CH 15

It’s now almost a week since Sheila has been holed up in the alchemy workshop. There is still some time before the promised time, but Sheila has still yet to show up. 

“I guess I was too harsh on her.”

It’s an impossible task for a beginner to make a healing potion in a week. At least I should have set a deadline of one month, I think regretfully.

Thinking of Sheila, who must be having a hard time, I swing the hoe in my hand down on the grassy ground.

I’m bored just waiting for the healing potions to be made, so I went into the dungeon for a bit to earn some DP, and then exchanged the Farming Field for DP to produce food.

“Affirmative – the relic will be used to assist in farming. Farming tools made of Hihiirokane* will never rust or break.”

Golemus, who is removing a large stone from my side, explains to me.

“I thought the field was just going to pop up! I didn’t think we’d have to start cultivating it from scratch!”

I wield the hoe, which seems to be made of Hihiirokane. I’m excited by the unknown metal, but more than that, I almost feel discouraged by the amount of effort I have to do.

The bright red hoe is surprisingly light and sharp. I don’t have any weapons in my possession at the moment, so I’ll use this as a weapon for a while.

It’s hard to keep fighting with only broken stones and projectiles. I’m not a barbarian, you know.

Plowing. Plowing. Plowing. Then sow the seeds and then plowing again. I let the occasional rain do the watering.

“Phew. Let’s take a break, Golemus. It’s not that I’m at my physical limit. It’s important for those in charge to set an example by taking appropriate breaks.”

“Reporting… sensing pretension.”

“……Golemus is really smart.”

I reply to the cynicism with cynicism and then sit down in the meadow. I’ve done a lot of plowing, so it should be enough to feed me, the elven sisters, and Gabriel.

The seeds I sowed are the same seeds used by the people of Aepha, so I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of crops we can produce.

We will grow our staple food in the fields and occasionally eat meat from the wild beasts that live in the meadow. This is the ideal scenario. I feel like I’m getting dumber if I eat only meat. Or maybe I’m actually getting dumber.

I wipe off my sweat with my hand.

I feel a bit grumpy, but the sweat from working feels really good. I wouldn’t be able to experience something like this if I had been confined in the royal palace.

“Well, I don’t think I’m going to die in a dungeon like an idiot. Speaking of which, do you know what my status was the last time I went through one, Golemus?”

“Affirmative… reading out your status.”

I’m stepping through the trials of the beginning again to get this field. There’s no sign of Noss on the third level, so unfortunately it looks like he will never be resurrected.

Also, the stone monument says that I could challenge other dungeons. I haven’t even entered them yet because I’m still afraid.

Henry Boesheit

Total number of deaths: 00010

Trial of Beginnings: Defeated 3 hours, 5 minutes, 25 seconds

Defeating the dungeon (2nd time)

HP 270 (+42) MP 10 Attack 128 (+17) Defense 164 (+14) Magic 1 Agility 31 (+4)

Weapon: Bronze Spear +5

Armor: Steel Light Armor +2

Special Skill: Maintain Status (Unique)

Possession DP: 328 (+210 rating)

“So that’s how it looks like huh? Because I died before I broke through, my defense power improved all the time…….”

Once you’ve cleared a dungeon, it’s easy to go back a second time. However, this is not such a sweet world.

The trial of beginnings, whose structure changes every time you enter, tries to kill me with its malice and complexity. In fact, I died three times before I made it through, and my death count is now in the double digits.

I also picked up an item called a magic wand along the way, but I didn’t know how to use it. I’m probably the most foolish person on the continent, waving my wand with high spirits in front of the enemy and getting eaten alive without anything happening.

“Golemus, we’d better get back home. I’m starving.”

“Acknowledged… and I will bring the farming tools to you.”

“Thank you.”

It’s almost noon. I give Golemus the hoe, which was as red as the setting sun, and head home. Lunch is beast meat. To be honest, I’m tired of it.

◇◇◇

“Sheila……uuu…… Sheilaaa……”

Thor mutters sadly while playing with the bone of the beast. It’s been like this for several days now.

She explains there was a lack of communication between them due to the fact that Sheila had been holed up creating healing potions.

As proof of this, even though it’s lunchtime, Sheila didn’t even come home. Sometimes Thor brings her food, but they don’t seem able to talk much together.

“Well, don’t be so depressed. Sheila’s just too busy to deal with you, isn’t she?”

This is decent encouragement, but I’ve never had a smooth family relationship, so what advice can I give?

“Gusu…… Uuuuu……”

Thor bites into the beast’s meat, tears welling up in her eyes. I almost want to laugh at the ridiculous sight, but I pinch my thighs and hold back.

“You can count on me. If we’re going to make potions, it’s probably faster if we both work together. ……”

“I think Sheila should go through this alone for once.”

Sheila says that she wanted to do it on her own, without relying on her sister. If Thor were to help her here, all her efforts would be for naught even if she succeeds.

“I don’t like the way you two are communicating with each other! How come I’m the only one who doesn’t know anything about it!?”

As soon as she finished, Thor plops down on the desk. Gabriel, who was listening to the conversation, is also anxious, so I hope she will be in a better mood soon.

“What can I do for you, Gabriel?”

I play with Gabriel on the floor, raising and lowering her paws. After playing with her for a while, she lies down and shows her belly, so I stroke her with all my might.

While I’m spending time like this, I hear a strong knock on the door of my house.

It’s probably Sheila, since there was no way a visitor would come to this place, but it was a strong knock for such a ladylike woman.

“It’s Sheila!”

Thor gets up with a loud thud and looks at the entrance of the room. I turn around to look at her, but Sheila is standing there, looking groggy. She is holding a potion in her hand.

Note:

Hihiirokane is from Japanese mythology in which it is generally depicted as harder than diamond, resistant or immune to rust, an excellent conductor of heat (or even a generator of heat), and an even better conductor of souls, emotions or spiritual energy