Shila had just emitted her warning towards whatever was inside the bushes. Rick had not noticed anyone was spying on them, but if there was anything there maybe they had been scared by Shila. Even Rick had been surprised as the sweet, kind Shila, who had rescued him and tended to his wounds, also had a menacing side to her, or at least it looked like it by the change in the tone of her voice.

“I won’t repeat myself one more time! Either you get out of there or I’ll attack you with my magic!” Shila yelled once more.

There was silence for a couple of seconds which urged Rick to ask, “Maybe… There’s nothing there and it’s just your imagination?”

“I cast [Vigilant Aura], I always do it while camping to be aware of any enemies or thieves. Something entered the activation range of my spell, I felt its presence.”

Shila was ready to cast a wind spell with the rune she was holding on her left hand, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” But before she did what was hiding in the bushes emerged, it was a Pochie, but not just any Pochie, it was Benttotopotzki, the Pochie whom Rick had met before.

“Could you tell your friend that I mean no harm? I was just attracted by the scent of food, but I get it, it’s your food… I don’t understand what she’s saying, but I think she was about to attack me, I’ll just leave and look for food elsewhere...” Benttotopotzki told Rick, who would act as his translator.

Shila was a bit confused, everything Benttotopotzki had said sounded like gibberish to her as if an animal had made some noises for a couple of seconds trying to communicate with them. [Well, it’s just a Pochie… He probably just wants some meat, I can spare that poor thing some food…] Shila didn’t see the weak Pochie as a threat, so she started lowering her hands.

Rick still translated what had been asked of him, “So, this little dude here says he won’t harm us… And he’s about to leave. Actually, I know him, he’s cool, he won’t do anything bad. He just wanted to eat something, do you think we could give him some food? I don’t think he will eat too much…”

“Yeah, obviously! I won’t harm this poor Pochie! Just look at it, so weak! He must be starving!”

Rick turned his head towards Benttotopotzki, “It’s cool, she won’t attack you, I told her we are friends, and you can eat with us.” As soon as Rick finished the sentence a message appeared in one of those magical screens which only Rick was able to see.

Benttotopotzki is really grateful for your kindness! He hasn’t eaten in a week, or at least that’s what he said! Anyways Benttotopotzki will get to eat some nice meal, thanks to you! And so…

Benttotopotzki has become your ally!

[Ally Rank: B+]

[Ally Rank B plus? What does that mean…]

[Basically, that means that Benttotopotzki considers you his ally, and the rank B+, well… Right now it doesn’t really matter, so don’t worry about that!] Chumina said telepathically.

Commemorating their friendship, Benttotopotzki smiled, as did Shila and Rick. But then Shila realized what just had happened, Rick had translated the pochie’s message and had communicated with it, “C-Can you understand what that thing just said?”.

“Yes, I do… I think… I don’t know how I understand it, but I do…”

“I had never seen anything like that! Maybe it’s a super-advanced spell! N-No, no way! If that were the case then a mere mauloo wouldn’t have been able to hurt you like that!” Shila said as she took Rick’s hands and started looking closely at them, “Your hands don’t seem like the hands of a strong mage! Or are you a summoner?!”

“I… Don’t think so… It’s weird to explain…”

The girl continued questioning Rick, what he had just done was something she had never witnessed, the ability to communicate with beasts had picked her curiosity. Sadly, Rick had no answers to any of her questions as even himself had no idea of how he was able to do that, [This must be one of those inherent abilities Chumina mentioned… The ability to communicate with animals… Is Bentto… That thing an animal from this world?], Rick continued to ponder and then he noticed something different in Benttotopotzki’s head, the stats he had been able to see had changed.

Congrats, Benttotopotzki!

Its courageous contributions in the mauloo fight, that is running away and exhausting the mauloo a bit, have made Benttotopotzki earn 12 experience points!

+12 Exp. Points

12/10

Level up!

BENTTOTOPOTZKI

Level 2

HP: 15>18

STR: 1>2

MGC: 3>4

DEF: 1>2

SPD: 3>4

LCK: 1>2

DEX: 3>4

STA: 3>4

CHA: 1>2

New ability:

Benttotopotzki really didn’t deserve this, but still he got a new ability!

Heal

[So I can also see when someone else levels up?] Rick asked himself.

[You can see your ally’s full stats, and also when they level up.] Chumina responded. [I repeat, you shouldn’t pay too much attention to this right now, it’s not like you can do anything other than just look at it in the moment.]

After a while, mauloo’s meat was fully roasted, and the horrible smell it had been emitting had now changed to a more tolerable one.

“The meat should be ready now… The smell’s not so nice, but I think it should be ready to be eaten now,” Shila said, “So… Do you guys want to eat now or…?”

Rick immediately approached the large piece of meat, upon close inspection it looked tasty. Benttotopotzki followed Rick, “We can eat now, right?” Benttotopotzki asked Rick.

“Yes, it’s ready now!” Rick said while sitting, ready to eat some mauloo meat.

“Ey! Where are your manners?! Wait for me!” Shila said, taking a sit too.

The first one to take a bite was Benttotopotzki, the pochie who had not eaten anything in a week, he first grabbed a small chunk of meat and put it into its mouth, he started chewing, a process that would take some minutes, since pochie’s jaws are so very weak.

Finally, after a day full of dangers, Rick could get a little peace. He took a long, deep breath, trying to avoid the smell of the roasted meat which was not to his liking.

[I don’t know why I’m here… I don’t even know where I came from…] Rick glanced at the beautiful girl next to him, her pretty face had a special shine to it as the glow emitted by the fire pit highlighted her lips.

Those same lips then formed a smile and from them, some words were uttered, “What’s wrong with you, Rick!? Aren’t you hungry?”

Rick just answered Shila the only way you can reciprocate to a smile, with another smile, “Sorry, I was just thinking of stuff…”

[I don’t know where I am from… Why I am here… I don’t know anything… So the only thing I can do is keep living, I guess…]

Rick contemplated the beautiful view that was in front of him, it almost felt unreal, a huge forest, a sky full of stars, so very clear, unlike anything Rick had ever seen before, or at least anything he could recall. His new-found friend Benttotopotzki had finally finished eating the first piece of meat he had picked and was now proceeding to get a second, smaller one. And Shila, the charming mage who had saved his life, and whose presence made Rick’s heart start beating a bit faster the first time he had seen her. They both stared at each other, a crossing of stares, something that happens from time to time when in the company of another person, Rick’s heart started beating fast the second he laid his eyes on hers. Then, both turned their eyes.

Rick didn’t know much about that world, but he knew at that very moment, that he better cherish that moment of peace, because moments like the one he was living then and there would not be very common in that world full of beasts and perils.