Taboo Journal Novel Chapter of Heart Resonance: Confrontation

"The forest folk? You an, the fairies?" asked Lily.

"Yeah. And it's really elves, it seems. This is going to be a pain, isn't it?" answered Wendl.

Elves? Elves were outside? Right now?

Through the small, opened window we could hear several voices echoing through. High-pitched voices.

"The captain is dealing with them but it might take a while. Tsk, how botherso."

"Teacher, they'll hear that."

"They can for all I care. They are just a bother."

The high-pitched voices continued in the background, sounding agitated. Unfortunately, I couldn't make out what they were saying. It made

curious. Like, I was really, really curious. We were talking about elves after all. Elves!

"Nn, I want to see."

"Yumi? What do you want to see?" asked Karen.

"The elves."

"Ohh... But Mr Wendl said we should stay inside..."

Unfortunately, he really had said that. Wasn't there a way around it? Couldn't fortune allow

to see them? I was really curious. I an, they were elves! Elves! Who wouldn't be curious now?

"You brats better sit tight, you hear ? Don't get strange ideas."

"... Nn."

He had overheard us... Damn it.

Suddenly, an unknown, high-pitched voice ca from quite close. Like, right next to the wagon.

"You! Human!"

"How may I help you?"

"What is inside this contraption?"

"... My apprentices are inside."

There was no answer from the voice. Instead, soone was now knocking against the walls.

"Human! How does this contraption open?"

"... You pull on that grip to open the door."

"This? Ah!"

The door opened and the sunlight shined through. Standing behind the door was a young girl. A small girl, smaller than even I was, with long, drooping ears. Long, blonde hair decorated with leaves. In her hand was a long branch. Overall, she was pretty cute and sohow fit more the image of elves I had. Except, for her height and... one other thing.

Cover yourself! Please!

I had to avert my eyes. The girl was more naked than not. She only wore sothing akin to a loincloth made of large leaves, covering up her bottom half. And even that loincloth was more absent than not, with large gaps between each leaf.

"More humans!" she declared with a loud voice.

Accurate observation. He literally told you we were inside.

She entered the wagon and looked around. Poking a few things with her branch. Then she turned towards us, or rather, to Karen first. After a few seconds of scrutinising Karen, her eyes went wide and she took a step back. Her expression suddenly turned into one full of panic.

"Demon! Demon!"

Then she stord out of the wagon and continued screaming "Demon! Demon!"

Karen, a little dumbfounded, turned to us.

"What... just happened?"

"... I have no idea, Karen. Maybe she took offence at sothing you did?"

"Nn, Mr Wendl, what's the aning of this?"

"If only I knew, brat. She scread sothing about demon but... Maybe they don't like demonkin? Never heard of that, though."

Everyone was confused. But, the door was open. I peeled off Lily's arms, much to her chagrin, and walked over to the door.

"Ohh..."

Peeking outside I saw... elves. Dozens of them. Surrounding the wagons or observing from behind the trees. All of them were small. I was certain that not one of them was taller than I was. So elves looked like adults, just in miniature form. Honestly, I couldn't call them beautiful or cute. Their appearance felt... dissonant? Weird? Sothing like that. As if you took an adult woman and transford her into half her original size.

Guess not all elves are beautiful, huh... Kind of a letdown...

On the other hand, a few had a completely childish appearance. You still couldn't call them beautiful, but most of them were pretty cute.

"Ohh... so those are the elves?"

Karen joined

in peeking outside, looking quite astonished herself.

"Nn, I guess so."

"It's all girls..."

"Nn..."

"And they're... naked..."

"Nn..."

There wasn't even one male among them. And all the elves were barely wearing clothes. So wore loin clothes made from leaves, the sa kind the elf from before wore. There were even a few that wore sothing akin to a shirt made from leaves. But the vast majority was... not wearing anything. Outside of branches and leaves here and there, like accessories.

Hopefully, the rcenaries can hold themselves back with this view... It might be... quite stimulating. Though, I'd be really worried if most of them can't hold back...

A fluffy tail suddenly brushed my side. Next to , Lily had joined us, peeking through the opened door.

"You didn't know? All elves are female."

"All of them?"

"All of them, Karen."

"... How do they, uh... increase then?"

"... I don't know."

"..."

How mysterious. Did elves maybe grow on the trees then? Actually, that was a scary thought on its own. Hopefully, they didn't.

"Ah, so of them are running over."

