I Can Multiply My Daily Gacha by 100x

Yenna floated half a step behind Dante’s shoulder. Her ears were stiff, but she shook her head.

”No. I’m fine.”

Dante glanced at her once, then walked forward. Esabella stayed on his left. Miso followed last, head low, shoulders brushing the edges of the opening. The moment they crossed the carved posts the feeling of the forest thinned. It didn’t disappear, but it stopped pressing against their skin. A handful of children watched from the steps of the houses. None of them ran over. They just looked.

The woman led them between the buildings to a small wooden house near the inner side of the circle.

”Food’s already inside,” she said. ”Eat and Rest. Someone will come later to talk about the path past the old watchtower. Don’t leave the posts after dark. The forest tests them at night.”

She left. The door stayed open.

Inside, the room was plain. One low table, four bowls of steaming food, a clay jug of water and a few cups. Dante sat with his back to the wall so he could see the door. Yenna drifted down on his right and pulled her bowl closer without speaking. Esabella sat on his left, close enough that her knee touched his. She ignored her own bowl and cup. Instead she picked up Dante’s cup first, brought it to her mouth, and drank.

”Water’s safe,” she said after swallowing. She set the cup down and reached for his bowl next. She took a bite, chewed, and spoke around the food. ”Food too. I checked. Nothin’ weird in i’. You c’n eat now, my king.”

The words were muffled, soft at the edges, but understandable. She held the bowl out to him with both hands. Dante looked at the cup, then at her.

”What are you doing? You drinking and eati–.”

”Mhm.” She nodded, still chewing. ”Had to. Wha’ if they put somethin’ in yours and no’ ours? Now i’s fine. Promise.”

Dante look at her full mouth for a second and took the bowl and started eating. Yenna watched them, ears twitching, and began on her own food without comment.

A minute later Dante reached for the cup. Esabella moved faster. She was mid-bite, cheeks faintly full, but she snatched the cup and brought it straight to his mouth before he could lift it himself.

”Here,” she said, voice thick. ”Drink. I already— mph— I already checked i’. ’S good. Open your mouth, my king.”

Dante didn’t drink. He looked at her face—at the way she was leaning in, gold eyes bright and fixed on him, still holding the cup even while chewing—and slowly took it from her hand.

”You drink.”

Esabella blinked. She stared at the cup now in his hand, then quickly shook her head, both palms coming up.

”N-No, no. You firs’. I already had some. You should have the res’. I’ll be fine. Really. I don’t even need i’. Jus’ drink, please? I wan’ you to.”

Her face had gone red. She was talking too fast again, some sounds sticking together because she still hadn’t fully swallowed. Dante watched her for a moment, expression unreadable.

”Haaa...You’re doing too much.” he sighed.

”I’m not,” she said immediately, leaning closer. ”I jus’... I like making sure. If you drink i’ then I know you’re okay. An’ if you tell me to drink after, I will. I’ll do whatever you say. Jus’ this once, you take i’ firs’. Please?”

From the other side of the table Yenna had stopped eating. She looked at Esabella, then at Dante still holding the cup, then down at her own bowl. Her ears lowered. She took a small bite and didn’t speak, but her tail flicked once under the table.

Dante sighed through his nose. He lifted the cup and drank. The second he did, Esabella’s whole expression brightened. She swallowed the rest of her bite in a hurry and smiled, wide and pleased.

”Good,” she said, clearer now. ”You drank. I’m happy.” She picked up her own bowl at last and started eating, eyes flicking to him every few seconds. ”You don’ have to worry. I’ll keep checkin’ everythin’. Food, water, whatever they bring. You jus’ eat. I’ll handle i’.”

”You don’t have to handle it,” Dante said.

”I wan’ to.” She took another bite and spoke around it again, softer. ”I like doin’ i’ for you. Makes me feel... better. Like I’m doin’ somethin’ right. So lemme. Okay?”

Yenna made a quiet sound and kept eating, slower than before. She glanced at the open door.

A boy was peeking around the frame, only half of him visible. When he saw them looking he was smiling —then slowly pulled back and disappeared. Soft footsteps faded slowly.

Yenna’s ears flattened. Esabella had seen him too. Her smile disappear for a second, but she didn’t stop eating. She just shifted closer to Dante until her shoulder touched his arm and kept her eyes on the doorway between bites.

”Finish your food,” Dante said.

”Mhm.” Esabella nodded at once, mouth full, and ate faster, still watching him. Yenna looked between them, then at the empty doorway again, and took another quiet spoonful.

Dante was quiet for a few seconds. Then he asked, ”The woman said there’s an old watchtower. How far past it until the next way up? And what usually waits there?”

Esabella answered before Yenna could. ”She said most people don’ come back from there. Didn’ say why. Just smiled like it was normal.”

”Cael said his family keeps the paths clear,” Dante said. ”Didn’t say how.”

”They didn’ say a lo’ of things,” Yenna muttered. She glanced toward the open door, then back at her bowl. ”The kids were staring at my lantern. One of them wouldn’ look away.”

Esabella’s chewing slowed. She looked at Yenna, then at Dante.

”We’ll leave early,” she said, voice lower. ”Soon as we know the path. I don’ like how easy they let us in.”

Dante nodded once. He kept eating. Outside, the settlement was quiet except for the occasional voice of an adult calling a child’s name.

Few minutes later.....

The woman came at dusk. She knocked once and stepped in without waiting. Cael stood a pace behind her with his head down, carrying a jug of water.

”I’m Hessa,” she said. ”Cael’s mother. I owe you for my son.”

”It’s nothing much,” Dante said.

”No it is .” She sat across the table and folded her hands. ”The old watchtower is two hours north. Past it, the forest thins. Cael can lead you in the morning.”

”What’s at the tower?”

”Beasts. Bigger than the ones you met.” She smiled. ”Nothing you can’t handle.”

Cael set the jug on the table. His hand shook, and a little water spilled on the wood. Hessa’s smile didn’t change. She reached out and slapped him across the face.

It wasn’t loud. It was quick and practiced. Cael’s head turned with it, and he straightened up again without a sound.

”Clumsy,” she said. ”Go and help your sister.”

”Yes–Yes, Mother.” He said in trembling voice. Then He left. The door stayed open behind him.

Esabella’s spoon had stopped halfway to her mouth. Dante and Yenna was also shocked.

”He’s a good boy,” Hessa said. ”He just needs reminding. you don’t need to worry, just rest.

After some time.... When the lamps came on, the settlement changed. Dante stood in the doorway and watched. Spearmen walked between the houses in pairs. Near the center, a long wooden shed stood with its door open. Children filed into it in a line, from the smallest to the oldest.

Around thirteen of them, all quiet. A man with a spear stood beside the door and counted heads with his finger.

Cael was the last. He stopped at the threshold and looked back. His eyes found Dante’s, only for a second. The man shoved him inside and dropped a bar across the door.

A small hand pressed against a gap in the boards. A girl’s face appeared there, about twelve, with her arms folded. She was staring at Yenna, floating behind Dante’s shoulder.

Yenna’s ears flattened.

”Dante,” she whispered.

”Yeah i know” He kept his eyes on the shed a moment longer. The girl’s face was still there, and she didn’t blink.

The bell rang at full night. It was a single note from somewhere inside the circle. The spearmen went to their houses, Doors closed. Lamps went out one by one, until only a few were left, burning low.

Dante close their door and set the bar across it.

The room smelled something different. Even though He had noticed it an hour ago, His eyelids felt heavy. ’The air. Not the food.’

Beside him he saw Esabella sleeping , She yawned, then shook her head and bit her lip.

”My King~,” she murmured. ”I’m~...No~”