Chapter 73
They say time flies when you're busy.
After getting through the Rage Mode well, I started living my normal daily life again.
Moving around here and there, since I never knew when people might come barging in.
First, I focused on finding a residence. Before moving my belongings, I needed to find a new place to live.
However, finding a place I liked wasn't as easy as I thought.
After all, the cave I currently lived in was a place I had carefully chosen after dozens of considerations when I was young.
The cave itself was spacious and had numerous amenities built up.
There were many rooms carved out throughout, and it even had its own water veins flowing inside.
It wasn't even particularly humid, surprisingly.
Honestly, it was amazing to find such a good cave in the middle of the forest. No wonder my past self chose it as a residence.
That's why my standards had become quite high.
Plus, caves were rare enough that even I, who frequently roamed the forest, rarely found them.
Because of this, I had to spend almost two weeks just searching for a residence.
"Hmm..."
Even the place I found wasn't really to my liking.
I only chose it because despite being close to the Deep Layer, there weren't many monsters around.
The residence looked more like a pit than a cave.
It was closer to being underground than above ground, and wasn't even that deep.
Well, at least it could keep the rain out...
'Well, at least no one will come climbing down here...'
I tried to think positively despite my bitter smile.
This was the best place I'd found in two weeks after all, so I had to look on the bright side.
For now, I didn't tell anyone about the location of my residence.
The next week or so was spent cleaning out the junk in my home.
Organizing the numerous items piled up in storage.
"I guess I was hoarding trash..."
Although I lived as a naturalist in a cave... I actually had quite a lot of belongings.
Not just necessities like tissues and towels, but also stockpiled food and seasonings.
Since I couldn't go to the city often, I had developed a habit of storing several months' worth of necessities.
That way I could reduce both the hassle and risk of going to the city.
While it hadn't been a problem until now, it became a burden when I needed to move.
Even if I wanted to move everything, the volume was too large.
Besides, the pit I found wasn't that spacious to begin with.
I had no choice but to sort what to take and what to leave behind.
"Need to deal with that tiger meat soon too."
After organizing, there was a mountain of stuff to leave behind.
Not just daily necessities - I had accumulated all sorts of things over time.
My past habit of thinking 'I might need this someday...' had created extra work for me now.
Once again, my past self was proving useless.
With no other choice, I decided to just leave this place as storage.
'I'll come get things as needed.'
And so I finished preparing for the move. I didn't want to delay any further.
It was best to hide myself quickly, since I never knew when the raiding party might show up.
That's how I moved residences.
A new home.
*
Over a week had passed since finding the new home.
During that time, the cold winter passed and fresh spring arrived.
Of course, I went through another Rage Mode. This time it was A again.
This time I faced the Rage Mode in my new residence instead of the original cave.
...It wasn't easy. Having to endure the pain in such a shallow pit.
Fortunately no monsters came, but leaving it like this would surely let the blood scent seep into the pit.
I probably wouldn't even be able to sleep properly because of the blood scent.
So I had no choice but to force my nearly-fainting body to clean the pit.
Though exhausted to death, I had to - the scent would make living here difficult otherwise.
Taking a bath at the nearby lake afterward was just extra work.
"Sigh..."
...Even after living here such a short time, numerous inconveniences were already showing up.
But what could I do? Just had to try adapting as much as possible.
Of course, people kept coming to the forest during all this. The regulars were naturally Chae-rin and Ha-neul.
Though the way we met changed after I moved residences.
Originally they would come visit my cave, but now I went to meet them instead.
It was a bit troublesome... but I needed to get outside information too.
"Why are you bringing the info today instead of Chae-rin?"
"She's busy leveling up these days."
"Ah."
What I mainly asked about was the movements of the Knights.
After all, if a raiding party was coming, the Knights would be the first to make a move.
"For now... I don't think you need to worry too much. They seem super busy these days."
"Really?"
"Yeah. With Dantalian and all. The Lemegeton guys have been acting weird lately. So they're chasing after them."
According to her, someone had been buying lumber and bricks in bulk from the market recently. Though they hadn't properly identified the buyer yet, it was probably Lemegeton.
Those guys seemed to be moving busily too, like they were trying to build something.
Dantalian was still alive as well.
Because of this, the Knights remained busy without a moment to spare.
Hearing this, I let out a sigh of relief.
"Whew..."
