Chapter 11

Previous summary:

Lily: "Uu, ah... ah... uu, uu?"

Protagonist: "Not better, not better"

11

I am sinking deep down.

I am sinking deep, deep down, where it is suffocating, yet I cannot rise.

And I am repeatedly thrust into it.

Into something I do not wish to see, hear, smell, or touch.

Over and over.

Yes, over and over.

Even if I cry or scream, no one will come to help me.

Because there is no one else here.

I am alone.

I am sinking alone.

"......,......"

Then, it happened.

I heard something.

This... someone is screaming far away?

When I strained my ears, I realized it was a call.

A call...

...to whom?

"......! ...a!"

The darkness around me trembled.

The calling continued.

Each time, my existence was shaken.

My consciousness wavered... and my body was shaken.

I finally realized that I was the one being called.

"---sama!"

I, who had been swimming in the mire with my consciousness, realized I was in a dream.

If I could get there, rising from the depths of the darkness would not be so difficult.

"Master!"

I sat up with a jolt.

"Huff, huff, huff..."

My breathing was rough.

My breath carried an unpleasant heat.

Blinking to clear the dizziness, the light of the campfire came into view.

It seems I had been sleeping.

I remember the incident with Kaga...

Yes, right after that, we returned to the cave.

We had only intended to rest a little until it was time to eat, but it seems I had fallen asleep by accident.

"Haa-"

Occasionally coughing, I focused on calming my ragged breathing and finally took a deep breath.

I had a really bad dream... or so it felt.

I couldn't remember the content.

I didn't want to remember it.

"Are you alright, Master? You were tossing and turning."

A towel was gently extended into my field of vision.

It seems they had been waiting for me to calm down.

"A, ah. ...Sorry."

I took the offered towel and pressed it to my face with both hands.

I had broken out in a heavy sweat.

My head felt heavy.

Perhaps because I had been woken up in the middle of my sleep, I had the illusion that part of my brain had been left behind in the nightmare.

A nightmare.

A dream of swimming in the depths of darkness.

My whole body shuddered.

Was it from the cold, or was it due to some other factor?

"You've broken out in quite a sweat. It must be uncomfortable. Why don't you wipe your body down?"

Interpreting my shivering as a sign of cold, a caring suggestion came from beside me.

"Take off all your clothes. I'll wash them for you."

"Aah. Let's do that."

Like a child, I nodded obediently.

Perhaps it was because of the nightmare.

The fact that someone was worried about me felt incredibly reassuring.

I might even laugh at how childish it made me feel.

But it also meant that I had regained enough composure to laugh.

So... so.

"Hm?"

Finally feeling a bit more at ease, I suddenly felt a sense of wrongness in the towel fabric.

In other words, it was the belated question, "Who have I been talking to all this time?"

"What's wrong, Master?"

It was an unfamiliar voice.

An unfamiliar, polite tone.

Lily would be more casual, and Kato-san wouldn't call me "Master."

Besides, Lily had gone out to gather food, and Kato-san, who had little stamina, often dozed off in the cave after going outside.

So, there shouldn't be anyone to talk to me.

Well, there is one more companion in this cave.

But she shouldn't be able to speak.

She shouldn't.

She shouldn't, but...

I lifted my face from the towel.

"Is something wrong, Master?"

Rose... was talking.

"Rose...?"

"Yes. I am Rose. Master named me so."

It took about ten seconds to accept the reality.

After all, could one remain calm in such a situation?

"Rose. Is it really you talking?"

"Yes. I have finally been able to speak with Master. I am honored."

It didn't seem to be a mistake.

For a moment, I even wondered if it was ventriloquism.

But it clearly wasn't a prank, and given Rose's character, I couldn't imagine her helping with such a prank.

"I never thought you could actually speak."

Even after accepting the reality, it was hard to believe.

I do remember talking about it before.

"To be able to speak so easily..."

It must have been quite difficult.

...Or maybe not?

Thinking about it, Lily was able to speak immediately after taking on a human form.

I know Rose has a certain level of intelligence, as she follows my instructions properly. I also know she understands the language I use.

In other words, the reason my subordinates can't speak isn't a lack of intelligence, but a lack of vocal functions.

If she could use her abilities as a monster to create vibrations in the air, she could have conversed with me at any time.

And Rose's ability, as we know, is the creation of magical items.

Moreover, I have seen her make her own arm before.

Given what I know, the answer was clear.

"Did you change your body?"

