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I woke up in the middle of the night. Since I’d gone to bed at an odd hour, I ended up waking up at an odd hour too. I sat up quietly and moved my arms slightly. I felt a little feverish, but not so much that I couldn’t move.

The room was pitch black, and inside, Sufi and Filia were sleeping soundly. I slipped quietly out from under the covers, and Sufi’s ear twitched.

“Mm…?”
“I woke up, so I’m just staying up for a bit.”
“Mm…”

She seemed about to wake up, probably thinking I was going to the bathroom, so I whispered that I was okay by myself, and she started breathing softly again.

Feeling relieved, I tiptoed out of the tatami room. I used the bathroom and drank some water in the kitchen.

…We’ve accumulated quite a lot of cooking utensils and dishes. The once-empty cupboard is now filled with cups, plates, spoons, and forks that reflect each of our tastes.

Speaking of storage, I forgot to check the contents of the warehouse. Since they’re supplies, I don’t think there’s much that will go bad right away, but I’d hate to have to throw anything away because it expired, so I really need to check it soon.

All things considered, I haven’t even opened half the cardboard boxes yet; the ones in the back are completely untouched.

After giving the used cup a quick rinse and putting it back in its place, I heard footsteps coming from the entrance.

“Alice, you awake nya?”
“Yeah.”

It was Noche, carrying a small cast-iron kettle.

As always, when we’re camping, one of the three of us is assigned to keep watch in front of the tent. It’s Noche’s turn now.

“Water?”
“Yeah, nya.”

I stepped aside, and Noche began pouring water from the tap into the kettle with practiced ease.

“Outside…”
“Nya?”
“…While we were sleeping, did any other travelers come by?”
“Ah, a few groups passed through, but we’re the only ones staying here.”
“I see.”

It looks like we’re the only ones using the rest area—that works out well.

“Still, you woke up too early, nya. The moon’s still right overhead, nya.”
“Seriously?”

I haven’t checked the clock or the calendar, but that means it’s still around 11 p.m. Even if we leave at sunrise, that’s roughly six hours…

I might get sleepy along the way, but I’m wide awake right now.

“Noche, are you hungry?”
“Nyaa, just a little.”

I shift my focus. I missed dinner, so I’ll make a late-night snack.

The fridge is packed pretty full with food.

The rock-hard square hardtack and dried pork—which also serve as emergency rations—are boxed up and stored in the cupboard with the insect repellent.

Then there are the “Argis nuts.” They’re similar in texture and size to walnuts, but they’re astringent and sour. They aren’t particularly tasty, but they’re rich in nutrients and high in calories.

If you dry and roast them, they’ll easily last for several months; apparently, they’re one of the essentials for long journeys.

And then there’s the cheese. The neighboring territory of Bayer borders mountainous regions, and in the mountain villages, they raise goat-like magic beasts.

Cheese made from their milk has made its way to Forligen, and I was able to get it at a fairly reasonable price. It’s a hard cheese with the moisture removed, but it melts when you toast it over a fire.

The flavor is quite different from what I was used to in my past life, but it’s tasty in its own way.

The quantity isn’t that much, but since I also got some raw wheat and salt, I think I can make all sorts of things.

…It is the middle of the night though, so I’d like to keep it light.

“Mm…”

The fridge is full of nothing but chilled water and low-level potions. Wait, why are there potions in here?

It’s fine that they’re chilled, but who put them there…?

Oh well, never mind. The vegetable drawer just has a few local vegetables.

The freezer is still empty except for water… Wait, why are there potions in here too!?

I hurriedly took them out to check. It didn’t seem like they’d been in there long; they were just starting to freeze slightly. Since the containers were thin glass vials, they were on the verge of shattering from the expansion.

“What’s up, nya?”
“Please don’t freeze the potions.”
“That’s Sufi, nya. I thought if we froze them, they’d last longer, nya.”
“Oh.”

