Chapter 5:
NELLO & PASTRACHE ~2ND~ :: (THE REINCARNATION STORY OF 'A DOG IN FLANDERS' IN A TRANSMIGRATION NOVEL)
Merry Christmas Day!!
Now, dive into your pool full of stockings and presents!
~~GreenFlame000
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:: Dear Diary...... The city here is busy during the day, however it’s suddenly quiet when night falls. I wonder if there is a strict curfew for the citizens here. I guess that’s a good thing. The last thing anyone wanted were drunken men wandering in the streets, p*ssing over various territories as if they were wolves, and not to mention women shouldn’t be out and about at night. Not all men want to be violated by a frustrated woman. ::-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“I-I’m sorry, Nello. That I have to borrow your stomach.”
“It’s okay. You can sleep inside my tummy whenever you like, Big Sis.”
As much as a certain Half-Elf wanted to sleep within the city walls and lie down on a soft warm bed, she couldn’t.
First off, she didn’t have the money. Rather, it was the tourist season the hotels, inns, and taverns were ridiculously expensive. It was to the point where a King would waste half of his wealth if he stayed more than three days and two nights. Of course, there is a whole discount system but only people familiar with this field knew how to play the game and keep gold in their pockets.
Even if there were some places where she could afford, there really was a strict curfew. All inn managers would reject anyone entering past the 8th hour into the evening. There were even adventurers who were dragging their half-dead brethren to the gate and they were turned away.
Come back tomorrow at 7 in the morning. 9 if you need medical attention as the local doctor usually has to recover from a major hangover. FYI.
So, Half-Elf Pastrache had no choice but to sleep outside of the castle wall that night. Until she could find suitable lodging at an affordable price, and match the deadline of the curfew, she would have to camp out in the forest.
A lonely young and beautiful girl left in the open for wolves and other critters to play with.
…As much as one would start fantasizing about potential scenes and positions – it had to stop here. Because she had backup.
“Wow, Nello. I thought your insides were big, but it’s actually quite spacious. I mean, I could roll around three times if I wanted to!”
“I-I’m happy that you feel comfortable inside of my belly, Big Sis. B-but could you, t-try not to move around th-that much. I-I never noticed while I used to fight German Tanks whenever the driver and gunner step on my guts, b-but now that it’s peaceful and quiet, y-your feet tickle.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I’ll take off my boots.”
“HEH!? Y-You didn’t take them off! N-now my stomach will be full of mud!”
“Don’t worry. I’m not exactly a mage, but my mother taught me the Prestidigitation Spell. It allows me to leave colored marks made from magic on any surface, create a small spark of light like a pack of fireworks, and helps me to clean things without ever having to use a towel. It’s very convenient.”
“…I don’t understand what magic is or how it works, b-but please always take your boots off before you come inside my stomach!”
“Yes. I promise.”
From the outside, Pastrache could be seen popping her head out from the top of the tank's turret, through the steel lid that covered the entrance.
With half of her body sticking out from the Soviet Tank, she was surrounded by tall trees that provided cover for the 26.5 ton tank in the middle of the forest. It kept both of them out of sight from the nearest sentry tower across the city that was in the distance.
The Half-Elf fidgeted across the open turret door, her hands working something under the surface with her tongue sticking out. Somehow, there was some small zipper sounds being undone.
She then nodded as she pulled up a pair of elegant leather boots from underneath and rested them across the outside plates of the tank. Despite the recent rain shower, the soles of her footwear were surprisingly cleaned, spotless even.
As if sanitized by magic.
As an Adventurer in a dangerous world, it would be important to keep her boots on in case of an ambush or if she were to be pursued by bandits she couldn't defeat. However, she realized she was essentially going to be staying inside a friend's home, so it was best she respected Nello's request and kept her boots outside.
“Guuuh!”
“Heh? S-something wrong, Nello?”
“N-no. I-it’s okay. It’s just that… Big Sister’s toes and legs are surprisingly soft.”
“HOLY SH*T! D-DO YOU HAVE SOME KIND OF MAGICAL SENSOR INSIDE!?”
“…..No…But… you feel very warm in my belly. And you smell nice, like flowers.”
“O-oh…..Um…Thank you..... Wh-why is my heart beating so fast? Uwa-uwa-uwa.”
Pastrache turned red as she sunk into the driver's seat of the crew compartment. She wondered if those words alone truly triggered something in her lonely heart, or if it was the fact the tank had been running his engines for a while that made her feel hot all over.
It seemed Nello had been keeping his engine active, in order to increase the internal temperature inside of the crew quarters. It wasn't boiling hot, but it wasn't lukewarm. It was just right, like the thermostat in a winter lodge.
All thanks to the Soviet Tank's Model V-2-34, 38.8 L, V12 Diesel Engine, capable of producing 500 HP.
Due to the size being no more than 2/3 of a small bedroom, the heat from the engine quickly built up inside. As it was already turning -10 degrees Celsius outside, it balanced out the peak of the heat to give it a nice and warm sensation. Somehow, Pastrache felt like could just curl up and hibernate like a bear inside given how cozy it was.
"... Does this mean I have to eat tons of food to store fat in my liver and plug my @ss for the winter?"
"Hmm? Did you say something, Big Sis? This raven won't stop grabbing my nose! Shoo! Shoo!"
“Oh no, nothing I...…Thank you, Nello. I’m very happy to have met you.”
“Uwaaah. I-I don’t know why, but hearing Big Sis say that makes me really happy.”
“I’m honest. You saved me, three times. I think it’s fate that we have a chance to be together. At first, I truly thought you were a monster that wanted to eat me like the Dire Wolves in heat.”
“…….Uwaaah. I suddenly feel hurt but I don’t have a heart.”
