Chapter 98

As Melissa was about to take her first step, Roro suddenly shouted and pointed at the ceiling.

“Can’t you see that? This is a cave!”

“Yes, I think we should explore. We need to find the exit.”

“Are you not scared?!”

Roro flung her arms out and shouted.

“This isn’t Eisenhart Castle! We’ve fallen into a completely weird place because of you—!”

Ah.

Roro quickly covered her mouth and rolled her eyes.

“Wh-what I just said…”

“That’s right. Sorry. I shouldn’t have followed a stranger, and now this happened. But it’s very kind of you to come after me. Roro, you’re really thoughtful.”

“I-I am!”

No.

Roro swallowed the words that were rising in her throat.

That’s not it. I’m using you. To make you owe me. So you won’t be able to abandon me.

So I can stay in a warm place with full meals.

But…

‘Damn it.’

She couldn’t say that.

The words she swallowed scratched down her throat and settled in her stomach.

Her trembling gaze fell downward as her eyes twisted, trying to hide her thoughts.

‘I’m so full, aren’t I?’

She couldn’t even burden anyone with more debts, and now she was trying to trap myself.

Her tightly pressed lips slowly curled into a crooked smile.

The narrowed gaze moved around, watching Melissa sniffing the air or looking around like a dog.

Her eyes glowed with poison and desperation as she stared relentlessly at the orange-haired woman.

‘That person is my lifeline.’

So I need to make her owe me more. A bigger debt.

So she can’t leave me.

Therefore…

“Hm, this is strange.”

Melissa, who was licking her finger to gauge the wind direction, tilted her head.

“I can’t feel the wind. This might be a deeper cave than I thought. Still, something’s off. Even in a cave, there should be convection due to temperature differences.”

“Of course, I’ve been saying this is weird since the start!”

Roro braced herself and pointed in all directions.

“And this place… there are way too many dragonflies… spirits, even. And they seem happy! Maybe this is a place humans aren’t supposed to be!”

“Well, if that’s the case, then even more reason to find the exit quickly.”

Melissa nodded firmly.

“If you’re worried, don’t be. I’ve explored a lot of forests and caves. Don’t worry.”

“Don’t worry?!”

Roro yelled, and Melissa turned wide-eyed, asking back.

“But if we stay here, we’ll never find the exit, will we?”

“…Well, that’s true.”

Roro rolled her eyes and was suddenly startled when she felt a hand grab hers.

Melissa crouched down and smiled, meeting Roro’s eyes.

“Don’t worry. Even if something happens, I’ll protect you.”

“Protect me? Who-”

“Here we go, let’s go!”

Melissa stood up energetically and pulled Roro’s hand.

The gentle tug made Roro get up instinctively.

Step by step, step by step.

Melissa swung her arms, walking briskly.

‘What is she even?’

Roro looked up in disbelief.

Melissa was looking around busily while walking with determination.

She was scanning the cave’s terrain and looking for pathways, paying attention to the direction of the wind and smells.

Her eyes moved non-stop, her feet pausing for a moment, and her head turning to survey the surroundings, as if she had done this all her life.

‘What the heck?’

Roro stared blankly at Melissa in confusion.

Why does she act like it’s completely natural?

And…

‘She seems oddly excited, doesn’t she?’

Seeing that, Roro felt a strange anger bubble up.

Why is she so fearless?

Why is she taking me along like it’s totally normal?

Isn’t she angry about what I said?

‘…Really.’

She’s such a strange person.

Roro clenched her lips and looked down.

But what was even stranger was that as she walked beside this strange person, her previously slouched shoulders straightened and strength came back to her legs.

‘This is really weird.’

Roro’s eyes rolled as she glanced sideways.

Her hands were rough, with calluses and dirt that wouldn’t come off no matter how many times she washed them.

But here, a hand was holding hers without hesitation.

For the first time, a firm hand was holding hers…

An adult’s hand.

Roro’s eyes widened slightly.

The sparkling green eyes of the orange-haired woman were scanning the surroundings, constantly looking for the way out.

The image was imprinted in her cornea.

I see now.

Roro couldn’t help but feel her stiffened shoulders loosen.

So, she’s really treating this like an ‘exploration.’

…Even so.

‘She must be scared.’

Taking a step into an unknown place is frightening.

The paths from city to city, or from the mountains to villages, are always unfamiliar and dangerous.

You never know what’s ahead, what will happen there, where to find food or where to sleep, and it’s overwhelming and scary.

Everything new is scary because you don’t know if the path is the right one, and you walk forward with tears in your eyes, eating your courage.

But she…

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Huh?”

At her casual words, Roro stiffened. What a stupid thing to say. She quickly shook her head.

“Oh, it’s nothing…!”

“I am scared.”

“…Huh?”

Roro’s mouth dropped open at the unexpected reply.

Melissa continued to glance around and spoke quietly.

“Still, I can’t just stop here.”

Her lips, which had been shut tightly, curled into a faint smile.

“I have to return. There’s somewhere I need to go back to.”

“Eisenhart Castle?”

“No.”

Melissa, who had been smiling lightly, spoke in a calm tone.

“To my hometown.”

To go back to her hometown? Not the castle?

Roro’s eyes widened.

Then, Melissa suddenly opened her eyes wide and pointed in the distance.

“Ah! There’s another path over there!”

The adult’s hand pulled Roro’s hand.

The gentle pull made Roro’s legs move automatically.

I see.

Roro held the hand a little tighter and murmured to herself.

I’m not sure what she means by going back to her hometown, but we can get out of here.

If I follow her, someday.

* * *

“I can’t go!”

Roro shouted loudly and threw herself down on the floor.

“I can’t go anymore. I’m done. I can’t walk any further. We’re going to die here, lost forever!”

Ugh—

As Roro flailed, Melissa looked down at her seriously.

“This is really strange. I’ve never seen a place like this.”

Melissa thought back to every forest, cliff, cave, and pit she had encountered.

After about two hours of searching, there was nothing here.

Literally, nothing.

No wild animals or plants, not even insects. There was nothing, almost like a vacuum.

‘Could this be a place where life can’t survive?’

There didn’t seem to be any magic or traps either…

Hmm.

Melissa furrowed her brow, while Roro flailed on the floor, throwing a tantrum.

“We’re going to die, starving and miserable. I don’t want to! I’m already so hungry I could die!”

“Oh, I see. You’ve walked a lot.”

Melissa rummaged through her pockets and pulled out some hard biscuits.

“Would you like some?”

“…?”

Why are you carrying that?

Roro, amazed, sneered.

“Are you trying to choke me? I’m thirsty too.”

“Here.”

Melissa pulled out a small water bottle from another pocket.

She then gave a small apologetic smile.

“We can’t find water here, so let’s drink sparingly.”

“…Hah.”

Roro gave a hollow laugh.

What are you carrying in those pockets?

Roro took the biscuits and the water bottle, still grumbling.

“Are you carrying the whole universe in your pockets?”