《The Daily Life of the Late Bloomer Tamer》


 CH 1

    Chapter 1: Long prologue


    "I won!"


    I, Yuta Sasaki, couldn''t help but scream as I checked my PC screen. I was looking at an email in my mail folder.


    Subject: To the winners of Law of Justice Online


    The content: Thank you for applying for the first shipment of Law of Justice Online. You''ve won. Congratulations!


    That''s what it said in a very stiff sentence. And then there are the instructions on how to pay the software and warnings not to resell it.


    Law of Justice Online is also known as LJO.


    3 years ago, VR game consoles were finally commercialized. This title is attracting attention in Japan and all over the world as the first Japanese online RPG.


    Initially, the title was called VRMMORPG. However, it has now been changed to VRWCORPG (Virtual World Connecting Online RPG).


    The LJO is using a new interface, the VR game console, which are different from traditional MMOs in so many ways that it cannot be described as an MMO. It''s a new game genre that connects you to a new world, the LJO.


    But it seems the real reason is that the name "VRMMO" has already been registered as a trademark in many countries and could not be used. Well, as long as it''s fun, I don''t care if it''s MMO or WCO.


    Several games based on other worlds and magic had been released, but this is the first RPG with a world so well-made and so vast. When I saw the extremely realistic screenshots, I was honestly impressed to see how good the game graphics is finally become. Although it sounds clich¨¦, the catchphrase "It''s like another world" is probably not an exaggeration. It''s a clich¨¦, though.


    The beta test was held for two weeks. The map was vast and almost as large as a normal VR game world, but it''s well known among gamers that it was only 1/100 of the real size.


    Even though the game is only released in Japan, the selling price and the monthly fee are more than twice as high as regular game titles. Still, over 20 million applications were received for the first shipment of 50,000 units.


    It is said that the price is set at a high level to compensate for the fact that there are very few in-game charges, so the majority of users have no choice but to accept it. By the way, it is said that few costs that are there are only related to the appearance and the home interior. It is impossible to get enhanced items or limited strong equipment by paying. This means that the amount of money you pay is not directly related to your power.


    "Good! Good!"


    I never thought I could win. The odds of winning were one in 400, so I applied without expecting much. I even applied for the second shipment just in case.


    "Then, it was decided."


    What''s decided?¡¡The marathon gameplay.


    Today is July 15th. The game''s official launch date is August 1st. I still have summer vacation. My company has a slightly long summer vacation, 15 days in total. If I use my paid leave, I can take 25 days off.


    "My rotten boss did the same thing last year. I won''t let him complain."


    The next day, I started to work vigorously. Perhaps this is the first time since the entrance exam that I pushed myself so hard for one thing.


    The first thing I did was to apply for summer vacation and paid vacations at the company. Yeah, my boss didn''t look too happy. But you''re the one who''s been pushing me to use my paid leave!¡¡So I''m taking a vacation!


    All that remains is food, clothing, and shelter.


    Clothing. I''m not going outside anyway!¡¡So I stocked up on many underwears, shirts, and shorts from hundred-yen stores that I wouldn''t mind throwing in the trash without washing. I''ll never wear the same clothes twice, just like a celebrity.


    Next is food. I bought a lot of frozen foods, instant foods, cup noodles, and chilled foods. I''ll also buy rice. Ah, I should also purchase some supplements. The most important thing when playing the game is good health. If I break down, I won''t be able to play as long as I want to. So, supplements are very important. What else should I do? I think I''ll buy a lot of instant drinks. Coffee, tea, and green tea will be good. I''ve also bought a dishwasher. I don''t want to spend too much time washing dishes.


    The last one is shelter. My room is in a mansion building. It is fully air-conditioned, so the summer heat is not a problem. I made sure I had enough money in my account to pay the rent and utility bills. If the electricity is cut off, I''ll be in trouble.


    The bathtub can be pre-set and will start preparing the hot water on its own, so I can take a bath every day. It''s a shiny coating type that doesn''t need to be cleaned.


    As for cleaning the room...... It can''t be helped but I have do it less frequently. In the meantime, I''ve decided to install a cleaning robot and an air purifier. I''ll throw out the garbage once a week. I guess there''s no other way.


    I bought a new bed. It''s a state-of-the-art bed for VR. In addition to the reclining function, the bed has a vibration and a weak electric current to stimulate the muscles and prevent muscle fatigue. It even has a massage function to avoid bedsores.


    Oops, I mustn''t forget to upgrade the internet connection. I called the internet company, and they said their technician would be here in three days. I''m glad I could make it in time. I told my relatives and acquaintances that I would be out of town for a while. Well, I''m going to another world, so it''s not a lie, right? I''ll be free from the troublesome human relations. It''s perfect. Now I can be a shut-in for a month.


    "My shut-in castle is complete!"


    I can''t wait for the game service to start!


    Then, time flew so fast. Tomorrow is finally the first day of the game service. I was so excited about the game that I made many mistakes at work, but I don''t care. I''ll be living in a virtual world from tomorrow anyway. I would only get scolded 25 days later. I''m sure my boss''s anger will wear off by then. I hope so...


    For the past week, I''ve been trying to gather information. I''ve been reading the official website, getting information on the beta test, and reading about the game system. I don''t wish to be at the top rank, but I also don''t want to be at the bottom. Since I''m going to play it, I want to start dash (early & fast start) and make a big difference compared to the second shipment players.


    However, it would be boring if I knew too much information beforehand. It would lose its freshness. It''s difficult to find the right balance.


    That''s why I focused on three things: official information, the professions I''m aiming for, and the general worldview. On the other hand, I don''t know much about other jobs or information about the strategy in the game beta version. But that doesn''t mean I don''t know everything.


    One of the most important pieces of information I gathered was that time moves four times faster in the game. I won''t go into the details, as it''s a complicated technology that involves electrical signals to the brain, but anyway, time in the game is four times faster than in reality. If you spend four days on the other side of the world, only one day will pass here.


    There are also restrictions on the amount of time you can log in continuously and how long your character can sleep. I''m sure I can manage those because I don''t have a real-time limit.


    And most importantly, PK is not allowed in LJO. Pickpocketing and other forms of stealing are also not permitted in LJO.


    Probably because they are aiming to create an environment where women and children can play at ease. It''s all about having a good time in a different world. The TV commercials highlighting GM''s quick response to calls clearly emphasize this point. There seem to be many controversies, with the netizens calling it "too warm" or "too peaceful", but I support the concept.


    I don''t get the appeal of PK or anything like that. As a solo player, I''m glad that I don''t have to worry about PK. I''d like to say that it would be nice if we could all play together and get along.


    They are also trying to reduce the competition for resources as much as possible to attract casual players. The items and monster drops will be adjusted to avoid strong players monopolizing the hunting grounds. I think one of the reasons for this is that there are not many in-game charges, so there is no need to incite players'' competitive spirit.


    There is a rumor that they are considering releasing additional packs for races (species) and items with additional in-game charges. So maybe that''s their way to appeal to hardcore players.


    "For now, I''ll just pre-register."


    And then the time for the service to start arrived. I''ve waited so long!


    "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, start!"


    I quickly logged in as soon as the service started.


    I had already entered my user information beforehand. All I had to do was enter my character''s name and start creating my character.


    "Please enter your character name."


    With the help of a support navigator who looks like a fairy, I proceed to make my character.


    "The character''s name is ''Yuto''."


    I''ve been using this name for my game characters since I was a kid, so this time I''ll use this name too.


    "The avatar will be created. Would you like to use automatic support?"


    "Yes, please."


    "We will now create the avatar based on Yuto-sama''s modeling data."


    The avatar that floated in front of me is a rather good-looking male avatar. It worked. LJO''s avatar creation engine, which some people call a God, did the job. It''s based on me, so the face looks slightly like mine. The only difference is that it has silver hair and has been 200% beautified.


    When the support AI told me that it was based on a user''s face, I thought, "Oh well, it''s fine. It''s too troublesome to modify it". Even if people make fun of me for using a beautiful avatar, I can just say, "It''s the default. I didn''t modify it".


    Yeah. Everyone wants to play with a nice-looking avatar. But If I spend a lot of time making it beautiful, maybe people would mock me and says things like, "Hey, He''s putting so much effort into his avatar, isn''t he?". No way, that''s just too embarrassing.


    I really like how this engine solves that problem. I''m going to keep my beautiful avatar without doing any modification.


    "Would you like to be billed?"


    In this LJO, the only thing you can pay for in the game is to change your character''s appearance, but actually, there is one place where you can spend a lot. That is this first character makeup screen.


    LJO allocates bonus points at the beginning to create a character, but you can buy these bonus points with money. There are pros and cons to this, but it''s a nice service for working people who can''t log in for long periods but don''t want to lag behind other players.


    "For now, I''ll just charge Max."


    There are people like me who are working, but there are who are not. I''m going to be charged 60,000 yen, with a maximum of 100 points. Well, there are a lot of traps in this billing service.


    The first trap is the two-hour time limit. They claimed it was to reduce the server load, but I think it''s just a way to try to make people spend more. I''ll explain the reason later.


    Once paid, you get bonus points. These are randomly given points to each character from the beginning and are different from the points earned through paying. You can redo this as many times as you like. The bonus points are random and range from 30 to 100, but if you get more than 60, you''re lucky.


    Next is the job selection screen. This is the second trap. There are over 50 lower-level jobs to choose from, and you are presented with 5 of them to choose from. So if you can''t find the job you are looking for, you have to start over.......


    If you redo your career choice at this point, you''ll have to start from the beginning, from which you get bonus points. If you want to get the best results in both bonus points and jobs, you need a lot of luck. If you read the information beforehand and tried to get a rare job, then there is a high possibility that 2 hours won''t be enough.


    However, after two hours, you will be logged in with a randomly determined character. This is announced at the beginning of the character creation process, and it is also clearly stated in the contract. It is possible to redo the character creation, but you will have to pay again to get the bonus points. What a trap. Some of us will be paying several times to get started. Damn the management!


    So, I have to make a compromise. I''ll be happy if I get more than 150 bonus points, including the bought points.


    There are two jobs I''m aiming for. Summoner and Tamer. Both of these professions are good for soloing. To be honest, I''m not very good at group activities, and I plan to play solo. I don''t want to get involved with other people inside the game.


    Summoner is a profession that uses magic to summon magical beasts to fight. It''s like the Summoner in #inal #antasy. Of course, it is possible to keep the summoned magical beast as a party member for a long time, but it consumes a lot of MP.


    A tamer is a Poke### trainer-like job. They can take up to five monsters with them. They can''t use as many monsters as Summoner, but they don''t consume as much MP since they are not summoned by magic. This makes it a more suitable job for solo players.


    "Okay, here''s where the real game starts."


    The first bonus I got was 66 points. That''s not bad.


    "Please select a job."


    "Eeto, ....... Well, the 1st try is a miss."


    I got Swordsman, Soldier, Alchemist, Cleric, and Farmer.


    "Let''s start over."


    "You will receive bonus points."


    53. Well, that''s right at my compromise line.


    "Please select a job."


    Woodcutter, Carpenter, Pharmacist, Angler, Crafter. It''s all production jobs. I''ll have to start over.


    After that, I repeated the profession selection about 15 times, but the job I want didn''t show up.


    "Time limit, 30 minutes left."


    This is bad. This is bad. Should I lower my compromise line?¡¡At any rate, I''ll keep trying until I have 15 minutes left.


    And the time passed. 16 minutes left. I have 86 bonus points. And on the display were Archer, Lancer, Mage, Farmer, and Tamer.


    "Tamer!"


    I got it. I immediately chose the tamer. I checked the list of initial bonuses announced on the official website, and my Simulation was perfect. I''ve already exceeded the expected value of 150, so I have a lot of room to spare.


    Tamer is a profession that allows you to use magical beasts. Although the tamer is avoided by party players who want to get more experience, the tamer is considered to be very strong as a solo player.


    "Please allocate the bonus."


    First, I spent 10 points and changed my race from the default human to a halfling.


    My appearance is almost the same. A little shorter, maybe? This race has increased agility and intelligence, with a slight decrease in strength and stamina. They have extra bonuses for growth and natural skill. This is the best race for rear guard tamers. 176 points left.


    The next step is to upgrade the basic equipment: for 20 points, I added the Beast master''s Armor to the basic equipment. It''s tamer-only equipment, and it gives bonuses to your Servant magic and taming skills. Well, the defense is only 1 point.


    Now I need to spend 10 points to change the robe to "Silver Thread Robe" and 5 points to change the staff to "Ebony Staff". These should be quite good equipment for the early stages. I have 141 points left.


    Let''s increase the skills. The most important skill for a tamer to develop is the Servant magic. It takes 4 points to increase 1 level, but I''m going to use 16 points to get to level 5, which is the maximum I can get in bonuses. The higher this skill is, the more bonuses it will give to the monster''s abilities, and it will also affect the success rate of the taming. 125 points left.


    And the most important thing is to strengthen the initial monster. Tamers, Summoners, Necromancers, and similar jobs are given one random Servant monster at the beginning. You can strengthen it with bonus points.


    First, I need to spend 20 points and choose an advanced tamer. This is a bonus that changes the possibility of the random mons you get initially. Normally, one of the monsters in the first area will be chosen, but it will select a monster from the second area if you take this option. Also, +1 to the monster''s initial level. That''s great.


    Next, spend another 25 to get a special monster. This is a  bonus that makes the initial monster unique. Unique monsters are monsters that have been named from the start and have slightly stronger abilities and skills. It seems that many of them are boss monsters. This also has the effect of raising the monster''s initial level by 1.


    The monster enhancement isn''t over yet. Use 20 points and select the extra skill. The initial monster gets a bonus for having a special skill from the start. Special skills are different from normal level-up bonuses; these skills can only be learned by completing special quests. This also has an initial level +1.


    The next step is to spend 15 points to choose a Bloodline skill. This is a bonus where you get a random rare skill that you cannot learn by leveling up but can only be inherited from the parents. The scary part is that you never know what you''re going to get. Oh well, I''ll just pick one! I have 45 points left.


    The last enhancement is equipment for monster. Apparently, this varies depending on the initial mons. I''m going to spend 15 points which is the maximum on this too. I have 30 left.


    Let''s use 15 points to change the initial capital from 500G to 3000G. 15 points left.


    I also want to get the initial skills. You can get up to 8 initial skills. I currently have five skills: follower magic, employing, taming, wand, and cooking. I acquired the skills of harvesting, compounding, and alchemy. They cost me 5 points each.


    The plan is to collect materials and use them effectively by blending them into potions.


    Alchemy is a skill that is useful for production, and for tamers, it is essential from the middle of the game onward, so I acquired it. I heard that if a player has an item called "Squire''s Pearl" made by alchemy, he can summon monsters like a Summoner. So, I''m thinking of raising this skill from the beginning.


    I was interested in magic as well. But there was advice on the forums that suggested checking the initial monster first, then acquire magic compatible with it, so I decided to skip it this time.


    By the way, the appraisal skill is given to all players as a basic ability for free, so there is no need to choose it.


    I''ve used up all my points. Perfect. I even increased my initial capital. Fufufu. Let''s start dash!


    "Would you like a tutorial?"


    "Hmm. Is it possible to take it later?"


    "Yes, the tutorial is available in the help section. Also, the tutorial does not give you any benefit such as items or skills."


    Some games give you money or items when you go through the tutorial, but I heard LJO is different. But I guess tutorials are important.......


    "I''ll take it."


    " Roger that. The tutorial will now begin."


    The tutorial was extremely simple. It was just a quick lesson on how to use your arts, skills, and production.


    Well, now I won''t have any trouble in the LJO.


    "Welcome to the world of LJO. Please enjoy the unknown world."


    ============================================================


    Translator note:


    Halfling


    Halflings are a fictional race found in some fantasy novels and games. They are often depicted as similar to humans except about half as tall and are not quite as stocky as the similarly-sized dwarves. Similar to the depiction of hobbits in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, which are sometimes called halflings, they have slightly pointed ears, their feet are covered with curly hair with leathery soles, and they tend to be portrayed as stealthy and lucky.

 CH 2

    Chapter 2: Initial Monster''s Real Ability


    Chatter, chatter. (Sound of people talking)


    After finishing the tutorial quickly, I am standing in a beautiful square paved with red bricks. In the center of the square is a giant clock tower, nearly 20 meters tall. It is January 1st, 15:23. Three and a half hours have already passed since the game started. Well, I''ve spent some time on character creation and tutorials.


    I could see many players like me logging in one after another.


    By the way, the players are called travelers from the other world, and the NPCs treat them as adventurers who are traveling to the LJO world using transfer magic.


    "OK. First, check my status."


    I just think to open my status, and it appears in my brain. All I have to do is think, and I can make a selection or get a close-up. As expected of the latest VR game.


    Name: Yuto                       Race: Halfling Basic Lv1


    Occupation: Tamer          Occupation Lv1


    HP: 12/12              MP: 19/19


    Strength: 2            Constitution: 2          Agility: 4


    Dexterity: 4                        Wisdom: 6                 Spirit: 4


    Skills: Gathering: Lv1, Enlist: Lv1, Servant Magic: Lv5, Mixing: Lv1, Wand: Lv1, Taming: Lv1, Cooking: Lv1, Alchemy: Lv1


    Equipment: ebony staff, silver thread robe, Beastmaster''s bracelet


    Possessions: Portable food x 15, low-level potions, simple Mixing set, simple cooking set, simple alchemy set, honey dumplings x 5


    Money: 3000g      Fullness: 100


    Guild: Adventurer''s Guild, Beast master''s Guild


    Servant Monster (1/3): Gnome.


    From the beginning, I have several simple production sets. Their capabilities are minimal, but they''re an essential source of income in the early stages.


    "Oh!¡¡I don''t know what it is, but I''m impressed. I feel like I''m playing LJO!"


    The sensation of the wind blowing against my cheeks, the noise around me. The faint scent of grass, it''s so real. This is a great recreation.


    Some equipment was properly acquired as a bonus.


    "OK, then I''ll check your status as well."


    "Mu?"


    A short shadow that is standing next to me from the time I log in. No doubt it''s my initial monster.


    At first glance, it looked like a dwarf from a fairy tale. A green-haired, 70cm tall small man in brown clothes is standing there. It has a charming baby face and looks like a short-headed human child. I don''t know its gender.


    Name: Orto


    Race: Gnome Basic Lv5


    Contractor: Yuto.


    HP: 22/22 MP: 26/26


    Strength 7 Constitution 5 Agility 5


    Agility 9 Wisdom 11 Spirit 9


    Skills: Cultivating, Plant Division, Luck, Heavy Swing, Earth Magic, Farming, Mining, Night Vision, Cultivation Promotion of growth ex


    Equipment: earth spirit hoe, earth spirit muffler, earth spirit clothing.


    I see. It has a name from the beginning. So it''s a unique individual. Well, it''s Lv 5 and even has magic, so it won''t be defeated if we stay around the first town. His equipment not so convincing, but the farmers during the Age of War also fought with hoe, so I''m sure it can fight.


    "But gnomes..."


    I believe the gnome''s name was not in the initial monster list of the beta testers'' information. Perhaps it is an additional monster for the official service. So there was no information about it at all. I didn''t even know how it would grow in the future.


    Judging from its abilities, I''m pretty sure it''s a Magician-type monster.


    "Well, OK. It''s more fun that way."


    I''m just worried that someone might mistake him for a monster outside the town. No, there''s a blue cursor above his head indicating that he''s a player or a player''s follower. LJO doesn''t allow PK. So, there''s nothing to worry about, right?


    "When it comes to RPGs, the first place to go is the Adventurer''s Guild, right? Let''s go there and check the quest board."


    The map said " Starting Town: South District". It seems that the Adventurer''s Guild is located in the central district. The northwest and southwest sections are almost identical, and the NPC stores are the same.


    Only in the East District, there is a vast lake and a forest in the center. There are some special guilds such as the Aquatic Guild and the Forest Guild. Especially, the giant tree standing by the lake, which is over 200 meters in height, has been famous since before the service started. Many players probably feel that they have logged into LJO by looking up at it from the square. I''m one of those people who are impressed by that tree, which is taller than anything I''ve ever seen in real life.


    "If I can see the giant tree, it means that''s east, so it must be this way."


    From the beginning, players belong to the Adventurer''s Guild and the Guild related to their chosen job. So, I should be able to access the Adventurer''s Guild without any problems.


    By the way, a player can belong to 4 guilds at most. There is no disadvantage to belonging to a guild. But leaving a guild requires a basic level x 500G, so you have to choose your Guild carefully in the early stages.


    "It''s so big!"


    The Adventurer''s Guild is quite a massive building. It''s so spacious that you''d think it is a castle. It can hold over a thousand players at the same time.


    "Is that the bulletin board?"


    I looked at the quest board from a distance and saw a list of quests in the status window.


    "Houhou. A quest to collect medicinal herbs. Nice. This is what RPGs are all about."


    Gathering Quest


    Description: Deliver 5 medicinal herbs


    Reward: 50G


    Expiration date: None


    Select a quest from the list and tap "Start". Now I''ve accepted the quest. It''s convenient.


    I''ve got the skills to gather medicinal herbs, so this quest is easier than taking candy from a baby.


    "Well, shall we go? I think we should go out to the northern plains anyway."


    You can select your first destination from the east, west, north, south, and west plains outside the town. The north plains and south forests are slightly more difficult. In contrast, the western forest and eastern grassland are easier with lower levels enemies. However, there are more things to find in the north and south, and the enemies give you more experience. So it seems that the beta testers will head north or south as soon as possible and try to break through to the next town.


    That might be a good idea.


    "Well, this is where the real adventure begins. Let''s go, Orto."


    "Mumu."


    Ort follows behind me with his little feet. Yeah. He''s so cute. I think I might have hit the jackpot after all.


    The northern plains are beautiful and so realistic that I couldn''t believe it'' a VR world. Every single piece of grass is perfectly rendered, and I can even smell the soil. As I walk, I feel the ground and the grass on my feet.


    For now, I walk around looking for medicinal herbs.


    When I appraised it, it was unmistakably a medicinal herb. The quality is the lowest on a scale of one to ten.


    Name: Medicinal herb


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: Restores 5 HP.


    Cooldown time: 10 minutes.


    "Fufu. It''s so easy. Let''s continue collecting herbs and hunt some monsters as well, shall we?"


    There were many players on the northern plains. Some of the parties were fighting monsters. Apparently, the first area was made quite large to accommodate many new players, but it was still quite crowded.


    Well, the gathering spots are separate for each player, so there''s no rush. I guess it''s easier to understand if I say it''s like Mon#n.


    I walk toward the edge of the map, where there seem to be fewer players. Because there are so many people, it doesn''t feel like an adventure at all.


    While searching for the next herb, a monster appeared in front of me.


    "Wild Dog?"


    It is a wild dog, which is said to be the strongest enemy in the early stages. The appropriate level is 3 for solo warriors and 6 for production workers. There were two of us, and Orto is a unique individual with Lv. 5. There was no way we can lose.


    "OK, let''s do this. Orto, attack!"


    "Mumu!¡¡Muu!"


    Soil gravel?¡¡Thorns coming out from under your foot?¡¡Or make a pitfall with your hand wave. Show me your earth magic!


    But Orto''s attack is none of those things.


    "Mumumumu!"


    Ort rushed at Wild Dog. Then he brought out his fist.


    " Swoosh!"


    "And it''s avoided!"


    "Mu!"


    "He''s avoided it again!¡¡Don''t do that. Use earth magic!"


    "Mumu......."


    "Eh?¡¡Why are you shaking your head?"


    While I am talking, Wild Dog is right in front of me.


    "Hurry!¡¡Wa, wait."


    "Grow!"


    "Uwaaa!"


    He bit me!¡¡His sharp fangs bit me in the leg!


    The impact was strong, but the pain was minimal. I''m glad it is just a game.


    No, now is not the time for that!


    The current attack took out about 20% of my HP bar. It must be thanks to the silver threaded robe that even with my low status, I''m only taking this level of damage. It''s a robe, but it still increases my defense, including my bare legs. After all, it''s just a game.


    "Orto, attack with some magic!¡¡Damn it, get away from me!"


    I waved my staff, but my Strength is too low. Wild Dog''s HP hadn''t even been reduced by 10%.


    "Mumu~!"


    Orto''s attack method is still a physical attack.


    "At least use that big hoe on your back!"


    "Mu~!


    Orto shakes his head full-heartedly. It seemed that he would not use earth magic no matter what.


    "Shit."


    I swing my staff in desperation. But it hardly did any damage. As if he knew that, the Wild Dog bites me as a counterattack. That was enough to reduce my HP by half.


    If this continues, I''m in trouble.


    "That. that''s right!"


    I am sure Wild Dog is a monster that can be tamed!¡¡Yes, I can select him. If I can tame him, he''ll be a great companion!


    "Tame!"


    "Gaugau!"


    "Gyaa! It''s impossible after all!"


    Taming has a lower chance against higher rank opponents. Also, the lower opponent''s HP, the higher the chance. Against wild dogs with almost full HP, the chance of success is extremely low.


    "Let''s run away! Orto!"


    I turned my back on the Wild Dog and ran away. On the way, I took out a low-grade potion and drank it. My HP bar was fully restored at once.


    "Good, good. Let''s keep running to the town!


    "Gagau!


    Another wild dog jumped out from the bushes in front of me. Does moving around the battlefield cause re-encounters?


    "No, no way!"


    "Garr!"


    "Hii!"


    Wild Dog pushed me down. My God, I have to get away!¡¡I pushed my opponent away with my hand and tried to get up, but I couldn''t push him away. Damn it! Is it because of the lack of strength in my arms!


    "Gau!"


    "Gagau!"


    "Uwaa! So scary!"


    The other one caught up with me, biting me in the neck as hard as it could.


    "It hurt----it doesn''t hurt! But it''s tingling! If I am a child, I''ll be traumatized. Damn management!"


    The experience of being bitten by two large beasts is really terrifying. Even the inside of their mouths are precisely re-created, and it''s so real. I think I''m going to hate dogs.


    And my HP bar is depleted.


    ================================================================


    Translator note:


    A gnome is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its characteristics have been reinterpreted to suit the needs of various story tellers, but it is typically said to be a small humanoid that lives underground.

 CH 3

    Chapter 3: The true value of gnomes


    "...... Damn, I am back revived back at the city."


    The people around me must have known that I had revived because I was killed. Some of them are obviously laughing at me.


    "Haa, let''s log out once."


    In the starting town, players can easily log out by sitting on a bench. I sat down on a bench some distance from the square and wished to log out.


    "...... This is the worst feeling ever!"


    I take off my VR helmet and get up from my bed. The clock had only been running for about an hour since I logged in.


    There''s no death penalty, so that''s a relief.


    In LJO, there is no penalty for the first three times you revived from the dead, which is a welcome benefit for beginners.


    After that, you lose 10 to 30 percent of your money, lose 1 to 3 items, and restart with your status reduced by half for a certain amount of time. Although your status will recover over time and return to normal after half a day in the game.


    I never thought I''d have to waste it so early in this game.


    "First, let''s try to gather some information."


    What was my mistake? Maybe it was because I didn''t check my initial monster battle ability. I was too focused on the monster''s level and skills.


    While eating the sandwich I had made in the morning, I turned on my PC.


    "Is there any information about Gnome?"


    Amimin-san, the top tamer in the beta test, writes her review on this page. She has compiled information about the monsters she uses.


    The Gnome is not listed on her page, where she reviews the abilities of the monsters she initially acquired.


    "It''s here. It was mentioned here."


    The page is a summary of the monsters available in the third area.


    I selected Advance Tame as my initial bonus, so my initial monster must have been selected from the monsters in Area 2. Area 3 is not included.


    As I read on, it seems that gnomes only appeared in the third area during the beta test. So I guess they changed the specification to have them appear in Area 2 since the official service. That''s why they appeared as the initial monster for me when I selected Advance Tame.


    The Gnome''s introduction is brief. A perfect production monster. That''s what it said. From the detailed description, it seems that gnomes can barely fight.


    The only skills they learn upon leveling up are those related to mining or farming. The Heavy Swing he has from the beginning is only effective when using a pickaxe, shovel, or hoe. He does not learn any earth magic or battle magic. The only thing he seems to be able to learn is high-level earth heals.


    Instead, it says that his abilities as a farmer are very high and that he is a farmer monster comparable to a middle-class production worker.


    "It''s a farmer, not a gnome... That''s not funny..."


    This article said, "You should get it along with the field after middle stage".


    "Amimin-san. I got it in the early stages."


    I screwed up!¡¡I didn''t take any combat bonuses because I was going to leave the fighting to my monster. It''s more like a poor character with paper durability.


    "Should I recreate my character......?"


    I''m pondering for a while. I still have my winter bonus left, and I don''t mind paying again. In fact, I should do so. I''ve completely become a joke character.


    "But still..."


    Somehow I get irritated. It''s not about money. Can I so easily cut down my alter ego that I created with so much effort?


    After thinking about it, it was surprisingly easy to make up my mind.


    "I''ll keep this character. Let''s go."


    I don''t care about quick progression or players'' ranking anymore. I''m just going to survive and have fun in the LJO world with my self-created tamer character. Yuto and his sidekick, Orto!


    "Okay! I''m ready!"


    Let''s make use of Gnome''s characteristics.


    On Amimin-san''s page, the Gnome was described as a farmer-type. Orto''s skills are all agricultural skills, such as digging, farming, seed breeding, growing plants, and cultivating ex.


    My Orto''s farming aptitude is unusually high when compared to the default gnome. First of all, ordinary gnomes only have heavy stick art, earth magic, night vision, digging, farming, and seed breeding.


    Plant growing is a special skill for unique individuals. Growth Boost Ex is probably an extra skill bonus that I got when I made my character. Luck is perhaps a Bloodline skill. By the way, it says that the hair of a regular Gnome is brown. Orto''s green hair was probably a sign that he is a unique individual.


    Learning from my earlier mistake, I''ll check Orto''s skills.


    Heavy Swing: The art of wielding a heavy stick. In gnomes'' case, the skill is only for handling soil and farming tools.


    Earth magic: Magic that utilizes the power of the earth. In gnomes'' case, they don''t learn offensive magic, only agricultural magic.


    I just found out about these 2 things. I should have seen them earlier.


    Night vision: can see in dark places as well as in daylight.


    Digging: A skill for mining ores and digging in the ground.


    These two are just as I expected. It''s a gnome skill that''s useful for mining in caves. Apparently, mining is learned at level 5. Thanks to the bonus point, Orto is already at level 5. I guess it is one of his initial skills.


    Farming: Skill for agriculture. Gives a bonus to all farming activities. The bonus is small because it is not specialized, but it applies to all of them.


    Seed breeding: A skill used to increase the number of plants by returning them to seed. The quality and number of plants will increase or decrease depending on the level of seed breeding.


    Plants Growing: A skill for growing plants. It is also possible to create new seeds from nuts, etc., in exchange for a reduction in quality. Depending on the level of Plants Growing, the quality reduction and the growth rate will change.


    Growth Boost Ex: Increases the plant''s growth rate significantly. Slightly increases the quality of cultivated plants. Applies only to plants in your care.


    Luck: Increases your luck in various situations.


    Luck is the only thing that''s explained roughly. Apparently, it increases the chance of enemy drops and items collected to be rare and increase production success.


    I see. He''s completely a farmer. So that''s the direction I''ll be taking with this skill. Fortunately, I''ve mastered the skills of mixing and alchemy. I think I can make some money by growing medicinal herbs, making and selling potions.


    While earning money from production, I''ll try to gain experience by taking delivery quests to raise my level.


    Let''s take another look at tamer. One of the most essential characteristics of a tamer is the taming ability. This ability allows the tamer to control and use magical beasts with a certain probability.


    In fact, taming is a skill that can be used by other jobs as well. It can be acquired by spending the bonus points you get when you level up.


    The unique thing about tamers is that they have a special skill called "Servant Magic". It has three effects: increasing the taming rate, increasing the ability of taming monsters, and acquiring taming slots.


    The same effect can be achieved by a skill called enlist, which can be learned by other jobs. But the effects of servant magic and enlist overlap with each other. In other words, if you learned both, the synergy effect would increase the taming rate and the ability of taming monsters to a very high level.


    One of the disadvantages of tamer is that it reduces the amount of experience you get because the experience is shared among the monsters accompanying you. It''s a job for solo players.


    It is said that the experience required for leveling up is set lower than other jobs. Still, it is difficult for a player to become stronger due to the low basic ability even after leveling up. It is suitable for solo players, but it is weak. This is another reason why it is an unpopular job.


    It would be a different story if you had outstanding player skills. ...... I''m not a martial arts expert in real life, and I don''t have high-speed thinking ability. I''m just an office worker who lacks exercise.


    Are?¡¡Is this a thorny path?¡¡No, I''m starting to think it''s a bad idea. No, no, no, I''ve decided to take tamer job. Why am I talking like this?


    At a time like this...


    "Okay, let''s just boil some water and drink a cup of coffee. Refresh and start again!"

 CH 4

    Chapter 4: Get the farm


    I logged in again.


    I wake up on the bench where I logged out a while ago.


    "Orto... is here. Good, good."


    "Mu ..."


    "what up?"


    "Mumuu."


    Ortho is repeatedly bowing his head. As if he''s apologizing.


    "Are you apologizing about the battle earlier?"


    "Mu."


    " It was my fault for not knowing what you were capable of and rushing into battle."


    "Mumumu"


    "You don''t have to apologize anymore."


    "Mu?"


    "I guess that makes us even. Okay?"


    "Mum!"


    Orto nodded his head and patted my knee as if to say he understood.


    "Phew. Our status is fine. ...... No, my fullness level is decreasing."


    When this reaches zero, statuses drops, and you will suffer from continuous damage. So, I needed to eat in the game as well. I took out my initial portable food item and ate it.


    "It tasted awful!¡¡It doesn''t taste good, and it''s hard."


    It only restored 20% of my fullness level.


    "I need to get some other food as soon as possible."


    That reminds me of another thing. Tamer has cooking skills for monster''s meals, so I can make them as long as I have the ingredients.


    "Oh, right. You should eat this, too."


    "Mu!


    I''ll give Orto a honey dumpling. This is the tamer''s initial item, a meal for monsters. The monster doesn''t need sleep, but its statuses will drop if you don''t feed it once a day. I''ll have to remember that.


    "Okay, let''s go then. You may not be good in battle, but there are many things you can do, right?


    "Mu?"


    I headed to the outskirts of the southern district. The map said it is an agricultural area. Fields spread out all over the place. Apparently, this is a place where farmer-type players can buy farms and actually cultivate them.


    Of course, my goal is to buy a farm.


    "That must be the farming guild."


    In the middle of the field stood a large building, not quite the size of an adventurer''s guild, but large enough. It is definitely a farming guild. I never thought I''d come to the Farming Guild before the Beastmasters Guild.


    "Excuse me... I want to buy a farm."


    "Ou, welcome. But you don''t seem to be a guild member. You have to be a member of the guild to buy a farm."


    The old man NPC at the counter tells me what I need to do.


    I see. Well, I''m sure I''ll be using it in the future, so I''d better register now.


    "Then I''ll register."


    "Okay. Now, please show me your status window."


    "Okay."


    "Okay, the registration is complete. The quest board is over there. The reception desk is over there."


    The old man, an NPC, brought out a map and explained it to us in detail. He said that since there aren''t many players who are into farming, we can buy a field in almost any location we want.


    He also said that if we pay, we can upgrade the farm we bought. Good news. Then I''ll have to examine it carefully.


    The lowest price starts at 2000G per surface. Depending on the upgrade level, the price goes up to 3000G, 6000G, or 10000G. Well, 10000G is out of the question. I heard that it comes with some kind of barn-like hut, but I can''t afford it.


    The cheapest field is a standard field without any modifications. The soil is not good. The plants will grow slowly, and the quality will decrease.


    "So the 3000G seems good enough."


    My money is not enough to buy the 6000G farm. But it''s the differences that bother me. The 6000G farm is twice as big as the 3000G farm. It seems that the soil is better, and the plants grow much faster. They also offer to install a well for the first time, which is very attractive.


    "No matter how I think about it, the 6000G farm is better."


    I have 3,000g in my hand right now....... It''s only enough to buy the 3000G farm. No, wait. Are we going to compromise here?¡¡Didn''t I decide to live as a farming tamer?


    If that''s the case, then I should sell the unnecessary items and make some money.


    "Can you wait for a while?"


    "Sure. But if you don''t hurry, the best areas might be sold."


    "I''ll be back as soon as I can. By the way, where''s the nearest tool shop around here?¡¡Arms shop would be fine too."


    "Well, there''s a general store just north of the street. They sell farm tools, but I think they also have a few medicines and weapons."


    "Thank you very much."


    I quickly run. Orto follows me with his short legs without any difficulty. In fact, he''s faster than me?¡¡He is indeed more agile than me.


    "Excuse me. I want to sell something."


    "Yes. Welcome."


    I speak to an elderly woman who is the storekeeper of the shop. For now, the items I can sell are .......


    "Can I sell this?"


    "Please wait a minute."


    I showed the ebony staff that I got as an initial bonus to the counter. It doesn''t have any special abilities, but it can increase the user''s magic power.


    "For this, I can buy it for 1050G, is that okay?"


    Still not enough! So, the next thing to sell is.......


    "The body armor will be removed. Is that okay?" [System]


    "Yes, it''s okay."


    The next thing I offer is the silver threaded robe. Although it said I have no equipment, my avatar is still wearing clothes. I am glad I am not naked. It''s a game that targets women as well, so it''s not surprising. Well, I have zero defense now.


    "I will buy this for 2180G. Is that okay?"


    Okay, quota achieved. I didn''t want to sell the Beast master''s Bracelet, which boosts Orto''s skills, so I am very grateful.


    "I''ll sell them both."


    "So the total is 3,230G."


    The items were taken away by the shopkeeper. Then I heard a clinking sound. I checked my status window and saw that my money had increased to 6230G.


    I run again. This time, I head to the Farming Guild as fast as I can.


    "Excuse me!¡¡I want to buy a farm!"


    "Yes, please. So, where do you want it?"


    I want a place close to the square, with easy access to both the adventurer''s guild and the farmer''s guild.


    "Okay. Then this place should be fine."


    The old man shows me a map and recommends a place. Indeed, this location is perfect.


    "Then, I will take this place. Please give me the 6000G one."


    "Thank you."


    I heard the clinking sound again. My money is only 230G left.


    "I''ve marked the location on the map."


    I see. Then it should be easy for me to find the location.


    "Excuse me, where can I buy some seeds for my farms?"


    "Actually, we also sell seeds."


    "Please show me."


    That''s when I realized something. Do I have enough money?¡¡I thought so, but the two kinds of seeds that the old man showed me only cost 100G each.


    "Edible grass seeds and wound herb seeds, right?¡¡Two items, 200G."


    I bought two bags of seeds, each containing five seeds, for 100G each. Edible grasses to make portable food and wound herb to make wound medicine. Wound medicine is a lower-level medicine, which is only used in the early stages of the game. It only recovers about half as much as the lower-level potion, but it''s useful in the early stages.


    Only 30G left. Maybe I should buy something else. Then I saw a fertilizer.


    "What''s this?"


    "Spray it in the farm, and you get a bonus for growing plants. The effect lasts five days."


    "Okay. Here you go."


    "Ou, 30G''s for one fertilizer. Thank you."


    Now I''m completely broke. I wonder what I''ve been doing since the first day. Somehow I''m starting to enjoy this!


    "Now, let''s go to the farm."


    "Mumuu!"


    The farm is very near. It was less than a three-minute walk.


    "Ooh, this is our farm."


    "Mu."


    "I count on you, Orto."


    "Mu!"


    Orto taps his chest. I understand him perfectly. I''m sure he said, "Leave it to me!".


    "So the farm can grow up to 20 plants per surface?"


    The seeds I have now are 5 edible grasses and 5 wound herbs. That''s 10 seeds in total. Yeah, this farm is too big.


    "That''s right. Can you plant these?


    This is the only thing I got when I was revived earlier. It is a medicinal herb. If I could grow this in the farm, it would be very useful.


    "Mumumuumuumumuu."


    Pong.


    Right in front of my eyes, the herb that Orto was holding disappeared. Instead, there are two seeds in Orto''s tiny hand. When I appraised them, I confirmed that they are medicinal herb seeds.


    "Ooh! That''s your Seed breeding skill!"


    "Muumumuu."


    Orto mutters as if he''s praying. Then the soil beneath his feet rises.


    "Oh, so that''s how you use earth magic."


    He started digging up the soil with his hoe. He made holes with his fingers in the newly made rows and planted the seeds.


    "Hoho. It really looks like farming."


    Then he covers it with soil, taps it lightly, gets some water from the well, and sprays it from above. There''s nothing magical about it. I''m a bit nervous about this, but he has farming skills, so I''m sure it''ll be fine.


    When I thought that...


    "Haa?!"


    "Mum?"


    "Sorry to surprise you. But is it sprouting already?


    "Muu."


    My eyes were glued to the farm as I pet Orto''s head, who is proudly puffing out his chest.


    Almost instantly, after planting the seeds, new sprouts peek out. Isn''t that too fast?


    Because the farming bulletin board I saw earlier said that it takes at least 24 hours from planting the seed to sprouting. Just a second?¡¡What does this mean?


    "Is it thanks to Orto?"


    "Mumu."


    "Ora, I''m getting excited!"


    If we have more grass, can we grow more in this farm?


    "Maybe we can gather it outside?"


    Wait a minute. I''ve just realized something crazy.


    I still have two more penalty-free deaths to go. So why don''t I just collect as much as I can?¡¡Even if I revived, I wouldn''t lose the items I''ve acquired. Instead, it''s a quick and easy transfer back to the town! That means I can die twice without any penalty.


    The fear of being bitten to death by Wild Dog still remains, but I''ll be fine. I''ll do it.


    Well, I''ll have to do some research before my reckless challenge. I wonder if I can get some information from the farming guild. I will ask the old man at the counter what kind of grass can be grown in the farm.


    "Depending on your farming level, you can grow any kind of plant you want!"


    Well, it looks like Orto has no problem growing plants in this area. Then, it is time to start the tour to gather herbs and instantly revived from death.


    "Orto. I''ll leave the farm to you. I''m going to get some stock."


    "Mumu!"

 CH 5

    Chapter 5: Bulletin board 1


    Hi Tamers, this is a thread where LJO''s Tamers gather.


    Whether you''re looking for information about a new tamer monster or just want to brag about your own monster, everyone is welcome to join!


    ?Comments that discredit other Tamers are prohibited.


    ? Screenshots are welcome.


    ? Please do not post too many pictures in a row.


    ? Let''s write with consideration.


    £º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º


    29: Amelia


    As I expected, my Usapin is the best!


    I have a feeling that Mofo-mofo charm will make everyone fall in love with her.


    ......When I was playing with Usapin on the square lawn, everyone was looking at her.......


    30: Ivan.


    No, no, no, the feeling when I touch my snake''s scales is the best.


    But why are the girls running away?


    31: Ursula


    Ah, snakes. Some people may not like them.


    32: Ivan.


    I guess you''re right! But that''s okay because that means I can monopolize all the snake scales!


    33: Amelia


    I''m not afraid of snakes either, okay?


    It''s just that I like fluffy things too much.


    34: Eringi


    >>32


    Do your best! WWW


    35: Ursula


    >>32


    Something good will happen WWWWW.


    By the way, your name sounds like you''re good at covert action WWWW.


    36: Ivan


    Thanks, I''ll be stronger with my snake. But I think I''ll add Mofo-mofo next time.


    Well, I need to level up my skills first.


    After all, I tamed a Rock Ant right after I started, so I don''t have enough slots!


    37: Amelia


    Didn''t you get the initial bonus to level up your servant magic?


    38: Ursula


    If you don''t work full-time and do production too, you may not get enough bonuses.


    39: Ivan.


    >>37.


    I didn''t raise it. I''ve been working on swords and magic and production. ....... Besides, a student like me can''t afford to spend too much money (T_T).


    What''s the initial payment bonus?¡¡Is it good?


    40: Eringi.


    I think it''s a good idea to get the magic skill.


    The basic idea of a tamer is to have the monster in the vanguard and the player in the rear.


    It''s also a good idea to get a production skill. You can get a little bit of experience with the production skill and earn money.


    Depending on your race and stats, you may even get sword skill.


    The problem is that until you raise your levels significantly, everything seems to be half-baked.


    41: Eulenspiegel.


    Hey!¡¡I saw a monster I''ve never seen before in the beginning town!¡¡What''s that?


    42: Amelia


    Hoho?


    43: Ursula


    Please tell us the details!


    44: Eulenspiegel


    I was just strolling around the starting town. There was a super-pretty boy working on a farm!


    45: Ivan.


    A boy......?¡¡Oi shota-con!¡¡Or are you a ladyboy?


    46: Ursula.


    Even if you''re dealing with an NPC, that''s counted as harassment. Although the severity of the crime depends on whether 44 is a man or a woman.


    47: Eulenspiegel.


    No, no, wait. Listen to the story!


    That boy was not normal!¡¡His height is less than a meter, and he looked like a dwarf from a fairy tale!


    48: Eringi


    It''s a fantasy world, so it''s not surprising to see them here. Do you have a screenshot?