A group of elves ran in our direction. They were all actually clothed, bottom and top, except the one girl that had been in the wagon. Maybe the clothes were sothing of a status symbol?

Behind them were Greyward and an unfamiliar man. And Emily. For so reason, Emily was there...

"Demon! There! Demon!"

The girl from before pointed in our direction, probably at Karen.

"Sis. They're coming for you."

"Please don't phrase it like that, it worries ."

"I think you should be worried. They don't look happy."

The elves seed quite upset, in fact. Usually, I'd probably fall into a panic if soone ran in my direction like that. Alas, behind the group, Greyward was trying to gesture sothing. Emphasis on gesture, because I had no idea what he was trying to say. And Emily was just grinning brightly. It kind of killed mood for panic...

While I wondered about that, the elves arrived at the wagon, forming a half-circle around the door. Most of them stared at Karen with worried or even scared expressions, tightly clutching the branches, rocks and other things in their hands. Only one of the elves wasn't staring at Karen. Instead, she stared at .

"Demon! A demon!" the elves exclaid loudly.

"Ahh, calm down, please! She's not dangerous! Everything is fine!"

Greyward, Emily and the unknown man ca up from behind. Emily imdiately dashed through, passing the elves and jumping towards us.

"Yumi! Big Sis Karen! Big Sis Lily! It's elves! Lots of them!"

"Emily?!"

Karen caught Emily in her arms, being forced a few steps back...

That girl really had so astonishing jumping power, being able to jump from the ground into the wagon and straight into Karen's arms.

"Emily, do you know what's going on?"

"Going on? What do you an, Yumi?"

I glanced at the bewildered elves outside. They were all looking at Emily, full of confusion and worry.

"Miss Yumi, Miss Karen, Lily, could you at least leave the wagon?"

"Ah, sorry. We're coming, Mr Greyward."

Karen jumped out of the wagon, Emily still in her arms. Lily followed and then I left as well. The half-circle from the elves backed away a little. They were still whispering about Demon here and Demon there.

"Lady Elder, as you can see, they are completely harmless girls. They have nothing to do with the things in the forest."

"..."

"Lady Elder?"

Greyward spoke to the one elf who kept staring at . At first, she didn't even respond, but after a while, she turned around, to the girl who had caused the ruckus at first.

"***** *** **** * *******"

"******* *** ***** **** **** * *****"

"*** ** *** ** **** **** * ***** ***** ** ** **** ** *****"

"* **********"

Suddenly they spoke in a language I couldn't understand. Then the girl, or the Elder, finally turned to Greyward.

"Mr Human. We understand. The girl is harmless. But. We want to talk to that one."

She pointed at

with her branch.

Eh? ? No, wait, that can't be right. Why ?

"With Miss Yumi? May I ask why?"

"You need not know, Mr Human. We want to talk with that one. That is all."

"I'm sorry, but we're in a little bit of a hurry."

"We will talk to that one."

The Elder didn't take no for an answer.

"Esteed Ancestor can co. Everyone else cannot."

"No, we really have to leave. With her."

The Elder's eyes narrowed. Then she turned around to the elves and shouted sothing. Within a mont, the majority of elves surrounded this wagon, everyone holding their branches or whatever in front of them as if they were ready to strike at us.

"Lady Elder, I'm sorry if this is rude, but I do not believe a fight would be a good idea, for neither of us."

"We already told you, Mr Human. We will talk to that one."

"... Allow

to speak with them for a mont."

"You may."

The Elder gestured with her hand and the elves all backed off a few ters. They still kept the encirclent up, though. The Elder herself also retreated a little, leaving us alone with Greyward. From the distance, I could spot her smiling in our direction.

"Mr Greyward? What is going on?!"

"Miss Karen, calm down. I have no idea."

"Papa, how is everyone else?"

"Everyone is fine. They weren't out for conflict. They actually only wanted to talk with Emily... until now..."

He glanced at Emily, who was still in Karen's arms, or more accurately, still hanging onto Karen.

"Either way, those elves now want to talk with Miss Yumi for so reason... Miss Yumi, do you know why?"

"Nn, I don't."

"I see... Figured... Still, I don't want to fight the elves over that..."

He sighed, shaking his head.

"Miss Yumi, could I ask you to humour them?"

"You want

to talk to them?"

"Yes. I'll leave soone here to bring you to the fort later."

"Mr Greyward! You can't an to just leave her alone with them?!"

