Chapter 38

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

---

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

---

There should be a definite improvement in combat power.

It should be.

But another problem was beginning to arise.

The corridor had become too narrow for combat.

In the middle of the corridor, I positioned the Wood Golem Jericho.

On either side, I, Wolf, and Mii-chan formed the front line.

Jean and Toguro provided support and rear cover from the air.

That was the basic setup until now.

With the addition of Uu-chan and Mi-ke.

Quite a few.

Jean and Toguro, who could move freely in the air or anywhere, didn't need to worry.

But with a wolf and a tiger, they would need to occupy a certain amount of space for combat.

The presence of allies would become an obstacle in battle.

No, if I stepped back and provided rear support, it would be fine.

But I had no intention of doing so.

If there was no space, I would create it.

When six mushrooms appeared, I surrounded them to block their retreat and engaged in battle.

It somehow worked out.

It was a bit forced, though.

Also,

Adele and Irena, along with their respective summoned monsters, could form a six-person party.

How long do I have to take care of them?

Maybe I should check with the Adventurer's Guild.

We entered the large room.

It was the first large room. Above the main entrance, a blue human soul was visible.

And there were mushrooms again.

Even without the Rush Fungus, six is quite a lot.

But in this large room, we wouldn't get in each other's way even with ten people.

We took some damage but eliminated them without any problems.

With the addition of the wolf and tiger, the increase in attack power was evident.

I barely had to do anything.

I just deflected the mushrooms' attacks.

And then the exit.

I tried to see if we could pass through with just Adele and Irena, temporarily releasing the "Union."

It seemed there was no problem.

Then I also left the dungeon.

After confirming that Adele and Irena alone couldn't enter the dungeon again, we headed to Regias Village.

Jericho was very helpful in battle, but he wasn't suited for traversing the forest.

No, he was completely unsuitable.

The march became too slow, so I sent him back.

Instead, I summoned the owl, Obsidian.

We continued the night march through the forest.

We were attacked by Evil Ants a few times on the way back, but we quickly eliminated them.

There was no time to waste on deliberately calling more allies to earn rewards.

But occasionally, Obsidian seemed to be concerned about something.

The target was in the trees.

Hadn't he shown a similar reaction before?

I asked Obsidian and Jean to check the trees.

There was a monster in the trees.

It seemed to be a Rampaging Silver Chicken (female).

I left the Flash Light above Adele's head and cast the Noctovision spell on myself to see in the dark.

The tree wasn't a straight pine, so climbing wasn't too difficult.

I climbed as quietly as possible.

What I found was a nest.

Sitting in the nest was definitely a Rampaging Silver Chicken (female).

She didn't seem to notice us and was passive.

Is this how they behave at night?

Or is it because monsters make nests in trees?

I don't know the actual ecology of the Silver Chicken.

But this was a target to be eliminated.

I took out my rod and carefully aimed.

I thrust it into the monster all at once.

The monster fell from the tree.

From above, I confirmed that Obsidian and Jean attacked the falling monster.

The monster was easily slaughtered by the surprise attack.

Well, that's to be expected.

In the nest, as expected, there were eggs.

Two of them.

But the branches were too thin to proceed, and I couldn't reach them.

I had to retreat.

"Irina, there's a Rampaging Silver Chicken's nest up there. I want Toguro to retrieve it."

"Eggs?"

"Yeah, there were two."

"I think I can do it."

"Thanks."

Then Toguro brought the eggs back in a way that looked like he had swallowed them.

They seemed to be treated as items.

They were slightly larger than regular chicken eggs.

[Material Item] Silver Chicken Egg, Raw Material, Quality C, Rarity 2, Weight 0+

Egg of a Rampaging Silver Chicken. Can be eaten like regular chicken eggs.

However, raw consumption is not recommended.

So, they're going to eat them.

No, it seems this game world has a lot of ingredients.

After retrieving the other egg, we hurried on.

We were almost to Regias Village.

About half of the stalls and shops had already closed.

Mio's stall and Feina's shop were the same.

I wanted to show them the new items and get their opinions, but I decided to do it tomorrow.

"Are you both free tomorrow?"

"We can."

"Sure!"

"Then let's have breakfast at Mio's place tomorrow. After that, we'll solve the puzzle in the forest dungeon."

"Okay."

"I have some work to do, so I'll leave the board posting to you. But no major spoilers."

"Got it! I'll leave it to Irina!"

"Hey! I can do the posting too, but let's do it together."

Hmm.

The usual banter.

While I left the information posting to them,

My mind was already filled with thoughts of tomorrow.

I had a good idea of the puzzle solutions.

I had the route in my head, so it was just a matter of verification.

The only concern was time.

With the need to eliminate monsters, we would inevitably spend a long time in the dungeon.

The only relief was that there were large rooms where we could rest along the way.

After seeing Adele and Irena enter the inn, I headed to my master's house.

On the way, I encountered Ali, but Obsidian and Jean's ambush and Wolf's pursuit had mostly taken care of it.

I didn't have to do anything.

No, the slowest to engage the enemy was me.

