Morning.
[The current live broadcast scene has ended.]
[Would you like to choose Regular Simulation or Free Simulation?]
Silas opened his eyes. Only the semi-transparent text box remained before him.
[You chose Regular Simulation.]
[Sister Rose has become entirely dependent on you, treating you as her "antidote."]
[You taught her how to discern directions in the fog and explained what preparations you would make and what she needed to prepare.]
[But she is clearly unsatisfied. She even wants to learn basic swordsmanship from you, believing she can face the walking dead head-on.]
[However, when you personally captured a few terrifying, rotting walking dead and brought them before her, she managed to summon her courage after a moment, but in your eyes, her reaction was far too slow. Without you present, she would surely be eaten until not even a scrap remained.]
[...]
[She has become exceptionally proactive. She constantly feels there is more she can do for you, but eventually realizes she can only truly help you with erotic matters. She completely gives up on doing extra tasks. However, the Sister is not discouraged by this.]
[She simply tells you that once you are out, she will definitely become a woman whose knowledge is worthy of you. She won't be inferior to the female knight or anyone else.]
[Meanwhile, you silently pull out the notebook she has been cherishing and ask about the frequently flipped page—the 'Mid-air Split Spiral Inspection Method.' Why hasn't she used what she learned on you?]
So, all of this little slut's knowledge actually came from my teaching?
After all, the notes tucked inside the books were also given by me.
[...]
[Day 3: You have prepared the carriage and necessary supplies. Sister Rose has moved almost everything of value from the convent.]
[You ask her: setting aside whether it's necessary to bring half a candle, isn't this church property?]
[She answers confidently and with some pride that since she was sent to the convent, she hasn't received a single coin from the Church. Almost all daily necessities in the convent were either found by her or bought with money saved from sewing jobs.]
[You put back all the junk she couldn't fit, and she looks very sad.]
The carriage isn't that big; how can we use it all for pots and pans?
[You then put the collected gold and silver jewelry inside, and she is shocked. She feels this is wrong. The Lord will surely disapprove.]
[...]
[But when you pretend to throw the treasure away, Sister Rose grabs it and refuses to let go. She says that since those people are dead, they can't use it anyway. Using it to trade for money to set up a new home and make new clothes for you—the Lord will surely forgive her.]
The Lord she believes in is certainly convenient.
[In the afternoon, you set off.]
[To let Sister Rose learn how to use your improved "fishing rod" to control the horses, you let her drive for most of this journey.]
Before, it was just dangling blood-soaked meat from a random wooden stick. Very crude.
But now, Silas has improved it using his past life's experience as an angler.
He added a reel for easy line retraction and a base in the driver's seat to hold the rod. This way, she doesn't have to hold it constantly.
Furthermore, the horse's mouth has a prop similar to a ball gag; as long as another line isn't pulled to unlock the "gag," the horse can never actually reach the meat.
When they want to stop, they can unlock the muzzle. To start again, just add a fresh piece of meat to the rod.
[You remind Sister Rose: Never feel pity for the horse and overfeed it.]
[Sister Rose nods, then after a moment asks shyly: "What if it's feeding you?"]
Then feed me until I'm absolutely stuffed, of course.
[...]
[After 4 days of travel, you pass through the town again. Unfortunately, the survivors there have long since vanished. Perhaps they decided to leave, too. Or maybe they wanted to find an even more remote place and were unwilling to stay in town.]
[...]
[You arrive at the first bonfire point. The items you left behind are well-preserved. you spend the night here.]
[...]
[Day 6.]
[You notice the weather has been very good lately, with no signs of rain. Thus, you continue leading Sister Rose and the others to the next bonfire point.]
[...]
[Day 13.]
[The continuous travel is starting to take a toll on the two children. Although Sister Rose only tells you she is fine, you can see she is exhausted. You choose to rest here and wait for rain.]
[...]
[Day 16. After a heavy rain, the temperature in the fog begins to rise again. You feel it won't rain again soon.]
[Simultaneously, you arrive at the final bonfire point. As you expected, monsters have mindlessly damaged some things, but gathering items to relight the fire isn't much trouble.]
[You have reached the final stage of preparation. You need Sister Rose and the girls to know where to go even if you aren't there.]
[You are not rushing.]
[You return for every meal to eat with them.]
[Sister Rose also understands why you are working so hard, but she doesn't stubbornly say she doesn't need it. She simply gives you a deep hug or a lingering, wet kiss before you head out.]
[...]
[You spent more time than expected. You have set up signposts and necessary traps to distract monsters. You feel that even if not a single one is used, they must exist.]
[Day 23.]
[You personally take charge and cook a barbecue without much seasoning. Although it doesn't taste great due to the ingredients, you find that both the Sister and her sisters are very happy, looking forward to the future after escaping.]
Actually, Silas still has two Free Simulations left, but he feels they aren't necessary.
All good things must come to an end. Lingering too long wouldn't be like a mature man.