"Calm down, Miss Karen! I understand that you're worried, but they won't take a refusal, as you see."

"Still!"

Karen scowled at Greyward, visibly displeased.

"Sis, calm down. He is right, they seem quite stubborn."

"Then, do you want to just go with them?"

"... To be honest, no."

The Elder wanted to talk with . But why was that the case? I didn't know. Whichever reason it was, though, I had quite the apprehension over the whole thing. They were strangers. And, I did have a little bit of an idea, why they wanted to talk to . And if my guess was right, the whole thing could turn ugly quickly. They were already surrounding us, ready for a fight, after all. That couldn't be a good sign. They had already shown that they would try to force their way.

"Miss Yumi, in the best case, the talk won't be long and you'll be right behind us."

"That might be but... I'm sorry, but I'd still prefer not to..."

"... I see."

He sighed again, scratching the back of his head.

"Captain."

"Wendl? What is it?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I agree with the brat. Elves should be rather reclusive tribes. They don't bother with people unless they endanger the forest they live in."

"... So, you're saying there is a risk?"

"Yes."

Wendl, who was still sitting on the driver's bench with his apprentice, ca to my rescue.

"Mhh... They seem quite amiable to my eyes, for the most part."

"Captain, elves are, in the end, fairykin. They hold different values than we do. They might look friendly, but I wouldn't be surprised if they change that attitude on the drop of a hat. Actually, they already surround us, so I wouldn't bet on them being amiable. You should know that too."

"Haa... You might be right... I get it, Wendl, I get it. You know, I'm still your superior, no need to lecture . Let's try negotiating first..."

He sighed for the third ti, then turned to the elder elf. Noticing that we finished, she approached us again, still smiling.

"Mr Human. Did you say farewell?"

"I apologise, Lady Elder, but we have to refuse. Instead, if po—

The Elder's smile broke down, her entire expression darkened. As if Wendl's little prophecy had fulfilled itself the mont it had left his mouth. Not that it was much of a surprise, in my opinion.

"Human, do you defy us?!"

"... Lady Elder, I am responsible for these girls and I cannot entrust you with them."

"We do not care for your trifles! The Cursed cannot be allowed to return! We will get our 'talk'!"

After her declaration, the elves behind her all readied themselves, holding their makeshift weapons up.

"So much to negotiating..."

"Nn..."

Despite the nacing atmosphere, Greyward stayed calm. As if the whole intimidation had no aning.

"Lady Elder. I am fairly certain a fight would be... unfavourable for you."

"Do not speak to us, Human! We gave you a chance but you decided to face the ire of the forest!"

"I rather take the ire of the forest than the ire of the witch."

Silence. The Elder's eyes slowly widened, her face tinged with fear. She backed away a few steps, shaking her head left and right.

"No. No! Not that one! Not that one! Not the Accursed Witch!"

"So? What do you want to do now? Fight us and make the witch mad?"

"... We will not forget this, Human!"

The Elder motioned with her hand towards the elves. They all turned around and ran into the forest, disappearing imdiately. An eery silence hung over the forest now.

"... Never fails to impress how effective those words are."

"Papa, I don't think abusing Mama's reputation is a good thing."

"Tell her to fix her reputation so I can't use it in the first place. What did she even do that every single fairy hates her guts... Well, I can imagine it..."

"The dark elves don't hate her."

"Oh, right. But those are an odd bunch anyway..."

Greyward turned around to us, shaking his head in exasperation. I finally understood the reason he had been so incredibly calm... He could always drop the witch into the conversation and scare them away.

"Mr Greyward, what if that hadn't worked?"

"Then we would've had to beat the crap out of them. I won't have you underestimate my n, Miss Karen, they can deal with so elves just fine. They're not as strong as they believe they are. Although I must admit, that so of the credit goes to your little friend."

"Friend?"

He pointed at Emily, who was still comfortable hugging Karen. At least she was now standing on the ground and—

Wait, Emily. Don't bury your face in her breasts, those are mine!

"Emily? Did you do sothing?"

"Mh? Big Sis Karen? What did I do?"

"No, that's what I'm asking? What you did with those elves..."

"Mhh? Oh! Ohh! They tried bullying everyone!"

Peaking up at Karen, she inflated her cheeks.

"They told the trees to bully everyone! So, I told the trees to be nice and not do that!"

"Ehh?"

The heck?

"The trees are nice ones, they don't like to bully either! So they said they wouldn't!"

