Chapter 82

In conclusion, it was a complete failure. I realized that I still hadn't fully adapted to the Japanese way of thinking.

Rain, it's scary. Especially the rain during the cold season is too troublesome.

After arriving at the forest and starting the hunt, it began to drizzle. At first, it wasn't too bad, but as the rain intensified and the ground turned muddy, it felt like a different world.

Walking was fine as long as I was careful, but once the battle started, there was no time to worry about such things. I lost my balance more often due to slipping on leaves and other debris, which made me more vulnerable to attacks. The other three were relatively used to it, but I gave up and, from halfway through, switched to hover mode and focused on providing magical support whenever I sensed a battle.

However, even that wasn't enough. When I asked Rott, he said that during snow, they tie metal spikes to their shoes to prevent slipping, but they don't use them for rain because they add to the burden. I need to improve my skills to maintain control in slippery conditions.

The rain seeping through is also troublesome. While moving, it's still manageable, but once you stop, your body temperature drops quickly. Finding a place to camp where it's not raining is almost impossible. I didn't want to sleep in the forest, but the area under a large tree provided some protection from the rain, so I set up camp there.

For the firewood, the surface was wet, so the fire wouldn't start. I hurriedly collected dry twigs from under the large trees that hadn't been affected by the rain. For the kindling, I used a lighter that I had hidden. Everyone had a firebox, but it was difficult to transfer the flame to the wet twigs. Even after transferring the flame, it was a struggle to build up the fire with the wet logs. I had to desperately add twigs to make the fire bigger while shivering.

The meal was manageable once the fire was lit. At the same time, I dried the blankets as much as possible by placing them near the fire.

When it was my turn to keep watch, my wet body was cold, and I couldn't move. I couldn't leave the fire. I struggled to stay alert and monitor the surroundings while waiting for my turn to end. The rain gradually stopped during my watch.

When it was time, I woke up Fia and borrowed her blanket, but it was also damp from the rain. Fia was warm when she first came out, but the wind quickly took away the heat. I shivered, alternating between wakefulness and sleep, and drowsily welcomed the morning.

The fire was still burning, so while preparing breakfast, I asked Rott about camping in the rain.

"We don't move during the rain. Unless it's an emergency, we stay in the tent."

"What do you do in an emergency?"

"In the cold season, we wear mantles. If a battle breaks out, we take them off and put them back on after the battle. Even just a windbreaker can make a big difference in maintaining body temperature."

"I don't see many people wearing mantles?"

"Everyone keeps them in their bags. When it gets colder, they wear them regularly. In the summer, they serve as sun protection. Some scouts have hidden weapons in their mantles, so they wear them all the time."

It seems that waterproof mantles exist. They are not available in the village but are sold in the town. Living in the village, you can dry off indoors even if you get a little wet. For jobs that require outdoor work in the town, mantles are essential. I thought the mantles in games and comics were just for show, but they are practical.

Tents are also sold in the town. Tents with waterproof leather covers are very expensive, but ordinary waterproof tents can be bought with the party's funds. I realized that I lacked preparation and information.

I also asked Fia what she did during cold rain.

"Hmm? I would take shelter under a large tree. Fighting while wet is a sure way to die. It's too dangerous. Maintaining armor is also a hassle."

I understood that people in this world don't move during the rain. However, I decided to buy a tent and mantle as soon as possible. Since we will have to go to the town when the baron's response comes, I will discuss it with the others when the response arrives.

With this in mind, I finished my meal and continued hunting. However, as time passed, my body gradually became sluggish. I rarely get sick, but I started to feel symptoms of a cold.

The symptoms were manageable, so I decided to continue hunting for the next four days. However, my judgment seemed to be impaired, and I had more close calls.

We discussed it with the other three in the afternoon and decided to return to the village to rest. It had been a while since I had taken time off due to illness, which was mentally tough. Liz scolded me for always pushing myself too hard. It was unfair.

After returning home and sleeping for a night, my condition improved. When I first arrived in this world, I had diarrhea due to unfamiliar food and water. This was the first time I had been sick since then.

For the next three days, the weather was clear, and there were no problems. The chaos at the entrance to the forest had also calmed down, and the number of goblins had decreased. We went deeper into the forest, but no bears appeared.

On the last day, I discussed the fact that I had to take a break due to illness and that we didn't achieve our initial goal.

"Being sick can't be helped. I'm glad nothing serious happened."

"Are you overworking yourself, leader? Or overthinking?"

That was the response I got. I didn't ask Liz; she would definitely scold me.

Thus, the one-week expedition ended. I learned many lessons. I firmly swore to be well-prepared for rain and not to push myself unnecessarily.