A Lesson in Limits
Monia crafted a long rope, then tied it securely to a bamboo stalk at the very top of the slope, using the knot Chester had taught her. Next, she tied the other end tightly around her waist. Holding her stone axe in one hand and gripping the rope with the other, she carefully made her way down.
As she descended, the slack in the rope gradually tightened until it caught her, holding her firmly in place. Perfect. Confirming that her body was securely anchored, Monia sidestepped and positioned herself in front of a nearby bamboo stalk. Gripping the stone axe tightly, she began to chop away with all her might, completely free from the fear of slipping.
"Hah!" She swung the axe repeatedly. Once the bamboo began to give way, she grabbed the falling stalk to prevent it from sliding down the slope and started hauling herself upward. But she had only taken a few steps when the heavy crown of the bamboo crashed down, dragging her backward with its momentum.
"Huh?" Unable to withstand the force, Monia fell along with the bamboo and slid down the steep slope.
"Kyaaa!" She tumbled downward, only stopping when the rope tied around her waist snapped taut.
"Oof." The sudden tension of the rope squeezed her midsection, leaving her clutching her stomach and trembling. The slide itself had only startled her, but the combined force of her weight and momentum tightening the rope around her abdomen hurt terribly.
"Ugh..." Gritting her teeth, Monia grabbed the rope and hauled herself back up, step by grueling step. Once she reached the top of the slope, she dragged the bamboo onto the flat ground above. She loosened the painfully tight rope slightly, then ventured back down.
For every single stalk of bamboo she chopped, she had to climb back up to deposit it on flat ground before descending to chop the next. It was a grueling, repetitive cycle.
"Phew." The physical toll was far greater than usual. While the rope kept her from falling, simply maintaining her footing on the steep incline while swinging an axe was an exhausting ordeal.
Just one more, Monia thought, descending after hauling up another stalk. Actually, I think I can manage one more. With that thought, she chopped another and dragged it up. Just one more. But as she prepared to head down yet again, her feet faltered as her vision suddenly swam.
"Ah." Hit by a sudden wave of dizziness, Monia collapsed onto the ground. Only then did she realize just how drenched in sweat she was. ...Water. She fumbled around with her hands, but the basket she usually used to carry her canteen was nowhere to be found. Right. I don't have the basket. But she had brought the canteen. Where did she put it? ...The river. She must have left it by the riverbank. Oh, no. I made a mistake.
Chester had warned her to drink water constantly, even if she didn't feel thirsty. He said that by the time you actually felt thirst, your body was already in trouble, and your condition would deteriorate rapidly from there. He had also advised her to be even more meticulous about hydration in humid environments like this, where sweat didn't evaporate easily, making it hard to realize how much fluid you were losing.
... Monia stared at the sweat dripping from her skin. It was something she had never paid attention to before, but now, seeing the sheer volume of it filled her with a sudden sense of dread. When did I sweat this much? When had she last drank water, and why? Ah. She had always drank water whenever Chester did. Naturally, her hydration schedule had been entirely anchored to his. Without Chester around, she had lost her benchmark, carelessly neglecting to drink a single drop.
No. Even without him, I should have kept my canteen with me! Excuses wouldn't save her. This was entirely her own fault for being so rushed to craft tools and chop bamboo that she had failed to do a basic gear check.
"Ugh..." She had wanted so badly to prove she could do well without Chester. Monia grit her teeth and forced herself up. "Ngh." Her body felt like lead. As she stood, another wave of vertigo washed over her. Grabbing a bamboo stalk to keep from falling, she took a moment to catch her breath, then scanned her surroundings for specific plants. I know Chester taught me how to find water when there's none around. Plants stored moisture.
Spotting a suitable plant nearby, Monia sliced its stem with her stone knife and peeled back the outer layer to reveal the pale, moist pith inside. She stuffed it into her mouth and chewed vigorously, squeezing out the juices. The tough, stringy fibers got caught between her teeth, creating a repulsive texture, but she squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed the bitter liquid that seeped out.
