Chapter 108 - Circulatory System (10)

Candy carved wood to make an impromptu barbecue rack. His skill wasn't limited to just knife work; he had some expertise in crafts and miscellaneous tasks too.

He liberally applied spices and salt to the meat skewered on sticks and grilled it.

A mouth-watering smell filled the cave.

While everyone else chose non-killing as their way of respecting the circulatory system, Candy proceeded unhesitatingly down the path of killing and predation.

It was enough to shock any Alchemy Department student.

If rejected by the circulatory system, they would be pushed to the outskirts and ultimately receive the lowest score. 

Did he not know how to adapt to the circulatory system because he had prepared in isolation from others?

Moreover, Luna didn't seem to have any major concerns about this approach either.

Cecil asked in a troubled tone, "Candy, is it really okay to eat this?"

His answer was remarkably simple, "Yes."

The strange thing was that while others all brought plenty of food, he only brought salt and spices.

When Cecil hesitated, he handed a barbecue skewer to Luna first.

Luna held it with both hands and took a bite the size of a fingernail. Judging by her awkward gestures, she clearly didn't know how to eat it properly.

Cecil was confused.

Luna seemed like a preciously raised young lady. Yet despite being unfamiliar with this raw approach, she was doing her best to accommodate Candy. The top seat of the Magic Department had abandoned her ambitions and entrusted everything to Candy. 

What could have happened between them to form such a relationship of trust?

Cecil closed her eyes tight and pondered.

Truth be told, she wasn't in a position to be picky either. She was hungry and the rest of her group members were still far away.

Her head throbbed thinking about Bertrand's letter that had just arrived.

Though Bertrand said they had somehow crossed the flooded river, he expressed rejection of Cecil's proposal to join Candy's side.

Saying they couldn't trust Candy, and going to the dangerous zone to avoid plunderer groups was like entering a bear's den to avoid rain.

But it didn't take long to make a decision.

Between Bertrand and Candy, the answer came easily. Her heart's compass was already pointing to the man before her.

She finally reached out her hand and said, "Give me some too."

Having starved all day, she needed to eat something to move tomorrow.

Additionally, she remembered some meaningful passages related to alchemy when Candy had previously requested translation. Thinking about that, there might well be a theoretical basis for this predatory behavior.

Soon after, Candy handed her a well-grilled skewer.

Starting to eat with tension, her eyes widened finding it unexpectedly delicious.

Wild animal meat usually had a strong gamey scent, but thanks to the unique blend of spices, this had no off-putting taste or smell.

Had he approached this class with the purpose of hunting? Otherwise, there would have been no need to prepare spices to this extent.

After confirming Cecil was eating well, he put a few more skewers on the fire and stood up.

"Help yourselves. I'll go wash off the boar's blood."

His body was stained with blood from handling the meat.

When Candy went outside, an awkward air returned to the cave interior.

Cecil finished the skewer she was holding and asked Luna, "I have something to talk about with Candy, would it be okay if I went out too?"

Luna looked carefully at Cecil's attire. She seemed to have something she didn't like.

"Yes... but there's one condition."

"What is it?"

"Wear this cloak."

After saying that, she handed over the well-dried and neatly folded cloak.

"Huh? Oh, t-thanks."

Though it was good to block the rain with the cloak, she couldn't be certain if it was truly given out of goodwill.

Cecil followed Candy's footprints. Then, sensing something, she turned around and saw a wolf-like spirit. It was one of Luna's spirits.

"...?"

It was following closely behind Cecil.

Is it preparing for possible emergencies? Or is it here with some other hidden intention?

Though she felt uneasy, there was nothing she could do about it.

She found Candy not far away. He was washing himself in rainwater falling like a waterfall in front of a cliff.

She thought he would just lightly wash his hands and feet, but he had his upper body exposed. At this unexpected harvest, Cecil cleared her throat and killed her presence.

Getting closer and examining his body in detail, her mind suddenly went blank and she couldn't move.

"...!"

His upper body was covered in scars as if clawed by something, and even his abdomen had grotesquely distorted traces of penetration. Not just one, but several.

Even a veteran soldier who roamed battlefields wouldn't have such wounds.

He’s at most seventeen years old. What kind of life has he lived during that time?

This unexpected dark side of Candy captivated her.

Just then, Candy suddenly turned and spoke to Cecil who was half-hiding behind a tree, "If you stare like that, I can't take off my mask."

"..."

"I want to wash my face too."

Being caught spying made her playful. She revealed herself and loosened her cloak strings while saying.

"Hmm... how about washing together?"

"..."

"While showing each other one hidden thing at a time."

Then, the wolf spirit behind her started barking fiercely.

“Grrrr bark! Bark!”

Cecil frowned at the disruptor.

