I'm back in the palace. I actually didn't expect to see this place for a while, since I was meant to be on this long training journey. But since a certain demon lord made the dumb mistake to send a level 1 character to a level 80 area, I'm back here for now. By the way, the person in the dark blue robes was a magician who could open a transportation circle on the spot, and that's how we returned. In other words, I would have had no means of returning on my own, unless I actually found clues about the location of the demon lord's palace and walked there. Incidentally, I didn't lose any body parts during the return trip. It felt much more stable when the magician activated it than when Maou-mama did it.

"You did well in surviving in a forest on the Dark Continent for so long. Even well-trained soldiers sometimes overestimate themselves and get eaten by the Vularen or Harvesters." The Maou comments as we step out of the transportation circle. I suppose Vularen are the wolf beasts and Harvesters are the cyborg dinos. So, I killed a whole bunch of the wolves, but normally they would be considered pretty dangerous? Aren't I amazing then? I'll keep that to myself for now.

"Now, Mithra will send you to the right place for your training." Already? I just came back! Let me at least take a bath or something.

"Uhm, mama, I'd like to rest a bit."

"Mama... aah, what a great child! All your siblings were so cold to me when they come back." Oh, I wonder why... "But this is training, after all. Normally, you would not return to the palace for about three years." Three years???

"... three years?" I ask cautiously. I'm sure I misheard. I don't want to go through three years of the same things as today. Well, I guess it'll be some easier place this time, but still. Living out in the wilderness for three years...

"Yes, you are meant to return to the palace within that time. Those who do not, have no right to the throne." I don't care the least bit about the throne! I just want a warm bed and be able to take baths. But wait, how am I supposed to return if I get sent into the depths of the wilderness? Or was there a city nearby and I only needed to find it? "But the Dark Continent was a mistake. There is only one city and the rest is wilderness. And you happened to be sent right into its center. Coming back to civilization would not have been a matter of three years, but rather three decades." Wow, you goofed quite a bit there, Maou-mama. "Also, I forgot to give you the basic survival kit with a map. Oops."

Oi.

"Since you already have a little experience in surviving in the wild, I am sure you will make it back really quickly." Do I really have to go? I kinda just want to lie in bed and lament the fact that I died and reincarnated into some monster's body. But I admit, this body is quite convenient, I can try out all kinds of hairstyles and clothes simply by imagining it. Still, I died!

Maou-mama hands me a backpack with food and some tools, and a leather bag filled with water. Alright, I'm ready... not really, but I have to be. This time I'll make sure not to lose parts of my body during transit, though.

Either way, if I'm sent to an easier place and even have a map, I should be fine in getting back. I'll just treat this as an adventure. I mean, I already died once, what could possibly happen that's worse?

"See you soon, Chaos-chan."

"See you, mama..." I don't know why; I just can't help myself but keep calling her mama.

And I'm sent through the transportation circle again. It's done by the magician named Mithra, so it's much calmer though, and it feels like I'm in the eye of a storm. No being thrown around, no being pulled apart. Mithra has much better control over the magic behind the transportation circles than my mother, it seems. In other words, the first time was entirely because Maou-mama failed. And you expect your children to be happy when they see you after you put them through such things? Then again, maybe what happened to me doesn't happen to everyone.

The lights disappear and I'm at the edge of a forest. Lush grassy plains extend into the distance before me, and a deep forest lies behind me. Under my feet is a magic circle, its light fading away and leaving behind only faint marks on the ground. Since I don't know any magic, I can't activate it, but this means one can travel between distant places really quickly from here. In either case, a choice right away? Forest or plains?

I've been in a forest before, so no thank you. Even if this area is of a lower difficulty, I know my luck and will surely encounter a boss-type monster. I can easily overlook the plains and see if something dangerous approaches. Also, I will be able to spot settlements from afar.

Ah, I forgot to ask Maou-mama about the giant cloud-mountain monster. It's bugging me now... Well, if I have to live in this world for a long time, I'll surely find out about it sooner or later. And I intend to live for a long time. The pattern should go that my species is incredibly long-lived or something since I've already been reincarnated as a monster. If that's not the case, I want a refund.

Now, let's first check where we are. The map supposedly has the position I'm in magically marked, so I can just walk in the direction of my destination if I really just want to get back quickly. I look through my backpack. This really is just a basic survival kit; it comes with a lot of things you'd find in a disaster survival kit from Japan, aside from the pieces of technology they don't have here. Actually, I don't think I'll need a knife or saw, I can recreate those with my body. These look like matchsticks, and there are some bandages. I haven't been hurt yet, but I feel like my body can just fill out any wounds with matter from the inside. Ah, the obligatory rope, some sheets and a large piece of tanned leather, I guess to make a smalle tent or something.

There's no map.

I go through everything again, then empty the bag on the ground, putting things back inside one by one.

There's still no map.

Maou-mama?