—“I’d prefer to spend time with Mizumi” — you reply. After your answer, Maru’s smile faded a little.

“Eh, well, alright! Though you know—oh, never mind! Have a good time! If anything, you can always join me and Grimas. Good luck!” — said the siren, hugging you and smiling again with all her fangs. You wished Maru good luck with her rehearsal, and then headed toward the tent camp where Mizumi was.

***

Arriving at the tent camp, you discover that the zombie is not sleeping. You hear a distinct rustling of paper and incomprehensible mumbling.

As you get closer, a crumpled sheet of paper accidentally flies into you. You skillfully catch it and unfold it. It turns out to be a page from an old newspaper printed last year.

While you were studying the newspaper, Mizumi rises and turns toward you. She looks at you confused; her left eye lazily turns in your direction.

—“Zhrzhr… Whr did you come?” [Translation from zombie: Why did you come?] — says the zombie, standing up from the ground and approaching you with the newspaper sheet.

You tell her that Maru is currently at rehearsal and you would like to spend time with Mizumi while Maru is busy. After your story, the zombie reacts with a silly smile.

—“Oh, Mizumimi… I didn’t expect you would want to spend time with her” [Translation from zombie: Oh, Mizumi… I didn’t expect you would want to spend time with her]. — says the zombie. She carefully takes your hand with her cold hand. Mizumi leads you to the place where the paper had just been rustling.

You see a couple of crumpled and wrinkled sheets, as well as several incredibly beautiful paper cranes.

—“I… prrblrm wth memry… culd you help me make paper boats?” [Translation from zombie: I… have problems with memory, could you help me make paper boats?] — the girl asks shyly, kneeling down and tearing off a new sheet of paper.

You nod and kneel down next to Mizumi. The zombie smiles crookedly and hands you a sheet of paper. You skillfully fold the simplest boat from the thin sheet. Mizumi watches you carefully and repeats all your actions down to the smallest detail.

You both end up with wonderful boats. You turn to Mizumi, who smiles at you. Her pale skin faintly glows in the moonlight.

“Thnk you… Nw we’ll g to the stream and have a competition!” [Translation from zombie: Thank you… Now we’ll go to the stream and have a competition!] — said the girl, getting to her feet. She offers you her hand to help you up. Because she bends down too low, her cap with cheerful jingling bells falls to the ground in front of you.

—“Oh… Srry… I’m so clumsy!” [Translation from zombie: Oh… sorry… I’m so clumsy!] — the zombie answers confused and embarrassed.

Mizumi gets upset that she dropped her cap in the dirt and didn’t help you. Smiling, you take her hand and get up, holding the cap in your left hand. Then you gently shake the dust off the cap and return it to the zombie.

Mizumi carefully and shyly takes her headwear from your hands and, smiling shyly, thanks you with a hug. Pulling away, she takes your hand and leads you somewhere deeper into the forest.

***

Walking through the forest, you enjoy the silence and the night scenery — it was so mesmerizing.

You walk for about five minutes before a small clearing opens before you. A small patch of land is lit by a pale blue moon. Its light creates the impression that the grass, above which bright fireflies circle, is not green, but blue. But the most beautiful thing here is a small silver stream. It seems to emit a faint glow itself. The water is so clear that you can easily see the bottom. There, unaware that they are being watched, small fish swim.

Mizumi sits down by the stream and carefully sets her boat on the water. It is quickly caught by the current and soon disappears into the forest. Mizumi smiles and quietly laughs. It’s amazing how she finds joy in simple things.

You decide to follow her example and also set your boat into the water. It spins and rushes downstream — in the same direction where Mizumi’s boat disappeared.

—“What an amazing place!” — you say, unable to take your eyes off the thicket where the two boats just disappeared.

—“Thnk you… I’m glad you liked it” [Translation from zombie: Thank you… I’m glad you liked it] — the zombie replies, slightly tilting her head and closing one eye.

You enjoy the moment. The murmuring of the stream, the rustling of trees, the wind moving through the forest and humming a lullaby-like melody… You close your eyes, allowing yourself to dissolve into this natural symphony. Which is suddenly joined by… heavy footsteps.

You open your eyes and look at Mizumi. She is already standing in a tense posture, staring intently into the forest.

One might think it was one of your friends. But the footsteps were strange. Careful. Too careful. There were several of them. At least three.

You carefully stand up and step back. Mizumi takes your hand, and together you begin retreating toward your camp.

Suddenly, silence falls. As if whatever was creeping toward you froze upon noticing your retreat.