The wolf spirit bared its fangs. It seemed to be protesting her breaking the condition of wearing the cloak.

When even Candy showed no particular reaction, Cecil sighed and retied her cloak strings.

"Haa... I was joking."

He didn't even glance when she undid buttons and showed no reaction to her provocations. Whether he was enduring with patience or had someone he was loyal to, she couldn't read his thoughts at all. It would have been boring if he had wagged his tail like a mutt, but conversely, his complete lack of reaction was somewhat irritating in its own way.

"You'll be cold, go back inside."

Cecil ceased her reading and went straight to the point.

"Actually, I came because I have a favor to ask."

He brushed back his dark red hair and said, "...What is it?"

"I need your help. Let us accompany you until our group members pass through the dangerous zone."

"..."

This was also the reason she had sought out Candy.

"Our group has no one who knows how to fight. Luna seems to treat you as the group leader so I asked you."

He didn't ponder long.

"No need to ask so formally. Luna and I are indebted to you."

"You're allowing it?"

"Yes, however, you’ll need to thoroughly prepare yourself. It will be a difficult journey."

***

"They're going to the dangerous zone?"

Jason, the leader of a plunderer group taking the lead in entering the circulatory system, said, "That's what they say. I don't really understand it."

News spread that some top-ranking students and some who fled from plunderer groups had entered the dangerous zone.

A plunderer group member traveling with them cynically mocked those who went to the dangerous zone, "Seems they’re sorely lacking in judgment. Either they’re obsessed with fighting, or don't know there are things more dangerous than plunderer groups."

Even as plunderers, all they did was steal food and supplies. By regulation, they were forbidden from causing additional harm beyond subduing.

Going to the dangerous zone could result in serious injury. So the decision to flee there could only look stupid.

"Well, thanks to that we're advancing ahead like this."

They had secured a week's worth of food through plundering. Thanks to that, they could enter the circulatory system enjoying abundant food without scraping by.

Including themselves, only three or four groups were at the entrance of the circulatory system. They were taking the lead, surpassing those expected to be top-ranked.

While advancing through the dense forest like that, group leader Jason suddenly stopped his companions.

"Hey, wait, wait a moment."

The other group members stopped and looked at Jason. He looked around urgently and said, "Hey, are we really going the right way?"

"What do you mean?"

One companion took out a compass to check direction and said.

"We were going north properly?"

Group leader Jason's expression changed strangely.

"No, hey, I think I've seen this place before, are you sure?"

"...?"

Another member joked about the situation.

"Why are you so out of it? You didn’t secretly put alcohol in your water bottle and kept sipping, did you ya bastard? I told you not to do that."

Everyone except the group leader snickered at the comment.

"Hey, hey! You bastards, I'm not joking. Come here."

He hurriedly ran to one spot and called the group members.

When Jason's face twisted seriously, everyone sensed something serious was happening and their laughter drained away.

"What is it?"

In the northern direction they were trying to advance, four people's footprints were imprinted.

For traces of another group that went ahead... they were too familiar.

"Look carefully."

The group leader matched his foot to one footprint.

The shoe size and sole pattern matched exactly.

"...!"

Everyone was too shocked to speak. Though they thought they were advancing forward, in reality, they had been going in circles in the same place. Though they had moved all day, it had all been in vain.

"We shouldn't trust the compass here."

Jason took out a dagger and left a large X mark on a nearby tree.

"Something is disorienting us."

They moved in a direction other than north. Sensing something was wrong, no one could make even a single joke.

After moving like that for about five hours, the group leader discovered something and his face went pale. In the direction they were advancing was a large X mark. It was what Jason had marked.

Jason shouted while angrily stabbing nearby trees with his dagger.

"Damn it!"

Fear slowly settled on the faces of group members who sensed what situation they were in. It meant they returned to the same place no matter which direction they moved.

"What... is this..."

And as if mocking those at a loss, someone's laughter echoed in the forest.

-Hehehehe!

Startled, they drew their swords, taking defensive positions.

"What the hell. Who is it!"

The laughter couldn’t have come from the environment. Not even wind, and not even leaves moved.

But laughter spread from another direction.

-Hehehehehehe!

Though it was an innocent child-like laughter, hearing it in a forest where even sunlight didn't enter made their whole bodies shiver.

Soon after, the laughter began increasing. It wasn't just one or two.

From above trees, below feet, behind rocks—they were being mocked from all directions.

"We didn't kill anything! Let us in!"

Something was wrong. Though they had clearly kept the principle of non-killing, the circulatory system didn't accept them.

"Aah..."

One group member's hands trembled and dropped his sword. Surrounded by something without substance, he finally fell into panic.

They felt it with their bodies, not their heads. Something enormous and unapproachable was toying with them in its grasp.

They realized they had underestimated the circulatory system far too much, but it was already too late.