The Paradise of Reincarnation Begins with Eriri

"...In short, that's the situation."

Kiyono Makoto quickly recounted the details of the ambush.

"Ha~"

Kasumigaoka Utaha breathed gently into her palm, her breath quickly condensing into white mist in the air as she pondered deeply:

"Since it's an clone of the evil snowman, it most likely also has a main body."

"The monsters will attack on their own, so even if we enter the cabin, it doesn't feel safe..."

"Let's get through this difficult time first; that's something to consider later." Kiyono Makoto walked forward against the wind and snow. "Let's go, let's continue crossing the Aotai Line."

Kasumigaoka Utaha: "...Sorry, I've never heard of it before."

The wind and snow grew stronger, visibility dropped to less than ten meters, and the cold wind felt like a dull knife cutting into flesh.

Fortunately, Makoto Kiyono went all-in to enhance his four main stats before entering the dungeon, so he's barely managing to hold on.

In contrast, Kasumigaoka Utaha's condition was significantly worse.

"Huh...huh..."

The girl's breathing was unusually rapid.

Even with Kiyono Makoto leading the way, Kasumigaoka Utaha's stamina was rapidly depleting. Her thin, breathable tracksuit offered no protection against the biting cold, and she could only shiver and hug her arms as she walked forward, her pace visibly slowing down.

boom.

A muffled thud came from behind.

Kiyono Makoto turned his head and saw his senior fall awkwardly in the snow.

"My foot slipped just now..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha bit her lower lip tightly, trying to support herself, but the ground was covered with fluffy snow, and she had nowhere to put her hands on, so she couldn't get up for a moment.

Give me your hand.

Kiyono Makoto turned back to his senior and gently pulled up Kasumigaoka Utaha, whose pretty face was pale.

"Your body is so cold?"

Holding his senior's delicate body, which was covered in cold air, Kiyono Makoto couldn't help but frown.

Kasumigaoka Utaha is a typical literature-loving girl who doesn't usually like sports and has only average physical abilities. Although she has stat boosts and team buffs, she's only slightly stronger than the average person. The fact that she was able to trek through the snow for so long shows that she has a strong will.

"We can't continue like this, or we'll likely suffer from hypothermia."

Kiyono Makoto let out a soft breath and quickly made a decision.

"Come on, senior, I'll carry you."

"Huh?"

A flicker of attraction crossed Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes, but she quickly bit her lower lip and shook her head in refusal.

"No, junior is already working too hard all by himself..."

"Stop talking nonsense and get on here quickly." Without turning his head, Kiyono Makoto forcefully ordered, "With your current movement speed, you'll only slow down the team. Carrying you along is the best solution."

"Junior, you're really blunt and ruthless."

Kasumigaoka Utaha complained as she stretched out her arms and hugged Kiyono Makoto's neck.

"Hmm~"

Feeling the warm glow emanating from Kiyono Makoto, Kasumigaoka Utaha couldn't help but let out a soft, joyful hum.

In cold environments, people instinctively seek warmth; this is a life instinct, and no one is an exception.

Kasumigaoka Utaha had initially intended to maintain a proper distance, but under the allure of warmth, her arms involuntarily wrapped tightly around the boy's neck.

The sweet, cloying voice reached his ears, causing Kiyono Makoto's body to tense slightly:

"Senior, don't make any strange noises."

"Heh~"

Warmth has returned, and Kasumigaoka Utaha finally has the energy to play pranks again:

"It was my junior who told me to come up, but he's already surrendering right at the start?"

With a blank expression, Kiyono Makoto reached behind his back and supported his senior's soft, plump thighs:

"Bear with it, senior, I'm going to speed up."

"...Huh?"

“You’re about to lose your temperature. If we stop again, your body definitely won’t be able to hold on. So if we encounter an evil snowman later, I’ll use you as a shield.”

Kasumigaoka Utaha: "..."

For ordinary people, carrying someone up a mountain in freezing weather is suicidal. Fortunately, Kiyono Makoto's physical fitness has been greatly enhanced. Although he is inevitably a little out of breath, his speed is significantly faster.

During their hike, the two were ambushed by the evil snowman again. However, Makoto Kiyono did not stop. Instead, he carried his senior and suddenly accelerated, rushing straight through the ambush area.

"...Junior, I see the wooden house!"

Amidst the swirling snow and white mist, a faintly visible wooden house finally appeared before the two, prompting Kasumigaoka Utaha to exclaim in delight.

"Senior, don't hug me so tightly, you're going to break my neck."

"Tsk~ I was just testing whether my junior could withstand the three-second suffocation challenge."

"Then I must thank my senior for sparing my life."

"..."

Chapter 18 Senior: I'll go scout ahead.

"Junior, put me down first, don't rush inside."

After the initial surprise, Kasumigaoka Utaha quickly whispered something in her ear, remaining calmer than expected:

"Movies often feature scenes where characters are killed inside the door; there might be monsters inside, so we should be careful."

"clear."

Kiyono Makoto nodded slightly, first putting down the senior on his back, then making a clenched fist with his right hand, and a katana appeared out of thin air.

"Senior, you'll be in charge of lighting from behind."

