After notifying the villagers along the way, the group of five finally arrived at the [Grandpa's Thatched Hut] O-Nui had mentioned.
"Phew—finally, we're here. We ran the whole way, and the worst part is, I still haven't eaten anything!"
Gently setting O-Nui down, Musashi wiped the sweat from her brow and complained helplessly.
"If you're hungry, I have a rice ball you can have."
Sakumura rummaged through his pack, found an intact rice ball, and tossed it straight to Musashi.
"Whoa—are you the incarnation of a bodhisattva?! Thank you, Sir Sakumura!!!"
Musashi's eyes lit up. Catching the rice ball and bowing to Sakumura, she promptly swallowed the entire thing whole—and then... she choked.
"Urgh—ack—urgh—"
No matter how hard she tried to force it down, it would not go down, and Musashi's expression gradually twisted in agony.
"Samurai, hurry and drink some water!"
O-Nui pulled a water flask from her pack and hurriedly handed it to Musashi.
"Ahh—I'm saved, I'm saved! Thank you, O-Nui. You're such a good child."
Having come back to life, Musashi stroked O-Nui's head and spoke gently.
"Um, sorry, Samurai. O-Nui must have been really heavy, so please drink some more water."
"How could that be? O-Nui is very light. Light enough that I could hold you in one arm without letting go." Musashi put the cap back on the flask, returned it to O-Nui, and pinched her cheeks twice while she was at it.
The feeling was quite nice.
"Hehe, thank you for carrying me back, Samurai. Um, well..." O-Nui's expression turned cautious. "Samurai, can you carry us again next time?"
Taking Tasuke back from Fujimaru Ritsuka's arms, O-Nui asked Musashi.
"Of course, if there's a need. And even if there isn't, that's fine too."
"That's great!"
O-Nui looked extremely happy.
"Samurai, you're so strong! Even