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At the Northern Fort V3C13: At the Spring
On this day, Woodbaum and I had come to the lake at the bottom of Snowlea Mountain at the One-Eyed Knight’s suggestion. Kugalg, Tina-san, Rekka-san, and two other knights were also with us.
Our goal was to help Woodbaum’s recovery using the clear waters of the lake, as well as to show Rekka-san around the vicinity of the mountain. The lake was a slight climb up the mountain, so it was not in an area that the knights normally patrol, but apparently the idea was that it was important for her to learn the terrain of Snowlea Mountain.
So long as they did not intend on climbing up to our nest at the summit of the mountain, Mother also would not drive away the knights of the fort.
The snow had also yet to accumulate in this area, so surrounding the lake was a field of densely growing grass that was about as tall as me. The stalks were a light brown, and while it resembled Japanese pampas grass in appearance, it was shorter than the Japanese grass.
This grass would also probably wither in about a week. Together with the arrival of winter would come thick coats of snow, and this lake will freeze and become my new playground.
“It’s a beautiful lake.”
Upon arriving at the lake, Rekka-san dismounted her horse and gazed around at the surrounding scenery.
And then, Woodbaum walked through the grass-
“A walk would also be nice.”
-and said that while trying a sip of the lakewater. He had been walking leisurely alongside the horses when coming here.
“I’ll also take a drink.”
On the other hand, having ridden on Leader together with the One-Eyed Knight, I hadn’t walked a single step, yet somehow I also felt a bit thirsty. Thus, I had the One-Eyed Knight bring me off the horse. As he did so, Kugalg, who had been sticking to me, also jumped down to the ground on his own.
“I can’t see what’s in front of me……”
The short pampas-like grass rustled as I advanced through them. After arriving next to Woodbaum, I extended my neck towards the lake. The lakewater was so clear that you could see the bottom, and when my tongue touched it, there was a pleasant chill.
“This is a nice place.”
Having moistened his throat, Woodbaum said that while licking my head as I drank up.
When he did so, Kugalg’s brow furrowed and he bit the nape of my neck and yanked me away from Woodbaum, dragging me through the grass as he took me away. It seemed like he still felt uncomfortable with Woodbaum.
“You two get along so well.”
Woodbaum, apparently oblivious to the fact that he was being guarded against, looked at Kugalg and I while saying that with a smile. Then, he sat down on the spot and took a bite out of the pampas-like grass. However, it apparently wasn’t that delicious, as he stopped eating after having one stalk.
Seeing that, one of the knights pointed at the forest that we had just passed through and said this to the One-Eyed Knight.
“Shall we go pick something up from the forest? Something that Woodbaum can eat.”
“That’s a good idea, I’ll leave it to you.”
Woodbaum followed up after the One-Eyed Knight.
“Is that okay? Thank you. If there are some fallen acorns, then that will do. If there aren’t, then some soft grass would be good.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll also go. You keep relaxing here, Woodbaum-san.”
Saying that, the two knights and Tina-san went into the forest to search for acorns. The One-Eyed Knight and Rekka-san stayed behind and let the horses rest while guarding us.
“All the knights at the fort are quite kind.”
“Yup, aren’t they?”
After I agreed with Woodbaum’s words-
“Milfee, let’s play!”
Kugalg lightly bit my tail and asked to play.
“Hmm, fine but……wah!”
The instant I agreed, Kugalg pounced on me and knocked me down. Then, in the blink of an eye he dodged aside and ran into the tall grass.
This was probably acting according to his plan, but after being pinned down I had to get revenge. Thus, I followed after Kugalg and plunged into the tall grass.
However, even if I tried to survey the surroundings while striding through the rustling grass, the golden stalks of grass blocked off my line of sight.
Then, I tried to suddenly stick my head out, but even then I couldn’t see the black shadow lurking in the grass.
It seemed like the One-Eyed Knight and Rekka-san, who were far taller than me, could see where Kugalg was. They held back their smiles as they watched us.
I stopped in my tracks and listened carefully. Kugalg’s scent was mixed together with the scent of grass, so I couldn’t use it to discern his location. Thus, I decided to try using sound to figure out where he was.
However, perhaps because my opponent was keeping his body still as he concealed himself, Kugalg wasn’t making any sounds at all.
There wasn’t any other way, so I recklessly ran around the area. Running in the grass was quite fun, but the drawback was that I couldn’t tell where I was anymore.
I once again extended my head above the grass, this time to confirm where the One-Eyed Knight’s position was. If the One-Eyed Knight was over there, then the lake was there, and I must’ve run from over there.
After murmuring ‘okay’ to myself in my head, I once again started to run around while making rustling noises.
However, right after I had started running, Kugalg, who had been hiding, suddenly came jumping out from the grass. He had been laying in wait at a place where I would be passing through.
I also immediately tried to evade him, but I didn’t even have the time for that. I was successfully captured by Kugalg and my ears and face were play-nibbled by him.
However, I wouldn’t just let myself be one-sidedly attacked. I opened my mouth wide and tried to bite him back.
“Ahh, you can’t!”
And, in that instant, I heard Woodbaum’s worried voice cry out.
“Don’t fight, you have to get along!”
After seeing us growl and bite at each other, he mistook us for having an actual fight.
The One-Eyed Knight appeared to be explaining to him that we were playing as he stood up hastily, so I continued my battle with Kugalg without any reservation at all.
Throwing ourselves onto the ground during our scuffle, we tumbled and rolled around the grass.
