Chapter 31

From inside the tent, good evening. It's another night of gathering. I'm Herman. If the moon phase function of the magic clock is correct, today should be a full moon. I can't help but marvel at the fact that the magic clock has such a function. I mean, who would have thought that the small round window on the magic clock would show the moon phase? I've been comparing the moon and the magic clock since the half-moon night, and I wish the Great Alchemy Dictionary had told me about this function from the start. It only provides basic instructions and simple explanations, so it's hard to understand.

Anyway, let's put that aside. Today should be a full moon, which means the Full Moon Mushrooms should be growing around here. We already know that the Moonlight Mushrooms can be gathered in a certain quantity. So, the key today is how many Full Moon Mushrooms we can gather in large numbers. I plan to focus solely on the Full Moon Mushrooms and ignore other materials. I'll even skip the Moonlight Mushrooms, aiming for a high yield with a do-or-die spirit. What if I don't find any? I think I can gather at least three or four. For some reason, I feel like they are more likely to be in the deeper parts of the forest rather than the shallower areas.

After about an hour of searching, I finally found the first Full Moon Mushroom. It's a relief that it was found so easily. With this, I think I can gather enough to fill a bottle by the end of the day. Let's start searching from where I found it. ...This is a Starlight Mushroom, I'll pass for now. It's a Moonlight Mushroom, and I'd like to keep it, but it's not the main target this time. I need to focus on the Full Moon Mushrooms every second.

So, the time has come. Today's harvest: 21 Full Moon Mushrooms. ...I think this is quite a good haul. It was worth giving up other materials to find them. I don't know how many Full Moon Mushrooms a regular adventurer can gather, but I think this is an exceptional amount. Most adventurers probably don't have night vision goggles, and even if they targeted tonight, gathering a few would be a good result. Now, the question is how much this will be worth. It would be great if it turned into a lot of money.

With that in mind, I returned to the edge of the forest. The surroundings were bright, and the smell of breakfast was in the air. Adventurers basically eat three things: porridge, dried meat, or mushrooms. There are no perishable items. I wonder if there's something that can be developed through alchemy for preservation. ...No, it doesn't have to be alchemy. I really need something, urgently. Otherwise, my diet will be in danger. I'm tired of eating the same things and want to try something different. In my previous life, I was a food specialist, so my cooking knowledge is limited. I wish my previous self had tried harder. Generally, knowledge from my previous life isn't reliable.

So, today's menu is porridge with dried meat and mushrooms. This is a sacred place, and a non-toxic one at that. The mushrooms are safe to eat. If I accidentally eat a poisonous one, I still have the antidote potion from the Campano Forest, so it's not a problem. I didn't use it in the Campano Forest, so it's probably just a mild toxin.

After breakfast, I washed the dishes and went to sleep. The sun is already up, so I need to get a good rest. I have to go gathering tonight, so I need to conserve my energy.

It was just before evening when I woke up. An alchemist's carriage was parked nearby. I need to check the prices of the materials. Fortunately, no other adventurers have returned yet, so I can get my appraisal done first. So, I headed to the alchemist's carriage. A few night gatherers were already in line, so I had to wait a bit. It's a new experience, and I'm excited. After about an hour of waiting, it was finally my turn.

"Excuse me."

"Sure. You're here to sell, right?"

"Yes. I just want to check the prices, so I won't be selling much, but please take a look."

"Check the prices? That's rare, but it happens. Show me the materials."

"Understood. It would be helpful if you could explain each one individually. I'll start laying them out."

I lined up all the materials. I have 13 types, so 13 bottles. I only put one Full Moon Mushroom and one Moonlight Mushroom to avoid waste.

