MTL: uniquegasuki
Editor/ Proofreader: desmerit

A brief roar echoes in the ravine.
What could it possibly be looking for?
It continues to stare at the location where its parent was last seen.

Kurando also thought about going over to that spot.
But, the both of them would fit in that small area.
Kurando springs back from the thought.
It is the law of nature. With his power alone it was hopeless. What could he have done? There was nothing that could’ve been done. In the first place, there wasn’t a thing Kurando could’ve done.
Even now, with his current power Kurando would die if he tries to cross the valley.
He had a reason to go, but the truth was uncomfortable. Kurando didn’t want to just sit around and let evil go by.

In that spot the child magical beast falls to its back.
Kurando reflexively presents his hand, although, it held no conviction.
The child magical beast had become worn out and then slept; its tiny chest expands and contracts.
As he carries it back to the cave, Kurando embraces the child in his arms.
He looked for a place for it to lay down.
For the time being, Kurando takes off his coat and folds it before placing it over the child’s neck.
Next, Kurando looked for some food to fill his stomach.
He went to search in the room where deer meat was persevered. It had been three new moons since

Kurando had last seen deer meat. As always, the room temperature had stayed low. He decided to dismantle the deer; it wasn’t done so beforehand.
「Fire」
The light of day would end before the deer meat would be defrosted.
Even with a wide swing of a knife, the ice showed no signs of being cut.
The knife just isn’t sharp enough.
Kurando suddenly remembers that fire spirits can form a coating that can protect against the cold.
He decided to channel maryoku to the knife with the intent to gather fire spirits. The fire spirits that hover around the blade makes the knife warm to the touch.
Gradually the amount of maryoku in the knife is increased.
The knife had become red hot. Kurando tries cutting into it again; the ice melts away.
It was not a magic sword; simply put, magic was used to heat-up the knife.
Unintentionally, Kurando had severed one of the deer’s legs.
Kurando returns to his his room, and with earth spirit magic he makes a depression in the ground. He then divides the deer’s leg before putting it in.
Lastly, Kurando uses the fire spirits from the knife and starts a fire place. He faints.

It is dangerous to leave a fire unattended.
His maryoku was not restored. At times, Kurando felt that his lifeforce had been drained, but as he became used to it the pain diminished. It wasn’t easy for him. Not everyone from Earth can be an olympic athlete. Kurando didn’t need to be reminded

reminded of that bitterness.
Presently, he had become like an ordinary person in this alternate world.

―Meow, meow, meow
Something soft and fluffy rubs against Kurando’s face; he instantly wakes up.
The child magical beast’s stomach is empty thus it persistently tried to wake up Kurando.
The smell of burnt food lingers in the air and black smoke had partially filled the room.
A small amount of fire spirits can be seen around the fireplace. Kurando abruptly got up and briefly held the child.
There is charred residue on the deer meat. Despite the meat was not flipped every side of the meat is completely burnt. Perhaps, the fire spirits were being mischievous.
Or, perhaps the fire spirits were trying to help by covering the whole meat with fire.
Kurando did supply the maryoku to the fire spirits with the intent of cooking the meat. Anyways, the will of these spirits isn’t something one can visual see. They cannot be controlled. These beings can even materialize in rooms that are locked airtight.
Coincidentally, there are fire spirits here in a place where they should be scarce.
The child magical beast cries, “meow, meow”, as it sits in place. Kurando picks up the knife.
Without taking the burnt outlayer into consideration, he cuts into the deer’s leg.
Kurando shaves away at the burnt layer of residue. He then samples a thin slice of the meat beneath the burnt surface.
Although there is no salt, he enjoys the sensation of meat after a long time. Disregarding the burnt

the burnt smell, Kurando tears off a piece of the meat and feeds it to the child magical beast.
The child swallows the meat without tasting it.
It wants more meat rather than wanting to savor the taste.
The child magical beast can’t live without eating meat.
It was commonplace for the parent magical beast to bring back meat to feed its young. This is what Kurando thought.
But, without the parent to bring meat to the child, the child will die.
The parent had entrusted the child to Kurando. Or, perhaps it wanted him to take pity on the child and adopt it.
He is unsure of the parent magical beast’s true intention. In the first place, there might never have been any clear intentions. A beast is merely a beast.
Kurando thought about it for alittle while.
He laid aside some meat for the child and briefly went outside.
Kurando immediately returned with a hand cuffed full of snow.
More fire spirits were used to strengthen the fire in the fireplace. From his rucksack Kurando took out a loaf of french bread to eat with his meal. He melts the snow with the heated knife and dissolves it into water.
For the past 180 days, Kurando has been consuming the food given to him by the G.o.ddess. He was surprised by the fact that it was quite nutritious. Kurando wouldn’t have been able to survive without it; he is glad the food wasn’t bad for his health.
He stirs the melted snow withmelted snow with his knife. Kurando then gently scooped out some water and cooled it down by fanning it with his hand before carrying it over to the child magical beast’s mouth.
It made child-like drinking noises.
Somehow, it is similar to a suckling baby.
Kurando repeated the action many times.
Why was Kurando brought to this cave? Why did they sleep together? Why had before the parent died had it left its child meat? Why did it fight and die? Kurando thought about these things.
To entrust?
To be given?
But, there is no mutual method to communicate between himself and the child.
There is integrity it seems, although, there is no responses.
For a very long time Kurando thought about the uncertainty while looking for a solution. Without change, the child magical beast continues to sleep.
Kurando folds his work clothes and places it on top of the child. The act had helped him to cool down his emotions.
It had been a long time since he felt this unwined; his inner self was satisfied.

After he had finished eating, Kurando felt sleepy. The cool breeze caused by the wind spirits and fire spirits sways back and forth.
Kurando rubs his eyes; he had carelessly forgot to shut the cave’s cover so he got up.
This evening there is no moon out. Only the fire of a lamp can be seen on the mountain side.
Once again, he thought a bit about the future. Kurando uses some maryoku to call upon a few wind spirits.