Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Chapter 7 - Diary (1)
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To be honest,
I didn’t think we would be able to leave in 15 days.
Neither Aria nor Arachne would approve of my departure. Abandoning them would be irresponsible.
“Let’s stay here for now and continue searching the surrounding area. We can gather more supplies, and… look for Jenny.”
Without me, this fragile alliance would crumble. The uneasy truce between Aria and Arachne depended entirely on my presence.
“I’m also worried about finding the desert. We’ll have to be diligent.”
“Why the desert, Doctor?”
Amy asked for an explanation. It was difficult to explain, to make her understand.
“Where do I even begin… I’ve been seeing strange things for months now. Around the time I met Alraune, I started getting dizzy spells, and my eyes would burn, and then I would see these… fingers.”
Calling them “fingers” wasn't entirely accurate. It was more like… thousands of earthworms writhing together, forming a crude approximation of a human hand.
“I’m not sure, but they seem to be counting down every time I see them. It started with 3, and now I’ve heard 1. The first time was when I met Alraune, the second time was when I met Jenny again, and the most recent time…”
…Was with you, Amy.
“…”
I wondered about the fingers’ intentions, their purpose. I had to figure this out.
They seemed to be helping me, but I didn't understand how. Aside from helping me escape Alraune, they hadn't directly intervened.
…Were they even helping me?
Or were they simply warning me of danger?
“Wait a minute.”
The more I thought about it, the more questions arose. And I couldn't help but voice them.
“Alraune, why did you save me?”
Back then,
When I had seen that grotesque moon in the sky,
Alraune, for some reason, had refused to become fruit with me, choosing instead to merge with my body.
It was a question I had set aside in my struggle for survival, but now, with a moment of respite, it resurfaced.
“You said you didn’t know about the fingers.”
“?”
Alraune extended a vine and drew a question mark on the back of my hand.
There was a disconnect in our understanding. I couldn't comprehend her sudden change in behavior.
Her vine grew longer, reaching my face, and gently caressed the skin around my right eye.
“My eye?”
Alraune had chosen to merge with me after seeing my eye.
“Right… Amy, scan my eye. Let me know if you find anything unusual.”
“No anomalies detected.”
As Amy said, there was nothing physically wrong with my eye. It just occasionally ached and burned, and then I would see the fingers.
But Alraune continued tapping my eye with her vine, as if she understood something I didn't.
Then, she pointed at one of the murals in the cave.
When we had first returned to the altar cave after our merger,
She had drawn a sun and a male figure.
Now, she was pointing at that same mural, trying to tell me something. Or rather, it was slightly different.
Alraune’s vine began to draw over the other murals, adding her own images.
At first, I tried to stop her, but then I realized she was specifically drawing over the mural depicting the sand dunes of the desert, so I let her continue.
A new mural, detailed and intricate, began to take shape.
Alraune wasn't deliberately adding these details. She was simply using her knowledge to create the most accurate representation possible.
“Is that a jewel? There are jewels in the desert?”
“It appears to be a representation of your eye, Doctor, not a jewel.”
A circle, enclosed within a diamond-shaped pattern, surrounded by lines radiating outwards, like rays of sunlight.
Alraune tapped the mural, then my eye, repeating the gesture.
Right.
My eye, the one that could see the fingers, was important to her.
“…Okay. It’s a little vague, but I’ll understand when we reach the desert. Right?”
Alraune’s vine curled into a nod.
Amy, offering no objections, silently agreed.
“I don’t know when we’ll be able to leave, but let’s prepare. Amy, you’ll work with me, and Alraune, you focus on growing and taking care of Isaac.”
My goals, my priorities, were finally clear. I felt a wave of exhaustion, and a yawn escaped my lips.
I could finally sleep.
Finally-
***
Morning, Day 110 of isolation.
07:39, planetary rotation standard.
Clear skies.
14°C, chilly.
Having decided to travel to the desert,
I will now recount the events of the past 15 days in this brief diary entry.
I am recording this for the benefit of any other humans who might arrive on this planet,
And also, to alleviate the boredom of this newfound peace.
Day 1.
Amy and I found a Paradise supply pod containing preserved rations.
We celebrated our fortunate discovery by sharing a meal with Arachne. She had been in a foul mood after the recent events, but her expression brightened as she tasted the chickpea soup, her cheeks flushing with pleasure.
We didn't find Jenny, but we discovered her footprints in the forest. She was still nearby.
Aria came to see me at sunset. She brought six freshwater fish, the kind the mermaids usually ate. She said, “I brought your favorite fish, Juho.”
Day 2.
Isaac was unwell, so I spent the entire day caring for him.
Day 3.
Amy found another supply pod.
It contained engineering tools, emergency batteries, and fuel cells. Amy seemed more excited about the discovery than I was (though she didn’t smile or show any outward signs of emotion. She hadn’t degraded that much yet).
Amy brought everything back to the cave and began repairing her own body. I asked if she needed any help, and she asked me to sing. I still couldn't quite understand her.
The most important event was encountering Jenny. She seemed to be hunting and consuming almost everything in sight.
Due to her powerful jaws and teeth, which left no bones behind, we had to identify her prey by the scattered remains of fur and blood.
There were always signs of a struggle, of creatures desperately trying to escape, which made her feeding habits seem particularly brutal.
But we eventually found her, following the trail of carnage. Honestly, I think she sensed our approach and came to meet us.
Anyway, as soon as she saw me, she rushed towards me, licking me like a puppy. It was a strange feeling, seeing her human-like form exhibit such animalistic behavior.
Well, the mermaids and spiders weren't that different, but I held Jenny to a different standard. Perhaps it was because she reminded me of Dan.
She was the creature that had devoured him, and yet, I couldn't help but care for her.
Perhaps, just as Jenny had imprinted on me, there was some unknown mechanism that compelled me to care for her.
After our joyful reunion, Jenny asked how I had escaped the spiders.
I simply told her, “I… subdued them and made them my allies. I’ll come for you soon.” It wasn’t entirely a lie.
Jenny’s eyes, wide with admiration, met mine, and she rubbed her tail and hips against me affectionately.
It was a little embarrassing, seeing her grown-up body exhibit such childish behavior. While establishing a clear hierarchy was important, her displays of affection were a little overwhelming.
Anyway, I told Jenny to stay nearby, to hunt and rest. Bringing her with us now would complicate things, so I decided to postpone her integration into our group.
My only concern was,
That Jenny was growing much larger than I had anticipated.
I didn't know how big she would become.
She was developing into a beautiful young woman,
But her tail and claws continued to grow, making her even more formidable.
Aria brought me more fish today. But only two, instead of six, saying that she would eat one and I could have the other.
She also gave the spiders some small, mint-scented leaves. Apparently, chewing on them helped freshen their breath after eating rotten meat.
At first, I thought it was just a gift, but Amy, who was with us, said, “They are engaging in a display of dominance.”
Arachne, in return, gave Aria a handful of tea leaves, telling her to sprinkle them in the lake to mask the fishy smell.
It seemed that forming a genuine friendship between these two would take time.