Chapter 68

After the meal, while making strawberry jam to increase the variety of dishes, I was looking at the bulletin board. You know, working while watching TV, that kind of feel. I was working like that.

The young beasts, stimulated by the sweet aroma of the thickening jam, were walking around me frequently. Even after putting away two bottles of jam in my inventory, the lingering scent didn’t disappear, and they kept begging for more.

"It’s not snack time yet. I’ll make some more when it is."

They understood my words, but their sparkling eyes said they wanted to eat, they wanted it now. I had to be the bad guy...

"Ha~. Just a little bit, okay?"

...I couldn’t do it. Their hopeful gazes were too dazzling.

I placed a plate with a small amount of strawberry jam in front of each of the five. They all licked it up in one go.

"Hey, hey, savor it a bit."

Three of them were still looking up, wanting more. The little fox was staring at me and the bottle in my hand. The white horse circled behind me and repeatedly headbutted my waist.

"Hey, hey, calm down, calm down!"

Pushed by Riui, I fell over just like yesterday. I still resent my own weakness and lack of resistance, but before that, the strawberry jam spilled from the bottle I was holding, getting on my apron, my white dress, and my cheek.

"Whoa... This is bad. It’s white, so the stains stand out... but since it’s a game, it should disappear over time, right?"

Thinking that, I wiped the jam off my cheek with my finger. I felt a sharp, intense gaze on my fingertip.

The bottle in my left hand, still about a third full, the jam-stained apron, the red-stained chest of my dress, and my cheek and fingertips were all focused on by the young beasts.

Slurp... Someone swallowed their saliva, and then they pounced on me.

"Hey, where are you trying to get in! And no, no jam! Reiri, help!"

Surrounded by the young beasts, I couldn’t move. Well, I could, but I was worried about hurting the little Kutushita or Neshias if I struggled, so I couldn’t move. In the process of being pounced on, I dropped the bottle.

"Ugh. Yun, you can do it!"

"Traitor!"

My scream echoed, and Reiri was smiling happily. Ah, this guy is definitely just going to watch, I realized while dealing with the young beasts.

The little fox had stuck its head into the bottle and was desperately licking the remaining jam, occasionally checking to see if I was watching before continuing.

The jam I had scooped up in my right hand was being gently bitten and licked by Neshias’ small beak, sending shivers down my spine.

The jam that had spilled on my apron was being bitten and licked by Kutushita, who was desperately trying to get it all.

Riui, stretching his neck over my shoulder, started licking the small amount of jam that had gotten on my dress. Being the largest of the young beasts, he was the most oppressive. Additionally, with Riui’s neck on my shoulder, I couldn’t move.

Finally, the jam left on my cheek was licked by Rikuru, who had skillfully climbed up my body and reached my shoulder.

"Hey, you guys, s-stop! Don’t lick! Don’t suck the jam that’s soaked into the fabric! Ah, no, don’t stick your heads into the gaps in my clothes! Don’t run your tongues over places that have nothing to do with this! Ugh, ah!"

I endured the torment for a few minutes. During that time, it wasn’t a position I could show anyone, and it wasn’t something I wanted to remember. I really needed to get out of this mess.

"Yun, good job."

"...Huff, huff. Stop watching and help. Actually, make them back off."

"Ugh. Can’t do it, can’t. Just give up."

So, while sitting on my butt, the young beasts were gathered around me. No, they were sleeping.

At first, the jam had completely disappeared when the time came, and I thought I was finally free. But then Riui started napping with my knee as a pillow. I had said I could do it anytime, but now?

Seeing this, the other young beasts were sleeping with Riui’s belly as a pillow, hugging their bodies and tails, forming a fluffy ball. It was a paradise of fur balls, but...

"From my position, I can’t see it."

"Then I’ll take a screenshot for you."

"Thanks."

After a while, the photo attached to the email showed the soft, fluffy young beasts wrapped in a lustrous white. For some reason, I was also in the photo.

