some clues about escaping by talking to them.”

People who go to town to work and earn money are gradually leaving. Those who are still receiving morning rations are the ones who haven’t left yet. So, if I can go to town to work, I should be able to leave the refugee camp eventually.

But if I try to talk to them now, I doubt they’ll be honest with me. They might not answer because I don’t have their trust. So, it’s better to continue building trust.

“Yeah, I’ll keep helping and become someone they trust.”

I felt motivated with a new goal. I made fists with both hands to boost my morale.

“To achieve that, I’ll catch a lot of fish and share them with everyone.”

I stood up and headed to the river. I still need to complete one more trap.

◇

“Done!”

After an hour, I completed another enclosure trap. Looking at the two traps side by side, I felt a sense of satisfaction. Even though it’s a simple trap, it was quite tiring to build.

All I need to do now is scatter some worms and wait for the fish to come, but I have a plan.

I took a long branch and entered the river upstream. I repeatedly struck the surface of the river with the branch. After a while, I walked a bit and struck it again. This way, I was driving the fish downstream.

I made loud splashes and moved slowly forward, then made more loud splashes and moved forward again. I could see the shadows of the fish in the river fleeing, and it made me happy to see it working.

I kept moving forward until I finally reached the enclosure traps.

“Phew, did I catch any?”

This moment is thrilling. I cautiously looked into the traps, and there they were! Two crabs in each trap!

“Yay, I caught them!”

I was so happy that I jumped up and down on the spot. Even though I’m mentally over 20 years old due to my reincarnation, my body’s age seems to pull me back to acting like a child. It’s a bit embarrassing.

I composed myself and observed the traps. The fish were swimming around, but none of them were trying to escape. I was relieved, but still, fish, they’re so good.

“...Can I eat one?”

I deserve a treat for my hard work. The campfire is still going, so I can cook and eat one. Yeah, I’m going to eat one!