Chapter 63

"Robin, isn't that the meat of a Fangworm?"

"Huh? Yeah. It's crunchy and delicious. It goes really well with ale, you know."

It's said so casually. Everyone else is eating it normally too, and once it's cooked, it doesn't look that bad. In this culture, it's probably normal, but sometimes I want to be a bit cautious. It might be similar to how some people can't stand shrimp.

Fangworm. A monstrous creature that looks like a giant earthworm with fangs. It doesn't exactly look appetizing, and its classification is a bit unclear, which is a bit of a problem.

Some say it tastes like shellfish. If it turns out to be a terrestrial shellfish, the aversion might decrease...?

"Theo, are you not good with worms?"

"No, I just have a prejudice against them."

In BFO, we could cook monsters, but many people avoided worms. ...But since this is the time to try, let's give it a shot.

Determined, I put the boiled worm meat in my mouth... and it was indeed delicious, with a good texture.

I thought it would be an insect-like monster, but from the taste, it's definitely a shellfish.

"Hmm. Maybe it's not so bad."

"Right? The food at this place is especially good."

The restaurant the Forestbird brought us to was quite busy, as it was lunchtime. It seems to be a popular place.

"By the way, I heard you defeated a Guardian."

"That wasn't me, it was Grace."

When the attention turned to her, Grace blushed slightly.

"I knew Grace was amazing."

"Ashley is diving with her too. She'll probably become amazing soon."

"Yeah. You can really feel your growth when you dive into the dungeon."

"N-no, I still have a long way to go."

"Is that in comparison to Theo and Grace?"

The Forestbirds exchanged glances and smiled wryly.

"What happened to the Guardian?"

"He's supposed to become bacon and dried meat, along with his equipment."

While Sheela was carefully removing the bones from a fish, she explained the fate of the Swordboar. The boar meat is nutritious, so it will be preserved and used as emergency rations in the dungeon.

"Should we share some?"

"I'm interested in the taste, but it's too precious to accept."

Fitz smiled wryly and waved his hand.

"Hey, is Ilmhirte a lamia?"

"Yes, that's right."

Now that it's been revealed and she has support, there's no need to hide it. Ilmhirte smiled and answered Monica, and the Forestbird's mood seemed to lift.

"I've never met you before, but I wouldn't have known if you didn't say."

"I can eat regular food, so it's not completely meaningless. I just can't eat too much."

Ilmhirte said this while cutting the bird meat into small pieces. According to her, if she doesn't occasionally drink blood, she gradually weakens. Probably, for lamias, regular food is hard to digest and absorb.

"Once, I couldn't transform back into human form because I was holding out."

"That's when the director and I found her."

Sheela added to Ilmhirte's story. Ah, so the orphanage director knew Ilmhirte's true identity from the beginning. It's because of the director and Sheela's protection that she is where she is now.

"Hehe. You've known Sheela for a long time, haven't you?"

"Mm-hmm."

Sheela nodded.

The long-awaited lunch with the Forestbirds proceeded in a warm atmosphere. Well, after this— I plan to visit the workshop. What do you think about telling Alfred about the Forestbirds? Of course, only if the Forestbirds are okay with it.

"Wow, there are such interesting adventurers."

After getting the Forestbirds' approval, I didn't mention their names, but while mixing potions, I told Alfred about their personalities, and he showed interest as expected.

"Well, they're good adventurers in a good way. I think it would be interesting to hear their opinions too."

"Yeah... That would be great. It would be helpful if you could talk to those adventurers."

It's a matter of whether the Forestbirds are okay with it, but I've already talked to them. It would be helpful to have their perspective on the workshop's tools and prototypes, beyond just mine.

Alfred, who had been smiling happily, then said with a slightly troubled expression.

"Even though you've brought such good news, I have some bad news to share."

"What is it? Suddenly."

"Well, it's about Gregg."

Alfred's words were hesitant.

"Has he done something again?"

"Yeah. Because of the talks with Lady Mercedes and Prince Albert, Gregg's actions have reached the higher-ups. He apparently argued that adventurers should also be compensated."

I blinked, and Alfred smiled wryly.

"According to Gregg, adventurers are dissatisfied because the compensation is insufficient."

"In short, it can be solved with money?"

"Right. The kingdom doesn't want to worsen its relationship with the dungeon, the guild, and the adventurers, who provide benefits without much effort. You know there are former adventurers among the nobility, right? So, they also agree. They suggest including hush money in the budget, paying adventurers, and hiring them as guides. Surprisingly, many people support this idea."

"Hmm. The matter of the sealed door is supposed to be a secret, right?"

"Sort of. Since the dungeon can't be closed, the king thinks it can't be hidden completely."

In other words, as long as the specific contents behind the door and the information related to the Moonlight Temple and the demons don't come out, it won't be a big problem if adventurers get involved.

Moreover, paying adventurers in the form of a commission can be seen as job creation. Some adventurers aim to be employed by the royal family.

"So, the plan to hire adventurers passed quite easily."

"I wish it hadn't been Gregg who proposed it."

Initially, he wanted to do it for free.

To my words, Alfred shrugged and said, "Exactly."

"But adventurers have pride. I think Fernando's group will keep their distance."

"I agree. Gregg might try to give Fernando credit by spending his own money."

...Has it come to this?

If an adventurer accepts this, they will have to be prepared to be looked at with suspicion by other adventurers. Whether they seek it out or accept it, it seems to be a tough situation.

"Well... Let's leave it at that. I'm also preparing for the processing. If you have any requests, please feel free to say so."

"Um..."

Asked by Alfred, I thought for a moment and then answered.

"How about an item to cast enhancement magic on a Lunaworm dress?"

"For a dress... I think it would be in the form of a decorative item for women. The material of your coat is also Lunaworm thread, right?"

"Yeah, I can enchant it myself, so it's fine."

In Grace's case, she needs someone else to cast the magic. If she can activate the enchantment herself, it would be reassuring, and I would feel more at ease.

"Got it. How about a brooch? I'm also thinking of various things... I want to challenge new things through long-term research. If you encounter any inconvenience while exploring the dungeon, let me know."

Hmm... That's the idea that necessity is the mother of invention.

Inconvenience, inconvenience...

"Being able to communicate with someone far away would be helpful. When adventurers get separated in the dungeon, for example."

In BFO, there was individual chat and email through the menu screen... but the fact that these systems are supported means that there is no magic in the game that can achieve such effects.

"...Yeah. That would indeed be convenient. I'll think about it."

The better the quality of the magic stone, the more spell formulas it can contain. It's like programming.

The key is how to reduce the scale of the spell formula when engraving it on the magic stone. High-quality magic stones are very rare, so if they become too expensive, they won't sell.

"Ah, right. I have a few ideas on how to reduce the scale of the spell formula."

When I said that, Alfred blinked.