Chapter 6

This is an update for chapters 6 and 7.

It had been about half a year since I, Hinami Kusunoki, came to this world, the world of <Lethisrill>. I haven't stepped outside my house even once.

“Sigh...”

Sitting at the table in my house, I let out a breath while eating a salad. Was it a sigh, or just a sign that I was tired?

“I haven’t eaten any meat... In fact, I’ve only been eating vegetables and fruits.”

I can get seeds for vegetables and fruits, so I’ve been cultivating them in the garden. As a result, I’ve been living a vegetarian life, but I’ve managed to survive. For seasoning, I’ve been making do with salt, sugar, pepper, and olive oil. This is my current dietary situation. I’ve become a proper vegetarian. By the way, when I asked God in the exchange diary, I was told that meat can be obtained by catching animals in the forest. However, I haven’t stepped into the forest, which is beyond my garden, because I’m afraid of the monsters I haven’t seen yet.

Oh, right. This morning, I noticed that wheat seeds had been added to the list of items that can be exchanged for points. So, I plan to plant them in the garden later. If I can make bread, I’ll try not to think about the lack of baking facilities for now.

And now, after half a year, the facilities in my house and the garden have gradually improved.

First, inside the house. I added a room and a rooftop, separating the bedroom and the living room. On the rooftop, I grow herbs for seasoning and dry laundry in the open space.

The herbs are planted in pots that can be exchanged for points and are neatly arranged. Using the skill <Angel’s Song>, I can harvest them immediately, so I don’t have many.

Currently, I’m growing three types: pepper, thistle, and olive. By the way, olive oil can be made from the fruits of the olive plant.

Regarding the garden, I’ve created spaces for each type of herb and made a flower bed. The herbs growing now are “Health Grass” and “Red Grass” only. I searched the garden hard, but I only found these two types of herbs.

So, the only way I can earn points is by making health potions, which is a disappointing result.

Regarding the seeds that can be exchanged for points, I noticed that they come in six random types. For example, if I exchange for them, I might get carrots, pumpkins, potatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, and tomatoes. However, since they are random, the same types might not be included the next time I exchange.

“Yeah, I’ll try my best today...!”

I put on the armor and took the sword from the treasure chest in the basement.

I started thinking that I should at least check around the house. For the past month, I’ve been thinking about trying but then stopping... repeating this cycle. But today, I’ll take a step into the forest. Although, I haven’t heard any sounds of monsters even when I’m in the garden, so there might not be any monsters nearby.

By the way, the forest where my house is located. According to the map given by God, it takes about half a day to walk to the nearest town. I’m curious about the town, but I don’t have the courage to walk through the forest for half a day.

By the way, I haven’t met anyone. Even in a forest that takes half a day to walk through, it seems like people could come... but they haven’t.

I went out to the garden and took deep breaths repeatedly.

Today is my first forest exploration.

“Okay, I’ve got the homemade health potion. The plan is to run if anything happens...! Alright!!”

Then, I took one step into the forest from my house, which is protected by the skill <God’s Garden>. It’s fine for now. Actually, I was worried that it might be a dark forest outside the <God’s Garden> area, but it turned out to be the beautiful scenery I had seen.

Maybe this is a good forest where no monsters exist.

“...Ah! That’s Blue Grass...!?”

Just a few steps from the garden into the forest, I made a big discovery. There were a few “Blue Grass” plants, which are the ingredients for the magic potion. Behind the many plants, which I couldn’t see from the front, the Blue Grass was growing.

I squatted down and carefully picked the Blue Grass, putting it in my backpack. I picked it carefully from the root to plant it in the garden.

While picking, I moved a little deeper into the forest and found “Orange Grass” next.

“This is... the herb that can be used to make the <Crimson Healing Potion>!”

Now, I can make two new types of healing potions.

The forest is beautiful, there are no monsters, and I wish I had come out earlier. But what’s done is done. I’ll explore as much as I can today to catch up.

Then, I can repay God a little, can’t I?

After walking for about 15 minutes, I found a large rock and sat down to rest.

The backpack was half full with Blue Grass and Orange Grass. On top of that, there were a few mushrooms. I found them at the base of a tree while walking. They look like shiitake mushrooms, but I’ll check in a book when I get home to see if they are edible. If they are, I’ll cultivate them at home for food.

Suddenly, the rustling of the trees behind me caught my attention.

“Quack!!”

“Ahh...!?”

I thought the forest was safe...! My body froze at the sudden “voice” I heard. Could this be the “monster” God mentioned...

I broke out in a cold sweat at the sound from the bushes behind me and quickly stood up. I have a sword in the adventurer’s set, but I’ve never used it.

Ah, I should have practiced a bit before coming out to the forest... I regret it a little. But since I’m not particularly athletic, it might not have made much difference.

Anyway, I’ll stick to the plan. The command is, of course, to run...

“If I dash back to the house, I’ll be fine... I think... Huh?”

I turned my gaze to the “thing” I thought was a monster.

“It’s a chicken...?”

“Quack!”

Two chickens poked their heads out of the bushes.

I don’t know why chickens are here, but if I can get these two, I might have eggs on the table... I want meat, but I don’t have the skills to butcher a chicken. Besides, I’m honestly afraid to kill them, even for food.

“Quack! Quack!!!”

“Cluck!!”

“They don’t cluck... They’re kind of cute.”

