Days with Dana
After wrapping up the two-day adventure that had felt both short and endlessly long, returning to the bandit camp made it feel like home for the first time. Sure, it was still full of rough-looking men and filthy, unsightly scenes, but having a place to come back to was something. Just knowing there were people who recognized me brought a sense of familiarity and warmth.
Marcus and I headed straight for the chief's tent the moment we arrived. In front of the female chief, Ision, and Bernhardt, we gave a full report of everything that had happened. Since we were far later than our scheduled return, the report was necessary just to explain ourselves.
After leaving the chief's tent, I collected Haida and Evynee and made for the 15th Squad's tent—our home. Along the way, a few bandits eyed the sisters' pale, soft skin with obvious hunger. I immediately scooped up rocks and hurled them at the men while cursing.
"Get lost, you bastards!"
In a place like this, crawling with shady characters, you had to act like a roaring lion—strong and threatening—or someone would steal your things before you knew it. A solid show of force was the only way these crude, simple-minded bandits would understand and keep their hands off what wasn't theirs out of fear of consequences. It was an unpleasant but necessary rite of passage.
"Touch my slaves and I'll make sure you die screaming! Khak, ptoo!"
I deliberately raised my voice and chased off the hyenas drooling over the sisters, all to protect them. Only when we reached the 15th Squad's tent did I relax my fierce expression.
"This is it."
Haida and Evynee looked bewildered when I suddenly smiled brightly, as if the angry man from moments ago had never existed. They probably thought I was some kind of mood-swinging lunatic. The girls shrank back, glancing nervously at me and staying silent, unable to relax.
This was bad.
"I only did that to protect you."
When I gently patted their heads with a kind voice, they finally seemed to relax and opened their mouths.
"Yes, Master……"
"Mm……"
"What are you two doing? Get inside already."
Marcus's voice carried a hint of irritation, probably from the two days of hardship. He clearly wanted to rest. We all stepped into the tent. Inside, it smelled and looked filthy from long neglect of cleaning.
"You two need to keep this place spotless. Slack off and this old man will give you a harsh lesson. Understood?"
"Yes……"
"……"
Marcus seemed determined to be strict with the children whether they feared him or not. He immediately put them to cleaning. Since it was their first time, there was a lot to teach—where things belonged, how to clean properly—and it took quite a while. I helped a little before suddenly remembering someone I'd forgotten.
After telling Marcus I was heading to the cave, I grabbed the food and coat I'd bought from the refugee village and hurried out of the tent.
"Leaving again right after getting back?"
"I got a few scratches. Just going to gather some herbs."
I exchanged a few casual words with the man guarding the entrance and left the camp without issue. Then I ran straight to the cave.
"Huff. Huff."
At the cave entrance, I checked the camouflaged opening. Thankfully, no animals or monsters had disturbed it—it looked exactly as I'd left it. I moved some of the covering aside and stepped inside.
I wonder what Dana's been up to. Is she still alive? Did she run away?
The interior was exactly as I'd left it yesterday morning. And Dana was still in the same spot where I'd last seen her.
She hadn't left.
"Miss Dana."
I called her name with a faint smile. She had been curled up on her side; now she turned her head. When our eyes met, she slowly sat up. Had she really done nothing but sleep for two whole days? That was impressive—even for a monk in training.
"I was busy last night and couldn't come. You must have been hungry, right?"
I waited for an answer, but she only rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned silently. The mute act remained unchanged. By now I'd grown used to her silence, so I simply got busy preparing the meal without making a fuss.
"Let's see, let's see. Where did the flint go……"
After starting a fire, I boiled the pork I'd bought from the refugee village in a pot. I would've preferred grilling it on a pan, but given the circumstances, boiling was safest—roasting would attract beasts with the smell.
"Know any songs these days?"
I tossed out whatever came to mind. But while the meat simmered in the bubbling pot, Dana kept her mouth firmly shut and simply watched my every move. Even when I occasionally asked a question, she never opened her lips. She only stared back with those unreadable eyes.
It was rare to meet someone this stubborn these days. Her consistency was actually rather charming. Thanks to her, I ended up talking to myself the entire time.
"…We managed to escape safely after destroying the Dark Forest's core. Ah~ what a relief that was."
After finishing the one-sided meal, I stood up to take a quick look around outside the cave. At the same time, Dana's gaze followed me upward, watching my face. Her eyes seemed to ask what I planned to do after eating.
"I'm going to set some traps and snares around the cave for your safety. I'll look for good spots. Want to come along?"
She slowly nodded. She must have been bored staying inside the cave all the time. After removing the shackle from her ankle, we left the cave together.
"The mountain path is rough, so be careful not to slip."
She was still wearing her maid uniform and black shoes. While helping her avoid slipping on the steep slopes, I inevitably caught glimpses of her skin and had to hold her hand often. We didn't stray far from the cave, searching instead for suitable places to set traps and snares.
"I'm still learning, so my master might come here with me someday. If you see an old man beside me, just think, 'Ah, that must be his master.'"
Even though Dana never spoke, she turned to meet my eyes whenever I talked, as if she were listening. It made me oddly pleased. Was there anything more satisfying than having someone truly listen to you? Because of that, I found myself rambling even more often, and since no one interrupted, I could say everything I wanted without hesitation. It felt strangely liberating. In short, I'd become a chatterbox.
Eventually we returned to the cave and I fastened the shackle back onto her ankle. It was time to head back to camp for the morning squad leader meeting.
"Still no plans to leave today?"
I waited, but she remained silent. I wrapped the leftover boiled meat in cloth for Marcus and the sisters—the portion I'd set aside before our meal.
"Again, just say the word if you ever want to leave. While you're staying here, I'll have to keep the shackle on your ankle."
Before leaving the cave, I studied her expression one last time, but it was impossible to tell whether she wanted to leave or stay. She simply gazed at me with that blank face. The urge to grab her cheeks and stretch them suddenly hit me. I wondered what kind of reaction she'd make. The thought made me chuckle without realizing it.
Seeing me snickering, she tilted her head in confusion. I quickly made an excuse.
"I just remembered something funny. I'll be going now."
Leaving my mischievous impulse behind, I exited the cave.
From that day on, I visited the cave every morning and evening, steadily setting traps and snares around it. I had no shortage of materials since I'd bought everything from the refugee village, and when I ran out, I simply carved wooden stakes myself. Dana, having nothing else to do, simply watched me work in silence. Having her there in the empty mountains was oddly comforting, so I threw myself into the work with even more enthusiasm, marking the completed traps with red thread.
"It's almost finished. Beasts and monsters won't be able to approach the cave so easily now."
The days passed smoothly, as if riding a favorable wind. The entire bandit group had been raiding Chen's subordinates, and supplies were piling up in the warehouse. Our 15th Squad wasn't sent on raids; instead, we were kept busy transporting the accumulated goods to various villages. Whenever we left for a village, I always brought Haida and Evynee along.
As the days went by, the sisters gradually grew accustomed to the frightening and unfamiliar life. They became closer to me, their speech loosened, and they asked more questions. They also learned their tasks with growing confidence. Eventually, they even offered to help with warehouse organization, which I'd been handling alone, saying that cleaning the tent wasn't enough work. It was truly admirable.
One day I even brought Marcus to the cave so he could inspect the traps and snares I'd set. Most notably, when Marcus first met Dana, he didn't look surprised at all. Instead, he clicked his tongue and made a pointed remark.
"You set up a new household here?"
Where did he get such an embarrassing line?
"Since you're here, why not leave a housewarming gift before you go?"
I laughed it off as a joke. Dana remained expressionless the entire time.