As a summoner, it's a good thing, but it's lonely to have no role.

Very lonely.

When I reached my master's house, I went straight to the basement room.

The goal was potion bottles.

I think there were 23 potions this morning, but only 2 were left.

The forest dungeon would be a long battle.

It would be tough with just a few more.

I had collected all the empty bottles.

I was sure there were a few empty bottles left in the basement.

The basement workshop felt like it had been a while since I last visited.

It was very clean, thanks to Metal Skin's work.

There were empty bottles.

There were 8 rows of 10 each.

I didn't plan to use all of them.

10.

No, let's add 15.

Then I started making potions.

A total of 34.

I didn't have much MP to spare, so I had to do it manually.

I wanted to make them all Quality C.

I created 10 potions using 5 Healing Grass.

It had been a while, so 1 Quality C- mixed in with the Quality C.

It's quite difficult.

I tried making 10 more potions using 5 Healing Grass.

This time, I managed to make them all Quality C.

[Your Precision Handling skill has leveled up!]

Oh, my auxiliary skill also leveled up.

I tried making 10 more potions using 5 Healing Grass.

This time, 2 Quality C+ mixed in with the Quality C.

Things don't always go as planned.

I increased the number of empty bottles and tried making 10 more potions using 5 Healing Grass.

1 Quality C+ mixed in with the Quality C.

Hmm.

I made too many. 40 bottles lined up in front of me, 6 more than the planned 34.

4 of them were not Quality C.

It's a bit too many to carry, but it's the maximum number that fits in the backpack.

I'll let Adele and Irena carry a few.

I put the collected Healing Grass and Bitter Grass into the burlap bags.

I also took the opportunity to organize the contents of my backpack.

Too many logs.

I couldn't transport them without the Item Box.

I wanted to discuss how to deal with them in the morning with Feina.

I attached screenshots of the logs and mushrooms to a message just in case.

What am I supposed to do with this?

Even if I cultivate them, it seems like a lot of management would be required.

After organizing everything, I returned to the upper room and dismissed the summoned monsters.

I logged out after getting into bed.

I have a lot to do tomorrow.

The fun is just beginning.

---

When I logged in, the sun was just starting to rise.

I had stayed up a bit late yesterday, so I was a bit anxious.

I quickly equipped myself and summoned only Wolf.

Today's plan was to go to the forest dungeon.

I would summon Jean and Jericho after we got there.

[You have a message from a friend]

It was from Feina.

She must have sent it while I was logged out.

"After breakfast, we plan to leave. If I'm not there, Rick and Yuka will be."

I remembered they were moving to Remto today.

I wanted to talk to them early.

I walked through the morning forest and onto the road.

There were already several parties passing by.

Among the people heading from Regias Village to Remto, I didn't see any familiar faces.

When I reached the village, I immediately went to the usual spot.

The stall was open.

But there was only one.

The scale was half of what it used to be.

Yuka was cooking something.

In the back, Mio was preparing something.

It seemed like the usual scene, but there was a difference.

There was a cart in the back.

"Good morning, Keith."

"Hey!"

"Good morning, both of you."

Then Feina and Rick appeared from behind the cart.

"Good morning."

"Oh, you made it."

"Managed to."

I exchanged a nod with Rick and was invited to sit at a table in the back of the stall.

We started the discussion.

"Basically, as I mentioned in the message."

"I heard there's a lot, but do you have it all?"

"No, Adele and Irena have some, so not all of it."

"Can we see a sample of everything?"

"Of course."

I took out a log and some mushrooms from the Item Box.

Feina and Rick took turns using [Appraisal].

"Rick, what's concerning is the intent of the developers, right?"

"If it's a message to players, it's clear."

"Has there been any circulation of mushrooms before?"

"There is, but they don't last long and dried mushrooms are expensive. They're also used in medicine."

"What about for food?"

"Basically, they can't be transported unless they're dried. Fresh mushrooms are rare."

"But the rarity is low, isn't it?"

"The circulation is low, but they're not rare."

So, Feina and Rick also thought the same.

Cultivating mushroom logs.

If they don't circulate in large quantities in this world, it could be a business opportunity.

"We've already informed the farmers in our Player's Guild. We've received a few responses."

"Already? That's quick."

"For cultivation, it's not a matter of farmland. We need a forest, preferably one that has been managed."

"Without lumberjacks, it's impossible. There are few lumberjacks, right?"

"Our only contact is Tsutsumi, a blacksmith in our guild who takes orders from lumberjacks in Remto."

"Contact?"

"We're waiting for a response from Tsutsumi."

"Rick, can I leave this to you? I'll return to Remto as planned."

"No problem."

While the two merchants were discussing, Adele and Irena arrived.

"Good morning!"

"Hey! Breakfast will be a bit longer!"

"Good morning, Adele, Irena."

These two seemed to have become close to Mio and Yuka through cooking.

They might have been bribed with food.

"Feina, can I show you everything I'm carrying?"

"Sure."

"It might be a lot."

I took out mountains of mushrooms and several logs from our three backpacks.

"That's a lot."

