Chapter 27

I'm really sorry for the long break in updates! I'll be resuming at a more relaxed pace for a while!

And today is the release date for the book. I'm so grateful for all the support that made its release possible. Thank you very much. I hope you enjoy the book version as well!

I lean back on the ship, gazing at the horizon. Until now, I had been looking at it without much thought, but if Ketsi's village lies beyond, it's a different story.

I can't wait to get to Ketsi's village!

Indeed, we are currently on our way to the village of Ketsi, Catra.

Our goal is to cure Torte's sister's illness. We plan to make medicine using the rare herb, "Drops of Paradise," which we obtained in the dungeon "Paradise of Elngoa."

I'm so excited that my face must look completely ridiculous. But I can't help it, so there's nothing I can do. Oh, I can't wait to get to the island—wait, an island!

"Hey, hey, there's an island! Could that be Torte's hometown...?"

"Yep! That's the island where Ketsi's village is located!"

"Whoa!"

Overwhelmed with emotion, I leaned out of the boat and almost fell into the sea. Frey quickly came to my rescue.

"You're getting too excited, Sharon... Was it that important to you?"

"It really was! Visiting Ketsi's village has been a dream of mine, something I've really wanted to do!"

"I see..."

Frey seems a bit taken aback, but there's nothing I can do about it. I love exploring and experiencing new things, and this world is full of excitement.

I sit back down and stare at the island. It doesn't seem very large, and its shape appears somewhat round.

...Could the island have a distinctive shape?

For example, it might look like a paw when viewed from above. I want to see it right away, but unfortunately, I can't fly. That's very disappointing. ...Maybe I could fly if I became a saint? Probably not...

Lina says, "We'll be there soon," while observing the waves.

"Since it's your first time, Sharon, I'll give you a quick rundown. The boat will dock at a nearby plain, not the village. There will be some monsters there, but they're not very strong, so you don't need to worry."

I see, we have to go through a field before reaching the village. That's within my expectations, so it's not a problem. I respond with, "Got it!"

"It's not a difficult place to begin with, and with Sharon's support, we should be able to handle it easily."

"Then I'll do my best to be a help."

"I'm counting on you."

Luna's words make me clench my fist, and she smiles at me with sparkling eyes. It seems she really appreciates my support, especially skills like "Body Enhancement" that directly benefit the rear guard.

After a while, we arrived at the island of Ketsi.

The dock—though it sounds nice, it's actually just a pier made of logs tied together. The wood is quite worn out, so I'm a bit worried it might break.

The plain Lina mentioned turned out to be a catnip field...! The fluffy, soft catnip sways in the wind, and the golden tassels are dazzling.

After confirming that Torte had securely anchored the boat, I was the first to disembark.

The soft earth was more tender than I expected, making my heart skip a beat. The ground, covered in young grass, is almost entirely hidden, giving it a truly natural feel.

"I'm getting so excited..."

"Overreacting," Torte laughs from the boat, but I'm being serious.

I want to explore every corner of the island, not just Ketsi's village. If there's a "Transfer Gate" in the village, I can come back anytime, so I won't forget to check. Yeah, there's a lot to do.

"Sharon, you're blocking the way, so please move forward."

"Ah!"

Before I could fully savor the moment, Frey, Lina, Luna, and Torte disembarked. I was hoping to enjoy the excitement a bit longer, but that's a bit disappointing.

...Oh, right, there are monsters.

"For now... 'Body Enhancement'! And 'Guard of the Goddess' for scout Lina. I'll support you as needed when monsters appear."

"Thank you."

"Thanks!"

I smile at their gratitude and grip my staff tightly.

—This is a place I only know from events.

So, there's a possibility of encountering monsters I don't know. That's a bit worrying, but according to Luna, the monsters shouldn't be very strong. If that's the case, I just need to stay calm and provide support. I probably won't need to use any special skills.

As I take a deep breath, Lina's voice rings out from the front.

"...Let's start the battle."

Rustling through the catnip, a cat monster jumps out.

Eh, they're so cute?

So, we've arrived at the island of Ketsi. My excitement is through the roof. But the monsters are cute little cats. Oh no.

The book is now available!

I've added and revised a lot, so I hope you enjoy it. I'm aiming for a sequel, so please support me!

I've written about the additional content and bonus SS in my activity report, so please check it out there.

In the book, I included a map to make the geography easier to understand.

And the illustrations are absolutely beautiful!

Please enjoy the divine-looking Sharon on the cover. (As for the contents...)