"Reiri, do you want to try a knee pillow too?"

While stroking Riui’s neck, I asked Reiri.

"Yun, if you say ‘Hi’ like that, you’re just trying to push me, right?"

"Damn, you caught me."

Well, I didn’t really expect anything else. Besides, I often let Neshias sit on my shoulder, so it’s kind of the same.

Reiri squatted in front of the young beasts, poking their noses with her index finger, making them sneeze occasionally, and laughing softly.

"So, Reiri, you recorded it earlier, right? Delete it."

Reiri, who had been staring at me, had probably been trying to record the scene of the young beasts licking the jam.

"Ah, you noticed? Sharp, Yun."

"Of course. And who asked you to do it... I can guess."

It was probably Claude, right? Reiri’s response was as expected. But her next words made me gasp.

"I already sent it to Claude."

"Ha!?"

"Yun, you’ll wake up."

Reiri put her finger to her lips. Ah, sorry. No, I wish it was a misunderstanding, but what did she say?

"Earlier, when I sent you an email, I also sent it to Claude and Magi."

"You... Do you know what a portrait right is?"

"Sorry~. When I asked Claude for Shia’s clothes, he asked for some interesting content~"

When she said it in that drawn-out voice, I lost the urge to be angry.

"Haa~. I really feel like I’m too lenient with others."

"Right. You’re always at a loss, Yun, aren’t you?"

"Exactly."

Shrugging, I stroked Riui’s neck.

We continued in comfortable silence for a while, but I broke it.

"Reiri, change your sense to combat mode."

"Sure, no problem."

It was very helpful that she answered immediately without any questions.

I also changed my sense equipment.

Current SP: 18

【Bow Lv24】【Eagle Eye Lv34】【Speed Boost Lv20】【Detection Lv18】【Magic Talent Lv36】【Magic Power Lv35】【Enchantment Lv11】【Alchemy Lv27】【Potion Making Lv11】【Cooking Lv12】

On Hold

【Taming Lv1】【Synthesis Lv24】【Earth Attribute Talent Lv7】【Linguistics Lv10】【Crafting Lv26】【Swimming Lv13】【Production Knowledge Lv25】

Sense setup for flexibility, I took out my bow and casually scanned the area.

There were three reactions.

They were hiding outside the safety zone, but to me, it was obvious. I sighed, wishing I had Riui’s level of stealth.

"So, Yun, how many? And what kind of equipment?"

"Three. A swordsman and two mages."

"Quite an unbalanced group. Are they friendly (customers)?"

"If they were customers, they wouldn’t be watching with their swords drawn. So, what do we do?"

I brushed off Reiri’s not-so-funny joke and assessed the situation.

In the safety zone, players generally don’t take damage from combat. But it’s not entirely safe, especially after the black fox incident yesterday. Plus, we don’t know what they’re planning.

"Magi and Claude are at the farthest base camps, so they can’t come quickly. If it’s a sudden attack, they might give up. But if it’s a targeted attack..."

We have a lot of reasons to be targeted.

Players without homes or tents attacking to take over a residence—this might be an attack on the facilities provided by the game.

Attacks to obtain necessary recovery items or rare event items—this might be resolved with some negotiation.

Attacks to efficiently take over young beasts—this is the worst. There’s no room for negotiation.

"How about you, Reiri? How’s your combat?"

"Umm? Pretty average? I can execute simple strategies and do okay in normal hunts. But production classes aren’t really combat-oriented, you know."

"Can two production classes handle three combat-focused players?"

"No way. I’d run, whether it’s one or three."

"Right."

Originally, we production classes aren’t as combat-capable as combat classes. We have fewer skill benefits, and our high production stats mean our combat stats are lower. At the same average level, there’s a significant difference in specs.

"Should we run now?"

"Sure. From what I heard about yesterday’s fire, they can’t take objects but can damage them."

"Right, tents. They were completely destroyed, not just damaged. So, running... damn."

