Chapter 17
To survive, I still have to keep working hard.
Outside the cave with Koa and the others.
Now that I've settled on a place to live, water is next.
Water is important.
Even without food, I can survive for several days if I have water.
There was no sign of anything resembling water inside the cave.
Too bad.
We're all going on an adventure outside the cave.
But Koa and the others seem to have lived here, so I guess it doesn't really count as an adventure.
...Huh? Instead of searching, couldn't I just ask Koa?
I can test how well they understand me while I'm at it.
I look to the side, and for some reason, everyone is looking at me.
...That startled me.
I pull myself together.
"Koa, can you take me somewhere with water?"
Hearing my words, Koa looks down from the rocky mountain.
Ah, we're going down after all.
I climbed up with unbelievable lightness, but going down is scary.
A cliff with a slope of about sixty degrees stretches ahead.
Crow and Shion set off running in the lead.
I guess all I can do is try to keep up.
They understand what I mean by water, right?
I'm a little worried.
Anyway, I put my foot on the cliff's edge and take the plunge.
Koa is beside me.
...
Wow, this is incredible! They're running freely down the cliff.
They're even running straight down!
In Japan, jumping off a cliff like this would just be suicide.
I manage to keep up with Crow and Shion without incident.
I'm not even out of breath.
What is going on with my body?
...Well, it's working in my favor for now, so I guess it's fine.
Apparently, there isn't any water inside the barrier I put up.
I'm purifying as I head toward a place with water... or at least, that's what I should be doing.
...
We made it.
Can I assume that Koa and the others understand my words properly?
The word water seems to have gotten through, though.
Ah, but they didn't understand the other words.
Huh? I don't know.
And we've reached a place with water, but I really don't like this.
A pond lies before me, with shadows bubbling up from its surface.
There's a river, too, but it's the same.
To drink water with curses bubbling out of it...
Sorry, no way.
But I have to secure water somehow.
Even if I purify the water in front of me, I still wouldn't want to drink it.
What should I do?
Crow tilts its head at me.
Damn it, how cute!
...No, this is about the water.
But I want to escape reality!
The unconscious mind is scary.
I'd been holding back, but I finally snapped.
I end up vigorously ruffling Crow's head with both hands.
Crow looks startled.
Sorry, Crow. This cursed pond is about to break my spirit.
Please, heal me a little.
Water... water... The water right in front of me... No way.
Koa suddenly wedges between Crow and me.
What's wrong?
Huh? Koa rubs its face against my hand.
Forgetting all about the water, I ruffle Koa's head.
For some reason, they all let me ruffle their heads.
Did I really look that melancholy?
I face reality.
Since I can't possibly drink the pond water, I slowly make my way back to the cave.
Purify, purify, purify.
Everywhere I look, there are curses... As expected, it's depressing.
Drinking water... Japanese spring water sure tastes good~
"Water... water..."
Splash, splash.
...
Problem solved. Looks like I managed to make water with magic.