    49: Eulenspiegel


    Nope. I tried to take a screenshot, but the shutter didn''t work. It seemed that the farm was treated as his home. The appraisal didn''t work either, but his marker was blue.


    50: Amelia.


    You voyeur! In a way, it''s not wrong. Taking pictures without permission is a crime.


    But if it''s a blue marker, then it''s either a player or a servant monster.


    I don''t know if there were any dwarf-like monsters among the initially acquired monster. I don''t think it was listed in Amimin''s information either.


    Goblins are the most humanoid-like WWW.


    But they''re not very pretty, you know! Anyway, can we describe that as a super cute character......?


    51: Eulenspiegel.


    Stop it!¡¡Don''t make any weird suspicions!


    He was more like a dwarf! He''s not a goblin!


    52: Amelia.


    Well, that''s a mystery, then!


    Before the game started, I looked up the monster that could be acquired in Advanced Monster, and I don''t think there was any humanoid monster in there.


    53: Eulenspiegel


    But maybe that''s only because they weren''t spotted in the beta version. Perhaps he is a rare monster that appears in the second area?


    54: Eringi.


    That''s impossible. During the beta test, all the information about the area was disclosed to the players. The second area''s items, monster info, and area map should have been 100% revealed.


    55: Ursula.


    Maybe it''s not a tamed monster.¡¡If I''m not mistaken, Summoner has the skill to allow Summon Monster to stay at home.


    56: Ivan


    That might be the case. I''ve heard that Tamer and Summoner''s monster are only 50 % similar. So there''s a high chance that the monster we don''t know about is Summoner''s monster.


    57: Eulenspiegel.


    Do you think so?


    58: Amelia


    Could it be that it''s a new monster introduced in the official version?


    59: Eringi


    Of course, that possibility exists. Other than that.... could it be an elemental spirit?


    60: Eulenspiegel.


    There are many possibilities. Let''s do some research, shall we?


    61: Amelia.


    Good luck!


    62: Ivan


    >>60


    I''m counting on you. Though I won''t help, WW.


    63: Ursula.


    >>60


    I''d love to hear more. Though I won''t help, WW.


    64: Eringi


    If you find out what it is, let me know. Though I won''t help you.


    65: Eulenspiegel.


    A little help, please!


    [Farming] A thread by farmers and for farmers [Banzai].


    £ºThis is an information exchange thread for farmers in LJO.


    £ºAny question is welcome, from large-scale farming to home gardening.


    £ºIf you have any questions, please let us know.


    £ºReal farming information is appreciated, but it is unknown how much of it will work in the game.


    £º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º


    20: Tagosack.


    >>17.


    I don''t think it will be possible to recreate Mana Apple in the official version for the time being. It was only created by accident by players who had Breed Improvement Ex during the beta test.


    I''ve heard that the Breed Improvement Ex is a skill that was miraculously obtained from a random skill box distributed to the top players during the event.


    21: Charm


    Breed Improvement Ex? Why not just breed improvement?


    22: Tsugarun.


    The Ex skill is much more effective than the ordinary skill. Many players have tried to recreate it, but it was impossible with their breeding skill.


    It seems that Breed Improvement Ex is required to make mana Apple.


    23: Teril.


    Can''t you get Ex skills in a normal way?


    24: Charm


    Indeed. If you can get it, I want it too! I wonder if there''s Farming Ex or a Stock Ex.


    25: Torment


    It''s not impossible, but it''s quite difficult.


    The Ex-skill isn''t just something you can learn by spending bonus points.


    They appear in the list of available skills triggered by events, skill composition, or some other trigger.


    And it costs a lot of bonus points.


    26: Teril.


    How much? It''s about 4-10 points to get a normal skill, right?


    27: Tsugarun.


    I actually had an Ex skill appear on my list during beta testing. But, I didn''t know what the requirements were.


    Plants Growing Ex. The bonus points needed to learn was 60 points.


    Of course, there was no way I could learn it.


    28: Teril.


    Huh?¡¡60? Isn''t that basically impossible?


    29: Charm.


    You get 2 bonus points every time you level up, so....... The fastest you can get it is at level 31?


    30: Tagosack.


    It''s actually going to be slower than that.


    You can''t afford to learn other skills. Bonus points are also used to assign stats.


    In the first place, the basic principle of a production player is to level up by gaining experience through production and quest completion.


    After all, their level up is slower than the average battle player.


    31: Charm


    Ex skills....... That is impossible.


    32: To-masu


    The effect is enormous.


    Breed Improvement: Combine a crop with other materials to create a new breed.


    Breed Improvement Ex: Mixes a crop with several other materials or items to create a new breed. Significantly increased success rate. Greatly increased mutation probability.


    So much different.


    33: Teril.


    Too different?¡¡Isn''t that too different?


    34: Tsugarun


    That''s why it''s super difficult to get Ex skills. At least not in the early stages.


    One possibility is that you learn it as a random skill when you create your character?


    35: Tagosack.


    I think the chance of getting it is like the chance of a miracle happening.


    ::::::::::::::::


    Translator note:


    king trumpet mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii)


    is the Japanese equivalent of the English hahahaha, used to express laughter online and in text message. The more w''s, the more enthusiastic the laughter. Like haha, wwww can be shortened to w(ww) and can have an ironic tone.


    >> XX (means replying to comment no.XX)


    Example:


    32: Ivan.


    I guess you''re right! But that''s okay because that means I can monopolize all the snake scales!


    33: Amelia


    I''m not afraid of snakes either, okay?


    It''s just that I like fluffy things too much.


    34: Eringi


    >>32


    Do your best! WWW

 CH 6

    Chapter 6: The Eastern Plain


    I came to the Eastern Plain to find plants for my farm. The monsters that appear here are weak, and the field is suitable for beginners. As soon as I reached the Plain, I noticed a green marker. Hidden among the bushes is a poisonous purple-colored plant.


    A poisonous plant.


    The color looks scary, but I wonder if it''s safe to touch it. So I carefully appraise that plant.


    Name: Poisonous plant


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï 1


    Effect: Low probability poisonous effect on the person who consumed it.


    It seems to be safe to touch. The effect of this plant is small, but if it is mixed into a poisonous potion, it can be used for many things. I think it would be useful if I can grow this too. I walk carefully to avoid running into monsters.


    "Oh!¡¡It''s a paralysis plant!


    A few minutes later, I found a yellow-leaved plant that resembled a dandelion. This is another kind of plant that could be used for mixing, the paralysis plant.


    Name: Paralysis Plant


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï 1


    Effect: Low chance of paralysis to the person who consumed it.


    Thanks to my mixing and cooking skills, I have acquired eight mixing recipes. The eight recipes include Potion, Wound medicine, Handheld Food, Hunting Medicine, Poison, Paralysis Medicine, Honey dumpling, and Salad.


    It is possible to mix your own ingredients to make potions without a recipe, but there is a risk of failure. On the other hand, auto production using a recipe had the advantage of a 100% success rate, although the quality is lower.


    Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but I prefer to mix my own ingredients and develop new recipes. It will be more fun that way.


    The next thing I found was a wooden stick that didn''t even have a green marker on it. So basically, you can collect anything in this game. However, if it doesn''t have any special effects, no green marker will appear.


    This one caught my attention because of its staff-like shape. I''m empty-handed now. I want something to use as a weapon if possible.


    "Can''t I use it as a staff?"


    Name: Wooden Stick


    Rarity: 1                 Quality: ¡ï 1 Durability: 30


    Effect: Attack power +1, Restore durability is not possible


    Weight: 1


    I was able to equip it. Well, I guess it''s better than nothing. It''s really just for peace of mind.


    30 minutes later.


    As I ran across the plain, I bent down for a moment and plucked some plants from under my feet. This was the sixth item I had gathered.


    "Huff huff! It''s medicinal plant again!"


    "Gyuuuu!"


    "Uwaaa. Danger!"


    A giant rat jumped at me. Not a guinea pig, a Djungarian, or a cute mascot from dreamland, but a very real and creepy rat. The kind you find in a sewer. Moreover, its size is like a medium-sized dog.


    "Take this! This!"


    "Juju"


    "Did you laugh just now? Damn it!"


    I fight with a wooden stick, but I can''t hit it at all. Aargh! I can''t hit it! Even though I''m using the staff martial arts, the Heavy Swing. That fast mouse easily dodges my attacks.


    "Though it just a small fry monster! A small fry!"


    "Gyuuu!"


    "Uogh"


    The bastard rammed me in the stomach. I still can feel that furball''s fluffiness. It took about 10% of my HP.


    The rat hunting me down is known as the weakest monster in the LJO, the Fang Rat. But, to be honest, it is a small fry monster. And I''m about to be killed by it. So yeah, I guess that means I''m no better than a small fry monster.


    I''ve already sold off my armor, and I''m a rearguard with the lowest strength. Well, paper durability is the right word to describe me.


    "Urya!"


    "Kyuru!"


    "I hit it!"


    However, his HP bar was only reduced by about 20%.


    "I have no choice but to run away!"


    The taming also didn''t work at all!


    I dashed away again. The fanged rat is chasing me, but I run in a zigzag pattern and manage to keep it off my target. My eyes kept looking at the ground, searching for plants.


    I''d like to praise myself for my stubbornness. Right before the fang rat killed me, I slid in, grabbed the plant, and fell down. After that, I felt like I was floating and came back to the square where I started.


    "...... Revival completed."


    I don''t regret it. It was going as planned. I really don''t regret it!¡¡So forget about the regret, for the time being. Let''s take a look at the last plant I got.


    Name: Youmei plant.


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï 1


    Effect: Material for making potions. Restores 1% of fullness.


    It''s a potion ingredient. I''m pretty happy about this. I already know that I can grow medicinal plants, and if I can grow this plant, I''ll be 1 step closer to mass-producing potions.


    Chatter chatter.


    Oops, apparently revival is rare, so everyone is staring at me. Well, I would also stare at a person who returns from death on his/her first day.


    I hurriedly left the square. It''s okay. This is how I do it. It''s only five minutes walk from the plaza to the field. It''s very close and convenient.


    "Orto, I''m back. Here are some souvenirs."


    "Muumu!"


    "How''s it going? Can you grow it?"


    "Mu!¡¡Muumuumumuu."


    I gave him the poisonous plant, the paralysis plant, and the youmei plant. I gave one of each to him. Then, Ort turned them into seeds one by one.


    "Oh, well done Orto."


    "Mummu."


    "But it already looks like a perfect farm."


    While I was gathering the plants, within 1 hour, Orto had finished plowing the farm. The empty field is now covered with well-formed rows.


    "Muumu."


    Orto poked holes in the rows and sowed the seeds. The sprouts came out instantly.


    Normally, it takes 1 to 4 days for the seeds to sprout. It seems to take 1 to 10 days to fully grow. But with this speed, maybe we can harvest them in a day?¡¡If that''s the case, harvesting every day is not a dream. That''s so cool. I''m getting excited.


    "Orto, I''ll leave the farm to you!"


    "Mu!"


    I''m back to stock up. Next, I want something slightly rarer.


    But first, I''ll need to get some recovery items.


    If I have some way to recover, I can explore for a little longer. But I don''t have any money, so I''ll have to prepare them myself.


    I decided to use my mixing skills to turn the four medicinal herbs I had gathered into wound medicine. While Orto is working, I get some water from the well. Then, by following the system''s instructions, I put the herbs and water into the bowl that came with the simple mixing set and began to mix them together.


    It''s really a simple process. There''s no need for magic. After a few dozen times of mixing, the medicinal herbs turned into a paste. When I poured magic into it, the mortar glowed slightly. Then, with a cute popping sound, the wound medicine is ready.


    The medicine is wrapped in a paper package. Where did this paper come from? Oh well, now the wound medicine is ready.


    Name: Wound Medicine.


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï 1


    Effect: Restores 10 points of HP. Cooldown time: 10 minutes.


    This recovery item is lower than the lower-level potions. The quality is the lowest, but it''s good enough for me.


    "Okay, let''s go."


    My next stop is the Western Forest. Like the eastern plain, this place is suitable for beginners.


    But first, I need to gather information. I forgot to do this, and it ended badly. It''s important. Just to be safe, I am going to the Farming Guild. I wonder how many times I''ve been there today alone.


    In-game time is around 5pm. If I waste too much time, the night will come. The number of monsters increases at night. And they seem to attack in packs. A poor boy like me probably will be killed instantly. Moreover, it''s hard to find plants in the dark, and nothing good will ever happen.


    " I must finish searching before the night comes."


    ================================================================


    Translator note:


    Djungarian hamster


    Also known as the winter white dwarf hamster (Phodopus sungorus), Russian dwarf hamster, striped dwarf hamster, Siberian hamster, or Siberian dwarf hamster, is one of three species of hamster in the genus Phodopus. It is ball-shaped and typically half the size of the Syrian hamster, so it is called a dwarf hamster along with all Phodopus species.

 CH 7

    Chapter 7: In the Western Forest


    I talked to an old man at the farming guild, and he told me that there is a river deep in the western forest. Maybe there are some new items along the river. The old man told me that I could pick up a stone called Water Pumice stone. It''s a useful item that can purify the water. There is also a mining point, but I don''t have any items for mining, so I decided to skip it for now.


    "All right, let''s prepare the wound medicine for later use."


    I set the shortcut setting for the wound medicine. Now, I can quickly get the item from my storage by thinking the keyword. It''s really convenient. Though, I heard that the effect will be reduced.


    "The keyword is...... ''Cure'' should be fine."


    I head towards the western forest. I just sneak in, grabs, and run away. I''m not going to fight. I''m just going to collect items.


    "Let''s go."


    My destination is the river.


    I started walking with great enthusiasm, and 20 minutes later.


    "Cure!"


    Yes, I suddenly used one of the 4 wound medicines I have. The pill suddenly appeared in my mouth, so I almost spit it out.


    Even though it''s the lowest level recovery method, my HP completely recovered, and that''s kinda pathetic. But my current situation is really bad, damn it!


    "Cuu!"


    I''m being chased by a small squirrel. It''s an adorable little squirrel with grey fur. However, it was so small and fast that I don''t think I can hit it.


    The grey squirrel is the second weakest monster. Though for me, it is a strong enemy!¡¡I must run. I didn''t look back, forget about collecting, and just kept running.


    I couldn''t use my wound medicine because of the cooldown time. My damage kept accumulating as I run. Damn it, I must get out of here!


    Maybe I had been running for more than five minutes. My energy is running out, and I''m getting out of breath. And the grey squirrel that had been chasing me had disappeared. It looks like I managed to escape.


    "Huff, huff. That''s hard! If this isn''t a game, I would be the one who is chasing for sure!"


    Luckily or unluckily, I was able to gain quite a bit of distance by running blindly. Looking at the map, I am already halfway through the forest.


    There should be a river.......


    The river was easy to find. Well, it is more like a stream than a river.


    When I found the river, the cooldown time for the wound medicine was over, so I decided to recover my HP for the time being.


    I''ll just walk along the river for now.


    If I keep walking, I might be able to find some water pumice stone. But after starting to walk for a while, I regret it.


    It''s so hard to walk along the riverside.


    Everything was realistically recreated. I saw a green marker in the middle of the stream. At first glance, it only looked like a piece of stone. But, when I appraised it, I found out that it is not an ordinary stone.


    Name: Water Pumice Stone


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: If placed inside water, it will purify the water.


    The effect description is a bit vague. I guess it''s meant to make an item called "Water Purifier". I need to experiment with it later.


    "Okay, I wish there is something else. Maybe a new plant....... Oh, there''s another green marker over there."


    The next green marker I see is at the border between the stream and the forest. Something is there.


    I approached it to check it out. But nothing there, only the ground. There is some kind of short grass, but it is just ordinary grass that grows everywhere.


    "? What?"


    I wonder if the grass is an item after all, so I try to appraise it by facing the ground.


    Name: Humus


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: If spread on a farm, it will increase the cultivation effect. The effect lasts for five days. It can be used with other fertilizers.


    I see. So this ground itself is an item!¡¡Besides, it is a perfect item for me.


    I tried to gather it, but I could only gather it once. The effect is supposed to last for five days, so it''s good for now. It was an unexpected catch.


    "Next, it would be great if I could find some rare plants that I''ve never seen before."


    So far, I''ve only collected medicinal plants. The sky is getting darker, and night is coming. I must hurry.


    Gasa.


    "I knew it. It''s not going to work out that easy..."


    A Fang Rat appeared. I don''t know what the hell he wants, but the moment he sees me, he jumps at me.


    "Gee!¡¡Cu, cure!"


    It seems that I got a critical hit, and my HP instantly plunged into the red zone with some cool light green effects.


    "Damn it!"


    I won''t let it end like this. I am deep in the forest. I had to run as far as I could and grab something. After running as hard as I could again, I managed to get away from the Fang Rat. Before I knew it, he was out of my sight.


    "That was close......"


    I had less than 20% HP left. If I had taken one or two more hits, I would be back dead. Let''s wait for the wound medicine''s cooldown time to end and then resume the search.


    "Cure."


    I consume the last wound medicine to recover my HP. Now I have no way to recover anymore. I hope the monsters won''t come out again.


    Despite my prayers, I encountered 3 Fang Rats.


    It''s time for another escape dash. I just kept running away. But while I am running, those rats keep attacking me. Each time I get a jolt in my back, but if I fall, it''s over. I am surprised at my own stamina and kept running forward.


    "Damn it, it''s a cliff!"


    I''d just shaken off two of them!¡¡I''m desperate. I just want to get away from them all. I saw a few green markers along the way, but I ignored them all.


    My HP is slowly decreasing, and it''s making me impatient. They''re going to kill me soon. But I''m not giving up!


    "I''m going to get there!"


    There is a tree in front of me. It stood alone at the top of a cliff with a view of the river below. The tree looked very different from the other trees.


    "Uryaaa!"


    I squeezed my energy and climb up the cliff In front of me.


    "Huff huff......, peach tree?"


    There is only one fruit on the tree. Guided by the green marker, I plucked the fruit from the tree.


    Name: Green Peach Fruit


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: Restores the user''s fullness by 10%.


    "I made it......!"


    "Your gathering skill has been raised to Lv.2.


    And my gathering skill is raised!¡¡It''s a peach! The rarity is 2, too. Isn''t this my lucky day? I hurriedly put the peach into my storage.


    "The rat... Gee!"


    "Jujuu!"


    Before I knew it, a Fang Rat is behind me. I couldn''t hear his footsteps because of the river sound.


    The Fang Rat''s body slammed into my back. Then my body is pushed forward.


    "Holy shit!"


    Of course, I fall into the cliff ahead.


    "Hiii!"


    I was super scared. Because it''s a bungee jump without any rope. The water surface is getting closer and closer.


    "Gyaaa!"


    I scream out in fear. I am as scared as I was when Wild Dog killed me.


    A few seconds later, I was slammed into the water from more than ten meters high. It didn''t hurt, but it was quite a shock. Then, my body feels like floating up, and I see the scenery of the familiar square.


    "So I''m revived."


    I''m already used to it. With all the players staring at me, I walked home.


    "I''m back!"


    "Muumuu!"


    Orto runs up to me.


    "Muumuu, Muumu."


    Is he trying to say something?


    "What''s up?"


    "Mumu."


    In the direction that Orto was pointing, I see some young leaves that have grown quite a bit. They are not sprouts anymore.


    "So fast! They''ve already grown this much?"


    "Mu."


    "Amazing. Orto, you''re amazing."


    "Mumummu."


    "Oh, yeah. This your souvenirs?"


    "Muu."


    For the time being, I gave him the humus. Orto was so happy that he jumped up and down. He immediately spread it on the farm.


    "Also, what can we do with this?


    "Mu?"


    I showed the green peach to Orto. I thought it might be possible to grow them if we have the fruit. If it''s not possible, I''ll sell it off somewhere.......


    "Mmm. Mmm.


    Orto tried to remember, and the peaches turned into a seedling. It seems that grasses turn into seeds, and trees turn into seedlings. However, unlike the grass seed, which can multiply into two, the tree seedling is only one. Maybe it''s because they can be harvested multiple times when they grow.


    Name: Green Peach Tree Seedling.


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: A seedling that will grow into a green peach tree. It is impossible for a beginner to grow it.


    Hmm, I guess it''s still not possible to grow this seed. I''m glad Orto has the Plants Growing skill.


    "Your enlist skill has been raised to Lv2."


    Oh, after the gathering, the enlist skill was also raised. I''ll raise my level little by little like this.


    "However, there''s nothing left for me to do today. I think I''ll just log out for now. It''s already night."


    It''s dangerous to go out at night.


    No, wait. Is this really okay?¡¡My start is stumbling. Maybe I should find something I can do to gain experience, even if it''s just a little?


    In the meantime, I''ll check the Adventurers'' Guild forums. If there''s a request that I can handle, I''ll take the quest. If not, I''ll give up. Fortunately, I found it.


    Handyman Quest


    Description: Wash dishes


    Reward: 50G, medicinal herbs x2


    Deadline: Today


    It''s a straightforward quest, washing dishes at an inn. The reward is the lowest level, but I''m grateful that I can do it safely. I''ll take it.


    Four hours later.


    I am walking to the guild to report the quest completion. I never thought I''d be washing dishes in a game, even if it was a quest I chose myself.


    "I''m so tired......."


    The Adventurer''s Guild is always open, even at night. Moreover, the NPCs are different from the daytime. As expected of LJO, every detail is realistic. The quest report was instantly done. I got my reward without any problem.


    "Now, what should I do? It''s already night."


    I''m mentally exhausted. I think I''ll log out once. Better to let my character get some sleep and start moving right at dawn. I''ll leave the farm to Orto.


    "Ah, let''s try the water pumice stone."


    I fill a bucket with water from the well and put water pumice stone inside it. There is no change. Apparently, I need to leave it there for a while.


    "See you tomorrow."


    "Mummu."

 CH 8

    Chapter 8: Silver White (Shirogane) the Pioneer


    I logged in.


    In-game time is twelve o''clock in the afternoon. 11:55, to be exact.


    Tsk. I am way too late to log in!¡¡Actually, I planned to log in at 6 a.m. in-game time. But I got a call from my junior colleague at work regarding my job handover, which took up a lot of time.


    If I''m an hour late in real life, I''ll be four hours late in the game. First of all, let''s rush to my farm!¡¡Let''s see how it turns out.


    Ping-pong.


    "?"


    <<This is an announcement from the management.>>


    As I am heading to the farm, a monitor appears on the clock tower in the square.


    <<It''s been one day since the official service started. We would like to thank all the many players who have logged in.>>


    It is an announcement from the management. Oh, so it''s been exactly 24 hours in the game-time. At the same time, I received an email. The content is a video file, the same as the one on that monitor.


    ¡¶Special rewards will be given to particularly active players.>>


    Hee. I didn''t think they would announce anything like that. So it''s a secret event. That''s interesting. Well, this doesn''t matter to me. I guess the beta testers will get it anyway.


    It seems that the players around me are getting the same information. Everyone stopped moving and stared at the monitor.


    <<First, the player with the longest traveled distance will receive the title of "Adventurer".>>


    "Ooh"


    The entire square let out a sound of astonishment. Titles are given to those who have performed certain quests or actions, and apparently, they are quite difficult to obtain. Most titles come with rewards such as increased skills and status, so getting a title in the early stages is a big deal.


    Moreover, this is a very rare title that can only be obtained during a secret event. There''s a good chance you won''t be able to get the same title in the future. This is why everyone is staring at the monitor with excitement.


    <<The total distance traveled by this player is 51.6 kilometers, and "the Purple-Haired Adventurer" title will be awarded to this player.>>


    50 kilometers? I can''t tell if that''s a great number or not. I heard the players around me whispering about it, and they said it must be a player with riding skills. Well, that makes sense.


    <<Next, the player with the highest total number of items acquired will receive the title of "Explorer".>>


    Distance traveled, number of items acquired. None of that matters to me. But I envy them. If I had successfully made my character, maybe I would have been excited too.


    No, no. What''s the point of complaining about it now? I''ve decided to do things in my own way. Come on, don''t act like a bitch.


    <<The number of items acquired by this player is 91. The title of "The Rubby Explorer" will be awarded to this player.>>


    Is it because this player has red hair?¡¡If he or she is active in the early stages, he probably will become famous sooner or later. I''ll find out about him later.


    <<Finally, The player with the highest number of deaths will be awarded the title of "Pioneer".>>


    What? The number of deaths? You mean the number of times the player has been revived?


    The number of times this person has died is three, and the title of "The Silver White Pioneer" will be awarded to this person.


    Ping-pong.


    [You have earned the title The Silver White Pioneer.]


    The Silver White Pioneer? Yes, that is me. And it''s a disgraceful title.


    The people around me start talking to each other.


    "Three times in the first day? Seriously?"


    "Who''s that little fry? Is that you?"


    "No, no. My hair is white, not silver!"


    "Hahahaha, that''s super lame."


    And their conversation goes on.


    Should I hide it?¡¡I feel like all the players around me are looking at me. No, I''m not being paranoid.


    "Hey! That guy was revived yesterday, right?"


    "Silver hair....... It''s the Silver White."


    "Eh, bye."


    Yikes. If I don''t leave this place as soon as possible, I will become famous as the record holder for most deaths in a single day!¡¡I also have the same desire to show off as anyone else. I''ve even fantasized about what it would be like to stand out from others because of my success. But this is different! I don''t want to stand out from others in this way.


    "...... For now, I think I''ll go to the farm."


    On the way, I checked my titles while trying to escape from reality. A new title column had been added to my status.


    Title: The Silver White Pioneer


    Prize: 4000G, 2 bonus points.


    Skill: Runaway Foot added.


    Hee. I got money, bonus points, and a skill. The disgraceful title is a bit subtle, but I''m happy with this bonus. I have a lot of money now. Let''s check out the skill effects.


    Runaway Foot: When running away, the enemy''s tracking range is reduced, making it easier to escape.


    In short, it means the enemies will give up to chase me sooner. Thank goodness. It''s the perfect skill for me. Well, it was a gift, so I''ll make the most of it.


    "Good morning, Orto."


    "Mumu."


    "Wow, this is awesome."


    When I arrived at the farm, I was amazed by sight in front of me. Yesterday, there was nothing, but now the farm is full of plants.


    "Medicinal herbs, poisonous plants, paralysis plants, and youmei plants ....... And all their quality is improved!"


    When I gave them to Orto yesterday, I''m sure they were only ¡ï1. However, the ones growing on the farm now have ¡ï3, two levels higher than the original.


    "Is this the effect of the farming skill? I also spread fertilizer and humus."


    Name: Medicinal herb


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: Restores 7 points of HP


    Name: Poisonous plant


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï 3


    Effect: Low probability to inflict poison to the person who consumed it.


    Name: Paralysis Plant


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï 3


    Effect: Low probability to paralyze the person who consumed it.


    Name: Youmei plant.


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï 3


    Effect: Material for making potions. Restores 3% of fullness.


    In addition, edible grasses and wound herbs had grown. The quality of these plants also increased to ¡ï3.


    "Can we harvest this?"


    "Mu."


    Orto pulls out a medicinal herb that was growing near my feet and hands it to me. Ah, just pull it out, right?


    I also quickly pulled out the poisonous plant. Yes, it''s bigger than the original one, and the color is darker, so it looks more poisonous.


    This morning''s harvest consisted of 2 medicinal herbs, 2 poisonous plants, 2 paralysis plants, 2 youmei plants, 5 wound herbs, and 5 edible herbs. Excellent.


    "Then...... how''s the water?"


    "Mu."


    "Mmm. After use, the water pumice stone breaks. But it still looks like normal water."


    The water bucket certainly has a green marker on it. I tried to put the water bucket back in my storage. Then, only the bucket remained, and I saw 10 pieces of purified water in my inventory. Looks like I succeeded.


    Name: Purified Water


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: Raw material


    "The ingredients for the potion are ready, right?¡¡Besides, the quality is higher than the ones we gather normally."


    I''m sure everyone else will be using the ¡ï1 medicinal herb and youmei plants found around here and ordinary water from the well.


    Following the instructions for auto-mixing, I took out 3 medicinal herbs, youmei plant, purified water, and began to mix. The ingredients are different, but the procedure is the same as the wound medicine.


    Then the pot glows, and the potion is complete. Yay, it''s not a ¡ï1 low-grade potion!


    Name: low-level potion.


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: Restores 30 points of HP. Cooldown time 10 minutes.


    This is a good one. As usual, though, I don''t know where the bottle that is used to contain the potion came from. It''s probably a very useful potion in the early stages. This is indeed made of good quality materials.


    It restores 10 points more HP than the lower-grade potion that was included in my initial equipment. Well, in my case, it doesn''t really matter because my HP is always full.


    Mixing skill has been increased to Lv. 2.


    Good, good. It''s leveling up nicely. As expected from a ¡ï3. However, even though the auto-mixing is always 100% successful, but the quality decrease.


    I think I''ll check out some other recipes.


    Wound medicine and portable food can be made with just grass and water. It is a simple recipe. I''ll make this one for myself and Orto. One piece of edible grass is enough to make five portable foods. One portable food can restores 20% of your fullness, enough for one day. Though I''d rather eat something else because it tastes like shit. For now, I''ll make ten pieces.


    I''ll also make two wound medicines from two wound herbs and water from the well. I don''t want to waste purified water on wound medicine. Because even if it is the lowest quality, it can recover most of my HP.......


    The poison and paralysis medicine required three poisonous plants and three paralysis plants for each recipe.


    I don''t have any in my hand now. The hunting medicine also requires a poisonous plant, paralysis plant, and red tengu mushroom. Unfortunately, I don''t have the mushroom.


    Honey Dumpling requires edible grasses and honey, but currently, I don''t have honey.


    I guess I don''t have enough ingredients.


    And there is another problem. Even if I raise my skill level, my status won''t increase if I didn''t raise my base level. That means I can''t get any stronger forever. I heard that production doesn''t give much experience, so I want to get experience by doing other things if possible.


    "Hmm. The best way is to do simple quests to gain experience. How about washing dishes at the inn again?"


    Quests give me a small amount of experience when I complete them. But I don''t want to wash dishes anymore.......


    "Well, let''s just plant the seeds for the time being."


    I gave the medicinal herbs to Orto to create the seeds. I know that seed breeding the plant will lower its quality, but what happens if I give him a ¡ï3?¡¡What if the quality goes down only one level, and it becomes a ¡ï2 seed?¡¡The quality of the crop will increase by two in one day. If I repeat the process, isn''t that mean I can produce a 10¡ï herb in 8 days?


    "Bingo! I am a genius!"


    The seed created by Orto is a ¡ï2. I guess I have no choice but to plant these seeds on the farm!


    I took 1 medicinal herb, 2 poisonous plants, 2 paralysis plants, 1 youmei plant, 3 wound herbs, and 1 edible grass from the harvest. Orto converts them into seeds, and we sowed the seeds on the farm. I can''t wait to see the results tomorrow. For the time being, I''ll concentrate on increasing the ingredient''s quality instead of using it for mixing.

 CH 9

    Chapter 9: Complete quests and level up


    I forgot about it yesterday, but thanks to the medicinal herbs I received as the quest reward, my gathering request is complete. I need to report it.


    It takes less than five minutes from my field to reach the Adventurer''s Guild. As I thought, my farm location is very strategic.


    "Eeto, Quest Completion Report......."


    I select the item to be delivered from my status screen and confirm.


    [Quest completion confirmed. You will be paid.]


    The 5 herbs disappeared from my storage, and I received 50 G. The mission is accomplished.


    My base level has been raised to Lv2. I have earned 2 bonus points.


    Oo, I leveled up. At the same time, I also got bonus points.


    These bonus points are the same as the ones I used when I was creating my character. I can use them to learn skills or to raise my status.


    Thanks to the title I received, I got 4 bonus points. Now I can get the skill I wanted!


    I immediately used my bonus points to get the Farming skill. I have been relying on Orto to do the farming, but I also wanted to help him. If you''re not reading this novel at the lupus sensei dot com site, that''s mean you are not supporting my translation. Please only read at lupus sensei website. I don''t want my farm''s product quality to drop because of me, and I think I''ll need this skill in the future.


    [Your job level has been raised to Lv.2.]


    Hoho, my job level also raised at the same time. I wonder if there are any quests I can take at this pace. I checked the quest board, but it is difficult to find a good one. Even the gathering quests for novices are life-threatening for me.


    "Hmmm. The other quests are....... No, wait. I remember the farming guild staff said something about the quest."


    That''s right. When I registered at the farming guild, the old man at the reception told me about their quest board. So I must go there.


    I also need to visit the Beast master''s guild. It''s supposed to be my main guild, but I never went there yet.


    "OK. First, let''s visit the Beast master''s guild."


    The Beast Master''s Guild is just a ten-minute walk from the Adventurer''s Guild, near the border between South and West Wards.


    "Hello!"


    "Yes, welcome!


    Oo, the NPC at the reception desk, is a very cute girl. She looks like a goddess, with a bombshell body and beautiful black hair. It is very different from the farming guild. Yay, we''re the winners!


    Their building is not so big compared to the farming guild, but inside is more spacious. It also has a large open space outside, which gives a great impression.


    It also has a second floor. The sign says "Egg incubation room". In contrast to the Summoner''s monster combine system, the tamer has a system called "monster soul breed". It''s a system where two monsters that are compatible with each other are mated to produce an egg. Some monsters are born with high stats from the beginning, and some are born as new species.


    It seems that it rarely happens when two monsters that are compatible with each other are breed naturally at home. Unlike monster combine, it is difficult for the tamer to breed souls.


    And to hatch the eggs, you need an incubator in the guild or home. Maybe I can use it too if I can tame another one. Just wait, 2nd floor!¡¡I''ll be back soon!


    By the way, the basement is the monster combining room. I guess the Summoners will go there.


    Well, for now, let''s check their quests.


    "Excuse me, where''s the quest board?"


    "The quest board is over there."


    It''s so tiny. It''s only about 1/20th the size of the Adventurer''s Guild. Anyway, let''s check the quest list. Other than gathering quests, there are also special quests such as taming particular monsters.


    "Are!? There''s a red one. There''s also a blue one."


    Usually, they''re written in black, but some quests are written in red and some in blue.


    "Why are these letters written in different colors?"


    "Yes. Quests written in blue are those that have been completed. Quests written in red are quests with restrictive completion conditions."


    "Restrictive completion?"


    "For example, if you have an item to deliver, but you are currently not bringing it and need to go home to get it."


    "I see."


    "Another example, if you have a special quest that requires you to acquire a certain skill, which can be accomplished quickly by using bonus points."


    After hearing that, I checked the blue quest.


    Special Quest


    Description: Raise your servant monster''s magic to level 5


    Reward: 1200 G


    Deadline: None


    Ee?¡¡Really?¡¡I can easily raise my servant monster''s magic level with my initial bonus points. Is doping also OK?¡¡Well, it''s like a godsend for me, so I don''t mind. I quickly select the quest.


    [You have met the requirements. Do you wish to complete the quest right now?]


    "Yes."


    "Your base level has increased to Lv3. You have earned 2 bonus points."


    "Your job level has been raised to Lv.3."


    Name: Yuto                      Race: Halfling Basic Lv3


    Occupation: Tamer          Occupation Lv3


    HP: 18/18              MP: 25/25


    Strength: 2            Constitution: 3          Agility: 5


    Dexterity: 6                        Wisdom: 7                 Spirit: 5


    Skills: Gathering: Lv2, Enlist: Lv2, Servant Magic: Lv5, Mixing: Lv2, Wand: Lv1, Taming: Lv1, Runaway Foot: Lv1, Farming: Lv1, Cooking: Lv1, Alchemy: Lv1


    Equipment: ebony staff, Beastmaster''s bracelet


    Money: 3000 G


    Bonus points: 2


    Tittle: The Silver White Pioneer


    Guild: Adventurer''s Guild, Beast master''s Guild, Farming Guild


    Servant Monster (1/3): Gnome.


    For real? Just by doing this, my level is raised. So I got a lot of experience, and I also got 1200 G as a reward. That''s awesome!


    "Let''s check the others!"


    No more blue quests, but there are three red ones.


    Special Quest


    Description: Show Barbara a level 5 monster.


    Reward: 500 G


    Deadline: None


    Special Quest


    Description: Show Barbara a unique monster


    Reward£º3000 G


    Deadline: None


    Special Quest


    Description: Show Barbara a monster that has learned a rare skill or an ex skill.


    Reward£º5000 G


    Deadline: None


    First of all, who is Barbara?


    "Excuse me, who is Barbara?"


    "That''s me."


    "Aa, I see. Ee?¡¡So I just need to show you the monster?"


    "Yes! I love monsters! I want to see rare monsters, cute monsters, cool monsters, I want to see them all!"


    Suddenly her tension jumped up.


    "So please come and show me your interesting monster!¡¡I''ll pay for it."


    Isn''t that a completely personal thing for the guild?¡¡Is that OK?¡¡Well, I don''t mind. The rewards are good. But it looks like I''ll have to bring Orto here.


    "He is working on the farm now, so maybe later."


    Next is the farming guild. But unfortunately, the farming guild doesn''t have any instant quests I was hoping for. Well, that''s not surprising. After all, I''m not a real farmer.


    Even so, I searched for quests that I can complete, and I found 3 quests that I can complete soon.


    Special Quests


    Description: Achieve 10 different varieties of cultivation on your farm.


    Reward: 1000 G


    Deadline: None


    Special Quest


    Description: Harvest and deliver ¡ï 5 or higher quality crops from your farm.


    Reward£º3000 G


    Deadline£ºNone


    Special Quest


    Description: Deliver a tree that has been cultivated on your farm.


    Reward£º5000 G


    Deadline: None


    Aside from the peach, which I don''t know how long it will take to harvest, I have 6 kinds of ¡ï 3 crops on my farm. If I can buy some new seeds, I may be able to complete this quest pretty soon. Though, the tree growing completely depends on Orto''s effort.


    What should I do now?


    After all, the basic is gathering ....... There are many low-level quests. Most of them are gathering quests. But if I die just after entering the forest for a short while, that will be very inefficient.


    "For now, I want to get an armor. A good one, even if it''s not a silver threaded robe."


    Another thing I''m worried about is the goods prices. Are all stores selling the same goods at the same price?¡¡Or is the price different depending on the store? This is quite important, because the price of the potions I make may change.


    "As I remember, there are stalls in the square."


    There are several small squares in each block, east, west, north, and south. As I remember there are several stalls in the central square where the clock tower is located, the south small square and the west small square.


    From here I think the nearest one is the south small square.¡¡I go there, and as I remember, there are about 10 NPC stalls doing business. Not only weapon stalls and medicine shops, but also stalls selling food and fishing tools.


    The medicine''s price is the same in every store. I guess it doesn''t matter where I buy or sell it.


    I go around the square while eating a grilled rabbit skewer that I bought at a stall because I was attracted by the smell.


    "Yum, yum, delicious!¡¡This skewer is delicious!¡¡Both the salt and the sauce are superb!"


    How good are the ingredients in the early stages of the game? If the NPCs can cook such delicious food, how delicious will player-cooked food be?¡¡Since I have the cooking skill, one day I will get the ingredients and....... As I am walking and thinking about all these things, someone approaches me from my side.


    "Hey, Onii-san! Would you like to take a look for a moment?"


    "Are you talking to me?"


    "Yup, that''s right."


    Her voice sounds a bit suspicious, but I couldn''t help to look back at the shopkeeper. It''s one of the men''s pathetic natures. Standing there is a girl with flaxen hair and cat ears.

 CH 10

    Chapter 10: The Information Broker


    "Hey, Onii-san! Would you like to take a look for a moment?"


    When I turned around, I see a female beastman. There is a blue marker above her head. She seemed to be a player.


    "Onee-san, are you a player?"


    "Yep."


    "Eee! I thought it''s only NPC''s store."


    "Well, player stores are still rare. You can get a stall at reasonable price. Some specific jobs can get it as an initial bonus."


    "Really? Well then, since I''m here, let me have a look."


    And then I noticed something.


    The prices are different from the NPC store. For example, the wound medicine is 10 G cheaper than the NPC store. But the poison is 150 G more expensive.


    "Do you decide the prices, sister?"


    "Oh, you noticed?¡¡Yes, I did. That''s the advantage of a player''s store."


    "Why the poisons are  so expensive?"


    "Ah, it''s a Player''s Made product. It''s a bit more effective."


    "I see, it has ¡ï3 quality."


    "Well, sometimes it is better to buy from an NPC store. There are some greedy players who will cheat you."


    I feel that I can trust this Onee-san''s words. At least her prices are not too much different from the NPC stalls.


    "Do you have any armor?"


    "Oh, I don''t have any armor at the moment. This store mainly sells tools. If you''re looking for armor, I recommend Ruin''s Armor Shop in the west small square."


    "Certainly, a lot of medicine stores and other stores there. Ruin''s Armor Shop, I''ll remember it."


    "Then, can I sell this?"


    "Oh, you made that?"


    "Yes."


    "Hmm. A ¡ï3 low-grade potion. Good. I''ll buy this for 200 G."


    "Ee? That expensive? OK, deal!"


    The selling price of a ¡ï3 low-level potion is 200 G.¡¡If the purchase price is 200, how much is the selling price?


    "Well, herbs prices are the same as NPC stores. But for low-level potions, we usually sell them at a higher price. In the next town, the prices are going up. If I sell there, they are always sold out like hotcakes. Especially the ones above ¡ï3 are still rare."


    "Really? But wouldn''t it be cheaper to buy two cheap potions?


    "There is a cooldown time. If you want to use a potion at the last minute during a battle, you must use a potion with a stronger effect."


    I see. Potions have 10 minutes of cooldown time. You can''t use them too often during a battle. If that''s the case, it''s better to have a stronger recovery effect.


    "Anyway, do you know the prices in other towns?"


    "Yes, I do. That''s our specialty too."


    "Specialty? Is there such a job?


    "Nope. I''m just a merchant, but our clan is an information broker. Well, it''s more like a hobby. "


    A clan is a group formed by players who are close friends or have the same goals. The purpose is to help each other.


    "Our clan, the Sharp Ears Cat, is a self-proclaimed information brokers clan."


    "You''re already forming a clan at this stage?¡¡Are you a beta tester?"


    "Maybe I am, I can''t tell you. We''re information brokers, you know. But...if you give me some information, I''ll tell you."


    Wow, an information broker!¡¡As expected from LJO, I''m starting to enjoy watching her wicked smile.


    "My name is Yuto. My job is a Tamer. In real life, I''m a company employee. My initial bonus point is 186."


    "Pfft. I rarely meet someone who even tells me their bonus points!"


    Oops, I think I got carried away.


    "But are you sure that my information is enough?"


    "Yes. It''s OK. You look interesting."


    "Interesting?¡¡Why?"


    "Because you''re a tamer, right? Besides, you have 186 initial bonus points, so you''re not a beta tester. But you already can make ¡ï3 low-level potions. That''s not normal, right?¡¡And I don''t know why, but you didn''t bring any monster."


    I never expect her to understand that much with just a little information from me. Information brokers are amazing. If you''re not reading this novel at the lupus sensei dot com site, that''s mean you are not supporting my translation. Please only read at lupus sensei website.It means that their information is also reliable.


    "Well, let me tell you about myself. My name is Alyssa. This is Alyssa''s Shop. And indeed, we Sharp Ears cats are a clan made up entirely of beta testers. Plus, we''re all former attackers."


    "That''s great. So why are you setting up a stall in the beginning town?"


    Normally beta testers would have moved on to the next town on the first day.


    "Well, there are lots of things."


    "A lot of things--oh, I see......."


    "I guess you want equivalent information for exchange. But I want to keep this between us."


    "I won''t sell your information without permission."


    "Yesterday, I earned a title."


    "You''re good. You can understand quickly. I see, so you''re The Silver White Pioneer."


    She immediately figured it out after seeing my appearance.


    "That''s right."


    I''m a little embarrassed. It''s a dishonorable title. However, Alyssa''s smile is not unpleasant. She seemed to be amused, but I didn''t sense any ill-feeling in her smile.


    "Fufu. Well, now it''s my turn. We were on the front lines. We had different interests and hobbies, but we all have one thing in common: Curiosity. We all want to see every inch of this LJO world. We want to go to places we don''t know and learn things we don''t know. That is our motivation, our purpose."


    "Well, I understand what you mean."


    "You get it right?¡¡But then we realized something. You see, we had worked so hard for two weeks and only managed to capture less than one percent of this world.¡¡We can''t understand this world if we only move in the front lines as a conquering group. That was our clan''s conclusion."


    "Is that why you become an information broker?"


    "Yes. We used to act as information brokers. But since the official service started, we decided to take it more seriously and extensively."


    "Is it profitable? There are also bulletin boards and other similar stuffs."


    I don''t think that many people bother to buy information. If there''s something they want to know, they''ll probably check the bulletin boards.


    "Well, we''re not trying to make money. Besides, there are a lot of people who want to play without checking the bulletin boards."


    "I see, that kind of romantic play exists. I guess I can''t do that. Anyway, I''m getting excited hearing about the information brokers."


    "Those kinds of people actively use information shops. Also, many people want to know more accurate information faster than others, so they will buys information from us and they''re also checks the bulletin board. So I think it will work out fine. During the Beta, we had a similar experience."