I inadvertently clicked my tongue. In response to my strong alertness, Riui disappeared, and the young beasts hid behind Reiri.

Just as we were about to run, they approached from the other side, quite quickly.

Reiri could see them clearly. They were armed but didn’t seem to be about to attack immediately.

"Are you the black summoner?"

A young swordsman with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes asked. He seemed confident, the opposite of the dark image I had of attackers, which made me even more cautious.

"What, you guys. My kids are scared. Put away your weapons."

Glaring back at me, the two mages on either side of the swordsman quietly glared back, but I didn’t care. It all depended on the swordsman’s response.

The swordsman, ignoring my words, glanced at the young beasts hiding behind Reiri.

"Right, as I thought. You are the black summoner. Your existence has been posted on the bulletin board."

"No, no, that’s not me! It’s definitely not me."

"Forget the incident yesterday!? You killed a player so brutally! The black summoner and their young beasts are, in essence, ‘evil’. They are enemies that must be punished!"

"Listen to me!"

The two mages on either side were praising him, saying things like, "You’re so cool," and "You’re the game’s mediator."

"Yun, we’re running!"

I was stunned by their unexpected appearance, but Reiri’s words brought me back to my senses, and we immediately started running.

I understood their purpose, but from what I heard, there was no way we could understand each other.

Saying they are the righteous ones and judging evil is fine, but their words are hasty. They’re not listening to me. They must be the type who is very set in their beliefs.

I never expected the attackers to be ‘misguided guys who think they are righteous’. There’s no way to reason with them. I don’t even want to.

We ran desperately to the east. Reiri had Neshias on her shoulder and three in her hands. Riui was running alongside us.

They were surprisingly fast in pursuit.

"Are you the black summoner?"

The young swordsman with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes asked. He seemed confident, the opposite of the dark image I had of attackers, which made me even more cautious.

"What, you guys. My kids are scared. Put away your weapons."

Glaring back at me, the two mages on either side of the swordsman quietly glared back, but I didn’t care. It all depended on the swordsman’s response.

The swordsman, ignoring my words, glanced at the young beasts hiding behind Reiri.

"Right, as I thought. You are the black summoner. Your existence has been posted on the bulletin board."

"No, no, that’s not me! It’s definitely not me."

"Forget the incident yesterday!? You killed a player so brutally! The black summoner and their young beasts are, in essence, ‘evil’. They are enemies that must be punished!"

"Listen to me!"

The two mages on either side were praising him, saying things like, "You’re so cool," and "You’re the game’s mediator."

"Yun, we’re running!"

I was stunned by their unexpected appearance, but Reiri’s words brought me back to my senses, and we immediately started running.

I understood their purpose, but from what I heard, there was no way we could understand each other.

Saying they are the righteous ones and judging evil is fine, but their words are hasty. They’re not listening to me. They must be the type who is very set in their beliefs.

I never expected the attackers to be ‘misguided guys who think they are righteous’. There’s no way to reason with them. I don’t even want to.

We ran desperately to the east. Reiri had Neshias on her shoulder and three in her hands. Riui was running alongside us.

They were surprisingly fast in pursuit.

"Let’s sprint. 【Enchantment】—Speed!"

We sped up, leaving a yellow trail behind us.

"Leave this to me. 【Wind Armor】."

A thin green veil created by one of the male mages enveloped the pursuers, visibly increasing their speed.

"What the hell! That magic!"

"That’s an upper-level sense of the 【Wind Attribute】. It’s the initial magic of the 【Storm Attribute】. If they can use that level, a few magic hits will leave us near death."

"Is this the time to be calm! We need to strengthen our defenses. 【Enchantment】—Mind!"

Additional enchantments for defense.

I felt fear from the pressure of the pursuers sprinting behind us. Reiri was smiling, but I could see the anxiety in her eyes.

I tried to think of a solution, but my mind was clouded by panic and fear.

Looking back, this was the last resort, but using it here was a mistake.

That is—sending an SOS email to all my acquaintances.