I stared at the two girls. I was kind of curious about what they were talking about before I came over, but decided to ignore it. What mattered was that they were getting along. It would have been irritating to deal with them if they didn’t and I would have had to force them to work together in any case.
Sylvia brushed the dirt off of her denim skirt and stood up. “Is there something you need from us, Master Naofumi?”
“No.” I shook my head. “Nothing in particular. I just wanted to tell you that I’m about to start cooking so you two should move away from the fire.”
Was it because they were hungry or because they were still jittery from being caught in the middle of a conversation? Either way, Lia immediately bowed and said, “Y-yes, Goshujin-sama! T-then I’ll go practice!” After that, she scurried a few feet away and drew her sword, frantically practicing her sword swings.
Sylvia followed Lia with her eyes and laughed. She shook her head a bit and then turned to me and said, “Don’t mind us, Master Naofumi. We’ll be looking forward to dinner!”
She gave me a soft wave of her hand and then jogged after Lia.
They didn’t go too far away. It was only about a dozen meters or so. Distant, but close enough for the Sentinel Shield to still trigger if anything life threatening happened.
I found it all strange, but decided to leave them be.
“It’s good that they’re bonding.”
Right. It was good that they were bonding. Since they’d have to fight together a lot, being closer would be better in the long run. That, and it would put less stress on me.
“But anyway, time to cook.” I muttered to myself to focus. It was getting a bit hard to concentrate recently with my lack of sleep. It seemed like I couldn’t skip it entirely, even with a cheat-like shield. Talking to myself helped me focus. That and repeating myself.
Though repeating myself made me think I was getting a bit crazy…
“Cook. That’s what you need to do.”
I shook my head and focused again. Before I’d just made some simple meals by grilling fish and meat, but none of that was really tasty. And besides that, I was curious about the limits to my system.
I pulled up the menu that only I could see and looked at my inventory. There, I’d placed the fish I’d caught along with all the various herbs we’d gathered on the plains. Although most were unknown to me personally, the system was helpful enough to identify them.
“Let’s see… some snelt, lime grass, mint… a few things are strange, but it should be similar enough.”
The items I had were labeled mostly like on Earth, though a few had knock-off names.
When I chose ingredients suited to cooking the fish, I started the automated cooking process in my menu and then placed the fish on the griddle. My system’s compensation effect made up for my lack of skill, and soon a fragrant aroma was filling the air.
As that happened, I took the time to think.
Sylvia and Lia… the two of them were my only companions in this world. Pitiful young girls dealt a fate far too cruel. Yet… I wasn’t giving them a better one. Instead of living an ordinary life, here I was forcing them all to fight in my stead.
If I was Naofumi and completely incapable, the blame would be less. Yet, I was only using them to increase my abilities until I could fight on my own. At that time…
No. It wasn’t just to use them. It was a give and take relationship.
…Well, either way, it was helpful.
After the fish began to cook, I pulled out a platter and small table from my inventory and placed them on the ground. The fish that finished cooking were placed inside.
I had nothing else to do then except wait. Well, I could always mess with my shield, but I had enough of that for a while. With nothing better to do, I turned to look at my two girls.
They had grown a bit. Maybe since their levels had increased, or maybe because of what they ate, or even the elixirs, the two of them were bigger now. If before they looked like young girls, the two now looked like they might be pre-teens. Tweens, probably around twelve or so. As a result, their beauty was slowly starting to blossom.
Sylvia was already attractive, almost otherworldly so when she was healed. Now though, the traces of a devastating beauty could be seen only faintly hidden by the chubby traces of youth.
Lia was always a bit more homely, cute rather than attractive. Yet, whether due to the compensation effects of my shields or whatever, she was turning into a beauty as well. Like the ugly duck turning into a swan.
“How did that guy never notice…?”
Naofumi completely ignored Raphtalia’s change. Yet, it was so obvious… I suppose he was just that blinded by his pain and despair. Since I didn’t have that issue, I could clearly see the two of them maturing into adults.
...That would take some adjusting. But different worlds, different standards... and they also weren't human. Still, it was strange to think about the fact that these sweet young girls would be fully grown when their levels increased.
But that was a problem for my future self.
Right now, the two girls were sparring with each other, using the wooden sticks I gave them. It was still a bit rough, the pair unfamiliar with sword skills. Yet, I could see them slowly adjusting. Each strike became surer, each parry more firm.
I sighed. “Geniuses, the both of them.”
It made me a bit envious. My skill had been hard earned and even fell behind a bit due to my job. While I could use them easily here… if not for the shield, that was, back on Earth I was probably only about the same level the girls were now.
Still, it was the inevitable tradeoff of life. Gain one skill at the expense of another…
Sylvia noticed me staring and waved. “Is dinner finished?”
I glanced at the grill and then checked my menu. Seeing that the fish were waiting to be collected, I nodded and beckoned the girls over.
Sylvia smiled and skipped over.
Lia followed her, running clumsily behind the silver-haired fox girl.
Seeing that, I shook my head and hid my smile.
If only these peaceful days could continue forever…
===
In the morning, we made our way across the fields and into the forest. As we did, for the first time, a new monster appeared. A small white bunny.
I took up the vanguard as usual and held up my shield. “Alright you two. Same as usual. Watch carefully for an opening.”
“Yes, Goshujin-sama!”
“As you say, Master!”
Hearing the two girls reply, I nodded and watched the bunny.
It stared at me with its beady red eyes, flicking its gaze to the two girls, and then leaped.
Did it determine me the weaker one because I lacked a weapon? Either way, it made a fatal mistake.
I moved quicker than the bunny jumped and grabbed it in mid-air. Immediately, I slammed it on the ground, stunning the bunny. While its eyes were spinning, I kicked the monster over to Lia and Sylvia.
“Your turn.”
The two of them drew their blades… and then paused.
I frowned. “Oi. Don’t stall on me now.”
Lia glanced at me. “B-But Goshujin-sama…”
At that time, the bunny gathered its bearings. Realizing where it was and seeing Lia holding her sword, the bunny immediately lunged at her. Its mouth opened, revealing two oversized teeth and sharp fangs, lunging at her throat.
“Eeek!”
Lia screamed and panicked, holding up her knife to block. But her eyes were closed, so she couldn’t move it to the right place to stop the bunny’s attack.
“Lia!” Sylvia called out and moved with her own knife. Still, while she swung her weapon, at the last second she seemed to hesitate. That brief hesitation meant the bunny dodged her knife.
Sylvia gasped.
Lia covered her eyes.
I sighed. “You two…”