Episode 15: Preparing for the Journey

I woke up from the cold. I was shivering uncontrollably.

When I came to, I was lying at the entrance of the cave that used to be the Goblins’ dwelling. My memory slowly returned, and I remembered collapsing from exhaustion. I believe it was broad daylight when I collapsed, but the light streaming through the gaps in the entrance is still intensely bright.

I shifted the rock slightly to look outside; the sun was positioned almost directly overhead. Had I slept for a full day? The warmth of the sun felt good, so I sunbathed there for a while. The rock I leaned against was hot, but for my chilled body, it was a blessing.

After doing this for a while, the shivering finally subsided, and the stiffness in my joints loosened. I wanted to soak in the sun a bit longer, but I could see beasts moving in the distance. I was far from being in fighting condition, so I entered the cave and blocked the entrance with the rock. Just to be safe, I watched for a bit and heard a beast scratching at the rock. However, it couldn’t move the rock, and I felt relieved confirming my safety.

My flank was complaining of pain, so the ribs were likely still broken. However, the sharp pain from where the bone had pierced my internal organs was gone, suggesting that part had healed. It’s an alarming healing ability, almost like a joke of a biological structure.

Heading deeper into the cave, the remnants of the battle remained untouched. The scavenged Goblin corpses and the carcasses of the pseudo-Tasmanian tiger family lay there. Looking closely, the Goblin entrails were starting to rot, and the pseudo-Tasmanian tiger was beginning to lose fur from its rigor mortis-stiffened body.

Judging by the state of the corpses, I might have slept not for one day, but for two or three. I was surprised I hadn’t caught a cold or gotten sick. Normally, it wouldn’t be strange if I were dead.

It sounds odd, but collapsing near the entrance might have been a stroke of luck. Since I received some sunlight through the gaps during the day, my body might not have gotten completely chilled. This young body is built exceptionally sturdy, and I felt renewed reliance on its excellence.

My body still felt heavy and sluggish, so I started a fire. Since the Goblins used fire in the cave, there were several spots for bonfires. I hated having corpses lying nearby, but I lacked the energy to clean them up, so I left them.

As I warmed myself by the fire, an intense hunger assaulted me. Remembering the tree nuts I brought when I came here, I took them out of my pouch and ate them. The nuts were also slightly starting to spoil. The nuts weren’t nearly enough, but having something in my stomach helped me regain a little strength.

I looked around intending to have a proper meal, but the only edible thing was the pseudo-Tasmanian tiger. I wouldn’t eat a Goblin even if I were dying. The pseudo-Tasmanian tiger had eaten Goblin entrails, so I wanted to avoid it if possible, but I had no other choice.

Lusine was oppressed here for a long time and wasn’t given decent food. Thinking of that, I felt I could endure this much.

I took one of the pseudo-Tasmanian tiger cubs I had slit the throat of and a torch, heading to the water source at the back of the cave. Deep in this cave, water seeped from the rocks and pooled in a spot, forming a small water supply area. The Goblins must have used this often; the rocks here were worn down the most.

The water that pooled to a certain level overflowed and flowed back into cracks in the rock. Since it was constantly flowing, the water was clean and fresh. I hesitated to use it, but I swallowed my reluctance.

Placing the torch on a protrusion in the wall, I washed my hands and the stone knife thoroughly, then butchered the pseudo-Tasmanian tiger cub. Even a cub was the size of a medium dog, so there was more meat than I could eat.

I wondered about eating carnivore meat, but perhaps because it was still a cub, while it had a certain gamey smell, the meat was tender and delicious. Afraid of parasites, I roasted it thoroughly, needless to say.

With my stomach full, I finally took a breather. The fatigue hadn’t fully left my body, but my thoughts became much clearer. Since safety was secured for now, I let my thoughts wander.

Naturally, thinking of Lusine first made my mood sink. Building the grave gave me some closure, but it’s hard to escape the regret and sadness. However, meeting Lusine gave me hope to consider various possibilities.

First and foremost, knowing there are other humans is the biggest thing. I don’t know the degree of civilization, but knowing their mentality is similar and communication is possible is a blessing. I’ll struggle to learn the language, but I will be free from solitude.

Although I was a salaryman, I was originally not good at socializing. I only worked as a salaryman out of necessity and felt no fulfillment. Mandatory drinking parties were the most painful.

