As my joints ached, I turned my body with my weakened arms.

I’m tired, I look at the sky in the forest as I breathed raggedly.

“Are you ok, Milord?” (Gerbera)

The me, who turned over, looked towards her direction, she appeared with her white hair hanging and a gentle expression on her face.  She has an anxious expression on her face.

“I- I’m oka-! *coughs*!”(Kajima)

“Let’s first get your breathing under control.”(Lily)

Gerbera folded her legs and sat down next to me. I can feel the love flowing out of her human arms as she cradles my head.

Lily, who was watching us, came over.

She changed her lower form to the bed I use at night. With that form she lifts me up so I could lay on her.

After checking my body and healing me with magic she gave a contented nod.

“Ok, everythings is healed.”(Gerbera)

“Doing this every morning, sorry.”(Kajima)

“It’s okay.”

Lily’s upper body which sprouted out near my head, smiled and stared at my face. The me right now looks like I’m getting a lap pillow from Lily. Although it’s a different variant. The elasticity on the back of my head is of a girl’s thigh, but at the same time the cool feeling is that of a slime.

Since she transformed she wasn’t wearing anything on her lower body, although she looked like she was sitting in seiza her lower body was still that of a slime, from another’s point of view this might be a amazing position to be in.

(TL/N: seiza is the j.a.panese formal sitting posture, commonly seen when drinking tea or in kendo matches.)

“Master does have some skill now.”(Lily)

“I only remember falling down pitifully though.”(Kajima)

“Didn’t the number of times you’ve fallen decreased?”(Lily)

“…”

“I’m joking, I’m joking. You’re progressing very smoothly master.”(Lily)

“Milord is getting stronger, thou art progressing faster than I first thought.”(Gerbera)

Making side glances at us, I could hear Gerbera’s leg moving. I can’t help but make a wry smile.

“To casually avoid those, even if you say that…”(Kajima)

Even if you say that I’ve gotten stronger. It doesn’t feel that way.

I let out a sigh, it is a natural thing

“I understood how to handle magical power ……  somehow”(Kajima)

When I fill my whole body with magic, my body starts to creak. The magic starts to move like sticky mud. I’m happy that, with help of Gerbera’s teaching, I’m able to achieve body strengthening magic. It’s probably like when a baby first learns how to walk.

――With this I can fight!

The feeling of excitement made me realise that, even though I am a 17 year old man, I still yearn for pure strength.

It was Gerbera who quickly brought an end to my excitement.

Battle training with her, in terms of using magic power in body strengthening magic nothing has really changed. I can’t even graze her with my sword, and even with Asarina I couldn’t bind her. Obviously holding back, I dodged her legs and got hit in the back, no matter how agitated I was it would immediately disappear.

“……”

“Master are you depressed?”(Lily)

As I remembered the state of training from this morning, lily wraps her hands around my cheeks.

To my feverish body, the feel of this chilly girl is pleasant.

It’s a bit depressing, it was definitely uncool.

When I answer, Lily comes around to peek at my eyes. There was a smile on her face.

“But, that face seems to be very happy”(Lily)

“….yeah, I guess.”(Kajima)

I return a nod. It’s a fact that when you don’t have talent it can feel hollow, but it’s also an enriching feeling.

In this world that has a mysterious power called magic, there’s nothing for an ordinary guy like me to do except go forward one step at a time.  I understood that, so I wasn’t seriously depressed.

It is a lucky thing that I can be in this dangerous world and still advance slowly.

Besides there’s someone watching me with a smile. It would be too greedy to wish for more than this

“Let’s have breakfast soon”(Kajima)

I give Lily’s cheeks a pat as I get up. Lily wipes the mud off of me. We don’t lack in the necessity of clothes thanks to Gerbera. But all the clothes made by her are white.

 Because the place I fell today was exceptionally bad, this time I was very dirty. I think it would be best if I changed before I ate.

I was glancing around while I thought about such things. What entered my view was a white-ish doll, and a girl wrapped in a blanket seated together.

“Oh, So you were also awake Kato-san?”(Kajima)

“Good morning, Kajima-Senpai.”(Kato

As I was approaching I called out to them. Kato released her palms from Roses upper arm, turned, and cordially bowed to me.

