Chapter 42

I'm in the guild's reference room.

"You really spend a lot of time here. Most people just read standing up."

"I guess I'm either fighting, producing, or reading books."

"You also talk to me."

It's like a ratio of 6:0.5:3:0.5 for fighting, producing, reading, and talking to people. I wonder what the other adventurers are doing. Petros is busy with assassinations, Leo is running around for fishing, and Ochazuke is probably making money efficiently. It's easy to imagine.

Since the Assassin's Guild doesn't disclose information, I need to do my own research or read the atmosphere from the Guild Master (estimated) who doesn't change his expression or gestures. As I look at the door,

I see a code that can't really be called a code.

It looks like just scribbles unless you consciously try to read the information. It's probably a light warning not to miss the information.

I ask Al if there's anything that can help with deciphering codes, and he provides a wide range from commonly used ones to more obscure ones.

Most new adventurers end up just confirming the weaknesses and distribution of enemies and the appearance of herbs. Occasionally, someone like me stays for a long time. There are also a few groups that come in a party and cause a commotion, getting banned. Personally, I think being banned from here would be tough, but I'm not sure. According to Al, it doesn't seem to be used much. Well, I can just use the reference rooms in other city guilds.

The code is like a puzzle and is interesting, but "noticing it's a code" is the hard part.

It's fine to read a book with the code extracted, but in daily life, would I notice it as a code? Well, completing Assassin's Guild quests is just a matter of opportunity.

My intelligence should be high, but without a flash of insight, some can't be solved. Especially codes made by close people, which mostly can't be solved without knowing the key commonality. People who can decipher codes are amazing.

I send Al off as he leaves to eat dinner downstairs and immerse myself in the materials. I copy down rules I can't remember. By the time the number of sheets with copied rules and points of caution reaches five, I gain the [Code Deciphering] skill. There are really a lot of skills.

However, [Code Deciphering] seems to be the mental version of [Evasion] or [Body Techniques]. It makes it easier to have a flash of insight, but it's basically dependent on your own knowledge. So, I continue to read through the materials Al left.

I intended to stay in the reference room until midnight, but when Al returned, I realized it was deer roast day and hurried back to the inn.

The deer meat was roasted, stewed, and cooked in red wine.

Both the innkeeper and his wife are good cooks, but the husband is better at meat dishes. The wife's egg dishes are perfectly cooked. On days when they have free time, they apparently go out to eat together. That sounds nice.

I order the red wine stew, which has been simmered for half a day, and the innkeeper thanks me.

"Thanks to you, everyone got to eat something delicious today."

Apparently, the guests who had dinner reservations are also eating extra plates. That's great.

I decline the offer to introduce me to the people in the dining room and sit at an empty table.

Soon, the plate with the meat and salad is served.

The wine stew is not a soup but a piece of meat that has been seared and simmered in red wine, then sliced thickly and covered with a sauce made from the cooking liquid. It comes with small onions roasted whole in the oven and sautéed mushrooms, and a red radish with its leaves is added for color.

While everyone around me orders beer, I drink a non-alcoholic drink that's like a ginger ale with less sweetness.

The food rating has gone up to 5, Dad.

Is it because players bring in ingredients and request production to free the residents from the 4 rating?

It's soft.

So soft it falls apart with chopsticks. Not that I'm using chopsticks, but you get the idea.

Deer meat isn't very fatty, so it's not too rich, but eating it alternately with bread is like perpetual motion. I finish by wiping the sauce with bread. I'm satisfied.

I'm so full that I'm a bit reluctant to take a bath, but in this world, you can undress and dress instantly from the item menu, so I take a quick bath and crawl into bed. I'll have dinner and a bath in the real world a bit early.

By the way, where can I buy something like a 'thread' that can be used as a weapon?

In the real world, I make tea and stretch.

Checking my emails, I find a message from Leo saying, "Let's go to Sair's boss—want to open the gate for a fishing rematch w" and a group email from Shin and others in response.

It's the one where I died and returned to life before going to the dungeon. I don't know what he's fishing, but the next one will probably be sea fishing in Sekan. I reply with an OK to meet at Sair at 9 PM in real time and have dinner.

It's a leftover curry. As long as it's made, it's just one plate and it's quick and easy.

After taking a bath, I log in again.

I wake up at the inn, eat deer stew in the dining room, and go outside.

The broth from the wine stew that wasn't used is added to the stew pot to prevent it from reducing too much. It's good that it doesn't dilute or create uneven flavors.

I feel like I'm eating all the time in both the real world and this world.

When I move to Fos via the temple, I visit yesterday's priest and ask him to distribute the bear stew to the orphanage and, if there's any left, to the slums. He indirectly, or rather directly, asks for a donation. Greedy priest.

The children from yesterday are said to be more conscious. I'm told they would be happy to see me, but I decline and go through the transfer gate.

I'm going to break the flag, aren't I?

I've always preferred exploring new worlds and fighting over events with characters that seem pre-arranged. According to Petros, there are players who have already set flags with young girls in the town to aim for a harem.

To have a harem, you need a party card, but I guess they're ignoring that. It's all a mystery, but I'll listen to the progress between Petros and the lost young girl.

The person himself insists he hasn't seen her since then.

When I get to Fos, it's unfortunately raining.

It's a light drizzle that makes visibility poor and umbrellas useless. I don't know if there are umbrellas in this world.

I change my coat to a robe and put on the hood. I left the inn at night because of the dinner time, so it's pitch dark.

My night vision is good, but [Presence Detection] is difficult because of the rain.

I intended to avoid combat and head straight to Faina, but I keep getting caught by enemies. Maybe I should take abilities like [Magic Detection] or other enemy detection skills.

I had [Shadow] on, but there were too many. I could avoid them by being cautious and moving slowly, but it takes time, so I'm running and cutting them down as I encounter them. Thanks to [Carry], the muddy ground doesn't bother me.

Jackalopes, rabbits with deer antlers, are breeding. The antlers seem very obstructive, but I guess they're fine. They summon allies, so I take them down quickly.

The terrain is uneven, and rabbits are half-buried in holes, making it easy to step on them.

... It might be good for leveling up. I'll make a note on the map.

A two-tailed fox monster that uses [Foxfire] appeared. This fox can see through [Shadow] and throws [Foxfire]. A nine-tailed fox will probably appear soon. Maybe this plain has an ecosystem where foxes hunt rabbits.

I want to pet the white tails, but I can't summon them in this rain.

I cut the [Foxfire] and close the distance to take down the two-tailed fox.

I feel there are fewer of them than Jackalopes, but they can see through [Shadow] and throw [Foxfire] from a distance, so the number of battles has increased. I could probably shake them off by running, but my principle is to take them down if they attack.

As a result, Jackalope antlers, fur, and breast meat, as well as two-tailed fox fur, fangs, and tails, accumulate in my item pouch.

I got a new item pouch, and since I've been consigning my production items, I have plenty of space in my bag.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *