Pioneering the Apocalyptic World - Chapter 72

Chapter 7: Forced return

My body is heavy like lead. It feels like my eyelids are glued together and it’s hard to open them.
I wanted to sleep more because of the exhaustion that was pressing down on my whole body, but as if I had just remembered the existence of my sense of pain, I was woken up by a severe pain that assaulted my body.

“……?????!”

When I tried to writhe in pain, it caused even more pain, and I let out a muffled scream.

“Rion-sama!?”

I heard a voice that recently became familiar in an unfamiliar, desperate tone, while my vision was blurred by the tears that reflexively flowed out, I gently moved my head and looked at what I thought was the source of the voice.
There was Fricka, who was teary-eyed like me, I tried to call her name, but my throat was dry and only a hoarse voice came out.

“Rion-sama! At this pace I can’t keep up with the recovery! Please use your items!”

Recover? While confused about that, I opened my status and looked at it with a startled look.
I only have a few LP left!? That explain why my body hurt so much.
In hurry, I use all the potions at once, and became relieved… Or not!? My LP is decreasing little by little…! ?
Why It’s decreasing? I checked my status again, it was displayed as [Burn: Level 3].

“B…U,rn?”

“Would you like some water?”

Fricka sensed that my throat was dry and brought a cup of water to my mouth and let me drink it slowly.
After taking a deep breath, I finally realized where I am.

“… My room?”

Why am I sleeping here in a badly injured state? I can’t remember what happened.
Huh, I killed the dungeon guardian, the Giant Centipede, then walked towards the exit, but it was raining outside and was thundering?
Tracing my thoughts to that point, I came to a conclusion.

…… No way …… I was struck by lightning ……! ?

“Fricka, where is Uru and Regulus… Ugh…!”

“Rion-sama was the most seriously injured, so please rest!”

When I tried to get up to ask what happened to Uru and Regulus, who were supposed to be with me, I almost fainted in pain and ended up lying on the bed again.
Come to think of it, even after being struck by lightning, I only get out with serious injuries… Ah, did the substitute doll(scapedoll) did its work? I was saved…. But my LP is still decreasing… Maybe it’s because of the burn status ailment… There was continuous damage from fire, but burn is a status ailment that didn’t exist in the game, so I don’t really understand the specs. Well, judging from this state, it must be a long-term slip damage.
Also, I only noticed it now, but my whole body is wrapped in bandages… I look like a mummy.
Anyway, while using the potions, I asked Fricka to explain what she knew with my gaze.

“Uru-san was only slightly injured, but she was mentally exhausted, so she is resting in the next room. Regulus-san was also burned, but it wasn’t as serious as Rion-sama’s case, so there was no danger to his life. He is also being looked after by Lieze-san in a separate room.”

Apparently, Uru seems to have returned to Grosso village where Fricka and Fin were staying, carrying the seriously injured me and Regulus on her shoulders. She probably used Regulus’ return stone.
And due to equipment problems, with Regulus who was also injured, Lieze was added to the group and flew to our base. By the way, Fin seems to be at staying in Grosso Village.
On the way home, they made and applied the ointment for burns that Ryza-san taught them, but while it worked for Regulus and stabilized his condition, it didn’t do much for me, and my LP continued to decrease, and until I just woke up, It seems that she needed to continue to use potions and recovery magic on me.

“I’m sorry. Because my compounding techniques are immature…”

Fricka looks down with a sorrowful expression. I don’t know how long I had been unconscious, but there were dark circles under her eyes.
I have no intention of blaming her, who had been watching me all this time.

“Thank you for your help.”

“But……”

“Can you teach me how to make that ointment? I’ve never made it before.”

I interrupt Fricka, who was trying to accuse herself further, and ask about the recipe. It isn’t only to satisfy my curiosity okay?
Fricka, while frowning in trouble, told me.

“It’s made by grinding rosin grass while mixing mana and water, using the same way that Rion-sama taught me before. But when I try to make it into a potion, it didn’t work well…”

Hmm, I see. I wonder if it’s a case that require a different method of compounding.
Okay, let’s try It… I tried to get up, but the pain put me down again…! Ugh, I’m really that stupid?

“Did you come up with something? But I’ll try it first, so please take a good rest.”

“… I’ve never made one, so I can’t be sure, but…”

After saying that, I explain how to improve the efficacy.
By the fact that it was no good to just mix it with MP-filled water, I feel that this medicine is most effective in ointment form.
So the correct answer should be… That it’s important to mix it with water while heating it, in other words, it’s important to add MP while maintaining the viscosity… I think.

“Okay, I’ll try it.”

“Ah, if possible, start a fire with a magic stone. It should be able to put the fire-attribute mana in it.”

Fricka answered with a “Yes!” and hurriedly headed for the workshop.
When she was about to open the door and go through, she said “If Uru-san is awake I’ll tell her that Rion-sama has woken up.” and left.

After listening to the sounds of distancing footsteps, I slowly, slowly got up.

“OuchOuchOuch……Haa……”

Is continuous damage that painful? Being able to literally taste the facts that I didn’t wanted to know with my own body made me let a sigh.*
While I was waiting for Fricka, my LP was slowly decreasing, so I used more potions, and since my SP was running out, I took out a cookie as a snack and nibbled on it.
…… Muu, because my body doesn’t move well, I’m spilling crumbs all over the place…… I should clean it up it later.
While I was leisurely eating a few cookies, I heard footsteps coming closer this time, while thinking that is too early for Fricka, I was staring at the door wondering who it was.

With a loud ‘Ban!’ the one who threw open the door and poked his head out was… Uru who had an unusually pale expression.
Her eyes met with mine, her face distorted, and while crying she approached me.

“Rion…!”

I thought she would jump at me like that, but it seemed like she was hesitant because I was covered in bandages, and she stopped just before.
Yeah, it looks like it would be really painful if you hugged me with your strength… I’m a little relieved. When I was looking at her while thinking that in my mind.
Trembling her hands, her whole body, and voice, Uru apologized.

“Rion, I’m sorry… If only I had warned you earlier…!”

…… What? My injury should have been caused by the lightning… But why is Uru apologizing?

“You know, Uru–”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…!”

I tried to say that you don’t need to apologize, but Uru just kept repeating her apologies and wouldn’t listen to me.
Hmm, if it comes to this, then-

“Hey!”

“Fuga??!?”

I took out three cookies and threw them all in Uru’s mouth. I also cover her mouth so that she don’t spit them out.

“Eat.”

“~~~!”

“E-A-T.”

“…”

Naturally surprised, as if saying “What are you doing!?” she looked at me, but she responded to my request and my nice smile and started chewing.
Yeah, if you’re hungry, you won’t be able to make a calm judgment. And that was by no means a threat.

“Rion, I-”

“Look, Uru, come over here.”

This time I dare to interrupt Uru’s words that ended eating the cookies. While tapping the bed, next to where I’m laying.

Fricka said ‘that Uru is sleeping”, but it’s obvious from the look on her face that she hasn’t rested properly.
I’m sure she must felt responsible for my serious injury, and she couldn’t rest with feelings of guilt and frustration.
In that case, what should I do first is-

“I’m tired. Shall we sleep together?”

“But……”

“Uru.”

Staring her with a smile for few dozens of seconds
Having lost her temper, Uru slowly crawled into the futon with a reluctant look on her face, held my hand, and soon fell asleep.

*Translator note: in Japanese there is a saying ‘with your own body(?????)’ that means experience something personally.