Ep 29 - Academy’s Undercover Professor

EP.29 S1.5. The Great Escape -2 Securing hydration was of paramount importance when traversing the wasteland, all the more so if it was a wilderness prowled by mutants. Their presence was detestable as they left behind a noxious mucus within their living radius, polluting nature. The third puddle Elaine and her companions found was a prime example of this. A collection of rainwater had pooled behind a rock, and a murky black slime bobbed on its surface. Half a day had passed since their supply of drinking water in their canteens had run out. There was enough to last them until they escaped the wasteland, but with the addition of a beautiful lady wearing nothing but a red dress, their reserves were insufficient. This was the reason for the despondent expressions as the two sat crouched, gazing sorrowfully at the puddle. "Can it be drunk?" "If you're asking if it's safe to consume... even if you filter it, it's likely to cause stomach issues. I've heard cases of hallucinations or fever." "...Can it be drunk...?" "If it's the taste you're concerned about... There's a joke among the survivors. They'd prefer to eat sardine pie than drink mutant mucus." "I've heard the world has become a desolate place, but can you actually make pie?" "You can make it, minus sugar and salt, sweet strawberry jam, and savory butter." "That can hardly be called a pie..." Elaine covered her face with her scar-laden hands, whimpering in pain. It was uncertain if they could find another water source, and she was parched. Even a warrior capable of effortlessly defeating an ogre could not survive without food and drink. To survive, it was better to suffer a stomachache than dehydration, which meant they needed to drink this filthy water topped with a wriggling layer of mucus. ".........." There were things you knew you needed to do but couldn’t bring yourself to do. 'Is there no other way? Must I defile my noble palate, accustomed only to the finest of banquets, with this filth? Could Pero function as a human water purifier?' Such escape thoughts swirled through Elaine's mind. Pero swirled the filthy water with his hand to separate as much mucus as possible before scooping what seemed to be the cleanest portion into the canteen. Then, with his eyes tightly closed, he took a swig. Gulp. "...Ugh, eugh..." Color drained from Pero's face, and tears welled in his eyes. The taste and texture were indeed dreadful. A strange meal strikes once with flavor and again with scent. A fishy smell, like boiling a frog, hit Pero’s nostrils as an aftershock, contorting his face as if he might vomit at any moment. Just earlier, the group had roasted a desert rabbit, replenishing precious protein. They couldn’t afford to throw it up now, it wasn't digested yet – that would be a substantial loss from a survivor's perspective. That's when the princess stepped in. Elaine, for their mutual benefit – she despised the sight of someone vomiting, and Pero was at the risk of losing nutrients – hugged Pero from behind and firmly clasped his mouth shut with her hands. "..........!!" I'd rather you let me throw up. Although Pero cried and begged with his eyes, Elaine did not release her hold. It was not her problem, after all, and it was the rational decision. Thus, Elaine forced Pero to consume the vile, squishy liquid. Three minutes later, Pero lay sprawled with a dazed expression. He had taken in water and kept down the protein, but it seemed his soul had not been safeguarded... Elaine calmly observed him and then spoke with a womanly voice. "...I'm not particularly thirsty." "...You're lying..." "I've lost my memories, so I can't really say." "What does losing your memories have to do with being thirsty... That’s low, Elaine!" Enraged, Pero puffed up his cheeks and spread his arms wide, creating a barrier about 160cm wide. "You’re not passing until you drink too, Elaine!" "Do we really have to go through this, Pero? Will it satisfy you to feed me something sticky and smelly?" "Don't phrase it like that!" During the past two days crossing the wasteland together, whenever Elaine steered the conversation into risqué territory, Pero quickly raised the white flag and fled. Perhaps it was the anger brought on by the awful mucus, or maybe he had finally adapted. This time, despite his face turning red, he stood his ground. It was indeed a monumental step. However, Elaine knew an eternal truth. The only thing better than firepower is more firepower. If coyness doesn’t work, she’d have to employ even greater coyness. Elaine spread her arms wide, preparing to unleash the special maneuver she had sealed since using it on Irid – the "Embrace and Spin" – when suddenly... Plip, plop. "...Oh." "My goodness." Rain began to fall. --------------------------------------------------------------- They entered a small cave and kindled a fire. Finding a small cave in the wasteland was simple. First, you prepare a powerful individual capable of chiseling away rock with bare hands. Then, tenderly caress a sufficiently large rock, and miraculously, a small