In the dense jungle, Moen and Lea trudged forward with difficulty.

Perhaps due to the lack of sunlight, the ground wasn't populated with shrubs, but it was instead coiled with various vines clinging to the trees.

The vines were incredibly tenacious, most of them as thick as Moen's forearm, densely tangled into a web. Without Moen wielding Elizabeth to clear the way, progressing would have been almost impossible.

"Are you okay?"

Moen turned back to look at Lea, trailing behind him.

The girl seemed somewhat tired, her hair damp with sweat clinging to her forehead. She resembled a delicate white flower, on the verge of wilting.

"Use your Holy Light spell to recover yourself a bit," Moen suggested.

"No need," Lea shook her head gently. "I can still manage."

"There's no point pushing yourself."

Moen sighed. "Even if we might encounter enemies later, using some mana now won’t—"

Before he could finish, Moen's eyes suddenly sharpened. Gripping the pure white short blade tightly, he swung it forcefully, almost as if he had foreseen it, cutting toward a fleeting shadow shooting out from the dense vines.

With a metallic clash, sparks flew as if blade met steel. Though the shadow resisted the sharp edge for a brief moment, it was severed in two and fell to the ground, writhing and wriggling in its segmented state.

"Another snake, huh?"

Looking at the struggling severed half of the thin snake that still attempted to pounce, Moen couldn't help but feel gross—an instinctive reaction from his past life.

In his previous life as a modern person, just seeing a snake was enough to make his knees weak. Could they not encounter something more adorable, like a hopping, cheerful little bunny instead?

With another swing, he decapitated the snake. Feeling the faint resistance from its scaly hide through his blade, Moen frowned slightly.

"This is no ordinary snake. But I can’t sense any magical aura from it either—definitely not a magical beast. How peculiar."

Ever since they started their journey, though they hadn't encountered any magical beasts, the duo frequently came across all kinds of strange snakes, insects, and beasts. They moved astonishingly fast and often carried potent toxins that could corrode through stone.

If not for Moen's speed and reflexes surpassing those of normal humans, he would likely have been poisoned several times over.

"This... must be the aberrant," Lea said, her expression nervous as she gazed at the now-lifeless red serpent, its bared fangs and glinting eyes still exuding menace.

"I read about them in books. These creatures don’t harbor magic within their bodies, but their physical forms—their scales and flesh—are incredibly tough, and their venom is highly potent. In some ways, they’re even more terrifying than magical beasts."

"For a place with no magical beasts, having such aberrant beings evolve in a different path... is this also due to that Disaster's influence?"

"Most likely."

"As expected, forbidden lands are indeed nothing to take lightly," Moen muttered, kicking the disgusting snake corpse into an unseen dark corner.

The excited caws of crows rang out, as though eagerly celebrating the free meal gifted to them.

"It seems that crows are clever no matter which world you’re in," Moen remarked with a bitter smile. His gaze then drifted to a point not far in the distance, suddenly narrowing.

"Hmm? There's a lake over there."

"A lake? Really?"

The word "lake" made Lea's eyes light up with a brilliance rarely seen. After walking for several hours in such humid jungle air, the mere thought of clear water...

But then, as if realizing something, the brightness in her eyes dimmed.

"...Maybe we should leave it alone."

"Really?" Moen raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth quirking up mischievously.

"You don’t want to clean yourself up a bit? Maybe soak your feet or something?"

"Of course I do." Lea’s voice was immediate but conflicted. "But now isn’t the time for such things, is it?"

"Well then, it can’t be helped."

Moen shrugged nonchalantly, walking toward the lake as he half-jokingly remarked,

"Since Lea is feeling so diligent, please continue forward. But seeing as it’s getting dark soon, I for one am not willing to venture further in this godforsaken jungle at night."

He glanced back over his shoulder, smiling as he waved.

"Guess I’ll go have a little rest. See you~"

"...!"

