Neighbors in forbidden land

After experiencing a heavy rain, Yimi and I had to change a piece of land to replant. This time we still planted [-] potatoes, but Yimi deliberately chose a place with a slightly higher terrain, saying that it would be beneficial drain.

"Dig a ditch."

"What's a gutter?"

"..."

Then there was a sudden silence.

"Just dig some ditches beside the potatoes? Let the raindrops flow away..." Yimi's voice became softer and her face turned to other places.

"Is that enough?"

"probably……"

So, according to Yimi's request and my own understanding, I dug all kinds of crooked drainage ditches in the potato field, walked through the field composed of sixteen potatoes, circled around the entire field, and then Dig towards the lower ground.

It is said that this will allow drainage.

So I moved the stones for shelter from the wind and rain to this side, and once again surrounded the field.

However, when the heavy rain came again, it was once again verified that perhaps this gutter was not as useful as what Yimi and I had imagined.

Not sure what went wrong, the rain wasn't going down the gutter, so I just rushed into the flooded potatoes and started sloppy drainage with my hands.

At least a few hours after the rain stopped, the already messy potato fields did not accumulate much rainwater... As for whether this field will grow...we don't know.

So after an unknown number of days, we finally found crooked shoots in the potato field.

Although there are still only a few roots, they have grown up anyway.

At least it proves that our method is still effective.

"Yimi... do potatoes have leaves?"

One day, I saw not plump gray-green leaves growing where the shoots were originally, which made me a little confused.

Because Yimi said that in this field other than potatoes, other plants must be eradicated.

But I had never seen this plant before, so I had to ask Yimi for help.

"Hmm... I remember there should be one, right? What does it look like?"

But Yimi asked me back in an uncertain tone, so I had to report what I saw truthfully: "It's just a few green leaves... and some... gray?"

"Is that so... I really want to see..."

Yimi just stood aside with her eyes closed and smiled, after all, she couldn't open her eyes.

Otherwise, these leaves will die in an instant.

So, a few more days passed.

"Yimi...do potatoes also have flowers?"

"Flower? What kind of flower?"

"White, small, but looks a little... dry?"

Small white flowers emerge from the middle of the green leaves, and there are small yellow buds in the center of the flowers, like a faint ray of light shot down from the white clouds.

This is the color that has disappeared from this land for many days, as if blooming again with the time that has passed away.

"Maybe it's not enough nutrition... I'll water more next time."

"oh oh……"

Seeing such flowers bloom their fragile lives in this barren land, I seem to see the mountains and plains of the past, those lives quietly blooming in the sunshine and breeze.

But here... there are only a few plants now, and even I can compare them. The flowers and leaves of these potatoes are not growing healthily.

And what Yimi and I have to face is not just these.

As time goes by, one green leaf after another grows brown spots that are completely different from green, and then gradually withers, and the white petals also wither one by one with the gray infection.

Neither Yimi nor I can do anything.

Until the end, there was only one potato plant left, which was still growing uncharacteristically tenaciously.

The flowers and leaves of other potatoes are only dry and brown, and only the last touch of green and white persists in its own life in the sun and wind and rain.

Fragile, but tenacious, just like those vines and dead branches.

Even the color of the last potato was a bit abnormal, but he was still alive, and he was still trying to grow his own appearance.

"Is it the only one left..."

The faint setting sun hit Yimi's back, and the light orange long hair reflected almost red light.

"Ah."

"It's not easy..."

"yes……"

Step by step to today, dozens of days have passed, and only one potato plant has grown like this.

There are not many potatoes left in the cave, which is only managed by us increasing the number of times we eat fish for three meals a day.

"Yimi?"

"What's wrong, little black?"

"How long will this potato plant grow?"

"...maybe...we can collect it in two days?"

"……yes?"

Yimi's voice was full of uncertainty, and mine was also full of uncertainty.

"...Is it? After all, we've been planting for so long...it's been dozens of days?"

"Is that so..."

"It's decided." Yimi's voice suddenly became lighter than before, "Should I close it tomorrow?"

"Oh……"

"This is the first potato that Xiao Hei and you have successfully planted. You can be happier."

"Oh!"

"I'm really convinced, Xiao Hei..." Yimi gently supported her forehead, and a wry smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

Yes.

