"Did you find him!?"
"No, no luck over here either..."
"That little prankster! Where on earth did he go?"
In the square at the center of the village, a frantic rhythm had taken hold. Adults searching for the missing young Niki were constantly rushing out and returning in a desperate cycle. Among the crowd were the members of Shikumu's Pier.
"Ryoma! How’s it looking on your end!?"
"Sein-san... at the very least, I haven't seen any boats out on the lake near the village. I spotted a few fishing vessels from other villages, but none of them had a child on board. There's also no sign of him on the roads leading out of the village, and no carriages large enough for a child to hide in."
I had enlisted the help of my Rimur Birds, sharing their vision as they circled overhead. We were scouring the village outskirts from a high vantage point, but so far, our efforts had yielded nothing.
"I see... Oh! Peiron! What about you?"
"I’ve confirmed the location of every boat in the village. Apparently, no outside vessels have docked today, either."
"So that means he’s definitely not on the lake?"
Niki was last seen immediately after he had pelted me with an Octa. Apparently, once he had been caught and scolded, he had thrown a fit and vanished. Four hours had passed since then. With winter upon us, the days were short, and the world outside was already beginning to slip into darkness.
"...As long as it wasn't a kidnapping," someone muttered.
"True. If nothing were wrong, he would usually be home by now."
"Is that so?" I asked.
"That boy... he’s a habitual prankster, but he always made it back before dark, even when he knew a scolding was waiting for him."
"He was a boy of his word when it came to the bare minimum. We remember causing our fair share of trouble back in the day, too, and he listens when we tell him something is truly dangerous. That’s why we usually let him off with a single thwack to the head and a light lecture."
It would be a relief if he were just sulking in a corner somewhere, but we couldn't rule out the possibility that something had gone wrong.
"I’m so sorry... if only I had held onto him tighter," Niki's Grandmother sobbed.
"It’s our son who’s at fault. Please, don't blame yourself."
"Good grief, that idiot! The nerve of him to cause trouble and then run away just because he got yelled at. When I find him, I’m going to give him a thorough piece of my mind!"
I looked toward the source of the harsh voices and saw a young couple. Judging by the conversation, they were likely Niki's parents. Tucked behind them, almost out of sight, was the grandmother who had been searching for the boy earlier.
The old woman stood before an ancient, weathered Jizo shrine in the square, her hands pressed together in prayer as she wept. Her posture was heavy with regret and worry.
I wanted to find him quickly, but if he wasn't in the village, on the roads, or on the lake, the only place left was the forest that encircled the village in nearly every direction. Even in the heart of winter, the trees there were thick with lively, spreading branches.
I tried sending instructions to Sechs and Fünf, who were patrolling the roads, but the dense canopy blocked their view from above. They reported that it was difficult to fly inside the forest because of the tangled mess of branches. It was an environment where the Rimur Birds were of little use.
I needed a clue. What was I like as a child? I recalled several instances where I had done something similar after my father and I had stopped getting along.
Back then, even if I ran away from home, I had nowhere to go. I’d end up at a local park or some other familiar spot. Even when I thought I had traveled a great distance, I was usually still within a short walk from my house. Children's legs can only take them so far.
I remembered hearing about kids who ran away to a friend's house—not that I ever had any friends like that. In the end, it meant that most children hid in places they knew well.
A familiar place in the forest... Wait.
"Sein-san, Peiron-san, those Octas we ate at lunch... they live in the forest, don't they?"
"Huh? Yeah, they do, but what’s the sudden interest?"
"That Octa Niki-kun threw at me—where did he get it? I doubt an adult would give him one just for a prank. If he caught it himself, wouldn't he have had to go into the forest, grab the Octa, and come back before he ran into us?"
"...Now that you mention it, that's a good point."
"Right. He’s always pulling that stunt, but I’ve never heard of him stealing an Octa from a family dinner to do it. Let me go check."
Sein-san ran back to the couple and the grandmother. A moment later, he returned with the three of them in tow.
"Ryoma! You were right! Apparently, Niki always catches his own Octas for his pranks!"
"Do you know where his usual spot is?"
"It’s probably the east," his mother chimed in. "He used to tell me he was going to fetch firewood whenever we ran low, so he must have been catching them then."
There it was! A lead.
"Is my boy in the Eastern Forest?" the father asked, his harsh tone replaced by a frantic tremor. He was clearly furious with the boy, but his concern for his son's safety was even greater.
"I can't be certain, but if I were in his shoes, I would hide in a place that was both familiar and hidden from prying eyes."
Based on my experience hunting daily in Gana Forest, I knew that tracking prey wasn't as simple as just walking into the woods. Most creatures sense a person's presence and flee instantly. You have to account for wind direction, find their paths, and set traps. To do it consistently requires experience.
Niki was catching Octas constantly. That meant he had a favorite spot in the Eastern Forest—a place he knew like the back of his hand.