As our battle heated up, we became completely absorbed in our play, not noticing that we were steadily approaching the lake.
I hear the panicked footsteps of the One-Eyed Knight and Rekka-san, having been the first two to pick up on the danger, but by then Kugalg and I had already fallen into the water.
With a splash, the flame on Kugalg’s tail went out.
“WAHHHH! O-Oh NO! Milfiria! Kugalg!”
I could hear Woodbaum clamouring in the distance.
The momentum of our fall momentarily caused us to sink in the water.
However, as I dawdled in the water, Kugalg, who was bad with water, immediately ran back to shore, ascending ahead of me.
However, as I rose to the water’s surface from the natural buoyant force and took a deep breath, Kugalg suddenly realised my absence and came back into the lake.
It seems like he was trying to save me.
Even though the compatibility of a fire spirit with water is bad, he still took that sort of action for my sake, which made me happy.
But you know, the force of Kugalg’s jump back into the water made waves that I ended up swallowing as I sank back down. He was doing his best to try and save me, but as a result his vigour was pushing me further and further into the water. I wish he would realise that.
It’s really painful!
“Milfiria! Kugalg!”
On top of that, after seeing the situation Woodbaum joined in, making a huge wave as he jumped in, and the inside of the lake was thrown into chaos.
I was thankful for how desperate they were to save me, but I could have swam up on my own. I can doggy paddle just fine, so I wish both of them would just calm down!
I screamed that in my head as the three of us splashed around, struggling in the water, when the nape of my neck was grabbed. The One-Eyed Knight saved Kugalg and I first as he pulled us out of the water.
Then, the One-Eyed Knight together with Rekka-san grabbed Woodbaum’s antlers and brought him back to shore.
“Haa, haa……I-I’m saved, thanks. It surprised me when the water was colder than I thought it’d be.”
Water dripped from Woodbaum’s body as he said that. Kugalg and I shook off our bodies, sending water flying into the surroundings.
Rekka-san quickly brought a towel and said.
“Are the three of you okay? My apologies, if we had stopped them before Mil-sama and Kugalg-sama had fallen then……”
“Don’t worry about it.”
I shook my body once more as I reassured her. It wasn’t Rekka-san’s fault.
And for me, falling into the lake didn’t do anything other than cause some discomfort from having my fur get wet. Unlike the water of the baths at the fort, the source of the water here was snow from Snowlea Mountain.
However, for a fire spirit, entering the waters here probably gave the same amount of discomfort as me entering the hot spring’s waters did.
Thinking that, I asked Kugalg.
“How about you, Kugalg? Are you okay?”
After lightly flicking his tail and relighting the flame on the tip of it, Kugalg answered in a rather small voice, “Yeah, I’m completely fine”. Truthfully, he probably wanted to light a fire right now to dry himself off, but because he was in front of me, he put up a strong front.
I felt like he didn’t need to hold back and could just tidy up his own fur first, but Kugalg prioritised me and started to groom my fur, removing the remaining moisture that lingered in it. As he did that, the One-Eyed Knight wiped Kugalg’s body with a towel, and Rekka-san was also wiping Woodbaum’s body.
It was then that I suddenly discovered something strange as I looked around the surroundings.
Twisted, tall trees that didn’t blend in with the scenery here had appeared. Five of them had appeared around the lake unnoticed.
“Were these made by Woodbaum?”
Those twisted trees resembled the shape of the tree that had lifted me up in the air yesterday.
Woodbaum also went, “Huh? You’re right”, just noticing the trees himself as he looked up the twisting trunks of the trees.
“It seems like I ended up growing them from the shock of seeing you two fall. Maybe it’s because I’m ill that they won’t grow up straight.”
And, just at that moment, Tina-san and the other two knights returned from within the forest, staring at our wet appearances and the strange trees as Tina-san murmured.
“Umm……what happened?”
Well, a lot of things.
After that, Woodbaum ate the grass and nuts that Tina-san and her group brought back, Kugalg and I played moderately so that we wouldn’t fall into the lake again, while the horses and knights took a break. We each spent the time in our own ways.
Perhaps because he had entered such a clean lake, Woodbaum’s fur regained a bit of its shine. That’s why, all in all, it was good that we fell into the lake. Let’s think of it that way.
“Vice Cap.”
Around the time when Kugalg and I got tired of playing and Woodbaum’s belly was full, Rekka-san took out a pocket watch and spoke.
“Perhaps it is about time that we return to the fort? In about an hour the sun will start to set.”
From here it wouldn’t take more than an hour to get to the fort, and even if it did, it wasn’t like it would instantly get dark like it would if you suddenly switched off the lights. Since this was a rare trip out, I thought it’d be fine to stay a little longer, but it felt like Rekka-san wanted to return quickly. She’s glanced at the clock several times, and has been looking a little restless for a while now.
“That’s true…….”
The One-Eyed Knight also looked a little sceptical at Rekka-san’s appearance, but in the end he decided to return.
“Let’s start to slowly head back. Start preparing.”
After saying that, he started issuing directions to everyone.
“Do you have some matters after this?”
Rekka-san was helping to place Kugalg and myself on Leader’s back, so I took the opportunity to ask her but-
“No, it’s not like that. It’s just that once it gets dark, passing through the forest will be dangerous.”
-I received such a reply. It was a very Rekka-san-like reply for the serious Rekka-san, seeing as the sun was still high up in the sky.
Like that, we returned to the fort while it was still bright out.