Chapter 8

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Chapter 8: One morning, 300 years later  And 300 years have passed....... I hear wild birds chirping and open my eyes. I could see the gentle sunlight shining through the

curtains. It seems that morning has come again today. I pull myself up out of bed and stretch. After washing my face beside the well, I prepare my

breakfast. On a piece of toast, I put a fried egg made from the Three-Eyed

Chimera's egg, bacon made from Gaiking Bear's meat, and some crispy grass I

picked this morning.  I prepare hot water with a little salt and sake. Come to think of it, over the past 60 years, I've

acquired a wide variety of seasonings. Crispy grass is a magical herb that has a stimulating

effect. It opens your eyes no matter how sleepy you are (but it should not be

used too much). I recommend that you crush up some coffee beans and

dissolve them in hot water and drink it at the same time, as it will reduce its

awakening effect. I cleaned up the dishes and put them in the magic bag

I made by folding the Shadow Beast Shadow Doll. It's my personal masterpiece, and it's literally a

convenient bag that can be held in your hands, slung over your shoulder, or

carried on your back. When I look at the mirror, which I polished using the

Shell Snake's shell, I realize something. "Uwaa!　Oh, shit. I'm getting younger again." I was careless. I thought today would be the last time

I eat the King Dragon meat, a higher species of Grand Dragon (the Phantom King

Dragon). I thought I'd only eat a little bit, but I ate all of

them. I was just getting used to being at that age....... "Well, it's done and there's nothing I can do

about it." It's a good thing that I don't have to shave anymore. By the way, I wonder why my beard and hair length

always decrease when I get younger. I still can't figure it out. So what should I do today? There's no particular harvest on my farm. Maybe I should hunt down a monster after all. Ah. I remember. How about those Zen fruits I found the

other day? I think it's about time to eat them, but I hope they

didn't get eaten by beak ghosts... "Alright." I've decided my plan for today. Let's go out to get the Zen fruit. It's been a while

since I went out. Just to be safe, I locked the door and left the house. "I'm going out." I say and wave to a large camphor tree. The tree is probably more than a thousand years old. Its

leaves are still lush green, covering the entire area. While all the other young trees around it are growing

fast, this camphor tree hasn't changed at all since I first saw it. It's like my family, always watching over me.  "Hmm. I wonder if it's OK." I feel a little worried as I stroke my smooth chin. Maybe it's too late, but any adults would be

suspicious of a child deep in the mountains like this. However, I've lived here for almost 300 years, and I

have never met anyone yet. It must be because this area is full of monsters, so

it's hard for people to come here. I haven't talked to anyone in a long time. I've been practicing reading, writing, and speaking

every day so I don't forget how to communicate. In fact, I went through a

depression around 180 years ago, but I still don't think I am longing for the

company of others. I've been living for 300 years now. Besides, I am in a

child's body now. What will people think when they see me like this?

They would be scared and stay away from me. That would be the normal human

response. I don't want to see people's faces twitch with fear,

and I don't want to be the target of ridicule anymore. But I never dreamed that the day would come when this

mindset of mine would be overturned......   I gathered the Zen fruit safely. Thank God. They hadn't been eaten by any monsters yet. The fact that they weren't ripe yet probably prevented

monsters and wild animals from eating them. Zen fruits can be preserved. They can be left in the

shade to ripen and become sweet. They are best when eaten with homemade yogurt. When I finished picking the Zen nuts and was about to

return to my house, I heard horses neighing. I never see any wild horses around here. I think it's unusual, so I walk closer to the sound

source and see something even more unusual. Human beings....... There are two men and two women. All are armed. They don't look like bandits....... It seems like they are in a hurry, but at least they

can still handle their situation. A female knight is lying down, and her companions are

surrounding her. It seems that the female knight is injured. Her bleeding seems to have stopped, but her injuries

are quite severe. I listen carefully. 300 years of eating monsters and

beasts have made my ears sharper than those of a deer. "Are there any more recovery medicines?" "That was the last one." "If only I still have magic power

left......." The last woman seems to be a healer. She muttered

regretfully and fell to her knees, crying. It seems that they have no means to recover her, and

they are at their wits. "What should I do ......?" I can't pretend like I didn't see them. I want to help

them. I just don't know how to talk to them...... No, I am the one who is worrying about something so

trivial in front of a suffering person, but this is a surprisingly big problem. When I realized it's been 300 years...... During that time, I never had any contact with people. I haven't forgotten my language, because I practiced

speaking and writing every day.  But being able to speak and talking to people are two

different things. Judging from that woman's condition, she doesn't have

much time. Finally, I made a decision and jumped forward. "Who?" "Eh?　A child?" "Why would there be a child deep in the mountains

like this?" The knights widened their eyes in unison. It's a normal reaction, isn't it? No matter how they

look at me right now, I'm a child. "Hurt, OK?" Ugh~. I'm so nervous that I'm speaking only a few

words. It can't be helped. I am really nervous. "Hmm?　Your accent is really weird." "It's more like the intonation is old-fashioned." "Old-fashioned intonation?" Well, it's been 300 years, so maybe the language has

changed a bit. But it seems that the message is conveyed, so it's

fine. "Is that person OK?" "Thank you for your concern. She is a knight of

the Letivia family. She won't let something like this stop her. You too, are

you OK to be in this kind of place?" On the contrary, he is worried about me. I am wary of them, but he seems to be a very kind

person. He has blond hair, gentle green eyes, and a sweet face.

His figure is solid and looks very reliable. Perhaps this person is the leader of the four. The

armor he wears is also a little more luxurious than the others. "Thank you very much. Ano....... If you're in trouble, I can heal that person for

you?" "What?　You?　What do you mean?" "Do you have a recovery medicine?" I don't have a recovery medicine, but I have something

even better than a recovery medicine. Even if I explained it to them, they wouldn't

understand, so I decided to nod for the time being. I put my hand into my magic bag and pull out something

that looks like a blue candy ball. I put it in the injured woman's mouth. "Swallow it." I told her. The injured woman seemed to be in a daze. Her reaction

is slow, but slowly she swallows the blue candy ball. Then, her moans started to fade down. "Mildy!" "Hey!　Stay with me!" "Can you hear me, Mildy?" The injured woman called Mildy fell silent, and her

companions called out to her one by one. Eventually, all that can be heard is her regular

breathing. "Amazing." "She looks better now." "Her pulse is stabilizing." Finally, they can relax a bit. She should be OK now. "Thank you, thank....... But what was that? It

doesn't look like a recovery medicine......." I'm in trouble now. If I told them what it is made of, they'd probably be

very surprised. As for me, I'd want to cover it up, but....... "Mmmm......." The Knight Leader stares at me. It seems that it is impossible to lie to them. I've no choice but to speak honestly. "Before we talk about it, we need to move to a

place where she can rest. There are monsters around here." "Aah, that's right...... You're right. Is there

any suitable place for her to rest?" "There is a place where I live. It's a bit deep

in the mountains, but the monsters won't approach that place." "That's a good suggestion. Are you OK with

that?" "Yes. I don't mind." This is my first time inviting people to my home in

the mountains.