Chapter 5

In the midst of the rain, I watched my shadow fight from a distance.

This is my daily life, hunting monsters to increase my power.

Since hunting monsters in the usual places was no longer very effective for me, I needed to find a new area.

I could have gone into the centre of the island where I had met that giant two-legged lizard, but I think the centre of the island is still too dangerous.

So I had to look elsewhere, namely to the southwest of my base.

I just realised this, but it looks like my base is right on the east side of the island.

So basically, I'm now hunting on the south side of the island.

Unlike the east where I hunted before, the terrain in this place is a bit different.

If the east was full of trees, the south of this island was full of swamps.

Walking and fighting in this place was no easy matter, which was why I only watched from a distance while supporting my shadow with arrows.

"It's not just the terrain, even the monsters in this place are annoying."

I wiped the rain water in my face when I say that.

My shadows were fighting a giant crocodile monster, and they were in trouble.

It wasn't that the monster was strong, but the swamps in this place made it impossible for my shadows to utilise 100% of their abilities.

So far, I had only hunted down 2 monsters, and I had already lost 12 of my shadows.

Luckily, this time the shadows I created had increased to 34 shadows and my physical strength had also increased by almost 3 times.

And every time my flames devour this crocodile monster, I can create one shadow and my physical strength increases quite significantly.

So this hunt was worth it, at least for now.

"Oops, it's time to end this."

When I saw that the monster was weakened enough, I drew my bow and shot an arrow right between its two eyes.

"Kieeek!!!"

With a loud death screech, the monster fell to the ground.

"Time to eat."

I approached the monster's corpse to let my flame devour it.

As usual, my flame devoured it without leaving anything behind, not even the ashes.

"And with that, I guess now it's the time to go home."

Looking up at the sky, I realised that the sun was about to set.

I should go home before the night falls.

Nighttime wasn't much different for me, but now I wasn't alone anymore.

Over a month had passed since I started living with Sarah, Amy, and Adela.

I couldn't leave them alone at night, the nights on this island might not be dangerous for me, but not for them.

There have been no attacks on my base so far, but the monsters on this island are much more active at night, especially when it rains like this, so I can't take any chances.

Besides, Sarah will nag me if I come home when dinner has gone cold.

I'd better get home before that happens.

Actually, i don't mind getting nagged, Sarah is cute even if she's angry.

-----

I arrived at my base just before sunset and the rain started to subside.

I could see Sarah cooking alone in the usual place, she was wearing a simple dress that she made herself using the cloth that I looted from those pirates ship.

Being able to cook and sew, she really is a reliable woman, not that I mean anything bad, but I'm grateful that the pirates brought her to my island.

"Sarah, where are the others?"

I called Sarah from behind her, not expecting me to be home, she looked surprised.

"Ah... Master, you're home. Please don't scare me like that."

She pointed towards the river.

"They are playing by the river."

"Playing?"

I turned my gaze in the direction she was pointing, and I could see the two of them playing there.

I'm glad they're getting along.

Well, more than a month had passed since we lived together, it was only natural that our relationship had grown closer.

Even Adela, who initially closed herself off from us, started to open her heart.

These past few days she even started accompanying me to look for food in the sea, even when I didn't ask her to.

I'm still curious why she didn't just go back considering Mermaids can swim in the sea like humans walk on the ground, but when I asked her, she still didn't understand what I say.

For now, she could only understand simple conversations, so my curiosity was still unanswered.

Is her village too far away? But considering the pirates captured her shortly before they were stranded here, her village shouldn't be that far.

Or is there another reason?

"Master."

Sarah's voice pulled me back to reality.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Dinner will be ready soon, you should go clean yourself up and call those two back."

"Ah, you're right."

I could smell the delicious aroma of grilled fish.

Ever since we've been living together, I've left the cooking to Sarah.

Why? Because her food is very delicious, at least much better than mine.

She even said that if she had more spices or vegetables, she would be able to make even better food.

"With cooking like that, you would make a great wife, Miss Sarah."

"Please stop joking and go clean yourself up, Master."

This week our relationship has also become very close, Sarah even dared to nag me now.

About 4 days ago, I once came home too late because I was too excited in a hunt and told them that I would be back before sunset.

"Master Abel, do you realise what you're doing?"

When I returned, I was immediately greeted with Sarah's sharp gaze.

While Amy looked at Sarah and me back and forth with a troubled look, her eyes looked flushed.

And about Adela.... She was already lying down, but she still didn't seem to be asleep.

"I don't know."

I pretended not to know.

Sarah narrowed her eyes, that made me give up.

"Alright, I know I was wrong. But it can't be helped, okay? That damn crocodile ate my hand and ran away, I'm not a man if I don't pay it back!"

