Chapter 74

As the sun began to set, Nergie and the others returned. No one was missing, and they didn't seem to be injured. I heaved a sigh of relief and decided to listen to their report while having an early dinner.

"We defeated five evolved slimes. That makes eight in total, including the ones from the morning. Some of them had magic, but we took them down without any problems."

"Wow."

"We checked every corner, but I want you to stay on guard. Also, there were two floors and a basement inside the dome. It seems the thing we were looking for was in the basement. The object is gone, but the area is still rich in magical energy."

Nergie glanced at Quen, who nodded.

"The slimes must have eaten everything. There are no other monsters for now, but we can't be sure about the future."

"Will they evolve again if left alone?"

When Nylba asked, he tilted his head.

"I don't know how much they need to consume to evolve, but the magical energy isn't abnormally high. It's something you might see in nature. However, with no predators, other creatures might move in."

"Ah, I see. Understood. So, there are no issues with the investigation for now?"

Nergie and Quen nodded.

"What about you guys?"

When asked, I looked at Koushin and Rada. Both were waiting for my reaction. It would be a lie to say I wasn't interested, but I didn't want to push myself.

"I'll stay here."

Nergie simply said, "I see."

"I'll make a delicious dinner."

I said with a bit of a playful tone, and everyone laughed.

"Indeed, it's delicious. Is this the soup you cooked yesterday?"

"That's right. I got some chicken from Nylba, so I tried making meatballs too."

"Meatballs?"

"These round things."

I minced the meat and seasoned it with ginger and salt. I also added some leftover scallions from yesterday. By the way, I didn't include any cartilage because I don't like it. They say it's crunchy and tasty, but I also don't like bamboo shoots in meat buns.

"Yeah, it's delicious. I was thinking it must have taken a lot of effort, but this taste is worth the wait."

It seems Nylba also enjoyed it. Koushin and Rada were eating with relish. I could use some miso or soy sauce. Maybe there are soy sauce fruits in this fantasy world, but that's probably too much to ask. Rice might be possible, though.

We decided to take turns keeping watch at night. We should at least do what we can. Since the area is open, we'll know if something approaches.

The next day, Nergie and the others, along with Nylba, headed to the dome. The driver took care of the horses and Suvellaga. We slept in the morning and started patrolling and gathering food in the afternoon. We wouldn't go too deep, just within sight of the camp.

"Ah, mushrooms."

I found brown mushrooms at the base of a tree. Mushrooms can be dangerous because some are poisonous, but I have the Identify skill. Let's see.

"Laughing Mushroom

Eating it will make you laugh uncontrollably for a while. It's delicious when cooked."

This one is no good, right? But if it just makes you laugh, it might be okay. It's written that it's delicious. I was tempted for a moment but decided against it.

"Rosabau

A mushroom with a red, translucent cap. It contains a paralyzing poison and is used as a painkiller. It multiplies explosively when exposed to fire, so careful management is needed. It can be eaten, though."

Whoa, this one is also dangerous. And the Identify skill is surprisingly adventurous. It must be influenced by my thoughts, but please give a toxicity rating. I'm curious, so I'll bring it back to Rada.

By the way, how do these names get assigned in this world? Some are descriptive, while others are mysterious. Maybe they're from an ancient language or dialect.

"Oh, most of the time, the person who discovers a new species names it."

When I asked the driver back at the camp, he answered.

"Names that are straightforward are often given by adventurers. Some people name useful things after themselves."

"Really?"

"I believe you've named a few things, young master."

"Really! Nylba, you know a lot about monsters too?"

When I was surprised, he waved his hands.

"In the ruins, yes. Actually, this place doesn't have a name yet. It's often called something like 'the ruins near Village.'"

"Ah, I see."

I thought it was just a temporary management issue, but it didn't even have a name. Well, in ruins, the important thing is the artifacts, not the history they reveal.

"Will Nylba name this place?"

"Maybe. If it's determined that we need to visit again, he might name it."

"I see."

I wonder how many places don't have names or are unknown to people. It's a bit intriguing. Even without Nylba, exploring ruins sounds fun.

Apparently, naming something doesn't involve registering it anywhere. You just say, "I named it this," and if it catches on, it becomes the name. So, different regions might have different names for the same thing. I wonder how the Identify skill works. So far, nothing has had multiple names. Does it show the name used in the current location? Does it even know my location?

I tried using the Identify skill on the ruins. It didn't work. I haven't used it on towns either, come to think of it. I moved a bit closer and tried it on a collapsed building.

"Abandoned House

A structure that has been abandoned for a long time."

The description was so obvious that I wanted to point it out. Well, it's not that simple. Knowing the history might cause problems.

"Raito, I'm done cleaning the rabbit."

While I was lost in thought, Koushin came over. Today's catch was a rabbit.

"Oh, thanks. It's too early to cook it. Give it to Nylba."

"I already did."

"Got it. Rada seems to be making something, so I'll do some training."

Koushin nodded. No monsters that attack people have come to the camp so far. According to Quen, they are keeping their distance. I'll be careful not to use up all my magic and do a bit of practice.

Koushin was practicing sword swings. Compared to Nergie, his speed is lacking, but it's much more compact than before.

I was practicing increasing the power of my stone pellets. It gets harder to control as the number increases. I want to make them fly like arrowheads. The pellets embedded in the tree are only slightly pointed. Ultimately, I want to make them explode.

"By the way, Raito, aren't you going to take a bath?"

Koushin sheathed his sword and asked.

"Ah, a bath..."

"Is it a secret?"

"No, not really."

I haven't taken a bath since we set out on the expedition. It feels wrong to take a leisurely bath, and it wouldn't be fair for just us to do it. Besides, the habit of soaking in a bath isn't common here.

"Do you like it?"

When I asked, he looked away and said, "No, that's not it."

"You wipe your body before bed, right? I noticed you sighing."

"Wait, what? Me? You think I want to take a bath?"

"Isn't that it?"

He tilted his head, and I couldn't help but crouch and say, "Oh no." I didn't realize I was so obvious.

"Well, I want to take a bath too."

What do you want, exactly? It doesn't matter. I'll ask if we can prepare a bath for dinner.