Beyond That Forest

When they emerged from the tunnel, there was…

“Mm, so bright.”

“We’re finally out under the suuun!”

Her beloved sun. Sunlight poured down on Konoha for the first time in ages.

“It’s dazzling…”

“Lower the cloth. I don’t want too much heat getting inside.”

“Okay!”

The area outside the Respega Underground Labyrinth was covered in forest, with unfamiliar plants and plants that looked vaguely familiar growing thickly everywhere.

A month and a half after being abducted, Konoha had finally managed to step beneath the sun again. While nibbling on some kind of smoked meat she had found in the Starry Sky Room, Konoha opened a map. This was something else she had swiped from the Starry Sky Room.

“If we get through the Sanclue Forest and follow the highway straight ahead, we’ll reach the academic city of 【Racluzero City】. The Neutral City of Lichten is farther beyond that, though.”

At that, a woman riding in the wagon bed behind Konoha sharply raised her hand.

“Yes! I live there!”

“M-Me too! I want to thank you somehow, so I’d love it if you stopped by!”

“I want you to visit our university, 【Racluzero University】! We’ll give you a warm welcome!”

“Racluzero University?”

Konoha tilted her head, thinking she vaguely remembered reading about it in one of the books in the Starry Sky Room. Meiro immediately explained.

“Racluzero University, one of the kingdom’s most prestigious universities, located in the academic city of Racluzero. It has a liberal school culture centered around student self-governance and has produced many famous people. I believe it’s also famous because its chancellor is known as the 【Green Sage】.”

“Amazing! How do you know that!?”

“I read it in a book. Together with you.”

“N-No way…”

She forgot things far too quickly. Just then, the woman who had raised her hand earlier leaned far forward. Please stop, that was dangerous.

“I’m Tree! Tree Carmen! I’m a fourth-year law student at Racluzero University. The Green Sage, Forest Carmen, is my grandma! I want you to meet Grandma too!”

Tree said it with a proud look on her face. Seriously, that was dangerous~.

“What do you think, Meiro-chan?”

“Why not? It’s not as though we’re in any particular hurry to reach the Neutral City. Besides, Racluzero has a 【Guild Hall】 too, so I’d like to make some preparations there.”

“Okay! Then let’s stop by. I doubt everyone else has made it that far yet anyway.”

““““Yaaay!!””””

Please move back inside before you fall out…

“Waaaaah! Something’s coming at uuuus!?”

Blocking the road ahead of Konoha and the others was a huge black ape. It was probably some kind of magical beast.

“A 【Black Ape】, also called a Pseudo-Demon. They’re magical beasts found in intermediate-level labyrinths. Konoha, don’t hold back—wipe them out!”

“Roger that!”

The girls in the back were stunned by this. Meiro had called them intermediate-level, but these were still magical beasts that normally required a large party to challenge. Fighting them with only two people was anything but sensible.

“That’s reckless!! Each Black Ape is extremely high-level!?”

“Forget about us, Konoha-chan, just run!”

The girls trembled in fear. Black Apes had a tendency to sexually assault human women, and the sight of the girls in the back filled them with delight.

“Kiiiiii!!”

“Kee! Kee!”

The Black Apes made a commotion up ahead. The distance between them gradually shrank. Cries of despair were already coming from behind her, but Konoha ignored them and stared straight ahead.

The huge specimen at the front was probably the leader. If she killed it, the group might lose cohesion and go berserk. To prevent that, she first needed to deal with the nearly two hundred apes surrounding it—

“I’ll cut them down!! 《Demon Slayer》!”

Standing atop the wagon, she drew her blade and slashed through the air. In the next instant—

“Giiiaaa!!”

“Gyaaaaaah!!”

Nearly ten Black Apes had their torsos sliced apart, spraying fresh blood through the air. Unable to understand what had happened, the Black Apes were drenched by the rain of blood falling over them and slowly began to comprehend their situation. All that remained afterward was… fear.

Konoha swung her sword. The vibrations in the air became invisible blades, slicing through one Black Ape after another. As they watched their companions gradually turn into chunks of meat, more and more of the Black Ape horde began trying to flee.

“KIIIIIIIIII!!”