"... Okay?"

So, in other words, she prevented the elves from... using the trees to attack us? At least, that was my guess. I couldn't really imagine anything else, at least. Not that this sounded rather... doubtful too.

Then again, they did say she might be a High Elf, right? Maybe she is quite impressive, after all.

"Now, with that said, everything ended well. They probably won't be our friends now, but at least we won't get into trouble with them anymore for now. We'll go back and then we'll continue to the fort."

Greyward turned on his heels, waved once and left. The unknown man on his side followed him quietly.

"You brats, get back into the wagon."

"Ah, yes. Emily, what about you?"

"It's comfy! I'll stay!"

"Emily, I am busy too, though, you'll have to let

go."

"Ehh? Mh... Then, Big Sis Lily!"

Her ears drooped for a few seconds, then she quickly turned her attention towards Lily. Leaving Karen, she latched onto Lily's back.

"Ohh! it's fluffy! Fluffier than Maya's!"

"Ah, Emily?! Stop! Not the tail!"

"Brats! Get in!"

"Ahh, we'll get in, we'll get in!"

This had been a little bit of a chaotic incident, but we safely managed to resu our journey.

"I'm bored..."

There was nothing to do. Like, nothing. Karen was busy with the odd device, so I couldn't bother her for now. Emily had occupied Lily's lap and was playing around with the fluffy tail and Lily simply indulged her. I had skimd through the other book, the one about ropers, but true to Lily's words, there wasn't anything new, really. In fact, it was even worse, it didn't even have illustrations. Then again, maybe illustrations were pretty uncommon in the first place...

What do I do now? It'll probably still take so ti until we arrive at the fort... Maybe I should just sleep.

Then again, I did have a little bit of alone ti, right now. More or less. That wasn't bad by itself.

But to think that I still can't figure out why the magic doesn't work... So troubleso...

If the talk with the elves had gone better, maybe I could have asked them about it. But judging from that Elder's reaction, they never intended to have any actual talk. Dodged a bullet there, probably...

I wonder what they ant with Cursed, though... Am I cursed? I hope not...

Being cursed was no joke. In a world like this, that might really happen after all. Then again, didn't that monster say sothing about curses? That it'd be hard to curse ? How odd...

Curses, huh...

I held up my hand. It was a small, delicate hand. Vastly different from the rough hand I was used to. Things had changed. I wasn't quite sure if I could say they had changed to the better or not. I was happy, right now. That, I was sure of. But this life also brought its own troubles. The future was uncertain. In fact, I... was a little scared, of what was up ahead for . For us.

Maybe I shouldn't have given in to Maya and the girls...

In the end, I chose quite a dangerous future. I didn't want to have regrets, yet it still made

worry, whether this was the right choice. Thinking calmly about it, I probably got caught up in the heat of the mont...

No, don't think like that, Yumi. If you start now, you'll surely start regretting it imdiately!

I shook my head in an attempt to chase the thoughts away.

Such thoughts weren't good. The decision had been made already. Whether I was prepared for it or not.

But, if we hadn't decided for this and sothing happened to the rcenaries, to Korwen, Fenna, rim and the others... I'm sure I would regret it even more.

Probably, this decision wasn't about which path left

without regrets. But it was a choice between which path left

with fewer regrets.

I poked my arm a little. It was soft. A different soft from Karen, Lily or the other girls. A weird kind of soft.

No wonder Sis wondered if I have even bones... It really feels like there is nothing.

Bones were sothing most living beings had, so I obviously assud I would too. I was still quite certain I had them. But, after Karen ntioned in passing how she was doubtful about it sotis... I grew a little curious myself... And the sensation in my arm was... weird. There was sothing hard in my arm but it didn't feel like a bone. This... worried . It really worried .

Uhhh... This doesn't bode well... I'm sure it's just my imagination but... Ahh... Where was the partitioned space? Ah, there.

I stood up from my spot, walked past the others and hid in the corner at the end of the wagon. Now, nobody could see . Holding my hand in front of , I took a deep breath. Then, I touched and felt my own hand. It was soft. Too soft... At least, in my opinion, it was too soft. There was sothing hard, but even that felt... quite soft? At least, not as hard as a bone should. And the bones in your hands should be pretty obvious...

I don't really have anything to compare it too... But... This isn't normal, is it...

Rather than a bone... it felt like a hardened muscle? Hardened flesh? Or maybe rubber? It was hard to put into words.

