LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 27
I’ve revised Chapter 26 completely. Thank you for reading it again…
It’s already been three days since I defeated my arch-enemy, the Hydra.
The island was truly peaceful.
Sure, there were some zombies roaming around.
But after digging a pit in front of the dungeon and bringing in the acidic poison from the swamp area to create a dangerous swamp, there weren’t many zombies wandering in the forest.
“When will the bait come… sigh”
I sat on a chair made from Hydra bones, resting my chin on my hand while gazing at the beach. It felt like I was a king or something.
Well, I wouldn’t be wrong about that. Thinking back, since I handed the leader monsters their tickets to the afterlife, I can scream that I’m the king of this island now! Not that anyone could deny it. If I really shouted, people would think I was weird, but it’s not like it matters. There are only three people here anyway.
Wait, is there really even three?
In any case, I was enjoying this rare day off.
Was there ever a day this peaceful during my deserted island life?
No worries, no exhausting trap management, and just staring blankly at the beach from a rock felt great.
Ah, the bait has arrived.
As my fishing rod began to shake, I quickly grabbed it and pulled.
“Oh, it’s a big catch!”
I smacked my lips at the sight of the broad fish. It looked pretty tasty, though I didn’t know its name.
Not that it mattered; I only need to categorize it as safe fish and dangerous fish. For reference, dangerous fish are either poisonous even when grilled or filled with so many bones that they’re a hassle to eat. I hate fish with too many bones.
It’s just annoying to pick them out, you know? Fish should be soft-boned enough to eat them whole or have few bones that can be easily removed. That’s the best kind.
“Time to head back.”
I caught four fish this morning. That should be enough for lunch, especially since Renny and I eat a lot. We could grill the fish and make a mixed stew to fill our bellies for lunch. And for dinner…
“I’ll grill a ton of Hydra meat.”
They say aged meat is tasteless, but Hydra meat is a different story.
The tender, flavorful, and savory texture that feels like it was born to be eaten is the driving force that made us bear all the hassle over the past three days and created all kinds of dishes. Plus, there’s enough quantity to last for at least another month just by curing it well in saltwater.
Maybe it’s just me, but I felt really energetic.
Still, it would be better to have more ingredients to enhance my delicious meal, so I was leisurely fishing for a while.
“Johann, have you caught many?”
“I caught four.”
A sweet voice came from behind me. I awkwardly replied and stood up from my unnecessarily fancy fishing chair. I could stay sitting, but I tend to get nervous chatting with Karina. Talking to a beauty is just too hard.
I have no idea what to say.
It’s only because Karina keeps initiating the conversation that we could have any dialogue at all.
What does Karina think of me anyway?
I don’t think she dislikes me, but… I can’t gauge the distance between us. Meeting someone after ten years is like trying to measure social distance accurately after being isolated for a decade.
“What’s the name of this fish?”
Karina pointed at the flatfish I caught last.
“I don’t know. I’ve never thought about the names of the fish caught here. As long as you can eat it, that’s all that matters.”
“Is that so…”
A silence swept between Karina and me. The only thing that could break this awkward silence was an escape, but both of us knew that running away all the time wasn’t the answer. So, in that uncomfortable silence, we shared glances.
“Karina.”
“…Ah, yes. What is it?”
“I have a question.”
“A question?”
Karina stared at me as if wondering what I meant. Is it rare for me to ask her a question? It feels like it’s my first time asking Karina something.
“Why did you cross the sea on a boat?”
“Ah… I was on my way to enroll in Kalon Academy. But then the boat…”
I got the answer to the question I had long been curious about but had postponed due to various matters, and I turned my gaze back to the beach, lost in thought.
That was just before the game started, right?
The enrollment ceremony was the prologue’s content, so the game story hadn’t quite begun yet… No, I’ve been here for over two weeks, so it might have already started.
So, what happens next?
An academy without a main heroine? Karina has so many parts where she thrives in the mid to late story that there must be massive plot holes.
I don’t know who the protagonist is, but it’s really sad to think they have to go through that hardcore school life without a healer.
If Karina can’t return like this…
“Um, Johann?”
“Do you have something to ask me?”
“Can you tell me how you ended up stranded on this island?”
“I don’t really know. I just woke up on this island and started a desperate fight to survive.”
Except for the fact that I had been reincarnated, that was a pure fact. I really woke up on this island, and from then on, I started my totally tear-jerking deserted island drift.
Back then, I thought I wouldn’t even last a month, let alone ten years. But now, I’ve taken care of all the long-time residents of this island and am leisurely fishing.
Life is just full of surprises.
“Don’t you remember your past?”
“I don’t, but I’m not really bothered by it. From the point of living on this island, that’s not really important.”
“…If you ever get out of here, I will help you find your past.”
“There’s no need for that.”
What does she mean by that? It’s hard to read the intention behind Karina’s words. Conversations between people are still incredibly difficult for me. If she were as simple-minded as Renny, it might be easier, but talking with someone complicated like Karina makes it way harder.
…Maybe it’s more accurate to say I stutter when talking to a beauty.
But what can I do? When an unbelievably gorgeous beauty is smiling at me with friendly eyes, how can I not stumble over my words? Even a manly man wouldn’t manage to keep his cool in front of such beauty. I can’t exactly say something like, “Wow, you’re incredibly hot.”
“Y-Yo, Johann?”
Ah.
Ah…
Ah…
I kicked off the ground and jumped straight into the water.
I’m heading straight for the mainland. Now!
——————————–
“Johann?!”
Karina was taken aback by Johann suddenly leaping into the sea.
It was bewildering. Jumping into the water out of the blue? With a shocked expression, Karina was about to call Renny when she saw Johann splashing away into the distance and fell silent.
“Ugh…”
Karina couldn’t bring herself to utter those obscene words, quickly closing her mouth and chasing after Johann’s disappearing figure with her eyes. Her face was burning. It was the first time in her life that someone had been so direct in their teasing.
“Having lived alone for ten years must’ve led him to do that…”
Of all people, he was her lifesaver. Karina could understand when he said such things.
Just imagining living alone for ten years without going crazy was weird enough. Plus, considering everything she had been through over these past few weeks, it wasn’t surprising that he would say something like that.
Karina herself would sometimes sneak out to the temple to take a look around the town when she felt stressed out. So, thinking of it as a rare escape wasn’t too weird… Karina convinced herself.
If someone lived alone for ten years, it wouldn’t be strange to think that way about women…
“What am I thinking?”
Karina tore her gaze away from Johann, who was now barely visible, and looked at the endless blue horizon. Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she turned her gaze back to Johann.
“What does Johann think of me?”
An ambiguous relationship.
Karina defined her relationship with Johann like that. She felt gratitude towards him for saving her life, but it was hard to become closer than acquaintances.
Yet, since meeting Renny, Johann was the first person she could rely on.
It was too hard to call him a friend, but he was closer than just an acquaintance.
In this awkward relationship, Karina pondered whether to take a step forward or just wait quietly.
It was her first time getting this close to a man, so she couldn’t gauge it.
It would be more comfortable if she could just reject it cleanly, but she didn’t want to do that.
Karina turned her eyes back again, gazing at the direction Johann had disappeared.
Unlike the land, where she was surrounded by the gazes of countless people and couldn’t move freely, here on the deserted island, only her heart mattered.
“Time will solve this, right?”
After all, whether she leaves this island or not, she’s stuck with these circumstances for a while.
Karina picked up the bucket filled with flopping fish and turned around.
“I just hope he doesn’t take too long…”