Chapter 19

Leo is leading the way, even though he says it's stream fishing.

If we go upstream, it should be a stream, right? ...But this forest is flat.

I follow Leo along the riverbank.

The forest has short undergrowth, beautiful green moss, fallen trees here and there, and broad-leaved trees that stretch straight and spread their branches. In the real world, this would be a well-maintained forest, but here it seems normal.

"Should we have a fight soon to see how strong the enemies are?"

"Yeah. I don't think they'll be so strong that we can't win from this distance."

"If it gets tough, let's run."

"If we start running here, we might as well go back; we won't be able to beat the boss."

"! That's right, there's a boss."

"If we don't beat the boss, we'll have to walk to the town."

"Then let's do it when we see the next one."

The deer that appeared at the beginning had no antlers, but the ones we see now have impressive antlers. According to the appraisal, the ones without antlers are female Fleur deer, and the ones with antlers are male.

When the deer appear from the forest, Kikuhime initiates the attack.

"It's lunchtime!"

"Maybe we'll see weaknesses when our appraisal level goes up."

As soon as Kikuhime uses a skill to increase enmity, Petros deals a normal attack, followed by Leo. They then move to the back to position themselves.

Sin and I split to the left and right during this time.

"Fire Enchantment!"

"Shadow"

While Sin casts the Fire Magic "Enchantment" on himself, I cast a spell to hinder the enemy's movement.

"Shadow" is a level 1 Dark Magic. It doesn't deal damage but can blind the enemy for a certain time, reducing their attack accuracy. When cast on oneself, it can hide one's presence. It's more effective in darker environments.

I cast "Shadow" to avoid hitting the two spies, aiming for the area they pass through.

Until Kikuhime uses a skill to increase enmity, we refrain from using full attacks. Provocation skills are more effective after landing a hit.

Fighting with six familiar people can be a bit messy at times, but it generally goes smoothly.

"It's a 'Unique Enemy'!"

A skill to firmly lock the target when there's only one enemy. However, during the skill's effect, Kikuhime can't escape from the enemy, and no one can temporarily take over the target if Kikuhime is in danger.

"Wind Ball"

Yeah, I'm using a staff even though I'm a magic swordsman. I can't enchant without a magic level of 5, and metal, especially swords, seem to hinder magic, reducing my power compared to using my bare hands.

But since I bought the sword, I want to use it.

The deer occasionally launch a high-damage attack, but Kikuhime handles it without any trouble, apparently with new equipment.

"Back Attack!"

"Hide in Shadows!!"

"Dragon 'Thrust'!"

"Wind Ball!"

Ah, I just thought of something.

Petros is the closest.

"Petros, when I cast a spell on you next, can you try a 'Sneak Attack'?"

Petros probably has this skill.

"Sure, got it."

"Shadow!"

"Sneak Attack!"

"Whoa, the sneak attack worked."

"Sneak Attack" is a skill that can't be used once the enemy has seen you, so it's quite powerful but can't be used once combat starts. In a party, it can't even be used for the first attack due to enmity management.

However, it seems to work if you attack after hiding with "Shadow."

"Attacking separately is weaker, let's keep it up!"

Ochazuke throws her homemade dagger while encouraging us.

So, I keep casting "Shadow."

"I might take 'Sneak Attack' next time."

It was that strong, even after one battle.

"Shadow," "Sneak Attack," and any spell or attack from Petros, then "Shadow" and "Sneak Attack" again. This is because "Shadow" disappears when used, and "Sneak Attack" can't be used consecutively.

"I didn't plan to take all the spells, but maybe I'll go for the assassin or ninja type with hiding skills."

"Those are for assassins or ninjas, right?"

"This way, the journey should go smoothly."

"By the time it gets tough, Leo will have taken 'Sneak Attack.'"

"We need a few more hunts to make lunch."

"Can I try using the sword a bit before it gets tough...?"

During the next battle, I swapped the staff and sword in the equipment window, and the "Equipment Change" skill appeared. It allows me to change equipment instantly without opening the window. I immediately acquired it! ...But Ochazuke calls out to me.

"By the way, didn't Homura buy a magic sword for magic swordsmen?"

"Magic swords...?"

"There are only one-handed swords from NPCs, but they're made of silver and don't hinder magic. They don't seem to boost weapon power like staves."

I didn't know that.

"You're well-informed."

"I'm always on edge, wondering when I'll stumble upon a mystery. But I can't stop."