Oh please, don't... Don't let this be real...

Pulling up the skirt a little and squatting down, I went over my legs... the knees and the feet especially, as well as the shins. Basically, the places where it should be easy to feel the bones. The result? Sa as before. The places where I should feel the bones felt the sa as my hand. Sothing hard was there, but it sure didn't feel like a bone. A bone shouldn't give in if you press enough... Especially the shins, if you knocked against them, you should definitely feel the bones...

Everyone keeps saying I'm soft or squishy and stuff, don't tell ... this is why? No, no, it's not said that these aren't bones. There's sothing, after all. Maybe my bones are just a little soft. Nn, surely. Surely...

The great escape from reality. There were so things I didn't need to know and this was definitely one of them. I leant on the wall, trying to process this. It was like the last nail in the coffin. That I had completely left the definition of a human behind.

I an, I knew... I knew I'm not human anymore but... At least I thought I was still similar... But like this...

Like this, I was basically a human-shaped roper with a personality. What were they called again? Invertebrates? I took another look at my hand, closing it, opening it. After a few repetitions, I sighed. The feeling was normal. If we hadn't had the discussion earlier, I probably wouldn't even have thought of this. I stroked my cheeks a little, trying to feel my jaw.

Wait. Wait a mont. I have teeth. Obviously, I do. Teeth are stuck in the jawbones. And I can eat, I have to go to the bathroom, everything, right? Why is that all there but the bones are... like this. Actually, how could I even stand like this without them?

My strength was pretty lacking, but I still had enough to stand up and wear this arguably heavy outfit. But how did it work? Bones were a vital part of humans, without them they'd just be a saggy at bag. So, either I had them or...

Magic, huh...

There wasn't any other explanation I could think of. Unless, of course, I really had soft bones. Which, in itself, would be probably pretty weird.

Don't tell , that I move in the sa way I move my hair and I just never noticed. No... The feeling is different... But...

Moving my hair felt quite natural by now, even if I didn't make use of it that often. But no matter how natural it felt, I still knew that I wasn't moving it like my limbs.

Does that an that it's still different? Uhh... I don't get it...

Still, it had already been so ti since I ca to this world. Honestly, this whole thing was quite shocking, but... it wasn't as bad as my initial shock with the tentacles. That one was really bad... That still didn't an this wasn't...

What should I do now? Just... Just what am I even?

A monster. That was the conclusion I had co to originally and what was the most likely case. But that elf didn't call

a monster. She called

a Cursed, whatever that actually was. So, was I maybe different from a monster? But then, what was I? What was this Cursed?

What, huh... Not like I'd get an answer for that so easily...

I peeked around the corner of the partition. Emily and Lily were dozing off in the opposite corner while Karen was busy with her little training session. She was really focused on it.

With a small smile, I returned behind the partition.

No matter what I am, I have this family. I should talk with Sis about these things soti but... They all already know that I'm not really a human. One additional thing won't change a lot... Maybe, Sis already knew anyway.

At least, I was sure she was suspecting it. Otherwise, she probably wouldn't have comnted on it.

When we escaped from the fort, I had that talk with Lily... The talk about being a monster... and being able to turn others into ones. They had their own resolve. Then, I should resolve myself as well, right?

Resolving myself, huh. That's right...

Once more, I held up my arm in front of . I closed my eyes and took a deep, deep breath. Resolve was certainly necessary. I wasn't human. Not anymore and I probably would never be one again. But I had things to do. And I wanted to do everything I could. To protect them and to make them happy. And' everything'... Those words included a certain sothing. Sothing, that I had to confront sooner or later. I couldn't escape them.

Let's do this.

It was long. A rough and bumpy surface. A colour that was dark, but still close to pink. Around as thick as my forearm. Overall, a pretty grotesque appearance. And what was even worse? It wasn't only one, but four. And the worst? They were attached to my body.

Uhh... This feels so... so weird.

Tentacles. That's what they were. Having transford my left arm, I was now inspecting them. This slightly unlikeable part of mine. The surface was slimy and wet... Touching it actually felt a little gross.

But they move pretty well...

They were nimble and longer than my arm. I never realised before but they could actually extend, similar to my hair. In fact, it completely felt like moving my hair. No, it actually felt more natural than my hair...

That's fine and all but... what the heck is this?