She is training to learn magic, just like I am, getting ready for the future. Though for her she is just touching the place where Rose uses magic to create magic tools. She is trying to feel the flow of magic

“Any progress?”(Kajima)

“It’s difficult. I’m inexperienced even if I can feel it, I still don’t know how to take in magic power.”(Kato)

Kato has a bitter expression.  For some reason it doesn’t seem to be going well for her.

“That’s inevitable didn’t you expect it to be difficult from the beginning?”(Kajima)

“Yes. But it’s been over a week and there hasn’t been any progress.”(Kato)

“That’s same for me.”(Kajima)

“ Kajima-senpai is able to move now. I was watching out of the corner of my eye and your movements are starting to look good.”(Kato)

Is that really true? No, she’s probably trying to comfort me, it is just social etiquette. If it was someone I was intimate with like Lily then maybe. But we aren’t that close yet.

The sense of distance could be something like “ a friends friend”. Or maybe even “ the friends father”.

Still we are talking better now compared to before.

“ Well if you need any help, as long as I’m around feel free to ask me and I will help Kato-san as much as I can.”(Kajima)

“Thank you.”(Kato)

It’s a compromise… though I don’t know how much I can help.

There was also a separate meaning. Kato-san had to learn it in a certain amount of time. We need to find humans, not just supplies. Once we do we will entrust Kato-san to them. We have already found traces of humans. Depending on the situation we may be parting soon. With her being a friend of Rose,  I’ve decided to treat her as nice as I can. I will try to repay her kindness to Rose by then. That is my current thoughts

“Can I have a bit of your time, master?”(Rose)

Because Rose called out to me, I snapped out of my own thoughts. I looked away from Kato-san to Rose.

“There is something I want to give you. I was working on it with Gerbera and finished it last night.”(Rose)

“!?, Really!?”(Kajima)

“Yes, would you check it?”(Rose)

Rose handed me a white cloth, carefully folded. I can see when I open it, it is a long sleeve unders.h.i.+rt.  I can see that the sewn cloth was made from Gerbera but it was integrated with Rose’s armor plates.  This is made with the pseudo-damascus steel, even though it is thin I can expect some good defence from it.

“This is good. Better than I expected.”(Kajima)

“Thank you very much.”(Rose)

I wanted this ready for when we encountered other humans.  I’m happy it was ready in time. I’m going to give it a trial run immediately.

“But before that, I think I should wash off my sweat first before I wear it.”(Kajima)

“That might be best.”(Rose)

Rose turned to Lily.

“Then would onee-sama prepare the bath. I will prepare the fire in the meantime.”(Rose)

“Alright, then would Gerbera help Rose with the preparations. Gerbera why are you being so restless?”(Lily)

Lily has a curious expression. Gerbera was getting impatient, and looking around restlessly without thinking.

“I can’t see Ayame.”(Gerbera)

“Now that you mention it…”(Kajima)

As I look around I can’t see the young fox.

Ayame had a very free and wild spirit about her. She can usually be seen playing within eye sight.

Though I think It’s a child’s job to play. Gerbera seems to be fairly worried.

“I surely thought that she was with Rose.”(Gerbera)

“No.  I thought elder sister Lily was keeping her occupied for me.”(Rose)

“I don’t know…oh?”(Lily)

The same time that Lily was speaking there was a rustle in the bushes.

Speak of the devil… Just as we were talking of Ayame she appears.

She won’t settle down even after she comes out from under the bush. Once she sees me, she runs straight to me

“What’s the matter?”(Kajima)

She bit the hem of my pants and began to pull me. I stare at the fox and can feel her excitement. She looks up at me with wide eyes, and appears startled.

“What did you find”(Kajima) (TL: Is Timmy stuck in the well?!)

Ayame stopped pulling on my clothes and let go.

Apparently that was the right answer.

Is Ayame’s sense of smell the same as Lily’s Mimicked fire fang sense?

While we were training she might have found something.

Something.

I could feel something. With a firm voice I give out instructions.

“Everyone get ready for departure. Be aware of your surrounding. Ayame is going to guide us.”(Kajima)

Breakfast is postponed. We left immediately to begin the search. Lily was right behind Ayame incase there was any problems. She can perceive the danger faster than anyone.

How many minutes have we walked?

Ayame stopped at Lilys feet and reported with a suppressed voice.

“I found it.”(Lily)

Here is the path that we had been traveling next to for the last couple of days. I hide in the shadow of the trees and look onto the path.

There! After a long time I can see it, the figure of a human.