Chapter 67. Building materials.
Having listened to the World Tree rant for a while, Flor was now clear about what Liu Shu wanted. "Hm. I see. We need to gather quite a few things."
Liu Shu agreed with a cheerful tone. 'There are many!'
Flor sighed. "Let me get a list and write them down."
Liu Shu patiently waited, and around twenty minutes later, Flor returned with a stone tablet and a carving pen. "Although I don't know how to write proficiently, I can at least write the materials you discussed."
Curious, Liu Shu looked over and saw Flor scribbling on the tablet. The language was not the same as the one used in the books she had absorbed, but understanding was not a problem thanks to her SSS rank skill.
What was written as the following.
Materials List (F- Rank):
Spalignwood
Yellow cotton
Earthmud
Pebbleheart
Material List (F Rank):
Sprout Heart
Earthspire
Yellow Cotton thread
Dustheart
Material List (F+ Rank):
Budbark,
Gustbark, Mistbark, Soulbark, Astralbark.... (Any F+ Rank wood of any Aether Element).
Flor nodded and showed it to her. "No materials other than these?"
Liu Shu asked. "Don't you need to know the quantities I need?"
Flor blinked, looking between the list and Liu Shu. Her lips twitched, and she asked. "Tell me about the Budbark. That one is the most important, right?"
Puzzled, the World Tree asked. "Why don't you want to know about the rest?"
Flor sighed. "Aren't they probably in the thousands of units? We probably won't gather enough even for the foreseeable future. I would rather focus on the high-level and scarce materials so that we can focus later on the ones we need a ton off."
Liu Shu didn't understand that logic, but she agreed with her words and spoke to her. 'I need at least 43 units of Budbark plus two units of any elemental bark like Mistbark.'
Flor scratched her head. "Units? How big is a unit? Can't you tell it by weight or size?"
Liu Shu thought she actually had a point, so she lowered one of her branches and moved it along her trunk from the base up to the breasts-like protrusion of her trunk. 'A log around as tall as this if it is as thick as my trunk. If you can't find one as wide, it doesn't matter as long as the volume is similar.'
Clavel commented. "Speaking of which, Liu Shu, there are a lot of materials. Why do you need so many?"
Liu Shu agreed. 'There are a lot! That's right! But I need those materials to build houses and other things!'
Clavel exclaimed. "Oh! Houses! Those things Sylvans, humans, and other city dwellers live in! Will they be Rose Fairy size?"
Liu Shu coughed. "They won't be there at the start." When she saw Clavel pouting, Liu Shu continued. "But I can create them later! When there are extra materials!"
Clavel hummed. "I see~. Well, good enough, I guess."
Flor suddenly asked a question that made Clavel's ears perk up. "There is so much wood; what are you trying to build, Liu Shu? Isn't it uncomfortable to see buildings that are made of wood?'
Liu Shu looked at Flor with a confused gaze and asked, her tone clearly doubtful. 'Why would it be uncomfortable?'
Flor and Clavel deadpanned, feeling incredulous. 'How... you ask?'
Flor insisted, wanting to deliver the point across. "Well, seeing a house made of Rose Fairy skin would honestly creep me out. Don't you feel the same?"
The World Tree imagined that kind of house and commented with disgust. 'That would be an awful house!'
Clavel and Flor were about to nod and agree when Liu Shu continued. 'It would not block the rain and would rot very quickly! No wonder flesh creatures don't use their skins to build houses and use ours. Hmph, useless skin!'
The Rose Fairy Queen felt that, in some aspects, it was really difficult to match the thinking process of a tree.
With an awkward cough, Flor changed the subject. "Other than the buildings, how is the rest going, Liu Shu? Do you need help with anything?"
While the World Tree wanted to share her skills with Flor and speak about them, there was an innate feeling of reluctance and resistance toward such actions.
The subconscious fear about the ever-changing nature of living beings meant that the chance of betrayal from everyone was ever-present. While Liu Shu was young and didn't understand these matters, World Trees were inherently doubtful and cautious.
It was extremely rare to give a good first impression to a World Tree that went any deeper than those of curiosity. That's why there was a saying that stated: "A World Tree's friendly gaze will give luck to nine generations!"
Liu Shu didn't discuss her skills per se, but working on their use was not that much of a problem. 'Well, I am growing plenty of berries, but I wonder if you need more.'
Flor sat on a branch while Clavel waved goodbye and went to place the Rock tablet on the Lignified Vault.
Swinging her legs playfully, Flor commented. "From what I know, we should have a surplus even when we deliver them to everyone. However, if anything, I would love it if you created more of those <Delicious Berry>. The ones that give experience. I can feel that they are a bit more than just an experience resource."
Liu Shu was curious. 'What do you mean?'
Flor clarified. "The energy they have is beneficial toward Level Caps. Do you know what are those?"
Liu Shu enthusiastically answered, like a child who was asked about something they had recently learned. 'Yes! <Level Cap> is the state of being unable to Level Up even if you have enough experience points. This often means the stagnation of that person's progress, and it is generally limited by either talent, lack of hard work, or genetics!'
Flor laughed. "Impressive! You are learning so many things, Liu Shu." Then, she continued. "So, I think that the energies inside the Delicious Berry have the ability to break these shackles if taken continuously. To see if this is the truth, I need quite a bit of them to prove it with an elderly Rose Fairy who is stuck at her level."
Liu Shu understood Flor's explanation and readily agreed. 'Okay, I'll focus half of my production on growing <Delicious Berry>.'
Flor smiled. "Thank you, Liu Shu. Ariel and the caravan people should be arriving here soon, so we can ask them for more things." Flor paused and commented. "Liu Shu, try not to speak with them like you are with me. Use me, Ignatia, or a Rose Fairy as a middle-man for your words."
While our young World Tree didn't understand why, she didn't ask because she felt that there was no malicious intent and just worry behind Flor's words. 'Okay, I'll listen to you, Flor.'
Flor smiled and patted the big tree. "Good."