Chapter 6

"Shu-koppu, shu-koppu..."

Running with quick steps, I muttered to myself and searched for an item with my eyes. Something that could scoop up and carry soil, something a child could hold, and something that wouldn't be too strange to find lying around here. It was quite a difficult set of conditions, but my maxed-out item box had just the right thing—

"Reni!"

My mother, who had circled the house, beckoned me over. I approached her, holding the item I had taken out of my item box. My mother looked relieved to see me return so quickly, but then she noticed what I was holding and tilted her head in confusion.

"Soup ladle?"

"Yep."

"Where did you find a soup ladle?"

"It was lying around."

My mother furrowed her brow suspiciously at my answer.

"Around the house?"

"Yep."

"A soup ladle?"

"Yep."

"…Why would a soup ladle be in our yard? And it looks like a really good one…"

My mother scratched her head. I silently applauded her in my mind because she was right; it was indeed a very good one.

This soup ladle was actually a weapon, classified as a short sword. It was made using several SS-grade materials and a large amount of S-grade materials, making it very rare. The fact that she could recognize its quality showed that her eye for detail was quite good. Incidentally, this soup ladle, despite being so valuable, had very weak offensive power as a weapon. Its only advantage was that its attack power wouldn't decrease even without using a whetstone.

So why did such a weapon exist?

In the game, it was mainly seen as a fashion item for cosplay. People often wore it with a low-defense chef's coat and chef's hat, which were also difficult to craft, and gathered with friends to match outfits. It was highly unlikely that such a soup ladle would be lying around our house. It was natural for my mother to be suspicious, but she didn't have time to worry—

• If the owner shows up, return it properly.

• Use it carefully.

• You can touch the soil in the garden, but don't play with the vegetables.

She instructed me and then hurriedly started her garden work. Don't worry, leave it to me!

I would use this [Fertilizer (God)] to create nutrient-rich soil and spread it with the soup ladle! So, I squatted down and scooped up the fluffy soil with the soup ladle. I walked carefully to avoid spilling it and approached the potato rows. I successfully covered the roots of the potatoes, avoiding the leaves and stems—

"Phew…!"

I did it…!

It felt like I had finally succeeded…! The soup ladle was more difficult to use than a shovel, but it fulfilled its purpose as a tool just as I had planned. Now, I just needed to spread it across the entire field…!

…The entire field? No way…

"The future is so far away…"

The future seems so distant… I was happy with my first success, but I think I'll need to do this at least two hundred more times. No, probably more than two hundred times… But I have no choice.

That's right. In the game, this kind of thing is a daily occurrence. Leveling up involves repeating simple tasks, and before you know it, you become stronger. One success doesn't mean everything is over and done with. You need to keep succeeding. That's what's important.

"Alright!"

I gripped the soup ladle again and stood up with a "unsho." My mother was still working in the field, so I would continue this task too! And there was something I wanted to investigate—

—This lack of money.

If we work diligently in the field, we should have a bountiful harvest soon, and my parents will be able to relax. …Or so I thought. But is that really the case? Will things be solved once my father recovers and can earn money from the field?

Currently, my parents work from morning till late at night, yet we have so little money. Something seems off. I have a feeling there's something more to it.

—From now on, it's an investigation mission.