CH 11

Karina here! I received a quest to collect logs so I came to the area specified for it by the guild!

I can cut down as much as I want here, so I'mma do that~☆

"So I shouldn't take from the managed forest areas, huh? Well, that much is obvious."

Managed forests were relatively safe areas for harvesting lumber, and it was apparently a crime to cut down trees there.

… The ones I cut down before should be fine, right? They were far from human settlements… and it was probably the territory of the Alchemist Kingdom… well, let's just keep quiet about it.

"If I were to reveal my spatial magic, I could go all out and strip the mountain bare… no, that's no good. I need to restrict myself to what an individual can manage."

I could also duplicate a log after cutting one down. Delivering the exact same logs would expose my ability to duplicate things… but what if I copied one log at a time and delivered them to different towns? Maybe that'd keep me from getting caught… The type of wood might give me away, though… let's keep that a secret until I start handling lumber as a merchant in the future.

"So if I'm going to continue with my policy of hiding my spatial magic… I'll say I used wind magic to float the logs and pulled them along with me, I guess?"

I'd only be able to carry two logs at a time, one in each hand. If I did that once a day for two weeks, I'd reach my goal. I have to consider the cost of lodging, though… maybe it'd take a little longer?

"Alright, policy decided. Let's do this."

I quickly cut down two nearby trees, removed their branches, and made them into logs.

I then used spatial magic to lift the logs and carried them in my arms. It was a simple job.

All that was left was to walk them back to Solasidor… I'd keep the fact that the logs were actually carrying me a secret.

Some Goblins popped out and attacked me on the way back, so I beat them to death with a log and safely made it back to town.

"… And so I'm back with two logs!"

"Magic is incredible… ah, I have also confirmed your proof of subjugation for two Goblins. Here is your reward for that as well… two silver coins and one large copper coin."

"Yay! I'll reach my goal in no time!"

I thought that I'd have to factor in lodging expenses, but with my bonus from the subjugation, I might be able to reach my goal in no time—

"Come to think of it, do you recommend any inns? I haven't reserved one yet."

"Huh? … Oh, right, you were drinking with Blade-san last night. Let's see, an inn I'd recommend for a woman… there's the [White Witch Teahouse], which is five large copper coins a night. Meals are separate, but they have private rooms and the security is solid."

—Is what I thought, but lodging might be pretty expensive after all.

Hmm, five large copper coins…

"… Five large copper coins a day is pretty expensive."

"If you can make that much in a day, it's worth it. You can't put a price on safety."

"Are there any places to sleep outdoors in or near the town?"

"Well, there's the slums… you can sleep there for free, but someone as beautiful as you would be easy prey. I'd recommend against it."

The slums. So there's that, too. I should probably stay away from there.

"There are also dormitory-style lodgings for adventurers, but… again, someone as beautiful as you, Karina-san, might be at risk of being attacked. I recommend a private room."

"Mmm. So my beauty is backfiring on me. I'm like some kind of femme fatale who drives everyone mad… wait, I didn't take a bath yesterday. Is that okay?"

"Please at least use [Cleanse], you're a mage after all."

Right, everyday magic like that exists. It could even be used as a substitute for a bath, how convenient.

"Hmm? Wait a minute… if I just need place where I can rest safely and securely, that'd be enough for lodging, right?"

"Sleeping in the guild is forbidden, you know."

"I wasn't thinking of that. No, I was thinking that I could do something with magic."

Right. If it's a place, then it's space. In other words, it's within the scope of spatial magic.

I could enter a space I create and temporarily close the entrance. As expected of the Goddess's spatial magic, it's so versatile.

With that settled, it's time to shop for bedding and various decorations!

"Alright. Let's use today's reward to buy some stuff. Could you tell me where I can go to buy things like bedding and miscellaneous goods?"

"What are you planning to do?"

"It's a secret. Well, it's not a crime and it won't cause any trouble for anyone."

And so I was told about a shop where I could buy things with my reward. I'm going to make my own home!