Chapter 164
Chapter 164
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Departure, and New...
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Even as we packed our things, Isaac and I kept chatting away.
Having lived together on the Paradise Ship for quite some time after boarding it, just recounting a few episodes made the minutes fly by.
Memories from the past that we'd put off because we were too busy surviving until now. Once we opened up, they poured out endlessly without tiring.
"..."
The excitement and lively conversation began to quiet down only after we'd finished packing and sorting everything.
With each story bursting forth from where we'd stuffed them down, only empty spaces grew in our hearts.
Tales from a time we could never return to started to gnaw away at us instead.
Even after an hour of animated talk, the two of us now kept our mouths firmly shut and deliberately avoided mentioning the Paradise Ship and its crew.
We're glad they're alive. We really are...
"Sir, are you alright...? Your expression looks..."
"I'm fine."
The more we talked, the more we remembered what we'd lost, stirring up our hearts.
For aiming toward the joy of reunion,
we'd left too much behind on that planet.
"Let's get some sleep soon. A good rest is best. We'll be walking nonstop starting tomorrow."
It wasn't strange at all. We'd grown attached to this small cave that hid the altar leading to the desert.
Even though we'd gone through plenty of horrors here...
"..."
In the end, humans,
even with death right in front of them, always find their own comforts to cling to.
The harsh new daily life on that brutal planet had felt nothing but cruel, but in truth, we'd already grown accustomed to it.
A talent given to humans, and at the same time, a curse.
We can adapt to anything,
and that's why we're dangerous beings.
"Goodnight, everyone."
I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to sleep.
But,
tonight, it felt like sleep would be restless.
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...After a night of tossing and turning that bled into daytime,
we finished a quick breakfast and prepared to depart. Since we were leaving behind anything useless, our loads weren't too heavy.
Most of the luggage consisted of Ember-related items or daily rations, and in the end, it was the women's job to carry them all, leaving me practically empty-handed.
"Isolation Day 169, 9:33 AM by planetary rotation, weather cloudy, 15 degrees Celsius."
Amy, burdened with Ember and mechanical devices larger than herself, began her report and briefing.
I worried she might be overdoing it, but as a biomechanical android, she didn't even breathe hard and just quietly did her job...
"Special notes - Mission update. Search for survivors of the Paradise Ship and establish a shelter with them. Do not harm them."
"You don't need to go that far..."
"No, this puts my mind at ease."
So she was making it even more explicit. Amy was revising her behavioral protocols out of fear of repeating the mistake when she'd nearly bisected Isaac.
"To incorporate these special notes, permission is required from Dr. Joo-ho, the primary command authority. Please grant permission."
To be honest, I didn't think Amy would repeat the same mistake. She was learning bit by bit, growing into a full personality.
"...Alright. Got it. Permission granted."
"Thank you."
But if this small change eased Amy's anxiety, I'd approve it a hundred times over. A kid afraid of waves needs a sturdy life vest.
Now Amy strode forward with much lighter steps. The weight on her back must have been tons, but for the still-young Amy, the mental burden had been heavier than Ember or the parts.
Yes, Amy was still young.
Both Jenny and Amy had bodies that already showed the full figure of mature women, but they still lacked experience.
A lack of experience couldn't be filled by superior intellect or raw power. Since they hadn't been "born" for long, it was up to me to play the father's role.
"Daddy, what are you two whispering about?"
Jenny, not tolerating even this brief exchange, sauntered over and wedged herself between us. She seemed particularly annoyed by Amy.
Clinging tightly to my shoulder and waist, Jenny subtly pushed Amy away. She pressed with her hips, trying to separate Amy from me.
But this turned into a bizarre contest of nerves, with the two competing to see who would win, nudging each other only with hips and rears in a petty show of rivalry.
"Dr., I request discussion on Ember. I'd like your insights. I'm conceptualizing the next invention using the Ember battery."
Even amid this, Amy blurted out anything to avoid being pushed aside. Feeling sorry for her, I wanted to take her side, but...
"L-Let's talk about that later... okay?"
"Kee-it."
I could sense Jenny's glare.
She always added "Daddy,"
putting on acts of cuteness and coquetry in front of me,
but I couldn't shake the look in Jenny's eyes gazing down at me.