“G-guh! I-I didn’t mean to put it like that, Ne-Nello! I-ignore what I said.”
“Ah…Big Sis doesn’t like me anymore... Sniff.”
“P-please d-don’t twist my words so suddenly! N-Nello, listen to me! I-I’m truly grateful that I met you and that’s the simple part of my gesture! Honest!”
Not sure whether to be mad or apologetic, the Half-Elf started to tap the insides of the tank walls with her bare toes. Somehow, it was enough to calm the young boy hidden inside of the iron beast right down.
<< ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!!: >>
-------------------- { ~Belly Scratcher~ }
__(You Discovered your Partner's Personal 'Preferences') __
"...................."
“Guaaaha~…B-Big Sis...Y-your feet…are starting to touch weird places again.”
“Ah, sorry. I-I'll reflect on my actions...Cough.”
Not wanting to cause any more discomfort than she had, Pastrache punched the [x] on the mystical screen projecting her new 'achievement' and tucked in her long and elegant feet under her hips. She would then try to distract herself by looking around.
The interior of the tank were simple, one eye could see everything. She saw several chairs that were placed in strategic locations, one that commandeered some lever-based controls, one that was attached to the rotating turret head, and two more sitting in front of a series of box-shaped instruments with dials and arrowed meters, as well as one hiding behind this large gun sticking out from the inside of the tank.
There was also this large structure in the back, which was vibrating and humming. That was the source of the heat, and she guessed it was the T-34’s engine, to allow him to power his tracks and move at 53 kilometers per hour.
Although, she wasn’t a mechanical engineer, she had seen something called steam trains.
It was a rare form of technology that had been recently developed in her province. They usually were connected to between capital cities or chief territories near in kingdom. She heard it could carry thousands of people inside its worm like stomach and ferry them across large tracts of land at high speed.
A 30 day trip on foot was cut down to a mere 3 hours, 45 minutes once the bridge crossing over Trepassey Bay Canyon was complete.
“…..Hey, Nello. Are you sure you should keep your body on like this? Won’t you, you know, waste fuel?”
“Yeah, but I could tell it’s really cold outside right now, Big Sis. I can see the frost forming on the leaves near the lake, and the grass turning white. It’s best you stay inside.”
“What about you? Won’t you be cold?”
“I’m born in Russia. It’s always cold there, even in the summer. Especially in Stalingrad………”
“… I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories in you.”
“Please don’t apologize Big Sis…In fact, I’m super happy right now. This beautiful lady with scary eyes told me I could have a second chance and live the life I wanted. She even let me keep my body and not be turned into some animal, or even a scary monster.”
“…………..”
“Also…I was able to meet you, Big Sis…Um, just between you and me. This is the first time I saved a girl! I’m very proud!”
“A-are there no girls back in Stalingrad?”
“…Um…With the Germans Tanks invading, I think the girls in the city ran away… I only saw angry men and tanks everywhere I went…In fact, I didn’t even know a girl existed until today.”
“Fu-fu-fu. So…does this make me your first?”
“Yes. Thank you for being a girl, Big Sis.”
<< ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!! >>
--------------------{ ~Flying Under the Radar~ }
__ (You slipped in an Innuendo and your partner didn't notice! __
"................ H-heh!? (O///O)"
"What's the matter, Big Sis? I-is it too warm inside?
"N-no! Cough. I-I'm fine. J-just...I'm fine. (Stupid god-forsaken warning signs!)"
After saying those dangerously loaded words, the Half-Elf Girl tried to clear her throat to change the subject. She only ended up choking on her own nervous breath. Her eyes soon became heavy, the warmth inside of the tank fighting the cold already making her drowsy.
It was comforting, this heat. Not even the furnace back in her home was this strong during the cruel winters…alone while her mother worked the late hours…
“……Heh? B-Big Sis…A-are you crying?”
“Ah. Y-you noticed my tears. I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to dirty your seats.”
“No, no…but… do you want…to talk about it?”
“………I...........I’m probably just tired…I should sleep now.”
“Nn. Please sleep well, Big Sis. I’ll keep watch.”
“But. Don’t you need to rest, Nello?”
“No. I’m used to standing guard all night… Besides, I was always too scared to even nod off, knowing a German Tiger Tank could rip my head off with a single punch."
“…………..It must have been hard for you in your previous life. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. If I can protect Big Sis, then I’ll be super proud of myself!”
Pastrache smiled. Keeping the salty tears from staining the iron, she would tap the walls to gesture that she would go to bed.
Fortunately, the tank had told her of a small bag that was hiding under the seat that was in front of sensitive equipment and dials, along with a long thin antennae. When she pulled it up from its hiding place, she discovered what looked like an army duffel bag stitched with the color of a Red Star.
Opening it, there were a lot of items inside the bag. Due to her weariness, she didn't pay too much attention to those contents. She only focused on two large and fluffy blankets tucked neatly inside of the bag and used those instead.
The Half-Elf smiled as she unfurled one large blanket to coil herself up like a cocoon, while her head rest on the second roll as a pillow as she lied down across the driver and co-pilot seat.
Like a stranded tourist at an airport, waiting for their exchange five hours later.
“…Good night Nello. Thank you so much.”
“Nn. Good night Big sis. Sweet dreams.”
“……………………………………………………………………Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.”
“Wow, Big Sis is fast.”
Either it was intentional, or Pastrache was one of those 'violent sleepers'. The second she was knocked out, her leg thrashed around to hit the tank wall with her lovely heel.
".............................Mmm...Mama...no...I don't want to go to school... they touch me in weird places...Hmm......Zzzzzzzz."
“Guugh! B-Big Sis! Th-that hurts!! That really hurts!”
Good night sweet Half-Elf, and may your dreams be...Stop kicking poor Nello!
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