Day [Life]: Incarnation
Call It the Death Swamp

When I thought without looking at the atmosphere, my hand that was stroking Zena's hair came to a halt. And a hand touched it.

"Hm? Oh, you're awake?"

I said it while looking at him who touched my hand.

"Hm?"

He sat down and looked around.

"What's wrong?"

I asked Zena who seemed to be confused.

"No.. We're.. Where's?"

Her speech.

"Well... I don't know where.. Didn't you ask?"

"I was so tired I didn't hear it. Hehe."

While making a mocking face he smiled.

"Well... All right, first, we're gonna find something to eat."

My speech. Hm?

He kept looking at me with a pleading look.

"What?"

I was confused to ask.

"No."

She smiled with an answer. He then stood up and stretched out his hand to help me stand up.

"..."

I accepted and stood up. He quickly crossed his arms and clung to me.

"Ouh, so this is what the gaze meant..?"

My speech.

"Hehe."

Answer's short. He then walked slowly following my footsteps. When not near Meli he will behave like this, when meli is near him he will change his personality to a little mature. Huh.. He's a great guy, yes... Or is this what is meant by mother instinct?

"Hey, Luke. Thinking about what?"

He who sees me seems to be thinking.

"Hm? Ah, about the empire invading the kingdom."

"What's wrong with the empire?"

He asked as if he didn't know.

"I heard about the rumor that in the whole empire demi-humans would become slaves... And if I think, they just want to find an extra slave for input... Or maybe for the emperor himself...?"

"Ooh... About it... I also heard a lot of rumors about the empire that it seemed like they were short of land to add to the slave market assets."

"Well... If we discuss the empire very much ugly rumors are spreading about the empire.. I feel sorry for those who are slaves there..."

At least Zena and I weren't caught by them..

"By the way, I'm a little worried about Meli... Is she okay, huh..?"

"Huh? Who did you leave it to?"

"Eh? No, it's not like that. I'm just worried whether he's looking for us or not..."

"Well... All right, I'll forgive you..."

I stroked his head gently.

"Ah, it will soon be dark, we must find something to eat..."

Zena interrupted.

"ah! Sorry I forgot..."

Soon we were both looking for shelter at night. We were hunting before. Surprisingly, there were no monsters in this forest. Therefore, no prrlu linger we take 2 deer and bring it after the blood is removed.

The bonfire was burning, The meat that had been cut into small pieces was being burned. Without using anything, it feels bland.

"Ha.. At least this can take away my hunger..."

My speech. We also found some water sources. Now we live near that water source. That afternoon after hunting, Zena quickly took me to bathe together in the river, because my body was also sticky from sweating, I accepted.

After that, we had dinner and at that very moment, Zena approached and fell asleep on my shoulder. As at that time well... Which I ended up falling asleep with my head leaning on his head.

The next morning, I woke up earlier than Zena. The situation was still as high as yesterday, there were only a few animals and no monsters at all in this area. That doesn't mean we'll let go of our vigilance.

"Jn..."

Zena stretched her stiff muscles due to sitting asleep. While I roasted meat last night that seemed fresh thanks to the ice and leaves I took to protect it from meat-eating animals and so that the meat was not smelled by predators.

"Can we shower together again?"

Her speech.

"Hm? I'm burning breakfast.. Whoa!!"

My hand was pulled towards the river.

"I told you I'd make breakfast first..."

He quickly took off his clothes and immediately went into the river.

"Brprr! It's cold!"

Her speech.

"....Huh...."

I sighed and joined her and took a shower. After a few minutes, I immediately put on my clothes and returned to the campfire. Zena's still in the shower so let it go.

A few moments wait, the meat is ready to be eaten. Since it was likely that Zena would have stayed a long time ago, I waited for her not to get hot and placed her on the leaves used for the dishes. I brought it close to the campfire but not so close that it didn't burn.

"I'm done!"

He quickly came closer to me and sat down beside me. I gave him the cooked meat and he took it and ate it. It doesn't feel like yesterday.

Some time we waited to chat for a while and then continued our journey towards a random direction. Meanwhile, the terrain changed into a swamp. Swamps filled with various bones, brown water with slightly green smoke, and fog that enveloped the swamp. The surrounding trees were a little creepy and had no leaves. The light did not enter through the fog.

"Ooh... Smells bad..."

Zena quickly closed her nose tightly. His eyes were a little teary from the pungent smell. I also closed my nose, relying only on my mouth to breathe.

"The smell is very stinging..."

Or maybe the other way around.

"Zena! Follow me!"

Immediately I took his hand and came out of the swamp.

"Huf.. Huft.. What's the matter Luke?"

Zena who was surprised asked.

"Huf.. Huft.. Huft.. That swamp... Toxic..."

I said while panting.

"Huh!?"

Zena's surprised. He almost breathed too much.

"That's how I felt from my gut feeling.."

"Hm...."

Zena thought a little.

"ah! Maybe the bone is the remains of a dead animal breathing in the air?"

Zena.

"Maybe? But what makes the water gas toxic?"

That's the question that came to my mind.

"Eitherway? We have to get through it, right? Or should we take a detour?"

Then I thought a little. If indeed we are on another continent, this may still have a way home. But if this is another world then, the worst news is we won't be able to go home and meet Meli.

"Well, let's try to turn around."

I confidently said it without thinking about the thought. Confidently follow your heart. We walked around from the swamp, even so, it seemed like the water was also poisonous. Seen from anywhere, the plants around him died because of dry and not because of rot. That means they kill the roots directly to the leaves and leave the stems.

Although it was a bit horrible walking close to the swamp area of death, at least the poison radiation did not reach us. By continuing to walk and relying on animals to hunt we stepped towards a vast meadow. Many sheep around the meadow were eating grass and some were running around drinking water from a small puddle.

There really are no monsters? Think we both. Because there were animals, we hunted for lunch. Without salt of course. Tasteless.

Continues...