The wolf, Baduki, applied ointment to Rena’s body.
Rena had learned what it was while living together.
How to apply it to the body was something observed while treating the female knight.
It was simply a matter of following the process.
Baduki used its footpads to evenly spread the ointment that was viscously dripping, smearing it all over.
One might wonder how an animal could act so human-like, but for Baduki, this was not a difficult task.
Thanks to Rena’s habit of assigning tasks with the excuse of “earn your keep,” it proved helpful.
Baduki meticulously proceeded with the work, even removing Rena’s clothes.
Only after completing all the first aid could there be a sigh of relief.
Seeing her injured so severely was something unfamiliar.
Still, with a master as monstrous as hers, she would likely shake it off and rise soon.
Anyway, what remained was best left to the heavens.
After calming down, the attention returned to the wounded female knight.
Why was this human groaning and wasting stamina instead of lying still to recover?
Did she hit her head when fighting the Lizardman?
That seemed like a plausible guess.
The wriggling movements resembled that of a bug; otherwise, it would have been strange.
Baduki looked disdainfully at the female knight.
The knight was bewildered, to say the least.
After all, how could a monster use tools and hands like a human, and why would its actions seem like it was treating the girl?
Impossible to comprehend in her world of understanding.
If this were some preparation to fatten her up before eating her, the ointment seemed too effective.
The knight had personally experienced its efficacy.
Indeed, the knight realized this was an actual act of care, which only added to the confusion.
“Is it… trying to fatten her up before eating her?”
Her inner thoughts slipped out in her bewilderment.
If this wolf were fattening the girl up like some livestock to eventually eat her…
Could that be possible?
Monsters were short-sighted creatures driven by instinct.
There were plenty of prey in the Great Forest, so why would it bother?
The more the knight thought about it, the more it felt like sinking into a quagmire.
…Stop overthinking it.
The knight shook her head, dislodging the stray thoughts branching out.
Perhaps it was because her body hadn’t fully recovered, but her head ached as if echoing.
The wolf’s disdainful gaze somehow stung deep.
Still, thanks to that, her thoughts cleared up.
Thinking was the job of mages and clerks.
Knights moved forward resolutely, that’s all.
The knight approached the girl and the wolf.
Grrrr!
The wolf growled threateningly.
However, the knight was surprisingly resilient.
After all, she had already crossed the threshold between life and death once.
Compared to that, this hardly felt like a mortal danger.
Perhaps this was a form of growth.
Approaching the girl closely, the knight checked her condition visually.
It was a serious wound.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem life-threatening.
With the efficacy of this ointment, the knight figured the girl would recover enough to open her eyes within a week.
Indeed, the monster had clearly tried to save the girl.
While accepting this fact, whether or not it made sense, the knight remained vigilant.
“I don’t know what your intention is, monster, but I’ll be watching you closely to ensure there’s no funny business.”
The knight glared intensely.
She intended to keep watch so the girl could awaken safely, and the wolf wouldn’t change its mind mid-process.
What’s all this?
Has she really hit her head?
Though the wolf seemed to look down on her disdainfully, the knight stood firm.
In such an awkward atmosphere,
Rena was snoozing peacefully, softly snoring.
“It looks like it’s starting to shape up.”
At the entrance where dozens of paths diverged, Rena couldn’t hide her sense of accomplishment.
One path was permanently sparkling, while constellations in the sky illuminated Rena.
This place, which had once been dark and dim, was now filled and decorated by her efforts, bringing immense satisfaction.
Objectively speaking, it was still amateurish, but that was something to improve with consistent level-ups.
After all, even a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step.
Rena enjoyed the present moment.
“Hmm, but which one should I choose this time?”
The happiness on Rena’s face was overshadowed by a cloud.
This decision was truly troubling.
The fate of the wild had reached its conclusion.
It was time for a new beginning.
She recalled her first visit to this place.
Though it felt like ancient history, the memory was vivid.
Back then, she had quickly made her decision without much deliberation.
She knew exactly what she immediately needed and thus didn’t hesitate.
What does she need now?
Nothing came to mind immediately.
Thanks to the fate of the wild, Rena had perfectly adapted to the life in the Great Forest.
Frankly, if someone told her she could live there for the rest of her life, she had the confidence she wouldn’t lack anything.
Warm at her back, full at her belly—it made her naturally lethargic.
Rena realized she was, after all, just a normal human being.
“I don’t know.”
She sat down and pondered deeply, but to no avail.
And that’s when her decision was made.