Kiyono Makoto casually pulled out a flashlight and handed it to Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was standing next to him.

"..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha pursed her pink lips, silently took the flashlight, and then strode towards the cabin first.

"Walking in the back will affect the light, so I'll walk in the front."

A true partner is someone who supports and helps each other. If someone always hides behind Makoto Kiyono, they are not a partner, but a burden.

Kasumigaoka Utaha doesn't want to be a burden.

She's always been the model child, a quintessential pampered princess, and deep down she's quite proud. So Kasumigaoka Utaha is determined to prove her worth no matter what... starting with scouting.

"Understood, leave the rest to me."

Seeing that his senior was determined, Kiyono Makoto did not refuse, but silently followed.

The two moved forward quietly and soon arrived at the door of the wooden house.

From its appearance, it is a standard snow cabin, not very large, with two floors, built entirely of wood, with an A-shaped roof, which is covered with snow.

Crunch, crunch.

The snow crunched softly under their feet.

"...The room was very quiet, without any sound."

As she approached the wooden cabin, Kasumigaoka Utaha listened intently to the sounds coming from inside.

"Junior, have I opened the door?"

"it is good."

Kasumigaoka Utaha let out a soft breath and gently pushed open the door.

Good news: the door wasn't locked and was easily pushed open.

By the light of the flashlight, you can see that there are sofas, tables and chairs, benches, bookshelves, fireplaces... It's small but complete.

"Senior, stomp your feet to make some noise."

Kiyono Makoto reminded him in a low voice.

If there really is a monster inside the house, playing hide-and-seek is too dangerous. It would be better to make noise to lure the monster out.

"……Understood."

Kasumigaoka Utaha raised her right foot, making a dull thud on the wooden floor, but the room remained quiet, and nothing was attracted to her.

"It seems there's nothing strange about it."

Kiyono Makoto let out a soft breath, turned around and closed the door, and the sound of howling wind and snow suddenly disappeared.

A faint musty smell permeated the air, which was usually unpleasant, but now it made people feel incredibly at ease.

"Don't let your guard down, junior." Kasumigaoka Utaha remained vigilant, scanning the surroundings with her flashlight. "Let's check the cabinets and drawers again to make sure everything is safe."

The two worked together, with Kasumigaoka Utaha providing lighting and Kiyono Makoto providing physical protection. They quickly searched the house, opening all the cabinets and drawers where they could hide things, and only felt relieved after confirming that there was no danger.

"We're safe for now." Kiyono Makoto put away his weapon and breathed on his palm. "There's a fireplace over there. Let's light a fire and warm ourselves up as soon as possible."

"What about the household items?"

"The books on the bookshelf are a good starting point; the tables and chairs can all be dismantled."

The two acted swiftly.

Kiyono Makoto was in charge of dismantling the tables and chairs, while Kasumigaoka Utaha went to the bookshelf and carried over all sorts of books.

A moment later.

Kiyono Makoto successfully started a fire with a lighter. The fireplace probably hadn't been used in a long time, as it initially emitted a pungent plume of black smoke, but thankfully it was working properly after a short while.

As they watched the bright yellow flames flicker gently in the air, Kiyono Makoto and Kasumigaoka Utaha both breathed a sigh of relief.

"call……"

Kasumigaoka Utaha knelt softly on the floor, hugging her knees with both hands, her black stockings gleaming faintly in the firelight.

"Millions of years ago, when our ancestors spent long nights around a campfire, they must have felt exactly the same sense of security as they do now, right?"

"As expected of my senior, she empathizes with human ancestors so easily." Kiyono Makoto reached out and brushed the snowflakes off his head. The two of them had been trekking along, and their clothes were soaked with both sweat and snow. "Your clothes are soaked. I suggest you take them off and dry them to avoid catching a cold or fever... Don't forget those evil snowmen outside. The park definitely won't let us hide in peace until the end of the dungeon."

"Heh~"

Kasumigaoka Utaha tilted her head and looked over, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, her tone deliberately teasing:

"Is my junior already so eager for me to serve him?"

Kiyono Makoto squinted: "These kinds of words that only appear in old-fashioned dating games, and they actually came out of your mouth, senior. If the boys in the school heard this, they would definitely be heartbroken, right?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha lowered her gaze upon hearing this, her tone returning to its usual coolness:

"Ordinary people only have a three-day memory. Once we die in the dungeon, we'll be quickly forgotten by everyone except our parents. Reputation doesn't matter at all. If you really want to bully someone, junior..."

“That’s enough, senior, you don’t need to keep testing me.” Kiyono Makoto picked up a piece of wood and carefully placed it into the fire. He turned to look at Kasumigaoka Utaha. “What I need are teammates who can stand on their own, partners who can fight side by side, not servants, much less slaves.”

"I will not force my senior, nor will I use my position as captain to coerce anyone."

"So, senior, just be yourself."

"..."

Eyes facing each other.

Looking into the bright and clear eyes of the boy beside her, Kasumigaoka Utaha felt a soft spot in her heart gently touched, and the corners of her pink lips turned up slightly:

"My junior is really cute."

Kiyono Makoto: "..."

What the heck is cute?