CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39: FEEDING

"Stop calling out, or I’ll eat you too," Duke threatened viciously while cracking pine nuts.

The squirrel in the distance immediately stopped making noise upon hearing the threat, then dashed away along the branches, keen on distancing itself from the villainous Duke.

After eating some nuts, Duke certainly wasn’t full but managed to replenish some energy.

He looked at the pallid-faced Vivian lying on the ground, feeling a bit worried.

Duke could eat some nuts, but what about the unconscious Vivian?

These nuts were not suitable for feeding her; they were all hard, and feeding them to an unconscious Vivian was likely to make her choke.

Duke, bare-chested, thought for a moment and walked to the riverbank, where the waters still flowed swiftly.

The river was not deep, and its clear waters allowed him to see the blue fish swimming inside.

Duke quickly came up with an idea and took out the dagger he always carried with him, as it was his only weapon left.

His longsword and Vivian’s axe had both been lost to the ogre.

Duke, holding the dagger, stepped directly into the water, shivering uncontrollably from the icy cold.

The fish in the water were agile, and it took some effort for Duke to catch two blue fish.

He quickly gutted and scaled the fish and then gathered some perilla and mint from the surroundings to use as seasoning.

Duke noticed that Vivian’s helmet was quite suitable to use as a pot.

He washed the helmet by the river, filled it with some clear water, and then used a stone and his dagger to laboriously start a fire with some dry grass.

After placing the two fish into the makeshift pot, the fragrance soon started to waft up, mixed with the fresh scents of perilla and mint.

The soup gradually turned milky white, looking extremely appetizing.

Once the fish was cooked, Duke cut off some fish meat with his dagger and tasted it, finding the flavor quite acceptable.

Although he hadn’t added any seasonings, sheer hunger made everything seem delicious.

Duke ate a whole fish by himself, drank a few mouthfuls of the fish soup, and finally felt some warmth in his belly.

It still wasn’t enough to call himself full, but given the current circumstances, he was grateful to fill his stomach.

Looking at the unconscious Vivian, Duke thought for a moment before peeling some fish meat from the remaining fish, chewing it to a pulp, and then feeding it to Vivian bit by bit.

Though the method was somewhat unsavory, the situation offered no room for more refined approaches.

Duke could only hope Vivian wouldn’t wake up at this moment, or he feared he’d be stabbed on the spot.

He fed her very slowly, alternating between small bits of fish and sips of fish soup, taking extreme care to avoid choking her.

An entire fish took almost an hour to feed, and Duke sighed in relief upon finishing, not realizing that tending to someone was such hard work.

After Vivian consumed the fish meat and soup, her complexion turned rosier, looking healthier, and her breathing gradually steadied.

Duke glanced at the sky, aware of the unpredictable weather in the forest, with rain being a constant threat.

Vivian had broken ribs and a fractured right leg, making movement difficult.

If it suddenly rained, getting wet would likely worsen her injuries.

Thus, Duke searched the surrounding forest, careful not to venture too far lest Vivian needed immediate care.

He found some wide-leaved vegetation resembling banana leaves, chopping down a good many broad, heavy leaves with his dagger and dragging them over to construct a makeshift roof atop the branches.

This way, even if it rained unexpectedly, they wouldn’t be drenched to the bone.

After a short rest, Duke pondered their next move.

The scenery looked the same in all directions, making it impossible to determine their current location, and he could only rely on the sun to gauge direction.

However, without knowing where they were, it was impossible to decide which way to go.

Duke decided to wait until Vivian’s injuries healed and she regained consciousness before deciding their course.

Meanwhile, he practiced the Giant Whale Breathing Technique to recover some Fighting Spirit, as strength was needed to handle potential threats.

...

Two days later, Vivian was still unconscious and had not awakened.

Duke was quite fortunate today, having hunted an old wild boar and two piglets.

He discarded the old boar, throwing its carcass down a distant cliff to avoid attracting high-level magical beasts.

The old boar’s meat was both sour and tough, making it inedible.

Only the flesh of the piglets, mere months old, was fit for eating. Duke processed the piglets and buried their innards and other traces in a pit, erasing any signs of their presence as best he could.

Duke had little fear of ordinary beasts, as, with his current strength, only magical beasts posed a significant threat.

He roasted both piglets, consuming an entire one by himself — his first real meal in days that left him satiated.

There was no means to store food for the long term in their circumstances, so the piglets’ meat had to be consumed immediately.

Like before, Duke chewed up the other piglet’s meat for Vivian, feeling his heart race every time their contact brought his breath upon her face, sending a ticklish sensation.

While feeding Vivian today, Duke suddenly felt her body tremble slightly.

His heart skipped a beat upon realizing Vivian was now awake.

In their current predicament, the atmosphere between them felt overly intimate, with Vivian feigning unconsciousness and Duke obliging her with pretended ignorance as he continued feeding.

Vivian, now conscious, couldn’t fully control her instincts, occasionally pressing her lips against Duke’s hand during feeding.

Every time this happened, Vivian’s body would shiver slightly, her hands clenching instinctively. Clearly nervous, her heart rate accelerated and her breathing quickened.

Duke completed the feeding with an awkward air; the process was smoother now that Vivian was aware.

Yet, even after the feeding, she continued pretending to be comatose, perhaps uncertain how to handle the situation.

Vivian understood that Duke was saving her, leading to mixed feelings within her.

As Duke wiped the grease from Vivian’s mouth, he noted her body involuntarily reacting with slight movement.

Feigning unawareness, Duke washed Vivian’s helmet used as a pot, filled it with water, and continued boiling it over the fire for future use.

In such conditions, he steadfastly avoided untreated water—a habit ingrained from a past life that kept him shielded from many invisible bacteria.

After completing these tasks, Duke began practicing the Giant Whale Breathing Technique nearby.

The forest was serene, with breezes gently blowing, bird songs in the distance, and the sound of trickling water nearby, all contributing to a backdrop of peace and tranquility.