Survive in the parallel world, please! Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Don’t trust strangers, please!

I woke up to the sound of footsteps. I open my eyes heavily since I’ve never slept on a tree before, or so I think. It was a very rough night, I had a nightmare where I was living on this damned tree like a savage.

A thing figure passes so distance from my tree. I can see her long hair cascading down to her slim waist, she’s a woman. Should I get her attention and ask for help?

Between waking up and gathering my thoughts the woman was already gone. By hesitating, I missed my chance.

It’s good to think before acting, but since I haven’t seen people so far, I may have lost a unique opportunity.

I don’t even know my own circumstances, what should I answer if she started to ask even the most basic questions?

In an ideal scenario, I hoped I could help so stranger and then ask them to give information. Out of gratitude they would answer my questions without thinking twice.

On the other hand, if I am the one who needs help, they will most likely take advantage of my condition.

.....

I take another look at my surroundings in case soone else cos after her. Before I even manage to climb down the tree, the girl ca back and stood right in front of a bush. Could it be that she’s looking for the jackal?

She starts scanning her surroundings as she places her basket in the ground.

Did she hear ?

Out of the blue she starts taking off her clothes, first her footwear and then pulls down her pants. I can’t avoid taking a peek.

My face starts to feel hot, is this embarrassing? And what if she finds out now or if she thinks I’m a pervert spying on he? But why on earth is she taking her clothes off?

A sudden realization finally hits and I look the other way out of respect. Afterall, I wouldn’t like to be spied while doing my business either.

My heart races and I freeze. An enormous pressure takes over . I don’t know why the idea of ??being found out scares so much.

I couldn’t gather any information about her, anything I found out could’ve given an advantage, but i was too embarrassed to look at her anymore. I may not have my mory but i guess I’m not an idiot, I did notice she was quite attractive and that’s pretty much all I could think about.

Since i was looking away i didnt notice when she was done.

She seems to be almost as tall as myself and looks quite young, maybe just a little younger than . Her hair is blond, or maybe it’s white and it’s just reflecting the sunlight. Her clothing looks comfortable. She appears to be very clean and has a neat appearence, wich is strange considering we are out in the wild.

Perhaps she lives nearby! It seems I finally found my way back into civilization.

For obvious reasons I’ve only seen her from above, so that’s why i couldn’t get much more information.

After waiting for her to move, I climb down the tree and follow her at a safe distance, being as careful as possible to avoid making any noise, and hide behind the foliage from ti to ti.

Stealth 1%

It’s exhausting but it has its benefits, after a long ti of following her I got a new skill.

This is exciting in it’s own way, I’m actually looking forward to eting her, though I’m still worried that there might be more people around.

Should I get her attention or not? I’ve been alone for so long that even if it ans being at disadvantage, it might still be worth talking to her.

But what if she knows I’ve been following her? she may believe i was spying on her. Well, technically I am spying on her, and i did see her partially naked, but she left no choice.

I’m not a pervert, well I’m not really sure since I have no mory. What I’m sure of is that I didn’t an to spy on her, but i did.

Why am i hesitating so much? this is what i ca looking for, even if there’s a slight chance she’ll lead to a town or village it’ll be totally worth it. Also, i can just keep following her to see where she’s going, there’s no need to talk to her at all.

To avoid misunderstandings, I decide to follow her from further away, I wait for her walk ahead until she becos a small point on the horizon.

I feel like it’s taking forever, there are fewer and fewer trees and they are also thinner. Can it still be called a forest?

Going a little further ahead I lost her track, but even though there’s no marked trail, there are clear signs that people occasionally pass through here.

Not only occasional footprints, there are broken branches on the trees, so trees had been hit with the obvious purpose of marking the path. Getting lost is impossible when they make it so easy to follow the trail.

These people are not trying to hide themselves at all. In my shelter I did my best to hide my tracks but that’s because i was all by my lone self. She must be from a big town since they are so careless.

Being so close to a town i’m glad I took so many precautions. If i were to find a stranger near my refuge would have been a blessing, but if a stranger was to find my cabin while I was gone, would’ve been disastrous.

I could have been robbed, ambushed or maybe even killed. Risk is too high for such an uncertain reward.

After all, it would have been nice to get the jackal tad. Not only would I have gotten a good companion, It could’ve looked after my cabin while I went about my business.

