I waited until Patricia reached the coast, and we started exploring the coast.

Aside from the rotten pier there were a couple of holey houses.

I glanced inside one of them, and almost has the door fall on me. Everything that I touched was falling off with rotten wood and termites scattering around.

“Just how does this thing still stand…?”

“Let’s see. HEYA!” Patricia shouted, and the rotten house crumbled in a second, as if it was just waiting for this much.

‘Psst, how about we don’t approach those things…?’ (P)

“You don’t need to tell me twice…”

While we were searching around the harbor, the seagulls disappeared. I did not pay attention to what is happening on the ship, and missed what happened.

[Those guys are independent. I’d rather be bothered with what we are supposed to find on this forgotten island.]

I somehow felt sorry for not having planes, even though it’d be weird if I had any.

“Patricia, how about we go deeper into the island?” I called out to the girl, who was peeking inside the other house.

“Count me in, then!” She jogged back, and pulled me by the hand.

We went deeper into the island. Soon the green hell became so thick that we couldn’t even make a step without cutting down the vegetation in front of us. Our quick expedition was rapidly turning into a slow-paced movement through the jungles.

“We have no water, we have no food, we have no idea where we are… Can you please tell me, what is inside of your head? If there was anything, then you would’ve thought about bringing anything aside of your saber!” (P)

“Sorry…”

I was too focused on what was happening in front of me, that I forgot about preparing. I was too drunk on success that I fooled myself into thinking that I am some kind of a cheat character, who won’t be threatened by anything.

[I am, kind of, but Patricia is not. Please, take care of your pets.]

‘Pffft!’

“What?” (P)

“I wonder if Patricia would make a good cat~.”

“Hey, are you in any position to joke?” Before I could tease her more, I felt something by the ship.

A couple of vessels approached the island, and rapidly approached the ship.

I was fired at with some arrows, before I fired back with something much heavier.

Whatever those people wanted here, they retreated after my warning shots.

Meanwhile, the two of us started climbing some sort of a hill. At its top we found a rocky slope where the vegetation was less dense. We finally could look around.

The top of the ship’s mast was the only thing visible through the trees, and a small path was the only thing visible on the slope. The path was leading to the top of a small mountain.

“I suggest we start climbing.”

“Stop right there! I’m not going anywhere forward, until I have something to chew and something to drink!” I looked at Patricia with the expression of mother adoring her silly child.

“Let’s go then, my spoiled Commander.”

“WHO’S SPOILED?! YOU FORGOT TO BRING THE SUPPLIES WITH US AND MADE ME CLIMB AND SQUEEZE THROUGH ALL THIS GREEN STUFF!” I felt my ears ring from her shouting.

[I mean, I know why she’s angry but still…]

“Understood. We should hurry then. I want to find what the seagulls wanted to show, and I want to find it today.”

Patricia grumbled but started walking back. We did everything in hurry, and arrived to the same spot only by the evening.

Our path was lit only by the setting sun, and my eyes started to adapt to the darkness.

Moments prior to the sun disappearing, we climbed the end of the path, and in front of us was a small temple in Japanese style.

Unlike the other buildings here, this place appeared to be maintained. There was a small garden, the building was not rotten, and there was a smoking campfire outside.

And also there were all of the seagulls.

While I was glancing at ‘Santa’s little helpers’, the door slid sideways, and a woman in a worn-out kimono stepped out.

“Ara, to think my humble abode would be blessed by someone’s presence…

What have you forgotten here, Doll?”