This is the only one that has grown out of so many potatoes that Yimi and I have planted together.

It is also the color of this taboo land that has been away for hundreds of thousands of days.

Finally, it appeared.

————————————————————————————————————————

"So, today is the day to harvest potatoes." Yimi put her left hand on her hip and pointed to my face with her right hand.

"Hmm!" I clenched my fist, although I didn't know what it would do, it was Yimi who taught me anyway.

"So to celebrate, I'm going to cook something different than usual today."

"Ok!"

"Go get that...behemoth meat!"

"Ok!"

"I'll go with you, Xiao Hei."

"Uh-huh?"

Wait a minute, what happened to that last sentence?

"Xiao Hei, what's 'um'? What's the problem?"

"Yimi, why do you want to go together?" "Because I'm a little tired of staying here every day... I want to go to other places, can't I? Besides, I'm also curious about the one that Azusa spoke so badly about." How did Bechymos be defeated by you, Xiao Hei..."

that is……

"But it's dangerous..."

"Aren't you there, Xiao Hei?"

"But it's far away..."

"Aren't you there, Xiao Hei?"

"but--"

"Aren't you there, Xiao Hei?"

"..."

"Let's go?"

"Understood……"

I always feel that there will be many problems...

"I'm going to fly... I don't know what it feels like to fly!" Yimi looked excited, seeing her face, she always felt that there was nothing wrong with her.

"Then... how can I take Yimi with you?"

This should be the hardest question.

"Can't you... hug me?" Yimi circled her two index fingers continuously, gently tiptoed one foot, slightly lowered her blushing face.

"Hold... I might..." I looked down at my two hands, especially those nine white fingers that were like claws, which was simply—

Maybe... possible?

I tried to squeeze my fist lightly, and recalled the posture when I was carrying vines and dead branches.

Just use your arms.

I walked to Yimi's side, looked at Yimi from head to toe, then made fists with both hands, and stretched the bend of my arm to Yimi's back.

"Little black?"

It seems... If it is required that the fingers do not touch Yimi... the arm is not long enough...

"Yimi... you still hold me..."

"..."

Fortunately, there was only one wing left, so Yimi finally hugged my neck from the side behind me that had no wingspan. I adjusted my tail so that it would not hit Yimi, and then tried to Gently flapping its wings, it flew up.

"This is..." Yimi just exclaimed lightly, and didn't say anything more.

"Yimi, you have to hold tight..." I adjusted my posture to fly forward face down, so that Yimi who was behind me would not fall easily.

You can vaguely see her black skirt and light orange long hair fluttering in the wind.

As expected, Yimi is still very light... I can hardly feel her weight on my back, and I can only feel the softness of her body on my back.

"Well... the wind is a little..."

Yimi's voice on the back was distorted in the wind blowing, I hastily slowed down my speed.

"Huh..." Hearing Yimi's voice that seemed to be heaving a sigh of relief, I maintained my current speed and crossed this barren land.

"Little black..."

"What's wrong? Yimi?"

"The Forbidden Land... Does it all look similar to the land we live in?"

Forbidden land... For human beings, the places north of the sea are called forbidden lands, because they don't know the scope of my activities.

"No, like here, there is more green than where we live."

There are plants that can be called "trees" below. Although they are not as lush as before, if there is a tree every short distance, the whole land still looks like it is covered with green.

Although the color seems to be covered with a layer of gray, it is finally back.

"Green...does it mean leaves or grass? I found that Xiao Hei likes to refer to things by color."

"is it?"

"Yeah... But after hearing what you said, Xiao Hei... I really want to see it..."

"..."

Yimi's voice fluttered in the blowing wind, but I didn't know how to respond.

If Yimi opened her eyes at this height, the plants below would all die in an instant.

Just because of... those eyes.

"I will bring you, Yimi, in the future."

"……Really?"

"real."

"A promise?"

"Ah."

I nodded in response to Yimi, and flew away with Yimi.

Flying to the land covered by gray rocky mountains, black giant shadows surged in the mountains.

I didn't think he could be called a "Behemoth Behemoth".

But now I understand.

Judging by the human body, it is really huge.

I slowly flapped my wings and landed among the gray mountains.

The ground and mountains are made of gray rocks, and the sky is forever covered with gray dark clouds.

It's all gray here.

"We have arrived?"