Minutes stretch painfully long. Your heart beats wildly, blood rushes to your ears, creating an unpleasant ringing.

A whistle.

An arrow flies a centimeter past you and embeds itself with a dull thud into the tree behind.

—“BRZHM!” [Translation from zombie: Run!] — commands the zombie, grabbing your hand tightly and pulling you deeper into the forest.

—“After them!” — a rough male voice echoes behind you.

You run together with Mizumi, not knowing where the camp is. Trying not to crash into trees or lose Mizumi, you trip over a tree root. Pain pierces your body. But the arrows landing nearby force you to get up and run again.

***

You run for about ten minutes until you stop at a deep ravine.

There is nowhere to run. Looking down, you realize that a jump would most likely be fatal.

These thoughts are interrupted by the rustling of bushes, from which three strong men run out.

Monster hunters. Their gear and the guild symbols make this clear.

—“You’re trapped, beasts. You made us run… but it all ends here and now!” — says the one standing in the middle. He aims his crossbow at you, loaded with a silver-tipped bolt.

You close your eyes.

A growl. A sharp lunge. And the sound of tearing flesh.

You suddenly open your eyes. Mizumi is already next to the hunter — too close. Her claws slash across his chest, leaving a deep, torn wound.

—“Stupid beast! What are you waiting for!? Kill them!” — the man shouts, dropping his crossbow and clutching his chest wound.

The two remaining hunters move toward Mizumi with swords and clubs.

You realize Mizumi needs help. Using your agility and strength, you engage one of the brutes in combat. Mizumi takes the other.

***

You end up one-on-one with the monster hunter. He is two heads taller than you, broad, muscular, with a huge club.

You take a fighting stance and inhale deeply.

—“If it’s a monster…” — the hunter mutters, —“then strike.”

A low growl escapes you. You move in sync with the hunter, circling each other. Finally, tired of this dance of two, you lunge into attack.

Your claws cut through the air and slash across the hunter’s chest. Blood splashes onto the grass. But he does not scream — he simply roars and swings his club wildly.

BAM!

The club hits your side. You fly back, roll on the ground, and immediately get up. Spitting onto the ground and gritting your teeth in pain, you charge forward again.

Your claws tear through his arm, ripping skin. Your teeth snap near his neck. The hunter grabs your shoulder and tries to crush it with brute force. His arm muscles bulge like ropes.

For a moment, it seems he will win. But with your last strength, you twist and sink your teeth into his shoulder.

A bone crunches.

The hunter roars, headbutts you, and throws you off. You are sent flying but get back up — your mouth is covered in blood, your eyes even more feral. Adrenaline pulses through your body.

The hunter is breathing heavily.

—“Bad monster…” — he mutters.

He rushes forward, raising his club for a finishing blow. But you do not retreat. You leap directly under the strike.

The club only grazes your back, while your claws sink into his stomach at the same moment. You slam into him with your full body, tearing with your claws and knocking the giant to the ground.

The ground trembles.

The hunter tries to rise, but you are already on top of him. Your teeth easily clamp onto his throat.

A short, heavy crunch.

The giant’s body twitches… and goes still.

You slowly release your jaws. Blood drips from your fangs onto the still-warm corpse. You stand for a few more seconds, breathing heavily.

But there is no time to rest yet. A strangled scream from the second giant makes you turn. The hunter watches in horror as Mizumi, with ease and grace uncharacteristic for a zombie, rips open his abdomen, spilling his insides.

Mizumi nods at you, pointing at the third hunter. He looks at you in panic and shock.

—“Cursed devil children!” — he shouts, charging at you with a silver blade. But you easily dodge.

—“Lhwm!” [Translation from zombie: Let’s go!] — Mizumi shouts, grabbing your hand and dragging you away into the forest.

***

You finally return to the camp, where the others had already begun searching for you. Seeing you in such a state, the monsters fall silent, and Miss Lucy suddenly appears before you.

The vampire angrily looks at both of you. Baring her fangs, she hisses:

“Where the hell have you been and what happened to you!? We’ve been searching for you for an hour!”

Lucy scans you from head to toe. Her eye twitches, her hands tremble — she sees you covered in wounds and bruises. Mizumi tries to say something, but Lucy does not let her utter a single sound.

—“Silence!” — the vampire shouts so loudly that even the monsters behind shrink in fear.

—“Now you’re going to Veronica in the medical ward, and then we’re having a serious talk! Understood?”

Without waiting for your answer, Lucy disappears, leaving you in ringing silence.

After a short pause, several monsters approach to help you reach the medical ward. You do not remember how you got there, because halfway through you lost consciousness.