Welcome to Hell! - Chapter 284: Desert Night

Having just descended, we decided to spend the night at the landing site for the time being. However, the harsh environment of the desert did not show any mercy and bared its fangs at us. The anomaly took place just after sunset.

“So, this is why no one lives here.”

“This is no time for comments. It’s just too cold.”

Chris shivered and rubbed her arms, which were covered in several layers of clothes. After the sunset, the scorching desert abruptly transformed into a frigid wasteland. I had heard about the drastic temperature differences between day and night, but I never expected the change to be to this extent.

As a creature originally from the desert, I remained unaffected as usual. The demons could also withstand the cold in their demon forms without the need for additional layers of clothing. However, people like Chris and Marcellus, who were not demons, had to dress as if it were the depths of winter.

[Ah, I’m fine over here.]

[It’s somewhat unfair, big sister Woodsorrel.]

It seemed that Woodsorren, who had returned to her demon fox form, could also withstand the cold with her fur. Gardenia, who had been listless during the day, grumbled. It seemed they were in the midst of a light squabble.

Just like Gardenia, the demons who were unable to transform, such as Asumi and the others, had also perked up. It was as if the fatigue of the day was a lie. Maybe it would be wise to leave the night watch to them. With Asumi leading them, they could handle anything.

“Shuu, Apao, how are you doing?”

“Moo. Never mind us, but the others can’t move, Bumo.”

“It’s too cold! Daytime is better!”

Shuu and Apao, though demons, also served as leaders of the oxen and horses that pulled the carriages. Their ability to communicate with their kind meant that they could understand exactly what the animals were thinking.

According to them, the cold at night was harsher than the heat during the day. It would be better to travel during the day. It was only natural to take care of the oxen and horses that carried us so that we didn’t overwork them.

In fact, I was currently brushing Shuu and Apao, and the other animals were being groomed, brushed, and fed by our comrades. The food the animals ate was gathered from grasses that grew in the desert, and according to the two of them, it was quite tasty.

Especially delicious were the leaves and stems of the sweet potatoes Lappy discovered and dug up. Even more delicious, it seemed, was the sweet potato itself. That was something we all thought, which added to the importance of these red sweet potatoes.

“Understood. We’ll mainly move during the day, then, and take frequent breaks for rest and hydration. Does that work for you?”

“That would help, Bumo.”

“Hihiiin!”

Shuu seemed relieved, while Apao neighed happily. Although Shuu and Apao were part of our group, their sense of kinship with the oxen and horses we had purchased to pull the carriages inevitably grew stronger. It was only natural when thinking about their origins as an oxen and a horse.

After saying goodbye to them, I went to see Lorenz. He was dressed in layers of clothes as if it was the dead of winter and he seemed to be writing his travelogue. I didn’t try to hide the sound of my footsteps, so he quickly noticed me and looked up.

“Ah, Sir Antares, it’s you.”

“You seem to have plenty of material for your travelogue, don’t you?”

“Yes, thankfully. I was just writing about the meat of the sovereign dragon snake.”

The sovereign dragon snake… Ah, that was the name of the giant snake I had slain. I had completely forgotten. After we butchered it, some of its meat was served as a meal, but it wasn’t well-received. The meat was tough, full of sinews and difficult to chew, not to mention the strong gamey taste.

For some demons in their demon form, the toughness of the meat wasn’t much of an issue, but the poor taste made it quite disliked. It felt wasteful not to eat it all, so Mika mentioned that he was trying to find a way to make it delicious.

“Well, that creature appeared once in the ‘Battle Beast Tournament’. The experience of eating it is valuable in itself.”

“Indeed, you’re right. The scales and hide have found their way into the market quite surprisingly. Those products were first sold about a decade ago, I believe.”

“…That must have been the one I defeated.”

My debut as a battle beast in the “Rookie Tournament” was, if memory serves me right, eight years ago in the year 823 of the Altera period. Naturally, the carcass of a defeated beast also becomes the property of its victor. Typically, it’s disposed of, but it seems that sometimes parts like the fur are sold off.

Raising and maintaining a battle beast was costly, and selling them off served as a way to recoup those expenses. It was a stark reminder that even after death, these creatures continued to be exploited for their value.