I stopped thinking about promotion midway and wanted to quit my job and live a leisurely life alone if possible. I felt that way even more after my relationship with my wife soured.

However, coming to this world, I realized how painful and lonely absolute solitude is. The emptiness of no other humans existing is unbearable. Meeting Lusine made me certain of that.

I will find the world where people live no matter what. I can’t imagine what kind of world it is, but if communication is possible, I should be able to survive.

No, since I’ve been reborn into a young body, I want to taste a fulfilling life that I couldn’t in my previous one. I feel this young and tough body will make that possible.

It was only a few hours, but spending time with Lusine taught me that physically, humans in this world are basically no different from Earthlings.

If there is a difference, it would be the presence or absence of Telekinesis, but I didn’t sense any such indication from Lusine. I don’t know if Lusine is the norm or if I am special, but I think I have a certain advantage.

First, I must heal my body as soon as possible. I need to get in shape to overcome the beasts and strange creatures of this world. With a full belly, I fell asleep by the fire.

Sleeping safely wrapped in warmth was very comfortable.

Three days have passed since then. Using this cave, the former Goblin dwelling, as a temporary home, I prepared for my journey while healing my injuries. The first thing I did was clean the cave.

When I carried the Goblin corpses out and threw them into the lake, fish resembling piranhas swarmed and turned them into skeletons in the blink of an eye. That alone would have been a very satisfying sight, but a giant fish appeared to eat the swarming pseudo-piranhas, swallowing them in one bite.

The giant fish was nearly 5 meters long, with a head that looked like it was covered in hard armor. It closely resembled a fish said to have existed on ancient Earth.

I reconfirmed that the water in this world is also dangerous.

Once the Goblin corpses were cleared, I gathered the bones that seemed to be human and buried them next to Lusine’s grave.

Now that there was nothing left to throw away, I worked on making the cave comfortable. I cut a large amount of grass, burned it to fill the cave with smoke to eliminate odors and drive away insects. After that, I scorched areas with fire to sterilize them.

Once the cave was somewhat decent, I made a bed to sleep comfortably. I turned branches about 10cm in diameter into logs, cut them to about 2 meters, and lined up ten of them. I tied them with vine ropes like a raft and filled the gaps with finely crushed tree bark.

Once it became a nearly flat board, I laid layers of rolled leaves on top. Straw would have been better, but I didn’t have time to dry it. Having created some cushion, I laid the pseudo-Tasmanian tiger fur on top, completing the makeshift bed. Thanks to this bed, I could get plenty of sleep, and my fatigue and injuries healed surprisingly fast.

After the bed, I organized the belongings of the humans who were likely killed. In the deepest room, which the Hobgoblin seemed to have used, there were various items. Besides weapons like swords and spears, there were coins, rings, leather shoes, pouches, and tattered fabrics scattered about.

Looking at them, I thought the weapons seemed to be for men, while the ornaments and practical items like rings, shoes, and pouches seemed to be for women based on size and design.

From this, I assume the Goblins attacked a mixed group, took weapons from the men, and abducted the women. The men were probably killed on the spot. While clearing the bones, I thought that all the human bones remaining in the cave seemed to be female by size.

As with Lusine’s case, Goblins seem to reproduce by making human women bear their offspring.

In fact, neither when I infiltrated this cave nor when I returned to massacre them were there any individuals that seemed to be female Goblins. It really seems to be a male-only species. Though, there is a possibility they live separately and only come together during the breeding season…

Well, that doesn’t matter now. I will kill Goblins without question upon finding them! That is enough.

However, looking at the belongings, I can’t say the human civilization level is high even as flattery. Weapons like swords and spears made of iron are rusty and worn. The state of the ironworking is far from refined. It looks on the same level as Earth’s Middle Ages no matter how I look at it.

The rings have gems set in silver, but the polishing precision of the gems isn’t great. The leather shoes and pouches are decent, but the designs are unsophisticated. The tattered fabric has a coarse weave, and the dyeing technology doesn’t seem advanced.

From these things, it’s hard to think scientific technology is developed, and I can’t imagine a connection to the laboratory-like place where I woke up.

However, amidst all this, only the coins are distinct. There are two silver coins and three each of large and small copper coins. I think they are silver and copper based on texture, but they are made too exquisitely for cast products. Depending on how you look at it, they might be better made than modern Japanese coins.