Well, there’s no point in crying over spilled milk. Hey!? Where did I hear that? It’s a proverb, I know it is, but I don’t recall hearing it before. That would be impossible because I haven’t been interacting with anyone as far as i can rember.

Does this an that my mory has not been completely lost?

A little further on I can see smoke rising high in the sky, i’m getting close so I decide to approach cautiously and climb a tall tree, this way I’ll be able to gather up so more information beforehand.

The sight in front of my eyes shocks . There are four poorly built tents, their shape is irregular, and they look... shabby. Campfire is bare, ground is uneven and there are branches, sticks, leaves, and even food scraps on the ground.

It is an absolute ss!

They all seem well dressed, though they are not as clean as the girl I saw earlier. She is nowhere to be seen, however, there are three people near the campfire. A man who looks quite bulky leans in front of the campfire, it seems that he’s stoking the fire, next to him a short girl seems to be having an animated conversation with the bulky man.

It’s a funny image, as she stands only slightly taller than the man kneeling in front of the fire, which makes her look even tinier.

The last one is a blond boy with a remarkable appearance, he’s handso, i’m a man but even I can tell that much though i wouldn’t say that out loud. He seems to be minding his own business, he walk towards one of the tents move the leather curtain at the entrance and i lost sight of him.

This group is made up of at least four people, none of them looking particularly strong, save for the big man.

I sneak away from their settlent having trouble believing what i just saw with my very own eyes. These people are in an awful condition!

I took so many precautions back at my place, and these guys... they practically live like savages.

There’s even so waste near where they live, aren’t they afraid of wild animals? their tents are fragile and flammable. Their campfire must consu a lot of firewood and being so close to their tents... I can’t even put into words how much it upsets .

To make matters worse, I did’t see weapons nor tools anywhere, how are they even alive?

It was a good idea not to ask for help, after witnessing how bad their living conditions are, I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to eat . Also, they almost certainly have no dicine, what’s even the point of approaching them?

I should just take care of my wounds on my own.

After a sigh I move around, it doesn’t take long until I find what I was looking for.

Red berry: has dicinal properties.

It’s not a good idea to put a fruit on my wound, it will most likely end up causing even more problems.

Not all plants with dicinal properties serve the sa purpose, red berries help against stomach upsets, it’s bush leaves serve the sa purpose, though they provide a lesser effect.

This ans that it won’t have any effect to prevent infection, however, i found out that if I eat a large amount of berries I’ll be able to recover so health points.

The underlying problem, the open wound, will still be there, but as long as I keep my health points high, I’m not at risk.

Health points 8/10

After eating a handful of berries I feel better, I start to analyze the nearby vegetation. I’m not that far from my cabin, yet the plants here are very different.

If I think about it, the geography changed drastically after leaving the forest.

I’d like to go back for my backpack, there I have so dicinal plants that I have previously used to treat wounds. It’s actually a grass, it grows as a single long leaf, then curls and falls under its own weight until it hits the ground. Seen from afar it appears as if a large ring of thin grass is buried.

Sadly, I haven’t been able to find them with the naked eye so far, I got no choice but use analyze on plants that i’m not familiar with, in hopes to find sothing useful.

Moon clover: edible, has a sweet taste.

This one surprises , it’s just a clover but it’s na suggest otherwise. I chew on it and... well, it tastes kind of funny, not in a bad way, but eating grass doesn’t seem appealing to .

Silver flower: gives off a pleasant aroma. Its root has dicinal properties.

This is exactly what i was looking for. Fortunately I still have my spear, I used it to dig a hole and removed the entire plant. Its root is quite prominent.

I need to wash it to be able to consu it, or maybe you should try applying it directly to the wound.

It’s difficult to think of a way to take advantage of it’s properties with my current ans. I would like to have a mortar, so I can grind the root, extract the juice and do so experints. I’ve been thinking about this for a while, a mortar would certainly be helpful, but i spend so much ti doing chores that i have almost no ti to investigate new resources or to experint with them.

Since I don’t have tools nor the ti, I look around for a source of fresh water so i can at least wash the root. I wonder if the flower itself could be of any use.

If these people live here, there’s almost certainly a water source nearby. I an, they don’t seem like the most competent people in the world, but at least one of them must have a good head on their shoulders, or else they wouldn’t be alive right now.

