Doggone Academy

Trees that once dotted the landscape were now frequently in view, and towering rocks sprang up from the earth just as often. It was a sign we were entering a new environment.

We had ascended a hill that belonged to a relatively high altitude area.

And finally, the circulatory system came into our sight.

It was enshrouded in dark clouds. The place where we stood was basked in warm sunlight, but in the distance, torrential rains poured down and lightning flashed violently.

The boundary of the circulatory system was clearly divided as if a dark curtain had been drawn across it.

Through breaks in the curtain of rain and fog, craggy cliffs and dense primordial forests intermittently revealed their bare essence.

The clouds moved dynamically, making the region seem like a living organism.

In about three or four hours more of walking, we would enter the dangerous areas of the circulatory system. The leisurely part of our journey was over, and the real hardship was about to begin.

I stood still for a while, gazing intently at Luna.

She had a face that looked as though it had never been touched by rain. I wondered how this gently reared lady would fare in such a remote wilderness.

“Are you okay with getting wet in the rain?”

“Yes.”

“Just a moment.”

I took off my cloak and draped it over Luna’s shoulders. We would have to brave the rain. While I couldn’t prevent her hair from getting wet, at least the cloak could somewhat protect her clothing. For me, if my clothes got soaked, I could just take them off and dry them. Luna, however, could not.

The rain in the circulatory system was said to contain magical power too, so getting wet wouldn’t necessarily be bad; it might even contribute to the process of becoming part of the system.

She clutched the cloak with her hands and said,

“…Thank you.”

“Let’s find a cave or a suitable spot for camping once we’re in the danger zone.”

Luna nodded.

Contrary to my concerns, she seemed a bit excited.

***

While Bertang and Marta were away scouting, Cecil asked Trisha,

“Trisha, why have you been so listless all day?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Though she said so, her face was that of someone suffering inwardly.

“What is it, annoyed by someone? Is Bertang getting on your nerves again?”

“No…”

“Tell me, I’ll listen.”

Trisha clenched her lips tightly, then after much deliberation, spoke up.

“Do you think I’m useless?”

The words Trisha finally managed to utter carried a faint trace of frustration.

What could have happened for her to say this? It might be related to Damian, whom she had wanted to bring into the group before suddenly stopping all mention of him, as if he was a trophy of some kind.

“Hmm, who told you that you’re useless?”

“No, it’s not like that…”

“Then?”

“I don’t know…”

Hesitating in her response, Cecil dug deeper.

“Hmm, do you feel like you’re useless yourself?”

“Yes… something like that.”

“Is it because of Damian? What did he say to you?”

Trisha denied it vehemently.

“No!”

…

From this reaction, Cecil was certain. It was about Damian.

Cecil pondered for a moment. Trisha was still naive when it came to interpersonal relationships. Cecil didn’t know what kind of environment Trisha grew up in, but her understanding of interpersonal dynamics was almost blank.

She probably didn’t know how to deal with men either.

“Anyway, talking about another friend. I thought we were really close. But it seems he feels differently. He doesn’t ask for help and tries to do everything secretly by himself. Sharing everything is what friends do. He didn’t even mention being in the same group as me and secretly joined another one… a different group.”

So, because he had never asked her about forming a group, she felt useless?

“Trisha, even married couples don’t share everything. Maybe there was a reason?”

“But still…!”

“You don’t have to feel so upset. You know a characteristic of a good man? They try not to depend on others. Maybe he just doesn’t want to show his significant other a rough side and tries to handle things on his own.”

“I didn’t say it was about a man!”

Cecil brushed off Trisha’s words with a light laugh.

Then, she advised Trisha, recalling her own relationship with Candy.

“Even if you’re close, breaking into someone’s space might ruin the relationship. Push too hard, and they might run.”

……

Trisha fell silent, seeming to have a lot on her mind.

The conversation ended as the scouting group members returned.

Perspiring, Bertang shared the details he discovered while scouting.

“There’s a dry riverbed on the path to the danger zone. On days without rain, it’s just bare ground and easy to cross, but right now, the water’s risen a bit. If we cross before it rises further, we might be able to shake off the plunderers for a while.”

No one objected to crossing before the water level got higher.

They hurried toward the location, which had now become a stream. Its muddy waters flowed, and the currents were a bit rough, but it was not uncrossable.

Since no one volunteered to cross first, Cecil rolled up her skirt and stepped forward.

“Ugh, I’ll go.”

She held her shoes as she stepped into the stream. A few steps in, water reaching just mid-thigh, it wasn’t too deep.