Being alone, I felt my heart warm at the sight of the two moving chickens. It’s a bit lonely and strange not to have anyone to talk to... So, I’ve been talking to myself a lot lately.

I found the two chirping chickens a bit amusing and thought about how I could get them. If they are stray chickens, I’d like to invite them to my home.

Suddenly, the chickens ran towards me and quickly passed by.

“Huh!! Why all of a sudden...”

At the same time, the bushes shook violently.

Then, a creature the size of a medium dog... Is this a wolf...?

However, this “wolf” didn’t have a cute face. It had narrowed eyes, like it was hunting prey, and it had a menacing presence... It was like a “monster”...

I realized this and took a step back.

“This is a ‘monster’...!?”

I don’t want this.

I’m scared...! The wolf, which was staring at me without breaking eye contact, could pounce at any moment. I took a few steps back to put some distance between us. If the wolf catches me, I won’t survive.

Fear ran through my body, making me feel like I was paralyzed. But I could only take a few steps back, trembling.

“Grrr...”

Suddenly, the wolf growled and pounced at me.

“No!!!”

I can’t just be scared. I shouted at my legs to move and ran away from the wolf. It took about 15 minutes to walk from the house to here, picking herbs along the way. How long will it take to get back to the house if I run as fast as I can...?

The wolf was standing where I had been standing before I started running. It seems I barely managed to escape. If my judgment had been even a moment off, I might not be alive now.

“Huff... Huff...”

I ran through the forest as fast as I could. It felt like I had been running for hours, but in reality, it hadn’t even been a minute. The distance between me and the wolf was closing, and it was now about 5 meters away. Considering its previous leap, this distance could be covered in an instant. Maybe it’s enjoying the chase.

“Ahh...!!”

In the unfamiliar forest, I tripped over a tree root and lost my balance. In that moment, the wolf closed the distance.

But I quickly stood up and started running again.

“Ouch...!”

I didn’t have time to run, and my right arm, which was on the ground, was slashed by the wolf’s sharp claws, causing it to bleed. But I couldn’t stop running because of the pain. If the smell of blood attracts other “monsters,” it would be even worse.

Then, I saw my house in my line of sight.

“Just a little more...! Ugh... Ah...!!”

“Grrr...”

This time, it might be over...

The wolf pounced on me, and I fell to the ground.

The wolf’s claws dug into my shoulder, causing a pain I had never felt before. The wolf’s saliva dripped onto my neck, and the fear made me unable to even scream.

I can’t... I’m going to be eaten...

Tears couldn’t even form in my fear.

Ah, God... I’m done for.

“I’m sorry, God... I haven’t been able to repay you yet...”

In the face of death, the only words I could muster were a message to God.

I closed my eyes tightly, bracing for the next impact.

But the next moment, the impact didn’t come.

It was God’s voice...

“Hina! Use <Symphony of Light>!!”

God’s anxious voice echoed in my mind, and I remembered that I had another skill. I had forgotten about it, even though it was a defensive skill...

“Ugh...! <Symphony of Light>!!”

I strained my voice as loud as I could, and it echoed through the forest.

At that moment, a glowing shield appeared in front of me, and the wolf was thrown back, hitting a tree behind me.

Ah... Did I defeat it...?

“You can’t defeat it with a defensive skill. Get home before it gets up...!”

“Ahh...! Yes!”

It seems my skill is really focused on defense.

I thought it would be defeated by hitting the tree, but I realized that monsters wouldn’t be so easily defeated. I thanked God and ran home before the wolf could get up.

Honestly, my body hurts, but I can’t afford to rest.

“Grrr...”

“Ahh...!!”

The wolf had already gotten up and was running towards me.

But the house was just a few meters away.

“Three meters...”

“I’m back...!”

I tumbled into the garden, feeling relieved.

This is within the range of my <God’s Garden> skill, so monsters can’t enter. Or so I thought.

But the wolf didn’t slow down and pounced at me from 10 meters away. However, it was stopped by an invisible barrier and thrown back.

“...Amazing”

“Quack!”

A cute response to my muttered words.

“Eh... A response?”

I turned around quickly and saw the chickens from earlier in the garden.

Why can they enter the <God’s Garden>? But if they can enter, they probably aren’t harmful to me.

“Did you escape from the wolf and come to my garden...? You’re very welcome!”

The two chickens chirped in response, and I smiled.

Then, pain ran through my body. I remembered the injuries from the wolf.

I quickly took a health potion from my backpack and applied it to my body. The numerous wounds I had sustained disappeared in an instant. I was surprised, even though I had made it myself. I hadn’t known its effects until now because I hadn’t been injured.

As a precaution, I took another one from my backpack and drank it quickly. There were no external injuries, but I was worried about internal damage.

“Hmm... I thought it would taste bad... but it’s delicious!”

Well, it’s not just delicious, it’s... like...

“Green tea...?”

The taste of the health potion was like tea.

A cute little bottle with a heart pattern and tea... Well, it makes sense since it’s a green liquid... I guess I used tea to heal my body.

It’s a bit of a strange feeling, but at least I can have tea on the table. I decided to accept it that way.

“...God?”

I suddenly noticed that I hadn’t heard God’s voice.

I called out, but there was no response.

Maybe God interfered when they couldn’t and helped me...

“Thank you, God...”

I looked up at the sky and spoke.

To be helped by God again. How much do I need to repay to be enough? Can I even repay it in my lifetime...?

I’m still powerless, but I’ll try my best to collect points and repay God.