To the original inventors: I'm sorry! I took your idea and brought it here. I was just so bored, and honestly, this world was missing a few essentials.
Ghost and Lion both asked at the same time: "What exactly is an ice cream machine?"
I explained that, back on Earth, ice cream is a cold, sweet treat usually reserved for hot days, though some people, the brave ones, enjoy it even when it's freezing out.
Ghost looked genuinely intrigued and asked how it's made. Even Lion seemed captivated by the idea.
As I described how the machine actually functions, Lion nodded along, grasping the concept instantly. Ghost, ever the foodie, immediately started suggesting different fruits we could use for flavors.
But then it hit me.. Where on earth or this world, am I going to find dairy?
Oh well, I'll have to grill Ghost about that later. He definitely seems to be the expert when it comes to local ingredients!
I'll need to ask Lion to make me a notebook and a pen once we get back. It's so difficult to describe certain things I'd much rather just draw them.
....
After some time, we all fell silent.
The night sky looked so bright. I could see the moons clearly and even the large planet nearby.
I couldn't imagine how many millennia it would take to finally explore this world and its neighboring planet.
It's no wonder that change happens so slowly here. There's no hurry. Time seems to be of no importance.
I can faintly see creatures flying in the distant skies.
The rivers seem to glow under the moonlight, looking absolutely radiant.
There are flowers... or at least, I think they're flowers.. with shapes and colors unlike anything on Earth. Even so, they seem to be blooming at their fullest under the night sky.
I unconsciously pulled my cloak a bit closer and stared into the flames.
I'm beginning to love this world, but at the same time, I'm struggling to keep my sanity. It is so vastly different from the world I knew. This place is real, yet it feels entirely unreal to me.
I don't know how the people in those isekai anime adjusted so quickly. They always make it look so easy.
In reality, getting used to this takes time. It's overwhelming and unbelievable. I'm not sure how long it will take for me to fully adjust and I'm afraid of losing myself in the process.
Still, I want to experience an adventure that no one else has ever had. I want to change. I want to become better.
Can I do that?
I was so absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't notice Lion and Ghost had moved closer, sitting on either side of me.
As he stared into the flames, Ghost asked if I missed my previous world.
The question caught me off guard. I admitted to him, rather sadly, that I did miss it a bit... though, to be honest, I'm also beginning to love it here.
Then, Lion hesitantly asked if I missed my family.
I gave a sad smile and admitted that I did. I told them about my parents and my sister back home.
It breaks my heart knowing I'll never see them again, especially since I never got to say a proper goodbye.
I wiped away a tear and confessed that whenever the loneliness hits, I find myself thinking of them. I have no idea what they're doing right now. Time flows differently here. For all I know, they might already be gone.
I bit my lip, trying my best to hold back the rest of my tears.
Both Ghost and Lion hugged me while I, finally overwhelmed by emotion, broke down and cried.
Nothing in this world could have prepared me for this.The novels never mentioned the pain of being separated from loved ones or if they did, they didn't emphasize it enough.
It's so hard knowing I'll never see them again and that I can't go back to my old life.
In a heartbeat, my entire world changed, and reality felt like a dream.
Honestly, it's a wonder my sanity is still intact after everything I've been through. I won't deny that there are moments when I just want to go home.
But at the same time, I love the adventure I've found here. I love that I'm finally growing, both mentally and emotionally. I don't want to go back to the person I used to be but I still miss my family."
....
Ghost soothed me, telling me how much he appreciated learning that he could be good at something new.
He admitted he never expected to enjoy the idea of selling things and even the concept of delivery seemed intriguing to him.
Before this, he thought his only purpose was to conduct research and explore.
He grinned at me and his warmth was infectious.
Lion, meanwhile, seemed lost in his thoughts, staring into the flames for a long time.
Eventually, we fell silent.
I yawned, my eyelids growing so heavy I could barely keep them open. I felt an arm support me, gently laying me down on something soft.
Somehow, I feel safe around them.
If I were back on Earth, a situation like this might feel dangerous, but these two make me feel protected.
Even though one of them is a predator, he has never harmed me or tried to take advantage of me.
Even though my eyes were closed, I could still hear and feel everything around me.
I could hear Lion and Ghost bickering softly about something.
Then, I felt someone drape a thicker cloak over me, followed by the sensation of someone gently lifting my head to place a soft, pillow-like object underneath.
It's so comfortable now....
Before long, I finally drifted off to sleep.
....
I wasn't sure how long I'd been out, but it felt like I had slept for several hours.
Ghost had transformed into his other form and was floating right beside me. I sensed he was asleep since I couldn't see his eyes.
Meanwhile, Lion was sleeping in a sitting position, his back resting against a tree trunk and his tail curled protectively around his body.
As I sat up, I noticed that Lion had magically crafted a "cloud pillow" for me, while a soft, cotton-like object, which I suspected Ghost had placed there, served as a second cushion.
I smiled to myself, feeling incredibly fortunate to have met them. I knew that if I had run into any other creatures, I wouldn't have survived long in this world.
The thought made me shudder involuntarily.
Both suns were now high in the sky and I was starting to feel the heat since Lion hadn't put out the campfire.
I removed my cloak, but the heat was still stifling.
Once I took off my trench coat, I realized I was drenched in sweat.
I stood up, desperate to get away from the flames.
Since Lion and Ghost were still sleeping soundly, I decided to explore the immediate area.
I didn't intend to wander far.
I'm not stupid enough to lack common sense but I definitely needed to find a cooler spot away from the fire.
After a few minutes of walking, all I could see were trees, dense vegetation, and huge boulders.
Then, I heard the sound of flowing water and, to my relief, discovered a small spring.
I hesitantly reached out to touch the water, half-expecting it to be dangerous, but it felt safe... warm and comforting to the touch.
I kicked off my sandals and stepped in.
Fortunately, it wasn't deep. The water only reached my waist.
I hurried back to the campsite. Since the other two were still sleeping deeply, I grabbed the cloak and headed back to the spring.
I managed to set up a makeshift curtain using the cloak.
It was large enough to give me some privacy, though the sides were still a bit exposed. I stripped off my clothes and eased into the water.
Ahhh..
Sooooo good...
It was like bathing in a hot spring, except the water was perfectly warm and soothing rather than scalding.
I sat down until the water reached my shoulders. I pulled out my hair tie, letting my sticky, matted hair fall over my back.
My scalp was so itchy it was driving me crazy!
As I scrubbed, I felt a literal weight lifting off my shoulders.
Oh. My. Gosh.
I could stay here forever.
All the aches in my body simply vanished, and even my feet felt soft again.
Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps snapped me out of my daze.
Oh, crap!!!
Oh no, no, no!!!
Panic surged through me.
I scrambled around, splashing wildly as I tried to find the cloak to cover myself, especially since I'd already started washing my clothes.
But it was nowhere to be found.
Shoot! Double shoot!
Where on earth did I put that stupid cloak?!!
Just as my heart started hammering against my ribs, a sudden, powerful gust of wind ripped through the trees. It caught my makeshift curtain and blew it clean away.
And there I was.
Standing completely naked in the middle of the spring, staring dead-on at Lion and Ghost.
Ah.
This... is the absolute worst.
I was also such a total idiot. I completely forgot that I'd used the stupid cloak as part of the makeshift curtain!
My face felt like it was on fire.
Right then and there, I just wanted the ground to swallow me alive.