We took a break in the deep forest, but Cecilia set off quickly.
We moved through the pathless jungle in silence. I didn’t know where snakes might be lurking. I might accidentally step on one. What’s more, there were bugs of some kind, whether mosquitoes or flies, everywhere, which was terribly unpleasant. They buzzed around my ears, clinging to my arms and face. I wanted to shout and flail my arms. But doing so would only tire me out.
I could only endure, feeling my sweat-soaked hair stick to my face. When would we get out of here? I didn’t care anymore; if I could get out, I’d go back to the desert. Philiana’s words finally sank in.
With a sigh, there was nothing to do but keep moving forward. My mind went blank as I walked, and suddenly Sharin, who was walking in front of me, was dragged into the bushes.
“Hey Sharin, are you okay?” Nina, who was walking beside me, rushed over. I also approached and saw a rope around her leg. It seemed she had been caught in a trap set for animals.
“I’m fine, though I was surprised. I thought I was being careful,” she said, getting up and brushing the mud off her hands.
“Don’t worry, I can get myself out.” As Sharin reached for her dagger, the nearby bushes rustled. Elana, who noticed it first, got into a fighting stance. Could it be the bear we injured that time? Or perhaps a tiger, given we were in the jungle. I wasn’t sure if we could escape unharmed from an animal.
However, contrary to my expectations, what I heard was crude laughter.
“Fugofugo, buhhehe. I can’t believe they actually fell for it—” Several large figures appeared from the bushes and from behind the trees. They were big men with heads like wild boars. Their skin was slightly greenish, but they were hairy like beastmen. From their words, it seemed they had deliberately ambushed us.
“Heh, and it’s all women. This time’s a good haul, wouldn’t you say?”
“You, that’s unfair! Don’t get ahead of yourself!”
They started arguing, with each claiming they found us. In the meantime, Sharin cut her rope and regained her posture. This might be a bad situation. There were four of them, and while we outnumbered them, they seemed to have the advantage in strength. Furthermore, they didn’t seem like people we could reason with.
“If you don’t want to get hurt, stay put.” The wild boar beastman approached us. What should I do? Should I have Elana and Piyo sneak around behind and launch a surprise attack while Philiana and the others keep them busy?
“Plenty to choose from. Fugoh! That Naga woman looks fierce, but she seems good too. Hey, look, there’s even an Elf!”
“Ah, that’s right. Hehehe, I’m getting excited.” They grinned, their fang-filled mouths twisting, drooling as they laughed.
“Ehehe, Elves are the most spirited, but that one over there is completely inexperienced. Apparently, they let out little squeals like pigs if you push them a little.”
“You might act high and mighty, but you’re just a base animal.”
As they pointed at Cecilia and burst into laughter, she, with a speed that even we didn’t notice, thrust her sword into the beastman’s stomach.