Normally, copper coins would dull or rust, but these shine with a reddish-copper color as if just made, with not even a scratch, let alone deformation. The same goes for the silver coins. Between the coins and the other items, the quality of craftsmanship is too different and unbalanced.

Suddenly, looking at the bracelet I was wearing, I felt a high level of technology common with the coins. This is made with a technology level far beyond what I know. Did the same humans possess these?

If so, there must be humans living lives I can’t imagine at all. Or were they owned by completely different humans, and the human world is made up of a multi-layered structure of societies with developed scientific technology and those without? Like people from advanced countries on Earth coexisting with indigenous people of the Amazon or Africa. The more I think, the less I understand.

So, I stopped thinking.

No matter how much I imagine, I won’t know until I see it. I’ll save that for when I find human society; now is the time to prepare to find that society.

I decided to take the rings and coins as they might be useful in human society, and I decided to use the weapons and pouches. The pouches are fine as is, but the weapons are heavily corroded and need maintenance.

There are three swords that look like longswords with blades about 1 meter long, and two long spears. All three swords differ in length, weight, and design. This is probably due to the user’s preference or ease of use.

The long spears are the same, and these two have different uses. One is a simple construction with just a long, slender blade attached to the handle so it can be used as a javelin, but the other has an axe and a hammer attached between the handle and the blade. I recall it was a weapon called a halberd.

It has the same use as the spear I lost, but this iron weapon is much more refined and easier to use than the one with a stone tool tied to it. The length of about 2 meters is ideal, but the weight is only about 5kg, which feels lacking.

I decided to make this halberd my main weapon. It has reach and is convenient because it can stab, cut, and strike, making it easier to handle than a sword. Above all, I know from experience fighting beasts with my handmade spear that it is user-friendly.

There is a design engraved at the base of the spearhead—a pattern reminiscent of a spreading eagle or hawk accompanied by herb-like leaves—which might be a family crest or perhaps a manufacturer’s mark.

On the other hand, swords require considerable training and aren’t something an amateur can handle. Long ago, I was allowed to swing a katana through a connection, but I sprained my wrist trying to cut a straw bundle. Unless you swing the blade straight through, it won’t cut properly no matter how sharp the edge is. There might be differences between katanas and double-edged swords, but both would take considerable time to become usable in actual combat.

Also, none of the swords have sheaths. The Hobgoblin must have stolen them bare. This is why low intelligence is a problem. You can’t carry a sword without a sheath. Well, whatever. What I want is a dagger and a knife. A dagger is necessary for close combat, and a knife is useful for everything from cooking to processing fur.

Apologies to the original owner, but I snapped the blade of the longest longsword into three pieces to make a dagger and two knives. A dagger with a blade length of about 30cm, and knives with blades of 10cm and 20cm. Using a rock lying around as a whetstone, I removed the rust and sharpened them. For the knives, I dulled one edge to make them single-edged.

With the knives made, wood processing became easier, so I cut some bamboo-pseudo from the forest to make handles and sheaths. Since the original longsword was straight without a curve like a katana, making sheaths was relatively easy.

I shaved the inside of thick bamboo-pseudo to make it plate-shaped, putting two pieces together to encase the blade. I just wrapped it with cord made from split vines, but it turned out quite well. I made the dagger sheath the same way.

For the knife handles, I used the tang of the blade and wrapped cord twisted from vines around it to a thickness easy to grip. To prevent slipping, I made grooves in several places on the handle. It was surprisingly easy to use, and I immersed myself in self-satisfaction for a while.

After removing the rust and sharpening it beautifully, the halberd was fully usable. I thought 5kg was light, but on Earth, that’s something a very large man would use. Anyone who has swung a 5kg sledgehammer for construction knows that even one swing requires considerable power, and long-term use is too grueling.

It’s not practical to swing this halberd around for a long time in combat, but the young body I obtained has enough power to feel it’s insufficient.

What about the average male in this world? Looking at the longswords, they are made around 2kg, so they don’t seem that different from Earthlings.

However, the weight is only my sensation of holding it, so I don’t know the reality. Well, if I say that, I don’t even know if this planet’s gravity is 1G like Earth’s. Anyway, feeling that the weapons of this world are light is a good thing. It proves my physical abilities are superior.

