Refusing to think about the matter, Enzo continued picking berries. He had intended to befriend the protagonist and keep on his good side. Any good transmigrator knows that the closer you are to the halo, the more benefits you get.
But after the first interaction, Enzo wasn’t so sure he wanted to be on Rin’s good side. Still, he didn’t intend to make an enemy of them.
On Rin’s side, he occasionally glanced at Enzo. The first time he saw him, his heart beat wildly. His palms were slick with sweat, and he almost threw his basket away.
He had to feign confusion when he saw Enzo. If he didn’t, he feared he would give himself away. The gaunt figure he was now didn’t bother him. As a matter of fact, it made him feel proud.
The Enzo in his mind wasn’t like this. He was confident, with an air of authority that made others subconsciously want to get closer to him.
When he first arrived in this world, he thought he was the chosen one. He was arrogant and looked down on the people of this world. He thought that with his superior knowledge, he could easily thrive.
He was completely wrong. This world is dangerous. Only with the protection of others can sub-beasts here thrive.
That’s why seeing Enzo returning to the tribe in such high spirits made him jealous.
When he realized he was reborn, and reborn to a point before Enzo ever left the tribe, he thought the universe was helping him. He made sure to keep Enzo isolated. When he saw his plan had worked, he didn’t see much of Enzo again.
Until now, he appeared before him. Completely different than the last time he saw him. He resembled the person from his past life now, more than he had a few days ago.
The thought that Enzo might have been reborn flashed through his mind. But seeing him picking berries without a care in the world, he doubted himself.
He was brought out of his thoughts by Sani. "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing," Rin said, shaking his head.
Kris came over to stand beside Rin. "Ignore them. He’s jealous. His male knows how to choose a good female. Compared to him, so small and ugly, you are much better."
"Don’t say that," Rin replied half-heartedly. "Feelings aren’t something we can control. Trak was the one who made the decision back then. Even if I do feel sorry for him, I can’t deny that I like Trak."
"Exactly. You and Trak like each other. Regardless, there are always desperate males who don’t mind a female like him."
Rin smiled inwardly. He enjoyed hearing such words. Outwardly, he shot Kris a look of reprimand.
"Alright, alright, you’re the one who’s kind," Kris waved a hand dismissively.
"Let’s go. We still need to look for sweet potatoes," Rin said, walking away.
Enzo saw them leaving and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t obvious, but he could feel Rin looking at him from time to time.
As soon as they left, Enzo popped a red berry into his mouth. He hadn’t eaten yet, and this was better than nothing.
"Let’s go there," Nova called out.
It was the opposite direction of Rin and his friends, and Enzo appreciated it. They didn’t walk for long before they came upon a tall tree. Zeli and Nova didn’t hesitate; they jumped straight up to the first branch and started climbing.
Enzo squinted, watching them move, quick and efficient. He looked at his hands, then the tree, then at the basket and furs on the ground. He decided to leave the climbing job to them. He took out a few more berries and ate them.
The sweet and sour taste made him crave more.
"Enzo, catch," Zeli called down to him.
Before he could fully process it, he saw a fruit heading towards him. On instinct, he caught it. And so the rain of fruit began. Some he caught; some he didn’t.
The fruit rain soon stopped, and Enzo finally looked at the fruit he was holding. It looked just like an apple. The shape was the same, but the skin was yellow like a banana.
Curious, Enzo wiped it on his loincloth and took a bite. It was sweet, crisp, and had a refreshing zesty tang. He nodded as he kept munching. It was kind of like a pear, he thought.
"We have enough to last for lunch; now we need to see if we can find sweet potatoes," Zeli said as soon as his feet touched the ground.
They picked up their bundles and walked further along their path.
"Aren’t we going back to the tribe for lunch?" Enzo asked, confused.
Zeli shook his head. "Rin said if we find enough sweet potatoes, we will have enough food for the winter. The warriors have gone hunting, but we still need to find enough to last the entire winter. The sooner we find them, the better."
"Will it be winter soon?" Enzo asked. Aside from the nights being cold, the weather didn’t feel extremely cold.
"The winter months come quickly," Zeli explained. "It is not cold now, but after the next full moon, it will rapidly cool down. The following full moon will be time for winter. Winter lasts for three full moons."
"So when is the next full moon?"
"Seven suns from now."
Enzo stopped in his tracks. If he understood what Zeli was saying correctly, they had maybe a month of autumn and then three months of winter. So, in one week, autumn will begin.
He opened his mouth, then closed it and furrowed his brows.
The little person in his head was running rampant, tearing his hair out.
Are you kidding me? I don’t have a door. Am I supposed to freeze to death? Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Where am I supposed to get a door?
Will I be able to survive this winter? I don’t want to die. I just came here. If I’m going to die, at least send me back the way I came.
"Are you okay?" Zeli asked. He saw Enzo stop and stopped with him.
"I don’t think...my hut won’t last the winter."
His expression paled. Nova laughed at his predicament. Enzo glared at him.
"You can stay with sub-father, beast-father, and me. They won’t mind." Zeli patted him on the shoulder.
Enzo observed him. The sincerity in Zeli’s eyes made his heart warm, but he didn’t want to impose on them.
"You should go to the communal building if you’re that worried. You and the other orphans like you and the elders can stay there."
Zeli shot him a glare.
"What? That’s what Rin said it was for. Every year people freeze. He helped make a big hut so they can stay warm together."
Enzo knew what Nova was talking about. It was the large building he saw when he went outside. It could definitely hold hundreds of people. But he didn’t want to go. He wanted his own privacy.
"I’ll think about it," he replied, not being snarky at Nova for once.