    Their goal is not to make money by exchanging information but to get the information itself. I guess it''s OK, as long as they don''t lose money.


    "So, if you have any interesting information, I''ll buy it?¡¡And I can sell you any information you want."


    "Well, I do have one question. How does your market work?"


    "Hmmm. We are the only information brokers in this world. So, the market depends on us?¡¡It goes up, and it goes down."


    I guess that''s true. Information is like water. The price will change from time to time.


    "Whether you think it''s a reasonable price or not is also up to you."


    The question is whether they can be trusted or not, but I feel that they can be trusted. If a rumor spread that their information is too expensive, they won''t be able to continue their business as information brokers. I''m sure their prices are not that outrageous.


    Hmmm... Information broker is interesting. I''d love to sell or buy information. There''s a lot of information I''d like to buy....... Oh yeah, I have some information that I could sell!


    "Can I sell you some information?"


    "Hoho. You''re a beginner, and you think you have some information to offer? Well, I know what information you might offer."


    "Yes, it''s about my title."


    "Great, so talking with you is worth it!"


    "No, it''s not really that great..."


    It was just a festival title, and the ability isn''t that great, but Alyssa''s smile doesn''t change.


    "It''s OK. Just knowing the details of your unique title is enough for me."


    "If you''re fine with that, then it''s OK."


    "I''ll buy that information for 1,000 Gs."


    "What?! Are you serious? Is it that good?"


    I thought it would be around 100 G.


    "I''m giving you a little extra for the first time, but it''s great to have such unique information, and you are the only one who has the exact information. Also, with this information, I can guess the titles of the other two, so it''s not a bad deal."


    "Is that so?"


    "It may seem expensive at the moment, but in the future, it will be like pocket money."


    But right now, 1000 G is a lot of money for me. I immediately open my status and show Alyssa my title, "The Silver White Pioneer".


    "So there are no status increases?"


    "No, just money, bonus points, and skills. So the information is not that great, right?"


    "No, that''s not true. Thank you for your valuable information. I appreciate it. Besides, it would have been much more expensive if its important information that never been posted on the bulletin board.¡¡It''s not too expensive."


    My money sense is going to collapse. I''ll have to be careful.


    "You still have any other information?"


    "Information about the monsters, about the changes from the beta version."


    "Hee?!"


    "During the beta test, gnomes only appeared in the 3rd area, but since the official service, they''ll also appear in the 2nd area."


    "Really?¡¡That''s really good information.¡¡I''m curious how you found out about that..."


    Well, no wonder if she is curious. No one would trust a low-level player who has been dead three times.  It''s impossible for such a player to have information about monsters in the 2nd area.


    "Please take a look at this."


    I showed my status to Alyssa again. Gnome is stated in the monster column,.


    "I see. Did you select the Advance Tamer?"


    That alone seemed to be enough to make her satisfied. Alyssa nodded her head.


    "You really know a lot of things."


    "I can''t call myself an information broker if I don''t know that much."


    "So, do you trust me now?"


    "Yeah, it''s the perfect proof, and I''ll give you another 300 G."


    Just a hint that gnomes might appear in the 2nd area. That information turned into 300 G.


    "If it''s just a small change, I''ll only give you 100 G. But Gnomes are pretty troublesome enemies. Their earth magic is strong, and they run very fast. They''re also an instant killer. I''m sure a lot of players were killed by gnomes in the beta test. But their drops are also very good. I don''t know if it will be the same in the official service. The fact that they appear in the 2nd area is very valuable information. If you had information on where they appear, I would pay you 3,000 G."


    "Then, I want to buy some information from you."


    "OK. What do you want to know?"


    "About the gnomes. How''s they attacks."


    "That''ll be 500 G."


    "OK."


    "During the beta test, they appeared in the abandoned mines in the third area. It was a troublesome enemy that attack using earth magic from a distance and wielded an earth stick at close range. They were most feared for their "pitfalls", which were earth magic that sunk your feet into the ground. Their most common attack pattern was to knock their enemy off balance and hit it to death. Their fatality rate at the first sight is over 90%."


    "Wow, that''s insane. But isn''t that weird?"


    "Ara, why?"


    "It seems that my gnome doesn''t know how to fight."


    "He never used earth magic to attack from a distance. He also never used pitfalls."


    "Oh, I see what you mean...that''s what happened in Beta version too. Apparently, some monsters change their nature after they are tamed."


    Wow, really? I''ll have to be careful in the future. I thought Orto is just a production-type monster and not a strong monster.


    "By the way, did you say their drops are very good?"


    "Yes, especially their rare drop, called the Earth Crystal."


    "Earth crystal?"


    "It''s a very useful item. You can use it to add attributes to your weapons or use it in alchemy. Moreover, it was much more effective than its lower grade counterpart, the earth ore, and every production worker wanted it. With a drop rate of less than 0.01%, it was even called a legendary item. Also, Gnomes drops ores at 100% rate, so many parties would hunt them."


    "I see. That''s good to know. I''d like to buy another piece of information."


    "Sure."


    "I want to know what plants I can gather and grow around here. Not just herbs, but trees as well."


    At the same time, I will ask her. Aside from medicinal herb, poisonous plant, paralysis plant, wound medicinal herb, and edible grass, what else can I gather?


    "That information would cost 300 G."


    "Got it."


    "In the western and southern forests, you can get blue acorns and red tengu mushrooms. You can collect green peaches in the western forest. Still, I don''t recommend it because it''s very deep inside the forest and difficult to find. Also, you can collect light walnut in the southern forest. Though, they''re more difficult to grow than the green peaches."


    "Light walnut?"


    "Yes. It grows on ordinary walnut trees at a low rate. They look like regular walnuts, so it''s hard to tell them apart. They glow slightly at night, so they are easy to spot. Unfortunately, the Southern Forest is much more dangerous at night. If you want to explore the Southern Forest at night, level 12 or higher is recommended."


    "Level 12....... That is impossible for me."


    "The Light walnut. I want it so much, but... I''m sure I''ll die again. I have no choice but to give up."


    "Thank you very much."


    "OK, see you later~."


    I greeted her lightly and left her stall. It was a short but fruitful conversation. Besides, I got 5850 G.

 CH 11

    Chapter 11: Bulletin board 2


    ¡¾Title¡¿This thread that about "titles", which is still unclear. Part1¡¾I want¡¿


    £º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º


    14: Cainz


    >>11.


    I wish I could have a title in the early stage of the game, even a dishonorable one. I envy you, Shirogane-san!


    15: Kitaro


    Same here. There were a few titles in the beta, but they were all useful in their own way.


    16: Kurumi


    Here''s what I know.


    Town Helper


    Requirements: Successfully complete 50 or more helper sub-quests in a single town.


    Effect: Sub-quest rewards increase slightly, Strength +1, Agility +1


    This is only if there are no changes in the official service.


    17: Keropii


    I''m really interested to know about the title. Do you know of any other titles in the beta version?


    18: Kurumi


    I''m pretty sure there are 7 titles.¡¡At most, it should be no more than 10 titles. That''s why 3 at once is a big deal.


    19: Cainz


    Is there any information about the beta titles on the information board?


    20: Kurumi


    There are some.


    21: Cainz.


    As for me, I''d like to know the details of those 3 titles given to Shirogane-san and the others. Can''t the person in question write it down for me?


    22: Kurumi


    Maybe Ruby and Purple-Hair can, but I think it''s impossible for Shirogane-san.¡¡It''s still a dishonorable title, you know.


    23: Kitaro


    Why are you using honorifics?


    24: Kurumi


    I don''t know. I feel like I should use honorifics with Shirogane-san. In a lot of ways WW.


    25: Keropii


    Shirogane-san: "I don''t need your sympathy!¡¡Don''t pity me!"


    26: Kitaro


    What do you know about Shirogane, WW?


    And why talk like a military commander.


    27: Korianda


    >>21.


    You didn''t write that one just for fun, right?


    28: Keropii


    What do you mean?


    29: Korianda


    You''re probably going to sell the information to the Sharp Ears cat.


    30: Keropii


    What do you mean? Sell information? What is that?


    31: Kurumi


    Sharp Ears cat is a famous clan that has existed since beta. And they are also our only information agent. If you have info that no one else has, they''ll buy it from you.


    I''ve confirmed that they are still working as information agents in the official service.


    Sometimes they have important strategic information, and sometimes you can buy unexpected information.


    The more important the information, the higher the price. I''m sure they also have information regarding the titles.


    32: Cainz


    So what''s the problem with that?¡¡If everyone is reluctant to post information on the bulletin board, maybe some people will start making a fuss.


    They might even blame that Sharp Ears Cat clan.


    34: Keropii


    The Sharps Ears Cats are awesome. Maybe I will try to go there once.


    Unfortunately, I don''t have any information to sell.


    35: Kurumi


    It''s interesting even if you just buy something. So, why don''t you go there?


    36: Cainz


    I wish I had some information about Shirogane-san.


    37: Kurumi


    Besides, I not sure if the Sharp Ears Cats knows about Shirogane-san.


    88: Harold


    So I can get the bug materials in the "Buzz Forest" at the end of the eastern plains?


    89: Hinako


    Light materials, yes. If you want materials for heavy armor, you should go to the Horned Woods at the end of the Southern Forest.


    I highly recommend the horn of Rhinoceros Beetles and the shell of Black Beetles.


    90: Funwari


    I need wood. What''s the Horned Woods looks like?


    91: Hello


    The Horned Wood is full of beech trees.


    It''s no different from the southern forest. Though it seems to be easy to get high-quality wood.


    92: Harold


    Wood?¡¡How do you get it?


    I''ve been hunting a lot in the Southern Forest, but I''ve never gotten anything like that.


    Is it something you can gather?


    93: Funwari


    You need to have the logging skill to gather wood. And tools to cut the wood.


    Just like mining for ore, you need mining skill and a pickaxe.


    94: Hello


    It''s like fishing. You need fishing skills and a fishing rod.


    95: Holmes


    If you have the corresponding skill, you can spot collecting points.


    96: Harold


    I see! But I don''t have mining skill, but I''m still able to gather ores from the mining points?


    97: Funwari


    Suppose your party members have the corresponding skills. In that case, everyone in the party can spot the collecting points, so it''s a good idea if your party members all have different skills.


    98: Harold


    Yes, indeed. one of my party members has mining skill!


    99: Holmes


    If you want wood, you better have logging skill. It''s easier to get high-quality woods if you have logging skill.


    100: Hello


    By the way, I heard that you can get wood from Green Peach in the Western Forest.


    But I''ve never gotten wood from green peaches, even though I have logging skill. Why?


    101: Holmes


    Apparently, it has something to do with logging skill level.


    If your level is over 20, you can cut down the peach tree!


    Oh, and by the way, even if you cut down a peach, the peach tree will regrow quickly, so no problem.


    But that doesn''t mean you can''t collect them continuously.


    102: Hello


    I didn''t know that. OK, let''s train my logging skill!

 CH 12

    Chapter 12: Finally, I have armor.


    Now that I''ve got the money, I can buy armor. The armor store that the stall Onee-san recommended to me is in the west small square, right? I wonder if it''s a player''s store.


    "Well, I''ll know when I get there."


    I walked into the west square. I''ve never been here before, but there are a lot of people here. Perhaps because it is the closest to the western forest,


    the number of players here is much more than at the south small square. Anyway, my destination is the armor shop.......


    "Maybe that''s the one."


    I found it in seconds. After all, there is a long spear sticking out of the stall roof. It stands out from a distance. The appearance is clearly different from the other stalls.


    "Excuse me, is this Ruin''s Armor Shop?"


    "Yes, it is!¡¡How did you hear about my shop?"


    "Yes, Alyssa-san told me about this place."


    "So Miss Alyssa recommended my shop to you, then I can''t take you lightly! I''m Ruin. Nice to meet you!"


    Ruin is a loud dwarf man. He is a player too.


    "Are you also a member of the Sharp Ears Cat?"


    "Hou? You know that much already?¡¡Ou, that''s right. I''m their blacksmith!"


    Alyssa-san is a very good businesswoman. No wonder she gave me the information so easily. Well, I don''t mind. Just being a dwarf makes him look like a skilled blacksmith. I feel very confident with this dwarf. And if he''s a member of the Sharp Ears Cats, then he''s a former beta tester. His skills must be very reliable.


    I don''t know the details either, but beta testers get many benefits in the official version. I''ve heard that they get at least 300 bonus points, plus various additional benefits depending on how much they contributed to the beta test.


    I''ve heard that it will take many points to get a strong weapon, but getting a weapon from the third area is a big advantage, and it''s also possible to acquire skills.


    "I need armor."


    "Oh, of course. Brother...."


    "I''m Yuto."


    "I''m surprised you don''t wear any armor."


    "A lot has happened. So, do you have any robe-type armor? And I''d like to buy a staff if you have one."


    "OK, let''s start with the robes. That''s around here. What''s your budget?"


    "About 5800 G."


    Though I''m not going to spend all of it.


    "I see. But paying a lot of money doesn''t always get you the best equipment."


    "Is it because of the equipment requirements?"


    Yes. As you probably know, there are certain stats required to equip equipment, and the higher the armor, the higher the stats required. You''re at Lv.3, right?"


    "Yes."


    "For example, this one costs 5,000G, but it can only be equipped by a player with base level 7."


    Ruin is shaking his head in disappointment because he can see my level using appraisal. By the way, the appraisal is a way to find out a person''s level and job. The name of the person is displayed as ???? Unless they have told you their name.


    "So, how about this?"


    It''s a 4,500 G robe. I wonder if it''s worth it.


    ''Yeah, it''s a little heavy, needs at least 12 total strength and constitution. What do you think?"


    "...... It''s impossible for me."


    "Well, you''re a rearguard anyway. Let''s see, how about this one? I think you can equip it?"


    What Ruin offered me is a 1900 G blue color robe.


    I will try to appraise it.


    Name: Azurite Robe


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï4 Durability: 100


    Effect: Defense +9, Water Resistance (small)


    Equipment Requirements: Strength 2 or higher


    Weight: 1


    "Hee, this is nice. I especially like how light it is."


    Name: Silver Thread Robe


    Rarity: 3 Quality: ¡ï3 Durability: 100


    Effect: defense +24, magic resistance (small)


    Weight: 3


    Name: Robe


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï5 Durability: 100


    Effect: Defense +6


    Weight: 2


    What should I do? I''d like it to have a little more defense. Is there a robe that''s only partly made of iron?


    "Not a chance."


    "Money problem?"


    "Or a status problem? Steel is heavy, so it would weigh a lot more if it were made conventionally."


    "I see. It''s impossible for a poor rearguard."


    "Unfortunately, you''re very poor."


    "Yeah, that''s right!"


    "Hey, don''t feel bad about yourself after saying that."


    "I''m sorry."


    "Oh, well. So, the iron equipment, if we try to lighten it up, the price will go up, and 6000 G won''t be enough."


    "I understand. I''ll give up."


    A man needs to know when to give up.


    "I see."


    "So, what should I do?"


    "Hmm, I''m still concerned about my lack of defense..."


    "How about this?"


    "Shoes?"


    "It''s foot armor."


    Name: Hard Leather Shoes


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï4 Durability: 120


    Effect: Defense +5, Poison resistance (small)


    Equipment Requirements: Strength 3 or higher


    Weight: 1


    "Great!¡¡How much for this?"


    "1100 G. It''s a player''s made item. It has poison resistance. So it''s a bit expensive."


    "Hmm, but it''s nice and light."


    "Do you like it?¡¡What''s your total strength and constitution now?"


    "Five."


    "Ha-haa. That''s very low."


    "Yeah, it is."


    "Then how about this?"


    Name: Bronze Necklace


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï2 Durability: 100


    Effect: Defense +1


    Weight: 1


    "Well, it''s just a normal and weakest accessory, but if you buy the Azurite robe and leather shoes, I''ll give you this one as a bonus. And this one too."


    Name: Cedar Staff.


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï2 Durability: 100


    Effect: +3 attack power, +3 magic powers


    Weight: 1


    "Are you sure?"


    "Alyssa recommended this shop to you. Besides, it''s a prototype made by a novice carpenter. It''s made from the lowest quality materials that can be found at the entrance to the Western Forest."


    The entrance to the Western Forest?¡¡I''ve been there before, but is it possible to harvest wood there?


    When I asked Ruin about it, he told me that I need logging skill. Apparently, some of the things you can gather can''t even be found without the corresponding skill.


    If that''s the case, can Orto find ores?¡¡And he has mining skill. I thought it is only good for digging the ground, but it seems to be a pretty good skill.


    I''ll take him to mine ores next time.


    "Then I''ll accept your kindness."


    "Gahahaha. It''s embarrassing for me if you''re so humble. It''s just a bit better than novice equipment."


    "It''s good enough for me."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, because that''s what I''m using now!"


    "This is ....... It''s a wooden stick!¡¡Oi oi, are you actually an advanced player who likes to play in various ways?"


    "Can I take that?"


    "O, ou."


    Ruin is mumbling about something, but before he changes his mind, let''s equip the cedar staff. Fufufu, now I can say goodbye to that wooden stick!


    Well, my money has been reduced to 2850 G. I don''t know if I''m spending money too much. Am I spending money too much?¡¡I feel like my money is going up and down way too fast.


    "I have to earn money again....... Oh yeah, I need to get Orto to the guild.


    If I do the special quests, I can get some experience too. Let''s go back to my field right away.


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Name: Yuto                      Race: Halfling          Basic Lv3


    Occupation: Tamer          Occupation Lv3


    HP: 18/18              MP: 25/25


    Strength: 2            Constitution: 3          Agility: 5


    Dexterity: 6            Wisdom: 7                 Spirit: 5


    Skills: Gathering: Lv2, Enlist: Lv2, Servant Magic: Lv5, Mixing: Lv2, Wand: Lv1, Taming: Lv1, Runaway Foot: Lv1, Farming: Lv1, Cooking: Lv1, Alchemy: Lv1


    Equipment: Cedar staff, azurite robe, hard leather shoes, Beastmaster''s bracelet, bronze necklace


    Possessions: Portable food x 24, Simple blending set, Simple cooking set, Simple alchemy set, Honey dumplings x 4, Purified water x 9, Edible grass x 3, Wound medicine x2


    Money: 2850 G


    Bonus points: 2


    Title: The Silver White Pioneer


    Guild: Adventurer''s Guild, Beast master''s Guild, Farming Guild


    Servant Monster (1/3): Gnome.


    Name: Orto


    Race: Gnome       Basic Lv5


    Contractor: Yuto.


    HP: 22/22              MP: 26/26


    Strength 7             Constitution 5           Agility 5


    Agility 9                 Wisdom 11                Spirit 9


    Skills: Cultivating, seed breeding, Luck, Heavy Swing, Earth Magic, Farming, Mining, Night Vision, Growth Boost Ex


    Equipment: earth spirit hoe, earth spirit muffler, earth spirit clothing.


    Farm: medicinal herbs ¡ï 2 ¡Á 2, poisonous plants ¡ï 2 ¡Á 4, paralysis plants ¡ï 2 ¡Á 4, youmei plants ¡ï 2 ¡Á 2, wound medicinal herbs ¡ï 2 ¡Á 6, edible grass ¡ï 2 ¡Á 1,


    Green peach seedling.

 CH 13

    Chapter 13: Special Quest


    "Orto, how''s the farm?"


    "Mu?¡¡Mummu."


    "Looks like you''re free."


    When I came back to my farm, I saw that the seeds had already been planted. When I saw the green marker, I could tell what had been planted.


    "Muu?"


    "Oh, this?¡¡That is the robe I bought earlier."


    Maybe Orto is curious about the robe I''m equipped with. He is grabbing it and tilting his head.


    "Isn''t it nice?"


    "Mu."


    "So, is the farm all right?"


    "Mu!"


    Orto raises his hand quickly. He is so cute.


    "Then come with me."


    I headed to the Beastmaster''s Guild with Orto to complete a special quest.


    "Mummu-mumu. Mummu-mumu.


    "You seem to be in a good mood."


    "Muu."


    Orto is humming and hopping as if he is enjoying this outing.


    "Here, have some of this. How''s that?¡¡Do you like it?"


    " Muu......"


    The honey dumplings don''t look too good. But it''s better than the portable food I''m eating. I''ll give you something better to eat soon.


    [Your enlist''s level has been increased.]


    Oh, my skill level has increased. It seems that the enlist skill level will increase just by working with the monster.


    "This is the Beastmasters Guild."


    "Muu."


    "Let''s go to the quest board."


    "And complete all of the special quests at once."


    "Barbara-san, I''ve brought you my monster."


    "Ara! He''s a gnome! And it''s a unique one! He seems to have acquired the rare skill of Plants Growing and the Growth Boost Ex.


    Barbara observes Orto with a joyful expression on her face. She pats him on the head, but he doesn''t seem to mind. The sight of a beautiful young girl like Barbara smiling and petting Orto is a bit distracting.


    "Phew. I really like him!¡¡I''ll acknowledge your quest completion."


    Special Quest


    Description: Show Barbara a level 5 monster.


    Reward: 500 G


    Deadline: None


    Special Quest


    Description: Show Barbara a unique monster


    Reward£º3000 G


    Deadline: None


    Special Quest


    Description: Show Barbara a monster that has learned a rare skill or an ex skill.


    Reward£º5000 G


    Deadline: None


    [Quest completion confirmed. Your reward will be paid]


    [Your base level has been raised to Lv4. You have earned 2 bonus points]


    [Your occupation level has been raised to Lv4]


    My level has increased. As expected of a special quest. My money has also increased to 11350 G. Unfortunately, there are no more special quests that can be completed immediately. This will probably be the last time I can complete a quest instantly with my initial bonus.


    Name: Yuto                      Race: Halfling          Basic Lv4


    Occupation: Tamer          Occupation Lv4


    HP: 20/20              MP: 29/29


    Strength: 2            Constitution: 3          Agility: 5


    Dexterity: 7            Wisdom: 7                 Spirit: 6


    Skills: Gathering: Lv2, Enlist: Lv3, Servant Magic: Lv5, Mixing: Lv2, Wand: Lv1, Taming: Lv1, Runaway Foot: Lv1, Farming: Lv1, Cooking: Lv1, Alchemy: Lv1


    Equipment: Cedar staff, azurite robe, hard leather shoes, Beastmaster''s bracelet, and bronze necklace


    Money: 11350 G


    Bonus points: 4


    Title: The Silver White Pioneer


    Guild: Adventurer''s Guild, Beast master''s Guild, Farming Guild


    Servant Monster (1/3): Gnome.


    My strength didn''t improve again. It seems that it''s difficult to increase strength. It''s my race trait, so it can''t be helped.


    [The level of the enlisted monster, Orto has risen]


    "Mu!"


    "Did Orto''s level rise?"


    Name: Orto


    Race: Gnome       Basic Lv5


    Contractor: Yuto.


    HP: 24/24              MP: 29/29


    Strength 7             Constitution 5           Agility 5


    Agility 10               Wisdom 12                Spirit 9


    Skills: Cultivating, seed breeding, Luck, Heavy Swing, Earth Magic, Farming, Mining, Night Vision, Growth Boost Ex


    Equipment: earth spirit hoe, earth spirit muffler, earth spirit clothing.


    My level and Orto''s level raised, and I got a lot of money. These special requests are really sweet.


    "What should I buy with this money?¡¡Hmmm....... Orto, what do you think?"


    Just kidding. I was thinking, there is no way Orto will answer me. When I am thinking that, Orto is trying to tell me something.


    "Mummumu."


    "What?"


    He clasped his hands together in front of him and swung them up and down repeatedly.


    "Making rice cakes?"


    No, I guess not. Orto is shaking his head.


    "Continuous powerbomb."


    "Muu."


    "Kendo strikes?


    "Muu."


    What is it?¡¡He''s trying to tell me something......


    "Oh, now what?"


    I guess he thought we were getting nowhere. Orto begins to make a different gesture.


    "Pressing a button......."


    "Muu."


    "No?¡¡Then are you making a hole?


    "Mummu!"


    "Yeah, that''s it!¡¡As if to say, "Yes, that''s it!" Orto pointed at me. Why are you doing that pose?"


    "Make a hole and put something in it?¡¡Oh, you mean sowing!"


    "Muu!"


    "So that gesture you just made was swinging a hoe?"


    "Mu!"


    So that''s what Orto is trying to say is.......


    "You want a farm?"


    "Mummuu!"


    You smart seducer!¡¡It''s not a cheap purchase, you know.¡¡But when I look at Orto staring up at me with his sparkling eyes, it''s hard to say no. Damn you, management!¡¡This is how they''re going to force me to spend my money!


    "You know what, Orto......."


    "Mu......"


    When he realized what I was trying to say, he looked down sadly. Yeah, my Orto is super cute!¡¡Besides, if I really think about it, the farm is not a bad idea. If I can make a lot of potions and sell them, I can make some money. It''s also a good way to increase my skill level. It may take some time to break even, but it shouldn''t be too difficult.


    "Hmm"


    "Mu?"


    "Do you want a farm?"


    "Mu!"


    "Really?"


    "Muu..."


    "Then, should we buy it?"


    "Mu?"


    "Anyway, with Orto''s help, I can grow a lot of things."


    "Mumu!"


    "Okay, let''s buy a farm!"


    "Mu!"


    We giggle together.


    We were about to leave the Beastmasters Guild when someone laughed at us.


    I turned around, and I see a blonde elf girl holding her mouth and laughing happily. She is a tamer with two monsters enlisted. Her eyes are obviously looking at me.


    Hmmm, maybe we made too much noise. I''m a little embarrassed. Let''s leave before we attract more attention.


    "Hey, you''re funny."


    "What?"


    Our attempt to escape failed. The girl is walking up to me.


    "Because a farm is pretty expensive, and you''re going to buy one without a second thought like that. Hey?¡¡ Isn''t he funny, Koyuuza? Sensei?"


    "Bou."


    "Kue!"


    The land tortoise monster that is about the size of a light vehicle is called Koyuuza. The monster resembling a bald eagle sitting on the girl''s shoulder is called Sensei. What a unique naming sense.


    "No, I just thought it is necessary."


    "Fufu. I''ve never seen anyone interact with a monster like that before."


    "Oh, really?"


    Hmm. That doesn''t sound so bad. I think she is just want to talk to me because she seemed to be happy. She looks a little like Alyssa. Though, this girl looks younger than her.


    "Yes. As expected of The Silver White Pioneer, your actions are very different."


    What? ......? What did this girl say? I heard she said The Silver White Pioneer. No, maybe I heard wrongly.


    "Excuse me, what you just said?¡¡Could you repeat it?"


    "I said, you''re The Silver White Pioneer!"


    "Why, why do you know my title......?"


    Yes, I have silver hair, but is that enough for her to know my identity?¡¡I thought she only guessed, but she seemed so sure.


    Maybe Alyssa-san?¡¡I wonder if she''s selling my information. But she said she''d keep it a secret!¡¡Oh no, my identity is going to leak out everywhere if I don''t do something.


    "Umm, how did you know?"


    "Eh?¡¡The girl at the stall told me."


    Yeah, that explains everything. Shit!¡¡I underestimated information brokers'' commercial spirit!¡¡I didn''t know it was this easy to leak personal information.


    "Excuse me, I must leave now. Let''s go, Orto."


    "Muu."


    "Hey, wait!"


    "See you next time!"


    For the time being, shutting Alyssa''s mouth is my top priority.

 CH 14

    Chapter 14: Yes, guilty


    I rushed to the south small square.


    Now that I got the title, I had no choice but to stand out a little. Besides, I had the same ambition as anyone else to become a top player and get famous someday.


    However, I had no intention to spread the information about my title to get famous.


    "Alyssa-san!"


    Once I see Alyssa''s stall, I take my momentum and storm into her stall.


    "Hey, Yuto-kun, it''s been two hours."


    "You''re selling my personal information, aren''t you?"


    "No, I''m not."


    "You''re lying!¡¡Someone knew about my title!¡¡She said she heard it from a girl at a stall."


    "But there are many girls who run stalls, you know."


    Now that I think about it, that''s true.


    "There are rules and etiquette for information agents. In particular, we never sell our customers'' personal information. I swear the only thing I sell is title information. It''s a hot seller."


    "But you''re the only one who knows about my private info and might tell someone else!"


    "Are you sure about that?"


    "What?¡¡What do you mean?"


    "You''re lucky, my friend. I just got the latest information a few minutes ago. Would you like to know about the female player who is telling people about your title?"


    "Yes, I do. Please sell it to me."


    "Then, 500 G."


    "Okay. Here you go. So?¡¡Who is she?"


    "Well, have a drink and relax. I''ll give you some service. This one is for you, Monster-chan. If you like it, come back and buy it again."


    "Honey carrot juice?"


    "It''s perfect for you.¡¡It''s a food item you can give to your mons."


    "Wow, ...... delicious!¡¡It''s really delicious!"


    "Nice, right?"


    "How do you make this? No, no, no. Give me the information quickly!"


    I put the juice in my inventory and rushed Alyssa. While we are doing this, my embarrassing information might be spreading like fire.


    "Did you know that there are stalls in the central square?"


    "Yeah, I''ve seen them."


    "Apparently, Mirei drugstore is the source of that information."


    "Mirei Drugstore?"


    "It''s run by a peach-haired, dog-beast girl."


    "I see. I''ll go and check."


    "Come again next time."


    I rushed again to the central square, where there are many stalls. However, only a few of them are player''s stores.


    I peeped into the shops with blue markers one by one and easily found the store I was looking for.


    After all, a loud voice was shouting, "We have information about the Silver White Pioneer!".


    A few players were in front of the stall, perhaps attracted by it. When the girl showed them something, the men laughed loudly. Are you talking about me?¡¡Are you mocking me?¡¡Damn, what the hell have you done to me!


    I want to yell at them right now, but they might laugh at me if I show up now. Patience, patience. Then, when those men are gone, I make my move. Slowly and quietly so as not to draw any attention.


    "I have information on the Silver Pioneer! I''ll tell you the identity of that interesting title earner you''ve been hearing about! Mirei Drugstore ready to serve you!"


    In, interesting title?¡¡Yes, guilty.


    "Hey!"


    "Welcome to......--"


    When the girl sees my face, her facial expression becomes pale, and she shuts her mouth. That''s great, LJO. To be able to show such detailed facial expressions...


    Oops, now''s not the time to be impressed.


    "Looks like you know who I am, huh?"


    "Aha."


    "It''s not funny at all. You know?"


    "What are you talking about?¡¡I don''t know."


    "Stop playing innocent. I''ve heard everything. And show me that screenshot you just hid."


    "Ugh."


    Mirei looks very troubled, and her eyes get teary. It''s cute, but it won''t work for me now.


    "So that''s really a screenshot of me."


    What Mirei was showing the guests was a screenshot of me right after I returned to death.


    "I''m calling the GM now."


    No matter how I look at it, it''s against the rules. What will you do now? Will she get angry back at me?¡¡If that''s the case, I won''t show any mercy.


    "I''m sorry!"


    She apologized honestly. Surprisingly, but I''m not going to forgive her for that.


    "You know what you''ve done is against the rules, right?"


    "Yes,......."


    "How many people did you tell?"


    "About 50?"


    "Shit! Are you fucking kidding me?"


    "I''m sorry!¡¡I''m sorry!"


    "Why did you do this?"


    "I''m just a novice merchant and want a jump start. I was thinking of a way to sell my products, so I thought I''d share some special information with the customers who bought them."


    Well, I understand how she feels....... No, no, no, why am I sympathizing with her? And I still haven''t asked her the important question.


    "How did you find out about me?"


    "I''ve been setting up a stall here since yesterday. There were no customers at all. I was so free and bored. I''ve been watching the square. We can clearly see the Homecoming stone monument from here, right?"


    The Homecoming Monument is a landmark for people who have died and come back to life. Every big town has one, and if you register to it, you can come back to life in that town.


    "So, I remembered you were the first person who revived. And you came back twice after that, so I remembered you very well."


    So, when she saw the announcement of the title winner, she knew it must be me. Well, of course, she knew. If a person came back to life three times on the first day, that person would stand out for sure.


    "And when I told them this information, they all bought many medicinal herbs and other stuff, and I made a lot of money!"


    "......"


    "Ah..."


    "I''ll call GM now."


    "I''m sorry!¡¡I won''t do it again!¡¡If you make a GM call, I won''t be able to log in for a while!"


    "It would be good if it only ends with that."


    "No, I don''t want to be red-tagged!"


    "You get what you deserve!"


    "Uuh."


    I won''t forgive her even if she cries. Everyone around here is looking at me, but it''s not my fault.


    "But I didn''t tell them your name!"


    "That''s because you don''t know!"


    "Oh, God. Please don''t be so angry. Please, please."


    Now she''s using the seductive technique. She tried to hug my arm, but players who haven''t registered as friends can''t have physical contact with each other.


    "Tsk. I forgot I can''t touch people."


    "Oioi! You think I can''t hear you?¡¡Your true face is showing."


    When she realized that she can''t touch me, she crossed her hands in front of her chest, looked up at me, and get closer to me as close as she can.


    "Can you forgive me?¡¡Please."


    Oh, shit. So cute. ....... No, no, no. What am I thinking? It''s just an avatar. It''s just a virtual character that you can modify all you want!¡¡And the way she tilts her head, they''ve perfectly-researched it!


    (This is just Avatar. This is just Avatar. Anyway, her personality is the worst)


    Okay, mind concentration is complete. I won''t be fooled by any of her tricks!


    I stared at her again, and she must have realized that her tricks had failed. This time, she held up some kind of item and pushed it to me.


    [Mirei has requested to transfer an item to you. Will you accept it?]


    "I''ll give you this, so please forgive me!"


    "No, no."


    "Come on! Press accept! Please..."


    Huh. Now you''re trying to bribe me over. But I''m not going to take this. To begin with, it''s not much. It''s just a bunch of herbs and other similar stuff. Not a single expensive item is in it.


    She is just going to give me these items and then continue her business as usual. There''s no sign of remorse at all.


    "Well, then, I''ll pay you for your trouble!¡¡So, please!¡¡Please!¡¡Besides, look. I''ll give you this and this too!"


    It looks like she''s seriously regretting her actions, but.......


    "But I refuse!"


    "Why, why not!¡¡You''re kidding, right?¡¡You just wanted to tease me a bit, right?"


    "No, I''m serious."


    I''m sick of dealing with her, so I''m going to call the GM. As soon as I told her that, Mirei''s attitude suddenly changed.


    "Stop it!¡¡I''m just sharing a little information with people!¡¡What''s the difference between that and a message board?"


    "No, that''s different."


    Uwaa, scary!¡¡I''m trying to stay calm so that I won''t be taken lightly. To be honest, I want to run away. Mirei''s screaming was powerful. Well, it looks like I won''t have to feel guilty about calling the GM at all now. She must be banned instead.


    "There''s a big difference between spreading someone''s personal information for your own benefit and discussing it on a forum."


    "You bastard, if you''re not careful--"


    Suddenly, Mirei''s movements stopped.


    "What?"


    She looked like a statue of an evil demon because she was frozen with a mad expression. It was scary. I wonder if this is what women really look like. I feel like I''m going to lose faith in women.


    But what the hell is happening?¡¡I look around, but the only person standing still is Mirei. Freeze?¡¡A processing failure?¡¡No, there''s no way that could happen on the newest game console. Did something happen to Mirei''s real body?


    While I''m puzzled, someone suddenly appeared in front of me. It''s an avatar wearing a suit and tie, not something you''d expect to see in a fantasy world.


    "Nice to meet you. Yuto-sama."


    "Ni, ni. Nice to meet you?"


    "Sorry, I''m late. I''m from the LJO Management Division."


    "Eh?¡¡Management?"


    It turned out to be the management avatar. He told me that the GM had received an anonymous call about an hour ago. The caller said that there is a player with bad manners who is maliciously spreading other people''s personal information.


    When the management investigated, it turned out to be true, and Mirei''s account has been frozen. They have already decided that her account will be deleted.


    "During the investigation, we found out that Yuto-sama and the player in question are having contact. So this is why I came here to apologize personally."


    Well, I feel a bit intimidated, or maybe a bit uncomfortable, when they do that. Well, maybe that''s what they''re trying to do.


    It''s Mirei''s fault, not the management''s, and if they delete her account, that''s fine with me. This game doesn''t allow players to have multiple accounts. Those who have been deleted by the management won''t be able to reset their accounts for a certain period. So Mirei won''t be able to return to this game for a while.


    "Now, if you''ll excuse me."


    "Aa, wait a minute!"


    "Yes?"


    "I keep getting a prompt asking me to accept a transfer."


    "Oh, please accept it. The other party''s account will be deleted anyway. It''s a gift of apology."


    Then the management avatar left. He left Mirei''s transfer request screen behind.


    "Ee? Is this okay?"


    If it''s okay to take it, then I''ll take it. When I pressed the accept button, more items appeared in my inventory. Medicinal herbs, youmei plants, water pumice stone, red tongue mushroom I had been looking for, and mysterious incense.


    "This item is the only mystery."


    I''ll appraise it.


    Name: Attracting Incense, Red (The Town of Beginning)


    Rarity: 3 Quality: ¡ï5


    Effect: Attract monsters: Unique: Duration 25 minutes


    If this incense is burned, it will lure monsters from around the area. Each color has a different effect. Red attracts unique monsters. If a town is specified, it can only be used in that town. This incense is disposable.


    "Interesting."


    There are many ways to use it. It''s not a bad item, especially for a tamer. Well, at the moment, the item is useless to me. Someday I''ll use it to tame a unique monster.


    I guess that''s it for now.¡¡Now I just have to hope that people who already know about me won''t spread it any further.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Author''s message:


    My first idea was to let Mirei off the hook once, then after a few episodes, when she''s misbehaved again, Yuto would call the GM to ban her. Anyway, Mirei''s popularity seems to be the lowest. Who would benefit from her reappearance?¡¡So I decided to ban her at this point.

 CH 15

    Chapter 15: Guild Contribution


    I went back to the farm and showed Orto the red tengu mushroom I got. Thinking back about Mirei makes me angry, but the item is innocent. Well, I will never see her again, so let''s just forget about her.


    "Orto, can you cultivate this?"


    "Mu......"


    "Can''t you?"


    "Mumu!"


    "Can you do it?"


    "Mu."


    "What do you mean?"


    Orto kept shaking his head sideways and up and down. It seems that there is a way to cultivate it, but it''s not possible right now.


    "What am I missing?¡¡Orto''s skills?"


    "M!"


    Orto jumps up and down, and he looks upset. Apparently, it is not because of his skill level.


    "I''m sorry. Don''t be mad."


    "Mumumu."


    "Hmmm, what am I missing?¡¡Tools?"


    "Mummu."


    Again, it''s his specialty gesture. A gesture as if he is holding something. Move it up and down?


    "What is it? A koala holding on to a tree?"


    "Mu."


    "Don''t look at me with eyes like you''ve already given up."


    "Muu."


    "You, you sighed, didn''t you?"


    "Muu?"


    "Don''t tilt your head back!¡¡So cute."


    "Mummu."


    "Don''t blush!¡¡Oh, God. But what am I missing?


    I know it''s a representation of some kind of shape. Is it something you need to grow mushrooms?¡¡So that''s it.


    "Maybe it''s a log or something?


    "Mumum."


    It seems I was right. But where can I get a log?


    "Should I ask at the Farming Guild?"


    When in doubt, just ask the farming guild. I had to buy a farm anyway, so why not ask while I''m at it? Then I asked the old man at the reception desk, and he told me how to get it.


    "We''re selling it. ...... but you can''t buy it yet."


    "Why not?"


    "Your rank is not enough. Those who belong to a guild have a guild rank based on their contribution. It goes up as you complete quests, but your rank is still 1. You have to be rank 2 to buy logs."


    "Is that so?"


    I checked the guild column in my status carefully. I am a member of three guilds: the Adventurers'' Guild, the Beastmasters'' Guild, and the Farmers'' Guild, and all 3 of them are rank 1.


    "Gathering and delivery quests have a little reward, but the contribution is high. Special quests have higher rewards but lower contributions. Subjugation quests have a higher reward for both."


    In this case, if the contribution reaches 5, the rank goes up to 2. For the defeat quests, you can get 4 contribution points.


    "But I don''t think I can do the subjugation quest."


    The only quest that remains is the gathering and delivery quest, but that''s impossible for me.


    "Maybe we can do a crop delivery quest?"


    "Yeah, get some seeds and try to grow them."


    By the way, I think maybe the general store sells them. We can grow them and deliver them. Either way, it''s difficult to get the logs any time soon.


    "If that''s the case, let''s buy a farm first."


    Even if I go to the forest as a last resort, I still need wound medicine and potions. There''s no better way to increase production. The purchase was easy since it was my 2nd time. I got a place next to my farm.


    All I can plant now are the medicinal herbs and youmei plants I got from Mirei and my one leftover edible grass seed. But that''s not enough.


    There are still fifteen empty spots. Tomorrow, we''ll be able to harvest the medicinal herbs and other plants, so we can start sowing right away. However, I feel it would be a shame to leave the land idle, even for a little while. I''m really a poor man at heart.


    "OK, let''s go buy some vegetable seeds."


    If we do well, they might grow up in a short time. That way, I can complete the delivery quest and increase my contribution. Oops, I forgot to ask something important.


    "By the way, how much is the log?"


    "4500G."


    That is close, very close!¡¡I now have 5350G. The price is more expensive than I thought. As expected, this is a product that you can''t buy unless your rank has been raised. I wish I have more money...:


    "Hmmm. If I want to earn money other than doing special quests, then ......".


    I took a closer look at the farming guild''s quest board. One quest caught my eye.


    " Reinvestigate the map ......?"


    Manual Labor Quest


    Description: Walk around the town of beginnings and update the current map.


    Reward: 600G


    Deadline: 4 days


    "What kind of quest is this?"


    I am curious, so I asked the old man to explain. In short, the job is to update the map by walking around the town in the east, west, south, and north areas. The goal was to add new farmland, stalls, player''s stores, etc., to the map. They also want us to check the map to make sure it''s correct.


    I guess it''s one day per area, with 4 days deadline. It is a long time, but not bad. Normally, a quest with 150G reward a day would be too cheap, but this quest is a blessing for someone like me who can''t fight. Besides, the contribution is 4, so this quest is meant for me.


    "This kind of quest is not popular at all, and you''re the first person in this guild to show any interest in it."


    Well, that''s not surprising.


    If someone is playing the game in a normal way, they wouldn''t want to be tied up for four days.


    "There are many places in the city of beginnings that I have not visited yet. I think I''ll take it as a sightseeing trip."


    "Thank you. We''ll count on  you."


    He gave me a blank map. It is just an ordinary map with a brief description of the town. Anyway, I tried to walk around with the map in my hand. Then, the places I passed were colored with subtle colors. This way, I could see at a glance where I hadn''t walked.


    "Well, I guess I''ll just continue updating the map and go buy some seeds."

 CH 16

    Chapter 16: Maple''s Tool Shop


    I went back to the farming guild and asked if I could buy some vegetable seeds, but they said my rank isn''t high enough to buy them. I could only purchase the seeds of medicinal herbs and edible plants.


    I had no choice but to head to the general store. As expected, there were several seeds in the shop.


    "Three kinds: spinach, green carrots, and orange pumpkins."


    "The prices are 100G, 200G, and 250G."


    "Hmm. What should I buy?"


    Wait a minute, why don''t I just buy some vegetables from the store and convert them into seeds?¡¡The shop also has grown vegetables. Spinach costs 50 G, But when I asked the lady at the store if it is possible to convert the vegetables into seeds, she said it is impossible.


    "The ones sold by adventurers and guilds can be converted into seed. Unfortunately, the vegetables in our store can''t be changes into seed."


    Apparently, the vegetables and plants sold in NPC stores cannot be converted into seeds.


    "I guess I''ll have to buy seeds."


    I''ll just buy the cheapest one I can find. I bought a pack containing 5 seeds of spinach for 100 G. Then I can leave it to Orto.


    "I think I''ll buy some fertilizer, too."


    That''s for the new field. I''d also like to buy some humus, but it''s difficult to get that on my own. It would be nice if I can buy it somewhere.


    "Before we go back to the field, I think we should go to Alyssa''s shop."


    The Players'' Shop might have some humus. We can also take a look at the other stalls in the small square.


    "The map is getting more colorful."


    When I look at the map, the places I''ve walked will be colored. The path from the Farming Guild to the shop and from there to the South Small Square had colored blue. However, just a small part of that area is visible on this map. It would take a while to update this map.


    "Hello."


    "Welcome. Thanks for always coming."


    "Even if you said that I''m not a regular customer."


    "No, no, if you come three times a day, you''re a regular customer."


    When you said that, I realized that this is the third time I''ve been here today. That''s a lot. No, I did it because it''s convenient.


    "Are you OK?¡¡I heard you got into a fight."


    Apparently, she already knew what happened during the day. Quite a few players were watching our fight. They saw the moment Mirei was banned, and I''m sure there aren''t many players who would spread information about me like that. Alyssa-san also seems to only know the story through light gossip.


    " I am OK. It seems that someone had already called the GM. The management intervened during our fight. They even deleted her account about an hour after the investigation."


    Alyssa-san nodded in admiration when I told her more details.


    "Hee. So they respond so fast."


    "Yes. In fact, they apologized to me properly."