"Daddy's the best."
Saying that, Jenny traced her finger up and down my back, tickling it. This was skinship utterly unacceptable in a father-daughter relationship.
But what scared me more was that Jenny's desires weren't purely sexual. Saliva dripped from Jenny's mouth right by my ear, falling onto my shoulder...
"Daddy's the best. Hehe..."
"A-Alright, I get it, so back off a little...!"
Being treated like prey in all sorts of ways wasn't pleasant at all. I never wanted a relationship with Jenny, even if it killed me. No matter what, I'd raised her like a daughter...
In any case,
we were midway through a grueling 120 km journey.
After walking all day, we'd find a suitable plain for a temporary rest spot, sleep deeply to recover, pack up again, and keep going...
Stopping midway to cook and eat diligently,
and if rations ran low, we'd hunt nearby large animals, butcher and grill them on the spot...
"How's walking on land?"
"No big deal... It's fine."
If we sweated too much, we'd dip in a river to cool off and wash. That's when Aria would poke her head out and splash water on my back.
"You should swim with me."
"Jenny and Amy get anxious without me. They don't get along well."
"What about this mermaid who's anxious without you?"
"That mermaid's as patient as she's pretty, so she won't be that worried. I know her well."
Following the river made the journey easy for Aria too. It solved her water needs, and with plenty of flat terrain, walking was simple. No reason not to take this route.
"You sure talk smooth."
Aria swam leisurely back into the water. No woman was freer in rivers or seas than her.
Watching her, Arachne couldn't help but pout. She was walking all day with her spider body loaded with gear, while that mermaid looked like she was just playing freely...
"I don't care. I can't walk anymore today! Rest here!"
"We still need to cover more ground."
"I said I can't! Carry me on your back or something!"
Fortunately,
for all her complaints, she never actually sat down and halted the group.
"I'm carrying this male on my back too!"
"Heh... S-Sorry about that, spider lady."
Arachne would grimace and grumble, but if I asked personally, she'd reluctantly agree. Her lips would pout, but she'd glance at me and start trudging again with mutters.
So no real issues arose. Among us, the prickliest were Jenny and Arachne, but even they kept walking steadily for my sake.
"Wow..."
But unexpectedly, trouble brewed from Nephyr, whom I'd thought would be fine.
Adapting to the lush green forest had already drained her, but following the massive river, she couldn't tear her eyes from the aquatic life, acting like an excited child.
"Nephyr, keeping up alright?"
"Y-Yes..."
Having lived a life of restraint, every sight was new to her.
She felt a subtle kinship with the similar Aria, yet also a strange envy for her water-bound existence.
"So beautiful..."
Unlike the drab desert with its limited colors, this place brimmed with vibrant flowers and hues. Nephyr observed everything closely, broadening her horizons.
"Pretty?"
"Yes. Things like this... I've truly never seen before..."
Aria and Nephyr chatted as they advanced. One below the water, the other walking on grass with her long tail dragging, but they oddly clicked.
"What about this?"
"Ah, the color is...!"
Aria didn't treat Nephyr harshly or shyly. She'd even surface with handfuls of water-grown plants to show her.
"Um, Aria? What do you call this?"
"That's a water lily."
So Nephyr trailed Aria, asking about water-related things. Maybe women didn't always compete with each other.
"And this?"
"Moon grass? It grows by the river sometimes, glowing softly like moonlight, so we call it moon grass."
But my fond watching of them was short-lived.
Nephyr held an unfamiliar creature in her palm, asking Aria its name,
"What about this?"
"Huh? Ahh!"
Clap clap-!
Aria startled, clapping her hands in shock.
"It's a slime! Where'd you find it?"
Me included, the whole group halted and gathered around Aria and Nephyr.
We leaned in slightly,
peering at the squishy thing on Nephyr's palm.
"Slime?"
"Slime!"
Only Aria and Arachne's eyes widened in excitement. The rest of us, clueless, waited for more explanation...
"Good for the body. Especially nutritious during pregnancy—real tonic food!"
"Huh? You eat it?"
Isaac and I couldn't hide our confusion.
And rightly so,
for the palm-sized creature called a slime was wriggling and squeaking as if begging for its life.
To our eyes, it just looked like
a tiny,
transparent girl
with purple skin.