That was fortunate at least. My lifeline could continue a while longer.
Though another thought also crossed my mind.
'Wait, then did I not really need to move right now?'
Honestly, the old home was most comfortable.
But such complacent thoughts didn't last long, as I soon shook my head.
No, how long has it been since I moved and I'm already thinking like this?
For now I should keep living here since I never know when the raiding party might come.
'Though I guess it might've been fine since I dug that secret passage in the cave...'
Anyway, time passed.
Life was the same as usual except for the change in residence.
Repeating the cycle of hunting, eating and sleeping.
Though I got bored sometimes, I could deal with that by meeting people who came into the forest.
"Where did he go?"
"Wow, can't find him no matter how much we look."
When I didn't feel like meeting people, I'd hide from the uninvited guests who entered the forest.
"Hello! Today's content is-!"
Sometimes appearing on Chae-rin's stream when meeting her.
"I brought some surprising news today. Someone among the Otherworlders learned to use Sword Energy. And in my country no less."
Occasionally chatting and hearing information from Ha-neul or Chae-rin.
It was a more peaceful daily life than I expected.
Nothing special happened, and no intruders had found this place yet.
Seems she was right about them being busy outside. Too busy to even pay attention to someone like me.
But the longer I lived here, the more complaints about the current residence piled up.
Living here revealed one inconvenience after another.
First, the pit's entrance was wider than expected.
Because of that, the amount of wind coming in was no joke.
Even after blocking it with wood, wind still seeped through the gaps.
Well, it might be nice in summer but thinking about winter was depressing.
Second, the floor was too uneven. Even with padding laid down, I could feel the bumpy parts while lying down.
In other words, it was very uncomfortable to sleep.
Besides those, there were many minor inconveniences like having to walk all the way to the lake to wash up.
The pit being narrower than expected, and so on.
Still, I tried to endure and live here.
...If only it weren't for that last thing.
What finally made me snap was when Rage Mode hit again after a month.
Fortunately this time it was B. At least my residence wouldn't be dyed with blood.
"Whew..."
This time sexual desire emerged without fail, so I was in the middle of trying to suppress the urge through self-comfort.
Stuck in a pit with no side dishes...
It felt a bit pathetic but I had no choice.
Though Rage Mode B was easier to endure than A, it wasn't something I could just ignore.
Anyway, that's when it happened.
Suddenly an uninvited guest entered the pit.
"Squeak...?"
It was an adorable rabbit. Though enlarged by demonic power, it was still a fluffy white rabbit.
Being an herbivore, it didn't attack me. Instead it just stared at me intently.
"......"
A suffocating silence continued briefly.
My naked form reflected in its bright red pupils.
The emotion I felt then was just...... indescribable.
It felt like the rabbit was mocking me.
Though it soon left the pit, my self-loathing lingered to torment me for a long time.
It was a long night......
*
"Ah, the original home really is best after all."
A few days later, I returned to the cave without delay.
Familiar scenery welcomed me back. The comforting sight I'd seen for over 10 years.
'That's right.'
Even if someone comes searching, they should search where I actually lived.
That pit was just impossible to live in.
"Wow, quite a bit of dust gathered while I was gone."
Of course, I hadn't completely abandoned that pit.
Though uncomfortable to live in, it was still a space where beasts rarely entered and people rarely reached.
I plan to use it as a hideout later if the raiding party comes charging in.
Besides, I'd dug escape routes in the cave so I wasn't worried about being surrounded.
After cleaning the house once, I lay down.
This was better no matter what. Can't easily leave a place I've lived in for over 10 years.
That's when it happened.
"Hm?"
Thump thump.
Along with strangely energetic footsteps, people arrived.
Three armed women. Judging by their equipped weapons and armor, they looked like high-level adventurers.
Seeing me, they started chatting casually.
"Is this the one?"
"Yes, that's right. This is the one with demon's blood!"
"Kyah, at least he's good looking. Worth coming all the way to this dangerous place."
I raised my guard and activated 'Player's Eye'.
Quite an interesting combination.
One was an Otherworlder, while the other two were Gaians.
Looks like that Otherworlder brought the other two here.
I asked them.
"Who are you? Why did you come here...?"
"Why do you think, bastard."
One of the adventurers smirked.
"We came to collect the bounty on your head."
With that, they drew their swords and charged at me.