    "But the information about you leaked out, right? If she showed the screenshots, people would recognize your face, isn''t that right?"


    "It''s no use worrying about that. If people know that Mirei has been banned, they probably won''t tell anyone about my face. I''ll wait for the rumors to die down."


    "Hmmm. I''m glad to know that Yuto-kun doesn''t seem to be too concerned about it. I''ll spread the word that Mirei''s account has been deleted, so there won''t be any more players doing stupid things."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes. We failed to call the GM early enough this time. Even though we''re selling the title information, it''s not related to us at all."


    "Thank you very much."


    Thank goodness for that. Now I can avoid getting tangled up with strange people.


    "So, you want more information?


    "No, I want to buy some things. Some plants that I can grow on my farm. Also, do you have any humus?"


    "No, I don''t think we have any. It was sold out a while ago. We didn''t have much in the way of materials to begin with. The production players are monopolizing everything."


    "I see......."


    "If you want such things, you should go to Maple''s tool shop in the south gate''s small square. The owner is an ex-farmer merchant, so the shop has all kinds of tools."


    "Hee. That sounds interesting."


    Maybe I can find some humus there.


    "Yup, yup. You should go there."


    "That''s one of the Sharp Ears Cat clan members'' shops, isn''t it?"


    "How do you know?"


    "Because you didn''t charge me for this information."


    "Don''t mind, don''t mind. I''m sure the shop has a lot of stuff!"


    " Yeah, I''ll go there."


    "Say hi to Maple for me."


    Since I have a map, I can easily find my way to the south gate small square, where there are three NPC stalls and one player stall. The player stall doesn''t seem to be very popular, probably because it''s a farming area. Maybe that''s Maple''s tool shop.


    "Excuse me."


    "Yes, welcome."


    "Are you Maple-san?"


    "Yes, I am. And you are?"


    "My name is Yuto. Alyssa sent me."


    "Alyssa has recommended my shop? Then I''ll do my best."


    "Yeah."


    She''s a unique person. Even though her speech is prolonged, she does not give the impression of being slow. She''s like a gentle sister with a fluffy impression.


    "Do you have humus?"


    "Yes, we do. Are you a farmer?¡¡Not many people work in agricultural fields, so I''m glad to know you."


    "No, not exactly. I bought a farm for a reason."


    "Oh, that''s interesting. But if you are not a farmer, it will be hard to manage a farm.¡¡Will you be alright?"


    Well, the concern is justified. Normally, you need skills to do farming. In my case, I don''t have to worry about it because I have Orto.


    "Well, I can manage that."


    "Hmm. If I ask Alyssa-chan, will she tell me what''s going on?


    "Maybe."


    "Well, I''ll ask her later."


    " So, I need some humus for my farm."


    "Yes, we have some. We have some, but it''s just the lowest grade."


    " That'' s good enough. How much for one?"


    "250 G."


    "That''s more expensive than fertilizer."


    "Well, it''s more effective than fertilizer."


    "Is that so?"


    "During the beta test, I verified that the quality ranking was high-grade fertilizer > humus > fertilizer."


    Moreover, fertilizer and humus have overlapping effects. No wonder they are so expensive.


    "What else can I grow on my farm?"


    "There are many things you can grow.¡¡Here we have herbs, vegetables."


    "I prefer herbs than vegetables."


    The lineup is familiar to me: medicinal herbs, poisonous plants, paralysis plants, and youmei plants, all of which are of low quality. I guess this is a safe bet.


    "Then, there''s ...... dried medicinal herbs?"


    "Yes, I dried these."


    By the way, the NPC store is selling dried red tengu mushrooms. I wonder if the effect will change.


    Name: Dried medicinal herb


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: Restores 7 HP. Cooldown time, 10 minutes. It cannot be converted into seed, but the effect is increased when the material is used.


    I see. It''s great that it increases the effect of blending. However, it sucks that it can''t be converted to seed. I''ll leave it for now. I''ll try it sometime later.


    And besides, this store belongs to the Sharp Ears Cat member. If I ask the wrong question, maybe I''ll be asked to buy information. I put the dried herbs in my hand back with an indifferent face.


    "I want to turn it into seeds, so the dry material is ......."


    "Oh, I see. Well, how about this?"


    "Bleeding grass?¡¡First time I''ve seen it."


    Name: Bleeding Herb


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: The user has a low chance of bleeding.


    Bleeding is one of status abnormalities. This game is recommended for R12 and may be played by children. Therefore, there is no bleeding effect when attacking. However, when you are bleeding, there will be a bleeding effect. The effect is that the damage taken increases while bleeding.


    "It occasionally grows in the northern plains. There aren''t many of them, but you can find them anywhere in the second area."


    "How much is it?"


    "It''s 100G."


    It''s a little more expensive than poisonous plants, but if it''s rare in the first area, maybe it''s worth it to buy. If I think it''s the same as poisonous plants and paralysis plants, I should be able to make a bleeding potion with three of them.


    "So, I''ll take the humus, three bleeding herbs, poisonous plants, and paralysis plants."


    "So 530G total."


    I have 4,690G left. I''ll have to buy some logs, so I''ll save them and look for a job.


    "See you later!"


    "OK, see you later."


    I leave the south gate''s small square as Maple sends me off. I''m sure I''ll be visiting Maple''s tool shop again in the future.


    "I''m back."


    "Mummu."


    "Hoi. Here''s another souvenir."


    I handed him the herbs I had bought, and he jumped up and down with joy. Then he immediately started to make seeds from the plant. I was already used to see it.


    "Mumumuumuuumuu."


    Is he humming?¡¡Orto is happily singing "muu-muu" and spreading seeds, humus, and fertilizer. Now, the second farm is all filled up.


    The farm''s current condition is as follows.


    1st field


    ¡ï 2 x 2 medicinal herbs, ¡ï 2 x 4 poisonous plants, ¡ï 2 x 4 paralysis plants, ¡ï 2 x 2 youmei plants, ¡ï 2 x 6 wound medicinal herbs, ¡ï 2 x 1 edible grass


    Green Peach Seedling


    2nd field


    Medicinal herbs x 2, Youmei plants x 2, Edible grass ¡ï 2 x 1, Bleeding herbs x 6, Poisonous plants x 2, Paralysis plants x 2, Spinach x 5


    "Good, good, I''m looking forward to tomorrow''s harvest."


    I excitedly started to draw water from the well to help with watering the plants.

 CH 17

    Chapter 17: Original recipe


    "Good morning, Orto.


    "Muu."


    As soon as I logged in, I rushed to my farm and found that the crops I planted yesterday are now ready to be harvested. It seems that harvesting the crops on the farm gives players experience in harvesting and farming. My level rose one by one along the way.


    Today''s harvest was a ¡ï4 crop. Yup, yup. It''s going well. I gave most of it to Orto and asked him to convert it into seeds.


    "Okay, let''s mix the rest of the crop."


    The first thing I''m going to make is a portable food mixed with spinach. Now that I''ve grown it, I''ll have to taste it before I can sell it.


    There are many "????" symbols in the list of recipes. Most are unselectable and are written in gray. This is an unlocked recipe. Once I have all the ingredients, they turn from gray to white and can be selected, although I had to cook them to identify the name.


    I chose the only "????" that is in white then start the auto-cooking process.


    I follow the instructions and cut the edible grass and spinach into small pieces on the cutting board. Then, boil them in a pot with water, and it is done.


    Portable food can also be made by mixing, but I heard that the quality is higher if it is made by cooking.


    While I wonder how the muddy liquid can turn into solid portable food, there is a familiar popping sound effect.


    The tasteless and hard brown portable food turned into the dark green color of spinach.


    "Hmmm, from the appearance, it doesn''t look delicious."


    If it had been a softer, younger leaf color, maybe I would have a different impression. But it is a deep, dark green color that made me want to say, "No, thanks. I''m full".


    The number of servings I can make at one time has been reduced from five to four. However, the effect had increased.


    Name: Portable food (spinach flavor)


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï4


    Effect: Restores the user''s fullness by 37%.


    The percentage of fullness restored increased significantly. As expected, the quality increased as well. I used to have to eat shitty tasting portable food five times a day, but with this, I only have to eat it three times a day.


    "Okay, let''s try one."


    I take a bite of the green portable food.


    "Yuck. ......!¡¡Disgusting!"


    The taste is so bad that it pierced my brain. The synergistic effect of the spicy and bitter flavors made the food taste terrible.


    "It tasted far worse than anything I''ve ever tasted.......!


    I''d rather eat dirt than this. It is the worst taste I''ve ever tasted. I''ll never make this portable food again. I promised myself that.


    "Yes, that''s right. I also have to feed Orto.


    "Mu!"


    I managed to ignore the demon''s voice that kept whispering [Let Orto eat it!] to me and took out the honey carrot juice.


    I appraised it and found that it could be given to tamed monsters. It restores 35% of fullness, which is the same as portable food (spinach flavor).


    "Looks delicious......."


    A horrible aftertaste lingers in my mouth. I just can''t stop looking at it. It looks more and more delicious.


    "Mu!"


    "Ha!"


    Orto pulled my robe, and I returned to my senses. That''s right, Alyssa-san told me to give it to my monster too.


    Although I am also tempted by the tasty juice. I''m a real person, and I can eat real nice food. This is a treat for Orto. Let''s give it to Orto before I get the urge to drink it again.


    "Orto, I''ll give you this."


    "Mu?¡¡Muu!"


    "Oh, you''re happy?"


    "Mummummu!"


    After jumping up and down to express his joy, Orto takes the juice from my hand reverently. He looked as if he was receiving a certificate of commendation.


    Then, like an old man drinking fruit milk at a public bath, he put his hands on his waist and drinks it down in one gulp. It looks so delicious. Orto''s face is usually expressionless, but now he''s smiling so brightly.


    "I''m glad you''re happy.


    "Mummumummu!"


    "Oh, you''re going back to work now?"


    "Mumumumumu!"


    The effect is incredible. It''s as if I''m watching a fast-paced movie, and Orto is working at high speed right in front of me.


    "It''s so different from when I gave him honey dumplings."


    I wonder if food can change the way we work, just like money. But I found out something good. It would be interesting to give Orto different kinds of food in the future. On the other hand, I''d like to see how he reacts when I feed him lousy food.


    I wonder if this is related to the monster''s affection level, which is rumored to exist as hidden status?¡¡If that''s true, would it be better to let them eat what they like?


    "Well, I don''t think I''ll be able to give you anything as delicious as this for a while."


    I muttered to myself so that Ort would not hear. It''s a gift from Alyssa, after all. If you buy them at Alyssa''s store, they cost 500 G each. I can''t afford to buy them every day.


    "Get back on track and do the next mixing."


    What I can make with the materials I have now is a wound potion and a low-grade potion.


    "Let''s start with the wound potion."


    I''ll try to make a high-quality product. I''ve already made the wound potion so many times, I think I can make it manually. Well, what I have to do is the same anyway.


    I mix the four wound medicinal herbs with the purifying water and mix them together slowly. Finally, I poured in some magic power.


    " ¡ï5? Seriously?"


    "My mixing level has increased."


    As expected, the experience of creating a high-quality product is also high. My mixing level was raised by two levels at once. It may be because my level was low to begin with.


    Name: Wound Medicine


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï5


    Effect: Restores 15 HP. Cool down time 10 minutes.


    It seems that even if the quality of the wound potion increases by 1, the amount of recovery only increases by 1. I guess this is why people say it''s only useful in the beginning.


    But that is fine!¡¡The important thing is that I can make a high-quality product!¡¡As I thought, if I do it well, the manual mixing would produce a higher quality product.


    "Well, let''s try something a little more creative."


    Unlike auto production, manual production is not guided by a system, but this gives the player more freedom. It is possible to make various changes by mixing ingredients different from the recipe or using different techniques in the production process.


    And it seems that successful new recipes can be registered as original recipes. The idea of having one''s own unique recipe really tickles the nerd in me, doesn''t it? Let''s see what kind of experiments I should try.


    They say it''s easier to just look at the bulletin board?¡¡That would be boring!¡¡It''s interesting because you have to think for yourself and experiment. Well, suppose you''re going to use something so rare that you''ll never be able to find it again. In that case, you can use the bulletin board or information brokers or whatever. But this time, I''m just making wound medicine and potions. Looking at the forums is my last resort.


    There''s no guarantee that there won''t be new recipes or new ways to mix things in the final version. I have to try things on my own first.


    "I think I''ll increase the number of times I stir."


    I put the ingredients into the mortar and started to mix them together with the wooden pestle. Usually, I stop mixing when the mixture becomes muddy, but this time I kept mixing until the mixture became smooth.


    "Hmm, not good."


    However, there was no change in the wound medicine made from the ingredients. The result is ¡ï5, but nothing has changed even though the stirring time was 5 times longer than usual.


    "No, no, it''s only the first time. Next, next."


    This time, I would stir the ingredients until they are silky smooth, pour them into the pot, and boil them on the portable stove.


    I''m not sure if it would be a problem to use cooking tools during the process, but it seemed okay. When the liquids had evaporated to a certain extent, I put it back in the mortar and poured magic power into it.


    "What''s this?¡¡It''s a wound potion, but......."


    Name: Wound Medicine Powder.


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: Restores 17 HP. Cooldown time: 10 minutes.


    Side effect: dehydration.


    I just made medicine powder. Until now, it always turned into pills. Is it because I skipped the water?¡¡Moreover, instead of increasing the amount of recovery, it seems to cause a side effect called dehydration.


    Dehydration is a condition that occurs in deserts and other places where your status decreases until you drink some water, and it actually makes you thirsty. Isn''t it more of a disadvantage if you get dehydrated every time you use it?¡¡Though, maybe it can be used as a last resort.


    "Well, I guess it is a successful experiment, right?"


    Let''s keep working like this. My next idea is the opposite. I wanted to use a cloth to filter the mixed ingredients, but I don''t have a cloth. So I used the edge of my Azurite robe to filter it. I wrapped my robe around the blend and squeezed it tightly to extract the liquid.


    My robe is now green and dirty. The durability value is also decreased. Well, maybe it will be restored once I recover its durability. Maybe.


    "Okay, next is to mix it."


    Name: Wound Potion, Water


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: Restores 8 HP. Cooldown time: 5 minutes.


    I see. This is a water potion. It''s a drinking potion in a bottle that I don''t know where it came from. The amount of recovery is reduced, but the cooldown time is shorter.


    "Hmmm. Looks like there''s a lot of room for innovation here. Mixing is interesting. Next, I''ll experiment with lower grade potions."


    I gazed at the two wound potions registered as my original recipe with a grin and prepares for the next experiment.

 CH 18

    Chapter 18: Being imaginative and creative


    With the experience I got from mixing the wound medicinal herbs, the next is making potions. I haven''t done any experiments since chemistry class in school, so I''m getting excited!¡¡But there are only two kinds of herbs left, the medicinal herbs and the Youmei plants. I have to be careful.


    "Let''s make some changes before I mix them."


    Thinking back to the potion I made earlier, there is some sediment in the potion. I''d like to get rid of that somehow.


    First, I used a knife to remove the thick veins of the medicinal herbs and Youmei plants. I used only the soft part of the leaves.


    If it turns out that the removed parts are rich in medicinal substances, the effect will be reduced.


    Next, I boil the purified water in a pot. There is no change in the purified water item information when I appraise it, but what if I mix it?


    The procedure after this is the same as for wound medicine. Mix it well, and pour in some magic power.


    Name: Lower Grade Potion


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï5


    Effect: Restores 40 HP. Cooldown time 10 minutes.


    Good!¡¡It''s ¡ï5!¡¡What was good about it?¡¡The ingredients themselves are exactly the same as the last time I made a ¡ï3 potion. So I understand that the quality increased by 1 level when I manually make it. Now, what''s the reason for the additional quality level?


    "Next, let''s try using the purified water without modification."


    Then, the result is a ¡ï4 low-grade potion.


    "That means boiling the water first is effective."


    I''ve made a great discovery. Well, I''m sure it''s been posted around the forums.


    Is this the least I can do?¡¡No, wait, what?¡¡I think I''m going to experiment with drying. I''ve heard that drying the plant has the effect of increasing the quality of the blend instead of reducing the amount of the plant. Fortunately, I have some low-quality poisonous plants, paralytic plants, and bleeding plants left over.


    "Orto, do you know what drying is?"


    "Mu?"


    "You don''t know?


    "Mu......"


    "I see, so you don''t know."


    "Mu~."


    "Don''t feel down. I don''t understand it either."


    For now, let''s experiment with poisonous, paralysis, and bleeding plants by placing them in a well-ventilated place. Normally, these things are supposed to dry out in the sun for a day and a night.


    "This place seems to be well ventilated."


    I tied the grass to the wall of the tool shed in the field. The sun is shining, so it should be okay.


    "If it requires a skill or tool to dry, it will be a complete waste."


    I can grow as many plants as I want in the future, so I don''t mind using them for experiments.


    "Now, let''s go to the farming guild and update the map."


    I walk around the town of beginnings to update the map. For now, I''ll start from the southern area, where my farm is located. I will also have to remember to deliver some spinach to the farming guild while I''m there. If I complete the update map quest, my guild rank will rise.


    "Alright, I''ll do my best to fill up the map!"


    It''s been four hours since I started walking. I think I''ve updated about half of the southern area map.


    "Hmm. It''s much bigger than I thought."


    If I simply walk from one end to the other, it would take less than an hour. But walking through all the streets to update the map took more time than I expected.


    Still, I managed to keep walking because it is fun. When walking in the daytime, I could see how realistic the town is. The city is so beautifully created down to the smallest detail that I feel like I''m on vacation in Europe.


    "Oh, this place is..."


    Before I realized it, I am standing near the Beastmasters Guild. I didn''t notice it at all.


    The fact that it is located in a remote area on the border between the western and southern areas shows just how unpopular the Beastmasters Guild is.


    I decided to join the guild on a whim. I''ve been walking for a while now. The surrounding scenery is beautiful, but I wanted something different.


    "Hello."


    "Welcome to the Beastmasters Guild."


    The person who greeted me is not the beautiful dark-haired Barbara, but a glamorous blonde American beauty. Her freckles are charming.


    "Are, where''s Barbara?"


    "Barbara is on break, so she''s not here right now."


    I see. I thought that event-related characters remained the same for 24 hours, just like in RPGs. Though I knew that the receptionist would change. If they want to make it realistic, naturally, the NPCs will have break time too.


    "Now that I came to this guild, let''s check the quests."


    The last time I came here, I didn''t check every nook and corner. I don''t think they''ll add any new quests in half a day, but I hope to discover something new.


    "Hmm, looks like there are no new quests after all."


    However, there are a few quests that caught my attention. There are a few quests I''m interested in that I skipped last time because the completion requirements seemed a bit troublesome.


    "I think I can do this one while updating the map."


    Labor Quest


    Description: Pick up trash in the town


    Reward: 300G


    Deadline: 3 days


    When I read the details, I learned that the job was to pick up trash in the town because the monsters in the Beastmasters Guild''s care tend to eat the trash during their walks. Eating trash during walks, that sounds like a dog!¡¡Well, I''ll take it!


    When I accepted the quest, the receptionist lent me a backpack-type item bag and a tong. So I am supposed to pick up the trash with these.


    "Then, we''re counting on you. The target is 100 pieces.


    "Roger that."


    For now, I think I''ll search around the guild. In the first place, what kind of trash are they?¡¡Is it something like an empty can?


    Then I see something lying on the ground in front of the guild. It is a small piece of stone, and I am sure I would have missed it if I was walking normally.


    "Is this trash?"


    It seems that the green marker appears on the trash after I took the trash pickup quest. And the green marker does not appear on the other rocks. Apparently, it''s not enough to just pick up trash randomly.


    "Okay, let''s pick up trash while updating the map."


    Picking up trash in a VR game, how humble is that? But it''s all for the experience and contribution.

 CH 19

    Chapter 19: Picking up trash


    I continued to pick up trash. The trash is not limited to rocks but includes grass, broken vases, and many other things. I had picked up more than 20 pieces of trash.


    When I check the map, I noticed that I almost finished going around the southern area. Still, I only picked up 20 pieces of trash.


    "Next, let''s go to the western area."


    While walking through the western area, I am picking up trash. Updating map and trash pickup are going very well. However, some things bother me.


    "Hey, that''s......."


    "No mistake, it''s the silver..."


    "Si, Silver White! That one?"


    "The Silver Haired Tamer without his monster......."


    I felt some strange stares from people. And they are whispering to each other. Oh, my God! I know why. They all know that I''m the one who earned that funny title.


    About 50 people got the info from Mirei''s drugstore. Those 50 people would tell their friends and acquaintances, and then the info would spread further. If this continues, it will spread in no time.


    If the first 50 people each tell 5 people about it, then it becomes 250 people. If those 250 people then each tell 5 other people, then it becomes 1,550 people.


    Gossip is scary. It''s starting to feel like all people around me know about me. I think I''m too self-conscious, but.......


    "Sigh, there''s no way out of this. I''ll just ignore them."


    I''m sure they''ll forget about me soon, with all the events and other things. I just have to be patient until then.


    I hope so.


    Then, I proceed with my quest while trying to ignore people''s stares. It didn''t bother me as much as I thought when I concentrate on my quest. By the time night fell, I was completely used to it. When people start to whisper about me everywhere I go, I only think, "Aah, here we go again".


    "I think I''ve covered most of the western area."


    The map-filling is going well, but the trash pickup is not so good. I only managed to pick up 22 pieces of trash. We only picked up 22 pieces of trash, but I think I''ve covered most of the western area.


    "But at this pace, I won''t finish picking up 100 pieces of trash even if I go around the whole area, east, west, north, and south.


    If there are about 20 pieces of trash in 1 area, there will be about 80 pieces of trash in 4 areas, and I won''t be able to reach 100 pieces.


    But there''s something that''s been bothering me.


    "There, I''m sure there is a green marker."


    The place is a canal. It is about 7 to 8 meters wide, too narrow and shallow to be called a canal. The canal runs along the main street in the center of each area.


    In the middle of the canal, a green marker is appearing and disappearing continuously.


    "Ho!"


    I stretch out my tongs and attempt to pick up the trash inside the canal. Because it fell at the edge of the canal, I could pick it up without going inside the water.


    "Okay, got it!"


    It is a piece of trash, after all.


    I felt a glimmer of accomplishment in picking up the trash. But at the same time, the worst conclusion slipped into my mind.


    "Because it means that there might be trash inside the canal, right?"


    I could spot it from the shore because the trash I just found was in the shallow area. If the trash is in a deeper area, I won''t spot it from the shore. That meant that I must go inside the canal.


    However, it was already dark. I didn''t want to go into the canal at night to pick up trash. If I''m not careful, I might end up drowning in the middle of the city, which is unheard of way to die.


    "If I die in that way......"


    The rumor would spread again. But if I wish to pick up 100 pieces of trash, then I must enter the canal.


    "I''ll do it tomorrow."

 CH 20

    Chapter 20: Weed


    Today, I logged in again just after sunrise.


    On my farm, medicinal herbs and other plants have grown and are ready to be harvested. Unfortunately, there is one disappointing news.


    "The seeds in the field didn''t become ¡ï6 crops?"


    The seeds we planted the day before came from ¡ï4 crops. If the quality increased by two ranks like before, today I would harvest ¡ï6 crops....... All the crops we harvested turned out to be ¡ï5.


    "Hey, Orto. Do you know the cause?"


    "Muu."


    "Is Orto''s skill not high enough?"


    "Muu!"


    "Hey, don''t get angry!¡¡I''m just kidding!"


    Orto crouched down on the spot and began to tap the ground.


    "Could it be there''s a problem with the soil?"


    "Mumu."


    Orto nods. Seems I was right. But is it the soil''s problem?


    "I guess it can''t be helped if it''s caused by the soil. ¡ï5 is also fine. The profit is more than enough anyway."


    Other than that, some mysterious grasses were growing on the ground. It seems that Orto planted it in the space that was left vacant by one square.


    "...... Weed?"


    No matter how I appraised it and looked at it, it only marked as a weed. Oh no, what is this? It doesn''t have any flowers. It''s just green grass that looks like basil.


    "Hmmm. What the hell is it?¡¡Are these just random grasses growing around the place to raise farming skill levels?"


    It has the highest quality of ¡ï10, but it''s a weed. It has no effect, so this quality is meaningless. I guess it''s in the same category as pebbles and other similar things.


    Anyway, the more I look at it, the more it looks like basil. I mean, isn''t this basil?


    "Hmm."


    I picked the weed and put it in my mouth. Even if it is poisonous, maybe it won''t kill me. I chewed it slowly. Then I froze for a moment in surprise.


    "This is Basil!"


    This weed tasted exactly like basil. I used to grow basil in a planter, so there is no doubt. It is fresh basil. "What?


    "Ee?¡¡Why?¡¡Isn''t this a weed?"


    I proceed to pull out the weeds that were growing outside my farm. The weed looked like Persian speedwell. I try to chew it, but.......


    "Buhee!¡¡It is a weed."


    It is a weed. It smells foul, it''s bitter, it makes my tongue tingle, and it''s not edible. Even though they are the exact same item in terms of data. Why?


    [Item, weed cultivated and harvested. You have fulfilled the requirements; some new skills have been unlocked]


    While I was thinking about it, I heard some kind of announcement. Apparently, I had fulfilled some conditions thanks to Orto''s weeds. I looked through my skills list. There is one skill marked with ¡ï mark, a sign that it was unlocked within 24 hours.


    "Plant Knowledge?"


    I looked at the description, but it only stated that it is knowledge about plants in this world. But from the course of events so far, I assume that it''s a skill for identifying weeds.


    "Hmm ... costs 2 points."


    I have 4 skill points. I can acquire it, but....... I''d like to keep it to acquire battle skills in the future.


    But I''m curious. I''m not sure what to do with it. If I leave it as a mystery, I might be too curious and can''t concentrate on the game.


    "Okay, let''s acquire it!"


    Finally, I acquired plant knowledge skill. Oh, the weeds aren''t weeds anymore!


    Name: Basille


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï10


    Effect: None. Edible.


    Now I can identify its name. It has no effect, but now it has additional information that says it''s edible. It is really basil. The name is basille, but I guess I can consider it as basil.


    I excitedly appraised the other weeds and confirmed that each weed has its name. As for quality, most of them were ¡ï6 or higher. Basille also grew here. I wonder where Orto got the basille seeds, but I heard that they grow everywhere in the beginning town.


    After doing more appraisals around, I found some interesting weeds.


    Name: Tulip


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï7


    Effect: None. For ornamental use.


    It said ornamental. Well, it looks beautiful. Maybe I can sell them?¡¡ Players may not be interested, but maybe I can sell them no NPCs?¡¡Should I try to grow some tulips?¡¡For the time being, I gave the tulips to Orto. Then, he gave the flower back to me and seed breed the bulb. Then the bulb turned into two. It seemed to be possible to seed breed the tulip.


    Even though it has no effect, tulips are treated as weeds. But if it has a taste and a smell, it could be used for cooking. Can a tulip be placed in a vase for decoration?¡¡Maybe it''s worth investigating.


    "If I have time, I''ll try to grow some weeds. For now, let''s try to grow basille and tulips."


    I discovered a lot of things from mere weeds.


    "Okay, let''s plant today''s portion."


    Then, it''s time for another round of experiments!¡¡First, I made my first poison, paralysis medicine and bleeding medicine in auto. As I thought, these are beginner''s recipes. They are simple.


    Today I also tried mixing them in various ways, and I also tried to boil them beforehand. Still, I didn''t find any new discoveries. It seems that the higher quality ingredients are more difficult to handle, and the quality doesn''t improve as much as expected.


    The materials I used were ¡ï5 and ¡ï4, but the finished poisons and paralysis medicines turned out to be of ¡ï5 and ¡ï4 quality. No, the quality is high enough, and the level of mixing and cooking has increased, so it''s not a bad result.¡¡The most important thing is that I learned that using cooking utensils can increase my cooking skill level.


    But the experiment is far from over.


    "Today''s assistant is Orto, the Gnome!"


    "Mumu!"


    "Ooh! He puts his arms up in the air; he''s so motivated."


    "Muu."


    I decided to test Orto''s luck. I let him do some simple tasks like grinding. Orto seems to be enjoying moving the wooden pestle. He looks like a boy playing with weeds. When I was a kid, I like to gather up all the weeds I could find. I grind them up to make the mysterious Object X. I applied it to my friend''s abrasions as if it were herbal medicine. After that, my parents beat me until I cry.......


    "Mu?"


    "Oops, I shouldn''t let myself be carried away by nostalgic feelings. Let''s see."


    "Muu."


    "Oh, you grinded it nicely."


    It seems even though Orto doesn''t have any mixing skills, he can do the job. But it didn''t have the effect I was hoping for. In fact, the lack of production skills seems to have lowered the quality.


    "Hmmm... Maybe it''s not possible."


    "Muu......"


    "Don''t be discouraged. It''s not your fault. I''m the one who made you do it."


    I''ll let him try his luck in a different way next time. For the time being, I went to Alyssa''s store to sell the low-grade potions, poisons, paralysis medicine, and bleeding medicine I made today.


    "Hello."


    "Oh, welcome, Yuto. What can I do for you today?


    "I want to sell these. How much would you pay for these?"


    "These!¡¡Such high-quality products!¡¡Where did you get these?"


    "Ee?¡¡Are they that great?"


    The quality is high for a beginner like me, but I didn''t expect a beta tester to be surprised.


    "Of course it is!¡¡This ¡ï5 poison is the same quality as our current top producers. We''ve only bought up to ¡ï6. Because it''s very rare!"


    "I, I see."


    Hmm. Is it better if I don''t tell her about my farm?¡¡It seems to be very important. I''m not going to tell anyone until my farm is on the right track.


    Anyway, the quality of the other producers is not as high as I thought. Maybe it''s not a matter of skill, but the difference in ingredients. Thanks to Orto.


    "Well, there are a lot of things..."


    "Mmm, never mind. Anyway , it''s good to have another route to get valuable items. But you''re going to sell it to us, right?"


    "That''s what I''m here for."


    When these medicines are sprinkled on a weapon, it gives the weapon an abnormal attribute for a certain period. To be honest, I don''t need it now because I don''t fight.


    "¡ï5 poison, paralysis and bleeding medicine are 600, and ¡ï4 is 350."


    "Ee?¡¡That''s ridiculously expensive, isn''t it?


    "Of course. Higher quality means greater effect. The higher the quality, the more effective it is. In this game, the bosses are also affected by abnormal status. Well, the probability is low. But the high-quality products have a higher probability of getting the enemy affected, and they are good enough to use against bosses in the early stages. Every strategy team will want one, you know? Even the NPC master class can''t make items above ¡ï6, so the price goes up. Do you have any?"


    I see. If poison and paralysis are effective against bosses, anyone will use them, right? It seems that is one of the provisions in the early stages of the game.


    "Then, the ¡ï5 of the lower grade potions is 650, and the ¡ï4 is 400. To be honest, no matter how high the wound potion''s quality is, it doesn''t make much of a difference. Even if I pay extra, it''s only 50g each."


    Wound medicine is cheap. Maybe I''ll keep it instead of selling it. I can sell the rest because I need the money now.


    "And these green portable foods, they''re 10 G each."


    " ...... Are you serious?"


    "Yeah. This is the one with spinach in it, right?¡¡No one would buy such a disgusting food, except for punishment game or those who can endure the taste."


    Apparently, the devilishly disgusting taste of this portable food is well known. Hmm, but I don''t want to eat it again either. If I can sell it, I''ll sell it.


    "So the total is 4,130 G."


    All right, it looks like my plan to get rich by farming is on the right track. I can''t stop grinning!¡¡Alyssa-san is looking at me as if she''s looking at a weirdo, but I just can''t stop laughing.


    "Oops, I better check my dried poisonous plants before I go out for map updating."


    I try to appraise the plants that I have tied on the wall of the tool shed. But there is no change. It is still just poisonous, paralysis, and bleeding plants.


    "Hmm, no change."


    Maybe I''m missing something. Or do I need to let it dry longer?¡¡Well, let''s give it a few more days.


    "Today, I''m going to pick up trash in the northern area and do map updating."


    I almost never go to the Northern area. The only time I''ve been there was on my way to the northern plains on the first day I logged in.


    However, from what I could see on the map, it was made the same as the western and southern areas, so I wouldn''t get lost. As I walk around, looking for any valuable weeds, the time passed quickly.


    By mid-afternoon, about half of the map has been finished. Though I am a bit tired. I''ve been walking a lot, and I''ve been straining my eyes to look for trash and weeds.


    "There''s a small square right there. Let''s take a break."


    I peeked into each of the 4 player''s stores one by one to see if I could find any interesting items.


    The first three are similar to Alyssa''s and Mirei''s stores. Mainly selling medicines and materials. But the last store is a bit special.


    "Is this scroll a recipe?"


    "Welcome to Sawyer''s Alchemy Shop!¡¡You have very good eyes, sir. These are recipes for medicines."


    At first glance, the owner of the store looks like a junior high schoolboy. Well, it''s summer vacation, so it''s not surprising that a junior high school student would be playing. He''s a shota elf with blue hair. He has long ears that give him a fantastical look that makes me excited just looking at him.


    "Severe Attack drug, Instant-kill drug?¡¡These recipes with disturbing names."


    "What do you think?¡¡Unlike the NPC''s recipe store, we also sell medicines separately. It''s a pretty good deal, right?"


    "Well, even if I knew the name and the effect, I still wouldn''t know. I don''t have the ingredients.


    Sawyer''s store doesn''t seem to sell any kind of ingredients.


    "How much is this Severe Attack drug recipe?"


    "All goods on that side cost 300G."


    I''m not sure if it''s cheap or expensive. Well, I''ll come back when I''ve found the ingredients.


    "That''s too bad."


    When I told him that, Sawyer muttered with a disappointed expression on his face. I want to tell him to be careful with older women who like shota.


    "See you later."


    "Yes, I''ll be waiting for you."


    Now, what should I do next? Map updating is good, but I also have to pick up trash. Then I realized something important.


    "That''s right!¡¡I have to pick up trash in the canal."


    After dark, I won''t be able to find any trash in the canal. I have to do it in daylight.


    "Just wondering if it''s safe to go into the canal."


    First of all, how deep is it? I know the edge of the river is shallow. But I don''t know about the middle. I don''t think it''s that deep because it''s not the kind of canal that boats can go through.......


    Also, the fact that it makes me stand out is not good for me. Thanks to my title, I already got a lot of attention. I''m not sure what rumors would be circulating if I started picking up trash inside the canal.


    "Hmmm, but I''ll have to do it eventually."


    After struggling for a while, I decided to enter the canal. For now, I''ll start at the north end of the canal, near my current location, and head south down the canal toward the central square.


    It''s too late to worry about rumors. If people want to talk about me, go ahead!


    "Thank God, it''s not that deep."


    The deepest part in the middle is about my navel. However, the green marker is entirely underwater, and it is difficult to spot unless I get close enough. As I thought, it would be impossible to find it at night.


    In the end, it took me more than 2 hours to get to the central square. Moreover, I only managed to pick up 5 pieces of trash. After that, I went to the southern and western canals to pick up trash. In the end, I only picked up 16 pieces of trash. Still not enough.


    Furthermore, the reaction of the people around me was painful. If they were just whispering to each other, I could still ignore them. But some people recognized me and started shouting at me. Thanks to my backpack, I really stand out.


    "Oioi, as expected of the 3-Death guy, he''s very unique. I never thought I''d see someone in a game picking up trash."


    "You''re right. That''s the Silver White!"


    "Gyahahaha, Silver White is the best!"


    You think I can''t hear you. You can say whatever you want!¡¡But more than the fact that I was being mocked, there is something that is bothering me.


    "When they said Silver White, is that referring to me?"


    The title given to me is indeed the Silver White Pioneer, but....... Don''t tell me that the name "Silver White" is spreading like an alias?¡¡If so, it may take longer than I think for the rumors to disappear.


    "No, no, it''s just them.


    I thought so for a while.


    After that, I try to listen to them whispering to each other. It was not a mistake; all of them called me Silver White.


    Me = Silver White = Funny Title = Me


    That''s the equation. When Players who don''t know me see me being called Silver White, they would say, "Oh, that''s the guy with the funny title".


    "...... Sigh. Let''s continue picking up the trash."


    Yeah, I know that I''m running away from reality... right?¡¡But if I complain and ask them not to call me Silver White, all it''ll do is just stop them talking in front of my face. On the contrary, I''m afraid I''ll give them more topics to talk about.


    "Should I go back to the northern area and do mapping?"


    Maybe because I was trying to ignore the noise around me, I could concentrate on picking up the trash. And my plant knowledge had increased to Lv. 3 thanks to all the appraisals I had been doing. Finally, I finished picking up the trash and updating the map of the southern area.

 CH 21

    Chapter 21: Found a flower shop.


    I logged in and proceed to do what I''m already familiar with, mixing. My mixing skill has increased by 1, and my cooking skill has increased by 2 levels. Wait, I am a tamer, right?¡¡Before I knew it, my mixing skill level is the highest.......


    I only harvest the weeds and put them in my inventory. It really is useful, isn''t it?


    Oops, I should check the dried weeds before I leave.


    --Oya?


    "Oh my god. Garbage?"


    Surprisingly, the poisonous, paralysis and bleeding plants that I tied on the tool shed wall had been transformed into trashes. Of course, they cannot be used for trash pickup quests, but they are really trash. They looked like blackened grass, but there is nothing I can do about it. I had no choice but to throw it away.


    " ...... Let''s abort the drying experiment. I''ll check the bulletin board later."


    I get myself together and go to Alyssa''s store to sell what I''ve made. I was a little down at first, but I start to feel better as I walk along. Well, this kind of thing sometimes happens when you''re experimenting...


    I go to Alyssa''s store to sell medicines and buy some honey dumplings for Orto since I''m almost out of stock. They were 50 G each.


    I got 4450 G, though. My God, I have more than 15,000G now!¡¡I''ll definitely buy some logs and farms today!


    I need to raise my guild rank to buy the logs, so I still do map updating today.


    "Oh, it looks so impressive when I see it up close.


    I looked up at the giant tree, the symbol of the Eastern Area, and sighed.


    The East area is very different from the other areas. It''s the only one with a completely different structure from the others, and the scenery is also different.


    Let''s take a look at the map and check the topography. The first thing that stands out is the large lake in the north of the eastern area. There is a water training guild where you can practice fishing and ship-handling.


    And in the center of the eastern area is the "Water Guardian Big Tree," a giant tree with 256 meters of height. It is said that the water in the lake, canals, and outer moat is produced by this tree. The tree can be seen from anywhere in town, but when you get close to it, the sight of it will overwhelm you.


    On the east side of the lake and near the outer wall, there is a small forest. That forest is managed by the Forest Guild. Apparently, you can enter the forest, but there''s nothing in particular to collect, and not many people use it except for forest guild training.


    "First, pick up trash on the street & map updating."


    After that, I steadily walked around the eastern area and silently picked up trash. Then I heard an announcement chime, "PING PONG".


    "This is an announcement from the management.


    "Oh, what is it?


    "It has been four days since the start of the service in-game time. We''ll be releasing the statistical data.


    Speaking of which, it''s already 12:00. It''s been 4 days in-game, which means exactly one day has passed in real life.


    "Statistical data."


    I opened the attached file.


    "Wow, amazing. It even shows the number of people who have acquired each skill."


    The current highest base level is 18. I am sure they are beta testers. After that, I checked the data that might be relevant to me.


    First, the title data. In total, there were only five people who had earned a title. That''s not many. Since each title belongs to only one person, so that includes me. I have a complex feeling about my title, but I''m still happy when I feel special like this.


    Next is the number of tamers. The total number is 78. This is relatively low compared to the current number of players, which is 43076. The most popular job is Soldier, with 803 players. That''s almost 1/10 of the total number of players. It can''t be helped since it is an unpopular job, but it is a bit sad.


    Another thing that struck me is that the number of tamers is far outnumbered by summoners. The number of players who chose Summoner is 541. Apparently, the number of Summoner players is increasing due to the popularity of books or films with Summoner as the main character. Hmm, 6 times as many as tamers. Somehow that''s really frustrating.


    The highest number of monsters obtained is seven. I''m so jealous. I only have Orto.


    A tamer''s number of tamed monsters increases as their magic and enlist skill levels increase. Lv1 can only have 1 tamed monster. Every time you go up 5 levels, the number of monsters that can be tamed will increase. My servant magic is level 5 and my enlist skill is level 3, so I should be able to tame up to 3 monsters. Well, it''s quite a challenge for me since I don''t have much battle power. I want to increase my battle power as soon as possible, though.


    Other than that, I''m also curious about the farm.¡¡The player with the most farms is 12 plots of land. There are farms in other cities, so the top farmer-type players probably have that many.


    The rest of the data isn''t particularly interesting. It''s kind of sad, like the amount of money I have. Will the Statistical data be released once every 4 days from now on? I''ll look forward to it.


    The other information is that there will be some kind of event after 10 days in-game or 3 days in real life. The event''s content has not been revealed, but the location is the town of the beginning.


    I wonder what the content will be. Well, if I don''t do something now, I wouldn''t even be able to participate. I''ll do my best to raise my level.


    "Let''s get back to mapping and picking up trash."


    Only about halfway left.


    I continued map updating. Thanks to the lake, I can finish faster than in other areas. After all, only half of the area is land. The map updating request would be completed once the central square is covered. But the problem is the trash pickup.


    "I need five more."


    No matter where I looked, I couldn''t find five more trash. Instead, I found an interesting store...


    "Did this place open yesterday?"


    "Of course it was!¡¡We''ve been in business for 20 years, and it has never been closed!"


    It was located in an alley behind the main street that ran from the central square to the eastern area. I''ve been passing this street several times, and I''m pretty sure this store didn''t exist.


    The store was a flower shop selling a variety of colorful flowers. You can buy a single flower or a bouquet of flowers.


    I peeked inside the store curiously.


    "Oh, amazing!"


    In the flower shop, not only fresh-cut flowers, but there''re also potted plants, dried flowers, and even processed products such as potpourri and pressed flowers. Seems they sell all kinds of flowers.


    I try to appraise some of the flowers in the store.


    Name: Cosmos


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï7


    Effect: None. For ornamental use.


    In addition to this, there are other salvia and carnations for sale. They were all the same in real life except for the names.


    But now I understand. Maybe I found this store because of my plant knowledge skill. If I don''t have this skill, this store will be seen selling only weeds, and I won''t even be able to enter it. I didn''t expect such a store to exist.


    Next, I''ll appraise the potpourri.


    Name: Potpourri (Lavender)


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï5


    Effect: None. Small things.


    I wonder if there is such a thing as small things. I try to smell it lightly, and it smells like lavender. Even if it has no visible effect, this is interesting.


    Besides, if I can use herbal smells, I may be able to use weeds for mixing and alchemy. I must check other small things too.


    "Maybe there''s something that can give me an idea for production."

 CH 22

    Chapter 22: Get a new title


    I browsed around the flower shop that I just found.


    The store had nearly ten kinds of flowers and accessories made from them.


    "Are these pressed flowers?¡¡And they''ve been turned into bookmarks."


    Name: Flower bookmark - Cosmos


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï4


    Effect: None. Small thing.


    Unlike potpourri, it doesn''t have a scent and is really just for ornamental purposes. It''s a bookmark, but I don''t have any books, so I have no way to use it.


    "No, is there really no way to use it?"


    In other games, sometimes it''s set up that players must go to the library and read books to get recipes and skills. But there''s no library in this game-- that''s what I thought. If this bookmark exists, then it''s possible there are books or library somewhere.


    Perhaps it doesn''t exist in the beginning town, but maybe I will find it if I go further. Though, I don''t have any language skills. Perhaps I just haven''t fulfilled the requirements to get it.


    "I think I''ll buy one potpourri and one bookmark for now."


    The total price is 300G, so it''s cheap. I decided to ask the shopkeeper if there is any way to use it.


    "Can I use this for something?"


    "Ooi! That''s a ridiculous question!"


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I mean, it says it has no effect."


    Oops, the NPC uncle is staring at me. I don''t know if the AI has sensitive feelings, but it''s better to be liked than hated. I hurriedly made an excuse.


    Maybe he was satisfied with my excuse, the uncle nodded.


    "Aah, are you an adventurer from another world?¡¡Come to think of it, all adventurers in the Otherworld have appraisal skills, right?


    "Yes, that is true."


    "If you ask what the effect is... They make you feel at home when you look at them, or if you give them to someone, it makes them happy, something like that."


    "On the contrary, will you buy flowers from me?"


    "Aah?¡¡Do you grow flowers?"


    "I grow some tulips now."


    "Tulips aren''t popular in this town. I''ll buy them for 10G each."


    It''s so cheap. If this is the case, it is better to grow basille, which can be used for cooking.


    "Hey, if you''re growing flowers, can you grow this?"


    "What is this?"


    "Wild strawberry seed."


    "Eh? Strawberry?"


    "It''s a wild strawberry species. It doesn''t taste good, but it smells so nice that I put it in tea. I don''t sell herbs, but this is the only one I like and buy. However, the old woman who was selling it has retired due to illness. If you can grow it, I''ll buy it for 20G. "


    "Why don''t you grow it yourself? Is it difficult to grow?"