The boss ape stepped forward. The wagon steadily approached at a constant speed. The boss ape planned to first kill Meiro, who was driving, then tear Konoha, standing in the wagon bed, to pieces.

Its huge claws extended. Black Apes specialized in hunting as a group, and those hooked claws were their weapons when they did so. They were razor-sharp talons capable of slicing through adventurers’ iron armor and gouging out the flesh beneath. Preparing its prized, carefully sharpened claws, it waited eagerly for the chance to slaughter the girls. However—

“As if I’d let you. 《Freezing》!”

When Meiro gave her staff a single swing, the boss ape felt something strange beneath its feet. Frost had formed, leaving its feet completely immobilized. No—it was gradually freezing solid.

“Gii… GIIII!!”

And the wagon kept approaching. The last thing it saw was Konoha standing in the wagon bed and swinging her sword—

Slash!!

Its ugly head went rolling toward the base of a tree. Seeing that, the gathered apes appeared to lose their nerve completely. They turned their backs and scrambled to flee before anyone else could. The rampage Konoha had initially anticipated after the loss of their boss was difficult to trigger after she had instilled this much fear in them.

“No way… she killed the Black Ape boss… in one strike!?”

“That girl… is strong…”

Konoha had slaughtered around fifty apes. Enemies at this level no longer seemed sufficient to increase her experience or cause skills to drop. It strongly reminded her that her level really had risen.

“Phew. Looks like they won’t pursue us. Is everyone in the back okay?”

“Y-Yes. We’re fine, but… Konoha-chan, you’re incredibly strong!”

The girl from earlier—or rather, from Konoha’s perspective, she felt more like an older sister—Tree spoke excitedly.

“Really!? Ehehe, thank you!”

Konoha replied with an innocent smile. Tree’s protective-instinct meter instantly hit maximum.

“Aaaaaah!! You’re just too cute!! I’m petting you! I’m definitely petting you!!”

“Waaaah, don’t climb over here!! …Fwaa, this actually feels kind of nice.”

Once Tree started stroking her head, Konoha succumbed to its irresistible power. Because she had lost her older sister when she was young, part of her unconsciously longed for this sort of affection. Konoha herself was completely unaware of it.

“Aaah, Konoha-chan, you’re so adorable!! You’re strong, cute, cool—I seriously want to marry you!”

“I can’t marry youuu… fwaa… fwaaaa.”

Konoha wore a blissful expression as Tree did whatever she pleased with her. This time, Meiro’s irritation meter began steadily filling.

“Konoha, just what exactly are you doing?”

“Meiro-chan… getting your head petted actually feels really nice~.”

Konoha, the oblivious protagonist, completely failed to pick up on Meiro’s feelings. Tree, however, seemed to sense the chill radiating from her.

“Ahaha, your friend is seriously mad. Once we reach the university, you can let me pet you as much as I want, okay!”

Tree timidly returned to the wagon behind them.

“What was that about…?”

“Konoha.”

“What is it, Meiro-chan?”

“I… um… want to pet you too…”

Meiro muttered awkwardly while still facing forward. To anyone looking from the side, her face had turned apple-red.

“You’ll pet me too, Meiro-chan!? Yaaay!!”

Because the wagon moved automatically, there was no problem at all if Meiro let go of the reins. Meiro crawled toward the rear wagon bed.

“Pat, pat.”

“You’re really gentle when you pet me, Meiro-chan~. I feel like I could fall asleep like this… fwaaa.”

“Don’t misunderstand. I was merely drawn to how soft your hair is. I absolutely did not intend to dote on you, so—”

Meiro desperately tried to make excuses to hide her embarrassment, but—

“Zzz~ snore…”

Konoha had already fallen asleep. Somehow, she skillfully slept while sitting upright, with a snot bubble forming at her nose.

“You fall asleep as quickly as ever. If you’re going to sleep, then sleep properly or your body will ache.”

Meiro took out a blanket, a pillow, and Konoha’s favorite stuffed seal, then laid Konoha down. She gave the peacefully sleeping Konoha one more gentle stroke.

“So… cute.”

Her expression softened. After a little while, she returned to the reins once again.

By the time Konoha woke up in the evening, she saw the setting sun sinking beyond the horizon past the edge of the forest.

At last, the city of Racluzero was coming into view.