Chapter 22

It has been three days since Hanslick and the other six hid in the cave.

According to the plan, it was about time for Krent and the others to return with reinforcements.

However, being confined in a small space for three days had taken a toll on Hanslick and the others' mental state.

Michelle and Helena, with their extensive experience, showed little change from the first day.

Surprisingly, it was Solute who stood out.

Despite her sheltered upbringing in the church, she appeared to be the most resilient among the students.

"Well, well, they've lost all their energy."

"They can't help it at their age. I wouldn't want to be cooped up in a cave for days either."

Helena smiled wryly.

Even with her rich experience, these three days had not been short for the young Helena.

Moreover, she was responsible for the lives of six people, including Michelle. The pressure was immense.

(I don't want to think that feeling three days pass quickly is a sign of aging.)

Michelle sighed lightly and complained to herself.

"If only we had brought Reina along."

Helena picked up on this.

"Reina, you mean the spirit we heard about before?"

"Yeah, that's right. Well, technically, she's a spirit child, but that's what she says. She had a grandchild three months ago, so I left her to babysit."

"Excuse me..."

Solute interrupted Michelle and Helena's conversation.

"Sorry, but may I hear about this story too?"

"Story? You mean Reina?"

"Yes. I've never heard of a spirit child at the academy. I would love to learn more for my own knowledge."

"Sure, but I don't know much about spirit children either. The only one I know is Reina."

"What kind of being is Reina?"

Michelle, slightly taken aback by the unexpected interest, began to describe the spirit child named Reina.

"Hmm... about this big."

She gestured with her hands to show the size of a small pot.

"She looks like a silver-haired girl. She has bird-like wings on her back, but apart from that and her small size, she's not much different from a human."

"Do the wings mean she can fly?"

Helena asked with interest.

"Yeah, but not for long periods."

"That's impressive. I'd love to meet her. By the way, do they age?"

"I'm not sure. I've known her for over twenty years, and she hasn't changed in appearance. She says she doesn't know how long she's lived either."

"Perhaps she is a noble being descended from a goddess?"

Solute said with curiosity in her light pink eyes.

"I don't think so. She was very shy and introverted when I first met her, but now she's quite noisy. She flies around my head and makes a lot of noise. It's quite a nuisance."

"Then, what do you mean by bringing Reina along?"

Helena brought the conversation back to the beginning.

"I don't have any proof, but I feel like we encounter fewer beasts and monsters when Reina is with us."

"It's not just a coincidence, right? If you say so, Michelle."

"I guess not. I thought it was a coincidence at first, but after twenty years, it's hard to call it that. Especially when I compare myself to other traders. I encounter beasts much less frequently than those who follow the same trade routes. It's especially true when Reina is in a good mood and singing."

"Singing?"

Solute tilted her head, causing her cherry blossom-colored hair to sway.

"Yeah. She often sings when she's in a good mood, especially when she's holding her favorite apples. When she's singing, beasts tend to stay away."

"I see. So, if Reina were here, things would be different?"

"Exactly. But there's no point in talking about what isn't here."

Michelle joked to Helena.

As Michelle said, it was meaningless to speculate about what might have been with someone who wasn't there.

However, she knew from long experience that such meaningless chatter was effective in keeping their spirits up while confined in a small cave.

That's why she brought up a topic that would pique the curiosity of the students, but only Solute had the energy to join in.

(The other four seem to be in pretty bad shape.)

In Michelle's assessment, Hanslick and the other four were close to their limit.

They were barely maintaining their composure, but any delay in rescue or unexpected event could push them over the edge.

"I'll go check outside. If there's time, I'll replenish the water."

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Helena walked towards the cave entrance.

They had brought enough water when they first entered the cave, but it wouldn't last three days. They needed to secure more water and check the surroundings.

However, among the group, only Helena could safely navigate the dangerous forest.

She had the strength to fight and defeat a Lactor and the speed to escape if necessary, which is why she was left as a guard.

Helena, who usually took at least thirty minutes to check the surroundings and secure water, returned quickly that day, before even a minute had passed.

"Something's wrong."

Helena returned in a hurry and whispered in Michelle's ear.

"What happened?"

"It's a Whips. It's eating a Lactor outside the cave."

Michelle's face twisted instantly.

"Does it know we're here?"

"No, it seems to be focused on its meal for now..."

Helena's voice trailed off.

The fire at the cave entrance was meant to keep beasts away.

Creatures like the dual-sword beast and Lactor disliked the smell, so it was essential when camping in their territory.

However, the fire only worked on beasts. The Whips was a monster, not a beast.

Most monsters, except for a few with strong beast-like traits, were unaffected by the fire.

The fire wouldn't deter the Whips.

There was no guarantee that the Whips wouldn't enter the cave after finishing its meal.

"What if we fight it?"

"In a one-on-one fight, I might be able to survive, but it would be a close call."

Helena had the skill to defeat a Lactor, either by surprise or in a direct confrontation with some injuries.

But against a Whips, even she was at a disadvantage.

There was a chance to win if she could catch it off guard.

But if Helena were to die or be severely injured, it would mean the end for Michelle and the others.

With six lives in her hands, Helena couldn't take such a risky gamble.

"All we can do is hope it doesn't notice us."

Fortunately, the Whips had a poor sense of smell and relied on sight, like humans.

However, it still had sharper hearing than humans.

As long as they didn't make loud noises, it was unlikely to notice them, but Michelle couldn't predict how much sound would carry in the cave.

Normal conversation was probably fine, but shouting or screaming should be avoided.

"We should warn the others."

Helena nodded in agreement.

Especially Hanslick, who was in a very unstable mental state, needed to be warned.

If they didn't do anything foolish, the Whips, which usually slept in trees, would likely leave without entering the cave.

"Can you do it, Helena?"

"Sure, I'll explain it to them."

Helena agreed and approached the students.

As she explained the situation, the students' faces, which had been curious, turned pale.

(Well, it's tough for the students.)

Even though it was their own fault, being trapped in a cave for three days in the heart of a monster-infested area was not easy.

While Michelle couldn't sympathize with their situation, she understood the feelings of the young boys and girls.

Sighing inwardly, Michelle was about to look away when a voice raised in anger ruined the moment.

"Are you kidding me! You're the ones who forced us in here! Now you're saying it's dangerous!?"

Hanslick, the silver-haired boy, approached Helena with visible anger, almost ready to attack.

"That idiot!"

Michelle couldn't help but curse under her breath.

Hanslick's voice echoed in the cave.

All they could do was hope it didn't reach the Whips.

"Control your voice. Your shouting could attract the monster."

Helena spoke sternly, though in a low voice.

Solute and the other students hurried to calm Hanslick down.

But it was too late.

A clearly non-human sound came from the cave entrance.

"Foo, foo."

The faces of Michelle and Helena instantly lost all color.

"What a disaster..."

They knew that the sound reaching them was a harbinger of death.

2019/05/02 Misuse correction: 荒げる → 荒らげる

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2019/07/09 Typo correction: 快諾したミシェルが → 快諾したヘレナが

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2019/07/22 Typo correction: 彼女たちの元へ → 彼女たちのもとへ

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