    "No, it''s easy if you''re a farmer. It''s just that no one prioritizes them over vegetables. The reason I don''t grow them is that I simply don''t have the skills. So, what do you think?"


    Supply Quest


    Description: Grow wild strawberries and supply 10 pieces.


    Reward: 200G, Mint seeds


    Deadline: None


    So cheap. As stated, each fruit is priced at 20G. But I decided to take it. I''ve never seen a quest that doesn''t go through the guild before. I think it would be better to accept a request from the residents.


    And I was curious about the mint seeds reward. Maybe it doesn''t have any effect, but it''s a new herb. If I have basil and mint, I can expand my variety.


    "I''ll take it."


    "Really?¡¡Thank you very much!"


    And that''s how I got 5 wild strawberry seeds.


    "Hmm, I can''t find any."


    After taking the quest at the flower shop, I walked around to pick up trash. I continued to pick up trash while trying to ignore the curious stares of elves doing secret training in the forest and the dwarves fishing.


    However, I still couldn''t collect 100 pieces of trash. As I suspected, I must search in the canals as well.


    "I have no choice. I''ll get wet again."


    The problem would be if I couldn''t find them in the canal.


    "Then, the lake..."


    It would be the worst if I had to dive into the lake to find them. At the very least, it is impossible with my current equipment and skills.


    "Hopefully, I can find them in the canal."


    I started picking up trash in the canal while hoping for the best. I picked up trash one by one.


    "What?¡¡This place is strange."


    But now there is a problem with the map.


    "This bridge is not on the map."


    There is a big arched stone bridge over the canal in front of me, but it is not shown on the map.


    I can see this bridge automatically shown on my status map. However, there is no sign of it on the event map I received when I took this quest.


    "Hmmm, is there something here?"


    I observed the bridge, but nothing is different from other bridges. It is just an ordinary bridge. I tried to go under the bridge and found...


    "This is...... a door!"


    There is an iron door hidden under the bridge. It is dark and has the same color as the stone, so you will never notice it if you don''t get close.


    "It can''t be opened..."


    No matter how hard I tried, the door won''t open. Maybe it''s locked or rusty.


    "Does it need a key?"


    There must be an event or something to open it. Unfortunately, I have no choice but to give up.


    "Hmm, is there any information about this?"


    I don''t think there is any information about this in the preliminary information I gathered before the game launched, but....... Well, I don''t remember all the events, so maybe it is not a big event.


    "Anyway, I''ll remember this place for the time being."


    I gave up on the door and decided to go back to picking up trash. The quest at hand is more important than a door that can''t be opened. Besides, it''s getting dark.


    "Oh, I found trash."


    I picked up the 100th piece of trash and completed the quest. The time is almost over. In less than ten minutes, the sun would be set entirely.


    "All we have to do is go to the central square and fill in the map.


    Then I was on my way from the eastern area to the central square.


    "PING PONG."


    It is the 2nd announcement today.


    "Congratulations."


    Oh?¡¡I''ve been blessed with something. Is it good news?


    "The title ''No-Kill'' will be awarded to Yuto-san, who never kills since his first login."


    For real?¡¡A new title?


    "OOOOooh! I did it!¡¡I got a new title!¡¡But, the title is ''No-Kill''."


    It''s a title like a samurai with a cross scar on his cheek. But, what were the requirements to get this title?¡¡Based on the announcement, it sounds like the condition is that I haven''t killed anything since the first time I logged in....... Why at this timing?¡¡The time is 18:16. Most likely, it''s not triggered by time.


    No, wait a minute. My total logged-in time in this game is 96:02. Wasn''t it 96:00 when the announcement was made?


    I wonder if the requirement for earning "No-Kill" is never killing a monster or animal within 96 hours from the first login. I never kill, not because I don''t like to kill. It was just an unexpected piece of luck. OK, let''s check out the details!


    Title: No-Kill.


    Effect: Earned 3000G prize money. Gain 4 bonus points.


    Skill: Mercy.


    Mercy: Your next attack, skill, magic, or item will not reduce the enemy''s HP to zero.


    It''s better than the Silver White Pioneer. I get 2 more bonus points and this skill is very useful, especially for a tamer. When trying to tame a monster, the success rate is higher if the monster''s HP is low. But I can''t use it at all right now.


    "Besides, can I sell this information?"


    There''s a good chance that Alyssa already knows about it. Anyway, I will try to offer it to her.


    If Alyssa doesn''t know, I might be able to monopolize this title for a while, but money is more important. I''m sure someone else will discover it sooner or later anyway. So it''s better to earn more money to buy fields and logs.


    "I better get going now."

 CH 23

    Chapter 23: The title''s value


    I came to the southern square before reporting my quest completion. I want to check if I can sell the information about my new title. Even if Alyssa-san already has the information about this title, I have nothing to lose.


    As usual, it''s crowded. It''s like a night festival with all the food stalls in the square.


    "Hello, Alyssa-san."


    "Oh, it''s unusual for you to come here at this hour."


    "Actually, I have some information I''d like you to buy."


    "Hohou?¡¡Let''s hear it. Yuto-kun, you always surprise me, so I''m looking forward to hearing it."


    The hurdle had been raised. Maybe it''s not essential information, but...


    "I''m sorry if you already have this information, but this information is about a title."


    Alyssa-san was surprised at my words. Then, her face turned serious.


    "Did, did you get another title?"


    I was a bit intimidated by her seriousness. I feel bad if she already knows this information. I mean, I think she already knows....... After confirming that there is no one around us, I started whispering to her.


    "''Yes, actually, I do."


    "Did you get it automatically?¡¡Or do you have a clear idea of what the conditions are to get it?"


    "I''m just guessing, but I know the conditions for it."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes."


    "Wait a minute."


    "Yes?"


    "I need to calm down. I''m a little freaked out by all this big information."


    Alyssa takes a deep breath. Is it a big deal?


    "Nah, maybe you already know about it."


    "By the way, is that title on this list?"


    Apparently, it is a list of titles. There are 11 in total, which is quite a few. And that includes the names of the three unique titles given on the second day, including the White Silver Pioneer. Luckily for me, the "No-kill" title is not on that list.


    "Is this all you have?"


    "Do you think it''s too few?"


    "Yes."


    "That''s how hard it is to get a title. It''s more difficult than you think."


    "Oh, really?"


    "So, tell me.¡¡Is your title on the list?"


    "My title is not on this list."


    "Really?¡¡That''s great!"


    Alyssa''s excitement seemed to have reached its peak. Her cat ears are standing up straight. Hee, such a detailed effect.


    "I want to praise myself for calling out to you first!¡¡You don''t seem to understand, but this is a big deal, you know?"


    "Haa!"


    To be honest, I was very confused by the difference in reaction between her and me.


    "Is it possible for other people to get it?¡¡Is it first come first served basis, so Yuto-kun is the only one who got it?"


    "No, I think other people can get it."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Ye, yes."


    Alyssa leaned forward and put her face close to mine.


    "OK, I''ll give you 3,000G."


    "Ee?"


    "That''s how much that information is worth. No, depending on the accuracy of the information and its usefulness, I may be willing to pay 10,000G."


    "Eeeee?"


    Finally, I began to understand how valuable my information is and get a bit nervous.


    "So?¡¡What kind of title have you got?¡¡If you don''t mind, I''d like to see your status."


    "I don''t mind. Here it is. My title is No-Kill."


    I show her the title and tell her what I know about it. I also told her my thoughts on the conditions for acquiring the skill, showing her the log of when I acquired it. When I finished telling her all the information about the title, Alyssa suddenly shouts.


    "Wait a minute!"


    "What''s wrong?"


    "This skill"


    She''s pointing to the column of skills that can be acquired by the No-Kill titleholder. Her fingertip is trembling.


    "This, this is not Merciful attack, but Mercy?"


    "That''s right, but ......"


    I''ve heard of the Merciful attack. It''s a wand or mace type of attack that does not kill the opponent in any case but leaves them with only 1 HP. It''s similar to Mercy. It can also be used with tools and magic. I wonder if this is a higher rank.


    "It''s a new skill......"


    "Ee?"


    "I said it''s a new skill!"


    "A new skill, what do you mean?"


    "It is a brand new skill that no one has ever acquired yet, not even during the beta test......."


    Does that mean I''m the only one who''s acquired this rare skill?


    "No way."


    "It''s true. If you don''t believe me, take a look at the statistical data we received this morning!¡¡It''s not listed there."


    Indeed. That data also listed the number of people who acquired individual skills and arts. In other words, if even only one person had acquired the skill or art, the name of that skill or art should have been listed there.


    I hurriedly looked at the statistics. Just as Alyssa said, there is no art or skill called "Mercy" listed.


    "For real?"


    "So you''re the only one who has this Mercy skill right now."


    The story is too great to be true. Is the title that great?¡¡Why nobody got it during the beta test in the first place?¡¡Alyssa answers my question.


    "When you first log in, you''re excited and more or less fighting, right? And even if you don''t fight monsters, you can still get food by fishing or hunting. Without any prior information, it''s hard to never kill for 4 days after first logging in. Unless someone plays in a very unusual way. For example, someone like you."


    "So that''s the reason."


    I wouldn''t have this title if Orto can fight. Everyone tries to fight a monster at first, and not everyone loses straight away. Even if their character''s creation had failed, there is a way to recreate character. Usually, people would recreate their characters.


    "So, would you buy this information?


    "I''ll give you 25,000G."


    "Not 10,000G......?"


    "That includes the price for information on that extremely rare skill. Anyway, I''m sure I can make a lot of money with that the No Kill information."


    "But if a player ever kills a monster after his 1st login, then that title can''t be obtained, right?"


    "Don''t worry. About 10,000 new players will be coming in from now on. After 6 days in real life, the 2nd and 3rd batch of new players also will be coming in with more than 100,000 people. And if you''re not a full-time player, you''ll only have about half a day in real life to play. Some of those players are wondering if they should recreate their characters. For those people, this is useful information. After all, it''s a title you can definitely get."


    So, I unexpectedly got 25000G.


    What should I buy with this? Even if I buy new farms and logs, I still have more than 30,000G. Hmm, stop daydreaming. Let''s go to the Farming guild and buy logs.


    "Then I''ll leave now."


    "Aa, wait a minute. Would you exchange friend code with me?"


    "With me?"


    "Yeah. If you exchange friend code with me, I''ll send you an email whenever I have good information. In return, when you have any good information, please sell it to me."


    "Are you sure you want to be friends with me?"


    "Yes, please."


    "I''m just lucky this time, you know? For real."


    "I look forward to that luck in the future."


    Well, OK. There''s no harm in exchanging code with a well-informed beta tester.


    "I''ll send you my code, then."


    "Thanks."


    Alyssa sent me her code as well, and the exchange of friend code is complete.


    "I''ll be waiting for more good information!"


    "Please don''t get your hopes too high."


    Alyssa sees me off and I leave the small square with a big smile on my face.

 CH 24

    Chapter 24: Bulletin board 3


    [Famous] Summary of players who are currently getting famous, part 1 [Player].


    This is a thread to talk about the players who have done many things right after the start of the service and already getting famous!


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    188: Nanashi


    >> 186


    So you still don''t know where Ashihana-san is?


    189: Niframa


    Ee? You were in the southern town until yesterday, right?


    190: Nuo


    Ashihana-san is always wandering around in search of ingredients. It is difficult to find her location.


    191: Niframa


    Oh, no! I was going to ask Asihana-san to make me a wand!


    192: Nuo


    That''s impossible, isn''t it?


    Asihana is the type of person who only makes what she wants to make. Most of the people who have asked her to make a wand have been turned down. She''ll only accept a request if you bring her a rare material or an idea.


    The people who insisted ended up in tears due to GM calls. They''re all over the place.


    193: Nekoha no inu


    Once, she made a bow made for my Flea.


    I brought some rare wood with me that time, so she accepted without a problem.


    194: Niframa


    I can''t afford to learn logging skill, so maybe I''ll buy from the stalls.


    195: Nanashi.


    That would be good.


    Well, who knows where she''ll be at that moment.


    196: Nuo.


    That''s very different from Bommer. He has a base in the western town, and he''s been making bombs continuously.


    197: Nanashi


    Bommer?¡¡Ah, you mean Rikyuu.


    198: Niframa


    Have you ever heard of Bomb Demon?


    199: Nanashi


    Rikyuu has too many nicknames.


    He''s been called the King of Explosions, Explosion-san, Bommer, Bomb Demon; those are already 4 different names.


    Maybe there are others we didn''t know yet?


    200: Niframa


    I definitely vote for the Bomb Demon.


    201: Nuo


    I vote Bommer.


    His glasses and robes remind me of Hunter x Hunter.


    Actually, that work speed must belong to a group of 3 persons WWW.


    202: Nekoha no inu


    Well, I guess everyone has a strong impression with the bomb. I''ll vote for Bommer too.


    203: Niframa


    But that person''s bomb is strong, isn''t it?


    I wonder if it''s made in a special way.


    It''s about twice as powerful as the bombs made by my party members.


    204: Nuo


    That''s right.


    All I know is that alchemy, mixing, and blacksmithing are used together.


    Many producers are trying to reproduce it, but none of them was successful.


    It''s impossible to talk with him because Rikyuu-san has a communication disorder.


    I hope that his "fufufu" mysterious laughter is just a role play.


    205: Nanashi


    I am also voting for Bommer.


    Anyway, it''s only natural that producers keep secret the special production methods they find.


    In a sense, it''s a property.


    I want producers to increase their production number, but I do not have any right to ask them to just produce bombs.


    206: Nuo


    I''m sure that person would be more than happy to start a life as a producer if he had the money and equipment to do so.


    Well, let''s move on to the next topic.


    207: Nanashi


    So, the 7th person is Siegfried, the "Purple-Haired Adventurer.


    208: Niframa


    He''s one of the winners of the three titles you mentioned. Did rumor say that he already has a cavalry beast?


    209: Nuo


    That''s true. I heard that Siegfried is the only one who currently has a cavalry beast. Indeed, I''ve never seen it anywhere else.


    210: Niframa.


    How did he get it?


    211: Nekoha no inu


    I know Siegfried personally, so I asked him about it. He told me that he spent almost all of the bonus points that beta testers get when they recreate their characters.


    He only got the lowest-ranked horse. Well, it''s OK because he seems to be satisfied with it.


    So he didn''t pay any attention to status, skills, or bonuses. He''s strong when he''s on the horse, but when he''s off his horse, he can''t even beat a Wild Dog.


    212: Niframa


    On second thought, I don''t want it.


    213: Nuo


    Why did he have to go that far to get a cavalry beast?


    You can get one in the second half of the third area, right?


    214: Nekoha no inu


    Because he puts his life into role-playing as a knight. The reason why his name is so widely known is because he always announces his name.


    The cavalry beast you get in the third area is random. You may get a donkey or an ostrich. You can''t even choose the color, and they don''t really listen to you.


    As a knight, he wanted a white horse that always obeys him.


    Anyway, if you ask him how to get a horse, he''ll be happy to tell you.


    By the way, the horse''s name is Haiyo. I can''t help but laugh when I see him shouting, "Haiyo, Haiyo". What a joke!


    215: Nanashi


    Well, there are many kinds of people WWW.


    216: Niframa.


    That''s so true!


    By the way, the people who got the three titles are easy to recognize because their nicknames were unified.


    Not like the Bomb Demon who have a lot of names. It''s troublesome.


    217: Nekoha no inu


    216 You''re trying to promote the Bomb Demon nickname, right?


    Well, this is why there are many names to call them. After all, everyone calls them by the name they like or the name they come up with. During the beta, the Ruby Explorer was also called Crimson, Queen of the Gathering, and many other names. Now it''s just the Ruby Explorer or Ruby.


    218: Knocker


    He seems to like it, doesn''t he? I''ve seen him bragging about how he got the title.


    People with titles stand out and feel special. I envy them.


    Well, having a title is not always a good thing.


    219: Nanashi


    So, the 8th person is Silver White-san, the only one who has become famous in a bad way!


    220: Nekoha no inu


    I feel sorry for him. The title made him look bad.


    And because his nickname (Silver White) is easy to remember, information about him has been spread widely. His name has not been exposed, but it is widely known that he is a male tamer with silver hair.


    221: Niframa


    There was a player who leaked Silver White-san''s personal information, wasn''t there? I heard LJO''s Management is very strict about that, and he was banned.


    222: Knocker.


    Yeah, he was banned. The one who reports him was not Silver White-san himself but an anonymous player who reported it.


    223: Niframa


    Nice move, Anonymous-san!


    That''ll reduce the number of players who do silly things to Silver White-san.


    224: Nekoha no inu


    From what I''ve heard, Amimin-san reported the incident. She is a top tamer known as the 4th person.


    Her acquaintance had seen her report it, so it was probably true.


    I''ve heard that Amimin-san is very kind to other tamers. Well, she doesn''t really open up to anyone else!¡¡I tried to say hello to her before, but she hid behind a turtle and almost cried!


    By the way... It''s too late to talk about this now but isn''t the way we address titleholders a bit strange?


    The Purple-Haired is read as Shihatsu. The Ruby is read as Kougyoku. But the Silver White is read as Shirogane? I think it should be Hakugin.


    225: Nuo


    About that, I heard an idiot complained to the Management about that. He complained to the Management that the reading was strange and that they should standardize it.


    And they replied.


    226: Niframa


    Heee!¡¡What was their reply?


    227: Nuo.


    Shut up, you idiot. It''s the creator''s hobby! If you have a problem with that, why don''t you quit LJO?


    228: Niframa.


    Hee?


    229: Nanashi


    Well, something like that was written in a very polite and diplomatic language.


    I heard that the person who complained about that was too intimidated by the Management''s strong words to complain further.


    230: Nekoha no inu


    The Management is so cool.


    231: Nuo


    There are always complainers who make a fuss about trivial things like that, and by showing a strong response here, they''ve set a precedence for the future.


    Well, maybe it''s because they don''t charge much in-game bills, so they don''t need to flatter the players.


    232: Niframa


    Either way, I just decided!


    I won''t go against the Management.


    233: Nanashi


    Before I knew it, we were talking about the Management.


    234: Knocker


    Anyway, what is Silver White-san doing now?


    235: Niframa.


    The question is too out of the topic WWW.


    But I also want to know.


    How can someone who dies 3 times on the first day continue to play properly?¡¡No matter how I think about it, the character creation process must be failed, right?


    Perhaps he already recreated his character and Silver White-san has been gone?


    236: Nanashi.


    No, he''s still playing this game properly.


    237: Nuo.


    How can you say he''s playing properly?


    Yesterday, I saw him picking up trash with a basket on his back. That''s not what you''re supposed to do in a fantasy RPG world.


    I appreciate his spirit of trying to do something without recreating his character. Still, his determination is so great that I almost burst into tears.


    I almost tell him to hang in there.


    238: Niframa.


    Picking up trash....... Is it a quest?


    239: Nanashi


    Labor Quest


    Description: Pick up trash in the town


    Reward: 300G


    Deadline: 3 days


    Other than Silver White-san, I''ve never seen anyone else do this.


    240: Nuo


    Of course, you will be stuck with it for 3 days, and the reward is only 300G?


    No one will do it!¡¡It''s 100 times better to hunt around the beginning town.


    In fact, if you think about the experience and the reward, it''s 100 times more fruitful.


    241: Knocker


    But that''s exactly why Silver White-san who''s doing these kinds of quests, is so valuable.


    It''s an area that even the inspection team is hesitant to try. As expected of a pioneer.


    242: Nekoha no inu


    That''s true. Sometimes there are unexpected discoveries in such circumstances. I hope that Silver White-san doesn''t recreate his character and goes down a different path than others.


    243: Niframa


    Yes, I agree. Don''t let the insults get to you, Silver White-san!


    244: Nuo


    I''m cheering for you, too. In fact, I may even say that I respect him. Because I can''t do that.


    I want to forcibly put Silver White-san in my party and then level him up!¡¡Because if I don''t, he might quit for real.


    245: Knocker


    It seems that everyone is worried about Silver White-san WWW.


    246: Nanashi


    What a surprise. A hidden popularity WWW.


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    ===============================================================


    Translator note:


    "The Purple-Haired is read as Shihatsu. The Ruby is read as Kougyoku. But the Silver White is read as Shirogane? I think it should be Hakugin."


    The above part is a conversation about how their title is read in Japanese.


    °×ãy can be read as Hakugin, and also can be read as Shirogane.


    ×ÏóŠcan be read as Shihatsu, and also can be read as Murasakigami.


    ¼tÓñcan be read as Kougyoku, and also can be read as Akadama.


    The 1st reading way is called On reading.


    The 2nd reading way is called Kun reading.


    Previously, most Japanese people will only use Kun reading to read a person''s name.


    Nowadays that has been changed, which reading way to use depends on the one who gave the name. In Japan, ID cards and Birth certificates only mention the name in KANJI, so it''s better to ask the name owner how to read their name correctly.

 CH 25

    Chapter 25: Rank Up


    I''m at the Farming Guild. Maybe because I have money, I feel like splurging. I bought three skewers on the way here and ate them on the way here....... Even though I''m inside a game, the skewers are delicious.


    After I reported the Map Making request, my rank was increased to 2 as planned. Now I can buy more stuff from the guild store. When I look at the list, I see that many new items appear.


    "First, give me a log."


    "Okay, 4500 G."


    It''s taken me a long time. Finally, I can buy it. Now I can grow red tengu mushrooms.


    "Also, I want a farm."


    I''ll buy a farm too.


    "Another 6,000....... No, wait. Now I can afford a 10,000 G farm."


    As I recall, it comes with a barn?


    "I''d like to know more about the 10,000 G farm."


    "Sure. Ask me anything."


    I asked the old man many questions.


    First of all, the barn seems to be like a small 6 tatami shed. It''s like a wooden warehouse. There''s a small desk and chair inside, and it can be used as a simple home that can''t be renovated at all. What''s even more exciting is that it will have a fertilizer dispenser that automatically produces fertilizer. The fertilizer is only 30 G, but it is worth the money in the long run.


    And most importantly, it also comes with a small toolbox. This is a box with an inventory function that the player''s monster can also use. For example, while I''m away, Orto can store crops that he harvested by himself.


    On the downside, the barn will reduce the farm''s space and the number of places where we can plant crops will be reduced to 10 slots. Still, the barn is very appealing.


    "Okay, I''ll buy a 10,000 G farm and another 6,000 G farm."


    "Thanks for your patronage."


    I further check the guild store product lineup. I''m on a shopping high. I feel like I should spend some money. It''s the pathetic nature of ordinary people who get carried away when they get a lot of money.


    The seeds are the same with the lineup as at the general merchant. Then a particular fertilizer caught my attention. It is a high-grade fertilizer that costs 2000 G. Instead of sprinkling it on the entire field, it can only be used for 1 plot of land, but it seems to be 10 times more effective than ordinary fertilizer.


    There''s a purchase limit. I could only buy up to 3 units. Apparently, they are only available once a week. That''s how rare this item is.


    Now I have 21220 G. I can buy it.


    "Okay, let''s buy the high-grade fertilizer! All of them!¡¡I''ll also buy green carrot seeds and orange pumpkin seeds."


    If I have a high-grade fertilizer, maybe I can grow slow-growing plants faster or raise low-level weeds to ¡ï5 all at once. I''ve decided to use it for green peach.


    But I think I should refrain from spending any more money. I''m going to leave before I get tempted to buy something else.


    I went to check the farm. Next to my old farm, a new farm and a dirty little hut had appeared. Looks like it was built instantly. I thought I''d have to wait a few days. Well, it''s a world with magic. This must be easy.


    "It''s a barn."


    No matter how I see it, it is obviously a barn. But when I go inside, it''s cleaner than I expected. There is also a storage cabinet.


    "Oh! It''s nice. There''s even a fertilizer box outside."


    What should I do with the new farm? And I''m not sure if I should use the high-grade fertilizer I bought. Should I use it on the crops around here?¡¡Should I save it for when I get better crops?¡¡Now that my shopping high has calmed down, my inner scrooge is showing its face.


    "I think I''ll use it on the green peach for now. I''ll think about what to do with the rest later."


    "Mu?"


    "Orto, please use these. These are the log and high-grade fertilizer for the green peach."


    "Mu!"


    "Now we can grow red tengu mushrooms, right?


    "Mummu."


    Orto converts the red tengu mushroom into seeds in front of me. It looks like red powder. The sight made me a bit anxious. He sprinkles the powder on the log, sprays water from the well, and puts the log on the farm.


    "Is this enough?"


    "Mumu."


    "If Orto says it''s okay, then I trust you."


    Orto looks confident. I''m sure everything will be fine. On my new farm, I planted some vegetables that I had bought and some grasses and weeds.


    "But the farm is looking really good. I don''t know if I''m a tamer or a farmer anymore."


    I''ll go to the Beastmaster''s Guild to regain my identity as a tamer. I''m going to complete quests and get contribution points.


    "Then, see you later."


    "Mumuu."


    I walk to the Beastmaster''s Guild. When I think about it, the only quest I''ve completed was picking up trash. It doesn''t sound like a tamer at all.


    "Good evening, Barbara-san."


    "Good evening."


    When I reported my achievement on the quest board, I was called to the reception desk.


    "Can you pass me the trashes you picked up?"


    "Okay."


    I pass the backpack item box to Barbara-san.


    "Eeto... This, this, and this isn''t trash, you know?¡¡I''ll give them back to you."


    Phew, my sweat broke out for a moment when she told me those things are not trash. But it seems the quest was treated as completed.  Then, I looked at some items that Barbara had given me after sorting through the trash.


    "Water pumice? But I don''t think it was among the trashes I picked up, so where did it come from?"


    This part is like an RPG quest reward even. The other one is a small bag. I open it and find plant seeds.


    "Camomile seeds."


    It wouldn''t make me happy at all before, but now I''m quite happy. Camomile - I''m sure chamomile would have many uses. I''ll ask Orto to grow this too.


    But the most important thing is the last one. After all, it''s shaped like a key. Also, its name is ''Mysterious Key''. Where is it supposed to be used?


    While I was looking at the key and thinking about using it, Barbara congratulated me on my guild rank promotion.


    "Congratulations. Your guild rank has been raised to 2. You can now buy and sell monster."


    "Ooh! Finally!"


    As the name implies, you can buy and sell monsters in the guild.


    Apparently, you can earn money by selling the monster you''ve tamed or buy monsters that are hard to get on your own.


    "Would you like to see the list as soon as possible?"


    "Absolutely."

 CH 26

    Chapter 26: I bought a mysterious egg


    My guild rank has been raised, so I can now buy or sell servants.


    "Would you like to see the list as soon as possible?"


    "Absolutely."


    The list of monsters I can buy now is shown to me, but - these monsters are weak. Well, maybe it''s because my guild rank is still low. I''m only level 1, and I can only buy Fanged Rat, Gray Squirrel, and Rabbit that can be tamed in the first area.


    If 2 tamed monsters from the same species produce an egg, that egg will hatch and grow into stronger and unique individuals......  Anyway, it seems that I can''t buy them with my current rank.


    Or is it because no tamer sells strong monsters yet?¡¡If I think about it, it''s only been a short time since the service started. Maybe as time goes by, the system will get better so that even beginners can get rare monsters.


    "Hmmm, I have a limited number of tamer slots, and I don''t want to buy a weak one......."


    My Enlist skill is Lv3 and my Servant Magic skill is Lv5, so I only have 3 tamer slots. I should not buy a monster now. But then something at the bottom of the list caught my attention.


    "Egg?"


    "Yes, eggs are a bit cheaper because you have to hatch them."


    Of course, I know that. When two monsters of the same species are parents, the child will be the same species that inherited their abilities. In that case, the chances of producing a somewhat unique and stronger monster with inherited skills will increase.


    The problem is when the parents are different species. You won''t know which species it will be until it''s born. What''s more, in certain combinations, a new species may be born.


    So, buying eggs and hatching them is a gamble, but there is a chance that you can get unexpectedly strong monsters. There is also the possibility that you may get less than you expected, though.


    There are currently three eggs available for purchase. Two of them are rabbit eggs, with both parents being fanged rats. I don''t feel like buying them, even though their children may be stronger.


    However, the last egg is quite interesting. One of the parents is a Honey Bee, and the other is a Little Bear. Both of them are monsters that appear in the forest of the second area. I remembered them because they were on the list of potential monsters for Advanced Tame. It seems that I can buy this egg at my current rank.


    "Insects and mammals can lay eggs?"


    "Yes. Eggs are created when the magical power of two compatible monsters mixes together. No matter what their species is."


    "No, compatible means ....... Bears, aren''t they bees'' natural enemies?


    "Because they both love honey."


    "Is that the reason?"


    "Yes, that''s the reason."


    Well, leaving compatibility aside, this egg is good. Whichever one is born will be a strong monster. It''s either a vanguard attacker or a raider attacker. The price is 3000 G, more than five times more expensive than other monsters, but I can afford it. I''ll buy it.


    "I wonder should I buy it. ......"


    "Do you want to buy it?"


    "Hmm. As I recall, I can leave the eggs with the guild and they''ll hatch them for me, right?"


    "Yes. The incubation room is on the 2nd floor of our guild. You can leave your egg there. When the egg is hatched, we will return it to you. If there is no party slot, we will send it to your farm or if you have a home, we will send it there."


    It is not relevant to me yet, but if a monster born from an egg exceeds the party slot, it will normally be sent to a ranch. I don''t know where the ranch is? Why tamed monsters that exceed the party slot are instantly sent to the ranch? Whether there is a ranch large enough for all tamers to keep their monsters indefinitely? Who is taking care of them? Everything is still a mystery.


    To put it simply, it is a system that allows you to entrust your monsters to the guild.


    Of course, their level won''t rise or grow during that time. The level of affection, which is rumored to exist as hidden data, won''t increase either. It''s just a place to keep your extra monsters.


    However, things are a little different if you have a home. Depending on the size of the home, you can keep many monsters in it. If you keep them there, you can get various bonuses that are different from the ranch.


    If it is a house-type home, they will clean and cook for you. If it is a ranch-type home, your monsters will grow up automatically, and so on. In fact, it seems that that home bonus is also the reason why Orto independently works on my farm.


    "Then, I''ll buy this egg."


    "Yes, sir. Do you want to keep them in the guild? Or would you like to purchase an incubator? If you have a home, you can set up your own incubator."


    "Eh?¡¡Can I purchase the incubator for myself?"


    "Yes. The Guild''s incubators are the lowest level, so it will take longer for the eggs to hatch, and there is no hatching bonus."


    "Hatching bonus?"


    "The higher level incubators will give some sort of bonus to the hatched children. For example, a slight increase in initial status, a change in skill, etc. "


    "Does that mean it''s better to buy an incubator than to leave it in the guild?"


    "Yes, but there are a few things to note. First of all, personal incubators are disposable. It will disappear if you use it once.


    If the eggs are not placed in the incubator within a week of birth or purchase, they will also disappear."


    So I can''t just keep them and use a high-grade incubator later on?


    "It is also possible to make them using blacksmithing and alchemy."


    Oh, I see. That''s something I''d really like to try. Well, I don''t have all the recipes and materials right now, so it''s just a daydream. Anyway, disposable?¡¡I never knew that before.


    "How much is the incubator?"


    "If you leave it at the guild, it costs 100 G. If you buy one, the cheapest incubator starts at 2000 G. It has the effect of randomly increasing one of its initial stats by +1."


    So it''s only +1. But I can afford 2000 G, so I might as well buy it. If I buy it together with the egg, it will cost 5000 G.


    "This is the list of the incubators. You have a guild rank of 2, so you can only purchase items of this rank."


    There are two types of incubators that I can purchase.


    The standard incubator cost 2000 G, and the accelerated growth incubator cost 4000 G.


    The accelerated growth incubator will randomly increase the initial status by +3.


    Quick decision. I decided to buy the accelerated growth incubator. That''ll leave me with 5,000 G in my pocket, but I don''t mind!¡¡Hmmm... This will make the monster born from the egg even more powerful!


    It seems to be easy to use. Just put the egg inside the incubator and leave it there. I also asked, is it okay to leave the egg out in the open? But they said it''s not a problem. The incubator''s cover will protect the egg.


    "Thank you very much."


    I returned to my farm and decided to use the incubator as soon as possible.


    "But I feel worried about leaving it outdoors...... Can I set it up inside the barn?""


    Indeed, it was possible. Yeah, yeah, it''s safer to set it up indoors.


    "With this, I''ll get the fighting power I''ve always wanted!"


    Though I don''t know when it will hatch.

 CH 27

    Chapter 27: The Spirit of the Great Tree


    I set up the incubator in the barn, so I think I''ve done everything I need to do.


    Now, I can finally proceed to solve the mystery. I take the mysterious key that I found while picking up trash and examine it.


    "Even though I have this key. If I don''t know what this key is for, I can''t use it."


    No, there is one place. The locked steel door under that bridge. Maybe this key for that door. Both of them were found during my labor quest. It''s possible, isn''t it?


    "It may not be that convenient, but let''s give it a try."


    It''s free to try anyway.


    With that decided, let''s go there as soon as possible. It is nighttime, but it is perfect because it is rather inconspicuous. It''s in the city, so there are streetlights. With a map, I should be able to reach the door without any problem. I sneak down to the canal, being careful not to be seen. I try to be as quiet as possible and go under the bridge.


    "I can''t see a thing at night. Um, I''m pretty sure it''s around here."


    But I can''t see the keyhole at all. I search for the keyhole by groping and try to stick the key in.


    Gacha, kacha.


    "Still no luck?"


    Kacha---- gachan.


    "No way. It''s open."


    The door slowly opens in front of my eyes with a squeaking sound.


    "Is it okay to enter?"


    Deep down, I regretted coming here at night. It is extremely creepy. It feels like it is haunted by ghosts.


    "Ugh, let''s just try to go in."


    Just in case, I''ll set up a shortcut to the wound medicine. If a monster appears, run back immediately. If the monster is strong enough to kill me in one hit, I''ll have to give up.


    "Excuse me."


    On the other side of the door lay a downward staircase. I slowly walk in. There are lamps on the walls at even intervals, so I can see around the stairs.


    I think I descended about thirty steps. At the end of the stairs is a small room.


    "Still further to go?"


    Walking forward, I notice that the passage splits in two. Which way should I go?


    For the time being, I decided to go to the left. Then, a downward staircase appeared on the way. I couldn''t see what lay ahead, and it looked very scary. Hmm, should I turn back?


    I encountered another fork. This time, I go to the right. There is another door at the end of the long passage. I try to open it, and it opens easily without much effort.


    "Oh, God. This isn''t the boss''s room, right?"


    Before entering, I quietly peek inside to check. It is a strange room. The first thing I see are huge roots, each one as thick as a drum, intertwined and covering about half of the room. Surrounded by these roots is a kind of altar.


    "Looks like the boss isn''t here."


    I timidly entered the room. The place is filled with fresh air, and it doesn''t look like a place where monsters would come out.


    "What''s this altar for?"


    It smells like an event.


    "I think these big roots are the roots of the Water Guardian Great Tree up there."


    "That''s right."


    "Uwaa!¡¡Who is that?"


    "I am here, adventurer."


    The one who answered was a beautiful woman wrapped in light who floated above the altar. Her emerald green hair looked mysterious.


    "Eeto, who are you?"


    "I am the spirit of the Great Tree."


    That reminds me. There is something about the Water Guardian Great Tree being a sacred tree where spirits reside in the game''s setting. So this person? Is this person the Spirit of the Water Guardian Great Tree?


    I got really excited and took a screenshot. That''s right, I should also take a video. It''s a bit rude to do such a thing in front of a Spirit, but maybe Alyssa-san will buy it.


    I''ve heard that NPCs won''t notice we are taking a video, but it seems to be true. There is no change in the Spirit.


    "Excuse me for intruding without permission."


    "It''s okay. In the past, anyone could come to this altar and leave an offering."


    "Hee, really?"


    "In return, I would give them a blessing, and we would maintain a mutually beneficial relationship."


    The Spirit speaks nostalgically. However, her face immediately turned sad.


    "But because some fools tried to harm me, I asked the Adventurer''s Guild upper management to install a door. That way, I can limit the number of people who can come in here."


    "Well, then, isn''t it bad that I got in?"


    "As long as you have obtained the key on your own and found your way in, there is no problem. The key cannot be touched by the wicked."


    "I didn''t know this is such a great key."


    "It seems that it was created by magic power. That door also contains the same magic power."


    So that''s the setting.


    "If I make an offering, will I get a blessing?"


    "Yes, although the blessing you receive will depend on your offering."


    What should I do? I want the Spirit''sSpirit''s blessing. But I don''t have any good things with me right now.


    "Oh, that'' s right. Can I make offerings every day?"


    "I can only descend on the tree day (Thursday) every week."


    I see, so the tree spirit only appears on tree day. Incidentally, the days of the week in this world are the same as in the real world: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. 1/1 is Sunday, so today (1/5) is Thursday. Today is Thursday, which means it''s a Thursday. Well, I am so lucky! It is very close. In about an hour, the day will change.


    "And once the blessing is given, you can''t get another blessing until 8 weeks later."


    "I see."


    Then I can''t even try to offer something strange as an experiment. But the Spirit will not descend until next week. There is no time to go back and get something that could be used as an offering.


    "Is there anything I can offer?"


    What qualifies as a good offering? Is it the price, rarity, rank? In the first place, what kind of thing would make a tree spirit happy?


    I was thinking for a while, and then I remembered. That''s right, I have some high-grade fertilizer that I just bought. Maybe this would satisfy the Spirit of the tree.


    "Can I offer something like this?"


    "This is good stuff. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. In return, I will give you a blessing. Here, take this."


    It is not the blessing I was expecting. I was expecting a skill, a status boost, or perhaps a title. It turned out to be an item. A cherry blossom-colored fruit.


    Name: The Fruit of the Water Guardian Tree


    Rarity: 3 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: Restores the user''s fullness by 15%. Increases the user''s resistance to abnormal conditions for 1 hour. Cool-down time 5 minutes.


    No, I will correct that. Rarity 3? I got something really good for the beginning of the game. Considering the rarity of the high-grade fertilizer was 2, this fruit is one rank higher.


    "Thank you very much."


    "May the fortune be with you."


    The Spirit disappeared with a satisfied look on her face.


    [The Altar of the Water Guardian Great Tree''s Spirit has been specially unlocked. The first player to reach it will receive the title " The Great Tree Spirit''s Divine Protection"]


    Wow, I even got a title. And a unique title. Plus, a rare item!¡¡Thank you, Spirit-sama!


    Title: The Great Tree Spirit''s Divine Protection.


    Effect: Earn 5,000 G prize money. Gain 4 bonus points. Increases damage dealt and decrease damage taken when fighting tree-type and spirit-type monsters.


    Isn''t this strong?¡¡If I have this, even a weak guy like me can fight. Though the opponents are limited.


    "This, maybe I should give this to Orto."


    The fruit of the Water Guardian Tree. If I can grow it on my farm...... That will be great, right?¡¡I may get very rich. Maybe I should ask Alyssa-san for more information before I take it to Orto.


    "How much is it worth? The rarity is 3, so it can''t be cheaper than the 2000 G high-grade fertilizer."


    I hope her shop is still open. Time is running, so let''s go.


    ===============================================================


    Translator note:


    In Japanese language ľê×ÈÕ(mokuyoubi) = Thursday                      ľ (moku) = Tree


    Sunday = ÈÕê×ÈÕ (nichiyoubi)                           ÈÕ(nichi) = Sun


    Monday = ÔÂê×ÈÕ (getsuyoubi)                          ÔÂ(getsu) = Moon


    Tuesday = »ðê×ÈÕ(kayoubi)                               »ð(ka) = Fire


    Wednesday = Ë®ê×ÈÕ(suiyoubi)                                    Ë®(sui) = Water


    Thursday = ľê×ÈÕ(mokuyoubi)                                    ľ(moku) = Tree/wood


    Friday = ½ðê×ÈÕ(kinyoubi)                                  ½ð (kin) = Gold


    Saturday = ÍÁê×ÈÕ(doyoubi)                              ÍÁ (do) = Earth

 CH 28

    Chapter 28: The Altar Story


    I sneak out from under the bridge and rush to the southern small square.


    Thanks to my efforts, Alyssa''s shop is still open. I quickly take out the fruit I just got and speak to Alyssa.


    "Good evening."


    "Are?! Welcome! What''s up?¡¡Could it be that you got some great information?¡¡Just kidding."


    "Well, it''s not really information. It''s more like....... Anyway. I''d like you to take a look at this."


    "Hoho."


    Alyssa''s eyes widened when she looked at the fruit of the Water Guardian Tree that I showed her. As a cat beast woman, her pupils are vertical. Her eyes are really like a cat''s eyes.


    "How did you get it at this season?"


    "This season? So it''s easy to get them when the time is right?"


    "Every year in April, the Water Guardian Tree bears fruit. It seems that NPCs are harvesting them, and for a short period, there will be an item in the NPC store called ''The Fruit of the Water Guardian Tree''. I have seen them before during the beta test, in March and April, and they cost 3000 G each. That''s pretty cheap for a rarity 3 item."


    "So, does that mean even though the rarity is 3, I can buy it eventually?¡¡And the price is quite reasonable."


    "I guess so."


    "So this is not really a great item?"


    I am disappointed. I''m disappointed, Spirit-sama!¡¡If this is the case, the high-grade fertilizer would be better.


    "Oh, but... That''s just a fruit of the Water Guardian tree, right? I''ve never seen that before. Basically, it''s the ripe fruits that are available in the store. I''ve seen some players pick up fallen fruit on their own, but what they got was also ripe fruit."


    "It doesn''t make any difference, right? In fact, it is more effective when the fruit is ripe."


    "For direct consumption or for use in medicine, yes. But for you, maybe it''s better if it''s not ripe?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "You can''t convert ripe fruits into seeds."


    I see. As expected from Allysa. She knows what I want.


    "So, can this one be planted in the farm ......?"


    "I''m sorry, I don''t know. I''ve never seen one that hasn''t ripened before, and I don''t know if Water Guardian Tree can be planted in the farm."


    "Well, it''s okay. I''ll try it."


    "Let me know when you succeed."


    "Okay. See you later..."


    "Wait."


    Alyssa stopped me as I was about to head to my farm. Seems that since I registered as her friend, we can now have simple contact with other players. Alyssa-san grabbed my arm from behind.


    "What is it?"


    "What? Not what, don''t act dumb."


    It''s weird. My avatar is supposed to be pretty good-looking. Does that mean my emotion is very easy to read?


    "I''m sorry. I completely forgot."


    "I''d like to know where you got that. Well, I can guess that it is related to the announcement earlier. Or you don''t want to tell me?"


    "No, that is not the reason."


    "Then tell me!¡¡Right now!"


    Alyssa''s face gets closer to mine. Alyssa looks very scary when she wants to know new information.


    "The Spirit gave it to me at the altar in the basement."


    "Tell me more details!"


    "Close, you''re too close!"


    Alyssa''s face gets closer to mine, and she''s scary. Alyssa is very scary when she wants to know new information.


    "The Spirit gave it to me at the altar in the basement.


    "Tell me more details!"


    Apparently, Alyssa doesn''t know about it. There was an announcement a while ago, and it looks like I''m the only one who''s found that place.


    Even though it''s hidden, if you go under the bridge, you can see the door. And you can find the key if you take the trash pickup quest.


    Alyssa looks really surprised when I tell her the story of how I found that door.


    "The altar can only be accessed from the basement of the Adventurer''s Guild on the first Thursday in April. I don''t know what the requirements are for those who can enter. It seems that those who meet the requirements are given a skill called the Tree Spirit Invitation, and only those who have it can enter the altar on that day."


    It''s all a bit vague.


    But I understand that being able to go to that altar at will is pretty amazing.


    "Am I the first person who found that door?"


    "Most likely, yes. The unique title is really amazing, Yuto. I think the God of this game loves you."


    "I don''t think so."


    If he really loves me, I would be at the front line of the conquest right now with some very strong monsters.


    "Hey, you''re selling this information, right?"


    "Well, I already told you, right?"


    "It''s our policy not to sell information that we haven''t paid for. If you don''t want to sell it, I''ll keep it to myself for a while."


    "No, that''s why I''m here."


    "There are some things we need to check, right? Can you take me to the altar next Thursday?"


    "No problem."


    "Well, I''ll give you 1,000 G in advance and 4,000 G if you take me to the altar. How about that?""


    "No, no, that''s enough. Is it really worth that much?"


    "Then we have a deal. It''s not directly related to the walkthrough, but it''s a pretty interesting event. If other people can go to the altar, it''ll be a great commotion."


    Certainly, if I am in someone else''s shoes, I might be willing to pay to go there.


    "I also have this..."


    I showed her the video I recorded in the hope that it would be proof of the information.


    "The video of the Spirit?"


    "Yes, I recorded the spirit."


    "Wow, that''s great....... Are you going to publish it?"


    "What should I do?¡¡To tell you the truth, I''m only a reader on the bulletin board. Even if you ask me to publish it..."


    I''ve heard many stories of people not posting these kinds of videos and information on bulletin boards and being accused of hiding information.


    Considering that, I think it''s better to publish it. LJO has an in-game bulletin board that only players can use, but the hurdle is still high.


