Chapter 60: Structure in the Forest
For now, Ren buried a small box at his feet and stared at the massive fallen tree.
Around the trunk, the branches were densely tangled. Within them were gaps—too narrow for an adult body to pass, but large enough that a small child might be able to squeeze through.
“It looks like I could pass through there… but something feels off. I don’t think this is the way back.”
Just as Ren stood still, peering into the gaps between branches, a low, hard buzzing sound came from behind him.
Bzzzzzzz…
Startled, he turned his shoulders sharply and looked around. A giant bee flew straight across the fallen tree. Its yellow-and-black stripes shimmered golden in the dappled sunlight.
Ren’s eyes sparkled instinctively.
“Could that be a magic honeybee…? If so, there might be a nest nearby.”
If he could find the nest, he might be able to get some magic honey. That hopeful thought crossed his mind.
“If I confirm there’s a nest, I can always head back…”
Ren darted into the gap in the fallen tree’s branches.
He pushed through leaves and crawled forward without fear of getting dirty. Twigs caught on his clothes, and he carefully shifted his body to avoid tearing them. It was annoying to fix torn clothing.
After passing through the tunnel of branches, the air felt slightly different.
Ren stood up, brushed the dirt off his clothes, and began walking in the direction the magic bee had flown, his heart filled with expectation.
However, while he had been struggling through the branches, the magic bee seemed to have moved on, and its buzzing could no longer be heard. Ren looked around as he walked, trying to spot it.
“It got away…”
Feeling a little disappointed, he noticed small blue berries growing near the base of a tree a short distance ahead.
Approaching them, he saw they were shaped like teardrops.
“Is that Blue Drop Grass? …The leaves are jagged, so it’s not the poisonous kind, right?”
Ren took out his written notes and carefully checked the characteristics. He decided to collect it for now.
■ Blue Drop Grass
Characteristics: Thin stems bearing small blue teardrop-shaped berries. Jagged leaves.
Habitat: Damp ground and near streams.
Effect: The squeezed berries produce a liquid with detoxifying properties. Effective against mild poison and insect bites.
Note: Similar poisonous plants exist, so identification by leaf shape is necessary.
After quickly harvesting it, he looked back the way he had come. Then he noticed several large, flat stones scattered around.
“…Huh? This kind of looks like a path?”
The irregular flat stones were partly buried in weeds, but upon closer inspection, they seemed to form a line—almost like a guiding trail.
Ren’s eyes lit up.
“This might actually be the right path!”
Thinking he might finally have found the way back to the village, relief washed over him. His chest felt lighter, and his mouth relaxed into a small smile.
He quickly followed the line of flat stones.
After walking for a while, through the gaps between the trees ahead, he saw a large green mass.
“…Huh?”
Ren stopped and narrowed his eyes.
It wasn’t a natural shape. There were straight lines. Corners.
Cold sweat ran down his back.
“What… is that?”
Unable to ignore the strange object despite his fear, Ren cautiously stepped closer—one step, then another.
Eventually, he emerged from the trees and saw it clearly.
The walls were swallowed by thick vines and moss, as if the structure had merged with the forest itself. Part of the roof had collapsed, but the main frame remained intact, still strong enough to provide shelter from wind and rain.
“…A hunting lodge, maybe?”
Saying it out loud made it feel slightly more real. At the same time, he felt a little relieved—it didn’t seem like something unknown or unnatural.
As he approached, something near the entrance of the building flashed with a glint of light.