It's fine, I can use it well for Ruba and the boy with the staff!! I don't mind spending SP!! I don't mind at all!

"Katana" also appeared... Damn!

"Let's have lunch soon."

"Deer meat!"

After that, male deer with females appeared, and we obtained a lot of meat, antlers, and hides. Females drop loin meat instead of antlers.

"Go ahead and cook it!"

When Leo took out a barbecue set, I thought he would cook it, but he asked for help.

Well, I guess it can't be helped. As I was preparing, Kikuhime's voice came.

"Let Homura put it away first!"

"What?"

"Leo is now the owner of the barbecue set, which means there's a risk that Leo will cook."

I wonder what kind of food Leo made Kikuhime eat in the past. Pushed by Kikuhime's insistence, I put the barbecue set in my pouch. I could cook it now, but they probably want to eat while it's cooking. I took out the barbecue set again, and for the preparation, I might as well marinate the meat in wine.

"Hey!"

Just as I placed the wine next to the marinated meat to speed up the process, Petros and Kikuhime took it away.

"Delicious!"

"It feels more like game than barbecue!"

"More beer, please."

"Me too~"

"Loins are delicious!!"

"The meat is under my management!!"

"Onions are done~"

"Who put the bell peppers on?"

"Meat~ meat"

The sound and smell of sizzling meat spread, and the noise of my friends eating was lively.

Kikuhime is drinking wine, Petros and Sin are drinking beer.

In exchange for cooking, I get all the meat, so this is a service. It's good to see it's well-received.

"Homura, make coffee and oolong tea next time."

"Coffee is easy, but bring the ingredients for oolong tea."

I don't drink coffee, so I don't offer it, but I did buy some beans. Ochazuke is a coffee addict instead of drinking alcohol. As for tea, I'm the only one here who prefers black or green tea.

During the break, we leisurely gather materials. Medicinal herbs can be found anywhere with greenery. Leo is fishing, and the mining group is picking up stones downstream. To me, who doesn't have mineral appraisal, they just look like ordinary stones. I wonder if the fish will escape.

There are more stones and rocks here, and it's a mining point, so we decided to have lunch here around noon. It feels a bit strange. Why are there so many stones here, especially the rocks jutting out in the middle of the river? They don't seem to have flowed down from upstream. Maybe it's a design thing. I can't help but think in terms of the real world, like the placement of mining points.

While watching them work, I found watercress, a food that can be gathered. It was a good thing I bought the book.

"What are you doing?"

Turning to look, Sin is tilting his head.

"I'm gathering watercress. It's often served with steak. Like berries, anyone can gather it."

I showed the gathered watercress and explained, and the mining group also gathered nearby watercress while mining, and Kikuhime even gathered it instead of herbs.

"I'm a production tailor, so herbs are cheap. It's a thank you for the wine earlier."

By the time the break was over, we had a lot of watercress and fish. It's very helpful.

"Thank you, but... the fish was slipped in the chaos!?"

"Hahaha, cook it however you like!"

"Ha, got it. I'll return the cooked food we don't eat later."

I'm happy my skills improved, but what's this feeling of being tricked? I'll make all the fish in sweet and sour sauce! Is there enough sugar!?

There's no miso for miso soup.

"Hmm, if we have rice and soybeans, we could make miso and soy sauce."

"We have soybeans, but not rice."

"Let's search for it for sake!"

"If we can make miso and soy sauce, I'll join the search party."

"Let's expand our search area."

"I want to eat rice for breakfast!"

"Give us miso soup!"

"You're craving Japanese food early, even though you don't eat it every day in the real world."

"That's different. It's like wanting Japanese breakfast when staying at a ryokan."

"Sake every day is a chance!"

"Same here."

No need to worry about hangovers or the next morning.

After seeing everyone's passion for food, we started moving. The map along the river becomes more detailed. Because it's a forest, the differences are only noticeable when fully zoomed in.

Let's register the places where watercress can be gathered.

"Where we found the ore and watercress. There's something there."

Petros, who was also about to register it, spoke.

Yeah, the rock in the middle of the river I was looking at earlier. A circle appeared on my map too.

We decided to go back.

"That rock."

"Really, it has a circle on the map when you look closely."

"Shall we go see it up close?"

That's what we decided.

We surrounded the rock. The river is shallow, so the current is slow, but it's dangerous to be knee-deep without being careful.

"Kikuhime, it's easier to stand in someone's shadow?"

