Chapter 8: The Road Ahead
The flickering light of torches grew closer, and I could hear voices chatting away.
Who’s there?!
Instantly, all my drowsiness evaporated. I scrambled up like a wary cat, huddling behind some thick foliage, ears perked up to eavesdrop.
“…I really don’t know what Lady Yannis is thinking. Sending us out to Woodward Forest at this hour to find a fifteen-year-old little girl…”
cr*p, they’re looking for me!
Has the Commander lost his marbles, sending people into the woods at night? Why can’t they just let it go after all this?
I squinted, peeking cautiously as a squad of about seven or eight knights wandered closer to my hiding spot.
“Who knows? But I heard that Commander Nick and his crew were here fighting the Abyss during the day. Could it be related?”
“Don’t joke around! What can a fifteen-year-old girl possibly have to do with the Abyss? Weren’t we late to the party when we got here and it was all over?”
“Didn’t Lady Yannis say she’s an extremely dangerous little girl? We’re supposed to hold off and wait for backup if we even spot her, remember?”
“How dangerous can a little girl be? Don’t be ridiculous. I bet some noble’s mischievous daughter just got lost playing around.”
As the knights chatted away, they waved their torches around, inching closer to my position.
“…Could be. Hold on, I’ll take a quick leak. You guys hang tight.”
Suddenly, one knight stepped right under the tree where I was hiding, removed his helmet and leg armor, and unzipped for a quick nature call.
Ugh. I rolled my eyes but had a sudden panic—did I just toss my leftover fruit core down below?
If they find that, I’m toast!
“Stop yapping! What kind of little girl would come out here for fun? This is Woodward! The legendary Woodward Forest where the White Dragon is rumored to roam!”
“True enough… hey, but seriously, what’s going on? We’ve got not just us, but now even those seventh army jokers have joined the hunt. With the third army being the first on the scene, the Church has mobilized three whole legions! What kind of girl needs all that for a search party—some sin god?”
After finishing his business and feeling relieved, the knight slipped back into his leg armor.
“…Don’t make jokes about goddesses, Duke. You can take punishment when we get back.”
“Yeah, yeah, no need to act so serious, Captain; I was just letting my lips loose.”
“Keep your chin up and stop prying into Church higher-ups, just follow orders.”
The knights’ silhouettes gradually faded away, and I finally sighed in relief. Thank goodness they didn’t spot me.
Seriously, I don’t want to fight anyone anymore.
But from what the knights said, this search seems to have mobilized a serious amount of manpower, so I should tread lightly.
Commander Nick… that was the knight leader who chased me, right? I initially thought he’d be tough like the swordsman or an old coot, but in our encounter, he turned out to be quite ordinary. Sure, he had strength and speed, but he was just within human limits—not like that impossibly strong swordsman. He was just more experienced in battle.
He didn’t d*e after all? I thought for sure he was toast after our run-in… I wonder if he saw my face.
But who cares? That swordsman already knows what I look like.
He knows not just my face but also how my body looks like.
Thinking about that, a strange surge of annoyance bubbled up inside me.
Seriously, what’s wrong with me? It’s just seeing my bare skin; are men really that sensitive about it…? Did my body turn female, and now my thoughts are feminizing, too?
…….Forget it, forget it. The more I think, the more annoyed I get.
But the knights were talking about the White Dragon… does this world actually have dragons?
I couldn’t help but picture those glorious beasts flying through the sky, breathing fire, and felt a flutter of yearning inside.
Turning me into a dragon would be splendid! Why on earth do I have to be stuck like this…
Fine, I’ll find a chance to catch one as a mount.
So lost in my thoughts, I drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
…………
When I finally did wake up, the sun was high up in the sky.
I was roused by the heat.
Sitting up in a daze, I rubbed my eyes and listened for a moment. No signs of human presence around.
Those knights must’ve given up after searching all night.
I stretched lazily, picked some fruit to munch on, and then climbed down from the tree, wandering over to the stream. The clear water reflected my face, and I was finally seeing my reincarnated self for the first time.
No makeup; just a natural, fresh face, almost too exquisite to be real. My dark, clear eyes sparkled, and my long, black hair flowed like some precious silk. My mouth was small, and my eyes didn’t have that stereotypical beautiful almond shape, but the slightly drooping corners gave me a hint of melancholy that stirred up a protective urge in others. Although I looked somewhat youthful, there was a budding beauty about me that could topple nations.
I felt like I saw a trace of Little Xi in my reflection.
“‘Abyss language’ has always been with me, huh…”
I really wish I had your strength to face life with a smile.
Suddenly, I understood the hesitation the swordsman had back then. What guy could possibly go through with killing someone who looked like this? I was even a bit amazed by myself!
Fifteen or sixteen years old… tsk. If no one pointed it out, who would guess I’m a monster crawling out from the Abyss?
I clicked my tongue, feeling a mix of emotions.
The humid forest made me sweat, and it felt sticky and horrible.
Might as well take a bath!
I took off my cloak and folded it neatly to the side, then carefully untied the cloth wrapped around my waist. Just one night and my wounds were already beginning to scab over, and the bruise on my knee had faded from last night. This body’s recovery speed is astonishing!
I dipped my feet into the stream to test the water temperature, and once comfortable, I jumped in with a splash.
So cool and refreshing!
“Giggle.”
The water reached up to my waist, crisp and energizing. While cleaning myself off, I began humming a tune in a language no one here would understand, unable to recall the lyrics.
“…Those who repeat their mistakes always… only know the color of the blue sky… though the endless road seems to stretch on… these hands will surely embrace the light… hum hum hum, la la la la la…”
Once I forgot the lyrics, I just started humming randomly. Feeling that splashing water against my skin wasn’t enough, I finally settled down to sit in the stream.
The gentle current glided over my skin, making me close my eyes in comfort.
A new life has begun; how should I plan the rest?
Who knows?
Living like a little wildling in this forest doesn’t sound so bad. After all, there’s no Wi-Fi anywhere in this world.
But what if I get bored after a while?
I guess I’ll decide when the boredom hits. I can wander around, see what this world has to offer, then choose a town I like to settle down in, find work to get by.
I wonder if there’s an adventurer’s guild in this world. Being a tavern wench might be a good choice. Meeting all sorts of adventurers daily, having a beer and listening to their tales.
If someone runs into trouble, I could also join their team and help them through, earning my share of rewards. As long as I don’t use black smoke, nobody should be able to tell I’m a monster, right?
Well, as long as I don’t have kids, I can do whatever I want.
Let me cast aside those meaningless desires and pursuits of the past and live this one life fully as a monster.