    "Well, why don''t you leave it to me?¡¡I''ll post it on our page for you."


    "Is that okay?"


    "Yes. In the first place, that''s also the Sharp Ears Cat''s purpose.


    We collect information that is kept secret from other players for various reasons and publish it to the public. There are some players like Yuto, who can''t disclose information, not because of their own greed, but because it''s too much trouble or they''re not familiar with the bulletin board."


    In other words, you bring new information to Sharp Ears Cat, they buy it, then Sharp Ears Cat publishes the information. So the seller doesn''t have to do the tedious work of posting it.


    That''s how it works, which is convenient.


    "Please do that for me."


    "Okay. Here 1,000 G for the video."


    "Eh?¡¡I''ve already received 1000 G, you know?"


    "It''s such a great video. It''s also a good advertisement for our page. I can''t take it for free."


    Well, the people who want to watch this video will visit the Sharp Ears Cat page. Surely it will be good publicity for them?¡¡Anyway, I''m very grateful. Originally, I thought she wouldn''t pay me for the video.


    "In that case, I''ll accept."


    "Yes. I''d also like some information on the title. The Great Tree Spirit''s Divine Protection?¡¡I''m really curious."


    "Well, I don''t mind."


    "Thank you!¡¡Here''s 1000 G.


    "Okay. But that''s not the end of the story."


    "......"


    "What''s with your eyes?"


    "Well, I won''t be surprised anymore to hear what you are going to tell me. What is it?"


    "These... Do you know what these are?¡¡Depending on the situation, I may buy your information."


    I showed Alyssa the fire, water, earth, and wind crystals that I had received as a reward for my title. Then, Alyssa''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "These are...... attribute crystals!¡¡Why, why do you have them?"


    "I got it as a bonus for unlocking the Altar."


    "This is amazing. It''s extremely rare, even in Area 3. The Earth Crystal is the Gnome''s rare drop, but I''ve never seen the others before."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah. Are you willing to sell them?¡¡I''ll give you 3,000 G for each of them."


    "Eh?¡¡Are you joking?"


    "I''m serious."


    "Eeeh."


    If I sell all of them, 120,000 G?¡¡I can do anything with that much money. No, but... If the items are that rare, perhaps they have other uses. I can always sell it later. I think I''ll keep it for now.


    "No, I have no intention of selling it for now."


    "That''s too bad. But if you do decide to sell it, please come to me."


    "When the time comes, I will come to you. So, how much for the crystal information?"


    "Not necessary. I''ve already made a lot of money from your unique title."


    "What?¡¡Have you already sold the information about that title?


    You haven''t finished the verification yet, have you?


    "Yes, but if I wait for the verification, it will be four days later. That''s too late. Most people won''t be able to recreate their characters."


    That''s right. I''ve had it for four days. It''ll take another four days to verify. That''s a total of 8 days. After 8 days in the game, everyone should make some progress. The hurdle to recreating a character would increase.


    "Before I sell it, I tell them that it is not verified. They pay me 1,000 G upfront and 3,000 G afterward if it works."


    "But if someone recreates and gets a new avatar, won''t you lose track of who''s who?"


    "Even if you recreate your avatar, your ID won''t change, so it''s okay. No matter what they do, we will definitely make them pay their debt¡­¡­ Fufufu."


    When I saw Alyssa laughing like that, I decided that I would never go against this person.

 CH 29

    Chapter 29: The reason he took the leather.


    I logged in.


    I gave the fruit of the Water Guardian tree and high-grade fertilizer to Orto yesterday, actually. ......


    He converted it into seed successfully and planted the seed on my farm. Yay!¡¡When it grows and bears fruit, we can experiment with it. I generously spread high-grade fertilizer on it, and I wonder how it will grow.


    I looked up at the Great Water Guardian tree in the east.


    ......No, it''s not going to grow that big, is it?¡¡This farm is absolutely not big enough. Well, I''ll figure it out when the time comes.


    "Oh, we can harvest the red tengu mushrooms now. But we can only harvest one. Hey, Orto, do we have to convert it to seed and grow this red tengu mushroom again?"


    If that''s the case, we can''t multiply it at all. But Orto is shaking his head. Apparently, once you sprinkle the seeds on a log, you can harvest it several times. I guess we''ll have to wait and see.


    I started my daily routine of mixing and planting seeds. I harvested the green carrots, orange pumpkins, and wild strawberries that I had been asked to grow.


    It seems that one wild strawberry plant can bear 1-3 wild strawberries. Today alone, I harvested 10 wild strawberries. But I decided to keep them for myself and not deliver them yet.


    The spinach was completely disappointing, but I''m not sure about the green carrots and orange squash we harvested today. Currently, I''m thinking of using them to make portable meals. Or I could make a salad with all three vegetables.


    I can also deliver them to the guild. Wait a minute....... I''ve harvested ten kinds of crops from the fields so far: medicinal herbs, youmei plants, poisonous plants, paralysis plants, bleeding plants, edible grass, wound medicinal plants, spinach, green carrots, and orange squash, right?


    I remember a special quest in the farming guild that asks players to harvest 10 different crops. That means I''ve met the requirements, right?


    I also completely forgot about the quest to deliver ¡ï5 crops.


    "Shall I go to the farming guild today?"


    I decided to go to Alyssa''s store to sell my products and also visit the farming guild. I think I''ll also look around the stalls today.


    Actually, I''m thinking of raising my alchemy level soon. The first thing you can do with your alchemy skill is to synthesize. In other words, you can mix item A with item B to make a single item, but it''s quite difficult.


    First, all but certain combinations will fail, and the original item will be lost. You can improve the quality of the same item by synthesizing them. However, if you want to make the quality higher, you will need a tremendous number of items.


    On the bulletin board, it was written that to raise the alchemy level, you should buy many poisonous plants and paralysis plants and synthesize them all the time. That''s what I intend to do.


    " Then, here''s your reward."


    "Thank you very much."


    I completed the special quest for delivering ¡ï5 goods at the farming guild without any problems. Though I didn''t level up. I also completed the special quest for delivering green carrots and orange pumpkins and earned some contribution points. I need to keep raising my contribution points little by little like this. If my guild rank rises, I can buy more kinds of seeds and seedlings. Daily accumulation is important.


    I also asked about weeds but was told that they are not treated as crops. Apparently, they are not classified as crops in their illustrated encyclopedia but as something else.


    "So next, let''s go buy some raw materials."


    Let''s head to Sawyer the Shota Elf''s alchemy store in the northern district.


    I''ll buy some recipes there and find the raw materials I need in town.


    "Hello."


    "Hey, you''re the big brother from the other day."


    "Eh?¡¡You remember me?"


    Because I only came here once to have a look.


    Is it possible that he only has a few customers so he can remember everyone? It certainly doesn''t look popular.


    "Eh? Well, somehow?¡¡You know, your hair color is unique."


    "Oh, I see."


    My title has been completely exposed. It seems that instead of disappearing, the rumor has spread widely. Well, he remembered my face, so I''ll think positively.


    "Can you show me the recipe?"


    "Oh, sure!¡¡Over here."


    "Are, isn''t there a great increase?¡¡I think there were only two before."


    "Yes, we''ve added a few more. Potion, Wound Potion, Portable Food, Hunting Potion, Poison, Paralyzing Potion, Bleeding Potion, Sleeping Potion."


    "You got the sleeping plants?"


    "By any chance, are you a pharmacist or an alchemist?"


    "No, I''m only using mixing and alchemy. I''ve never seen the sleeping stuff before."


    "I got that by accident in a random item box I selected as a bonus. I don''t have it anymore."


    Too bad. I was going to ask you to give it to me if you have it.


    "But then again, why bother making the original recipe into a recipe scroll? They don''t look like it will sell at all."


    "They don''t sell well. I only make them to increase my alchemy and writing skills, though, so I''ll be happy if they sell."


    "Writing skill?"


    I''ve never heard of that before. I haven''t covered all the skills, but they even have such a skill. But what can it do?¡¡From the way he talks, it seems like he can make recipe scrolls with that skill. I thought he was making them with alchemy skills that I haven''t learned yet.


    "Writing is a skill that allows you to write all sorts of things.


    Right now, I can only make scrolls using the paper I made with alchemy, but I believe that there will be magical books and grimoires in the future. My dream is to create a grimoire in this world."


    "Heee."


    "I''m inspired by an anime I saw a long time ago."


    I''m impressed by so many different people in this world. I don''t know what grimoires and magic books can do, but I can feel the romance. I''m rooting for you.


    "That''s why I''m taking writing, alchemy, mixing, magic formation, and leatherworking."


    "Writing, alchemy, concoction, magic formation, I get it, but leather?


    "Old books use leather for their covers, right?"


    "I see."


    I''m impressed that he''s been so thorough. Besides, the grimoire sounds interesting. I hope he does his best.


    "If you find any clues, please let me know."


    "Okay, I will. I''ll let you know if I find any clues."


    "Thank you."


    After that, I bought the recipe for the Instant-kill drug and Severe Attack. He also gave me a plant called the Severe Attack plant. It wasn''t for sale, but he took the trouble to sell it out to me. I am grateful.


    To make an instant-kill potion, I need four ingredients: poison medicine, paralysis medicine, bleeding medicine, and Severe Attack drug. Thanks to Sawyer-kun, I have everything I need. If I sprinkle it on a weapon, it will kill the opponent instantly within a certain period. If I have this, maybe I can fight. I got a good recipe.


    A Severe Attack drug is a drug that can be made with 3 severe attack plants. It can cause a special condition that increases the damage enemy take next. It''s similar to the bleeding condition, but the damage is increased every time the enemy takes damage if it''s not cured.


    Other than that, I don''t see any herb-based items on the shelf. Well, if you''re a production player, you''ll probably make it yourself.


    "And then-- Oh, yeah. You don''t have an incubator, do you?


    "An incubator?¡¡I''m sorry, I don''t have."


    "I see."


    "But, when I can make one, I''ll teach you!"


    "Yes. Please teach me. I''ll buy the recipe if you have it."


    "Then, would you like to exchange friend code?¡¡It''s a good way to exchange information. I don''t have many friends in the production field......"


    "I''m not really a production guy, you know?"


    Well, my mixing skills are the most improved at the moment.


    "Still, you are eager enough to buy recipes, aren''t you? Is that a No?"


    This guy is dangerous!¡¡Sawyer looks up at me like a puppy dog. I shiver and nod my head.


    "Okay. I also wanted to ask you the same thing."


    I''d love to have a friend in the production field. So I exchanged friend code with Sawyer. If I find any information about the grimoire, I''ll let him know.


    "Then, I have to go now."


    "Okay, please come again."


    Next stop, Alyssa''s place.


    "Hello, Alyssa-san."


    "Ara, welcome."


    First, I sold off the medicines I had made this morning and used the profits to buy water pumice stone. I was surprised that it was cheaper than I expected.


    Come to think of it, it''s an item that can be collected from the riverbanks in the western forest. It may be a death zone for me, but for a normal player, it''s an easy place to go. If they can be collected there, then they''re not that valuable.


    "That video is very popular. We got so many inquiries!"


    "Does that make you happy?"


    "Information brokers job are more blessing than I expected? We have announced that we''re still investigating it, so I''m sure it''ll subside soon."


    "I hope so."


    After that, I bought honey for Orto and also bought 30 poisonous plants and 30 paralysis plants for leveling up my alchemy skill and left Alyssa''s store. After this, production''s fever time!

 CH 30

    Chapter 30: Alchemy leveling


    "Orto, I''m home."


    "Mu!"


    "Please plant these."


    I gave Ort the severe attack plants and the weeds. As usual, he converts the plants to seeds and plants them on the farm. Okay, that''s it for the farm.


    Now it''s time for the alchemy and mixing festival!¡¡Wasshoi, wasshoi!


    "First.......I''ll try cooking first. Besides, I''ve never made a salad before."


    I chose the salad recipe and then followed the instructions to chop the spinach, green carrots, and orange squash. Then, pour my magic power on the cutting board and it was done.


    Name: Salad


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï4


    Effect: Restores fullness by 20%; restores MP by 4. Cool-down time 10 minutes.


    This is good stuff!¡¡It can restore MP. It''s not as good as the mana potion that has been popular on the front lines lately, but you can restore fullness by eating it.


    "Let''s make another one. I only have enough ingredients for one more.


    For now, let''s do it on auto to be safe."


    The next step is to raise my alchemy level.


    "Then, put 2 poisonous plants on the alchemy table and synthesize!


    One MP is consumed, and the alchemy table shines brightly.


    And the 2 poisonous plants that were on the table became 1.


    "The quality is now ¡ï2."


    Next, I will synthesize 1 poisonous plant from 2 poisonous plants. I continued to synthesize in this way. When 30 poisonous plants were turned into 15 ¡ï2 poisonous plants, my alchemy skill had reached Lv. 3.


    My basic level and occupation level had also increased by 1 level each and became level 5. So it''s true that you can get experience by doing production.


    "It''s going well.


    Now it is time to synthesize the ¡ï2 poisonous plants.


    The alchemy table shines, the synthesis is successful. However, the quality of the poisonous plant on the table is still ¡ï2. According to the bulletin board, to raise the quality of the same item, you need to synthesize many items equivalent to the square of the quality of the original item.


    So, to raise ¡ï2 to ¡ï3, I need to synthesize this plant with 2 more ¡ï2 poisonous plants. The hidden data should indicate that the item was synthesized from 2 pieces of ¡ï1 poisonous plant. However, it cannot be checked with appraisal.


    The synthesis of different quality materials is more complicated. To be honest, I couldn''t fully understand it even after reading the bulletin board. The Analysis Clan must be a bunch of weirdos because they want to figure it out on their own.


    After synthesizing the fourth poisonous plant as planned, I finally created a 3* poisonous plant.


    I almost run out of MP, so I recover with the salad and turn 15 pieces of ¡ï1 poisonous plant into 3 pieces of ¡ï3 poisonous plants. I''m glad I made the salad.


    "My alchemy has increased to level 7. Next is the paralysis plant!"


    I intended to do that, but my MP is 0. I did a lot of alchemy work... I don''t have any mana potions, and the salad only restores 4 MP.


    "No choice, I''ll just log out for the time being.


    It''s already lunchtime in real life. I''ll log out, have some food, and then when I come back, my MP should already be restored.


    After 30 minutes in real life, I finished eating my spaghetti and logged in again.


    "Okay, my MP is full!¡¡Right on schedule."


    I repeat the same alchemy process as for the poisonous plants. In the end, I managed to produce 3 pieces of paralysis plants with *3 quality.


    "Oh, my alchemy level just went up to 10!¡¡Finally, I''ve reached the level!"


    When I started the game, I never thought that my alchemy skill would reach level 10 before my servant magic skill. Although my skills are rising gradually every day, my servant magic is still at lv6 and my enlist skill at lv4.


    "...... the new art is Drying?"


    Yes, drying. Surprisingly, I needed an alchemy art for drying. After my drying experiment failed, I was shocked when I read about it on the bulletin board. It was a complete waste of time. No, no. It''s not a waste. It''s important to experiment and think by yourself. Experiment first, and then if you fail, check the bulletin board. That''s the proper way to be a gamer. Isn''t it boring if you have to check out all the information beforehand?


    If that''s the case, why even bother checking the bulletin board in the first place?¡¡Do it all by yourself?¡¡That''s the thing. I''m sorry. It''s boring to know all the answers beforehand, but it''s also too troublesome if you can''t find any answers at all.


    "Mummu?"


    "Oops, it''s nothing, Orto. I''m just having a bit of conflict."


    I think I''m going to use the new drying art right away. I plan to make honey dumplings for Orto after this, so I will use the dried edible grasses.


    "Okay--drying!"


    It was so simple. The edible grass glowed faintly. Nothing special about it. But when I appraised it, it indeed turned into dried edible grass.


    Name: Dried Edible Grass


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï5


    Effect: Restores 5% of fullness. Cool-down time, 10 minutes. It cannot be converted into seed, but the effect of using it as an ingredient increases.


    "Then, if I mix this with honey--?"


    Name: Honey Dumplings


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï6


    Effect: A meal item for monster servants. When used by the player, it restores 6 points of fullness. Cool-down time: 10 minutes.


    I succeeded, but the high quality doesn''t make much difference. I''m going to give it to Orto anyway. It doesn''t matter how full Orto is, right?


    Well, the higher the quality, the more experience I can get. Think of it as raising my skill level and aim for high quality.


    Then I made 4 honey dumplings for Orto. Actually, I had more ingredients. I tried a lot of different things but ended up wasting a lot of ingredients. I never thought that if I put honey on the fire, it would turn into garbage. I tried mixing it with water, but that didn''t work. Mixing it with spinach was also a mistake. Apparently, improving honey dumplings is difficult.


    I guess the best result of all this experiment is my increased skill level. My mixing skill is at Lv11, my cooking skill is at Lv10, and my alchemy skill is at Lv10. I didn''t learn any arts in mixing or cooking. Instead, I unlocked some recipes.


    The mixtures are low-grade mana potions, antidote, and anti-blood. The dishes were skewers, chestnut cookies, and soup. The recipes for the dishes are more like combination suggestions rather than specific ingredients. And the soup recipe is an out-of-the-box recipe: water, ingredients, and more ingredients. But I guess it''s great to be able to make it on auto.


    "So, what should I do now?"


    Shall I visit the stalls again?¡¡I will go around the player''s stores and look for some weed that I can use for stock. I want the ingredients for the sleeping potion recipe I saw in Sawyer''s store and some unknown vegetables. That''s what I have in mind while walking around the town. And then I am attracted by some vegetables in a stall.


    "Is this... a vegetable?"


    "Yes, that''s right."


    "First time I see it."


    Name: Dried Cure Carrot


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: Restores 4% fullness; restores 7 points of HP. Cool-down time, 10 minutes. It cannot be converted into seeds, but the effect of using this ingredient is increased.


    I''m growing green carrots too, but this one is a rarity 2. And it has an HP recovery effect, so it''ll be interesting if I use this as an ingredient.


    Too bad it''s dried. I can''t convert it into seed. I ask the lady who is selling the vegetables.


    "Can I buy the seeds if my rank in the Farming Guild increases?"


    "No, you can''t."


    "Then how can I get ......?"


    "Fufufu. Actually, it''s a secret. But I''ll let you know. It''s a new kind of vegetable created with Selective Breeding. This skill can be acquired when your farming skill reaches level 10!"


    "Selective Breeding?¡¡Is that even possible?"


    "Yes~"


    That means this vegetable is even rarer than the rarity listed on the label.


    "A, ano. Do you sell the seeds of this Cure Carrot? Or can I buy the carrot that is not dried?"


    "I''m sorry, I''m only a reseller. The producer wishes to remain anonymous, so I can''t tell you the source."


    "I see....."


    If she said that, I had no choice but to give up. But if it''s an art that can be learned at level 10, I''m sure I can use it soon. Fufufu, this is getting interesting!¡¡I must hurry back to my farm and help Orto with his farm work!¡¡Then I''ll raise my farming skill level!

 CH 31

    Chapter 31: Bulletin board 4


    This is a thread to talk about the new elements that have been added since the official service.


    Don''t talk about unconfirmed information as if it were true.


    Make the source of information as clear as possible.


    Let''s communicate with each other in good manners.


    £º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º


    116: Sakkyun.


    So, what is the story about the mysterious spring in the forest of feathers at the eastern plain''s edge?


    I used to go to that forest during the beta test, but I don''t remember seeing any springs there.


    117: White


    Looks like it''s true.


    But I haven''t heard anything about any events or anything like that...


    118: Sukegawa


    There is a rumor that you can catch rare fish, so a guy with fishing skills was fishing all day long.


    The results were disastrous, though.


    The fish are no different from the ones you can catch in the lake in the beginning town. In fact, he caught a lot of small fish.


    If that''s the case, it''s better to go to the town of the beginning.


    119: Sakkyun


    I believe that there''s must be an event or something else....... Maybe we must wait for someone to pull the event trigger.


    120: Cerulean


    I haven''t even made it through the eastern plains yet. Anyway, solo is just too terrifying.


    121: White


    Things are getting worse and worse.


    122: Sakkyun


    Being a solo production player in the Eastern Plains...


    You are right about it being terrifying.


    I think you need at least base level 7. Plus, you need to be fully prepared.


    123: Cerulean


    Had to log in a day late because of real-life issues, and that hurt!


    My race level is still 5. I can make my own potions, but the equipment is very expensive. Although I am a producer, I am just a pharmacist!


    I''m already wondering if I should recreate my character to get a new title.


    124: White


    By the way, there''s a new section on the illustrated encyclopedia page that wasn''t there in the beta test.


    It''s called "Others" on the plants and fish pages.


    But it''s not being filled up at all.


    What''s that about?¡¡If you''re a pharmacist, the ingredients page would be filled up, right?


    125: Cerulean.


    No, it''s not filled up. Only medicinal herbs and poisonous plants.


    126: White


    I knew it!


    127: Sakkyun


    Maybe we have to leave it to the inspection team?


    It''s a long way off, even if you''re trying to get 100% of the illustrated book.


    128: Soldart


    Hey, did you see the picture posted on the Sharp ear cats'' info board?


    129: White


    >>123


    I think it''s a good idea to invite other solo producers to form an extra party...


    So, what''s the picture? Isn''t that information about the No-kill title?


    130: Soldart.


    In some kind of temple, a very beautiful spirit in a sexy costume is descending.


    I wonder where that place is?


    131: Sakkyun.


    Super pretty lady?¡¡I''ll take a look.


    132: White.


    Spirit?¡¡I''ll be back in a minute.


    133: Sukegawa!


    Sexy costume?¡¡I''ll take a look.


    134: Soldart


    They all reacted to different parts WWW.


    135: Cerulean


    I saw it.


    It was a very nice picture, wasn''t it?


    But I don''t know where the location is.


    I think it''s probably the altar of the spirits that was announced the other day.


    136: Soldart


    Me too. I''d love to meet the Spirit, but I have no idea how to get there.


    The Early Bird Cat Bulletin Board only says it''s under investigation.


    Maybe the beta testers know something about it...


    137: Sukegawa.


    I know.


    138: Sakkyun


    Me too. I''m still playing, but this is the altar in the town of beginnings, right?


    139: White.


    What?¡¡Is this the town of beginnings?¡¡Then let''s go there right now!


    140: Sukegawa


    It is impossible. During the beta, the game was set to be open only on the first Thursday of April. And not everyone was allowed to enter, only the randomly selected players.


    A skill called "Spirit Invitation" somehow got added on that day, and only those who have it could enter the altar from the Adventurer''s Guild basement.


    By the way, I''ve never been in there either.


    It seems like many people have been looking for it since the last announcement, but no one has found it yet.


    141: Sakkyun


    I went in when I was in beta. When you make an offering to the spirits there, they give you a blessing in exchange.


    Sometimes the Spirit gives you items, sometimes the Spirit gives you a skill.


    In my case, I received an item called "The Great Tree''s Drop," which restores 300 points of HP and MP, heals all abnormal conditions, and 100% fullness.


    I want to get it in this official version too!


    142: Cerulean


    So you''re saying those pictures are from the beta test?


    143: White.


    No, I don''t think so.


    I mean, the date on it is January 5th.


    Maybe the person who found it gave it to Early Bird Cat.


    144: Soldart


    Seriously. Do you mean someone somehow found a way to get to that underground altar?


    145: Sukegawa


    I think so.


    146: White


    As the Spirit fans, I really want to go there!


    But I don''t know how to get there.


    147: Cerulean


    If you can access it from the Adventurer''s Guild basement, then there must be some event at the Adventurer''s Guild, right?


    148: Sakkyun


    Or maybe you can get in from somewhere in the Great Water Guardian Tree?


    After all, it''s such a giant tree. I wouldn''t be surprised if there''s a secret tunnel somewhere in the roots.


    149: White


    Thanks. I''ll go to the Great Tree for now.


    150: Cerulean.


    Me too!¡¡I want Spirit-sama''s blessing!


    But what should I offer her?


    151: Sakkyun


    By the way, I made an offering of a long sword made from water ore.

 CH 32

    Chapter 32: Sakura


    Today, 9 days have passed in the game.


    While in real life, it''s only the 3rd day at noon.


    Thanks to Orto, my farm is doing well. My strategy of making and selling medicines to earn money and experience is on track, and I''ve expanded my farm even more. Ah, we''ve also added 1 more log, and we''re ready to mass-produce red tengu mushrooms.


    Yesterday alone, I completed several supply missions. My Beast Master and Farming Guild ranks had risen to 4. Though my Adventurer''s Guild rank is only raised to 2.


    Our equipment is also perfect. Our current status is as follows.


    Name: Yuto                      Race: Halfling          Basic Lv6


    Occupation: Tamer          Occupation Lv6


    HP: 27/27              MP: 35/35


    Strength: 2            Constitution: 3          Agility: 6


    Dexterity: 8            Wisdom: 8                 Spirit: 6


    Skills: Gathering: Lv8, Enlist: Lv7, Servant Magic: Lv8, Mixing: Lv15, Wand: Lv1, Taming: Lv1, Runaway Foot: Lv1, Farming: Lv9, Cooking: Lv12, Alchemy: Lv15, Plant Knowledge: Lv8, Mercy


    Equipment: Cedar staff, azurite robe, hard leather shoes, Beastmaster''s bracelet, and bronze necklace


    Possesions: 7 portable foods, a simple Mixing set, a simple cooking set, a simple Alchemy set, a tree branch


    Honey dumpling ¡ï 6 ¡Á 4, purified water ¡Á 50, attracting scent, wound medicine ¡ï 5 ¡Á 7, wound medicine powder ¡Á 3, wound medicine liquid ¡Á 5, Altar key, fire crystal, water crystal, earth crystal, Wind crystal,


    Low-grade potion ¡ï 6 ¡Á 3, Instant death medicine ¡ï 6 ¡Á 3, salad ¡ï 5 ¡Á 5


    Money: 8560 G


    Bonus points: 4


    Title: The Silver White Pioneer, The No-Kill, The Great Tree Spirit''s Divine Protection


    Guild: Adventurer''s Guild (2), Beast master''s Guild (2), Farming Guild (4)


    Servant Monster (1/4): Gnome.


    Egg x 1


    Name: Orto


    Race: Gnome       Basic Lv8


    Contractor: Yuto.


    HP: 30/30              MP: 36/36


    Strength 8             Constitution 6           Agility 5


    Agility 11               Wisdom 13                Spirit 9


    Skills: Cultivating, seed breeding, Luck, Heavy Swing, Earth Magic, Farming, Mining, Night Vision, Growth Boost Ex


    Equipment: earth spirit hoe, earth spirit muffler, earth spirit clothing.


    I have completely turned into a production-type player.


    But I''m really fired up today. After all, I''m going to seriously proceed to adventuring today. For that reason, I''ve stocked up my instant death potion, lower level potions and increased my wound potion production.


    I''m also going to spend some bonus points to learn some skills. For now, I want magic skills. I also need scouting skill.


    I''ll start by taming the weaker monsters. I need to be able to fight properly. With that in mind, I walked to the southern section of the city where my farm is located, but.......


    "Eh?"


    What is that?


    I can''t help but rub my eyes even though I am inside the game.


    A big tree grew on my farm. That''s my farm, right?


    I recognize one of the trees. It''s a green peach tree that''s been growing steadily until today. It''s already about five meters tall, and flowers started to appear yesterday. I was expecting to be able to harvest some fruit today.


    But what is the other one?¡¡No, I know it''s the place where the Water Guardian tree seed was buried. But until yesterday, it was only about 1 meter high, okay?¡¡Today, it''s grown to about 3 meters. Isn''t the growth speed too abnormal?


    "Let''s just take a look!"


    I rushed into the farm.


    "Orto--- eh?¡¡Who?"


    "Mummu!"


    "----!"


    Someone is standing next to Orto. It is a girl with long cherry-red hair. She is a mysterious, beautiful girl wearing clothes made of woven leaves and branches. I guessed her age to be around 13 or 14 years old.¡¡She looks like Orto''s older sister...


    Is she an NPC?¡¡There''s a restriction that other players can''t enter private property such as farms without permission. But if it''s a certain NPC, it''s possible.


    "But your marker is blue.


    Blue markers are players or monsters and spirits that are under contract with a player. Red markers are enemies, yellow markers are normal NPCs, and white markers are for events. Green is for collectible items.


    "Eeto."


    "---?"


    While I am puzzled, the girl kneels down in front of me. She kneels down on one knee, puts one hand on her chest and respectfully bows her head.


    "Eh?"


    "Mumu!"


    "''O, Orto, please explain."


    "Muu."


    It''s been a long time since I saw that gesture. What''s happening? What''s he doing with his hands? Is he drawing a square in front of his face? And he acts like pushing something with his finger.


    "Ah!¡¡Is that status manipulation?"


    "Mu!"


    Correct. I opened the status window as Orto told me to. Then I noticed.


    "The number of monsters I''ve tamed has increased. Eeto, Sakura?"


    "---?"


    It seems that this girl is Sakura. Like Orto, she can''t speak. She smiles happily at me when I call her name.


    But why?¡¡I have no idea. I never even tried to tame her before.¡¡Is it possible for someone to tame a monster automatically?¡¡No, the fact is right in front of me. There must be......


    "--!"


    Sakura is pulling my robe''s hem and is trying to show something to me.


    "What is it?¡¡Come here?"


    "--!"


    She nods. Seems I''m right. Sakura led me to the front of the Water Guardian tree. It''s not a sapling anymore. It completely became a tree.


    And then, when I touch the tree - Sakura''s figure disappears.


    "Eh?"


    While I am surprised, Sakura''s face suddenly comes out of the Water Guardian tree. Whoa!¡¡A girl''s head is growing out of a tree. Horror!


    "--!"


    Yep, but I get it. Sakura must be some kind of manifestation of this Water Guardian Tree. And if she has a name, then she''s a unique individual.


    Could it be that she''s extremely rare?


    Name: Sakura


    Race: Tree Spirit              Basic Lv10


    Contractor: Yuto


    HP: 36/36              MP: 38/38


    Strength 10           Constitution 12         Agility 7


    Agility 5                 Wisdom 10                Spirit 14


    Skills: Cultivating, Tree Magic, Photosynthesis, Gathering, Regeneration, Endurance, Whip Art, Water Resistance, Enchanting, Woodcraft, Forest Protection


    Equipment: Whip of Tree Spirit, Robe of Tree Spirit


    It''s well balanced and has interesting skills. She can even work the farm. Besides, her status makes her a good vanguard. As a man, I''m not sure how I feel about having a little girl as my bodyguard, but this is the type of defensive monster I wanted.


    I can win with this!


    I have decided. I wondered if I should take a weapon skill other than the staff, but I''ll go with magic skill.


    "So, what should I do now? There''s Orto for earth magic. Well, he can''t attack, but maybe it''s better if our magic attribute doesn''t overlap with each other?"


    "Mu?"


    "Hmm. I think I''ll use water. It also can be used for farming."


    When I say that, Orto and Sakura nod their heads in agreement.


    "Do you both agree?


    "Mummu."


    " ---?"


    "Okay. Then pay 8 points to acquire water magic. Also, let''s spend 4 points to get presence detection. The most terrifying thing is to be caught by surprise."


    Everything''s ready!¡¡After harvesting and mixing, I think I''ll head out of town for the first time in 8 days. I got an unexpected new battle power, after all!


    As for the harvest, I have 4 new green peaches. I think I''ll keep them and mix the others like usual.


    But first, let''s check our battle power. I have a new skill and Sakura''s battle power. Then, I''m not sure if it''s okay to bring Orto out for battle.


    Actually, this is quite a problem. Even though he''s a farming monster, his level will probably rise very slowly if all he does is work on the farm. If possible, I want him to get some battle experience. However, it would be meaningless if Orto died too soon.


    Will he be a scarecrow in the back, or can he act as a wall or decoy? I need to find out.


    "Okay, before the battle, let''s go to the guild to deliver the products first!"


    "Muu!"


    "---!"

 CH 33

    Chapter 33: Rick


    After finishing the delivery, we are finally heading out of town.


    Well, I was wondering what was going to happen, but somehow it all worked out fine.


    "Sakura, you''re good!¡¡Keep her restrained!"


    "---!"


    "Aqua ball!"


    "Shoo!"


    Somehow, I can fight. Although it''s all thanks to Sakura.


    Having Sakura block the enemy''s movement and then attacking with water magic and staff has become our winning pattern. Well, if it is 3 against 1. If the enemy is a gray squirrel or a fanged rat, it won''t be a problem. If my aqua ball hits them, I can almost kill them in one hit. But if there is more than 1 enemy, it might be a problem.


    We''re only targeting 1 monster at a time with my presence detection skill.


    Orto could play the role of a wall quite well. He doesn''t have a way to attack, but his defense is reasonably high and he''s quite reliable.


    Thanks to the two vanguards, I can use magic with peace of mind.


    It seems that gray squirrels tend to drop fur or nuts. Before I knew it, I had 5 gray squirrel furs, 3 blue acorns, and 3 walnuts in my inventory.


    The next one will be my tenth.


    "This should be enough to check Sakura and Orto''s capability."


    Now it''s my turn to see how far I can go on my own. That''s what I''m going to check. I''ll ask them to help me if I''m in danger.


    "There!"


    I saw a gray squirrel in front of my eyes. It is a cute little squirrel, but don''t underestimate it. Even with its appearance, it''s still a monster.


    I grip my staff. Come to think of it, this is the first time I am facing a monster by myself. No, what a weak mind. My opponent is the weakest monster, and I have a weapon and magic.


    "All right, I think I can do this."


    I''m going to beat him here and say goodbye to my life as someone who always runs away!


    I''m going to use Aqua ball to hit the gray squirrel that hasn''t noticed me yet.


    "Take this, you squirrel!"


    "Gyu."


    The gray squirrel''s HP is reduced by half. Perhaps it is too far away, and its power has been reduced by half. But it''s great that I can strike first. I get closer and hit it with my staff.


    "Take this!"


    Ska!


    "GUNU. Sei!"


    Ska.


    "This little bastard, you can''t hit me!"


    "Kyu!"


    "Shit!¡¡This, This!"


    We hit each other. Both of us lose about 10% of our HP. You know that Orto and Sakura are watching from behind with worried faces.


    "Squirrel, you''re tough."


    "Kyu Kyu."


    "NNRya!"


    "Kyuu!"


    If we hit each other, I think I can hit him. Even so, only half of my attack hit him.


    When my HP is reduced by about 70%, I use my backup trick.


    "Cure!"


    Fufufu. My HP is fully restored. I''ve prepared a lot of medicine, you know?


    And Squirrel''s HP is only about 10%.


    "It''s time to turn the tide."


    "Kyukyu...... Kyuu--!"


    "Useless!


    And then my staff knocked out the squirrel''s HP. The gray squirrel''s body turns into light particles and disappears.


    "I did it!"


    I won all by myself!¡¡Well, if you look at my level, it''s not surprising. But it''s my first solo victory.


    "Okay, the next one is going to be our last fight for today. I''m counting on you two."


    "Mumu!"


    "----!"


    The two of them salute me in unison. So cute. I mean, where did they learn that?¡¡Monsters'' AI is a mystery.


    After we''ve recovered, it''s time to use that item we''ve been storing for a long time.


    "Attraction Incense."


    Yes, it''s an item that will attract unique monsters without fail. It''s a rare item that I got from the late Mirei as compensation.


    I really wanted to use it on the wild dogs of the northern plains, but if I encounter a pack of them, I will die for sure. I think that even the weak monster at the southern forest entrance would be okay as long as it is a unique one.


    And it was a gray squirrel again. It has a white pattern on its back and forehead, perhaps a sign that it is a unique individual.


    "Orto, you''re the wall. Sakura, you do the first attack."


    "Mu!"


    "---!"


    Orto attracts him, then my staff and Sakura''s whip mercilessly reduce the squirrel''s HP. Nope, I got a bit carried away. Sakura''s attacks are cutting down the squirrel''s HP. My staff only does very little damage.


    "It''s about time. Sakura, focus on restraining him."


    "---!"


    The strategy is very simple. First, we fight it like usual and reduce its HP to some extent. After that, I''ll use Sakura''s tree magic to restrain it and reduce its HP to the limit with my own hand. Finally, I tame it repeatedly as long as my MP lasts.


    If I don''t succeed in taming it when my MP runs out, then I''ll have to kill it. Unique individuals are sure to drop rare drops, so it will not be a waste. Maybe...


    Sakura''s tree magic activated, and countless vines stretched out from underneath the squirrel''s feet, wrapping its body.


    "Okay. Mercy and then Aqua ball!


    "Kyu!"


    As an effect of using Mercy skill, my body and the Aqua ball I released are enveloped in a red light effect. This is so cool!¡¡I''m getting excited!


    "Kukuku. Now you only have 1 point of HP left. You better be my servant monster!¡¡Cute little squirrel!¡¡Tame!"


    "Kyu!"


    "Muu?"


    "---?"


    Yeah, it was a failure. But I won''t give up.


    "Tame!"


    "Tame!"


    It doesn''t work at all. My MP is running out. No, don''t give up!


    "Tame!"


    "Tame!"


    I only have enough MP for one more try. Even though I''ve been saving my MP for this fight!¡¡Is it too early for me to get a unique individual?


    "Succeed!¡¡Please succeed!¡¡Tame!


    "Kyuru."


    "Oh?"


    I saw the squirrel glow for a moment. I quickly check my status. A new name has been added to my tamed monster column.


    Name: Rick


    Race: Grey Squirrel                    Basic Lv4


    Contractor: Yuto


    HP: 18/18              MP: 10/10


    Strength 4             Constitution 6           Agility 14


    Agility 6                 Wisdom 5                  Spirit 6


    Skills: Vigilance, Gathering, Pruning, Jumping, Climbing, Cheek pouch, Front tooth strike


    (¥¹¥­¥ë£º¾¯½ä¡¢’ñ¼¯¡¢¼ô¶¨¡¢ÌøÜS¡¢µÇÅÊ¡¢î]´ü¡¢Ç°šn“Ä)


    Equipment: None


    "All right!¡¡Successful!¡¡Fuhahaha, I finally got a fluffy monster!"


    I got my third monster!¡¡In terms of status, he''s inferior to Orto and the others, but that can''t be helped because he is a gray squirrel. But status is a trivial matter in front of this cuteness.


    "Kyu~?"


    "It''s so fluffy!"


    Oh my god, the feel of her short fluffy fur. It''s the best....... It''s like touching a slightly warm beanbag cushion.


    "Kyu."


    "C~U~T~E!"


    But all three of them are unique. Isn''t that quite unusual?


    "Congratulations!"


    Oh, a congratulatory announcement. Maybe this is just like the previous one?


    "All of the monsters you tamed, from the first to the third, are unique monsters. The title ''Unique Monster Mania'' will be awarded to you."


    I knew it!¡¡It''s a new title!¡¡So this is really unusual, isn''t it?


    Title: Unique Monster Mania


    Effect: Earn 10,000 G prize money. Gain 4 bonus points. Increases the probability of encountering unique monsters and increases the taming rate.


    I am happy about the bonus points, But maybe not all of these are good things. Unique monsters are stronger than normal ones. If you encounter one at a critical moment, you''re dead.¡¡There is nothing I can do about what I''ve got, but.......


    Never mind, I earned bonus points and prize money. I''m also grateful for the increased taming rate.


    "My MP has just run out. Let''s go back to town."


    "Mu."


    "¨D¨D ?"


    "Kyu."

 CH 34

    Chapter 34: Professional title


    Rick the gray squirrel, our new comrade. He has an interesting ability. It''s a collecting skill. Not gathering, but collecting.


    From the name, I thought this skill was for gathering. But this isn''t just gathering. As the name implies, it is a skill of collecting. Just when I thought he was separated from me, he brought me nuts.


    "Is that a Blue Acorn?"


    They say it makes portable food taste nicer, but how much nicer can it be?


    But I''m glad Rick is here to collect them for us. After that, he picked up four green acorns and four walnuts before we reached the town. Handy. But I don''t want him to go away during the battle......


    I thought so, but then I realized that he didn''t go too far. It seems that there is a collection range, and if there is something to collect within that range, it will collect it.


    This way, he won''t be absent during the battle. In fact, if he''s a little further away, it would be a good surprise attack.


    "Phew. We''re back in town."


    My first real battle was fun, but I''m tired.


    "Still, it is relaxing to be on my farm."


    "Mu."


    "¨D¨D?"


    Having two big trees in the field has really boosted the healing effect. Just being surrounded by greenery is calming. But the forest is different.¡¡You never know when you might be attacked by a monster.


    I wonder if I can put a couch here so that I can laze around. It would be nice to have a table as well for tea time. I can''t manipulate the inside of the barn, but how about the outside?


    Rick climbed up the green peach tree smoothly and curled up on the branch. I''m glad he likes it.


    "Mu?"


    "Oops, that''s right."


    I remembered when Orto pulled my hem.


    "Hey. This walnut. Can you plant this too?"


    "Muu?"


    "Cannot?"


    "Mumu"


    While shaking his head, he pushes the walnut back at me. What?¡¡He can plant walnuts, but this isn''t enough?


    I bring out the other 6 walnuts I got today. Orto picks up one of them and nods in satisfaction.


    I can''t tell the difference at all, but if it satisfies him, then okay.


    "Then, can I count on you?"


    "Mu!"


    "I''m going out for a while."


    "¨D¨D?."


    The farm would be fine as long as Orto and Sakura are there. I headed for Alyssa''s stall.


    "Hello."


    "Oh, you''re here at an unusual hour. Do you need medicine?¡¡Or information?"


    "Both. First, the usual thing."


    For now, I''ll sell the medicine I made. Then, I''ll sell the information.


    "Fufufu. I knew it! You are interesting!¡¡You are our number one information supplier, by far. So, what kind of information?"


    "About a title."


    "Again?"


    Rather than being surprised, Alyssa looked amazed.


    "I tamed my third monster just a while ago."


    I show her the new title in the status column.


    "I see. A professional title."


    "Is it possible that the other jobs also have such a title?"


    "Yes. If you''re an alchemist and your first 5 creations are original, you''re a Master of Originality. If you''re a Summoner and all three of your monsters are unique, you''ll get the title of Unique Monster Lover."


    The first time is the hardest part. You need to be very good to get the bonus, and it''s hard to aim for it. By the time you get the information, it''ll be impossible to get it.


    "Perhaps you''ll also buy the Unique Monster Mania title information too?"


    "Too bad. I just got the information the other day. Two people who already acquired it came to my store and sold it to me."


    According to the data released today, the number of people who have obtained a title has increased to 11 people. It seems that''s the number of people who have obtained this professional title.


    "This information was confirmed during the beta test. It was acquired on the last day of the beta test, so it wasn''t reviewed, and it wasn''t posted on the bulletin board as reliable information. It seems that the beta testers who knew about this info were targeting those titles."


    "But isn''t that strange? I mean, if you play the beta test until the last day, it''s impossible to have 3 tamed monsters."


    "No, not really. There are several ways to do it. One of the ways is if you change your job to a tamer through the job change system."


    So that''s the idea. If your first 3 tamed monsters are unique, you''ll get 3 unique tamed monsters in a row. In other words, you don''t have to be a tamer from the beginning. It seems that you can get the title even if you get the tamer job later.


    "But then, isn''t it quite easy to get Unique Monster Mania?"


    I could just select the tamer job for the time being, and when I encounter a unique monster someday, I can tame it.


    When I say that, Alyssa-san shakes her head.


    "It''s not that simple, you know. Yuto, didn''t you have a lot of trouble when you tamed Rick-chan?"


    "Yes, my MP was very low."


    "Even the tamers who have a servant monster with special art are having a lot of trouble. I think the chances of a player who only has Enlist and Taming skills to get a unique monster is less than 1%. If you think about it, they''ll either run away or time-up."


    "And changing jobs?"


    I know there is a system for that, but it requires a basic level of 20 or higher, so it''s still very far away for me.


    "So there''s a chance I can get a title with other skills?"


    "Of course. How about alchemy?"


    "©¤ It is impossible already. I already used synthesis in a normal way."


    "I see. Then it''s impossible."


    I would have to use my initial bonus to level up my alchemy, get new recipes, and invent more recipes. And if I fail, it will become garbage, so I cannot fail at all.


    "Does the farming job have such a title?"


    "Hmmm. It hasn''t been confirmed yet."


    That''s too bad. If I have time, maybe I can search for more information and aim to acquire another new title.


    Next, the information about Sakura.


    "Next, I''d like to buy some information. Do you know what tree spirit is?"


    "Yes. It''s supposed to be very rare....... Could it be that you tamed one?"


    "Yes, it''s my 2nd tamed monster."


    I explained to Alyssa how I got Sakura.


    "Tree spirits don''t appear in any specific area at the moment.


    But sometimes, they appear from a tree in the forest that''s older than the rest of the trees. During the beta test, there were reports of them appearing in the 1st area. In the official version, there are reports of them being defeated in the 2nd area."


    Are they something like a field boss or more than just a unique monster?


    "I''ve heard that their abilities differ slightly depending on the type of tree they''re based on."


    The following is the basic data that Alyssa gave me on tree spirits.


    Tree spirit


    Physical and mental strength is slightly higher.