After giving a wide detour to the settlent in order to avoid getting caught, I find the water source, it’s a river.

It cos from a mountain that can be seen in the distance, but it looks so far away it seems impossible to reach on foot, not counting that this forest seems to be endless. Landscape is beautiful and it takes a minute to absorb so of that beauty into my retina, everyti I find a lovely place like this I’m overjoyed.

Washing the wound and the sash is the first step, It’s important to be thorough even if it hurts a little. Since I don’t have flint or containers, I can’t boil water. Fortunately, I still got so red berries since I only consud about half of them. It’s safe to drink river water as long as I have enough red berries to detox afterwards.

My arm goes numb under the cold current of the river, it’s a nice feeling. I look everywhere, I must remain alert in case there are enemies or predators.

Everything seems to be fine so I finish washing. Then, i proceed to wash the root, flowing water makes it a lot easier. After, I run into the bushes to hide while I chew the root of the silver flower into a paste, its taste extrely bitter but not as bitter as losing an arm would be.

I know I’m acting like a wild animal, but, arent wild animals able to survive out in the wild precisely because they are overly cautious?

I apply the paste on the wound and hold it down for a mont. As soon as the paste touches my skin I feel a sharp pain in my arm and I hold on stoically. I feel a burning sensation as if it burns my skin, for a second I doubt if it is having an effect or if it is causing more damage.

I quickly dismiss the idea, if I was taking damage I’d have received a notification of my health points. I can trust these notifications, they’ve been quite helpful this last month and It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that they have kept alive all this ti.

After dressing up my wound I climb to a tree since sleeping on ground level would be too dangerous.

Next morning my arm doesn’t hurt at all and my health points have fully recovered. Not only that, there’s not even a scar, it’s as if i was never hurt in the first place.

.....

This plant is really powerful, If I could get more, I’d try to farm them. This flower is also quite beautiful, it’s white and looks like a cup with a diagonal cut whose four petals open up to give it an elegant and delicate shape. I’d love to see a garden of these flowers.

As soon as I climb down I head towards the settlent. Everyone seems to be still sleeping although it’s already day. Their campfire is out, and there doesn’t seem to be movent.

I wait around so they can see as soon as they get up, but as the hours go by I get bored.

These people! how can they waste daylight like that!?

there’s only so many hours in a day, and they spend their entire morning sleeping? Everything i’ve seen so far makes wonder how are they even alive.

I walk away in the direction I ca from to get my breakfast, sothing tells that if I go any further I might run into that stupid jackal from the woods again. I know it’s silly, but I’m scared of it now.

It’s already noon, I could’ve fished sothing in the river with my spear, but instead spent the morning gathering. I managed to find so edible mushrooms and nuts, I can’t help but get excited about discovering new types of food, even though I couldn’t gather enough for a full al.

Finally soone woke up, she’s the first woman I saw, after comming out of her tent with the basket she goes in the direction of the river.

I hurried my pace to get to the river before her, mi plan is to be seen from afar so I head dowsntream, leaning on my spear as if I am very tired or hurt. There’s no better way to know soone’s real intentions than to be seen in a vulnerable state. If she decides i’m an enemy i’ll just make a run for it, on the other hand, if she cos in my aid i’ll just play along.

I walk slowly and dragging my feet on the ground. I need to look as fragile and harmless as possible.

She arrives upstreamwith her basket on the shore, she still hasn’t seen so I go on with my acting.

Everything’s going great and im very optimistic about my plan, until she starts to undress.

What happens to this girl who is taking off her clothes everywhere?

Does she want to take a bath or maybe wash her clothes?

Her skin is white and smooth, typical of soone her age. Her slim figure accompanies the beauty of her face...

What am i even thinking right now?

It’s best to look down and pretend I didnt see anything, I can’t turn back now.

As soon as she sees , she lets out a huge shriek.

*AHHH!*

“You!? Pervert! Help! a pervert! What do you want?”

Of all things I really didn’t expect that reaction, this unsettled leaving no ti to think. She quickly covers herself with the clothes she brought along with her while her companions co running.

I can’t see who they are because I’m pretending to be in a weakened state.

I start to hear quick footsteps getting closer and, when I judge they are too close, I let myself fall to the ground without thiking twice.