Watching Moen disappear entirely into the dense foliage, Lea froze for a moment. It wasn’t until an eerie howl faintly echoed from somewhere deep within the woods that she finally snapped out of her daze. Her cheeks puffed up as frustration bubbled inside her. Stamping her foot in indignation, she ran in Moen’s direction, huffing,

"You... big jerk! Wait for me!"

...

"So beautiful..."

Lea gasped aloud, stunned by the sight before her.

The still, glass-like lake mirrored the sky, reflecting the rare shafts of sunlight that had broken through, creating a dazzling array resembling the Milky Way.

As twilight grew, the far side of the lake blurred into the encroaching darkness. The massive trees in the distance, veiled in mist, looked like slumbering giants.

The breathtaking scene seemed to ease the fatigue weighing on them just a moment ago.

But Lea, cautious as ever, didn’t approach the water immediately. Instead, she quietly glanced at Moen.

He was perched atop a fallen, decaying tree at the shoreline, scanning the water's surface intently. Snatching a few pebbles from the ground, he hurled them one by one into different parts of the lake. Only when the ripples from those disturbances fully faded did he turn to Lea and say with a smile, "It doesn’t seem dangerous."

"Okay."

Lea let out a small sigh of relief, finally relaxing as she approached the lake. Kneeling by the edge, she cupped a handful of clear water in her palms and, after a moment of hesitation, lowered her head to sip gently.

The cool water trickling down her throat was immediately refreshing, soothing her parched body and spirit.

"Before it gets dark completely, I’ll go look for something to eat," Moen’s voice came from behind her.

"Mm." Lea nodded softly. "Be... be careful out there."

"Don’t worry."

"Hmm?"

Moen turned slightly, stroking his chin with exaggerated thoughtfulness as he teased.

"This sort of feels like when a wife sends her husband off to work, doesn’t it?"

What nonsense!

But... could that ever happen?

After taking another cautious lap around the small lake to ensure it's a safe spot, Moen disappeared into the now-darkening forest once more. Lea was left alone, quietly crouched on the lakeshore.

"What does he mean, ‘like a wife sending her husband off to work’..."

She gritted her teeth, muttering under her breath with embarrassment.

But when her frustration ebbed, all she could do was pout. Staring at her own reflection in the water—tinged with hues of twilight—she murmured two words softly, as though unable to let it go.

"Bad guy..."

No one was around to hear her lament. Only the lake rippled mischievously, as if echoing her sentiment.

Lea once again scooped up some clear water, sipped a few mouthfuls. Then looked around to find a large leaf and rolling it into a cup shape.

“You should just die of thirst!”

With no one else around, the girl let her imagination run wild, picturing the humiliated expression on that guy’s face, and couldn’t help but smile.

But as she looked down, a cautious, sacred light shone from her hands.

【Purification】

The clear lake water in the leaf swayed slightly, becoming even purer as the sacred light emanated from the girl’s palm.

After doing this, the girl set the leaf cup aside and gazed at the clear lake water, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes.

"It should… be okay, right?"

Lea looked around nervously.

Although she knew it was inappropriate to do such a thing at this time, she had been walking for so long, and the air in the forest was already humid and oppressive.

By the end of the day, her entire body was soaked in sweat.

Moreover, she could even smell a faint, peculiar odour on her body...

No, no, Lea shook her head vigorously, dismissing the thought.

The holy light in her body had a purifying effect; even if she didn't bathe for a month, her body would still be clean and fragrant. How could there be a strange smell after just one day?

But if there really was...

Lea bit her lip, her gaze unconsciously drawn to the clear lake water.

Though it was a bit cold, it was just right compared to the surrounding heat.

"It should be fine if I go fast."

Thinking of this, Lea's hand unconsciously reached for the buttons of her outer garment and slowly untied them...

"Plop..."

The sound of splashing water startled Lea.

She looked panic-stricken in the direction of the splash, only to find that it was just an ordinary fish jumping out of the water, splashing water.

Lea let out a sigh of relief, but at the same time, her gaze fell on the dense water plants along the shore.

If someone were hiding there, she would never notice.