[After dinner, Sister Rose secretly pulls something out of her bag. It's an IOU.]
She still wants to owe me money?
Then she might never be able to pay it off in her lifetime.
[The note states that in a village outside, she still has a wooden cabin left by her parents and a very small plot of land. She has transferred it all to you.]
[She says she cannot match the value of your precious ring. She has no money. After thinking it over, she decided to give you everything she owns. She hopes you won't despise such a small dowry. Altogether, it might not even be worth 50 silver coins.]
This woman is truly clever.
Trading small to win big, right? Using a basic attack to bait my ultimate move. Well, she succeeded. Let her trick me!
[You and Sister Rose spend a pleasant night together.]
[Early the next morning, you set off with your prepared rucksack. This time, Sister Rose knows what you are going to do, and her expression is not as relaxed as before.]
[However, she still does not stop you. Instead, she offers a normal prayer, wishing you success. She will wait for you at the agreed-upon spot.]
[...]
[You believe Sister Rose will do as you said. She is capable of it. You walk into the depths of the fog and, as expected, encounter the only "big guy."]
[Compared to before, the surrounding landscape seems to have been ravaged by its violent outbursts. Its body has also grown larger.]
[During these days, besides leaving signposts and traps for Sister Rose, you also left traps for it. You prepared a large amount of flammable materials in advance and soaked them with plenty of alcohol. Now, you mix in the blood-stained cloths you prepared earlier, containing fresh scents—including your own.]
Though most common monsters would be attracted, facing this boss, Silas thought shedding a bit more of his own blood for extra certainty wasn't a bad idea.
[...]
[Even with experience facing it, its massive tentacles and size are still troublesome. Your right arm is deformed just from a slight graze.]
[But fortunately, you lured it into the trap filled with flammables. You throw in the preserved sparks, and the flames instantly roar toward the sky. Exhausted, you can hear its mournful wails.]
Is that it?
It wasn't much after all. Now to regroup with Sister Rose. We'll take the carriage out; I wonder if I'll get a chance to see the outside world, or if the game will end before I can.
[As you intend to leave, you hear a strange sound from within the flames.]
[The fog is indeed dissipating with the death of the big guy, but it is replaced by freezing snowflakes. The fire is extinguished. You see that the massive thing has been charred into a bloody mess, its original form unrecognizable. But you can see its belly bulging. The sound is coming from inside.]
[Without a second thought, you turn to run.]
[But you still see them. They are rabbits. Snow-white little rabbits, the exact same color as the snow. They are tilting their heads, watching you.]
[There are rabbits in front of and behind you. Your vision is too blurred to tell if some ran ahead or if they were already there. They are all very small. They sit there and don't attack you.]
[You tentatively try to step over them.]
[In this instant, you see one rabbit splitting apart, its eyes turning blood-red. All the rabbits rush toward you, kicking up a mist of snow.]
[You decide...]
[Important choice triggered]
[Option 1: They're just a bunch of rabbits, right? Fight them head-on! Have a rabbit feast!]
[Option 2: Flee immediately! Find a way to lose them!]
[Choose Free Simulation]
Why do rabbits burst out of a boss's belly after it dies?
Silas didn't know.
But he certainly didn't think they were just a bunch of cute little bunnies.
[You chose Option 2.]
Swish, swish, swish!
Hearing the powerful thuds of the rabbits' hind legs, Silas didn't think twice and slashed a rabbit jumping at him with his sword.
It died easily.
But more rabbits jumped out from behind in a suicidal wave.
Question: Can a little white rabbit jump three or four meters high, open its mouth half a meter wide, and reveal fangs?
[You are surrounded by more and more rabbits. You are overwhelmed. Your body is chewed to pieces. You died.]
[...]
[Reload/Restart Simulation?]
The route reserved for Sister Rose did have many traps. But those traps seemed useless against these multiplying rabbits.
They seemed to have no interest in the blood-stained cloths in his bag.
They were chasing him relentlessly. Come to think of it, the wooden cabin where he stayed with Sister Rose... could also be set on fire. There was still unfinished alcohol there. If he led them there...
[You chose to consume a simulation count to reload.]
Silas couldn't lead these rabbits toward the Sister. Extra simulation counts didn't give much reward anyway. Besides, the most important things were just attribute points and hypnosis. Extra Free Simulations... they're useless since I won't see the Sister again.
Just fucking do it!
Damn it, the way these trash rabbits chew through flesh with those sharp teeth really hurts.
[You burned hundreds of rabbits to death, but you found their growth rate only became faster.]
[You died.]
[...]
They don't taste good. They have a rank smell.
[Reload/Restart Simulation?]
Silas began to find it troublesome.
He didn't think the game would give a dead-end choice.
These rabbits were immune to normal tricks; they only stared at him. It wasn't smell... nor hearing.
Snow. An icy world.
Could it be... body temperature? Lighting fires to burn them only made it easier for them to find him because of the heat?