[Part 2/4]
"Nope, but I'm thirsty."
"Water, or rather, hot water. Would you like some?"
Displaying to her is a spare bamboo tube. The spring water I poured inside it is from the safe zone, so it's a safe and uncontaminated source. Just to be sure, I heated it over the campfire and tested it on my own body. So far, there haven't been any stomachaches.
"...Drink."
After some hesitation, Loli Gorilla-sama agreed. I poured the lukewarm hot water into her mouth while being mindful not to make her cough, as if feeding a baby with a bottle. Watching her take those little sips and quench her thirst, I briefly thought of a calf nursing from its mother.
"Mm, mm!"
"Understood."
I released the bamboo tube from her lips in response to her gaze and signal. A few drops trickled from the corner of her mouth. Water droplets flowed from her neck down to her collarbone and were concealed by her damp kimono, reminiscent of a wet sponge.
"Don't look at me."
"I didn't mean it in a lewd way."
I try to explain to the princess who is looking at me condescendingly, but she just looked more displeased.
"Well then, who knows? I can't trust the words of someone who would humiliate me like that."
"I have no interest in chopping board."
"What!?"
This was a case of tit for tat. She is probably humiliated by my reply, her face flushed like a ripe apple, and she is trembling. The way she looked at me was filled with frustration, bitterness, and annoyance. In a way, it was childish.
"Now, here's another piece. Eat up; you won't become an adult if you don't eat well."
"Hey, what do you mean by that... Mmm!"
As she attempted to retort to my words, she was interrupted when I pushed another piece of pork jerky into her mouth. She wore a visibly discontented expression, but her mouth continued to accept it, as obedient as a baby bird receiving food from its mother. It was clear she had been quite hungry, even if she was trying to hide it.
"For now, we'll spend the night here. We can't move anyway."
I said it as a joke, but to be honest, I had a fever, my joints ached, I had a headache, and my consciousness was somewhat hazy. After feeding myself, applying some medicine, and resting, I hoped to recover my strength. Or else, I wouldn't be able to get through what lay ahead.
It wasn't just for my own sake. Loli Gorilla-sama must be tired as well. She needed rest too. We had a meeting to attend. Midnight was dangerous. At least until sunrise, leaving this safe area would be suicidal. Well, in other words, there was no choice. This wasn't a new conversation.
(There are plenty of concerns to worry about... but for now, the issue at hand is that guy, Hisame.)
Despite this place being our predetermined meeting point, there was still no sign of her. It was unlikely she had left on her own, but...
(It's strange that she's arriving later than us, given how much we detoured...?)
Of course, there was a possibility she was delayed due to getting involved in some trouble on her end. There was still hope that she would arrive eventually... but navigating this death-filled forest at night, when youkai became more aggressive, was a burden too heavy for a rookie servant.
(That's why I told her not to follow me... Ah, damn. Don't jump to conclusions. It's not over yet, you idiot!)
Unconsciously, I realized that I had already considered Hisame to be dead. In the first place, she had helped me by coming along, so I had no right to complain. If I had a right to complain, it was probably my own powerlessness.
...It was my own incompetence that caused me to make the same mistakes over and over again.
"..."
"...Is something wrong? It feels like a gloomy atmosphere here."
Loli Gorilla-sama asked me, breaking the silence. In response, I chuckled. It was self-deprecating.
"No, it's just that reflecting on things and self-examination are important, you know."
"Huh?"
"Do you want some dried potatoes?"
What am I saying? I distractedly held out a giant dried potato in front of Loli Gorilla-sama, who wore a perplexed expression. It was still a bit waterlogged, but it was a rare treat to find such a thick slice, at least in terms of a servant's standards.
"...I can't finish all of that. You should cut it in half."
"What a waste."
Both meat and fish taste better when they're thick-cut... but I had no choice but to tear it in half and feed it to her. I wrapped the other half in cloth and put it back in my hip pouch.
"You're not eating that, huh?"
"It's for Princess tomorrow. For me... this is enough."
I pour some dried rice (not just old rice) from a crude hemp bag into a bowl. I add a Hyōrōgan (ninja diet) and pour hot water over it. It takes about thirty minutes to soften.
"This is worse than Nekomanma (cat food)."
"Isn't it because we don't have bonito flakes?"
"Huh? Oh, I see, regional differences."
"?"
It seemed that the perception of Nekomanma varied even in this world, following the Kanto-Kansai divide. Or maybe Loli Gorilla-sama knew about Nekomanma.
"I used to have cats. I ordered the maids to feed them leftovers. One day, they ate something poisonous and died."
Even though she spoke about it lightly, it didn't seem like a casual topic. Perhaps it was self-deprecation, possibly connected to our current situation...
"Really, I was too naive. Poison, well, it's not like this is the first time... I was careless. Just learning a little bit of knowledge won't help you outwit those who are experts at it."
And then Loli Gorilla-sama opened her mouth. In response, I tore the dried potato like cheese along its fibrous structure and fed it to her. After chewing in silence for a while and swallowing with a gulp, Princess shared her thoughts.
"It's not very sweet."
"It's the taste of the ingredients as they are."
"This is a terrible dinner. The worst I've ever had. Can you really work with this?"
"Well, then, please suggest improvements to the conditions. Even if you apply for a budget, it won't be approved."
Most likely, she hadn't looked at those applications, but in nine out of ten cases, they were returned with a stamp of denial due to budget constraints. Some consumables were even bought from our own pockets. Employee benefits...
"...I'll think about it. I don't want meals like this again."
"..."
This time, it was me who fell silent in response to Loli Gorilla-sama's reply. Not just because of her pessimistic statement, but more so because of the implications behind it.
(Another one, huh...)
In other words, she herself didn't believe that this situation would be resolved even if we got through this. Moreover, she seemed to imply that another conspiracy might be lurking... This wasn't like the arrogant and insolent original Gorilla-sama at all.
At this stage, I couldn't confidently say whether this was growth, a change to be celebrated, or not.
"A bit early, but..."
I pour the nekomanma (Kansai-style) concocted with Hyōrōgan and dried rice into my mouth. It's still as spicy, bitter, sour, and sweet as ever. I grind my teeth and chew on the tough rice...
"Ugh, terrible."
I mutter with a small, wry smile. I didn't even know what I was mocking, even though I forced myself to finish the remaining, terrible-tasting nekomanma imitation. I just wanted to finish eating and go to sleep.
I wanted to fall asleep quickly, to escape from this unpleasant feeling, even if it was temporary...
After finishing the meal, providing medical attention, and covering Loli Gorilla-sama with a thin cloth she had been using as an additional blanket to keep her from catching a cold, I throw a few more pieces of firewood to ensure that the fire doesn't go out before going to sleep.
Or rather, to be precise, I tried to let the effects of the medicine disguise the pain, and finally, as my consciousness began to blur, a scream echoed.
"No, noooo!!!??"
"!?"
I wake up to Princess's scream. I force my throbbing head to turn, immediately holding a kunai, surveying the area for any threats. But... there's no sign of anything?
"No, nooo!! This can't be, this can't be true!!?"
"Princess...?"
Understanding that there were no threats around, I rush to Loli Gorilla-sama, who is leaning against a tree. She's writhing in agony, screaming like a caterpillar, even though she hasn't moved from her position. It's not like I have such preferences. It's because I was educated as part of the servant group.
"There doesn't seem to be anything unusual."
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