Chapter 44

Stepping into the guild, which was full of doors, I approached the receptionist, a muscular man who looked like he should be an adventurer himself, sitting at one of the two counters.

"Excuse me, I've come to report a quest."

"Ah, can I see your card?"

"Yes."

I handed over two cards together.

"Ah, you cut down trees alone, huh? Impressive. The number of trees... huh? Is this thing broken?"

"Does it break?"

I've never heard of a guild card breaking.

"Never heard of it breaking, but it says 1211 trees, which is odd."

Did I cut that many?

"Hmm, I think I cut at least 500, but I'm not sure if it was that many."

"Really?"

"Has a guild card ever lied before?"

"That's true... I'll check with the mayor of Desibatora, can you wait a moment?"

Well, even if it says that, I can't just hand over 60 million without an appointment. Besides, it's unusual for an E-rank solo adventurer.

"Sure, no problem."

"Got it, I'll call him now."

The person who came out was a muscular old man with white hair.

"I heard a report that trees were being cut down at an incredible speed from the lookout. Was that you?"

"Ah... Yes, that was me."

There was such a report?

I was a bit surprised, but it's actually helpful that the news spread so quickly.

"Wow, I saw the site, it was amazing. Can you do that continuously?"

He wasn't surprised at all. Impressive.

The receptionist was surprised, so it's not normal, but this is the mayor of Desibatora, who also seems to be the guild branch manager. Is the mayor also the branch manager here?

"It's not particularly tiring compared to normal combat, and I can do it all day if I want to."

"Alright, then I have a plan I'd like you to help with. We need to push back the front lines. We've been on the defensive, and if we keep this up, we'll be overwhelmed. We've been looking for an opportunity to counterattack."

Well, I've heard the situation has been deteriorating, so it's a pretty normal request.

"So, what do I need to do?"

"The only thing I need you to do is cut down trees. We'll take care of the rest, and if you need protection, we can arrange that."

"Actually, it might be better if you don't come near where I'm cutting. It could be dangerous if you get involved."

It's fine to involve monsters, but involving people would be bad. I try to be careful, but it affects efficiency and isn't always reliable.

"Understood. However, we can't leave the town unprotected, so I'd like you to cut down trees in the area around the town at a specific time. We're not sure how the large-scale deforestation will affect the town, so we want to gather forces in the town for the first large-scale deforestation."

"Got it. Can I start at noon tomorrow?"

"A bit short notice to spread the word. How about the day after tomorrow?"

It's already night, after all.

"Alright, then the day after tomorrow at noon. By the way, when will the effects of the deforestation be noticeable?"

"When will the effects be noticeable in the battle against the monsters? It's immediate, because monsters don't spawn where there are no trees. The momentum of the monsters will drop over about six months, but if we can push back far enough, we can consider retaking the Broken site."

"The momentum of the monsters?"

I understand the spawning, but what does momentum mean? Wouldn't the momentum of a charge increase without trees?

"Monsters lose strength when they move away from areas with many trees. They remain the same for about three months after deforestation, and then their momentum gradually decreases over about six months. Some say it's due to magic, but I don't believe it, as magic recovery doesn't speed up."

Is that why the monsters I hunted here can't be eaten? Maybe it's related to the mana essence that came up in the appraisal. But even if it is, it doesn't really matter.

"Got it, so I just need to focus on cutting down trees."

"That's right."

"Alright, I'll be on my way for today."

"Alright."

So, I'll rest for today and prepare for tomorrow. I also received my Desibatora card. I need to find a place to stay.

"Is there a recommended inn?"

"If you have money, the center of town is relatively safe. Otherwise, there's not much difference between the inns."

"Got it, I'll look for one around here."

I left the guild and entered the first inn I saw. The innkeeper was a muscular old man who looked like he could be an adventurer. I guess you need to be that strong to live in this town.

"I'd like to stay. How much is it?"

"15,000 tel for a night with two meals, 14,000 without."

The meal is 1,000 tel. I have a bad feeling about the "not much difference" comment. I'll ask just in case.

"What's the meal like?"

"It's a mix of flour and Zunana grass, and soba noodles with dried meat."

My bad feeling was right. I've never heard of Zunana grass in cooking, and the rest sounds terrible.

"Then I'll skip the meal. Can I pay with a card?"

"Yes, just touch it to the box."

The card system here is advanced. I wonder why it's not in other towns. It's probably a matter of money.

The room was nothing special. The bed was a bit old but solid. It was probably prepared before Desibatora became the front line. I ate the Green Wolf set meal from my item box for dinner and went to bed.

The next morning, I woke up at a similar time to usual, probably out of habit. The bell didn't ring, and I'm not sure if this town even has one. If everyone had a regular sleep schedule, they'd be overrun quickly.

But I have nothing to do today. The gathering is not just to avoid accidents but also to prepare for the effects of large-scale deforestation. If the monsters suddenly attack the town after losing their homes, it would be disastrous. I could go hunting, but I'll implement the idea I had the other day. I'll collect the monster materials left in Desibatora and sell them in Fotorein. I'll secure a sales route later, but first, I need to gather the goods.

I might be able to sell the wood too. I have plenty of money, and I'm thinking of starting a company to make more using my item box. Would it be called a guild in this world? It doesn't matter. Having so much money also means I don't need to earn much, but it's better to be prepared. Even if I lose a bit, I won't starve, and the potential for profit is high. It's a good bet. There's no reason not to do it.

But I'll think about the company after I go to Fotorein. First, I need to gather the materials. The guild is a good place to start. Monsters and guilds go hand in hand.

"Excuse me, I'd like to buy monster materials. Is that okay?"

"Ah, you have an item box. We don't regulate it in this town, but be careful in other towns, as there might be taxes. You'll pay taxes wherever you sell, so it's best to understand the system in Fotorein."

"Got it. Do you have any recommendations for where to buy materials?"

"Sure, go right from that door and take the second house. They sell food and medicine, and they might buy materials for you, though it will cost you."

"Thanks, I'll check it out."

I went to the second house on the right from the door. It was a large store, probably one of the biggest in town. It was about twice the size of the guild, with a sturdy warehouse next to it. I think this is one of the stores I delivered food to before.

"Excuse me, I'd like to buy monster materials. I was told to come here."

"An item box adventurer, huh? What kind of reward are you looking for?"

Hmm, I haven't sold anything yet, so I don't know the market price.

"Well, I'm not sure of the market price. What do you think?"

"About one-tenth of the price in Fotorein. I can also accept food in exchange."

Wow, that's cheap. But maybe it's considered trash here. Even one-tenth might be a decent price. It's not a problem, as bringing materials here means I'll be bringing them back.

"I'll bring some food. By the way, the inn I stayed at seemed to have a shortage of ingredients. Would there be a demand for cooked food?"

"Cooked food is heavy with water and other things, so it's not practical here. But I've heard people want variety, so we'd welcome it. We can offer a better price."

"Alright, I'll do that. I'll pay in cash and bring the food when I have it. Should I pay in advance? I have a few Giant Spider Claws in my item box, so I can use those too."

"Sure, let's say 1,000,000 for one claw."

"Alright, deal."

The deal was made. The item box is truly great.