Kikuhime looks very uncomfortable. Leo is already holding onto Sin and swimming, so he's fine.

"There's something carved on it."

"What is it?"

"Is it Fal's mark?"

"Yeah, I saw it a lot in the temple last night."

Since it was the first shrine we visited, I vaguely remembered and said so, and Sin confirmed it. Maybe I should have bought a book anyway.

The emblem is mostly submerged, and to read it, we need to block the water flow by getting close to the rock or dive in.

When Ochazuke touched the emblem, the rock glowed. It's a familiar light.

"Ah, who are you? To come to such a place."

"It's a spirit!"

Sin saw a translucent woman sitting on the rock and called out.

Her body and face aren't that transparent, but her fingers, especially her toes and hair, show the flow of water. A woman made of blue water.

Ah?

Feeling a bad omen, I hide half my body behind Sin.

"Who released my seal?"

She smiles, puts her index finger to her lips, and asks with a slight shrug.

"It's this person."

Petros and Sin point to Ochazuke, who is in front of the spirit, with a smile.

"Wha, what?"

"Oh, an elf. A handsome man, huh."

She narrows her eyes at Ochazuke, her mouth forming a crescent moon, looking delighted. This is the flow of a spirit's blessing.

"But, the one who gets along well with me is also a man."

She gives a sidelong glance at Petros.

"I'll pass, I'm a lolicon."

Petros is willing to do anything to avoid the blessing.

Next, she looks at me.

"You are too beautiful to be human, with golden hair and forest green eyes. The first one to touch you is your destiny, you suit each other."

She smiles and says.

"You bastard!"

"Then, I'll choose you."

While Ochazuke glares at me, she wraps her hand around my neck and kisses my forehead.

"I am the water spirit, 'Ruru.' Nice to meet you. Hehe."

She stays close, whispers her name in Ochazuke's ear, and disappears.

"That one lured many men into the water."

"That one went too far."

"That one was sealed by the goddess Fal."

"That one must obey the one who released the seal."

"Beware, that one will lure you."

Then, a spirit in the form of a less distinctive girl appears, as if the water is rising, and five bodies emerge.

"We were the guardians of that one."

"No longer necessary as guardians."

"We were the guardians of the seal."

"No longer necessary as guardians."

"Then, together."

Each one blesses Kikuhime, Sin, Petros, Leo, and me, whispers a name, and disappears.

"We got a spirit!"

Leo's voice brings me back to my senses from my daze.

□ □ □ □ □

・Increase・

Skills

【Equipment Change】

Spirit Magic

Water Spirit 【Rufa】

□ □ □ □ □

Homura Lv.20

Rank D

Occupation Magic Swordsman Alchemist

HP 527

MP 687

STR 31

VIT 21

INT 41

MID 15

DEX 12

AGI 19

LUK 11

NPCP 【Galahad】【－】

Titles

■General

【Communicator】【Circulating Power】【Mystery Solver】

■Blessings of the Gods

【Blessing of Val】

Skills (0SP)

■Magic

【Wood Magic Lv.2】【Fire Magic Lv.5】【Earth Magic Lv.2】

【Metal Magic Lv.3】【Water Magic Lv.3】【☆Wind Magic Lv.3】

【Light Magic Lv.1】【Dark Magic Lv.2】

■Swordsmanship

【Swordsmanship Lv.8】【Slash】

■Summoning

【White Lv.1】

■Spirit Magic

Water Spirit 【Rufa Lv.1】

■Talent

【Body Techniques】

■Production

【Alchemy Lv.1】【Alchemy Synthesis Lv.1】【Cooking Lv.4】

■Gathering

【Gathering】

■Appraisal & Concealment

【Item Appraisal Lv.3】【Plant Food Appraisal Lv.4】

【Animal Monster Appraisal Lv.4】【Skill Appraisal Lv.2】

【Weapon Armor Appraisal Lv.2】

【Presence Detection Lv.3】【Presence Dilution Lv.3】

■Enhancement

【Strength Enhancement Lv.2】【Intelligence Enhancement Lv.4】【Spirit Enhancement Lv.2】

【Dexterity Enhancement Lv.2】【Agility Enhancement Lv.2】

【Swordsmanship Enhancement Lv.3】【Magic Enhancement Lv.2】

■Others

【HP Natural Recovery】【MP Natural Recovery】【Night Vision】【Map】【Telepathy】

【Equipment Change】