"Let's go through them one by one. This is a Wind Chime Grass, 1 medium copper coin per stem. This is a Wisdom Grass, also 1 medium copper coin. This is a White Claw Grass, 2 medium copper coins. This is a Thatched Grass, 1 medium copper coin. This is a Clear Sky Grass, 5 large copper coins. This is a Whirlwind Mushroom, 2 small silver coins. This is an Air Wind Mushroom, 2 small silver coins. This is a Light Whirlwind Moss, 3 medium silver coins. This is a Red Mountain Sky Grass, 5 medium silver coins. This is an Eternal Grass, 1 large silver coin. This is a Starlight Mushroom, 5 large silver coins. And this is a Moonlight Mushroom, 2 large platinum coins. Oh, that's a Full Moon Mushroom. 5 small magic gold coins. In total, 5 small magic gold coins, 2 large platinum coins, 6 small gold coins, 5 large silver coins, 7 medium silver coins, 5 small silver coins, and 5 large copper coins. It seems you managed to gather Full Moon Mushrooms last night. Impressive."

"Thank you. The Full Moon Mushrooms are indeed expensive."

"Of course. They can only be gathered on a full moon night, and they're an essential ingredient for the Supreme Potion. There are always buyers."

"Understood. Thank you."

"Sure. Come again."

With that, I left the alchemist's carriage. ...Wow, there are so many dead bodies. ...I'll pack up my tent and head into the forest today. It feels like a fire might break out. Something similar happened in York's forest, so it's better to be cautious. ...If nothing happens, I'll be pushed to the outskirts, but that's fine. I'm using 120% of my capacity, and the outskirts are sufficient. ...But does the carriage have to leave the village and come back? I've been wondering what the path between the farmland and the village is for, but now I understand. If a fire breaks out, the carriage can't pass through. I've learned something new. There was one in Darling Village too, but I didn't know what it was for. The adventurer's square is used around the well and the carriage paths. Observations are important.

So, after dinner, I'll pack up my tent and set up a new center stake on the outskirts. I can't return without the directional magic stone necklace, so I need to do this. Let's gather with enthusiasm today. I'll also collect materials worth medium copper coins, so let's move quickly. The main goal is to gather Moonlight Mushrooms. It's impressive that they can be worth large platinum coins. The Rail Forest, or rather, the light-attribute sacred place, is formidable.

After gathering all night, I noticed a burnt smell near the edge of the forest. ...Well, I expected this. The line of dead bodies made it clear. The scene is charred, and the adventurers are cleaning up. The villagers are busy with agriculture, so they can't help. It's the busiest time for farmers, planting and sowing. They can't spare the manpower.

I finished cleaning up the church square by mid-morning. ...I need to sleep, but I have to set up my tent first. Fortunately, my tent fabric didn't burn. The center stake might have been scorched, but it didn't melt, so it's fine. The directional magic stone necklace is an alchemy item, so it didn't burn. That's a relief. There's a risk of theft, but who would steal something they don't understand? If it's stolen, I'll just cut them. It's an adventurer's rule that stealing is forbidden, and vigilante justice is allowed.

Fortunately, my center stake was unharmed. I'll set up my tent on the outskirts and go to sleep. Breakfast... well, it's fine. I can sleep. I set up my tent quickly and prepared for tonight's gathering. Good night.

It's evening, a bit past. I woke up around mid-morning, so it's a bit late. I went to the well to wash my face, filled a pot with water, and returned to my tent. About 30% of the area is covered with tents, and it seems a vigilante festival took place. Adventurers are lying down everywhere. We'll know if they're alive or dead tomorrow. Most adventurers don't care; if they're alive, they'll return to town in the morning, and those who didn't fight will return today. The cleanup was finished by mid-morning, so they'll arrive at night, but the adventurers here are more experienced.

After a proper dinner, I washed the pot, took care of the fire, and headed into the forest. It's not a full moon tonight, so I'll focus on Moonlight Mushrooms and gather other materials as I go. It's already night, so the number of Moonlight Mushrooms might be a bit lower. I entered the forest with that in mind.

Whether you found it interesting or not, I'd appreciate your feedback. If you could include a rating, that would be great. If you could point out any issues in your review, I think I can improve my writing, even as a casual reader. ...Probably.