cave appears. Pero opened his eyes wide in amazement and gave an ovation for this splendid display of exploration. The cozy warmth, the refreshing sound of pouring rain, and the small space between the two, tinted with the warm hues of a campfire – Elaine found herself humming a tune without even realizing it. Pero nodded along to the rhythm of her humming and then, looking outside the cave, said... "It's fortunate that it rained. We now have plenty of water to drink… Once the rain stops, the sand will settle, and the sky will be clear. It’ll be easier to find our way!" "You're right, Pero. It’s lucky that it rained when it did..." She wouldn’t have to suffer the revolting taste of mutant mucus on her tongue. Elaine's teasing of the young boy was earnest, but she wouldn’t have actually refrained from drinking water. As unpleasant as it was, everything paled in comparison to the need to survive. In the end, she would have drunk it. It was for survival that she had chewed on the rancid meat of a mutant wolf, and set out to find a paradise through the wasteland, with only the boy for company. In the world of a Crown Princess, personal preferences ranked far behind the necessity of survival. Thus, all her choices always boiled down to 'what to sacrifice'. She let go of compassion, expectations, belief, and more... "──Elaine, Elaine?" "...?" Before she realized it, Pero's face had drawn close. He pressed his forehead against hers, gauging her temperature. With this bold skin contact, Elaine’s thoughts momentarily froze. "You don't seem to have a fever… Are you feeling unwell anywhere? You weren’t responding when I called you." "No, not really. I'm perfectly fine." "Your face is a bit red." "...It’s the light from the fire." "Really? You should not hide it if you’re in pain. I can find some herbs for you!" "You're not just doing this because you know something, are you?" "...?" Pero cocked his head in confusion. Elaine toyed with her lips for a moment, then without a word moved away. It was a strategic retreat, one might say. The distance between Pero and Elaine, about 1m. The considerate boy perhaps took Elaine's move as a sign that she wanted to be alone and graciously shifted to the opposite side of the fire. The distance between them now, about 3m. Perhaps concerned about this distance, Elaine made a show of wanting to warm up closer to the fire, thereby closing the gap between her and the boy. The distance between Pero and Elaine, about 2m. And then both ceased to move. Both Pero and Elaine thought a 2-meter distance was quite appropriate. It was neither too far nor too close. They could see each other but hide each other's scent. And so the two waited until the rain stopped. --------------------------------------------------------------- The day cleared up. The aggressive sandstorm, which obscured visibility and scratched at the skin, had become heavy with rain. Though the land remained desolate and covered in horrid mucus patches, the sky was blue and refreshing. Elaine took a deep breath for the first time in a while. The air filled her lungs, fresh and clean, and she exhaled, feeling alive in every part of her body. Pero caught Elaine’s hand to signal her and pointed beyond the horizon. "It looks like we’ve walked quite a distance!" "Oh my... The land is a vibrant green, isn’t it? Albeit sporadically." The sight of lush greenery was indeed a rare view. Since being cast into this desolate world, the only plants she had seen were withered old trees, grotesquely flourishing clusters of mushrooms in corners, or rotating blooms. Pero didn’t hide his joy and expressed it through his voice. "We've escaped the wasteland. Ahead lies the 'Plains of Meeting'. We didn’t even realize we were so close to the exit because of the sandstorm... Hehe." "'Plains of Meeting'... is there a reason for that name?" "It’s relatively safe since mutants are rare here. Survivors in the vicinity use these plains as a waystation to plot their routes. You get to meet many people!" "Doesn't anyone settle here? With such fair conditions, it would make a good base." "Oh, about that… The plains offer little in the way of shelter or cover..." Pero hesitated for a moment before continuing with a faint smile. "Those who tried to make this place a base, they all died." "Ah, I see..." Elaine looked out over the 'Plains of Meeting' with a knowing eye. With good encounters came bad ones, too. She was reminded anew that meeting people didn’t always entail positive outcomes. Then, a realization hit her. Pero said, 'Those who tried to make this place a base died'... He didn’t say he’d heard about it; he finished the sentence as if he had seen it firsthand. Perhaps Pero was one of those who had tried to make the 'Plains of Meeting' their base. It might be necessary to consider how Pero, with no significant combat skills and just a smattering of survival talents, had managed to stay alive. A small seed of doubt sprouted beneath Elaine's eyelids. --------------------------------------------------------------- The remaining distance to paradise. About 320km. <fin>