The story got long, but with this, the weapon preparations are done. The halberd and the 30cm dagger are my weapons for melee combat. However, the basis of my fighting style is long-range attacks with stone throwing and finger bullets.

Having experienced melee combat with the Hobgoblin and beasts, I realized the risk is extreme. They have tremendous power and weapons like claws and fangs, and they fight until death, so a momentary lapse leads to death. If I lose my weapon, I’m instantly placed at an overwhelming disadvantage. A naked human is biologically extremely fragile, so if I can avoid melee combat, that is much better.

Parallel to weapon making, I made a new poncho, knapsack, and waist pouch from the pseudo-Tasmanian tiger fur. The tiger-striped poncho and knapsack are quite charming. I also remade the shoes by disassembling the ones found here and reusing the leather. By reinforcing the toes and heels with leather, they became sturdier.

Thus, my preparations for the journey fell into place. My injuries were mostly healed by the third day. In fact, I was surprised that the rib fractures healed in less than a week. This body seems to increase healing speed while sleeping, and light injuries and cuts mostly heal overnight. From these facts, it seems my body wasn’t just born naturally, but for now, it’s convenient, so I’ll accept it.

However, parallel to my injuries healing, my libido also rose rapidly. I couldn’t endure the overflowing libido and was forced to masturbate many times a day. Every time I reached “sage time” (post-nut clarity), I felt depressed about what I was doing, but I couldn’t suppress it.

The worst part is that I inevitably recall the feel of Lusine’s nakedness and hands. Since coming to this world, my only contact with a woman was the experience with Lusine, so it might be unavoidable, but it feels like I’m profaning her, and I get terribly depressed afterward. I seriously want to kill myself.

When I notice it, I try to switch my thoughts to memories from Japan—acts with lovers or my wife, or experiences at brothels—but those are from over 10 years ago. The vivid memories with Lusine inevitably float up first. I truly am the worst. Is there really nothing to be done about this abnormal sexual desire?

I visit Lusine’s grave in the morning, and confessing has become my daily routine. Lusine, I’m truly sorry.

It rained from the night of the third day I woke up in this cave until the morning of the fourth. It was the first proper rain since I came to this world. Before this, it sprinkled at dawn or past midnight, just enough to know it had rained later. It seemed to have rained quite hard; stepping outside, there was the smell of damp earth.

Looking at the sky, heavy clouds broke in the west, revealing blue sky. I walked around a bit; on the lakeshore, I left clear footprints in the wet sand. Also, puddles had formed here and there in the rocky areas. Small insects stopped at the puddles, creating small ripples.

When the weather cleared and sunlight shone, the puddles sparkled, entertaining the eye. Captivated by the scenery changing with the weather, a puddle reminiscent of a bathtub caught my eye. I instinctively got an idea. If I boil this, wouldn’t it become a bath? Thinking that, I couldn’t sit still.

Fortunately, there was a stock of wood the Goblins had dried for bonfires inside the cave, so I used it to make a large bonfire. I heated many stones in that bonfire and threw them into the puddle one after another.

After heating it to a temperature where bacteria and microorganisms would die, I added clean water to cool it down to a temperature I could soak in. Removing the scum and dirt floating on the surface, the bath was complete. I slowly soaked my body in the hot water.

“Aaaahhhhh~~~~…”

The pleasure of soaking in a bath. A moment of bliss carved into the Japanese soul. Before I knew it, a clear blue sky spread before my eyes, and a double rainbow hung over the lake. It was the best open-air bath.

I had weapons ready just in case of beasts, but perhaps the large bonfire acted as a deterrent, as there were no problems.

Back in Japan, if there was a hot spring during a hike, I used to enjoy bathing while viewing nature, but bathing in another world is also exceptional. I feel my body warming up, and the accumulated fatigue and hardships washing away with the sweat. I think again that I am living a truly strange life.

Finishing the bath, I gazed at nature while stark naked. The time spent cooling down was also the best. If only I had a beer, but that’s asking for the impossible. However, here lies untouched nature that can hardly be seen in Japan anymore. The scenery of another world, which no Earthling has ever seen, spreads before me. In a sense, this might be the ultimate luxury.

With this peace of mind, I think it would be interesting to go around seeing the scenery of this world. Of course, finding other humans comes first, but once that is fulfilled and things settle down, I definitely want to try that.

I felt that the sadness of losing Lusine had healed just a little.