Chapter 54

In a half-barn building, I was arranging the straw.

The village closest to the bay where the Sea Serpents appear had no inn. I came without stopping at Dromil, but even so, it was too far to commute. I negotiated with the villagers and rented a place where a shed for storing farm tools and horse bedding was attached to a stable.

According to the villager who lent me the shed, when the guild's extermination order is issued, a wide barrier is cast as the land turns into a beach, temporary huts are built, and the number of adventurers often exceeds that of the villagers, making it a grand event, almost like a festival. After all, the village has only about fifty people.

I want a barrier.

The village's true desire is to have the extermination done more frequently and on a smaller scale before the damage becomes widespread. Because there are too many, the village cannot accommodate them, and the guild prepares everything, so no money is made. The village provides water for free to those who exterminate the Sea Serpents, as it is a welcome service. Selling grilled fish and clams on the beach during the day is a valuable source of cash income.

According to the guild's records, the Sea Serpents have high physical and magical defenses, and with a lot of HP, it can take more than half a day for a small group of C-rank adventurers to take down one. When the guild issues an extermination order, many C-rank adventurers gather and fight for five days. Even after completing their quota, adventurers who have accepted the extermination request must participate for the full five days. Those who fail to meet their quota must participate again the following year. If the number of Sea Serpents is high, B-rank adventurers are also forced to participate, so even those who have just become C-rank and are somewhat lacking in skill join in anticipation.

Despite the trouble of taking them down, the Sea Serpents' drops are only slightly valuable soul stones, which are rare. Unless the purpose is to raise guild rank, there is no one who comes here to hunt them. Occasionally, in years when the population is too high, the country, not the guild, commissions A-rank adventurers to adjust the numbers. Incidentally, when A-rank adventurers come, the village chief's house is vacated and lent to them.

That's why I'm making a straw bed.

The horse next door was looking at me with interest, so I decided to work in the dark without using the light magic. I laid out the concealment array I received from Kikuhime as a substitute for a blanket and completed it.

When I wake up, it will be time to face the Sea Serpents.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The black sea snake, Sea Serpent.

With a thick body as wide as a hug and a length of ten meters, it creates waves on the sea surface as it entangles itself.

It's all black, but isn't it a bit too much?

Is this normal?

This morning, I was woken up by the horse's breath, a refreshing start to the day. I'm here to take on the challenge.

I cast 'Float' on myself and summoned [Black Radiance] to enhance my defense. I identified a single Sea Serpent that was a bit away from the group and hit it with the 'Needle' spell to separate it from the black mass.

It doesn't seem to have any particular weakness, but if I have to say, the underside is slightly softer.

The Sea Serpent has a powerful skill of tail slapping. The bite attack has a poison effect, and the skill [Entangle] also has a poison effect. It's a good thing I have an antidote. The poison seems to be powerful, but it can be nullified with an antidote. Other attacks are not as strong as Eagle said.

A party for half a day, they said.

I'm prepared for a long battle and swing [Moon Shadow].

"Hmm?"

I managed to take it down in less than a quarter of an hour? Huh?

Is [Moon Shadow] this strong! Isn't it too strong!?

...Until now, the only enemy with exceptionally high physical defense was the Circle Moss, but I only used magic in that battle. What I'm trying to say is...

It's a trap that I forgot about the [Sword King] title effect!

The main drop, the soul stone, didn't come out, but the Sea Serpent's skin and fangs did. Thanks to the physical defense ignore, I was prepared for a long battle, but it was surprisingly quick.

And [Attack Recovery - Magic] seems to recover MP even when using physical attacks, recovering about 14 points, which might be 1% of my MP. Considering the levels, it's exciting to think about the future.

[Steadfast Shield of the Earth] is a skill I want to use in boss battles. I want to actively use recovery for now to improve my holy magic, so I'll leave the shield for later.

"You finally called me to battle, didn't you?"

"Yes, it's the job of taking down that long, wriggly thing."

"Sea Serpent, huh."

"Should I take an antidote for the poison?"

"Yes, I'll take one."

"Should I cast 'Float'?"

"No need."

I called White to battle for the first time.

When I summoned [Black Radiance] and got ready for battle, White shivered and grew to the size of a large dog. It seems White can cast 'Float' on its own.

"You can grow?"

"Yes, but I'm much smaller than I used to be."

"I want to pet you."

"Not now! "

White shouted sharply and went after the Sea Serpent, which had raised its tail.

I see, I can pet you later, right?

White avoided the raised tail and touched the Sea Serpent. It didn't slash or tear with its claws, but when it touched, the color started to change to white.

I swung [Moon Shadow] and used [Appraisal] to check, and the Sea Serpent had a [Petrification] status effect, but it quickly returned to normal.

"I must be quite weak, reminiscing about the old days."

Saying that, White touched it again lightly.

"I want to be able to use other abilities soon. I'm not being very useful."

"I'm happy just to see you moving around, and even happier if I can pet you."

"Don't try to pet me during battle!"

I was scolded.

"By the way, who cursed you?"

"The one who doesn't want you to make what you want to make."

"I see."

In the middle of the battle, I pulled back to the beach before White's summoning time ran out to recover EP and have a meal. As promised, I served White a salted rice ball and a savory grilled rice ball with sesame and soy sauce. I wish I had some nori and green tea.

"Hmm, this rice is delicious."

"The salt and soy sauce were safe, I'm glad."

