"Alright, time to head out!"
With a relaxed tone, Uta began his journey to the eastern city of Alden.
He strolled out of the castle gates and onto the road that stretched eastward, his pace leisurely as always.
According to the information he had gathered from the old shopkeeper, it would take about a month to reach Alden on foot.
Horses or riding wyverns would significantly shorten the journey, but Uta lacked the skills for horseback riding.
Moreover, animals tended to shy away from him, so even traveling by carriage wasn't a viable option.
"When you think about it... Google Earth really was amazing. With that, I could go anywhere in the world."
Although Uta had the ability to teleport, he could only travel to places he had already visited.
However, as long as he could form a clear image of the location, he could teleport even to unfamiliar places. This made Google Earth invaluable during his time on Earth, allowing him to day-trip to countries across the globe.
While it was technically possible to teleport blindly to an approximate distance, he avoided doing so—after all, landing in the wrong place could be disastrous.
"Ah, yeah… there was that one time I teleported into a bathhouse. Wakaba was bathing and got so mad."
He recalled an incident where he accidentally teleported into a bathing friend's presence while picturing her.
It had turned into a scene straight out of a sitcom, with Wakaba yelling, "Uta, you pervert!" and dousing him with hot water.
The scolding that followed ensured he never teleported recklessly again.
Since then, he had refrained from teleporting to his friends' locations without prior notice—except in emergencies.
"Well, no rush. I'll just walk for now."
Though he knew he should hurry to support his friends who were fighting against the Demon King, Uta remained his naturally laid-back self.
Born as an immortal eldritch god, his sense of time was vastly different from that of humans.
"Hmm?"
While strolling along at his usual relaxed pace, Uta spotted someone leaning against a tree a short distance off the road.
At first, he thought it was someone napping, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was a young woman slumped over, injured.
She wore battered metal armor, her slender frame stained with blood.
"A corpse?"
"…Ugh…."
"Oh, alive."
Though clearly breathing, the woman's condition was critical.
If left alone, she likely wouldn't survive for another five minutes.
"These look like cuts… not from animals, though."
The wounds on her body were obviously inflicted by a weapon rather than by wild beasts.
There was no sign of her attacker nearby.
"Well, whatever. Let's heal her up."
Uta knew nothing about the woman's circumstances, but leaving her in such a state felt wrong.
Besides, he was curious about how she'd ended up like this.
"…Ugh…"
"Alright, body contact. Don't sue me—this is for treatment, okay?"
Taking the opportunity, Uta placed his hands on her chest.
There was no particular reason for this; when he removed her armor to inspect the wounds, he found her figure unexpectedly alluring and became curious.
"Wow, soft."
The supple texture was strangely soothing, a sensation that helped him feel more at ease with his human form.
As he indulged for a moment, the wounds on her body began to heal, reversing as if being rewound.
In moments, even the bloodstains disappeared, leaving her skin flawless.
"All done."
Satisfied, Uta re-dressed her in the armor, ensuring no evidence of his earlier actions remained.
"First time touching anyone besides my mom… Not bad."
He mused about asking his childhood friends for permission to touch them once everything was resolved.
Would they refuse? Hit him? Or perhaps… willingly oblige?
The reactions of Chika, Miko, and Wakaba were something he looked forward to.
"All right, problem solved… or not."
"Gruuu…"
"Huh, looks like we've got company. Wolves, maybe?"
Surrounding them were black, horned beasts.
Drawn by the scent of the woman's blood, they had encircled Uta and his patient.
Their goat-like horns, sharp teeth, and glowing eyes gave them an ominous appearance.
These were "Horned Wolves," dangerous monsters known for preying on travelers along the roads.
"One, two, three… Seven of them."
The wolves exuded hostility and bloodlust, ready to pounce.
Clearly, negotiation wasn't an option.
"I actually like animals… but I guess there's no helping it."
With a sigh, Uta beckoned to the wolves, his hand waving in a playful gesture.
"Come here, and I'll give you a nice cuddle. But in exchange, I'll take your lives."
"Growwwl!"
A trade of love for death.
When the first wolf lunged, Uta embraced it warmly, enjoying the fur before turning it to ash.
For a while, the cries of the wolves echoed through the road.
Then, silence returned.