"It's here... so..." Yimi slowly let go of her arms around my neck, and looked around vigilantly.

"You can open your eyes here...but I think it's better not to open them..."

The surroundings were nothing but rocks, and there was nothing but Bechymos, who was not affected by the magic eye.

It's on the other side of the mountain.

"Why?" Yimi asked me a little puzzled.

"If you open your eyes, Yimi, you will be scared, right?"

"Xiao Hei, are you looking down on me?" Yimi opened her eyes with black light, and then gently blocked her sight with her hands.

"..."

I slowly waited for Yimi to adapt to the environment here, and after Yimi moved her hand away, I blinked her sky blue eyes that were so clear in this gray.

"here it is……"

"Behemoth's residence."

"Here?" Yimi looked around suspiciously, "This kind of place...not only has no plants...it doesn't even have soil..."

Indeed, here, there are only gray stones, and the mountains formed by gray stones.

"Where is Behemoth?"

"It's right there on the mountain—"

Before I finished my words, there was a low-pitched roar above my head, like a muffled thunder, and a huge shadow covered Yimi and me.

Yimi and I raised our heads at the same time, facing the direction of the sound.

From the top of the mountain, Behemoth's huge head protruded. The gray head passed over the top of the mountain. The huge white fangs over ten meters easily shattered the top of the mountain, and the broken rocks rolled down from the top of the mountain. Blood-red eyes Looking down on Yimi and me like the sun.

It's just a head, but it feels like enough to cover the sky.

Ah... So this is how humans see me?

Although I didn't feel anything... but Yimi was almost paralyzed on my body, her hands were tightly grasping my arms, and her trembling body was almost completely attached to my body. "Ah... ah..."

Only this sound came out, a low groan full of fear.

"Yimi, don't be afraid." I leaned my head against Yimi's body, trying to dispel her fear.

Maybe it has an effect, I feel that Yimi's trembling is not so strong.

"Ho Ho Ho Ho—(Human?)"

Just a simple roar is enough to make the mountain and the land tremble.

It seemed that it was not only Yimi who was afraid, but also the land dominated by Bechymos.

"Yeah!"

As a result, Yimi shrank even more, and squatted directly behind me, buried her face on my back, and tightly grasped my waist with trembling hands.

"Yimi? Give me a little time, please?" I turned my head back slightly and saw Yimi huddled up behind me, and said softly, "It will be over soon."

Yimi didn't let go, but above his head, Bechymos's forelimbs had been lifted up, aiming at where Yimi and I were.

Ah... If so...

The huge black shadow was pressed down with a strong wind, and even the surrounding dust was dispersed by the wind.

I waved vigorously at the falling shadow.

Behemoth's forelimb was split in two by me, and before the lead-red blood drowned us, I hurriedly spread my wings to protect Yimi in my arms.

As a result, I was sprayed all over by the blood shed...

I sniffed, as if I could smell something I had never felt before.

"Xiao, Xiaohei?" Yimi raised her head tremblingly, just in time to see me with blood all over her face.

"Yimi, it's okay—"

Then Yimi closed her eyes and passed out, her hands slipped from my waist, and she fell down on the gray ground.

"..."

"Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho! (You you you you you you!)"

I raised my head and stared at Behemoth who was roaring towards me. Countless rocks rolled down from all around, and the ground also cracked with the vibration.

"Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho! (You scared Yimi!)"

I suddenly spread my wings and jumped up, slicing off the head of the berserk Behemoth with my hand.

————————————————————————————————————————

"Next time I won't go again..." Yimi, who was lying on my back, looked a little pale, with her arms tightly around my neck.

"Well, so that meat..."

"I've seen that kind of thing, how can I still eat it - I feel sick when I think about it now..."

"Then forget it……"

I still brought Yimi back first, but it seems that Yimi won't eat Behemoth's meat anymore.

"Potatoes are better... go harvest potatoes."

Yimi, who was talking about potatoes, seemed to have regained some vitality, and I nodded accordingly.

"it is good."

Because Yimi is taller than me, I almost brought Yimi back halfway.

Just as I was walking towards the potato field with Yimi on my back.

I found that there was smoke.

The reason for the smoke is because of the fire.

The reason for the fire is...a human was roasting the potatoes that Yimi and I planted.

Eh?