    Skills: Cultivating, Tree Magic, Photosynthesis, Regeneration, Endurance, Water Resistance, Woodcraft, Forest Protection


    Equipment: Tree spirit weapon, tree spirit robe


    Sakura has additional gathering and enchanting skills. I''m not sure if these are her special skills or it'' because of her level up.


    The skills endurance and forest protection seem to give her some bonuses to her actions when she''s in the forest.


    "So, am I correct in assuming that I can sell the story about the tree spirit?"


    "Eeto? I''m the one who bought the information, remember?


    "Listen, the fact that you can get tree spirit by planting a Water Guardian Tree is very valuable information. Well, it''s going to be a while before anyone can copy it."


    I didn''t think it would be that difficult. Apparently, it''s quite difficult for other people to get a tree spirit the same way I did.


    First of all, there are only a few ways to reach the altar at the moment, so it''s difficult to get the Water Guardian tree fruit.


    Then, to grow the Water Guardian tree, you need to have the cultivating skill, but there are no players who have this skill yet. It seems that to get the cultivating skill, you need to raise your farming skill to lvl 40. The top farmer''s farming skill level is currently only around 30, so it will take some time to reach 40.


    Besides, to get a servant monster, you need to tame it. Depending on the case, the condition for a Tree Spirit appearance might be that you need Enlist and Taming skills. If that''s the case, the tamer also needs to have Cultivating skills to grow the Water Guardian tree.


    To be frank, it''s much better and faster for a player (other than me) to explore the forest to find a tree spirit.


    So to sum it up, it is thanks to Orto that I could get Sakura as my Servant monster.


    They''ll find out about Sakura if I bring her along. If that''s the case, I think it''s better to disclose the information quickly than to keep it secret and risk being blamed behind my back.


    I decided to sell the information to Alyssa. After deducting the information price, I earned 1500 G.


    Now that I''ve done my business, I''m going to go buy some equipment for Rick. Unlike Orto and the others, he doesn''t have any initial equipment. Besides, I''ve decided to play as the rear guard. I also want to buy a staff, which I''ve been postponing for a while.

 CH 35

    Chapter 35: I made various cookies


    After I left Alyssa''s store, I headed to Ruin''s store where I bought my robe. I want to buy equipment for myself and Rick.


    "Hey, what are you looking for?"


    "Actually, I tamed a squirrel. Do you have any equipment for the squirrel?¡¡I want something to protect him."


    "Squirrel protections... How about this?"


    "A bandana?"


    Name: Crimson Bandana


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï8 Durability: 100


    Effect: Defense +4, Paralysis resistance


    Weight: 1


    Name: Jade Bandana


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï8 Durability: 100


    Effect: +4 defense, poison resistance


    Weight: 1


    "Yeah, you can put this around a squirrel''s neck."


    I like how light it is. It won''t affect Rick''s agility.


    "Very nice. How much are they?"


    "Three thousand G each."


    "I''ll take the red one.


    This one looks better on Rick. Besides, I think a scarf should be red.


    "Thanks.


    "And may I see your staves?"


    "Oh?¡¡You finally want to use a real staff?"


    "Yes, I''ve decided to fight with mainly water magic."


    Yes, I''ve been refraining from acquiring sword and spear skills until now. Since Sakura can now take care of the vanguard role, I decided to buy a better staff.


    "How much is your budget?"


    "Hmm. I want to keep 10,000g in my hand..... It''s around 10,000-14,000 G."


    "Then this, this, and this."


    Name: Water Tree Staff


    Rarity: 3     Quality: ¡ï6 Durability: 130


    Effect: Attack +3, Magic +21, Water-based magic consumption reduction (small), Fire-based magic consumption increase (medium)


    Weight: 1


    Name: Water Ore Staff


    Rarity: 3     Quality: ¡ï6 Durability: 200


    Effect: Attack +13, Magic +17, Water-based magic power increased (minor), Fire-based magic power decreased (medium)


    Weight: 4


    Name: Magic Oak Staff


    Rarity: 2     Quality: ¡ï8 Durability: 230


    Effect: +10 attack power, +16 magic power, MP recovery increases (minor)


    Weight: 3


    They''re all good. A water tree staff specializing in magic and a water ore staff can be used for physical attacks.


    The magic oak staff is not as strong as the others, but it''s more durable. Thanks to the increased MP recovery, it''s good for a long battle.


    By the way, the water tree staff is 12000 G, the water ore staff is 11000 G, and the magic oak staff is 8800 G.


    "Then, I''ll take the water tree staff."


    "Okay. It''s 12000 G"


    I''ve spent some money unexpectedly, but my battle power has increased. Now it''s time to have some fun experimenting with the new ingredients!


    I go back to my farm and check the recipes for mixing and cooking.


    There are some new recipes unlocked because I got new ingredients. One of the recipes uses green peaches that I just harvested. I''ve harvested four of them, so I can try it several times.


    I will try out these unlocked recipes. It uses honey, fruit, and water. This reminds me of that Honey carrot juice. It is a vegetable, but maybe I can make something similar.


    Let''s give it a try.


    I put the sliced peaches, purified water, and honey into the mixing bowl and stirred it. A few seconds later, the item is ready.


    Name: Honey Peach Juice


    Rarity: 2 Quality ¡ï3


    Effect: Restores 32% of fullness.


    I knew it. Just as I expected. Now, let''s do a little extra work here.


    I''ll peel the green peaches. Actually, there was some kind of sediment in the juice earlier. I''ll also boil the purified water. There''s no way to modify the honey, so this is the best I can do for now.


    Name: Honey Peach Juice


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï5


    Effect: Restores 24% fullness, strength +1 for 1 hour


    Wha, what?¡¡The fullness recovery rate decreased, but the buff effect was added. Eh?¡¡Isn''t this amazing?¡¡You can get buffs from food, too. This is my first time seeing such a thing. It''s a delicious meal with a buff effect, you know?


    It seems that there are still a lot of people who fill their stomachs with portable food. I have not made any progress in adventuring, but my food situation seems to be pretty satisfying.


    I''ll try another recipe. This time, I''m going to use green acorns to make portable food.


    It shines and smells delicious. This one turned out well, too. Plus, it''s an easy recipe. Just mix edible grass with green acorns. Next time, I''ll try walnuts.


    The finished portable food looks similar, only with a 5% better recovery rate. Well, the important thing is the taste. Let''s taste them...


    I try the juice and the cookie.


    "Yummy!¡¡It''s really delicious!"


    The acorn cookie tastes like a real calorie bar. They''re crispy and not very sweet, but they''re more delicious than the regular portable foods that have been around since the beginning.


    But the walnuts ones are better. It''s sweeter and less crunchy. Walnuts seem to be a little rarer, so I guess that''s the reason.


    The juice is undeniably sweet. Different from portable food. You can make 5 pieces of portable food with single ingredients. But with this recipe, you can only make one piece using multiple ingredients. Still, once you know this taste, you can''t eat the portable food anymore.


    "Oh yeah, maybe I can mix this with honey?"


    I could remove nuts'' shells, and there is still some room for creativity. No, wait.¡¡I once heard that in real life, acorns are soaked in water to remove the lye.


    Hmmm. But it takes time, doesn''t it...? For now, I''ll just remove the shells and crush them. I put honey, edible grasses, and shelled and crushed green acorns in a mixing bowl and mixed it up. Next, I will try the same thing with walnuts.


    I made two kinds of cookies. They are honey acorn cookies and honey walnut cookies. The recovery rate is the same, but the important thing is the taste.


    Moreover, I created some original recipes!¡¡The recipes are now registered on the "original" page, not on the ordinary recipe page. I''m starting to get motivated. I''m going to make more improvements and create more original recipes.


    I tasted what I had just made. I''m already 100% full, but I don''t care.


    "Oh my God, it''s so delicious."


    The sweetness is perfect. It''s really delicious.


    "Any other ideas?¡¡Maybe something I can mix into juice or cookies?"


    That''s right, how about medicinal herbs?¡¡The taste isn''t important, but it might have HP recovery effects.


    Gori gori--boom!


    Whoa!¡¡Failed?¡¡It exploded and black smoke is rising from it. The result was garbage. I''m not sure if it''s because my skills are low or if it''s just impossible...


    What if I use both walnuts and acorns instead of something else?¡¡It''s like a mixed nut. I''ll try to make cookies with green acorns, walnuts and honey.


    Name: Honey Nut Cookies


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: Restores 27% fullness, prevents fullness decrease for 1 hour.


    Yay! Success. Also, no fullness decrease in one hour is a pretty good effect. It''ll be easier to control fullness.


    Is there any other leftover material that I can use?¡¡No, wait. There''s something I can mix. The wild strawberries. I put some of it in my honey nut cookies mix.


    Name: Honey Nut Cookie and Herb Mix


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: Restores 27% fullness, prevents fullness decrease for 1 hour.


    Nothing''s changed except for the name. For now, let''s eat the honey nut cookie and compare it with the acorn cookie.


    "It looks very similar to an acorn cookie, but..."


    But when I tasted it, it was freaking delicious!¡¡The taste is totally different. The ingredients cost a lot, but this is definitely better. The acorn cookies that I had thought so delicious earlier were no longer satisfying. This is not good, and and my taste bud is getting more and more picky.


    The herb mix is already like a commercial cookie. It tasted like sweet and sour fruit mixed together. It''s my favorite flavor. I don''t care if it doesn''t give me any profit!¡¡From now on, I''ll plant more wild strawberries.


    Since it tastes so good, maybe Orto and the others will eat it too. I gave the juice to Orto as a trial.


    "Mumumumu--!"


    Hustle hustle, just like when he drank juice before. I can see clearly that his work speed has increased dramatically. Maybe I should give him this more often, so he can work faster.


    I tried to give it to Sakura, but she refused to accept it.


    "¨D¨D¨D¨D?"


    Apparently, thanks to her photosynthesis skill, she doesn''t need to eat. It''s convenient, but it also means that food boosts like Orto won''t work.


    How about Rick?¡¡I don''t know if he drinks juice.


    "Kyu? Kyukyu!"


    As I suspected, he doesn''t accept the juice. But, he started eating walnut cookies. I see. So you prefer that one.


    I guess each species has its own favorite food. And when they eat what they like, they will work harder.


    "Then, I think I''ll grow more plants. I need them to feed my monsters."


    There will be more monsters in the future, and I have to provide food for them. I gave the green peaches, walnuts, and green acorns to Orto, then logged out.

 CH 36

    Chapter 36: Bulletin board 5


    [Tamer] This is a thread where LJO tamers gather [Gather Part 2]


    ? Remarks that despise other Tamer''s monsters are prohibited.


    ? Screenshots are welcome.


    ? Be careful about continuous drops.


    ? Let''s communicate with each other in good manners.


    £º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º


    72: Ursula.


    So, Shirogane-san is a tamer?


    73: Eulenspiegel


    Yes!¡¡And that gnome owner is probably Shirogane-san!


    74: Ivan


    But still, a gnome. It''s an additional monster from the official version, right?


    75: Eringi


    In the beta, they were only found in the 3rd area.


    If you choose Advance Tame as the initial bonus, you can get it depending on your luck.


    However, I think picking a gnome as the initial monster is a miss. It has no combat power whatsoever.


    76: Eulenspiegel


    I know that too. It was written on the Amimin page. Well, that''s why Shirogane-san died three times on the first day.


    77: Ivan


    He probably tried to see if it could fight somehow~.


    But hey, even if the monster can''t fight, is it really that easy to die 3 times?


    78: Eringi


    It''s possible if you''re planning on relying on the monster to do the fighting, and you''re putting everything into production.


    79: Ursula


    Wow. That''s super tragic!


    But I hope Shirogane-san will do his best. He''s the most popular player among tamer players, who are very few compared to summoners. In a way, he''s more famous than Amimin-san.


    Even in a bad way.


    If he becomes a top player from now on, this game will become a tamers'' game.


    80: Eulenspiegel


    You''re right. And yesterday I saw him with another monster, so I think he will be fine.


    Also, the monster I saw yesterday was a girl-type monster that I had never seen before. I''ve only seen her on the farm, so I couldn''t appraise her.


    81: Ursula


    But it''s the second monster he got in this game, right?¡¡Around the town, there should only be 6 types of monsters. A girl type?


    Did he buy it from the guild?


    82: Eulenspiegel


    Yeah, that''s right!¡¡That''s why I wanted to know how he got them!


    I''ve been going to the guild almost every day, but I didn''t see any monsters on the trade list that I never saw before.


    Well, maybe Shirogane-san''s guild rank is higher than mine, so they don''t show up on my list. ......


    But I don''t think that''s the case. Shirogane-san seems to be an agricultural player. It''s hard for him to earn guild contributions by defeating the enemy.


    If I ask how to get it, will he tell me?¡¡Well, I never even talked to him yet. First, I need to start by making friends with him!


    83: Ivan


    Good luck!¡¡I''m looking forward to hearing more!¡¡I want to know too!


    84: Amelia


    It''s been a while since I''ve been on this bulletin board.


    Is it possible to use mercy attack with magic?¡¡Specifically with aqua balls.


    85: Eringi


    >>83 I don''t think it''s that easy.


    86: Ursula


    >>84 Mercy attack is a staff art. What do you mean by using it with magic?


    87: Amelia


    Yesterday, I was in the southern forest to gather light walnuts, and another tamer was taming a squirrel. He was using an art called "mercy".


    When the tamer said "mercy", a red light effect enveloped the tamer. Then the tamer used an aqua ball. His aqua ball was enveloped by the red light effect and hit the apparently dying squirrel, but the squirrel didn''t die.


    No matter how you look at it, the aqua ball has a mercy attack effect on it, right?


    Or was it one of his monster''s abilities?¡¡There was a monster that looked like a boy. The appraisal said he is a gnome.


    88: Eulenspiegel


    Gnome?¡¡A gnome means that tamer Shirogane-san, right?


    89: Amelia


    Oh, that reminds me... Maybe he has silver hair. Is that the tamer Shirogane-san?¡¡I had never seen him before.


    He was quite an ikemen.


    90: Ursula


    You can''t rely on looks in this game. They''re all good-looking anyway.


    Sometimes I seriously wonder if those faces are real...


    91: Eringi


    Don''t reveal the darkness in your heart here. Go to the dedicated bulletin board!


    92: Ivan


    Is there such a board?¡¡I definitely don''t want to see it. SAN value is going to be cut off in an instant www.


    Anyway, you said that Shirogane-san was using mercy? For real.


    93: Eringi


    If that''s true, this is quite important info.


    94: Amelia


    Why?


    95: Eringi


    Mercy is a recently discovered special skill. In other words, after using the skill, all attacks will have the mercy effect.


    Even if you use an attack item like a bomb, you don''t have to worry about killing the monster. For us tamers, this skill is a blessing.


    96: Amelia


    Amazing!¡¡I want restraint!¡¡Do you know the requirements to get this skill?


    97: Eringi


    I do. It''s difficult to get, but...


    98: Ivan


    I gave up on getting it after seeing the Sharp Ear Cats Bulletin Board.


    After all, it''s a crazy requirement that requires you not to kill anything for the first four days after your first log-in in-game time.


    You can acquire the skill of restraint as a bonus to the "No-Kill" title.


    Even if it''s just my first day or second day, that''s impossible for me. If I recreate my character, I''ll have to say goodbye to Snake.


    99: Amelia


    I can''t do it either!¡¡I can''t be separated from Usapin!¡¡I give up!


    100: Ursula


    Wait a minute! Shirogane-san was using mercy?


    101: Eringi


    Did you notice? That''s right, the information about the no-kill title was revealed four days ago.


    The guys who bought the information from the Sharp Ear Cats and tried to recreate their characters have not got the no-kill title yet or just got it.


    In the 2nd round''s data released to the public, the number of people who had obtained the skill is still only 1.


    That means that the only player who could use the mercy skill yesterday was the one who first earned the no-kill title.


    102: Eulenspiegel


    So, Shirogane-san was the first to earn it?¡¡Amazing!¡¡As expected of a tamer star (tentative)!


    103: Eringi


    That''s not all. The title bulletin board is actually the most hyped place right now.


    According to the aggregate data, the highest number of titles owned by a player is 3.


    To begin with, there are only 11 titleholders. And 10 of them only have 1 title.


    And yet, one of them has three titles already.


    People are wondering who the hell that person is.


    104: Ursula


    Eh?¡¡Wait. If Shirogane-san was the one who used mercy, then two things are already confirmed, right?


    The Silver~ title and No-Kill. Does that mean he has one more title?


    So.....


    105: Eringi


    That''s what I''m talking about. 99, you better not tell anyone else about this.


    106: Amelia


    ...... I''m so sorry. I''ve already told a few friends about the mercy skill.

 CH 37

    Chapter 37: Herbal tea


    I logged in. The green peach tree now has 5 flower buds on it. I can harvest them tomorrow. Once every two days is not bad.


    The water guardian tree hasn''t changed much since it gave birth to Sakura. However, it has grown rapidly before, so it may grow even bigger again.


    There are more saplings now. The day when this farm becomes an orchard may come soon.


    First, let''s finish our daily routine. I''ll ask Orto to convert the crops into seeds we''ll plant today, turn the leftovers into medicine and food, and go out to sell the medicine.


    Not only Orto, but Sakura also has some trees to grow, and Rick is harvesting nuts.


    Also, Rick''s pruning skill is quite an interesting skill. Apparently, it''s a skill that raises tree quality. It''s a boon when aiming to make the farm into an orchard.


    But I''m not going to stick to farming like this. No, I want to continue farming, but I also want to have some adventures.


    For now, let''s report the completed quests. After returning from Alyssa''s stall, I headed to the flower shop with Orto and the others.


    "Hello."


    "You''re that Nii-chan from the other day!"


    "These are the wild strawberries you requested."


    "Oh!¡¡You made it for me!¡¡Thanks!¡¡Here, this is your reward."


    Delivery Quest


    Description: Grow wild strawberries and deliver 10 of them.


    Reward: 200 G, mint seeds


    Expiration date: None


    200 G and mint seeds. Not just one kind of mint, but 5 pieces each of two kinds: blue mint and red mint. My weeds variety are getting more and more diverse.


    "Thank you again. My name is Scoop. Nice to meet you.


    "Oh, my name is Yuto."


    "Hey, I was wondering if you could do me a favor.


    "What kind of favor?"


    "Oh, yeah. My brother has a stall, and he''s having some trouble with his stock. I want you to help him."


    "But I''m not very good at fighting, you know?"


    "No problem. Well, just listen to his request first, okay?"


    Hmmm. Is this some kind of chain quest thing?¡¡Well, it''s okay if I just listen to the story. If it seems impossible, I can just refuse it.


    "Okay, I understand. I''ll go see him for the time being."


    "My brother runs a stall in the northern district."


    As soon as the uncle said that, a red dot appeared on my map.


    I went straight to his brother''s stall.


    "Mumu."


    "¨D¨D ?"


    Orto and Sakura are following me. They look like an older sister and younger brother, but actually Orto is the senior. Hmmm, that''s very funny.


    "Oh, is it that one?"


    At the location that Scoop told me about, there is a stall. I''m sure I passed this place while mapping, but I do not remember seeing any stalls. Is it possible that the quest has triggered it to become visible?


    "Excuse me."


    "Oh, welcome. What can I do for you?"


    The man who greeted me is an old man with a stern look, just like the man at the flower shop. The only difference was that this one is a little shorter than the other one.


    "I came here because Scoop-san from the flower shop introduced me. He said you are in some kind of trouble."


    "Oh. Are you an adventurer from another world?"


    "Yes, I am. My name is Yuto. These are my monsters."


    "Mu."


    "---."


    "Kyu!"


    Everyone bows their heads in greeting. Yeah, yeah, that''s good.


    "I don''t know if I can accept your request yet, but can I hear your detailed request for the time being?"


    "Sure. My name is Raiba. Nice to meet you."


    "It''s nice to meet you."


    "As you can see, my stall sells herbs and spices..."


    Just as Raiba said, his stall sells various kinds of herbs and spices. Salt, pepper, red mint, basil, and so on. And there are herbal teas, too. Can I make one of these?


    Name: Herbal Tea Leaves, Chamomile


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï8


    Effect: None, Edible.


    Name: Herbal tea leaves, Lavender


    Rarity: 1 Quality: 8


    Effect: None, Edible.


    "Actually, my herb supplier has closed down, and the delivery of some herbs has been delayed. I need you to grow some herbs and supply them to me."


    "Can you give me the seeds?"


    "Of course."


    Then I can grow them. However, it would be difficult to grow a large number of herbs continuously. It would overload my farm. When I told him that, he said that one time would be enough.


    "I''ve found a new supplier, but it''s going to take 10 days to harvest and deliver. So as long as I can get the supplies for this week, that''s fine."


    Supply Quest


    Description: Grow blue sage and red sage, and supply 8 units of each kind.


    Reward: 300 G, Lavender seeds


    Expiry date: 4 days


    Hmmm. The rewards are as poor as ever. But if it''s a chain quest, there''s a chance I''ll get a good reward in the end. Especially when the NPC asked me to do it... Besides, I was thinking about something else.


    The NPCs in this game seem to be running on advanced AI. And they have a certain degree of freedom. So, wouldn''t it be possible to negotiate with NPCs?¡¡That''s what I thought.


    "Excuse me. Can you sell me some herb seeds? Even if it''s not herbs, flower seeds would be fine."


    "You want seeds?"


    "Yes, I''m interested in herbs."


    "That''s unusual for an adventurer from another world. If you do what I ask, I''ll consider it."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah. They''re not too valuable."


    I ask Raiba-san to show me the seeds he has. The herb seeds are oregano and wormwood. The flower seeds are hydrangea and cosmos.


    Maybe it is because I asked. Or it''s thanks to my high likability?¡¡In the meantime, I''m doing what Raiba Onii-san asked me to do.


    "I''ll accept the request."


    "Really? I''m counting on you."


    So I received 10 seeds each of blue sage and red sage. I also bought some herbal tea. I wanted to try the taste.


    In my mind, I was thinking about the space available on my farm. I don''t have enough space to plant the seeds for the request. The field for herbs is getting too small.


    "Maybe I should buy a new farm."


    I don''t have to worry about the farm quality for herbs, so I can just use the cheapest 2000 G farm. I''ll have to buy them anyway. Even if I want to experiment with making herb tea, potpourri, or pressed flowers, I don''t have enough ingredients now.


    So, I bought two new farms. In the meantime, I plant the herb seeds that I just got. They should be ready to deliver tomorrow.


    Now it''s time for some fun experiments. Well, I''m free until Orto finishes watering the herbs, so I''m just killing some time. I just found out about it a while ago, but I want to try making some herbal tea.


    "So, the weeds I have now--"


    Basille, Chamomile, Wild Strawberry, and Tulip.


    I can use half of them for experiments. Just to be clear, it''s not just for the sake of my curiosity. The weeds and their products may not have any special effects, but they taste and smell great. I really need them for my delicious gaming life.


    Actually, I wish to drink coffee, but I haven''t heard any news of its discovery. Well, wouldn''t it be nice to dream of making coffee with my own beans someday?¡¡Well, I don''t know when that will happen.


    "To make herbal tea, we just need to dry them, right?"


    No, wait. The fresh herbal tea I drank at a cafe before was just freshly picked herbs poured over hot water, right?¡¡I was surprised to find that it tasted even better than I expected. Let''s try it that way.


    I boiled the water in a pot and put the chamomile in it. I turned off the heat and waited for a while, and the color gradually became green.


    Name: Weed Water


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï2


    Effect: None. Edible.


    It didn''t become an herbal tea. How does it taste?


    "Bufuh!"


    I spouted the green water right after I put it in my mouth. Oh no. It tasted like only the eggy taste of weed had been extracted. It tasted really bad. It''s comparable to spinach portable food.


    I tried with basil, but the result was the same: just colored water. Apparently, I can''t make fresh herbal tea, or my skills are not good enough.


    "No choice. Let''s try dried herbal tea."


    This one is also simple. I just need to apply the alchemy arts, drying.


    Name: Herbal Tea, Chamomile


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï4


    Effect: None. Edible.


    Okay, success. Now I know that herbal tea is basically just dried herbs.


    However, the quality is low. I want to compare the quality of the tea with that of the ¡ï8 tea I bought at the store. The process is exactly the same and I use water from the well.


    Name: Herbal Tea Chamomile


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: None. Edible


    Name: Herbal Tea Chamomile


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï7


    Effect: None. Edible


    Now, what''s the difference?


    "Zuzu... Zuzu... hmm?"


    Is it different......?¡¡I think ¡ï7 has a stronger scent. It''s a very small difference. The ¡ï3 is not so bad, so I think I don''t have to worry about the quality for a while.


    The next step is potpourri. But how to make potpourri?¡¡Can I just pack the dried herbs in a small pouch?¡¡Hmmm.


    "Well, let''s give it a try."


    I''ll try drying tulips with my arts.


    Name: Dried Flower Tulip


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï4


    Effect: None. For ornamental use.


    That''s right. If it''s just dried, then it'' just a dried flower. For now, I''m going to try to break this into small pieces, but... The result was garbage. As I thought, just drying is not enough.


    "I have no choice. I''ll search how to make potpourri when I log out.


    The last one is the wild strawberry. I can make jams using them if they are normal strawberries, but I don''t have any sugar. Besides, the amount is not enough to make jam. I think I''ll try drying them too.


    Name: Dried Herb Wild Strawberry


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: None. Edible.


    It''s not a herbal tea but a dried herb. It''s edible, and I popped a piece in my mouth. Hmmm... Light sugar?¡¡It''s not too sweet. However, the aroma is not bad. It smells like a mixture of strawberry and citrus, with a nice mix of sweet and sour. Just like the florist Scoop said, if you mix it with herbal tea or cookies, it would taste delicious. I''m sure there are many ways to use it.


    "This seems to be worth researching."


    "Mumu!"


    "Oh? Did you finish watering?"


    "Mu!"


    Seems it''s finished. Okay, next is the adventure!¡¡Now that I''m ready to fight, I want to go to the western forest to collect humus and water pumice.


    "Okay, kids!¡¡Let''s go to the Western Forest!"


    "Mu!"


    "---!


    "Kyukyu!"


    Orto and Sakura are following behind me a bit. So cute!¡¡Rick is curling around my neck like a fur collar.


    It''s a bit hot, but I feel fluffy and puffy. It smells like sunshine, and I could stay like this forever.


    On the way to the western gate, everyone is staring at me.


    "That''s Shirogane..."


    "Yeah, on the first day..."


    "The Silver White is a tamer..."


    "Seriously, the title..."


    If I listen carefully, they are still talking about my rumors. So the rumors about me haven''t disappeared yet... Well, it''s only been 10 days in the game!


    I walk faster to the gate.


    I figured that once I entered the forest, I would be out of their sight.


    When I arrived at the forest, there were hardly any other players there.


    Well, the players who had leveled up properly had already gone to the next town. The rest of the players concentrate on the more dangerous areas in the north and south to level up.


    Not many players are entering the western forest now. That doesn''t mean anybody''s here, but I won''t meet many people inside this vast forest.


    "Okay. Finally, we can relax."


    This is where it all starts. Let''s head for the river that I only visited on the first day.


    "We''re going to pick up a few things while we''re at the river. Rick, I need you to gather some nuts."


    "Kyukyu!"


    Rick stands on my shoulder. He raises his hand adorably and runs toward the trees. He must be going to collect herbs or fruits.


    We walk through the forest, picking up herbs and nuts along the way.


    The gray squirrels and fang rats that could easily kill me the other day are no match for us now. Even with a pack of 3 or 4, we can fight them.


    I''ve prepared some potions and medicines. As long as they don''t kill me instantly, I won''t lose.


    "Fufufu, I''m not the one I used to be."


    "Mumu."


    "¨D¨D ?."


    "Kyuu."


    However, I''m putting a lot of pressure on Sakura. Orto is the wall, and Rick can only hit and run. As for me, I only have Aqua ball magic to attack the enemy.


    Sakura acts furiously like a lion. She is a tank and attacker. In fact, this party will collapse if Sakura doesn''t do her best.


    "Hmmm, we''re so unbalanced."


    Actually, I want Sakura to concentrate on being a staller. That means we need a vanguard damage dealer. A close-range attacker.


    "The only short-range attacker around here is him."


    That hateful creature is the first monster that killed me. The Wild Dog.


    Six kinds of monsters appear in the area around the town of beginnings, excluding the rare tree spirit. Those six monsters are the Fang Rat, Grey Squirrel, Snake, Rock Ant, Rabbit, and Wild Dog.


    The only one among them that could be a close-range attacker is the Wild Dog. Alternatively, maybe I should buy a monster from the guild.


    "Well, if I happen to encounter a single dog, I can try to tame it."


    I thought so, but they don''t appear as often as I thought. In the end, it was only after we had finished exploring the river that we saw the wild dogs.


    And it is a pack of four.


    "Holy shit!¡¡Everyone, let''s get serious!"


    There was no way I could save my MP. I unleashed my magic and managed to wipe out the pack of dogs.


    "Hmm, even if I meet a dog, I don''t have the MP to tame it.


    I can shoot a few more times, but I don''t think I can tame them.


    "No choice. Let''s go home today. We''ve gathered enough for today."


    "Mumu."


    "Kyuu."


    "---!"

 CH 38

    Chapter 38: Bulletin board 6


    [Farming] Farming thread by farmers and for farmers [Banzai]


    This is an information exchange thread for farmers in LJO.


    : Any questions, from large-scale farming to home gardening, are welcome!


    : Please state any uncertain information clearly.


    : Real-life farming information is appreciated, but we don''t know how well it will work in the game.


    £º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º


    98: Charm


    So we still don''t know what kind of modifications will be made to selective breeding.


    99: Tsugarun


    But the reason is to solve the farming unpopularity, so it won''t be worse than now.


    In fact, there are only 30 full-time farmers now.


    And the number of people with farming skills is less than 100.


    There are too many empty farms in every town.


    100: Thomas


    The selective breeding system is actually hard to use. I hope they fix it soon.


    101: Tagosack


    I''ve seen the rumored orchard in the town of beginnings.


    I saw green peaches in that orchard. There were also walnuts, green acorns, and a mysterious tree.


    102: Charm


    What did you think?¡¡That''s a player''s farm, right?¡¡I wonder about how to grow them?


    I''d like to grow some fruit, too.


    I also want to know what that mysterious tree is.


    103: Tsugarun


    With Plant Growing skill, you can grow a tree from a sapling.


    But Plant Growing is a high-level derivative farming skill, and you need to raise your level to 40.


    I will be able to get it when my farming goes up another 13 levels.


    104: Terrill.


    I''ve seen it too, but there was no player insight. But a small boy was working on that farm.


    Who is that boy?¡¡NPC?


    105: Tsugarun


    If that''s true, it will expand farming to a whole new level. If you hire an NPC with plant growing or hydroponic skills that you don''t have, you can do farming. I''m pretty sure the old man who keeps the farm in the 2nd town has ex skills. I can feel it.


    If I can just get some apple seedlings, can I make an apple farm right now?


    106: Tagosack


    I think he''s not an NPC. It has a blue marker. I searched it. Maybe it''s a tamed monster. I think it''s a monster called gnome.


    When I check the tamer bulletin board, it seems that the initial monster of that Silver White is a gnome.


    107: Thomas


    Gnomes!¡¡I remember during the beta, one of my friends was making a farm with a gnome. But I thought gnomes didn''t have the plant growing as their initial skill?


    108: Charm


    Maybe he grew them until he learned it?


    109: Thomas


    I think that''s impossible! My friend''s gnome has reached level 20, but he didn''t learn plant growing skill.


    No matter how fast you level-up, I don''t think a monster that works in farming for half a day can reach that level in this official version.


    110: Tsugarun


    Any additional skills from the official service?


    111: Terrill


    That''s possible.


    112: Tagosack


    But there is also a possibility that is not the case, right?


    There''s a small chance I just didn''t find it and that NPC has plant growing skill.


    113: Thomas


    Also, why are there so many weeds planted on Shirogane-san''s farm?


    What is it?


    114: Tsugarun


    Maybe he''s leveling up his farming skills?¡¡Maybe he doesn''t have enough medicinal herbs or something, so he has no choice but to plant weeds?


    Weeds are really annoying, aren''t they? If you leave them alone, they''ll grow out of control in 2-3 days.


    115: Tagosack


    It''s certainly possible that it''s for leveling up, but....... Shirogane-san maintains such a large farm. Would he do such a useless thing?


    I feel like there''s a reason behind it, although I don''t know what that reason is.


    Is it possible to ask Shirogane-san directly?


    116: Charm


    By the way, who is Shirogane-san?


    117: Terrill


    Oh, come on. Don''t you know?


    One of the three players with unique titles. A player who suddenly broke the record of three deaths on the first day WWW.


    The silver-haired tamer, it is already widely known that Gnome is his initial monster.


    118: Charm


    Personal information leaked WWW.


    But isn''t the management here very strict about such things?


    119: Tsugarun


    It isn''t information learned through investigation. It''s information that leaks from various places, little by little, through rumors. There''s no way to stop it.


    If Shirogane-san doesn''t request the management to take action, they won''t make a move. Am I right?


    Well, since the player who made fun of Shirogane-san was banned, it seems that there are no players who dare to make fun of him directly.


    Besides, most of the comments are positive these days.


    120: Tagosack


    Nevertheless, you have to be careful about contacting Shirogane-san. Depending on the case, he might call the GM.


    121: Charm


    But I want the information. I''ll do my best!


    122: Tsugarun


    Do your best!


    123: Terrill.


    Only, as long as you don''t make him call the GM.


    124: Thomas


    Make sure you get the info!


    125: Tagosack


    I''ll think of something to help you. Just a little help would be nice...

 CH 39

    Chapter 39: The Incubator!


    I logged in.


    After finishing my daily activities of working on the farm, alchemy, and trading medicines, I am ready to go. By the way, I planted all the green peaches I harvested today on my farm. Because I must mass-produce them for Orto''s sake.


    In the meantime, I made honey carrot juice and honey pumpkin juice for Orto. The quality of the juice is lower than the street vendor''s juice and Orto seems to prefer the peach juice, but until the next green peach ripens, he has to put up with this.


    "Medicine okay. Food okay. My equipment''s durability is also still fine.


    I really want mana potions, but they don''t sell them in the town of the beginning. I can''t even get the ingredients to make it myself.


    "Magic power grass. I''ve never even seen a place that sells it."


    Maybe they can only be obtained from the 3rd area onwards. And even if the player gets them, they won''t be sent to the town of the beginning. They will be consumed there.


    Well, there is nothing we can do about it. Let''s try to conserve our MP.


    "I''m going to tame a wild dog today!"


    Yesterday''s fight with the four wild dogs made me realize that we need a vanguard. The enemies are getting stronger and their number is increasing, so we need a vanguard.


    I want to tame and train them as soon as possible. I''ll definitely tame a Wild Dog by the end of the day.


    I am going to concentrate on taming and not take any quests today. But something is bothering me and I need to visit the farming guild.


    I heard that someone had bought a new farm right next to mine.


    I don''t know what kind of person he is, but he has about three farms full of medicinal herbs and other plants that I''ve never seen before. I felt a bit anxious when I saw that.


    Currently, that farm is about 10 plots of land away from mine. But what happens if someone else buys the area next to my farm?


    If I think about it, I can''t expand my farm any further, right?¡¡If I am going to buy a new farm, I must buy it away from my old one. I don''t like that idea. It seems too inconvenient.


    It''s still a beginning town, and I don''t intend to buy dozens of lands. But I do plan to buy more.


    And I''m going to use the town of the beginning as my base for a while. So I was wondering if I could reserve some plot of land or something.


    "Welcome."


    "Hello. I''d like to ask you some questions about the farm."


    After asking the farming guild''s old man many questions, he told me that I cannot reserve a farm or purchase it in installments. What should I do?


    Currently, I have 28,000 G. I can buy 4 sides for 6,000 G...


    At the moment, I''m earning about 7,000 to 9,000 G a day by selling potions and various medicines for abnormal conditions. My income is not as much as the top players on the front lines hunting monsters and selling materials. Still, it is more than enough to make ends meet in the town at the beginning.


    As my farm expands, my income will increase even more, and I''m sure I can recover it soon. This is also thanks to Orto''s ability to harvest high-quality crops.


    Still, 24,000 G is not enough...


    I decided to buy four 2000 G fields. I can upgrade them later and use them for weeds. I''ll just secure them for now.


    I dropped by Raiba-san''s stall on the way home and delivered some blue sage and red sage. Thanks to Orto, I can deliver them in one day. Though I can harvest the weeds in two days even if I leave them alone.


    "You saved me!¡¡This should be enough for a while!¡¡Here''s your reward."


    I got my reward, but... The chain quest did not happen. Too bad. Maybe it was just a tutorial quest for players who have acquired plant knowledge skill.


    I managed to buy seeds of oregano, wormwood, cosmos, and hydrangea. So I am quite satisfied.


    Now we''re ready to go.


    "Okay, let''s go!"


    I thought so, but--.


    "Mumumu!"


    "What''s wrong Orto?"


    "Muu."


    We are about to leave, but Orto stops me. He holds my right leg tightly, so I can''t move.


    He keeps pointing at the barn.


    "What''s wrong with the barn?"


    "Muumuu!"


    "All right, all right. Don''t pull me."


    "Mumuu!"


    He''s really impatient or in a hurry. This is unusual.


    I rushed to the barn with Orto. Because there''s only one thing I can think of that''s important in the barn.


    "Could it be, could it be?"


    Then, with high hopes in my heart I open the barn door.


    "---I knew it!"


    "Muu!"


    What jumped out at me was an egg with a crack in it. It is the yellow egg that was placed in the incubator. It is beginning to crack. The crack had already circled halfway around the egg. It looks like it''s about to hatch.


    There were no cracks this morning. So, in the last 4 hours, while I was harvesting, mixing, and purchasing the farm, it''s progressed this far.


    "This means that it''s already hatching, right?"


    "Mumu."


    "¨D¨D¨D¨D ?."


    "Kyu!"


    Before I knew it, Sakura and Rick also came. My monsters are staring at the eggs with sparkling eyes.


    I change my plan and stay here for a while to watch over the egg. I feel sorry for it if its master is not around when it is born.


    "By the way, there is a phenomenon called "imprinting" in bird species. But how about in monsters?"


    "Mu?"


    "Is there?"


    "---?"


    "Kyu?"


    You kids don''t know, do you?¡¡It''s okay. Maybe we don''t need to tame Wild Dog anymore. I''ll just sit here and wait.


    I sit down in my chair and pull out the herbal tea I''ve been working on since yesterday. I got an idea to mix some tea leaves together, just like in real life.


    What I have now is chamomile, red mint, blue mint, and basil. Then there''s wild strawberry. The red sage and blue sage have been delivered, so I only have some leftovers.


    I dried them and mixed them up in many different ways.


    Since I am in the game, my stomach doesn''t feel too full, and I can try various combinations. There was a VR diet that allowed you to eat to your heart''s content in real life. Well, maybe that diet is really effective.


    After trying various combinations, a blend of chamomile, red mint, and wild strawberry is my favorite.


    Name: Herbal Tea Blend


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï5


    Effect: None. Edible.


    It''s a simple name. I made a few of this tea. Now I can enjoy herbal tea whenever I want.


    "Yes. It''s nice. I''m glad I bought the teacup."


    The teacup is a cheap cup from a general store, but it feels different when I drink herbal tea with it.


    "What kind of monster will be born?¡¡I am really excited."


    While watching the cracks in the egg gradually widen, I wonder how the new monster will look.

 CH 40

    Chapter 40: Bear? Bee?


    An hour has passed since I started waiting for the egg to hatch.


    I''ve finished my herbal tea experiment, and now I''ve just peeled the acorn and put them in water. In real life, they only need to be left for a day.


    The egg has already 90% cracked and is about to hatch.


    I checked the in-game bulletin board and found that the necessity of attending the hatching is still under debate.


    Some said it doesn''t matter, while others said it might have something to do with the level of affection in the mask data. Well, unless you''re extremely impatient, it seems like it would be better to attend.


    "Mu!"


    "Oh, is it born?"


    Orto''s voice brings me back to my senses. I stare back at the egg and see that the crack has just circled the egg. The egg and the incubator emit a faint blue-white light.


    "Dazzling!"


    I can''t help but cover my eyes. But still, what kind of monster will be born?¡¡Because it is Honey Bee and Little Bear''s egg. Is it a bee or a bear? Or is it something completely different?


    As the light fades, the eggshell and incubator disappear, becoming glittering grains of light. All that remains is a monster.


    "A Bear..."


    Is that Little Bear?¡¡But the Little Bear introduced on Amimin''s page looked like a brown bear cub.


    However, this bear in front of me has round eyes and flashy yellow body hair. The yellow bear does not look like a metal bear that might say, "I want to eat honey," but a perfect teddy bear. The monster born from the egg looks like a yellow teddy bear.


    It is a little bit bigger than Orto. Even though it is a bear, I don''t think it can be the vanguard...


    [Servant Magic level has been increased.]


    [Enlist level has been increased.]


    Oh, so hatching eggs give experience? Well, in a way, it''s the biggest action I can take as a tamer. But now my follower magic is at level 10. The number of monsters I can use has increased to 5.


    Also, when I reach level 10, I''ll be able to use Monster Heal, a recovery technique that''s only available to my followers. Sakura and Ortos defense will become even higher.


    Oops, now the yellow teddy bear in front of me is more important.


    "May I pat you?"


    "Kumaa."


    I gently touch its fur. It completely feels like a big stuffed animal. It is fluffy and feels different from Rick''s.


    "Oooh, new fluffy!"


    "Kuumaa."


    It''s so cute. But it''s the appearance that really makes me wonder if it can fight. Anyway, let''s try to appraise it.


    Name: Undecided                       Race: Honey Bear Basic Lv1


    Contractor: Yuuto


    HP: 27/27 MP: 18/18


    Strength 10           Constitution 8           Agility 5


    Dexterity 8             Wisdom 4                  Spirit 3


    Skills: Charm, Gluttony, Sense of smell, Cultivating, Claw Attack, Climbing, Poison resistance, Fragrance, beekeeping


    Equipment: None


    I''ve never seen this monster before. Honey bear?¡¡Because it''s a combination of Honey Bee and Little Bear?¡¡I mean, yellow, bear, and beekeeper, it seems like a perfect combination.


    But it''s not bad. It has the stats and skills to be a vanguard, and it can do production too.


    "Kuma?"


    "Oh, what?"


    "Kumakuma"


    "Mumu."


    "---!"


    "Kyukyu."


    My followers are talking about something. The bear, in particular, gently places his stuffed hand in my hand and stares up at me. He seems to be trying to tell me something.


    "Hmm? What''s wrong?"


    "Kuukuma!"


    Is he angry about something next?¡¡Oh, I see.


    "Could it be a name?"


    "Kuma!"


    "Hmm. That''s right. Loose...? Winnie...?"


    What should I do? I didn''t expect such a cute big stuffed animal to be born. I can''t use Akakabuto (Red Beetle), the name I had in mind for a bear.


    "--Okay, your name is Kumama!"


    "Bear!"


    Oh, he''s happy. Just like that?¡¡It''s okay. A name is an inspiration. The name I like is the best!¡¡Because I''m the one who will say it the most.


    "All right. Once again, nice to meet you, Kumama."


    "Kumaa."


    I pat his head and then his whole body. Kumama doesn''t mind being patted, and he stands on his knees and lets me pet him.


    Still, he''s fluffy. If Rick is a short-haired, squishy velvet-type fluff, Kumama is a slightly thicker, toweling-type fluff.


    Like Rick, she smells like the sun. Forget about the common story that the smell of sunshine is the smell of dead mites. This is inside a game, after all.


    "Come here!"


    "Kuma?"


    I can''t take it any longer, so I hug Kumama leans my head on his stomach.


    "So cute."


    I can''t hold back!¡¡I buried my face in Kumama''s yellow belly hair.


    "Fufufu."


    "Kumamama?"


    "Oh, such blessing..."


    God, this is addicting. I think I can understand Kemoner''s feelings.


    "Mu."


    ¡°¨D¨D ¡­¡­¡±


    "Kyu."


    Haa!¡¡I got a little too excited!¡¡Orto and the others are staring at me with enlightened eyes.


    Oh my God, my dignity as their master is...


    "No, now! Kumama had some beekeeping skill, so let''s go get some information!"


    "Mu..."


    ¡°¨D¨D ¡­¡­¡±


    "Kyu..."


    I managed to fool them-- no, not really. Ah, kids!¡¡Don''t give me that stare!¡¡For once, I hate high-performance AI!


    Translator''s note:


    Kemoner


    A kemoner is a person who likes kemono (beast/monster).

 CH 41

    Chapter 41: Kumama


    Kumama the Honey Bear is a new member of our team. I wonder how to use his beekeeping skill. First, I need to gather information.


    A quick search on the forums tells me that it requires a beekeeping box, but I''m not sure how to get one. In the first place, it seems that there aren''t many players who have beekeeping skill.


    It stated that I could make it with woodcraft skills or buy it in a town in the 3rd area. Sakura has woodcraft skill, but she can''t make them. She''s shaking her head when I ask her.


    I can''t go to the 3rd area right now. So I would have to buy it from the Farming Guild or Player''s Shop or ask a player with woodcraft skill to make it for me.


    Here''s what his skills look like.


