“Wake up, sleepyhead~.” Whispering in her ears I tickled her neck.
[ “Ah~. No. Five minutes. Kyu~! N-no, yes, right there. Hmmm~. Wow~! …hm? Oi! Don’t stop… do me more!” ]
She liked these tickles, and I enjoyed teasing her.
[[ Fern makes weird noises~! ]] Celes chuckled as she set on my head.
“No five minutes. Everyone is waiting! Let’s go~!” With a wide smirk on my face, I lifted this big squirrel.
All things considered, she was heavy. A heavy, chubby, pure white squirrel.
[ “Three minutes?” ] She asked with innocent, sparkling eyes.
“I can but, don’t you want to eat those burgers you craved so much?” My smirk deepened as I said that.
And, as expected, her eyes widened in surprise, like she just remembered what I was saying.
She jumped and ran forward, towards the center where everything was set up.
[[ Hehehe… ]]
Celes laughed, and I shook my head.
These small moments of life were something I wished I can record.
Well, technically, I am recording all of these as I can’t forget them even if I wanted to.
Sometimes, remembering everything is a curse.
But, it was also a blessing, so I wasn’t complaining.
“Oi! Wait for me!” Shouting loudly, I ran behind her.
***
I made Brown buns with wheat-like plants that grew on the lakeside plains, and meat that was gathered from different beasts.
Milk from the cow-like creature I did not know about.
Tomato sauce, many fruits, juices, stakes, and many raw dishes.
The two Ents served everything, and the decorations around were amazing.
It was so good that it didn’t seem like beasts had decorated these for beasts.
We gathered around this center, everyone was looking at us.
Fern, Gaar, Perry, Ailji, and I were standing there with Celes on my head.
It was late at night, and things were ready to start.
This, right now, was something like a speech from the chief guest, which was, without a doubt, my poor self.
“Well, there isn’t much to talk about, everyone,” I said in a bit hesitant voice.
Gaar was translating my words, but I could feel it.
They were disappointed, but I wasn’t finished.
“Oh, beasts of this great forest and family of my dear friend.” I addressed them in a loud voice.
Their eyes grew up as they heard me say something like that.
But Fern’s expression was a bit angry.
“I know, I know that you’re all grateful to me for saving your mother like a master that you follow with all your might.
I know she said I, too, am part of this great family, and I don’t deny it.” Hearing that, her expression softened a bit.
“But I don’t have the bond you all have with her. Yes, I have a special bond with her as her friend, but that doesn’t make me part of your family.”
A bit disappointed sigh escaped her chubby mouth as she heard that.
“But I’m thankful for each one of you.
To show me such a great side of this hell-like forest and to let me have such a great person as my first friend.
She’s amazing in many ways and she is an outstanding leader.
She cherishes you all with all her heart so… I would like to selfishly ask you all to protect her.
I would be thankful for all of you.”
With that, I took a step back and got on my knees before the tearful squirrel that was barely holding her tears.
Brushing them with a gentle touch, I smiled at her warmly.
Behind me, a blast of beast cheers rang and made me sigh, as I had no words for this.
[ “O-ok everyone~! Kyu, let’s start eating~!” ] She shouted happily, her voice cracking in tears.
“Everyone~. Let’s go~!” I cheered as I looked at the team I set up just for serving everyone.
They were ants, beasts that had some of the best teamwork among beasts here. 𝒷𝓭ℴ𝓋𝓵.𝒸ℴ𝓶
The dinner started, and every beast took their plates and special dishes that were made especially for them.
It was tiring, but I had many herbs to recover from small fatigue like that.
Most of all, I was best when it came to instructions and teamwork in large things like these.
Everyone followed their tasks and everything worked out very well this time.
These might have been some of the happiest moments of my life… only if my heart wasn’t on a run like this.
It was sudden and unexpected.
It made me flinch when I was handing a large plate to them.
I looked back towards the exit of this place.
And… I wasn’t the only one feeling this sudden surge of danger.
Three elders, some beasts with higher scenes, and Fern looked outside.
[ “Just when I wanted to eat this in peace!” ]
She shouted and put her small plate down.
Looking at me with an apologetic expression, she opened her mouth just to get cut down in mid-sentences by me.
“No. It’s ok.” Petting her head, I started walking outside with everyone else.
***
In the quiet night of the great forest, with the blue moon shining down upon the creatures present.
On this bright night, a chilly breeze passed through the area.
On a small hill just outside the area of three trees, an eerie figure sitting on horseback glanced down at us.
The horse was armored, and it… wasn’t alive.
A skeleton was sitting on the skeleton horse’s back and it was holding its skull in his hand.
A bright green flame was burning on the skull as well as the horse’s legs.
A long sword that was made from a spiral cord was hanging around its waist.
It was a higher undead.
[Dullahan]
A higher undead knight that… was a bit different?
Though I had read about them and there were detailed descriptions of their appearance and skills, this wasn’t the same.
The feeling that I was getting from him was almost as if… it was a demon.
It was my first time seeing a higher undead that was almost <Blue> ranked creatures but this felt unpleasant.
I didn’t even want to see his face for a bit longer and it was an unexpected reaction for me.
But, controlling that disgust, I looked at it with my [Mystic Eyes].
A sticky, black hue was covering its body, and now I was certain what this was.
‘Appraisal.’