When the car was stopped entirely, Mike immediately released the two girls to check on Yukiko's condition.
"Uuh, what?" Yukiko noticed Mike's concerned gaze, but she was pinned by the safety cushion.
"Nothing. I'm glad you're okay, Yukiko-san." After saying that, Mike immediately got out of the car to see Alfred's condition. He completely ignored the blushing girl.
"Wh, wha- what? Me, that was, uuh... All right." Minako stuttered with a slight blush on her face, but she ended up shaking her head.
"Are you okay, Minako-sama?" Yura stared at Mike's back for a moment before she tried to make sure that her young miss wasn't hurt.
"I wasn't hurt, Yura-chan. Thanks to Mike-sama for protecting us." Minako unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car.
"Hmm... The brakes have failed and the engine is broken now." Alfred sighed to look at the smoky engine.
"Thank you for stopping this car, Sir Alfred. Are you hurt?" Mike smiled wryly to see this old man's muscular body.
"It's my job to ensure the safety of my passengers. Thanks for asking, but I'm fine. Looks like we can't continue our journey by car, Mike-sama." Alfred replied and closed the engine hood.
"E-eh? In that case, shall we head towards Aokigahara Forest on foot? It's not that far from here, right? Or, do we need to contact someone?" Minako took out her smartphone, but her expression became sullen right after. "This is bad. As it turns out, there's no signal here."
"Looks like we have no other choice but to walk. We can take a shortcut through this forest. It might only take half an hour from here." Alfred opened the driver's door and helped Yukiko out.
"Thanks. Let's leave this car here. Yuna-sama will contact us tomorrow morning via walkie talkie. Take your luggage in the trunk and we'll go." Yukiko jumped out of the car and went straight to the trunk.
Alfred and Mike then took their respective bags. Minako and Yura followed next. After Alfred changed his clothes, they all went into the forest on foot.
An old gentleman led the way at the very front, and three girls followed closely behind.
Meanwhile, Mike was in the back. He was lost in thought because of the previous incident.
'Was the brake failure and all the events just now caused by my misfortune? I thought my bad luck had lessened because of Yuna, but apparently not. My Fortune Point is still 25, though?' Mike wondered in his mind.
<| Side Quest: Complete all the missions from Alfred. Penalty: Complete failure | Reward: Power-ups |>
Mike then checked his new side quest in his system window. 'So, that old man's real tests are about to start in Aokigahara Forest, huh... I don't know what kind of forest it is and what kind of training will be given to me... However, I must complete them without fail. The increased strength is already guaranteed.'
"Uuh, my legs are sore. I've never been on an extreme track like this before. Are we still far from our destination?" Minako complained, but she kept walking.
"..." Yura didn't know what to say.
"It's probably only a thirty-minute walk. Keep following me and make sure you don't fall behind." Alfred glanced back to warn everyone. He was pretty satisfied because Mike was sensitive enough to be at the back to watch that spoiled girl.
"That's the same thing as what you said ten minutes ago, Master Alfred. Ugh, I really want to fly, but I don't want to waste my energy." Minako voiced her complaint again, but no one paid her any heed.
She then looked at her confidant and tried to take her backpack. "Yura-chan, let me carry my bag and yours too. In return, please carry me on the back~"
"E-eh?" Yura was taken aback. She could have carried her young miss, but how long would it take? Her current primary duty was to ensure her young miss's safety. But if she was exhausted from this trivial matter, then it was beyond dangerous.
"You, you don't want to? Uu, meanie..." Minako pouted and canceled her intention to take her backpack from Yura.
"Please forgive me, Minako-sama. My main task is to ensure your safety for the next three days. Besides, we are here because of your idea. It's only a thirty minute walk. Please endure." Yura smiled apologetically.
"Meanie, I'll ignore you." Minako pursed her lips and folded her arms.
Yura only heaved a subtle sigh in response. She sometimes wished her young miss to be more mature and responsible.
At that moment, a bright light bulb suddenly lit up in Minako's mind. She dropped her fist onto her open palm and slowed her pace. "Mike-sama, can you please princess carry me to our destination?"
"Hmm." Mike responded as if he was listening, but actually, he was busy with his train of thought.
"Yay! I know Yuna-chan's chosen boyfriend is a kind and understanding one. Now, I give you permission to princess carry me." Minako cheered happily.
"Wh-what?" Yukiko frowned with a highly dissatisfied expression.
"Mi-Minako-sama!? P-please have some decency." Yura never expected her young miss to be so bold. She also had absolutely no idea what her young miss was up to.
"Eh, please forgive me because I may have heard it wrong. What did you just say, Minako-sama?" Mike just got out of his train of thought.
"I said, I gave you permission to princess carry me. Now, you may do it." Minako repeated her request.
"Ahem, that is a very interesting request. May I know why you suddenly asked me to carry you?" Mike coughed a little, but he cleared his throat to cover it.
"My legs feel so sore. I think, I can't walk anymore through this extreme forest track. Do you have the heart to let such a delicate girl like me suffer?" Minako looked at her shoes which were a bit dirty, but she smiled sweetly at Mike.
"Ah, so you want to take advantage of me? Tsk, tsk, let's do this with elegance." Mike blinked in surprise, but he immediately brought the topic under his control.
"What do you mean by that?" Minako raised her eyebrows.
"I've heard of a nice trick. Let's say it like this. Do you know anything about Aokigahara Forest? Even though I don't know anything, I know it's not an ordinary place." Mike smiled like a gentleman and directed the conversation to the one he wanted for the trick.
"Hehe, of course I know about the forest in question. I quite like horror and that forest will be my first hands-on experience in a haunted place. Ah, I can't wait what will happen there. Do ghosts really exist? Oof, If they really exist, then I need you to protect me again, Mike-sama." Minako immediately went into her chatty mode.
"Hoho, you are so knowledgeable, Minako-sama." Mike nodded in understanding with a smile. However, he screamed in his mind because he had just found out that it was a haunted forest!
Even so, he went back to talking with Minako. That way, this girl would forget the previous request and continue walking without noticing any complaints.