Not far from the battleground, inside a narrow burrow that looked like an old rabbit den (a slightly oversized one), debris of twigs and snow piled up at the entrance.
After unleashing that devastating [Pay2Win Area] attack on the Snow Diwolves, only the four wolves May had already wounded ended up dead. The rest were still kicking, probably thanks to their hefty HP pools boosted by their boss's buff. Sure, they were temporarily blinded and stunned by the attack, but with the blizzard picking up and my—Milk's—pathetic speed, there was no way we'd outrun them once they recovered. We had no choice but to find the nearest hiding spot, which led us to this cozy little hole.
Oh, and it wasn't just because I'm slow as molasses in this Milk body. There was another issue: May couldn't exactly sprint back to town alone either. Why? Well, that [Pay2Win Area] skill of hers left her buck naked, not a single scrap of clothing to cover up with…
"Brrr… S-S-So c-cold… cold… cold…"
"Here, take my clothes already."
"W-W-Will that… be okay? You'll freeze instead!"
"Sigh…"
I, Milk, let out a long sigh, unfastening my outer armor and wrapping my arms around May to share some warmth.
Snug
"Huh…?"
"I'm not being a perv, alright? Hope you get that. Let's warm up a bit, then we'll make a bed to rest."
"Mmm… It's so warm… and soft…"
…
After that, we gathered cloaks, scraps of grass, and whatever else we could find to insulate against the freezing ground. I gave May my slightly funky-smelling shirt—y'know, from days of traveling in this snowy city without a bath. Left with just my cloth pants, I hugged her close, pulling the remaining fabric over us both and piling my armor on top for extra warmth.
The scene of two girls clinging to each other… Is it erotic? I don't know. Our bodies pressed tight, the faint warmth of our breaths mingling, firm flesh against soft, shivering skin. We trembled from the cold now and then, but we managed to ease each other's chills in bursts.
Our hearts pounded hard, thumping against one another. Sure, we'd just met, and I'm not into that kind of thing, but the whole setup felt… well, a tad too intimate, you know?
To keep things from getting too awkward, we started chatting about random girl stuff. (Look, I know I'm a guy, but Milk's a woman, okay? And I'm not getting any creepy vibes here! Even if the mood's a bit… steamy.)
I couldn't believe how much we opened up to each other. We covered everything—how May ended up here, her journey so far, how I got that letter (fudged a few details there), and how we wound up cuddling in this burrow. She was clearly bottling up a lot of frustration.
"Hmm, I get it. Your good intentions probably didn't reach your party's hearts, huh?"
"Sob I just… I just…!"
"Let it out, May. Let it all out."
"Wah I just wanted everyone to level up as fast as possible! To get stronger, so we could beat the boss together, and then… then I could go back to my old world… sniff…"
"…Back to your old world, huh?"
Milk might not know, but I do. Not everyone wants to be stuck in this other world. Being summoned here for the goddesses' amusement, their little game of class divides—it's not fun for someone whose life back home wasn't lacking.
"No, it's nothing… I meant, like, my hometown…"
"It's alright, May. It's alright. I'm gonna help you out."
"Thanks, but… is that really okay, Milk? You're just here for some mission in that letter. You don't actually want to help me."
Ugh, damn it, this girl… She's reckless as hell, but she dives in headfirst whenever someone's in trouble. How could I possibly abandon her?!
I'll use this Milk persona to take responsibility for you, May. I'll make sure you get back to the world we came from!!
"I might not fully get you, May, but I'm gonna help you. Not because of that stupid letter, but because I see how much you genuinely want to help people!"
"I'm not… I'm not some grand hero trying to save everyone…"
"No need to explain, May. I'm helping you, no matter what. Just… keep your head on straight and listen to me sometimes, got it?"
"Milk!! Thank you, thank you so much!! Sob…"
"Let's get out of this alive together, May."
"Sniff Thank you, Milk!!!!"
Yup, that's right. A fake but beautiful bond. Sure, it was built on my own shady choices—ignoring this world's people while deciding to help someone from my world—but still…
We clung to each other, huddling close until the blizzard calmed and we were sure the wolves had left the area. Then, we crawled out of the burrow and headed back to town.
End of Chapter 24
Two Girls Huddled Together