"That's good enough for me," Kai said. "We don't have any other clues anyway. Let's get moving instead of standing around here talking."
"Perfect timing. Shin and the others are back."
The rest of Shikumu's Pier joined us.
"Alright, let's go!"
"Wait, what?"
"What are we doing?"
"Sein, I'm going to need an explanation."
"I’ll tell you on the way. To the Eastern Forest!"
"I’m coming too!" I added.
As we hurried toward the woods, the members who were out of the loop were briefed on the situation. By the time we arrived at the tree line, the sun had vanished completely, leaving the forest in total darkness.
"If he has an Octa spot, it’s probably deep inside," someone suggested.
"I agree. Octas are timid; they tend to stay away from human settlements," Shin noted, narrowing our search area based on the creature's habits.
"I see. Is there a boundary he wouldn't cross?"
"The 'Projecting Rock,' probably."
"It’s a spot where the cliff face juts out over the lake."
"Let's move fast. Ryoma, it's dark and the ground is uneven, so don't fall behind!"
With that, Kai led the charge into the forest. We pushed through the undergrowth, guided by the glow of Light Magic.
Suddenly, I stopped. "Wait! Did you hear that?"
"What? Are you sure?"
"No, I heard it too," Sein confirmed. "I don't know if it's Niki, though."
"Could be a monster. Stay sharp."
Following Shin’s lead, we moved toward the sound. As it grew louder, the source became clear.
"Those are definitely goblins. About five of them. They sound extremely agitated."
Even with our magic light shining in the darkness, the goblins didn't approach us. Their attention was fixed on something else.
"Agitated? Is the boy there?"
"I don't hear a child's voice..."
"Please, let him be okay..."
"Regardless, we can't have goblins this close to the village. Ready?"
"Glad I brought my gear."
The five adventurers readied their weapons. I drew the Iron Slime I had tasked with mimicking a kodachi. We crept closer until the monsters came into view.
"Gigi!"
"Gyi! Gyi!"
"Here they come! Eyes up!"
"Right!"
The goblins had been making a racket as they swarmed around a massive, thick tree. When they noticed us, they lunged. But they were unarmed, and the members of Shikumu's Pier were far too seasoned to struggle against mere goblins.
The battle was over in a heartbeat. The forest fell silent once more as the goblins collapsed, staining the earth red.
"...Looks like that was the lot of them."
"What about Niki?"
"Hey! Niki! Are you there!?" Sein shouted.
"...Ah..."
"Did you hear that?"
"Yeah! That was definitely a voice!"
"But from where?"
"Come out! Give us a sign!"
We searched the immediate area and looked up into the branches, but there was no sign of the boy. And yet, we had definitely heard him. If he wasn't beside us or above us...
"Earth Sonar...!"
I cast the earth-probing spell I'd developed for underground detection. The ground was more mud than soil, which dampened the range, but it was enough.
"What is it, Ryoma-kun?"
"I checked with magic. There's a large hollow beneath this tree."
"What!?"
"Under the tree? Is there an entrance?"
"Over here! There’s a hole!" Peiron shouted.
"Are you serious?"
"It’s too small for me, and I can't see the bottom..."
"Let me try," I said. "I should be able to fit."
Peiron had found a gap between the gnarled roots. Hidden among the tangled wood was a small opening where the mud had been cleared away. It looked like an animal's burrow, but the path continued deep underground. I squeezed my way into the hole. Even for a child, it was a tight fit. I couldn't even lift my head, so I had to resort to a low crawl.
As I pushed forward, a memory from my previous life surfaced. My old company had once considered incorporating JSDF trial enlistment into their new employee training. I was ordered to "actually go and experience it during your holiday" so I could report back. Honestly? It was easier than my day job.
The physical part was fine, but what I loved most was how clear the instructions were. My Section Manager was the exact opposite; his orders were so vague that I had to spend half my time interrogating him just to figure out what he wanted. Then he’d get angry at me for "not understanding without being told," even though he’d also get angry if I guessed and got it wrong.
The military's orders were clear, logical, and rewarded proper execution. I remember thinking that if I got used to that kind of clarity, I’d never be able to function at my company again. I’d written a report saying the training was "counterproductive" for our office culture—not because I hated the JSDF, but because I hated how incompetent my boss was.
I shook the memory away as I reached a bend in the tunnel. My light revealed something startling: a door.
It was a crude thing—little more than a screen of tied branches—but it was undeniably man-made.
"I see. It wasn't just a hole; it was Niki-kun's secret base. No wonder they couldn't find him."
I was impressed that he had found such a spot, let alone built this. I called out to him.
"Niki-kun? It's the Slime Big Bro. You're in there, aren't you?"
There was no verbal response, but I heard a faint rustle from the other side. There was no lock, so I pushed the door open gently.
And there, in the small, hollowed-out room, I found him.
"Niki-kun!"
"..."