Seeing it was safe, Trisha also reached out her foot, but Cecil sensed something odd and stopped her.

“Wait, don’t come!”

Just as Cecil passed two-thirds of the way, the water abruptly rose to her navel. The flow had rapidly increased.

Once Cecil crossed, the water swelled quickly and began gushing like a waterfall.

The stream’s width expanded rapidly too, forcing the rest to retreat.

Trisha cupped her hands around her mouth to yell.

“Unnie!”

An unexpected variable had left Cecil isolated on the other side of the torrent.

“I’m fine! Don’t try to force your way across; find a bridge and cross over!”

“What will you do?”

“I’ll look for a group that can help us! If anything happens, send a Stitch!”

“It’s too dangerous!”

“I’ll be alright!”

Watching her boldly go alone was worrisome; Cecil carried only a few pieces of jerky for provisions. It was hard to comprehend her plan, not knowing how long this situation would last.

Bertang and Marta doubted the feasibility of finding a group in the danger zone.

Observing Cecil’s actions, Trisha suddenly expressed doubt.

She straightened her clothes and unbuttoned the top three buttons.

“My top isn’t even wet…?”

After that, Cecil headed toward the danger zone.

***

We cut through the forest, where rocks and trees mixed half-and-half. The circulatory system we stepped into drizzled with a fine mist, as if flour had been sprinkled.

Our first goal was to find a cave suitable for camping, and next, secure food.

Rock formations jutting out of the ground frequently hinted that finding a cave wouldn’t be difficult. The challenge was food. Still no signs of animal life had been spotted. Ideally, we had to look for animals that occupied the higher tiers of the food chain, or alternatively, collect herbs or mushrooms.

As we made our way, Luna stopped me.

“One of the spirits I command has found a cave.”

The news was welcome, especially with the mist thickening around us. Luna’s spirit was proving to be a time-saver.

“Good. Let’s go check it out.”

We had to avoid caves leading underground; if rain came, they could flood, and they might be teeming with insects and bats.

I followed Luna’s guidance.

The cave she led us to was situated on an appropriately elevated area, with the rock itself being solid, implying no risk of collapse. The spirits had found a proper place.

We unpacked our belongings there.

“I’ll go and chop some firewood.”

Setting up a campfire was of utmost urgency.

Linear trees were ideal since the bark could be removed, leaving the insides dry even in snow or rain, making excellent fuel. If I could find one, that would suffice.

Luna, unwilling to sit idle, followed me.

“You can wait here if you want.”

She shook her head.

“…I’ll go and pick some mushrooms.”

I didn’t insist further since she wanted to do it herself.

I had seen plenty of mushrooms along the way, but none worth eating—at least, that’s what I had thought.

We headed off separately. By the time I had gathered a pile of suitable Linear wood and stripped off the bark, Luna returned to the cave, her arms full of mushrooms.

Proudly, she presented the mushrooms to me.

I checked them and found myself at a loss for words.

They were a rainbow of colors—some as red as apples, others as green as unripe ones. At a glance, they were picturesque and tempting. However, every single one was poisonous.

The look of pride on her face made me feel I should eat them without complaints. Her naive look endeared her to me more than irritation did, but life was at stake, so I had to tell her the truth despite the pain.

“They’re all poisonous.”

Without exception, they contained deadly toxins.

“……!”

Seeming to have worked hard on gathering them, I was unsure of what to do but eventually threw them outside. Luna didn’t show it, but she seemed to take the news hard, remaining silent for a while.

Why do I feel so guilty? Maybe I should have eaten at least one.

We washed Luna’s hands thoroughly to prevent any spores from the poisonous mushrooms from lingering and lit a fire at a spot where the smoke could escape well. Just then, the downpour intensified as if it would sweep away the entire world.

We sat side by side at the entrance of the cave, warming our bodies. The rain made the interior of the cave feel even more comfy. Luna, still seemingly in shock, remained silent.

After warming up enough, I stood up and took my wooden sword. Luna followed suit.

“If we go out now, even with the cloak, you’ll be drenched. Wait here. I’m going hunting.”

Luna hesitated for a moment, possibly recalling the poisonous mushrooms, and then assented.

“…Okay.”

As I was about to step outside the cave, Luna suddenly called out to me.

“Hey… Your pocket is glowing. Is it okay not to check it?”

“Uh?”

I checked my waist, and indeed, light was leaking from one leather pouch.

That was the pouch containing Cecil’s Stitch.