“Ho-how should I put this…”

“It’s just the truth. Don’t worry about it; I wasn’t scolding you. Speaking of which, how is Mia doing?”

“If it’s the little girl you’re asking about, Nana had to practically force her to bed. She was so absorbed in that, after all.”

One of Chirik’s orphan friends, Mia who was especially skilled with her hands came to me with a piece of the sovereign dragon snake hide and asked me to let her create something with it. Since I had no specific plans for the hide, I allowed her to proceed, only to be astounded by her efficiency and skill in the tanning process.

Mia belonged to the Tana race, who were known among the Human species for having six fingers on each hand and exceptional dexterity. Before becoming an orphan due to the war, her family had been craftsmen of weapons and they were occasionally tasked with crafting decorations from unusual materials. In other words, a luxury afforded by the wealthy.

She had apparently mastered the treatment of leather to a level comparable to professional tanners. Within the walls of the orphanage, she even crafted crossbows that could hold their own against adults. This skill was apparently honed by watching her parents at work and then copying their techniques from memory. One would think that such feats would be impossible to achieve from just memory…….is it thanks to the extraordinary nature of the Tana race or Mia’s own remarkable abilities? Somehow, I feel like it’s the latter.

Having finally obtained a material that truly challenged her skills, Mia threw herself into the task with the fervor of a fish in water. Her dedication was such that she almost forgot to eat or sleep. This caused Nana to forcibly tuck her into bed out of concern for her health.

“By the way, tanning doesn’t sound like a simple task. Is it even possible in our current situation?”

“It would be difficult. I’m not entirely sure myself, but I’ve heard it involves the use of oils, plant juices, and chemicals.”

“Such things are hardly readily available… But Mia must have her own way of thinking about this. I’ll make sure to tell everyone to help her as much as possible if they can. Lorenz, please spread the word as my request. Mia is likely too reserved to ask for help herself.”

“Understood.”

After parting ways with Lorenz, I went to check on the children we’d discussed earlier. Approaching the cargo bed where they were supposed to be sleeping, I peered in while making as little noise as possible and found the children huddled together in their sleep.

However, the demon children were in their demon forms. While there are exceptions like myself, demons typically have fur, which probably makes them natural cuddle companions. By the way, Lappy was sleeping soundly while hugging Chirik from behind.

There were also Woodsorrel and Gardenia mixed in among the children. They had been awake just moments ago, but now they were deep in sleep. The unfamiliar environment must have worn them out. It seemed best to let them be.

After ensuring the children were sound asleep, I made my way back to where Chris was. At that moment, she was seated and sipping something from a steaming goblet.

“Here, Antares. It’s hot water.”

“Thank you.”

What Chris handed to me was a goblet filled with hot water, identical to the one she was drinking from. This hot water was all created through Chris’s spiritual arts. I had learned from her that a skilled practitioner of water spiritual arts could manipulate water at will. In other words, they were capable of heating it to boiling or freezing it into ice.

While I had been checking on Lorenz and the children, Chris had apparently been distributing hot water to the others on night watch as well. With the desert air turning bitterly cold, this hot water must have tasted particularly delightful. I removed my iron mask and took a sip of the hot water.

“Phew, that’s warming.”

“You’re really saying that while wearing an iron mask in this cold.”.

Chris smiled wryly and playfully poked at the iron mask I had set aside with her fingertips. The mask, swaying from her gentle prods, was ice-cold from the desert’s nighttime chill. Anyone other than myself might have risked frostbite from its touch.

Come to think of it, wearing the iron mask had become such a habit that I rarely took it off, but now, with only the two of us here, it seemed unnecessary. I have a strange attachment to this iron mask itself…Okay, I’ve decided.

“You’re right. I’ll take off the iron mask from now on. It’s unnecessary for me at this moment.”

“Good idea. You look more handsome without it anyway.”

Upon hearing my decision to remove the mask, Chris’s eyes widened in surprise at first. But she quickly offered a smile and teasingly made her comment. I’m beginning to understand the human notions of beauty and ugliness, so I knew she was joking. All I could do was reply with a wry smile.