"Ack!" An incredibly bitter taste accompanied the moisture as it trickled down her throat. "Pah!" Spitting out the chewed pulp, she immediately grabbed another stem and repeated the process. As the meager moisture trickled down, a faint spark of energy returned to her body. Only after chewing through every viable plant stem in the immediate area did her mind finally clear.
"Phew! Haa... I think I'm going to live." Wiping the green juice from her lips, Monia pushed herself up and began gathering the bamboo. Without Chester, I don't even know my own limits. Meals, hydration, pacing herself—Chester had managed all of it perfectly, and she had simply tagged along.
I shouldn't have just blindly followed him. Knowing when to rest, when to pause for a light snack, how often to drink—because she had copied him without actually understanding the reasons, her body had completely broken down the moment he wasn't there to guide her.
Once I move this bamboo, I need to go get my canteen from the river first. She figured she should hollow out a few more bamboo pieces to use as extra canteens. With that plan in mind, Monia bound the harvested bamboo tightly with her rope and began to haul it.
"Nnngh...!" Although individual bamboo stalks were light, dragging a massive bundle of them all at once was a different story. Regardless of the weight, the sheer surface area increased the friction against the ground, making it incredibly heavy to pull. However, she knew that once she got some momentum going, the damp, rotting leaves carpeting the forest floor would act as a lubricant, making it slide much easier. Knowing this, she didn't let the initial resistance stop her; instead, she dug her heels in and pulled with everything she had.
Once the bundle gained momentum, dragging it became significantly easier. Monia hauled the load while constantly scanning her surroundings. It had become a reflex now—always keeping her eyes peeled, no matter the time or place. Since she had learned to read basic tracks, she kept a sharp lookout for any signs of dangerous predators as she walked.
"I'm home!"
"Welcome back."
"I made it!" Arriving back at the camp, Monia waved her arms enthusiastically at Ant, who was frolicking in the yard, and Chester, who was busy kneading clay in a corner.
"I'm going to head down to the river!"
"Sure. ...Hey, wait!" Before Monia could take off, Chester tossed a bamboo canteen toward her.
"Kya!" The moment Monia caught it, water sloshed over the rim, splashing her chest.
"Drink up before you go."
"Ah..." He had clearly noticed she didn't have her canteen on her. Blushing furiously, Monia lowered her head and chugged the water.
"Phew! Thanks for the water!" Handing the empty canteen back to Chester, Monia bolted toward the river.
"Right. Don't forget your water next time."
"...! I won't forget ever again!" Monia shrieked in embarrassment as she ran off. Chester let out a soft chuckle and went back to kneading his clay.
"Ugh, he saw right through me the second I got back..." She had hoped to hide her blunder, but her rushed excuse about heading to the river must have given her away instantly.
"No, it's fine. Chester always says not to dwell on mistakes!" *Slap!* Monia slapped both cheeks with her hands, shaking off the embarrassment of forgetting her canteen, and began brainstorming ways to prevent it from happening again.
...It would be great if I could attach the canteen to my body instead of keeping it in the basket. However, the canteens they currently used were highly inefficient. They were literally just single hollowed-out sections of bamboo. Because of this, even the slightest movement caused the water inside to slosh and spill everywhere—just like when she had caught the canteen Chester threw earlier.
We plug the openings with leaves tied with vines, but it doesn't create a perfect seal. Ever since Chester finished building the water channel, he hadn't paid much attention to the canteens. Besides, the current design was functional enough that he probably didn't see any urgent need to improve it. Monia knew this too. While the leaf stoppers were unreliable, they could be made more secure by tying the vines tighter and more precisely. Any minor spills were an inconvenience they could easily live with.
But still! If I upgrade the canteens, wouldn't Chester praise me? Like a child eagerly drawing a picture to show off to their parents. Hehehe. I'd love to see the look of surprise on his face! Monia clenched her fists and marched toward the river. Of course, I have to finish building the storehouse first!