kscans

Chapter 12 - The Girl in the Tower and the Teleportation Ring

"If you haven’t eaten in days... there are things to do before a test cut." Leonhard sighed deeply.

Come to think of it, when he first arrived, she was covered in soot.

At her feet were the remains of a bonfire.

Was that... the aftermath of a failed attempt at cooking?

Cooking vegetables from a kit that would be ready for harvest the next day! Most people wouldn't even think of that. If she hadn't eaten for days since the interrogation, it was more than just hunger, it was life-threatening.

"Securing food comes first... let’s head back for now."

Mireille had said, "If you just teach me how to set up camp, I’ll do the rest, so please don’t get involved with me." But she was being naive.

This world wasn't kind enough to let someone survive in a monster-infested forest with just a little instruction.

The teleportation ring worked by taking you from where you put it on to "here," and from "here" back to where you put it on. Moreover, it didn't scatter light like teleportation magic, so there was no worry of being seen from the outside.

To be able to perform teleportation, a skill that required advanced techniques even for mages from the Mage Order, with just this small ring, it was indeed a valuable item.

However, if he was going to use it, it had to be in a locked room.

"I’ll go get something you can eat right away."

He removed the ring, his vision shifted, and he was back in his own room.

As Mireille said, if he pretended to know nothing, his peaceful life would likely continue. But... he couldn't just abandon a girl who was trying so hard to live.

She had been so hungry that her eyes lit up at the sight of a dead monster bird. The memory of her desperate face made his chest ache.

A few loaves of bread, canned food, jarred food, drinks, and light snacks... a little seasoning too.

Alcohol... was probably too soon for her.

He wanted to go shopping, but time had passed there as well as here.

There was a limit to what he could do before sunset.

Simple tools, and some of my clothes and towels as well.

Her clothes were already in tatters from the torture.

He picked up the food and luggage, and put the ring back on.

And back to the same place as this morning.

"...This is an amazing ring."

The moment he returned, what jumped into his vision was Mireille, happily dismembering a monster bird.

The iridescent feathers were neatly bundled, and the magic core had been removed. Her small hands moved with surprising skill.

"I’m back."

"Oh, you really came back? Thank you so much!"

She turned around and... she was covered in bird blood. He involuntarily sucked in a breath.

Supreme Commander, I’m sorry.

This marriage proposal with this girl is absulutely—

"If I start a fire, I can cook and eat it. I’ve taken out the magic core, so it’s safe. ...See, it’s fine, right?"

Mireille smiled brightly. There was blood on her lips and cheeks, but her smile was strangely cute.

...He took it back. Marriage proposal aside, this girl was a good person.

"A child doesn’t need to be so considerate. First, eat the things that don't need cooking. ...And wash up before it gets dark. Take the Monster-Repelling Bell with you. The clothes are mine, which I'm sorry about, but I'll buy you new ones."

The moment he opened the package, Mireille’s stomach rumbled, guuuu...

"S, sorry... I’ll take you up on your offer."

She turned red to her ears and bowed her head deeply.

Her gesture was somehow endearing and made him want to protect her.

Mireille clutched the bell and trotted off toward the water. Her hair swayed gently behind her.

The water was right nearby, and if he wasn't careful, she would be in his line of sight. Leonhard hastily turned his back.

"...Guess I’ll check inside the tower."

1st floor: Vegetable seeds and farm tools. Arranged so one could work directly in the fields outside.

"A hideout with a field... well prepared."

2nd floor: Living space. A wall-to-wall bookshelf dominated the room, but a closer look revealed a small kitchen hidden behind it.

"Proper cooking seems impossible, but I can at least boil water."

The stove was magic stone powered, with several fire magic stones. This would last a month. He wanted to avoid bonfires on rainy days or at night, so this facility was a blessing.

3rd floor: Workspace. Neatly arranged specialized books, and unfamiliar tools and materials.

"...The contrast with the clutter on the 2nd floor is amazing."

Was it his master's personality? They were neatly stored. It might be that they were dangerous if not handled properly....

4th floor: Storage. He hadn't checked inside yet, but old wooden boxes were stacked up.

5th floor: The top floor he had seen with Mireille earlier. There was no room. From the outside, it had only looked like a three-story building.

"...Strange. What kind of construction is this?"

This tower was not a hastily built hideout. It was probably a renovation of an existing building, but why was there a house in a place like this in the first place?

He looked out over the forest. What was hidden in the depths of the Tree Sea?

The possibility that the supreme commander and the others were here... wasn't zero.

Leonhard pushed the rising anxiety deep into his chest and continued to gaze intently at the forest.