"You are correct."

I had noticed she was making something recently.

I thought she was mass-producing spare parts for her limbs, but it seems she was developing a vocal organ.

It probably isn't like a human's, though. Rose's face is still a smooth, egg-shaped sphere with no mouth-like organ.

Looking closely, her throat seemed a bit thicker. That's probably where the vocal organ is embedded.

"I never thought you could actually speak. I can't think of a better way to praise you... but it's amazing."

"It's nothing much."

Rose's voice matched the name I gave her.

Her slightly low, feminine tone suited her perfectly.

It was soothing to listen to.

"Even if you did change your body, it's nothing compared to Lily. I'm rather embarrassed."

"I don't think so."

My words were sincere, but Rose shook her head.

It seems she has a low self-evaluation.

Also, I casually discovered that Rose refers to Lily as "sister."

Lily did become a subordinate first, so it's not incorrect.

But it feels a bit off.

Well, I guess I'll get used to it eventually.

"Master."

While I was lost in thought, Rose called out to me.

"What is it?"

"Please change your clothes. While you're at it, why don't you clean yourself? I've asked Lily to prepare some water for you."

"Aah. Right."

The impact of Rose speaking had made me forget.

At her urging, I took off my sweat-soaked clothes.

"I have prepared a change of clothes for you."

"You're always so prepared."

"I am honored."

"It's refreshing to get a response here."

The bucket filled with water was something Rose had made herself using sticks and vines.

I really owe a lot to Rose. It's really hard to repay her.

I wet the towel with water and scrubbed my body to remove the grime, then poured the remaining water over my head to wash my hair.

I felt much better.

Unfortunately, I can't expect the same level of freshness as when I took a bath before coming to this world.

I sometimes miss soap and shampoo.

I can't ask Rose to make them because I don't know how to make them myself.

...Is it even possible?

Rose might be able to do it, which is a bit scary.

Maybe I'll ask her next time, just in case.

While thinking about this, I dried my body with the larger towel I had been given and put on the prepared tracksuit.

At almost the same time, Rose finished washing the school uniform I had been wearing and hung it on a clothesline near the entrance.

As I warmed my slightly chilled body by the campfire, Rose knelt beside me.

I could sense her concern.

I let out a wry smile.

"You seem to have something to say."

When I prompted her, Rose placed a hand on her chest and bowed.

"You are perceptive."

"What is it? Go ahead and say it."

"Is there something troubling you?"

"You're straightforward."

My wry smile deepened.

Rose bowed her head again.

"I apologize."

"No, it's not that I'm uncomfortable."

On the contrary, her straightforwardness felt endearing.

"Out of curiosity, why do you think that?"

"From what I know, this is the first time Master has been troubled by a nightmare. And it happened right after the incident with your former classmate, so it seems natural to suspect a connection."

"You have a point."

I'm surprisingly simple-minded.

I can't really laugh at Kaga for that.

"May I ask a more personal question?"

"Yes. I have no intention of hiding anything from you."

I smiled at Rose's thoroughness and gave my permission.

Rose asked in a very serious tone.

"Do you regret what you did to your former classmate?"

"No, I don't."

I answered firmly to Rose's straightforward question.

I don't regret it.

I have Lily and Rose.

I have promised to protect Kato-san.

I couldn't bring someone so easily tempted into my inner circle.

"Besides, he was the one who tried to kill me first. I'm not that naive to let that slide."

I'm not a saint.

I'm just a seventeen-year-old student.

I can't perform such acts of kindness, and to be honest, I think they are foolish.

Moreover, if that man had survived this predicament, his foolishness might have created more victims like Mizuho and Kato-san.

In that sense, what I did might even be considered a good deed.

...That might be a bit of self-justification.

But it is a fact that there is some truth to it.

"Then, what is troubling you, Master?"

It seems Rose thought I was regretting killing Kaga.

"Troubling... it's not that big of a deal."

Rose is always so dramatic.

But it shows how seriously she thinks about me, and I find her concern a bit ticklish.

"Do you want to know?"

"As long as it doesn't make you uncomfortable."

"Then, listen."

I want her to know, since she thinks about me so seriously.

"I can't trust humans. I can't trust anyone, no matter who they are. I am aware that my humanity is twisted, and I think that's fine. At least, as long as I am like this, I won't be deceived. Not being deceived means I won't put my companions in unnecessary danger."

"You are admirable, Master."

"Maybe not. In this case, I