-------------- Point of View: Carolain --------------
[Kiti… Are you still alive…?]
Amelia asks the closed basement door while the rest of us watch in silence from behind.
[Guehe… guehehehe]
But from the basement, only that bone-chilling laughter drifted out bit by bit, enough to turn your blood to ice.
[[[[….]]]]
We exchanged complicated glances—more an attempt to see who would be the sacrificial lamb than genuine concern for the girl in the basement.
[Ahh… I'll go…] — I finally say with a sigh.
This all started a couple of days ago. Mya brought some strange creature from God-knows-where, which we later tentatively recognized as a Debr… Debarling… A hideous thing worthy of a nasty horror novel.
That thing was truly skin-crawling in every sense. A sort of spider-mosquito-locust-cockroach hybrid, covered in dead leaves… ugly as sin.
[Why on earth do you keep bringing those things home again?]
We all immediately agreed that we didn't want to be within a hundred meters of those things.
But regardless of the general consensus, Kiti pounced on the carcasses like a child on New Year's Eve lunging for their favorite toy.
Don't let her small size fool you. When Mya and Rachelt tried to reclaim their food, Kiti looked at them as if to say, [I'm having this to play with, or you two will be the toys.]
Just like that, a girl under five-foot-two terrified two monsters who could clearly slaughter a group or two of people.
Watching her drag that thing into the basement was quite surreal.
But that's not even the problem.
The thing is, she hasn't come out since.
She doesn't eat, she doesn't drink water, and she probably doesn't sleep or bathe.
She definitely can't keep going like this… besides, the brat returns today. We need to make preparations for his welcome and the main supplies are down there. Someone has to put an end to this.
[[[Good luck.]]]
The voices of encouragement from behind don't make me happy. I don't get this much "cheering" even on scouting raids.
But whatever. I'm going down to that cursed basement.
To put it bluntly, more than a basement, it's a sort of underground facility. Like a post-apocalyptic bunker.
It's divided into zones like any other house. But most of it is a massive warehouse, further split into dry and refrigerated sections.
How should I put it… Logically illogical?
On one hand, who the hell builds a military-style underground facility in their basement? But on the other hand, it sounds logical if it's that brat.
I even asked him before and he just said, [Why wouldn't I have one?] as if that damn answer were enough to respond to any uncomfortable question in the world.
The problem is, hasn't he been proven right? It's frustrating how actions you'd consider illogical or paranoid in normal times become the most coherent when everything goes to hell.
[Is it better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it?]
[Should I sell insurance when all this is over?]
[It reeks…] — I couldn't help but curse as I approached the room Kiti had repurposed as a lab.
[This smell isn't going to stick to the food, is it?]
[…]
When I enter the room, the first thing that catches my attention is a mess worthy of a [No more internet until you clean your room] lecture.
[Guehe… guehehe…]
And the second is the butchered creature on the table, covered in a liquid I don't even want to think about.
Followed immediately by the girl sleeping propped up against the table, a silly smile plastered on her face as she clings to a jar full of a liquid I want to know even less about.
If you look closely, the entire place is actually covered in liquids of highly questionable origin.
[Shorties are dangerous…]
I vowed in my heart never to make this girl angry. I don't want to wake up tied to a dissection table.
[Guu…]
Much to my regret, I lift the girl from the table. While you can't say she's covered in drool, she isn't exactly clean either. But what can I do?
Judging by the dark circles under her eyes, I don't think she's been asleep for long.
If she's a heavy sleeper, we can bathe her without waking her up. If not, she'll just have to deal with it. Because she is definitely getting a bath.
[At least let go of the jar…]
I complain when Kiti refuses to release that strange jar even while being carried.
[I… also… can help…] — she murmurs in her sleep.
[Ah… yeah, of course you help too… You're our valuable companion] — I say, and as if she had heard me, Kiti flashes a faint smile.
Kids these days try too hard…
.........….
[I was only gone for a minute…] — I say reproachfully when, upon leaving the basement with Kiti in my arms, the first thing I encounter is the "familiar" scene of two opposing groups sitting in the living room.
Of course, it might be a bit unfair to call it "familiar" considering Milia's group now also includes what can only be described as "elves." Complete with the full kit of fantasy clothes and weapons—the kind sold separately.
My reaction might seem unenthusiastic, but honestly, in this situation, why should I care?
There's a planet in the sky, a locust-mosquito-cockroach in the basement, two monsters on the roof, my sister spends her time riding a giant dog, and I was almost eaten by a giant rat. Who gives a damn about a fucking elf?
The only thing I want to know is why Louise is rubbing her eyes with a resentment that looks ready to kill someone. And how that affects my lunch.
[Get out.] — she finally said. Of course she would. In fact, I'm surprised she let them in again.
[Hey, at least listen to our explanation.] — Milia immediately protests. Apparently, they haven't even exchanged words yet. Which makes sense if you consider I was only down there for a couple of minutes.
In fact, it's a bit of a relief. I was starting to think there was some kind of time dilation between the basement and the house. I don't want any more problems.
[What is there to explain? You went to the forest looking for supplies so you wouldn't starve to death, but instead, you returned with more mouths to feed and, to top it all off, one of them is basically a lighthouse calling for deformed roaches.
