The weather has been on our side for the past few days that we’ve been travelling. The kid limps as she walks with her crutches but it’s more of awkwardness than it is discomfort.

On my back, there are 5 large leather sacks carrying the supplies that would, at maximum, last for a month and more. The shifting of gravel and dirt can be heard as Lusaia drags a sled carrying another sack.

I would like to carry the 6th one with me but I’m hitting my human limits at 5. Of course, there is no problem with me carrying 10 or even 20 of these sacks weighing roughly over 80 kilograms. However, the journey to the border will be an arduous battle of stamina.

Obviously, we have changed our clothes to one that suits long distance travel. For me, I changed to the baggy but airy clothes of one of the mercenaries. For Lusaia, it was a dress found in the cargo of the second carriage. I’ve told her countless times to wear something much cooling but she has taken a liking to this one. In the end, I gave up and let her have it.

From the map in the carriage, I’ve estimated it’ll take us about a month and a half. There’s the possibility of running out of food even if we ration but I’ve taken into account of that by foraging or hunting. But that is a last resort when we do run out of food.

Given that I have no knowledge of the flora nor fauna here, chances are that they might contain toxins or poisons that will harm the girl. I’m not taking chances here so best that we consume everything we have at hand before resorting to this.

This place, the Debaucus Forest dungeon, seems to be a harsher environment compared to your average forest. Monsters resemble the average animals like wolves and rabbits but their aggression towards non-inhabitants of the place is extremely high. Fortunately, it’s only their aggression that is a threat. We’ve encountered a few along the way but their strength are no different from their normal counterparts.

“Papa… are we there yet?”

Lusaia groans out her complaints.

“Soon.”

The place she is referring to isn’t the border, though I wish we were, but the frequent Resting Points that dot along the roads of the dungeon.

According to a mercenary’s journal, in every dungeon that have been discovered by the people of this world, there are roads and pathways that lead into the dungeon and are connected to every entrance and exit. It is unsure how they are made but dungeons like this serve as transport route for the residents of this world.

As if the dungeon is sentient, it entices people to travel through them by creating safe spots known as Rest Points. It provides respite for wary travellers where monsters do not approach it.

Whether this fact in the mercenary’s journal is true or not, the Rest Points serve as good shelter from the elements. There’s a source of water that is safe to drink nearby and evidence of a campfire has been set up in these places.

As such, in order to keep pace with our schedule, we’ve been aiming to reach the next 2 Rest Point after having breakfast and setting off. It seems to be the right call as we progress slightly faster than anticipated as well as giving Lusaia ample rest in between.

The road begins to narrow and the trees lining the side of the road are growing denser towards each other. A familiar scenery of a few days ago coming up as we proceed further inwards.

The footsteps are still fresh due to lack of wind or rain around these parts. The cracks in the tree trunks and those that have been snapped off remain intact as if time has frozen them in place.

Craters in the road serve as obstacles for Lusaia having me carry both her and the sled over. There’s no mistaking it, we’re approaching the epicentre where our fates clashed.

We continue to walk further inwards and… there is nothing. Nothing at all. We’ve come out of the other side where the road has expanded back to its normal width. Yet, there’s no sign of any fighting that has been going on.

The blood stains, the three minotaur bodies, and the destructive aftermath in the place that we fought. Gone, disappeared into thin air. It isn’t possible for three large corpses the size of elephants to not leave a single trace.

“Oof!... Papa? what’s wrong?”

Lusaia hit into the back of my thigh as I suddenly stop. The unnatural situation feels all too suspicious. Scanning my surrounding over and over again, even straining my ears to the point where I can pick up the shifting of every single spec of dirt in the ground, nothing popped up.

“Nothing. Let’s move on.” I shrug it off.

I cannot tell if we’re being watched. If we are, then it’s best to play dumb and wait for their move. This feels like the time when I first arrived in this place, something is watching in the distance and only my instinctive senses can feel it.

Despite the suspicious situation of earlier, our schedule doesn’t change. We continue what we have been doing as I keep Lusaia safe from any monsters that approach us. We’re almost approaching the end of the week but the major events do not end there.

“Papa, there’s something there…”

“Yea… I see it too.”

Setting off not long ago, we both spot something up ahead on the road. A spot appearing over the horizon but it seems to be laying by the side of a three.