Maybe because I mentioned before that the freezer’s dry, low-temperature environment makes it hard for bacteria to grow and things don’t spoil easily, she decided to give it a try.

“We don’t know how to store them, and we don’t want to mess with something that expensive.”
“I see…”

Basic potions are common enough that every household has at least one, but they usually sell for about one to three silver coins. Now that I think about it, that’s a fortune for an ordinary child. No wonder Noche and the others wouldn’t dare touch them carelessly.

If it’s a standard potion for healing wounds, you can make as many as you want with just water and green herbs, so maybe they’ve just become desensitized to the cost.

If anything, the containers are the more valuable part. I’ve sourced glass for alchemy, but making glass of a quality suitable for medicines is a real hassle to do yourself.

Still, everyone picks up how to use the appliances so quickly.

“I’m making soup.”
“Yeah, I’m heading back out, nya.”

I watch Noche head back out with the kettle and head to the kitchen.

I put chopped leafy greens and dried meat into a small saucepan and made a simple soup seasoned with salt. …Yeah, that’s the average taste around here.

I miss life in Japan, where consommé and dashi were so easily available. I’ve got plenty of vegetables, so maybe I’ll make some soup stock.

I bought them thinking it was for Filia, since eating nothing but dried meat would be tough for her, but I think I might have bought a bit too much.

“Phew…”

I pour the soup from the pot into a kettle, wrap it in a towel, and carry it to the entrance.

Wearing my shoes—which have been patched up so many times they’re now full of patches—I step outside through the open doorway.¹　

As I step through the tent entrance, I see Noche’s back, wrapped in a blanket, in front of a small campfire.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Nya.”

I set the kettle of soup on the iron stand arranged around the fire. It’s a different shape from the one for water, so it’s easy to tell them apart.

…There’s nowhere to sit.

“‘Forge’”

I lit the lantern tied to my tail like an ornament and shaped the dirt into a chair and a low table.

“Oh, thanks, nya.”
“Mm.”

If I made it too solid, it would be hard to break down later, so I only hardened part of it.

I poured soup from the kettle into a cup and sipped it, stirring in some air.

“Ouch, that’s hot!”

Noche downs the remaining hot water in her cup and refills it with soup.

“I’ll leave the rest here.”
“Nyaa… Phoo, phoo.”

Glancing sideways at Noche, who’s started sipping her soup little by little to let it cool, I drink my warm soup as well.

…My stomach settles.

“I wonder what kind of country Alveria is, nya.”
“I heard it’s the richest country among the human nations, and the one with the largest beastkin population.”

Grandpa had studied abroad in Alveria when he was young to become an alchemist. I’ve heard that he accumulated numerous research achievements while hoping to make his homeland as prosperous as that country, and returned home triumphantly just as he had become the most successful alchemist from the West… at least that’s what I’ve been told.

I’ll skip the part about why he was evasive regarding what happened after that—I already found out from Chytis Philip.

I used to think that was just Grandpa’s assessment, colored by his glittering ideals after he converted to the Star Dragon Faith, but since every alchemist who’s actually been there says it’s a “good country,” it’s probably true.

“…Could I live normally there too, nya?”
“…I’m sure you will.”

It wasn’t meant as consolation. The alchemists from the East didn’t seem to have any aversion to Noche’s hair color. At least, not as far as I could tell.

This sort of thing varies by country. Even if Alveria doesn’t work out, there must be a country that doesn’t mind Noche’s hair color. If she’s willing to wait until things settle down, I’d be happy to stick around as long as she likes.

“Nya.”
“Mm.”

The conversation ended there for the time being. Before I knew it, my glass was empty.

“Well, I’m going to sleep until morning.”
“Yeah… It was a slip of tongue, nya.”

Pretending not to hear the muttered words, I picked up my glass and returned to the tent… my room.

As I entered the tent, I glanced up at the sky—a beautiful moonlit night without a single cloud.

It looks like it’ll be sunny tomorrow.