Interlude 1 - Yumemi Log 1

“Where am I…?”

When I realized it, I was already in this place…

Everything is so dark I can’t see a thing.

Who am I…? Why am I here? Why can’t I remember anything…?

… ah, wait... There is something I remember…

It is a blurry image of someone, whispering in my ears while crying.

“Yumemi… I’m sorry… I’m really really sorry…”

That’s the only thing I can remember… I'm not even sure why that person cried…

“So… is my name Yumemi?”

I’m accessing what I got on me. From the feel of it, I think I’m wearing a summer dress. And this thing I keep holding in my hand… I think it is a handbag?

I can’t see anything because of the darkness, so I’m not sure…

“Ah!” As I walked a little and stumbled. My hand touched what felt like a wall.

Now that I found the wall, maybe I will reach somewhere if I keep walking on?

Standing still won’t get me anywhere, so I tried to follow my heart, so left it is!

I kept walking and walking… until an unfamiliar scent of damp struck my nose…

I can finally see a small bit of light, I got so excited that I ran towards the light source.

It was a glowing plant…

“This smell and feeling… is it a moss…?”

I’m not sure how I reached that conclusion, but it seems to be a plant I had a knowledge of…

… but for some reason, I think there is something different about it…

Of course a glowing plant is not something normal around… maybe? But that’s not what I meant…

“This plant… It smells somewhat sweet… and fragrant?”

I tried to pinch it a bit, and lick the plant…

“It is sweet and kinda savory… ah, the aroma is running up from my throat to my nose too…”

[Hunger Meter] Indicates your need for food, will lose HP gradually if it hits 0.
[Thirst Meter] Indicates your need for water, will lose HP gradually if it hits 0.

A black rectangle with some text appeared in my sight.

“Huh? What? What is this thing!?”

When I realized it, two weird lines appeared on the bottom left of my vision.

By the explanation…is it indicating my hunger and thirst?

So I tried pinching some more of the plant and put it in my mouth.

The line went up a bit, it seems like they really are indicating my hunger and thirst.

“... huh… isn’t that convenient?”

I don’t know how it works, but knowing my needs helps a lot with my exploration...

“… come to think of it, what do I want to do here…?”

Exploring this place, but for what?

Why do I have to do such a thing?

For what reason?

What will I find beyond this…?

… why am I alone here…?

Ah… I see…

“I think… I don’t want to be alone…”

>x<

After realizing how the plant keeps glowing in my hand and mouth, I tried to scrape some and move them onto pebbles.

It serves as a light source for about 15 minutes, and I'm glad I’m able to find another batch of those plants right after the one on the pebbles died.

I’m now in an area where this glowing plant is everywhere.

After exploring the place, I feel like I’m in some cave.

I don’t know why and how I ended up here, but I am sure this is against my will…

“Thank goodness I’ve filled up my hunger and thirst meter somehow with that plant.”

*squish* I stepped on something weird...

“Hmm? Huh?”

It is a… blob? But what is a blob doing here?

I don’t think a blob belongs to any cave…

Just when I was wondering, the blob wiggled a little, and started moving towards me.

“Wait, is that thing alive!? Gross!”

That is clearly not normal!

I took some steps back, and realized I’ve reached a wall.

The blob moves slowly, but I don’t want to get near it!

I tried to go sideways, but another blob blocked my way.

“… There are more of them!?”

I hurried to take the opposite way, but another blob also blocked my way.

“Why!?”

I didn’t realize that I'd been surrounded by some blobs…

They’ve cornered me to a wall, while slowly moving towards me…

They don’t look harmful, but my legs can’t stop shaking…

The feeling of disgust ran through my body, rejecting that thing…

“NOOO!!!” I flailed my handbag in panic. “Don’t come here! Go away!”

But those blobs won’t stop their approach…

I accessed my handbag to find if I got something… ah!

“Take this!”

I took out a stun gun out of my handbag, and tased the blob in front of me.

*Bzzzt* The small spark of the stun gun ran through the plain body of the blob, making it glow bluish purple for a second.

But…

“Why won’t it die!?”

*Bzzzt**Bzzzt**Bzzzt* I kept tasing the blob, but it didn’t do anything…

Why do I have to be in such a situation!? Just how unfortunate I can be!?

“... *sob*… please… someone…”

… When I realized it, the blobs disappeared instantly right after.

“... it’s okay, slimes are not something to be afraid of,” the boy in front of me said calmly.

“...”

I couldn’t say a thing, but the feeling of uneasiness left me out a bit…

Is it because those blobs… or slimes…? Gone for good, or is it because I found another person here…?

Judging by how he acted, he must be more knowledgeable than me…!

“Where am I…? Who are you…?” I asked him.

“Try doing this with your left hand.” He showed me a gesture of swinging left hand from up to down…

I don’t know what that does, but I tried to mimic his gesture… Huh?

[Mikazuki Yumemi] (三日月夢見)
Job: [Irregular] (異常者)
Lv: 1
Atk: …

… Huh? What is this?

Is that… my name…? So my name is indeed Yumemi…

“Welcome to a game-like world. The name’s Shindou Yuuma, I’m also an [Irregular]. Call me whatever you want.”

Ah… I have to say my name too..

“... I’m Yumemi…”

>x<

He explained some things to me, but I don’t really understand anything…

He brought me to the… safe area? That’s how he called the place, and offered me some fruits.

While eating and drinking, I cried and mumbled “I want to go home…”

He picked up another two stones and is doing something.

