Chapter Seventeen: The Maiden Tina

These kobolds hadn’t brought him much in the way of spoils; the clubs they dropped were all of poor quality. Still, fighting them had earned him enough experience to reach Level 4. His next upgrade now required 5/800 experience points.

Without hesitation, he invested his skill point into unlocking the Workbench. Today’s battle had made it even clearer just how vital a full set of iron armor would be!

“Hey! Can you move?” After gathering the loot, he went over to check on the blonde beauty. She was still as stiff as a puppet. He studied her carefully. “We both have blonde hair. Don’t tell me we’re siblings?”

Of course, the blonde beauty couldn’t answer him. In fact, she didn’t even understand his language.

He asked her a few more questions, feeling a bit foolish. This was another world—why would anyone here speak his language?

There was no telling when danger might appear again in the forest. The kobold troops could return at any time, so it was absolutely unwise to linger here.

Though he was exhausted, he bent down and lifted the blonde girl in a princess carry—one arm supporting her firm, taut hips, the other cradling her back with his hand placed in her armpit for the most efficient hold. “Come on! Let’s hurry home. I need some meat and a good night’s sleep to restore my health!”

The blonde girl was still paralyzed, forced to let him carry her through the grass in such an intimate posture.

“Your hips are really large!” After a few steps, he was already out of breath. The aftermath of battle had left him weak, and carrying her only made it more difficult. “And your chest is so big, too. All your weight seems to be concentrated in those two places! It’s your fault my back is about to give out!”

The blonde girl didn’t understand a word, but even paralyzed, she was aware of where his hands were—firmly upon her most embarrassing parts. His right hand, whether intentionally or not, kept brushing her chest. She couldn’t feel anything, but her eyes still worked. Her cheeks gradually flushed red.

After much effort, he finally carried her back to his base. He hurried into the shelter and laid her on the sleeping bag before locking the door. “Whew! Never taking a risk like that again—I nearly lost my life!”

“Arr arr arr!” Little Gray, the kobold, was hiding in a crevice and howled loudly at him.

“Hey! So you’re full and feisty now, huh? Got the nerve to bark at me? I was nearly killed by your kind just now. Keep yelling and see if I don’t take it out on you!” He raised his fist in mock threat.

With a whimper, Little Gray shrank back in fright, burying its head with only its quivering rump on display.

Catching his breath, he sat down and took a chunk of roast meat from his pack, devouring it ravenously.

When his hunger and hydration levels exceeded eighty percent, his health would slowly regenerate.

Once sated, he crafted another sleeping bag and placed it beside the blonde girl. Then he lay on his side to look at her. “This house was built to my own measurements, so it’s a little cramped. I need to sleep now to restore my health; once my wounds heal, I’ll build you your own little hut, alright?” With that, he burrowed into his sleeping bag and quickly drifted off.

When he woke, his spirits were high. His health was back to a hundred, and the wound on his head had vanished. It seemed a benefit of crossing into another world—no matter how severe the injury, as long as it was treated in time, he could recover completely.

“Hey! Where’s the little beauty?” He noticed that the sleeping bag beside him was empty and quickly sat up. The door was still open; she must have recovered from the paralysis while he slept and gotten up early. The trouble was, her foot was injured—if she wandered the forest, she’d become some other creature’s next meal.

It would be a real shame to lose the beauty he’d worked so hard to rescue. If only he’d left the vines on her after all!

Worried, he grabbed his iron spear and dashed outside. He soon spotted the blonde girl at the riverbank, reaching for water and washing her wounded foot. He breathed a sigh of relief. “I thought you’d run off. This forest is dangerous—you could die if you wander around!”

At his voice, the blonde girl spun around like a startled fawn. Seeing him, she relaxed and uttered a string of unfamiliar words, “Moje la mohala, mopu lushu!”

“I don’t understand, but I suppose you’re trying to thank me?” He scanned the area to make sure there were no threats, then put away his spear and approached her. “I’m Jia Zhengjin, from Earth. And you?”

“Foflushu?” she replied, puzzled.

How could they communicate with such a language barrier? He scratched his head, then had an idea and pointed at himself. “Jia Zhengjin!”

“Foflushu?” She still looked lost.

“Jia Zhengjin!” He repeated himself.

“Foflushu?” She still didn’t understand.

He slowed down, enunciating each syllable, “Jia… Zheng… Jin…” He repeated it over a dozen times.

At last, understanding dawned on her face. “Jia… Jiang… Ji…”

“It’s Jia Zhengjin, not Jia Jiang Ji! And what sort of creature is a Jia Jiang Ji, anyway?” He repeated his name once more, clearly, “Jia… Zheng… Jin…”

“Jia… Kiin… Jin…” Her accent was off, but at least she was trying her best.

“Close enough.” He pointed at himself, then at her. “Jia Zhengjin! And you?”

“Jia… Kiin… Jin…” She pointed at him with her slender finger, then at herself, blinking playfully. “Tina!”

“Tina?” He was delighted. After all that confusion, they’d finally made a connection. “Your name is Tina?”

“Tina!” She nodded enthusiastically, then pointed at him. “Jia Kiin Jin!”

“It’s Jia Zhengjin—never mind, it sounds close enough.” He gave up correcting her. “It’s dangerous here. Don’t wander around alone!”

“Foflushu?” Tina tilted her head, puzzled.

“And we’re back to square one,” he muttered, slapping his forehead. After a moment’s thought, he raised his hands and made a scary face. “There are wild beasts here—like awooo awooo! They’ll eat you up!”

“Awooo awooo?” Tina burst into silvery laughter, utterly amused by his antics.