"Oh really? You'd rather stay with that monster than get back to us? If you're going to do something like that at least get back to us first, do you know how worried we were? We thought you were dead! Amy even cried because she's too scared!"

"I'm not crying!!! *Hiks*"

Yeah, she's definitely crying.

That night, I could only apologise until Sarah forgave me.

After that night, I realised how important communication are. So I promised to never come home late again.

I mean, if I die, there won't be anyone who can protect them, you know?

Basically, If I die, they'll also die.

I had promised to protect them as long as they were staying with me, and I intended to keep that promise.

After picking up a clean towel from the clothesline, I walked towards the river, Amy who noticed my presence, greeted me brightly.

"Master!!!"

Amy's condition had become much better than when she first came here.

Her thin body started to become fatter and her cheeks started to become chubby.

It made her even cuter.

I looked at Adela who was beside her, she just nodded at me, so I nodded back.

"Hey, Amy, Adela. What are you girls playing?"

"Sand castle!"

Amy replied cheerfully.

I looked behind them, and they were indeed making a castle.

"From a clay?"

"Yes, there's lots of them near the river!"

"Then why do you call it a sand castle?"

I couldn't help but smile.

"Go wash your hands, dinner will be ready soon."

"Ah, okay!"

I patted Amy's head and said goodbye to them.

Once I finished cleaning myself in the bathroom, I then went back to Sarah.

I called it a bathroom, but it was actually just a cloth that I made in such a way to cover an area in the river.

I didn't need something to cover me while I bathed, but the girls needed it, so I made one.

We ate dinner and went inside the house at sunset.

While Sarah taught Amy and Adela to read inside my house, I did my hobby outside so as not to disturb them.

What hobby?

What else if it wasn't making wooden sculptures, I was so obsessed with this thing since I arrived in this island.

I mean, there's nothing else I can do at this time expect this!

In the middle of doing that, Sarah came out of the house holding her temple.

She then sat next to me, looking tired.

"Are those two hard to teach?"

Sarah shook her head.

"No, in fact they're both quite smart. Amy can even read quite fluently, while Adela... Well, she needs a few more days before she can speak imperials properly, I guess."

"I see, that's good."

I didn't ask Sarah to teach them, it's just that, we don't have much to do here.

So she decided to teach Amy and Adela since she had nothing else to do, she taught Amy to read and taught Adela the imperial language.

They use a book from the pirates ship, looks like that captain is also a literate person, considering he have a lot of books in his cabin.

I feel like I wanna give Sarah something, I just feel bad making her do all that and never give her anything.

"Do you want something, Sarah?"

"What do you mean, Master?"

She asked with a confused expression.

"I just wanna repay your hard work."

Although there wasn't much I could do, I wanted to repay her if I could.

"You don't need to do that, Master. You already saved my life once, even now, you're protecting and giving us a place to stay. So you don't need to give me anything."

Even if she said that, I still wanted to give her something.

"Come on, just say it."

She seemed to be hesitant to say it, but seeing me continue to persuade her, she finally gave in.

Sarah then said shyly.

"I think.... I want a cake. I've always loved baking, so I eat cake a lot."

"Ah..."

Shoot, I can't do that. There isn't anything that can be made into a cake on this island.

Why did I never think of this? They're ladies, they need sweets.

We only had tea and a little sugar, which was slowly running out.

"Sorry, I can't do that right now. But don't worry, I'll work on it as soon as I can."

Sarah just smiled at my response.

"It's alright, Master. Just like I said earlier, you don't have to give me anything."

"I will, Sarah. Soon I will have you baking until you are satisfied."

"Then I will wait, Master."

While saying that, Sarah gave me a smile as if I had nothing to worry about even if I didn't do it.

But I will, after all, it's about time I started developing this territory.

Besides, I think I'm already strong enough for that.

And to develop this island, I need connections from the outside world.

It looks like I'll have to start learning how to steer a ship.

I'll do that tomorrow though, the night is getting late, we should go to bed.

------

That night, I suddenly woke up because I felt something was wrong.

I don't know what time it is because there is no clock here, but the sky outside is still very dark.

Sarah and the others were still asleep beside me.

I made as little noise as possible and left the house.

I didn't know what was causing this discomfort, so I summoned all the shadows I could summon and had them wander around my base.

However, before I could order them to do that, I could see a light in the distance.

No, not a single light, but many lights. I counted 9 lights, this time I could see them very clearly because it wasn't stormy.

The lights must have come from the ship and they were sailing very fast towards the southern part of my island.

Yes, to the southern part of my island.

"Oh crap, why are they going south?"

I hated going to the southern part of the island, but I had to see what or who they were.

"I have to wake Sarah."