“If I don’t know, I’ll just choose what feels right.”
Just like before, she didn’t like overanalyzing.
In the scenario where choosing one made her regretful of the other, it was better to just follow her heart and avoid regrets altogether.
Rena stepped forward with determination.
Right after setting her direction, she felt a sense of relief.
It was like when she chose the fate of the wild.
As she took the first step on the path, all the surrounding scenery began to blur.
In the distance, only the steadfast shape of a knight with a sword planted on the ground remained, cloak billowing.
“The player has awakened the fate of the knight!”
The fate of the knight awaited Rena.
Rena awoke.
Out of habit, it was always this time that she woke up.
The hour marking the boundary between dawn and morning.
The first light of dawn shining through the gaps of the broken roof was beautiful.
That was the Great Forest.
If you could forget that it was a monster’s den, it was a natural paradise untouched by human hands.
The stars were clear at night, and the scenery was breathtaking wherever you went during the day.
One of the things she liked about living in the Great Forest.
Almost her whole life had been spent in the dense jungle of concrete.
Even someone with an underdeveloped artistic sense couldn’t help but marvel at the lush greenery and seasonal colors.
“Yawn.”
But even that wonder only lasted a day or two.
At most, a month?
Rena was a resident of the Great Forest.
It was akin to a local being tired of their town’s tourist attractions.
“Ugh.”
Rena tried to shake off the sleepiness with a stretch, but her body wouldn’t move as well as she hoped.
Looking down, she noticed ointment thoroughly spread across her entire body.
“Phht.”
Rena lightly tore it off with force.
It was great, but the ointment hardened after application, making it uncomfortable.
She missed the modern ointments that absorbed easily.
Or adhesive bandages that peeled off easily.
Suddenly, she felt resentment toward her status window.
Why does it have to be so inconsistent?
My cheat ability, spreading modern culture in a fantasy world and easily dominating…
Just as she mentally complained about the status window, Rena checked her body.
“The enhanced recovery from the fate of the wild (awakened) is in effect in the bosom of nature!”
“The grace of nature is strengthening your vitality!”
Apart from a little fatigue, she was nearly back to normal.
Her limbs moved fine, no muscle damage, and the bleeding had stopped.
What remained were superficial wounds and scars, but they would likely heal without scarring within a few days due to the ointment.
There’s truth in old sayings.
Sleeping is the best when you’re sick.
Recovering was faster than usual, but that was expected after the body transference.
It was common knowledge that physical abilities increased after a transmigration, so there was no cause for surprise.
Behind her, Baduki was curled up asleep.
Ah, that explains the warmth on my back.
I fell asleep on Baduki’s back after defeating the python.
It seems it brought me back here safely.
This was the old place, not the current home.
Baduki must have applied the ointment, bringing me here for that reason.
There were leftovers from when it created ointment for the knight.
Ah, the knight. Is she okay now?
Rena shifted her gaze forward.
“?”
She distinctly remembered leaving the knight peacefully on her bed before going out.
Instead, the knight was curled up on the floor, resembling a cocoon.
The sword, which was originally upright, lay on the floor, and the room was in chaos.
It wasn’t likely Baduki intentionally caused the mess, so perhaps she has restless sleep?
Contrary to her stern presence and demeanor, her sleeping habits were quite the opposite.
Rena decided not to comment on others’ sleeping habits.
Anyone could have restless sleep, after all.
It wasn’t like they were sleeping together anyway.
“Ho, she’s improving. That’s good.”
Through the opaque ointment, the knight’s skin appeared clean.
The medication seemed to be taking effect.
Her breathing was steady, and her complexion was rosier than before, giving the sense that she would soon awaken.
Even though she appeared fragile, she was a knight, so her body would be tough.
Compared to an ordinary person, her vitality would be more enduring.
Still, she needed more rest.
Rena quietly slipped out.
She intended to fetch some food.
As long as she was at it, she would bring out the inner elixir and the Lizardman tribe chief’s heart to ferment some snake liquor.
Since snake liquor took a while to ferment, she needed to start as soon as possible.
Why not visit the Orc tribe on the way back?
She had already completed the quest by killing the python.
Yeah, that would be best.
I might as well grab a drink to have upon return.
Drooling, Rena quickly set off.
*
When she returned after finishing all her tasks,
“This monster! In the end, you couldn’t resist the urge to eat a human!”
In front of Rena, the scene was of the knight shouting in anger and lunging, while Baduki was dodging effortlessly.