"It was a bit unexpected."

"My [Appraisal] skill leveled up."

"Sorry for bringing so much in the morning."

"It's fine. We're merchants, after all."

Meanwhile, Adele and Irena were talking to Yuka with mushrooms in hand.

"Pot!"

"Pot, right?"

"Soup base?"

"Mushrooms are enough."

"No, we still have some Striped Hare meat, so we might as well use it."

Mio joined the conversation while cooking.

The sound of meat sizzling on the iron plate was audible.

Is it okay?

And a pot?

I remember seeing something like a clay pot for sale in Remto.

No, that's not the point.

You guys are too focused on food.

After Rick did the calculations, he bought the Silver Chicken eggs and other small items.

It was about 80 silver coins for 100 dinars.

Considering the amount I brought, it felt a bit insufficient, but all the materials were low rarity.

That's about right.

The problem was the mushrooms.

Would it be bad if we ate them all?

"Rick, let's talk about the logs again when Reina comes."

"Right. Logs can also be used in woodworking."

"What about Keith and the others today?"

"Solving the puzzle in the forest dungeon. We also plan to advance a bit further."

"Seems like you're ahead in many areas, but is the combat okay?"

"Well, we'll manage."

"Good. It's helpful that you're posting on the board."

"I'm not the one doing it, but I'll make sure it's done."

Mio started grilling Shiitake mushrooms on the iron plate.

A good smell was rising.

Looking at the inside of the Shiitake caps, water droplets were forming.

With some salt and pepper.

Hmm.

When can I taste it?

"Good, right?"

Mio ate the first one herself.

She was grilling Shiitake mushrooms one after another.

"Mio! Don't use them all! Didn't you hear the conversation?"

"I'm leaving some, so it's fine. Besides, Keith and the others will bring more, right?"

"You're going to Remto, right? Leave the cooking to Yuka."

"Mmm."

Hmm.

Mio is going to Remto, so she must have received a title.

That's good.

"Here, Keith. Breakfast."

Yuka handed me and Feina and Rick hamburgers.

No, the patty was sliced raw meat, so it's not a hamburger.

It turned out to be horse meat.

[Food Item] Spiced Horse Meat Sandwich, Fullness +30%, Quality C, Rarity 2, Weight 0+

Sliced horse meat marinated in fish sauce, vinegar, and herbs, then sandwiched in bread.

Very filling.

Hmm.

It's embarrassing, but it's delicious.

But horse sashimi is the best.

I won't give that up.

The stir-fried noodles being made on the iron plate seemed to be for sale.

They were being made and stored in the corner of the iron plate.

We paused the conversation to eat.

Adele and Irena started eating later than me but finished earlier.

Their eyes were on the Shiitake mushrooms.

It was obvious.

Mio seemed to be distributing the grilled Shiitake mushrooms, and they looked like they were being bribed.

"Shall we go?"

"Okay."

After urging Adele and Irena, we decided to leave.

I also bought some portable food from the stall.

[Food Item] Portable Food (Improved), Fullness +35%, Quality C+, Rarity 2, Weight 1

Dry and light, but provides a decent amount of fullness.

Made with dried pork, which improves the lasting effect.

Convenient to carry. Note that the effect is halved without water.

*Can be used consecutively, but be careful not to overeat!

According to Rick, Mio and Yuka made this themselves.

It seems the production classes are coming up with various products.

It's very helpful for adventurers.

"See you all, we're off."

"See you!"

We left Regias Village, lighter than before.

Adele summoned Mii-chan, and Irena summoned Mi-ke, heading into the forest.

Main Character: Keith

Race: Human, Male, Race Level 6

Class: Summoner (Summoner) Level 5

Bonus Points Remaining: 22

Set Skills:

Staff Level 4, Strike Level 3, Kick Level 3, Joint Lock Level 3, Throw Level 3

Dodge Level 3, Block Level 2, Summon Magic Level 6

Light Magic Level 3, Wind Magic Level 3, Earth Magic Level 3, Water Magic Level 3

Fire Magic Level 2, Dark Magic Level 1

Alchemy Level 3, Pharmacist Level 3, Glassworking Level 3

Coordination Level 5, Appraisal Level 5, Identification Level 5, Cold Resistance Level 2, Grappling Level 4

Riding Level 4, Precision Handling Level 4 (Up 1), Jump Level 1, Heat Resistance Level 3

Equipment: Kay's Rod, Wild Hare Chestplate + Series, Snow Ape Arm Guards,

Wild Horse Boots +, Snow Ape Leather Helmet, Backpack,

Item Box x2

Items: Skinning Knife

Titles: Apprentice to the Old Summoner (Provisional), Guardian of Livestock, Seeker of Moderation

Summoned Monsters:

Wolf (Wolf Level 4)

Crescent (Horse Level 3) - Resting

Helix (Hawk Level 3) - Resting

Obsidian (Owl Level 3) - Resting

Jean (Bat Level 2) - Resting

Jericho (Wood Golem Level 1) - Resting

Companions:

Adele & Mii-chan

Irena & Mi-ke