Since this is the first I've heard of this, there are two options. Either you just found them, or you found them before and didn't say anything when we established communication with Astrad and your mother.
Since I remember seeing you leave two days ago, and it coincides with the time Mya returned with those carcasses, I assume it's the former. Which, knowing your low intelligence, is disappointing but not unexpected.
So, why are you here? The options are again two: either you ran out of food or you recognized that those bugs are nearby.
Taking into account that Astrad should return today, food is out of the question—no one has died from going hungry for one day.
Therefore, the bugs are close and you want to make some kind of united front in case they arrive before our reinforcements.
It's quite obvious. I don't even need to ask.]
[[[[….]]]]
…Yeah…. O-Obvious… That… That's the first thing we all thought… It's… I'm not lying…
[Aside from you, I don't think anyone else could have said all that just by looking at them~~~] — said Carmelia, breaking the silence and saving everyone else's poor self-esteem.
[I… If you know then…] — Milia was visibly embarrassed, which confirms that everything said was painfully true.
But before she could suggest anything, Louise stops her with her hand.
[Then the answer is simple. The lighthouse leaves, end of discussion.] — she said, pointing to the man who appears to be in his 30s with a sturdy build.
His left chest is firmly bandaged, but the bandages are stained with a strange purple tone that even extends beyond the wrappings, over his left arm and neck, where the cracked skin gives him a somewhat grotesque appearance.
Then I remembered. The description of those insects suggested some kind of mark.
Wait, isn't this even worse than I thought?
[I'm being serious.]
[What a coincidence, I'm also being very serious. Now, out.]
[We aren't going to leave them stranded.]
[Then die with them.]
[Who do you think will be next after us?]
[Is that a threat?]
[…I'm just stating the facts.]
Heavy. The atmosphere became quite heavy very quickly.
Well, it's to be expected considering the situation is a bit dire, I suppose.
But unfortunately for Milia, her conjecture of "urgency" imposed upon us doesn't have much of a foundation.
After all, we even have a plan to mobilize in case of emergency.
Of course, leaving the safety of this place isn't ideal, but it's not particularly essential either.
Besides, it sounds like the enemy will leave once it fulfills its objective, so we can return later.
I'm pretty sure the brat's pets can get us out of here quickly in most situations.
Better yet, will those bugs really come here with that giant snake around? I think I even saw it change size before, although it might be my imagination.
But can you imagine if it could? Then even the need to leave this place is put in doubt.
[Ummm… Noisy…]
While I was thinking about various things, a sleepy Kiti wakes up in my arms in a bad mood.
From her unfocused eyes, she's either very tired or she's bad in the mornings.
But regardless, due to her sudden outburst, everyone finally noticed I had arrived.
[…Mark?]
Although I feel uncomfortable from the sudden attention, Kiti—oblivious to everything due to being half-asleep—only centers her eyes on the marked man.
How did she recognize the mark? Well, it is a huge stain on the man's chest, but…
[[[[…]]]]
While I was deep in my thoughts, Kiti climbed down from my arms and silently approached the marked elf with that strange jar she refused to let go of even now.
Maybe because her movements were so natural or because she seemed harmless to everyone, we just followed the girl's movements as if it were a natural thing.
Then, in front of the marked elf sitting next to Milia, she uncapped the jar.
[[[[[[GUEGGGG]]]]]]
The smell was… yeah. I can't describe it… But it almost achieved mass vomiting.
Even so, Kiti put her hand in the jar with indifference and, upon pulling it out, brought a kind of viscous slime that reminds you of super glue but a thousand times more foul-smelling.
[Qubnea mduten foenfr] — Seeing Kiti's hand approaching his chest, the elf tried to say something in a panic, but the girl's hand was faster.
I could see the life leaving the man's eyes in real-time when the ointment fell on him.
Even the other elf and Milia backed away in fear.
Still, none tried to attack Kiti. I don't know if it's because they didn't feel danger from the girl… or because of the giant dog that "sleeps" in the garden right in front of the living room window.
Let's say a bit of both.
[[[[[….]]]]]
In the midst of the incredulous looks and the silence that seemed to stretch for an eternity, Kiti kept rubbing the ointment on the man and… slowly, the purple stain began to erase from his skin… It's even falling off the bandage…
[Guehehe, successful experiment.] — she finally said with a satisfied expression. — [Goodnight.] — she concluded, closing the jar and lying down on the floor clutching it…
I mean, seriously, don't use people as guinea pigs… not even elves.
[[[[…]]]]
Everyone in the room has no choice but to exchange glances between Kiti and the elf, who now rubs his chest in disbelief. The more he rubs the ointment, the more the mark dissolves wherever his hand passes.
Meanwhile, the first to react was Amelia, who timidly approached Kiti and, trying to ignore the stares, began to lift her up.
Seeing her, Mika also rushed over and picked the girl up quickly, then gave a slight bow and took her to the bathroom.
[…Sorry for the trouble...] — Amelia said, giving a deeper bow before following Mika.
[[[[….]]]]
[…Well, problem solved. Now, get out.] — Louise pointed to the door again after composing herself enough.
These girls seriously need to stop spending time with that brat.