“Hey, who are you?” A deep voice resounds next to . Too bad, he’s the huge guy. Could it be a giant? Am i in trouble now?

“Are you okay?” Says a very sweet voice that I haven’t heard before, this could be the tiny girl I saw before. It’s better if I don’t answer to avoid getting caught in my sche.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have healed my wound to provide so evidence of my demise, but how could i’ve known that the silver flower had such amazing dicinal properties!?

“Don’t ask him if he’s okay! That pervert was spying on while I was taking a bath!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, look at the state he’s in, it’s obvious he ca here by chance. Also, what would you like us to do? It’s not like we can kill him just for peeping”

If they knew I was actually following her, I don’t think I’d go out unhard, but it’s good to know they won’t kill .

“Quick! Bob, take him to the village”

Village!?

isn’t it a bit too much to say village? I think calling it camp would be a complint.

I bite my lip to keep myself from laughing.

“Helena! How many tis must I repeat that you should call by my wizard na in front of others, I’m Marduk the Magnificent”

What’s wrong with this guy? What’s up with that na?

Well, at least they don’t seem like bad people. The only way I see them capable of killing would be through secondhand embarrassnt.

In a single movent the giant takes in his arms, I’m being rocked from side to side with each step he takes. Although he walks calmly, I realize that we are actually moving quite fast.

If I put aside the awkwardness of this situation, it’s actually quite comfortable to be carried. Is this how princesses feel when carried away? Of course I wouldn’t admit it, but this is fun.

Anyway, I must pretend to be weak for a while longer, keeping my eyes closed and just let him carry .

I can barely hear the voices of the won who are talking a little further back, I don’t know what they’re saying but they seem pretty upset. I guess the long-haired girl is still mad I saw her naked. Though i couldn’t even get a good look, not that I regret it anyways.

The footsteps stop, I can hear the crackle of the fire. Bob sets down carefully, it’s awkward because he put right on top of a branch, but I can’t complain.

I literally can’t complain, I’m supposed to be weakened.

“Who is he? Where did you find him?

“He was spying on Anne while she was taking a bath”

Anne, so that’s her na. I wonder how common is to see soone naked before getting to know her na.

“It’s not that, I’m sure he was just passing by”

Says the one nad Helena, I’m trying my best to learn their nas as soon as possible.

“He spied on ! I’m sure!”

“Stop dreaming, the world doesn’t revolve around you”

This is the tiny girl talking, but judging by her voice she’s not a little girl she must just be short.

Everyone laughs at her comnt, I think it’s a good ti to open my eyes.

I see six people looking down at .

“Thank you for helping , I’m exhausted” I say with the most fragile voice I could fake.

“Don’t worry, we couldn’t abandon you to your fate, where do you co from?”

Best thing to build trust between people is honesty and sincerity, if you can fake both you’ll be fine. Instead of lying i’ll try to say as much as i can without actually giving any critical information.

“I live alone in the forest, but I was running out of resources so I decided to explore trying to find a better place. On the way here I was attacked by a jackal so I spent the night in the open, and, when I woke up I explored the whole area. I don’t know where I am, but I’m just tired and a bit thirsty”

I speak calmly while everyone listens carefully.

“Too bad, friend! But don’t worry, you’re fine now, you can stay with us as long as you want” says Bob in a cheerful tone.

“What are you saying, moron! Can’t you see he’s a pervert!?” Anne retorts.

“Pervert or not, we can’t abandon him, he could die if we don’t help him.” A beautiful girl says, pauses, then looks at “you’d better rest while we talk and we tried to co to an agreent.”

So, this is helena, her voice is very sweet and calm, which is the absolute opposite of Anne. I think I already like her. She’s prettier than Anne, in a cute way.

They help sit up and guide to a tent.

Wow!, up close they look even worse than they did from afar.

Even though they have leather, they waste it using it as a curtain. If i had any leather I would have made a waterskin or sothing to wear, anything but a curtain for a structure which is an insult to makeshift shelters.

As I lie on the hard ground, I can’t help but think that I’d even rather be in a cave underground, I hope I don’t catch a disease or sothing.

Taking advantage where I am, I do my best to listen to what they’re saying.

They’re a bit far, I hear voices and I think I can distinguish them, but I can’t make much of what they say.

I focus all my attention to no avail, now I’m at their hands.