The sun sets, the predators rise. The chirping of birds transform into the howls of the night. The evening light elongates the shadows as the forest falls into its slumber.

In the moonlight where anything is barely visible, I can hear the creatures lurking in the foliage. Their breathing quiet and footsteps hushed. Their fur and hair caress the leaves like the gentle touch of a new born child.

Where the light cannot reach, they come out to play. All at once they pounce but in their faces is a foot or a fist. They’re flung back where they came from.

Weak. Really weak. Compared to the minotaurs from before, they amount to nothing. Or is this the average strength of the inhabitants of the forest? Most likely. The minotaurs are probably not local in this part of the lands given their large physique.

At times, Lusaia will shift around in my arms as she sleeps. It seems the pain is at a tolerable level now as she begins drooling on my shirt… My shirt is already dirtied anyways so no point in complaining.

Shoving aside a low-lying branch, the three carriages are in my sight. The first one completely destroyed, the second one overturned and the third one still with its door locked. Nothing has changed except for the bodies being less than I accounted for.

Shallow trenches from drag marks can be seen leading into the forest while some of the bodies are reduced to nothing but bones.

It’s good that nature has done half of my work but the environment is still unhygienic for the girl in my arms.

Walking up to the third carriage door, it’s still stuck, of course. There’s no need to go through the hassle of lock picking, as such I just yank it open. The hinge broke off sending the door flying behind me as it shatters to pieces upon impacting the dirt.

There’s a conveniently placed cloth on the floorboard of the carriage so I lay Lusaia gently onto it. With the excess cloth, I wrap it over her to keep Lusaia warm.

All that’s left to do is to clean up…

----

The heat of the day dissipates and the cold mist of the night has come to play. I can feel the chilling feeling on my skin but it is only a minor nuisance. Numb from the feeling of discomfort and pain, I wonder if anything in me changed. I cannot feel “his” presence, not that I wish to, but it feels off.

My hands sink deep into the loose skin and swelled rotting flesh of the humanoids. While one may begin to feel disgusted by it, all I can think of is wasted food. The feral mind I was born with still exists so maybe the me now has not moved on one bit.

Occasionally, I glance back at the carriage. In this open space, the animals dare not to attack the child but one cannot be too certain.

Thinking back to it now, why did I bother to save that girl? The reason cannot be as simple as “Lusaia just looked like my daughter.” … Even still, I cannot understand what I do at times.

In this place where everything feels like a paradox, where even am I? That child is a humanoid yet all this while she feels more like a human.

Man-made creatures as large as minotaurs exists in my world but the minotaurs then felt natural. They were not man made nor tools of war. They had sentience, intelligence, and emotions.

I cannot comprehend where I am… and why I am here. I need to know more about this place but with this child with me… No, I cannot leave her here like this…

---

The mist of early morning and the blanket draped over her is warm and comfy.

Lusaia toss and turn ever so slightly trying to get to a new position most comfortable. There’s a bugging sensation in her leg but that doesn’t bother her. The tranquillity of the forest is all that she has to listen to.

Then, a smell wharfs into the carriage cabin. It isn’t overly sweet nor is it overly bitter. It lingers in the back of her throat as her tastebuds start to crave more of this aromatic smell. Her brain lights up and automatically, she concludes it’s a hot and delicious meal!

Lusaia sprang out of bed but she forgot her legs are still fractured.

“Ow!” She yelped.

With a loud Thud!, Lusaia’s bum hit the floor as her hands holds down onto her leg where it hurts most.

“What’s wrong? You alright?”

A worried voice comes through the door. Peaking through, Lusaia is delighted to see the face of her Papa.

“Papa!”

She crawls forward as if the pain no longer mattered. Lusaia snuggled up to her Papa but…

“Hey, don’t do that.” Her Papa pushes Lusaia off.

“Hmm… it doesn’t seem like your condition worsened. Take it easy for now and don’t move around too much.”

Lusaia pouts frustratingly but her Papa doesn’t take notice. He is more concerned about her injuries than her feelings.

Leaping inside the carriage, her Papa took out what looks like a long-forked stick and a wooden plank carved into half a cylinder.

Skilfully, her Papa tied the wooden plank to her fractured leg in matter of seconds.

“Is the brace too tight? Tell me if it gets painful alright.”

Lusaia nods.

After adjusting the straps, Reino lifted Lusaia up and onto her feet.

“Ow…”

“I know it hurts by try to bear with it.”

Her fractured leg still hurts to stand on but with the wooden brace it’s not as serious as before.

Thinking that this might be all, her Papa then place the long-forked stick underneath her armpits. He instructs Lusaia to lean onto it and the stick held up her weight just fine.

“The height seems to be fine but it be best if you try to walk with it…”

Growl~… “Lusaia hungry…”

As if on que, Lusaia’s hunger became clear for all to hear. The aromatic smell from outside is already to the point of making Lusaia salivate.

Her Papa chuckles, “I guess we can put off the testing for now. Come on, it’ll be much faster if I give you a lift.”

“Yay!”

“Woah, slow down there!”

Lusaia immediately hop into her Papa’s embrace, he flinched a little but holds onto Lusaia securely.

Lusaia snuggles into her Papa’s chest feeling the familiar warmth she always knew.

Her Papa places Lusaia on a log as a pot simmers soup above an open flame.

Looking around, reality hits Lusaia. The reddish black stain dirt, the three broken carriages and the lingering smell of decay in the air, Lusaia realises where she is.

“Are feeling unwell? Is the brace uncomfortable?”

“N-no, Papa. Lusaia is ok.”

Her Papa’s worried face turns into a concerned frown. Nevertheless, he carries on.

Ladling the soup into a wooden bowl, her Papa blows over the top to cool it down. Satisfied with its temperature, he passes the bowl and a spoon to Lusaia.

Lusaia looks down into the soup to admire its light-yellow glimmer. As someone who doesn’t like vegetables, the bits of corn and herbs floating in the liquid doesn’t put her off. The umami scent of the broth only entices Lusaia to eat the soup.

She places a small spoonful into her mouth. Then, a larger one. Then, she ditches the spoon completely and drink it straight from the bowl. This soup is too delicious and by the time she puts down the bowl, Lusaia is appalled that there is no more soup left.

“Papa! Seconds! Seconds!”

Lusaia eagerly begged her Papa for more of the soup.

“Haha! Was it that good?”

Lusaia nods her head eagerly, the bittersweetness of the corns and herbs pairs really well with a seafood stock.

“I see. You can have as much as you want.”

Her Papa smiles watching Lusaia enjoys the meal he has prepared…

---

When was the last time someone enjoyed my cooking? Probably have been decades… It makes me happy to hear these compliments again.

It is a simple dish using brine of pickled scallops, fermented corn, and dried herbs I found in the second carriage. I took some time to salvage through what remained of its content and I’m glad most of the edible food are still intact in their containers.

Passing bowl after bowl to Lusaia… I soon realise something about this kid. Her stomach is a black hole.

In my hands is the last bit of soup and the 50th bowl but Lusaia still doesn’t seem satisfied.

“Papa, more!”

“Eh?! You’re still hungry?”

“Mhmm.”

Seriously… This kid truly is a glutton.