Chapter 37: Rain on the Plains
After leaving Blackleaf Forest, we continued walking across the plains for a while.
The endless stretch of green and the unobstructed blue sky felt refreshing. However, when I spread out the map to check our current position, a small problem became apparent.
“Rowena, the next waystation is still quite far. At this rate, it’s uncertain whether we’ll make it there before sunset.”
I explained the situation to her.
“So today, we’ll set up camp a bit earlier. Let’s keep moving while looking for a suitable spot.”
Rowena nodded.
As we walked along the road, we searched for a place fit for camping. Unlike the forest, there were few places to hide. The wind blowing across the plains felt slightly warm and carried a hint of moisture, which bothered me.
In the end, we couldn’t find a good location, so we reluctantly began preparing camp on a patch of plain just off the road.
“Alright, first you pick a flat spot. If there are stones, they’ll hurt when you sleep.”
I gently guided Rowena, who was still unfamiliar with the process, as we prepared together. We gathered dry branches from the surroundings and planted them into the ground, setting up the noise traps we had obtained in Blackleaf Forest.
For dinner, we decided to use the remaining water serpent tail from the night before in a soup.
However, as the soup warmed over the fire, it gave off a strange, grassy odor unlike before. When I took a sip, my brow furrowed. The bitterness had become overpowering.
“…No good. Just one day and the taste deteriorates this much.”
The meat, too, had become overly tough from boiling, like chewing on thick hide.
Rowena also took a sip and made a face. Still, understanding there was nothing else to eat, she forced it down with black bread, despite clearly disliking it.
After finishing the bland meal, we spent some quiet time gazing at the starry sky peeking through breaks in the clouds.
Before long, perhaps from fatigue, Rowena fell asleep beside me.
Some time later—
The warm wind suddenly stopped, and the air changed. The scent of grass grew stronger.
Soon after, large raindrops began to fall, pattering against the ground.
The sound of the rain woke Rowena.
“Rowena, pack up our things! We’re moving now!”
I gave the order and quickly retrieved the noise traps we had set up.
It was still far from dawn.
But staying out here on the open plains, exposed to rain all night, was far too dangerous.
I tightly held Rowena’s small hand and began walking along the road again.
The rain only grew heavier.
Careful not to lose footing on the muddy ground, yet moving as quickly as possible, we advanced step by step without straying from the road.
Rowena said nothing, but gripped my hand tightly, desperately keeping up.
There was no sign of the rain stopping.
As we continued walking, completely soaked, I spotted a shallow rocky overhang along the road.
“Rowena, over there!”
We ran toward it and took shelter beneath the rock.
Thanks to the direction of the wind, we could avoid the rain hitting us directly. It wasn’t perfect, but it was far better than nothing.
“Are you alright?”
When I asked, Rowena trembled from the cold but still tried to smile. Then she hugged herself with both arms.
“Eo… amui…”
She spoke clearly.
Though halting, it was unmistakably the word “cold.”
For a moment, I widened my eyes in surprise.
(…She spoke.)
Suppressing the surge of emotion, I quickly removed her soaked clothes.
Then I took out a dry blanket from my pack and wrapped her small body completely in it.
“Yeah… it’s cold. This should warm you up a bit.”
As I said that and gently patted her head, Rowena nodded from inside the blanket.
We huddled together beneath the small rocky shelter, doing nothing but waiting for the long night’s rain to finally pass.