Chapter 18

I'll leave through the south gate, walk around the perimeter of the town wall, and return through the north gate. The west side is right next to the forest, so I should be able to find everything I need. It was also written in the guild's materials.

Sure enough, the Toki grass grows everywhere, but the ones around here aren't suitable for harvesting. The medicinal part is the leaves from the third level down from the top. The ones around here have already been picked.

No, today's request was for Mitsu fruits.

Mitsu fruits grow on trees that look like conifers. They're about the size of walnuts, and when you peel off the hard shell, a sticky honey-like substance comes out. It has a more rustic taste than honey, but it's a good snack.

While keeping an eye on my surroundings, I'll start by looking for the tree.

Ah, Toki grass. I can harvest this. Hmm, Mitsu... Ah, that's the one used to remove the smell from meat. Oh, this is Ridris grass, the one in the request. Hmm, there's also Rocka. Oh! Grain mushrooms. Delicious mushrooms!

Before I knew it, I was so engrossed that I was crawling on the ground. No, no. I need to harvest the Mitsu fruits first.

I threw everything into my bag and started looking for the Mitsu fruits again.

After walking for a while, I finally found a tree that looked like a conifer. Looking up, I could see the fruits hanging sparsely. Of course, they were out of reach. I could either climb the tree or knock them down with something. I'll try using earth magic as practice.

I reduced the power compared to when I knocked down the bird, but increased the number of shots. I aimed precisely with my fingertips...

Tsk!

There was a sound like a tongue click. I missed, only grazing a leaf. I kept shooting. Eventually, I started hitting the stems that held the fruits. After knocking down a few, I collected them and repeated the process.

"Ugh."

I got a headache. That's enough magic practice for now.

"Hmm. I want a bit more."

I want to secure some for myself.

So, I'll look for another Mitsu tree. It's not good to over-harvest herbs, mushrooms, or fruits.

The next tree I found, I climbed to harvest. The tree had smooth bark and no branches until high up, making it difficult to climb. But I have a rope! I secured my feet with the rope, wrapping it around the tree, and did the same with my hands. Then, I climbed like an inchworm, a technique possible only in this world.

I climbed up and, once on a branch, tied the rope to a thick branch as a safety line. Then, I moved to a branch that could support my weight and started harvesting.

Once I had enough, I descended in reverse. I fell the last five meters and got a bit scared, but I didn't get hurt.

Alright. Request completed. Next is the meat.

I returned to the wall, poured some water into a cup, and hydrated. I also took out a hard bread to satisfy my hunger. I had Mitsu fruits with me. I made a hole at the edge with a knife. When it cracked, I removed the shell and poured the sticky substance over the hard bread.

"Mmm."

Sugar is expensive, so sweet things are precious. Well, we do have honey, but it's also quite expensive, and I don't keep bees.

Incidentally, Mitsu fruits keep well, making them perfect for travel. It's a shame they can't be heated, though. The components change when heated, and they become bitter.

With my stomach full, it's time to hunt. I went a bit deeper and searched for signs of life. A rabbit would be good. A bird would also do. If something like a boar shows up, it would be too much for me. Ah, but I could probably handle it if I made an earth wall.

After a while of being quiet, I heard a steady rustling sound. It's probably a rabbit. I drew my bow and slowly approached the source of the sound. By the way, I forgot to get used to the new bow.

There it is. Not a regular rabbit, but a one-horned rabbit, a monster. No problem, though. As long as I watch out for its charge, I can hunt it the same way.

Shh!

I pulled the bow taut, aimed, and gently released the arrow.

"Peek!"

I missed!! The arrow hit right in front of the rabbit's eyes. The rabbit jumped straight up and glared at me. Normally, it would have run away, but monsters are aggressive.

It jumped at me with its spring-like hind legs, without even a run-up.

"Earth Wall!"

I imagined a shield-like wall and released my magic.

Thud!

The earth wall formed instantly, and a dull sound echoed from the other side. The wall was taller than me, which was good, but I couldn't see the other side. I cautiously returned the wall to earth. Buried in the crumbling earth was a brown-furred rabbit, motionless.

"Phew~"

I might have used a bit too much magic. My temples are throbbing. But I can't rest in the forest.

I cleared the earth and confirmed that the one-horned rabbit was dead. There were no external injuries, so it probably broke its neck. I cut off its head to drain the blood. Ah, I need to collect the horn. The smell of blood might attract others. I also removed the internal organs on the spot. I buried them in the earth and quickly left the area.

"I got a bit overconfident..."

Lily also said that mages need to conserve their magic. I got carried away and used magic until the last moment. I need to reflect on that.

By the way, both magic and stamina recover over time. I can't see the exact numbers, but I can feel how much I have. So, I always need to be aware of my remaining power.

I leaned against the outer wall and waited for my breathing to calm down. Once it did, I started skinning the rabbit. I cut the meat into blocks and wrapped them in leaves with preservative properties. I carefully removed the fat from the skin. Come to think of it, do they buy skins?

With that, today's mission is complete. I'm more tired than I thought. Getting through the gate is also part of the job. I need to stay focused and head back.

Despite saying that, I was still picking plants I saw on the way back. I need to reflect on that.