We approach it with caution and I am the first to identify what it is.

A demi human.

Male with a pig-like appearance wearing ragged clothes though torn up more than they were before. He’s one of the demi human slaves from the slave caravan.

Lusaia hid behind me when she saw his face.

“Is Mr Porque dead?”

“Do you know him?”

Lusaia nods. “Mr Porque is a bad man but…”

I see.

“Stay here.”

Lusaia obeys and I approach the pig demi human.

Placing my finger on his neck artery, there is no pulse. From his half open eyelids, Mr Porque’s pupils are unresponsive and lifeless.

His skin is pale and there are several symptoms indicating he had died from a lesser known but not uncommon tropical disease.

Stepping away from the demi human, I put down one of the sacks on my shoulder and took out a bottle of cooking wine. I pour it all over my hands and arms before returning to Lusaia.

“We need to leave this place quickly.”

Through the stern tone of my voice, Lusaia does not question it and follows behind.

I can kill and destroy anything if wish to but I cannot cure one from a disease. Lusaia is still a child and what’s more she is still recovering from her injuries. Getting Lusaia sick right now is a death sentence for her.

Unfortunately, I am going to need to become more vigilant about Lusaia’s safety than ever.

Further down the path, more and more of the demi humans have collapsed on the road. They’ve been abandoned by the main group with similar thoughts of not wishing to spread the disease any further.

Their conditions are beyond appalling to the point I have to shield Lusaia’s eyes from witnessing their bodies. Pus leak from inflammations and large bumps on the skin. Symptoms from diseases that I have never known are present in some of them as well. The worse part is that a few are alive and breathing but their spasming prevents them from calling for help.

I take extra precautions from them. There are moments where the bodies spasm cause their limbs to stretch out. They try to grab us but their reach do not make it.

At some point, we seem to have cleared the main group. It is a relief that I have to no longer worry about the bodies but… It begs the question, how many still remain?

Something tugs at the hem of my shirt, I turn around to see Lusaia looking up at me.

“Will Aunt Marianne be ok?” Lusaia asks me with worried eyes.

“I… don’t know. Let’s hope that she’s still alive and kicking alright?” I give a wry smile not knowing what’s best to answer such questions.

We haven’t seen Marianne yet so there’s a chance that she hasn’t been infected yet. I dare not ask the living dead back there because… I don’t need to say it do I?

The evening sun begins to set and we will soon approach the final Rest Point of the day.

Turning the corner, there is someone lying by the side of the road.

An old cat eared demi human… Oh no.

Before I realise who it is, a voice shouts out filled with anxiety.

“Aunt Marianne!”

Lusaia drops the rope that pulls her sled and dashes forward. My reaction is one step slow and she whiffs past my hand by a millimetre…

----

“Lu… Lusaia?” Marianne’s lips weakly opens enough to softly call out her name.

Lusaia reaches to Marianne’s side and hugs her tightly. Marianne face changes from shock to surprise to relief and finally happiness. Her worry for Lusaia is gone now that she knows that the girl is safe. However, their reunion is cut short.

Someone behind Lusaia pulls her away from Marianne. Marianne’s blurry vision focuses hard and her heart stops realising it is a human man.

She lifts her arm in her futile attempt to stop the human but to her surprise…

“Lusaia, you idiot! Don’t go running off like that!”

A familiar voice… This man… no. His mana and soul is different from Solaris yet very similar. A cloudy soul tainted in two colours, one red and one black. Two different beings combined into one syncing in harmony which should not be possible.

While Marianne tries to identify who this human is, the sounds of crying can be heard.

Lusaia is weeping but she isn’t crying out of fear nor oppression. It is akin to that of a child feeling guilty or sadness when parent scolds them for something they’ve did wrong.

For a moment, the soul and emotions of the human changed to one that is gentle and warm as the man sighs.

“I know you love your Aunt Marianne very much but when you do something rash like that I get very agitated. It’s my fault for raising my voice this harshly so don’t cry alright…”

The man apologises and soon after Lusaia hugs him. He doesn’t return the hug and Marianne can feel his soul return to its cloudy state.

“Fufufu… What an interesting fellow…”

She chuckles softly at last, understanding the nature of this human man.

Marianne sighs out in relief as she has finally found the guardian who will take her place.

“As always… so overprotective…”