“That guy… he wouldn’t be hiding and peeping there, would he?”

“No, no, he’s not that kind of person… right?”

Lea’s little brain was once again in turmoil, but with time running out, she didn’t have much time to hesitate.

"Hmph, I'll just trust that bad guy this once!"

Lea finally made up her mind.

She had seen him naked before, so what if he saw her back?

Reassuring herself, Lea slowly slipped off her outer garment and dipped her little feet into the lake water.

The icy-cold water stimulated her skin, causing her to let out a soft moan of pleasure.

Silence surrounded the whole area.

Even the noisy crows seemed to have fallen asleep as night approached.

Lea gradually relaxed her tense too.

However, in the depths of the lake, unnoticed by Lea, several dark shadows were slowly approaching without making a sound....

“Hah, surviving in the wild is indeed no easy task.”

Looking at the wild fruit in his palm, Moen couldn't help but frown and groan.

He had been exhausted all day, yet he could only eat fruit. How could his strong body--with eight-pack abs endure this?

It's no good to keep his muscle perfect!

“But this damn forest, doesn't it have any normal creatures?”

After kicking away the strange insects and snakes that had tried attack him again, Moen sighed helplessly.

He wasn't expecting wild boars or deer, but something with the taste of chicken, crispy and crunchy, with six times the nutritional value of beef... surely there had to be something.

In this vast forest, aside from those strange creatures that seemed to target him and attack him relentlessly, and the crows perched high in the trees, he hadn't even seen a single creature that looked edible.

"Hm?"

As he's wondering, Moen’s gaze sharpened, focusing on a spot slightly further away.

With his current vision, he could clearly see a pair of erect, white, elongated ears deep within the grass, resembling the provocative gestures of those women on streets in the lower district at night, constantly beckoning towards Moen.

“This is... a rabbit?”

Could it really be possible that this desolate forest actually has rabbits?

Moen narrowed his eyes slightly, suppressing the excitement stirring in his heart. The pure white blade brushed lightly against the air, faint electric arcs rippling outward, erasing all traces of his presence.

He moved closer cautiously, his gaze shifting from side to side in vigilance.

No matter how he looked at it, this creature—so adorable and, thus, sure to taste wonderful when roasted—was unmistakably what he would classify as a rabbit.

Except… it was a bit larger than normal...

But in this magical world, wasn't it common for animals to be larger than usual?

In any case, as long as it’s edible, that’s all that matters!

Moen steeled himself, taking a deep breath before suddenly lunging forward in a striking move, akin to a starving wolf pouncing on its prey.

In the very next moment, the rabbit—still adorably munching grass—suddenly whipped its head around. The crimson gleam in its eyes revealed a savage and ferocious intent.

Following this, the snow-white furry abdomen of the rabbit abruptly split open, transforming into a massive maw lined with razor-sharp fangs. It welcomed the charging Moen with an equally joyous anticipation as if devouring him was some delightful treat.

“Ah, my dear, sweet rabbit...”

Moen felt the crushing collapse of his spirit, plummeting from heavenly delight to hellish despair, though he unsurprisingly swung Elizabeth—the weapon he had already instinctively grasped in his hand.

“Can’t you let me hold on to just a little shred of hope?”

The blade flashed, cutting through the air with violent precision, followed by an explosion of blood.

With deft footwork, Moen elegantly avoided the spurting crimson droplets raining down.

Sizzle, sizzle...

The blood seeped onto the ground, releasing corrosive sounds identical to those emitted by other aberrant creatures.

“Ah, this one looks completely inedible now.”

With a face full of frustration, Moen bent down to retrieve the wild fruits he'd left on the ground earlier.

“Alright, for now, I should head back... Eventually, I’ll settle the score with those bastards—”

Before the words finished leaving his lips, Moen's expression abruptly darkened.

He whipped his head toward the direction of the lake in alarm.

From the distance, the cries of birds filled the air, accompanied by a desperate scream from a girl.

“Help… someone, please!”