Back when Yumias ssed with

and did sothing to my mana crystal, I already knew that there were different kinds of tentacles. I never bothered trying to figure them out in specific, though. But, there was a difference between simply knowing they existed and actually seeing them for real.

The heck is this? A needle? This... isn't going to inject sothing, right?

The tentacle in question ended in a long, thin needle. When I tried touching it, it was surprisingly hard and solid. Really, just like a needle. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to use it or if it was really injecting sothing. And if it was, what it would even do...

It wasn't the only one I was confused about, though. Most of them were rather questionable. Alas, the easiest ones to guess, were, the ones with sexual purposes... One kind was pretty much like... Well...

It works like a penis. No other way around it. Let's move on.

The tentacles ca in different shapes, and while it took a little bit of ti, I could change them into whichever other kinds of tentacles I wanted. There was one with a hole at the end but it felt like it was draining my mana, so I quickly changed it into another one. Another one was spewing so kind of clear fluid. It had a surprisingly pleasant sll but I couldn't figure out what else it did...

"Yumi? Where are you?"

"Nn, Sis? I'm here?"

I peeked around the corner of the partition. Karen had stood up and was now coming over.

Nn? Wait. Isn't this bad?

"Ah, wait, Sis, could you give

a minute?"

"Eh? Did you strip or sothing? Don't worry, I won't mind."

With a smile, she approached. And before I could say another word, she was already right in front of .

"Oh?"

"Ah, this is..."

"..."

"Wait, Sis?"

Not even surprised in the least, Karen squatted down and closed in on the tentacles, inspecting them from close up.

"This is the first ti I see them..."

"Ah, don't touch them."

Karen poked the tentacles cautiously. Then, taken by curiosity, she grabbed one and started feeling it all over.

"This is... actually a little fun. They're so soft... They feel a little gross... Waahh... This is interesting."

"Sis, how is this fun? Ah, no, not there."

Her hand slipped into the sleeves of the armour dress, tracing the tentacles up to where they were connected with my shoulder.

"So they end there, huh. That's actually quite abrupt."

She retracted her hand.

"So, what do these do. Actually, does it hurt if you bend them?"

"Ah, no they don't hurt. And... I was trying to figure that out, what they do..."

"So you don't know?"

"Nn..."

Karen looked at the ends of each tentacle. Then, she took the one with the needle end in her hand and inspected it.

"Do you stab people with this?"

"Stab? That's... Uhm... I guess you do? In a way..."

Did she not know about needles and injections? Maybe she didn't. So animals did similar things too though... Injecting stuff, mostly poison, with a needle.

"Oh, sothing cos out of this one. Mh? This... slls good."

"Ah, yes... I don't know if it does sothing else though, so be careful."

Karen cradled a drop of the weird, clear fluid on her finger. She took a few sniffs. But after a few seconds, her eyes went wide and she flinged the drop away in a panic.

"... That was dangerous."

"Sis? Did sothing happen?"

"... I guess I shouldn't be surprised but... Uhm..."

She closed in on my ear.

"I started to feel a little... hot... down there," she whispered.

"..."

It's a fucking aphrodisiac?!

That was... good to know. It slled great but if it was an aphrodisiac, I shouldn't ss around with it too much. Thankfully we found that out quickly...

"So, what others are the—

"Hey, you brats! We're soon at the fort so get ready."

"Mh? Oh, Wendl?"

"Lily, were you sleeping?"

"Mh..."

"Get up and ready, now."

The sound of the wooden window slamming shut was heard.

"... Guess we'll have to delay it for now."

"Nn."

Lily was awake again and from the sounds of it, Emily was waking up now too. Lily was one thing but I didn't want to show these to the girls for now.

"Yumi."

"Nn? Wah?! Sis?"

Suddenly, Karen hugged .

"Tell

next ti, okay? You're not alone."

"Ah..."

A small smile floated on my mouth.

"Nn, I'll tell you."

Right, I didn't have to face this on my own. I had soone supporting

right here.

"Karen? Yumi? Where are you?"

"Ah, Lily, we're here, one mont."

Karen let

go, gave

a pat on the head and then left the partition.

Thank you, Sis.

After I changed the tentacles back into my arm, I left the partition as well. The three girls were standing at the small wooden window through which Wendl was speaking again.

"Lily? Sis? Is sothing the matter?"

"Ah, Yumi? Well, the fort..."

"There's smoke coming from the fort, brat. A lot. That's certainly not from a fire for cooking or so."

"..."

That... was everything but good news.