“I wonder what was my hardship back then…” he mumbled.

Some time passed.

“Yumemi, here. Try cutting a fruit yourself.” He gave me a crude stone knife he just made.

I accepted it, and nodded. I peeled a fruit instead… but I feel like he is somehow looking at me unsatisfied.

He picked up a fruit, and slashed them in the air.

The fruit was sliced to crude bits, and fell to the ground. He looked somewhat proud for the reason I couldn’t comprehend, what I had is just a shock to what he did just now…

“... Shindou-kun…”

“Hmm? What? By the way, no need for thank–”

“... wasting food is not good! What are you thinking!? Think about the heart of the farmer! … even though I don’t really understand what a farmer is!”

“I’m sorry!” I apologized out of surprise. It feels like when my mom was scolding me for not eating my vegetables. “But I’m just…”

“No buts! Learn how to be grateful for everything! Didn’t your parents teach you that!?”

“... yes…”

In the heat of the moment, I scolded him. But when I let out that phrase, I suddenly feel loneliness…

“Ah… parents…” I crouched down and sobbed. “… I want to go home already…!”

I’m so selfish…

“... I’m sorry, even though you had vowed to protect your little sister too… you must’ve wanted to return too, didn’t you…”

“Well, yeah. The only reason I can be this calm is because I think my body remembers playing RPGs.”

“RP… what?” What is he saying?

“... I think explaining it to you with your memories of a one year old won’t do much. For now, you should team up with me.”

After some time, something appeared in front of me. Just like that panel that got my information or something, this time it is a notification of him inviting me to his… [Party]?

I accepted it and found our name listed on the upper left of our vision.

[Shindou Yuuma - Level 5]

Level 5…?

“Remember what I said about memories?”

“Yes… about you regaining one year of memories according to your level… was it?”

“That’s right. As you can see in the party list, I am level 5, and I got all my memories up to 5 years old me.”

“... is that really amazing?”

... How good is a memory of a 5 years old kid?

“Memories are what carves your personality, every year of it is what makes you the current you. It is important, even though you are just a brat who doesn’t understand love.”

“... love?” Why does he suddenly mention that?

“Nothing, forget that. I’m not really sure why either.”

He reached out his hand to me.

“Let’s raise your level,” he said.

“... how?” I asked back.

“By filling your EXP gauge.” He answered like it was nothing much.

I had a bad feeling…

“And how did I do that…?” I asked in an afraid tone while shaking my hand violently.

He looked a bit hesitant, but then answered “... by killing some monsters…?”

“NOOOOOOO!!!!”

>x<

“I don’t want to! Why do I have to kill monsters!? Why do I have to bathe blood!? That’s absurd! I want to go home! Aahhhhh!”

No no no no no no NOOOOO!!!

Why do I have to do such things!? I just want to go back…!

“You are not familiar with games? I think it’s mainstream to kill monsters to gain EXP though?” he commented.

“What? You don’t level up by collecting items!? Or pay money to get some!?”

I don’t even know what I’m saying, but I feel that was the correct reply.

“No, I only got 3 drops so far. Plus, I’ve found no money. I don’t think we can even find a shop in a cave, random shady merchants are different though.”

“... what are you saying?” I don’t understand what he said at all.

“Sorry, I didn’t really get it either. I think my mouth moved unconsciously because it seems I was so passionate about games at some point I still haven’t really remembered.”

“... regaining memories…” she stopped for a moment deep in thought. “That does sound strange, but I’ve got no memories either… Only blurry images of three people that always surround me, swinging me around in their arms…”

“That must be your family. It was the same for me.”

He said that so easily… Does he not find the situation we’re in strange at all!?

He’s also started doing something with his panel… how can he be that relaxed??

“Hey… Shindou-kun.”

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“How long have you been here?”

“I can’t say for sure, but maybe around two days? I used most of it to make my first knife though. It was hell.”

I looked at the knife he gave me. It took that much time for him to make one…?

But just a few minutes ago, wasn’t he making this…

“Back then, my status was maybe the same as yours now. Now that I think of it, I should’ve leveled up before making my first knife. Attack is so important to damage things after all. I was so dumb! I could’ve saved my time!” He started complaining about something I don’t understand at all…

That relieves me a bit, I’m not the only one who is dissatisfied with the situation we’re in…

Is he trying to relax me by acting that way? That’s kinda cute of him…

“... fufu. You’re funny, Shindou-kun.” I let out a chuckle.

“It was kinda easy this time, so don't worry about it.” He reassured me.

“... thank you.” I took another glance at the knife he gave me.

His considerate gesture really helps me calm my anxiousness…

“I’ll investigate some path to search for easy prey.”

“Eh? Wa–”

Wasting no time, he dashed off. Did he just leave me alone like that!?

A few minutes later, he returned to the Safe Zone to tell me what he found

“Hey, I’ve found harmless slimes that won’t spray blood, so–”

“Muu…!” I puffed my cheeks, glaring at him.

“Uhh… did I do something?”

“How can you leave a weak vulnerable girl like that!? What if something bad happens!?”

“But I was checking out for monsters… besides, you’re in the Safe Zone…”

“Still! Being left alone was scary, you dumbass! Huwaaa…!” I started crying again.

“Okay-okay, my bad. But think of it, what if there is a level 10 monster lurking around?”

…

“... I’ll be a burden…” I said in a weak tone.

“Glad you understood. To make you get accustomed to killing monsters, let’s start with the harmless slime, okay?”

“... okay.”