"Is it okay as long as it's not animal meat?"

A pickled plum was added to my goal. Maybe some mustard greens would be good too. Katsuobushi wouldn't work, I guess.

When we met, White said that fruit was the limit, but it seemed to enjoy the tea.

It's good to have more variety in what I can eat. It adds to the enjoyment.

"White, you level up quickly. Don't you think your skills are growing too fast?"

I asked about something that was bothering me. If the initial levels are easy to raise, the skills might be the same.

"My level is more like the seal being lifted to a certain level. The skills are not 'acquired' but 'released'."

"Oh, then there's no problem."

After White returned, I continued to level up my skills. It became tedious to lure them, so now I'm leveling up magic against an average of five at a time. I don't have time to cast 'Recovery', so I rely on 'Life Activation'. Even so, I try to use 'Recovery' when I have the chance.

I raised all the basic magic to level 15. I also raised [Ice] and [Druid] magic, which I wasn't using, to level 5.

And most importantly,

[Holy Magic]

Lv. 1 'Recovery' - Mental and life recovery

Lv. 5 'Status Recovery' - Recovery from bad status

Lv. 10 'Purification' - Purification of impurities

I learned 'Purification'!

Now I just need to go to the Starfall Hill to gather the materials.

I use a lot of magic and also use a sword.

It sounds good to say that each skill level is low and I'm a late bloomer, but it's more like being a jack of all trades and lacking a decisive strength. I might be able to manipulate enemies like Misuji, a dual swordsman, but that's all.

I was taken by Galahad and others, and I didn't have much time to level up my skills, even though it was only two levels. My equipment and titles are masking my true lack of strength. Without them, I'm just a hollow shell.

The equipment is one thing, but the titles [Sword King] and [Wise King] could disappear at any time. I should properly level up my skills while I can.

I really wanted to go to the dungeon with Galahad and the others, but I couldn't ask them to bring a burden. I can call Galahad because I have a partner card.

I don't want to interfere with a man on a mission.

For now, I've learned a few new spells besides holy magic, so I'll go back to the village.

When should I use [Druid] magic's 'Life Steal'? I carry 99 recovery potions.

And the horse again.

When I was about to have dinner, the horse was looking at me with interest over the stable fence. I couldn't concentrate, so I set up carrots and water on the opposite side to distract the horse.

The main dish was grilled bluop, with raw vegetables and minestrone, and a small round bread.

When I raised my head after eating the meat, I met the horse's eyes.

The horse, you eat fast!

What? What are you eating?

The horse looked at me with intense interest, as if to say, "What are you eating?"

I ignored it with all my might. The gaze was painful. I thought of it and sent a butterfly. It was the first time I used [Illusion] on a horse.

As expected, the horse was drawn to the butterfly fluttering nearby and turned its attention to it. I finished my dinner and prepared for bed. From tomorrow, I'll stay outside.

I patted the horse's neck and turned off the light to go to sleep.

Vroom

Woken up again by the horse's breath.

Vroom

I started to hear a voice.

I was wondering what to do when the owner of the shed, old man Greck, came as he did yesterday.

"Good morning, did you sleep well?"

"Yes, good morning."

"Let me help you."

After old man Greck led the horse out, I helped replace the bedding in the stable. I need to keep it clean for my own sake, or it will smell.

And then, the Sea Serpents again.

Target magic skill level 25! Thanks to the title [Tasha's Magic], magic levels up more easily than others, and I want to level it up here.

"Good morning, isn't it?"

"Good morning? Huh?"

During the battle, White came even though I didn't summon it. It appeared dramatically, tackling a Sea Serpent, which surprised me.

"My level has gone up, so I can come out on my own for a short time, very rarely. It doesn't affect the summoning time when you call me, so you can rest assured."

"Want to have breakfast?"

"I want tea."

Saying that, White disappeared. It seems the time it can come out on its own is very short. I called it again and served it tea.

"If I actively level up White, will it be able to come out more freely?"

"Probably."

The nonchalant White.

Does it not want to come out freely?

I was curious, but later I learned that the ability to come out freely was not due to level but "intimacy" increasing, and I understood the reason for the feigned ignorance.

Was White blushing? So cute, fluffy thing.

The skill leveling with Sea Serpents continued for three and a half days, until Petros logged in in the real world. My level also went up, and I finally got [Jewelry].

A message from Petros. The content was a request to accompany Yaggyakuru.

I've cleared the basic attributes for the target level 25, so I'll be satisfied with that. Goodbye to the Sea Serpents. Still, [Light Magic] didn't reach level 20 without learning attack spells. I'm sure it will learn attack spells when it reaches level 20, so I'll keep at it until then.

I replied to Petros with an acceptance message, returned to the village, thanked old man Greck, and teleported to Sekan.

That's right, [Air Magic] reached level 20, and I learned 'Teleport'! It can't be used when targeted by a monster and can only move to a teleport gate, but it's wonderfully convenient and easy on the wallet!

[Holy Magic] learned 'Healing' at level 15. I thought it would be another HP recovery, but it was 'Cure minor illness'. Is it for residents? Or is there a 'Disease' status effect? It seems likely.

[Time Magic] has 'Revert', which "reverts one step in the production process" and is related to production.

Incidentally, [Wood Magic] level 20's 'Rose Cage' is the number one spell I don't want to use in front of others.

[Area Magic] has a slightly wider area, and the power of spells aimed at a single target has improved somewhat.

[Weapon