Chapter 78

We had dug about two meters when the shovel hit something hard with a metallic sound. It didn't sound like a rock. When I looked up, everyone had serious expressions on their faces.

I carefully continued digging, and a box emerged.

"Seriously, it came out..."

Nergi exclaimed in surprise. Then Slime-kun came over. No way. I'm not giving it to you. Besides,

"My hand is tingling."

The hand holding the box felt strange. Kokushin snatched the box from me. Soon, Kokushin also looked at the box with a queasy expression.

"Let's go outside. It's too cramped here."

Nergi, who seemed to instinctively sense something dangerous, said with an unusually serious face. Everyone nodded and started walking. Along the way, Nilva reached for the box. As Kokushin tried to avoid her, the box disappeared.

"I put it in my magic bag."

I see. Come to think of it, you can put things in without touching them. Kokushin was looking at her palm.

"If you're in pain, do you want to take a healing potion?"

When I asked, she shook her head.

"It was a strange sensation."

"Right."

Was that the leaking magic power?

"Did you appraise that box?"

To Kokushin's whisper, I replied, "No." I had forgotten to appraise it. I should check it before opening it. It would be bad if it exploded. Though, I'm not sure if it can even be opened normally.

We left the dome. The sound of footsteps that weren't ours made Quen's ears twitch.

"Guah"

Peering from behind the collapsed house was a reptilian face with sharp teeth. It was Suberaga.

"Stray?"

"No, it has a tag. One of the ones that came with us. Why is it here?"

Nergi's puzzled voice made Nilva panic.

"Maybe something happened at the campsite. Let's go back!"

Everyone started running. The sturdy driver wouldn't just leave the horses and Suberaga. Suberaga ran in front of us, as if it had come to call us.

"Jii!"

"Rada!"

We reached the campsite and looked for the ones who had stayed behind. We quickly saw them near the entrance. They turned around. Good, they didn't seem injured.

"What happened... to them?"

Nilva's gaze fell on the men lying a little distance away. Four men were rolling around covered in a white, sticky substance.

Hmm? Isn't that Tirimochi?

Looking at Rada, who was sniffing and wiping her nose but gave a thumbs up, I returned the gesture. Well done!

"Guah"

Suberaga's voice. The one that came to call us was with us. The one that made the noise was another one, looking at us from down the path.

"It's the carriage. Nergi, go check!"

Quen ran over. The dilapidated carriage was visible, hidden by the trees. Suberaga seemed normal, so there was probably no one else around.

"Jii, what happened?"

"Yes, young master."

The driver nodded at Nilva.

"First, Suberaga noticed the approaching carriage."

Suberaga is really competent.

"When I joined Rada in the tent, those four got out. When I asked who they were, they suddenly drew their weapons, so we subdued them. Rada did a good job too."

Rada nodded.

"I see. Who could they be?"

Nilva tilted her head. Quen returned and, speaking only to us, covered his mouth.

"I found something similar to the box we dug up in the cargo."

Wow. This just got a lot more complicated. It would have been better if they were just bandits.

"Who are you!?"

One of the men, still covered in the sticky substance, started shouting. No, that's our line.

"Do you know you're messing with the Gran family!?"

Don't be ridiculous. Glancing at Nilva, she slightly tilted her head. Was it an unknown family name?

"I'll tell the young lady! Take this off, you fools!"

Don't keep spouting nonsense. Maybe we should just let them shout? It seemed I wasn't the only one thinking that, as everyone just looked at the men without moving.

"Damn! Hey, what did you do to our comrades? Two were supposed to be on watch!"

What, really? Looking at Nergi, she shook her head. There were no signs of anyone nearby, right?

"We came here a few days ago, but no one was here, and nothing was left."

At Katan's words, the man cursed, "Damn, they must have fled!"

That would be good. It means they're still alive somewhere. Worst case, they became Slime food.

"What were you doing here?"

When Nergi asked, the man snorted.

"You don't need to know."

"Hmm. Or maybe you don't even know yourselves?"

I tilted my head, and a different man, who had been shouting earlier, said, "Shut up," with a disdainful look. He was slender and looked down on us despite being restrained.

"Who are you to speak, mere adventurers?"

"Pfft. Who are you to talk, being tied up like that? What do you know, mere bandits?"

"We are not bandits! I, I am—!"

He suddenly became agitated and started thrashing.

"Reito, don't provoke him."

Kokushin whispered a warning. It should be fine. If they had any means to attack us, they would have done so already. I don't think they can use offensive magic.

"I am a man who will change the world!"

He was getting carried away, spitting and looking increasingly strange.

"Hey, are you okay? He's muttering something. Is he on some bad drugs?"

I asked the man who had been shouting earlier. He looked at the man with disgust and said, "That's why I didn't want to bring him."

"Anyway, let's re-secure them. We can interrogate them later."

Nilva took charge. Right. I'm getting hungry from the good smell coming from the Tirimochi. We were about to divide the work to re-secure them when Rada called a halt.

"Don't touch that white stuff. It doesn't come off with water..."

Rada showed her hand, which was covered in the white substance. She was holding her hand out in front of her, looking like a ghost.

"If you touch it carelessly, it will stick to everything..."

Looking closely, the driver was also dirty. And instead of his usual crossed arms, they were at his sides today.

"Um, can Rada use the remover?"

I also had some responsibility. Help, Appraisal-san!

'Tirimochi (Revised)

A capture agent made from mochi yam. Its adhesive power is strong. It becomes crispy and can be removed when heated. To clean hands, dissolve the ingredients of Tirimochi except the yam in water and wash.

Do not eat.'

Appraisal-san? I wasn't planning to eat it anyway.

"Rada, what are the ingredients of Tirimochi?"

"Eh? Well, yam, flour, salt, sugar, honey, and something sour."

What, what. Is that a recipe for a snack? It should smell good. Maybe I'll heat it up with their fire and remove it later.

"Something sour?"

"I added Slime today."

"Really?"

I couldn't help but ask.

"Slime. When I was looking for something sour, the driver told me, 'I once bit a Slime, and it was sour.'"

"What are you doing?"

I couldn't help but speak informally to the driver, who laughed and said, "It was a youthful indiscretion." I wonder what made him bite a Slime. I'd like to ask, but now isn't the time.

Since there was no Slime nearby, Nilva rummaged through her magic bag and produced a lemon-like fruit. Flour, salt, sugar, honey, and lemon juice. We mixed it with water. We made a lot in a basin and washed our hands.

"Ah, it's off."

The driver showed his clean hand. I'm sorry for the trouble. Rada also washed the stuff off her hands and face. Make sure to wash properly with water later.

As for the bandits? They'll get the fire branding punishment. Don't worry, even if you get burned, it will heal instantly. It's not that bad, because Appraisal-san said so. I'm grateful for your participation in the experiment. I'm hungry, so I'll make some sweet pancakes.