A white wind rushed past me.

It was Koko.

“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”

With that momentum, Koko kicked the giant snake. And when it hesitated, she kicked it again.

The snake opened its large mouth wide, trying to swallow Koko whole, but Koko, having spread her wings and flown into the air, maneuvered behind the snake and dug her claws into the back of its head to avoid being thrown off. Then, she began pecking at its head with her sharp beak.

H-hiiieeee.

It’s a splatter…

As Koko, now covered in red, turned back to white, the snake fell down with a thud and stopped moving.

“Kokekokekoo!”

Koko let out a triumphant cry, her feathers trembling. The red stains on her body vanished, and the blood that had splattered around disappeared as well.

Is this also magic…?

It’s just that my mind can’t keep up with the surreal scene of a chicken fighting a giant snake.

It’s scary, yes, but it’s more like I’m not really feeling it…

“Koko, Koko.”

Koko pecked at the fallen snake.

“Koko, Koko.”

“Eh… Could this snake be used as a material too?”

“Kekek.”

“Seriously?”

I didn’t want to, but despite my strong reluctance, I gave in to Koko’s insistence and touched the snake’s tail with my hand, storing it in the bracelet.

Ugh. I really don’t want to keep the materials and the snake’s corpse together.

I can’t say it because I’m scared of Koko!

At that moment, the bushes rustled again.

W-w-w.

Another snake?

No, it was—

“…A person?”

From the thicket emerged a man holding a sword, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and a well-defined face.

“Eh…? A child… and a chicken and a dog?”

I was surprised, but they were surprised too.

Koko remained unresponsive, and Robo lowered its posture and growled.

“Hey, Zeke. Have you found the King Snake? …Wait, is that a child? What are you doing here?”

Another person holding a bow appeared behind the sword-wielding man. This one had black hair and blue eyes, but was just as well-groomed as the blonde one.

He also stared at us with wide eyes.

After a few minutes of staring at each other,

The first blonde man spoke up.

“Are you the Forest Witch?”

The Forest Witch…?

Could he be referring to the witch who created the miniature world?

“No, I’m not.”

I immediately denied it, but both of them looked doubtful.

It’s indeed strange for a girl to be alone in a forest like this where monsters appear. Especially with a strong monster like the King Snake around.

“Hey Zeke. Since she’s in such a dangerous forest, she’s certainly not an ordinary person. …Let’s ask if she has any antidotes.”

“Right. …I am Zeke Arnold, of Mithril Rank. If you have any antidotes, could you share them with me?”

The man named Zeke showed me something like a dog tag from under his clothes. On the shiny silver plate, the name Zeke Arnold was clearly written.

But what is Mithril Rank?

Is it a rank from the adventurers’ guild or something like that in fantasy?

Oh.

If only Ermine were here now to explain things!

I’m feeling uneasy with just Koko and Robo here.

But well, it should be okay to give them an antidote.

I’m glad I made some before heading out to the forest.

“Is one enough?”

“You have one!?”

“Yes. Just a moment.”

I took an antidote from my bracelet and handed it to Zeke.

He stared at it for a moment and then handed me a silver coin.

Ah. This might be the currency in this world.

“Alex, take this antidote to Cloud right away.”

“Understood.”

As Alex, still holding the antidote, left, I wondered if Cloud might be poisoned.

I hope the antidote works.

“So why are you here?”

Asked Zeke as he saw Alex off, and I answered honestly.

“Well… just taking a walk?”

I’m also collecting materials, but that’s not a lie.

“In this forest…?”

Hmm. It seems this way of speaking confirms that this is indeed a forest full of very dangerous monsters.

But with Koko, the strongest bodyguard, I’m safe!