    Charming: low chance of stopping the opponent from doing something


    Gluttony: Eating restores a small amount of HP; requires two meals per day


    Sense of Smell: Good sense of smell gives a bonus to actions related to smell


    Cultivating: Can grow plants other than trees


    Claw Strike: Can attack with claws.


    Climbing: Good at climbing trees and cliffs.


    Poison resistance: Less chance of poisoning


    Fragrance: Emits a pleasant smell that attracts creatures


    Beekeeping: Uses beekeeping boxes to produce honey


    From Honeybee, he inherited Cultivating, Poison Resistance, and Beekeeping. From Little Bear, they inherited the sense of smell, claw attack, and climbing. Unfortunately, he didn''t inherit Honey Bee''s poisonous stinger.


    I''m glad to hear that the fragrance helps beekeeping. But because of his gluttony, he must eat twice a day. I''ll have to remember that.


    Also, thanks to cultivating, he can help out on the farm. That''s great. Maybe his skills will help me grow flowers that produce honey.


    Come to think of it, Ruin''s store is on the way to the guild. Maybe I''ll ask him to show me some equipment for Kumama. I hope I can get ready-made with the right size.


    "Hello."


    "Ou. You''re doing great, aren''t you, Shirogane!"


    "Wait, why are you calling me that?"


    "Ha-ha-ha. Sorry... Yuuto. So today, you want a weapon?¡¡Or armor?"


    "Armor. Do you have any armor that this guy could wear?"


    "Hohou. I''ve never seen this monster before."


    I did some searching and found out that Honey Bear was only discovered the day before yesterday. It seems that Amimin-san had hatched Honey Bear from an egg before I did and posted the information on his bulletin board.


    If you''re not a tamer, it''s not surprising that you don''t know.


    "Is there anything for him?"


    Hmm. Nothing in particular. No, wait, there is a thing.


    "Please, not red."


    "You don''t want red?¡¡You hate red color?"


    "Yes. Because if I made him wear red... We, well, there are a lot of reasons. I don''t mind anything as long as it''s not red."


    "I see."


    Ruin-san considers my words. Then he brought out three pieces of equipment.


    "I was asked to make this for an elementary student player, but some issues came up, and it got canceled."


    "Stuff?"


    "...... He tried to shoplift at the NPC store and then got banned for harassing a player who warned him. It was really troublesome."


    "That''s terrible."


    "It matches your robe. What do you think?"


    It was a dark blue jacket, a red and green tartan plaid shirt, and a gray ascot tie. The underwear and tie would be treated as accessories and could be equipped by Kumama.


    "It''s not the best product, but the performance isn''t bad. I''ll give you a discount because of the circumstances."


    "This is nice."


    "I mean, it''s definitely better than my equipment."


    Name: Dog Jacket +


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï7 Durability: 150


    Effect: Defense +16, ( Strength +1)


    Equipment Requirements: Strength 6 or higher


    Weight: 3


    Name: Dog Shirt


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï7 Durability: 150


    Effect: Defense +7, ( Strength +1 )


    Equipment Requirements: Strength 4 or higher


    Weight: 1


    Name: Dog Ascot Tie +2


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï7 Durability: 150


    Effect: Defense +4, (Strength +1)


    Equipment Requirements: Strength 4 or higher


    Weight: 1


    "Isn''t it great?"


    "Yeah. It''s my masterpiece."


    "Just equipping it increases strength? But what''s this ( Strength +1 )?


    "It''s a set bonus because it''s a series of items created in the series creation. If you equip all three at the same time, you get that bonus."


    "+3 to strength, that''s pretty impressive."


    "Actually, the price is 27,000 G for 3 of them, but 13,000 G is fine."


    "Eeh? Half price is fine?"


    "It''s better than keeping them in storage, and I won''t lose money."


    "I''m sure someone will want it."


    "If you only look at its performance. But the problem is the size.


    It''s difficult to sell child-sized equipment."


    In this game, armor has an automatic size-adjustment function, but it doesn''t mean that it can be infinitely adjusted. There are various sizes, such as child-size, S, M, L, large size, and monster type, etc. By the way, I can equip the S and M sizes.


    Among them, the Child size seems to be in low demand. Only elementary school players or small monsters can equip them.


    "I see. Well, I am happy about it... Okay, I''ll buy them!"


    It''s not every day I get a chance to get such good equipment at half price. I paid for them and immediately equipped Kumama with them. Thank God I was able to equip it automatically using the status control. Because I don''t know how to tie an ascot tie.


    "Ooh. Kumama, you look cool."


    "Kuma."


    All at once, Kumama looks like an English gentleman. A gentleman with a bare bottom?¡¡That can''t be helped. It seems that he can''t wear any lower body equipment.


    I also bought new equipment for myself. Since my level has increased, my total strength and constitution have increased.


    Name: Dog Shirt


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï4 Durability: 150


    Effect: Defense +5


    Equipment Requirements: Strength 2 or higher


    Weight: 1


    Unlike Kumama''s, this one has not been dyed, so it''s still gray color. It''s made from wild dog fur, and the quality is low. The price was 800 G. It can be worn underneath my robe, so it''s a nice piece of equipment.


    After that, I went to the farming guild, but I couldn''t get a beekeeping box. It''s not that I don''t have enough money to buy it, but I need to raise my guild rank by two to get it.


    The next stop is Sawyer''s alchemy store. Even if he doesn''t have woodcraft skills, he might be able to introduce me to a producer he knows.


    "Sawyer-kun, how are you?"


    "Oh, Yuuto-san. Not bad."


    Still the same shouta elf. I''m supposed to be good-looking too, but I''m totally outclassed by Sawyer-kun. Why?¡¡Is it the difference in the inner aura?


    "Actually, I''m looking for something. I thought maybe Sawyer-kun could help me."


    "What are you looking for?"


    "I''m looking for beekeeping boxes."


    "Beekeeping box?"


    "Yeah, actually, this guy has beekeeping skill."


    "Kuma!"


    "Is that a new monster?¡¡He''s so cute."


    Sawyer-kun pats Kumama''s head and bows his head apologetically.


    "I''m sorry, I have woodcraft skills too, but I can''t make it yet."


    "I see. Well then, do you know any wood craftsmen who can help us?"


    "Let''s ask a producer I know. I''m also interested to know. Please wait a moment."


    Sawyer said that and made a friend call someone.


    "She''ll be here soon."


    "Oh, is it okay?"


    "Yes, because she''s also interested in the beekeeping box."


    While I am talking with Sawyer and playing with Kumama, I see a woman approaching. She is walking straight towards us. It seems that she is Sawyer''s friend.


    She''s a human with a green ponytail. She''s wearing light cloth clothing. I wonder if that''s what a production worker wears?¡¡No, I don''t have the right to comment on others.


    "Sawyer-chi, hello! Ooni-san, are you the one who''s looking for the beekeeping box?"


    "Yes. Yuuto-san, let me introduce you. She''s Ashihana, the woodcutter."


    "Hello!¡¡I''m Ashihana!¡¡Nice to meet you!"


    "Hello. I''m Yuuto the Tamer."


    Ashihana greets me, but her stare is completely focused on Kumama.


    "Kyaa, this bear-san is cute!"


    "He''s my monster."


    "What''s his name?"


    "Kumama."


    "Nice name!¡¡Okay. Nice to meet you, Kumama!"


    "Kuma."


    "Aww, you look like a stuffed animal!"


    It looks like Kumama has hit Ashihana''s sweet spot. She struggles to hug him. He''s not my friend, so the harassment block is active. An invisible wall is blocking her from hugging Kumama.


    "This wall is blocking my way!"


    "It can''t be helped, right, Ashihana-san?"


    Sawyer tried to calm her down but failed to do so. Ashihana is frustrated. She is stamping her foot on the ground.


    "Mmm!¡¡Hey, Yuuto-san!"


    "What?"


    "Can we exchange friend codes?¡¡Okay?¡¡It''s okay, right?"


    This person asked to be my friend just to hug Kumama. I don''t know her well. Well, I don''t really mind. She doesn''t seem like a bad person. Anyway, I don''t have many friends yet.


    "Do you get it"


    "Thank you! Yes, this is my freco (friend code)!"


    "Yes, yes."


    "Hurry up! Please, hurry up!"


    "Wait a minute. See, the exchange is complete."


    "Kyan! Kumama-chan, you''re so fluffy!"


    "Kumaa!"


    The next moment, Ashihana is jumping on Kumama and enjoying his fluffiness. She hugged him tightly and treated him like a stuffed animal.


    What should I do with my extended right hand?


    "I''m sorry, Yuuto-san. Her skill is top class, but she''s very honest with herself and very active. Anyway, she''s not a bad person."


    "It''s OK, Sawyer-kun. It''s not your fault."


    And did he say her skill is the top class?


    "By any chance, is she a famous player?"


    "Yes. Though, not as famous as Yuuto-san."


    "Eh?"


    "Eh?¡¡Like I said, not as famous as Yuuto-san, but..... Ah, sorry. Never mind."


    As if he senses something, Sawyer-kun stops talking about fame and explains about Ashihana.


    Apparently, Ashihana is one of the most famous woodworker players, and many players want her to make weapons for them.


    She is such a great player.


    Anyway, I''m more famous than a player like her?¡¡That''s ridiculous. Ahahaha, I''m sure Sawyer-kun mistaken me with someone else.


    "Kumama-chaaan!"


    "Ku, Kuumaa!"

 CH 42

    Chapter 42: Ashihana


    "Are you satisfied?"


    "Yeah!"


    "Now, can we talk about the main topic?"


    "The beekeeping box, right?¡¡Sure, I''ll make it for you."


    "Eh?¡¡You can make it?"


    "I''ve never made it before, but I can make it. It''s in a recipe I learned recently."


    Her response is very fast. I heard she''s a top player, so I guess her woodcraft skill is high.


    "I''ll make the best beekeeping box for Kumama-chan!"


    But there is one problem.


    "How much does it cost?"


    I have 6,000 G in my pocket right now, and I don''t know how much it would cost me if I asked a top player to make a custom order for me...


    "You don''t have much money?"


    "I just spent it. If you wait until the day after tomorrow, I can get you about 20,000 G."


    "I see. To be honest, that''s still not enough."


    "I guess so. Are there any inexpensive beekeeping boxes that can be made with low-quality materials and less workmanship?"


    "No! My pride won''t allow me to make such a lousy product!"


    So, I guess I can''t ask Ashihana to make it this time.


    As if she knows I''m about to cancel my order, she hurriedly interrupts my words.


    "Wait! Wait a minute! I will make the beekeeping box for Kumama-chan!"


    "But I don''t have enough money."


    "Hmm, but, but..."


    Ashihana hugs Kumama and shakes her head in denial. As I scratch my head with a troubled look on my face, Sawyer-kun speaks up.


    "Well, why don''t we go get the materials? It''ll be a little cheaper if you can supply the materials yourself."


    "What do you mean?"


    "No. Ashihana-san, do you mean  you want to look for wood around the beginning town?"


    "Yes!¡¡Well, my lumbering level is over 30! You know, it seems like there have been a lot of new discoveries in the town of beginnings lately. I was wondering if there are any undiscovered items to gather as well!"


    Her skill level is 30? As expected, the top producer is amazing.


    "I was thinking of going to gather some materials too. Yuuto-san, would you like to gather materials with me?"


    "That''s great, but I''m not strong enough. My monsters aren''t that high level yet, either."


    "That''s the same with me."


    "You''ll be fine with me! Leave the enemies around the town of beginnings to me! I can cut them down with my ax!"


    If the battle is not a problem, maybe we could go on a gathering trip together?¡¡It would only be beneficial to us, like a gathering tour with a skilled person as our guide.


    "But, Ashihana, is it really okay? It''s all for my benefit."


    "Gufufufu. Gathering together with Kumama..."


    I guess that is actually a reward for Ashihana.


    "But what if we can''t find the right material?"


    "In that case, we can split it! Kumama-chan will be excluded, and I''ll give you the lowest price. Maybe 35,000 G, okay?"


    "So expensive!"


    But the quality is guaranteed.


    "...... I understand. That''s fine."


    "It''s settled then."


    "When do we go?¡¡Now?"


    "I can''t go right now... How about 3 hours later?"


    "That''s fine with me. But what about the party? I have four monsters, so it''s a party of five. I''ll change the monsters I take with me based on your skills composition."


    Sawyer-kun is probably the rear guard, but what about Ashihana?¡¡She mentioned her ax, so she may be a vanguard.


    "Why don''t we just form a team?"


    "A team?"


    "Aah, Yuuto-san is a soloist, right?"


    A team is apparently a joint party that can be formed by two parties. When you form a team, the experience is first divided by two and then divided between party members.


    When I asked if this is different from a raid, he explained. Raid parties can have as many as 100 players, and drops can be obtained individually, but in the case of a team, drops are obtained as a party member.


    One clear disadvantage is that the bosses have slightly more HP. Also, the encounter rate will increase, and the monster drop rate will decrease significantly. Apparently, you can''t simply double the drop rate by having two parties.


    "So, me, Ashihana, Yuuto, and his monster are forming a team."


    For example, if we kill a monster with an experience value of 100, the first 50 will be divided between me and Sawyer-kun and Ashihana.


    After that, the 5 of us in my party would get 10 each, while Sawyer and Ashihana would get 25 each.


    At first glance, Sawyer and the others are benefiting, but the experience of the monsters technically is mine. Actually, it''s 50 for me and 25 for the two of them.


    Well, I don''t mind if they''re fine with that. Let''s at least contribute by fighting and gathering. If we get too much out of it, we can adjust it later by giving them more drops or something.


    "OK, we''ll go as a team."


    "Yeah!"


    "We''ll meet here three hours later, okay?"


    "Okay, I''ll be back in three hours."


    Three hours later, we are gathered in front of the western gate.


    "So we''re all here."


    "These are Yuuto-san''s monsters! They''re so cute! Yuuto-san, you know what you''re doing!"


    Well, I didn''t aim to have cute followers. Looking at them again, 2 kids and 2 animals. They''re too cute. Though maybe they''re not strong enough.


    "Hey!¡¡Introduce them to me!"


    "OK, OK. This is Orto the Gnome."


    "Mu!"


    "This is Sakura the tree spirit."


    "--?."


    "This is Rick the Grey Squirrel."


    "Kyukyu!


    And as you already know, this is Kumama the Honey Bear."


    "Kuma!"


    Each time I introduced them, my kids would raise their hands to greet Ashihana. And each time, she screamed shrilly and hugged the monster.


    The way she breathes hard and stares at my kids as if she wants to lick them is a bit scary.


    "Haa haa haa. They''re all too cute. ....... I feel like my nose is going to bleed.


    "Wait, Ashihana-san! Please be careful! If you''re not careful, it will be harassment!"


    "Uuh. From now on, I''ll be a tamer."


    "No, no. Don''t decide so easily."


    "That''s right. There are a lot of people who would be disappointed if you quit working as a woodcutter."


    "But, but--!"


    "You''ll just have to learn the tame skill."


    "Ugh..... I will do that. Hey, Yuuto-san."


    "What?"


    "Yuuto-san, are you based in the city of beginnings?"


    "Yeah, I think I''ll be based there for a while."


    "I see."


    What?¡¡As I nod my head, Sawyer-kun whispers to me.


    "It seems she''s going to stay in the city of beginnings."

 CH 43

    Chapter 43: Exploring and gathering


    We go to the western forest to gather and make good progress. I got nuts and herbs. Sawyer and Ashihana got some wood.


    But we can''t find the rare wood that Ashihana is looking for. The only wood we got so far is the lowest grade material called Bigini Cedar. It''s the kind of wood that beginners use to level up. It seems that the cedar staff I got before was also made from this Bigini Cedar.


    I''ve been looking for weeds too, but all I''ve found are useless weeds that grow all over the city.


    As for the battle, Ashihana killed the enemy instantly. Even if there are many enemies, it doesn''t matter. As expected of a famous player. Thanks to him, we got some materials, but I completely became a parasite. I''m asking Kumama to sacrifice herself so that Ashihana can at least enjoy herself. I''m really sorry, Kumama.


    I also checked out Kumama''s battle power, and it''s not bad. During the battle, his claws shoot out from his cute little hands, and he has good attack power. He''s not fast, but he''s a heavy warrior with a heavy blow.


    In our search for more materials, we came to a river in the western forest. As usual, there are no new materials, but I can find water pumice and humus as much as I want.


    After exploring the riverside for a while, Ashihana suddenly stopped.


    "Oh, no. My stomach is already less than 20% full."


    The game warns you when your HP or satiety level drops below a certain level. It seems that Ashihana got the fullness warning.


    "I also need to take a break. My MP is getting low."


    "But there is no safety zone around here, right?"


    Safety Zone is an area inside the field where monsters cannot enter. It can be a hut, a sacred tree, or any other place. You can rest and log out safely there. HP and MP will recover automatically too.


    On the other hand, if you log out outside the safety zone, your avatar will remain there and get attacked by monsters. The next time you log in, you''ll be dead.


    If you just want to eat, you can eat while walking, but if you want to take a break, you can''t do it there.


    "Fufufu. It''s okay if we have this!"


    "What is that?¡¡A mat?"


    "Yes!¡¡It''s my masterpiece of woodworking, crafting, and holy magic!"


    Name: Talisman Mat


    Rarity: 4 Quality: ¡ï6


    Effect: Create a safety zone for 30 minutes. Number of uses: 2/3


    I''m amazed that she has already created her own items with rarity 4. The effect is amazing too. The idea is to allow users to rest and log out anywhere, right?


    "Come on, let''s take a break for a while."


    "Thank you, but isn''t that a bit cramped? I mean, if we are a party of 6, we can''t all fit in there, right?"


    In my case, my monsters are small. Rick doesn''t take much space when he''s on my shoulder, and Kumama is hugged by Ashihana. It seems that everyone can barely fit in.


    "Because I made it so I could take a nap anywhere. I made it big enough for me to lie down."


    "I see."


    "But if you made one twice as big as this one, wouldn''t everyone want to have it?"


    "I don''t want to. I will have to make this item all the time, and then I won''t be able to play. I''ve already sold the recipe to the Sharp Ears Cats, so I''m sure that mass production will start soon."


    "You have no greed. No, in a way, you''re honest about your greed, aren''t you?"


    "I don''t care about that. Let''s just take a break. The effect only lasts half an hour."


    "What happens after 30 minutes?"


    "The Number of uses it will be automatically deducted, and the duration will be extended by 30 minutes. But it''s only 2 more uses left, isn''t that a waste?"


    So we all sat in a circle on the mat, recovering from our fullness. Both Ashihana and Sawyer are production workers. Are they going to eat portable food?


    I am going to eat cookies and drink tea. I boil water using the cooking set and make some herbal tea. I had already bought a cheap teapot to set the mood. I pour the tea from the pot into the teapot, which doesn''t change the taste, and then pour the tea into my teacup. Hmmm, drinking herbal tea in nature is not bad. The herbal tea doesn''t restore my fullness, but tea time in the forest is very relaxing for me. I can recover my fullness with cookies.


    "Nee, nee. Did you make that yourself?"


    "This?¡¡Yeah, I made it all by myself."


    "That''s amazing!¡¡Juice, cookies?"


    "I''ve seen herbal tea before."


    Ashihana and Sawyer-kun look at the food I''m giving to my monsters in surprise. If I hadn''t taken the cooking skill, maybe I wouldn''t make these foods. There is food for sale in town, but if you don''t want to enjoy eating in the game, portable food is enough.


    "If you don''t mind, do you want to try?"


    "Yay!¡¡Let me have it!"


    "Is it okay?"


    "Yeah, I also want to hear your comment."


    First, I made herbal tea for them. I had prepared the teacups just in case something like this happened. Well, I bought 2 sets of 4, so I still have some left.


    "Hmm. It smells good."


    "It''s delicious! I think it''s the first time I drink anything other than water and potions in this world."


    "Now, I''ll try this cookie."


    "Yummy!¡¡What are these cookies? They''re super delicious!"


    "It''s true. They''re so delicious."


    "I''ve been missing out! I''m going to eat nicer food from now on! I used to think that eating is just a way to restore my fullness."


    "Me too. I''m going to buy some food from the stalls, even if I have to force myself."


    Wow, those are high praises.


    "Hey, why don''t you sell this?"


    "Um? What do you mean?"


    "I mean, do you sell this herbal tea and cookies anywhere? Or do you sell them at your own stall?"


    "No, I don''t mass-produce them."


    "Really? Too bad..."


    I was happy when I saw that they were really disappointed. It means that they really liked it.


    "But I can share the herbal tea leaves."


    Actually, I got carried away and made a lot. Besides, I have put all the herbal teas I''ve made in my inventory, and I don''t expect to sell them for much. I can make them easily if I want to, and I don''t mind sharing the herbal tea leaves if they like them.


    "Are you sure?¡¡Yes!"


    "Isn''t it valuable?"


    "No, not at all."


    "You guys are making my day, so I thought I''d return the favor."


    "Thank you very much."


    "Thank you!"


    After that, we enjoyed tea in a friendly atmosphere and then started exploring again.


    30 minutes later.


    "I can see it. It''s the green peach tree."


    "It doesn''t have any fruit."


    "Well, now that we''ve come this far, we should at least get a peach tree."


    The two of them are logging their axes to the green peach tree. To me, it looks like they''re just hitting the tree with their axes, but it seems to be working. Well, if the tree disappears, the other players won''t be able to harvest it. I heard that if you succeed in logging the tree, the logging cursor will disappear until a certain amount of time has passed.


    "Green peach trees can be used as wood."


    "It''s too soft to make armor, but it can be used to make staffs. The quality is not too great, but green peach trees are rare. It can be sold to players for a good price. Yuuto-san, why don''t you take some?"


    "Well, I don''t have logging skill."


    "Having logging skill would be convenient, you know?"


    "If I am a woodworker, that would be convenient, but...


    "Is there anyone among your monsters who has woodcraft skill? If there is, you can use it to level him up."


    "Oh, you''re right."


    Sakura has woodcraft skill. Indeed, it would be nice if I could just give her some wood and she could make various things. Sakura''s experience will increase too.


    "Hmmm. I was going to take one more kind of magic and then focus on the rest... Logging?"


    "Would you take it? "


    "I''d take it, but I don''t have an ax."


    "Then you can use this."


    Sawyer took out a small ax.


    "You''re ready now!"


    "You can have it."


    "No, I''ll pay for it."


    "That''s fine. Its durability is halved, and it''s a 400 G initial item."


    Still, to accept it without compensation. I mean, we''ve been getting so many benefits from this gathering tour. If I pay for it--- no, I think I have an item that Sawyer might like. It''s about the same value.


    "Then I''ll give you this."


    "This is--- a bookmark?"


    Ooh. The response is much greater than I expected.


    "A pressed flower bookmark. It''s amazing!"


    "I''m glad you like it."


    "Thank you. If there''s a bookmark, it means there''s a book! It might be a clue to the existence of the grimoire."


    "I don''t think it''s that great."


    "How did you get it?"


    "I got it at a flower shop."


    "A flower shop?¡¡Is there such a shop?"


    "Do you want me to take you there next time?"


    "Yes, please!"


    Just wondering, can Sawyer-kun enter the flower shop?¡¡If he needs to have plant knowledge to get in, then it''s quite troublesome.


    "Well, let''s try to go to the flower shop as a party for now. If one of us can meet the requirements, there''s a chance we can get in."


    "If we fail, I''ll think of another way later. With Sawyer-kun''s passion, he might even buy a farm."


    "Okay, let''s do logging."


    "Ah, wait. I''ll arrange the party."


    "?"


    "Because Green Peach requires high-level logging. Eeto, can you add me to your party?"


    "Roger."


    I add Ashihana to my party. Then, immediately after gaining the logging skill, my eyes saw a collecting point on a green peach tree trunk. The ax mark probably indicates the logging point. Thanks to Ashihana''s join to my party, the logging point is shared, and I can see it.


    Apparently, the green peach tree is the only tree in this forest that requires a high level of logging to find the logging point.


    I hit the trunk of the tree with the logging ax I had exchanged with Sawyer-kun. Then the green peach tree is enveloped in light, and the logging point disappears.


    Checking my inventory, I see that I have additional items of wood and green peaches. The quality is ¡ï1, maybe because my logging level is low.


    Soon after I cut down the green peaches, Ashihana left my party. If we are engaged in a battle, my experience will be reduced. That''s very considerate. She doesn''t need to worry about it that much.


    "I have Sakura to do the woodwork, so I want to get more wood. I should have cut down some trees on the way here."


    I tried to find another tree that I could use. Then I found a tree.


    It is the same as all the other trees in the forest, but thanks to my logging skill, I can now identify which ones can be used for wood.


    "Is it a sawtooth oak tree?"


    For now, let''s try to do logging. When I swing the logging ax the same way I did with the green peach, the sawtooth tree glows, and I get wood, miscellaneous trees, and sawtooth oak.


    It''s a miscellaneous tree, and it probably won''t have any effect anyway. It is just a nice way to increase my skill level. And it wouldn''t be a waste if I failed. While I am checking my inventory, Ashihana''s eyes widen, and she shouts in surprise.


    "Nee!¡¡What did you do just now?"

 CH 44

    Chapter 44: The value of plant knowledge


    Right after I cut down the tree, Ashihana approached me in excitement.


    "What did you just do?"


    "What do you mean, cut down the tree?"


    "Ho, how?"


    "Huh?¡¡No, I just hit the logging point with my ax and cut down the tree like normal."


    "No, I mean, how did you cut down a tree without a logging point?"


    "No logging point?"


    "Yes. No matter how I look at it, it''s a bush... Hoo."


    Ashihana swings her ax at the sawtooth oak tree.


    "I can''t cut it down."


    "But look."


    I show her the wood that I''ve cut down.


    "Wood, miscellaneous wood, sawtooth oak?¡¡The quality''s low, but I''ve never seen that wood before."


    Ashihana is a top player in woodworking, right?¡¡Wood that Ashihana has never seen before?¡¡Seriously? Her logging skill level is way higher than mine. Then there''s only one thing I can think of.


    "Naa, have you ever heard of a skill called plant knowledge?"


    Like weeds, bushes are probably impossible to identify without plant knowledge. We are just teaming up with Ashihana and Sawyer, but we are not in the same party. We don''t share the same skills for gathering. When I was cutting down the green peach tree, Ashihana and I had to form a party once.


    "Plant knowledge?¡¡I''ve never heard of that."


    "I''ve never heard of it either."


    "Yuuto-san, do you have that skill?"


    "Yes, I do."


    I explained to them the effects of my plant knowledge. The two of them then get excited and ask me a lot of questions.


    "Yuuto-san! Are you sure the other pages of the encyclopedia are filled?"


    "Ah, yeah."


    "I never thought weeds have individual names. Do trees have names, too?"


    "Yes, but not every tree has a logging point. For example, the trees there and there are sawtooth oak, and that one is mongolian oak."


    Maybe, but not all trees can be cut down because of the quality of the wood or other reasons. Even in real life, not all trees in the forest can be made into wood. Some trees are bent in the middle, some have hollow spaces. Not many trees that grow in nature can be made into wood.


    In the first place, if all the trees in the forest could be made into wood, woodworkers would have too much work.


    "But from my experience with weeds, I''d say making something out of them would be less effective. That herbal tea I made earlier is also made from weeds, but it didn''t restore fullness, right?"


    "I don''t really mind. Just the fact that its new wood is a big discovery. Besides, for a home chair or interior decoration, the scent and the beauty of the wood grain are more important than the special effects."


    I see. Maybe that''s true for ordinary furniture.


    I added Ashihana and the others to my party once to show them my plant knowledge skills. They can now recognize the names of the weeds. They''re excitedly appraising the weeds at their feet.


    "Yuuto-san. I''ll pay for it. Could you tell me how to acquire plant knowledge skill?"


    "Please, let me know too. Of course, I''ll give up if you want to keep it a secret."


    "If you teach me, I''ll give you the beekeeping box for free. I''ll also do anything else for you!"


    "Me too. I can only pay you about 2,000 G, but I will do anything for you!"


    Hmmm. I''m glad the beekeeping box is free. Rather, I think I''m getting too much. We can negotiate that later.


    Besides, I don''t mind telling them how to acquire it. I''m surprised that people don''t know about this skill at all. I thought they knew about it already.


    "Aah, I don''t mind telling you, but it might be difficult to acquire."


    Then I told them the story of how I acquired plant knowledge. As far as I could guess, the requirement was to grow and harvest weeds on the farm. I did that on my own initiative. Well, in my case, I didn''t want to waste any empty space, so Orto planted herbs for me.


    "That''s going to take some time."


    "But it''s not impossible!¡¡When we get back to town, I''ll buy a farm!"


    "I agree."


    The two of them are going to buy a farm, but I ask them about something that has been bothering me.


    "Excuse me, can we get wood without logging points?"


    Actually, weeds do not show any collecting points. Still, if I gather them, I can grow the plants and process them. If that''s the case, wouldn''t it be the same for bushes?


    After I say this, Ashihana is thinking about something. But Sawyer-kun seems to be skeptical.


    "Actually, there were players who tried that. Because if we can use the trees that grow in the forest as wood, we can easily make a large piece of work. They went into the forest and tried to cut down the trees. But all they got were garbage."


    But Ashihana looks very motivated. She turns to the sawtooth oak tree that I cut down and starts swinging her ax vigorously. The nice sound of the sawtooth oak echoed through the forest. If she forms a party with me, she can get a miscellaneous wood right here, but we can''t keep working together in the future. I guess she wants to know if it''s possible to get some trees without plant knowledge skill.


    What surprised me is that when she takes a break during work, the tree''s condition returns to normal after a few minutes. I guess the object has an automatic repair function.


    She had to start all over again because of this, but she managed to cut down the tree after 30 minutes.


    The sawtooth oak tree falls with a loud cracking sound.


    "How is it?"


    "Eeeto. I did it! I got some wood! And there''s an announcement that some skills have been unlocked!"


    When Ashihana checks her skill list, it seems that plant knowledge is now available. I never thought she could get the skill.


    It seems that the requirement is not just to cut down trees randomly, but to cut down trees that can be used for wood by yourself. I think we can acquire this skill if we try some other plant-related skills.


    "Then I''ll acquire it as soon as I can!"


    "Wait a minute!"


    "What is it, Sawyer-chi?"


    "If Ashihana-san gets the plant knowledge here, I can see the logging point as her party member, right? Please wait until I cut it down by myself."


    "OK."


    So, we waited for the sawtooth oak to return to its original state, and then Sawyer worked hard to acquire the skill.


    However, it took him much longer than Ashihana, probably because his logging skill level is lower.


    In the meantime, we spent time killing monsters that approached us, and Ashihana held a woodworking class for Sakura. Orto and I raised our base level by one, and Rick and Kumama raised theirs by two.


    Also, Orto collected some ores for me. I didn''t have mining, so I didn''t pay much attention to it, but there are actually several mining points on the riverside. I got some low-quality bronze ore from the riverside area.


    Moreover, in the cliffside where the green peach tree grows. The same cliffside where I had fallen to my death. There is also a mining point there. Normally, you''d have to climb up or use a rope to get down from the top, but Orto had used earth magic to make footholds to mine it easily. That surprised Ashihana.


    Other than bronze ore, we also got a rare ore called water ore from this cliff. Perhaps it was thanks to Orto''s luck skill. The rumor says that water ore can be obtained from this cliff, but the probability is so low that many people doubt it.


    One hour later. Sawyer-kun keeps swinging his ax without resting and finally successfully cuts down the tree.


    "I did it! I totally did it! I acquired the skill!"


    "Good, good. That''s good. The shouta elf is jumping up and down with joy. Stop! I am not going to that side!¡¡Don''t strike a cute pose!"


    "What''s wrong?"


    "No, no, nothing is wrong. More importantly, is plant knowledge not well known?"


    "Yes, that''s right. I had never heard of it before. Eeeto, according to the aggregate data, it seems that by the 9th day, only 3 people have acquired it."


    3 people?¡¡That''s not many. But didn''t the other people post it on the bulletin board?¡¡Tough, I don''t have the right to say that.


    "I wonder why. Maybe they don''t think the skill is that important like Yuuto-san did. It just became available by accidentally fulfilling some requirements, and once you got it, you would know the names of weeds."


    "Maybe you have to be a woodworker or a farmer to realize the value of this skill. Either that or they''re secretly keeping it to themselves."


    I see. I''m not the type to worry about it, but I''m sure there are a lot of players who want to keep useful information hidden as long as possible.


    "Yuuto-san, what do you want to do?"


    "Eh? Me?"


    "Do you want to keep it a secret?¡¡Or do you want to post it on the bulletin board?"


    "No, why are you asking me?¡¡You two can do whatever you want."


    "Listen. It was thanks to you that we acquired the plant knowledge skill, right? We can''t just do whatever we want without your permission!"


    Is that the case?¡¡Because I thought it only natural that the information would spread once I told them.


    "I don''t really mind either way.¡¡What do you two want to do?"


    "Eeh? I see... Then, should we keep it a secret for now?"


    "You are right. Yuuto-san was the one who found it, so it''s better that way, right?"


    It seems that my way of asking was wrong. They''re trying to be considerate of me. Although they are reluctant to do so, they have decided not to post about it on the bulletin board.


    "Then let''s just keep it between us for a while."


    It seems to be valuable information for Sawyer-kun and Ashihana, so I think we should keep it off the bulletin board for a while. But I also tell them that they can share it with anyone they want.


    After that, we decided to go back to the town while gathering wood. It is almost evening. No matter how strong Ashihana is, it''s tough to explore at night when the monsters are getting stronger.


    They gather a lot of wood along the way. Ashihana and Sawyer-kun look very happy.

 CH 45

    Chapter 45: Continuing the chain quest


    "Thank you for today! I''ve had such a very fruitful day!"


    "Thanks for everything too."


    "I''ll finish the beekeeping box as soon as I can. I''ll e-mail you when it''s ready."


    "I''ll look forward to it."


    "OK. Bye-bye!"


    I gave Ashihana some of the green peach wood I got today and also some gray squirrel fur that I got before. Apparently, they can be used to make beekeeping boxes.


    After parting ways with Ashihana at the plaza, I walk with Sawyer-kun. We are heading to the flower shop where I got the bookmark.


    "Is that the flower shop?"


    "Yeah, you see it?"


    "Yes."


    As I thought, if he has plant knowledge skill, he can enter a flower shop. Sawyer was able to enter the flower shop following me.


    "Hello, Scoop-san."


    "Yuuto!¡¡Welcome. Looks like many visitors today!"


    "Hee, that''s great!"


    Sawyer is looking at various small items with sparkling eyes. Then when he sees the bookmarks, he runs over to pick them.


    "I hear you''ve fulfilled Raiba''s request.¡¡I appreciate that."


    "Well, it''s no big deal."


    As I am talking to Scoop-san, I see someone coming from the back of the store.


    "Are you the adventurer from the other world who solved my nephew''s problems?"


    He looks quite stern, just like Scoop and his brothers, but his speech is quite gentle.


    "I''m Scoop''s uncle, and my name is Pisco. Nice to meet you."


    "Yes, nice to meet you."


    "I know it''s not polite to ask such a thing from you when we just met, but would you mind accepting my request?"


    Oh, a new request has come in. But why all of a sudden? When I came to greet Scoop-san this morning, nothing happened.


    "Actually, I run a wood store. I usually cut the wood myself..."


    Pisco pause for a moment then lifts his right arm. There is a bandage on his arm.


    "As you can see, I''ve been injured. I can''t go to stock up, so I''m in trouble."


    "So you want me to cut down some trees and bring them to you?"


    "Yes, that''s right."


    Apparently, logging skill is the key. The content of the quest is also something that can only be accomplished with logging skills.


    Supply Quest


    Description: Supply 10 pieces of wood, miscellaneous wood, and sawtooth oak.


    Reward: 400G, miscellaneous wood and wood tableware set


    Deadline: 4 days


    Wow, tableware. We''re a big family, so I''m quite happy.


    I don''t have 10 pieces of sawtooth oak. I only have 8 pieces. But I''m sure I can get them quickly in the western forest, so I''ll accept the request.


    "I''ll accept it."


    "Oh, you''ll accept!¡¡Thank you! So, are you going to supply the goods now?"


    "What do you mean? I only have 8 pieces."


    "No, you guys have 10 pieces of sawtooth oak, right?"


    I wonder what that means, but it seems that Sawyer-kun and I are still in the same party. Maybe we are treated as a party because there are now 6 of us after Ashihana left our team.


    "Then I''ll give you 2 pieces."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes. I have enough supplies."


    After some discussion, we decided that Sawyer-kun would get 200G and I would get 200G and the tableware. As long as I can get the tableware, I don''t need the money. But Sawyer-kun said he was satisfied to have been introduced to the flower shop and the wood store.


    "Here you go."


    "Thank you. I received 10 pieces of sawtooth oak!"


    All right, I got the tableware. It''s probably for a party, but it''s a set of wooden plates, cups, knives, and forks for 6 people. I can''t wait to use them.


    But I forgot that this is a chain quest.


    "And actually, I''d like to ask you guys a favor. Would that be okay?"


    What a surprise, another request from Pisco. Apparently, I met the conditions for the next request.


    "Thanks to you, I''ve managed to stock up, but there''s one request left. It''s a request to make a small wooden item, but I don''t think I can make it with this hand."


    I see, so the next key is woodcraft skill. That means it''s all thanks to Sakura and Sawyer-kun.


    Creation and Supply Quest


    Description: Supply two pieces of tableware made of wood with a quality of ¡ï8 or higher.


    Reward: 500 G, a cherry tree sapling


    Deadline: 10 days


    The reward is a sapling, and it''s a cherry tree! I don''t care, even if it''s a small tree. Cherry blossom viewing with monsters in this world is like a dream!


    However, I''m not sure if this is achievable or not. The deadline is a little long, but I''m not sure that''s enough to get an ¡ï8...


    "Sawyer-kun, what do you think?"


    "Hmmm. I think it''s quite difficult. Even if the wood is easier to work with, an ¡ï8 is..."


    "I see. How about Ashihana?"


    "That''s right. She might be able to do it..."


    "Then let''s ask her."


    I check my friend list and see that she is still logged in. I try to make a friend call. This is a kind of phone that allows you to talk with your in-game friends. Shortly after, Ashihana answers my call.


    "Hoihooi. Yuuto-san, what''s up?"


    "Actually, I just received a small request."


    "Hee?¡¡What''s the request?"


    It''s a request to supply two pieces of tableware made of wood with a quality of ¡ï8 or higher.


    I am going to ask her if she can make it, but she interrupts me and says...


    "Eh? Then I just made it, you know?"


    "Eh? Two pieces of *8 tableware?"


    "I just made them! I just wanted to see how the sawtooth oak feels when it''s cut. Two plates. The quality seems to be higher because there is no special effect. I was surprised that I could make *8 items so suddenly. Do you want them?"


    "Eeh?¡¡Well, if I could have them then I happy. But..."


    "Then I''ll give them to you!"


    It seems that I could accomplish the request very soon. I tell her I would pick them up, but she says she is interested in the wood store, so she would bring them to the flower shop.


    "I''ll accept your request."


    "Thank you!¡¡I''ll counting on you!"


    About 10 minutes later.


    "Thank you!¡¡You helped me!"


    I handed over the plates that Ashihana brought to me and accomplished the request straight away.


    [Enlist Orto''s level has been raised.]


    [Enlist Sakura''s---.]


    Ooh, all my monsters'' levels have increased. I guess that''s because of the experience they gained in the forest and from completing quests!


    What''s more, Orto has acquired a new skill. Maybe it''s because he''s reached level 10. Harvest Increase. This is a very exciting skill.


    Harvest Increase: Increases the amount of harvest by 30%. Doubled with a certain probability.


    With this, we can slightly increase the harvest from the trees. And if the double effect is activated, the harvest of medicinal herbs might also increase. I don''t know the probability, but I hope Orto will be lucky enough to get it.


    I gave Ashihana 500 G as a reward for the plates, and I took the cherry tree sapling. Sawyer-kun refused to accept the reward because he hadn''t done anything. He said that the experience he got from completing this request is enough. It looks like his level has risen.


    "Gahahaha!"¡¡You guys are awesome!"


    "I love you guys. Come visit my store next time. You''re welcome."


    "That''s right, when the cherry blossoms bloom, let''s have a party under the tree!"


    A party with NPCs and monsters under the cherry blossom tree I grew in the game. Hmmm, just thinking about it makes me excited. It sounds really fun.


    "Certainly!"


    Right after I said that...


    Special Quest


    Description: Invite Scoop, Raiba, and Pisco to a cherry blossom viewing party under the cherry blossom tree you grew yourself.


    Reward: 3 bonus points


    Deadline: None


    Eh?¡¡I got some kind of quest. Was that one of the chain quests? Moreover, it looks like I accepted it. Was that because I nodded?¡¡Well, I don''t mind doing it, but I can''t accomplish it right away. I''ll ask Orto and Sakura to do their best. And then it''s cherry blossom party time!

 CH 46

    Chapter 46: Tree day


    After finishing the chain quest, I logged out for a while and then logged back in to work on my farm. If there''s moonlight, it won''t be too dark, and farming at night is a nice thing to do.


    It''s watering and weeding, but it still makes me more skilled in farming. If I raise my level one more time, I should be able to acquire the breeding skill. I need to get more skills in my free time.


    While I am working on the farm, I see a faint light.


    "What is that?"


    The light came from the farm that was planted mostly with green peaches and other trees. I approach it carefully.


    "Is this a walnut tree?"


    The walnut I planted three days ago had already grown to about 1 meter high. On one of its branches, there is a fruit that emits a pale blue light.


    At first glance, it looks like a firefly, but it is actually a glowing walnut fruit. The walnut is emitting a faint blue-white light.


    But did it have any flowers?¡¡No, I didn''t expect to be able to harvest it in such a short time, so I didn''t pay attention to it at all.


    Apparently, it takes a week for a normal player to get their first harvest. But Orto has Growth Boost Ex, and Sakura has Earth Magic as well. With the two of them, it might be possible to grow them two times faster.


    "Is it possible that this is light walnut?"


    It reminds me of a story I heard before. It says there''s a low probability it will grow on walnut trees. However, I heard that the forest at night is quite dangerous and the difficulty of obtaining them is really high.


    I didn''t expect it to appear on my farm. It''s supposed to be very rare, but... It is possible to grow and harvest walnuts from a young tree, but only one fruit will grow at first. It seems that the harvest increases as the tree grows.


    I wonder if that one light walnut was just a coincidence, or if it was thanks to Orto''s good luck?


    "I wonder what it''s for. Is it edible? Or can it be used for mixing?"


    Name: Light Walnut


    Rarity: 3 Quality: ¡ï5


    Effect: Material. Restores the user''s fullness by 5%.


    Rarer than green peach. I''ll check the bulletin board for more information on this later. I want to take a closer look at the bulletin board after I finish harvesting.


    "Let''s finish the harvest as soon as possible."


    That''s what I thought, but circumstances have changed that I can''t do that.


    " ...... Did I plant this crop?"


    After the light walnut, it is another mysterious harvest. What''s going on tonight?¡¡In the place where medicinal herbs are supposed to be planted, there is a single red grass that I have never seen before.


    Moreover, not all medicinal herbs are like that. Only one of them has turned into red grass. The size is about the same, but the leaves are completely different. It seems that not only the color has changed.


    Name: Microflame Grass


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect£º Material


    I''ve never seen this plant before. Where the hell did it come from?


    "Orto, did you plant this?"


    "Mumu."


    Orto shakes his head. Apparently not. Then how did it grow here?


    For the time being, I checked the in-game bulletin board and found out that microflame grass grows everywhere in the 3rd area. It''s treated like a worthless plant because there are so many of them.


    It seems that it can be used to make torches and solid fuel. There are many blacksmiths who try to mix it with weapons to make them fireproof, but there is no success story.


    But even though I knew how to use it, I couldn''t figure out why it grew on my farm. No choice. I''ll research this one in detail later.


    "Well, let''s try to grow it for now."


    Even if it''s not rare, it''s a valuable material for me.


    "Orto, can you grow more?"


    "Mu!"


    It seems there is no problem. I''ll just leave the microflame grass to Orto. The next question is what to do with the light walnut.


    I did a lot of searching and found that there were so many uses for it that it troubled me. Not only can it be used for food, but it can also be used for fluorescent paint and lighting tools.


    In addition, I heard that it is required for rank-up quests in the thief guild. A rank-up quest is an event that occurs when you raise your guild rank to 5, and the content differs depending on the guild.


    In the case of the thief guild, it seems that the requirement is to get three light walnuts in one night as a solo player. By the way, the thief''s guild in this game is not a criminal organization.


    Soloing is a very difficult thing to do, isn''t it? Because the difficulty level of the forest at night jumps up. In the case of the Beastmaster Guild, the requirement is to bring 3 monsters with Lv 10 or higher.


    "Hmm, maybe I''ll just leave it unused for now. Anyway, I don''t know if I can get it again next time."


    Right after I put the walnut in my inventory.


    Suddenly, I heard something like a phone ringing. It is a friend call.


    "Alyssa-san... Hello?"


    "Ah, Yuuto-kun. It''s about taking me to the altar. When do you want to go?"


    "Eh?¡¡We''re going this evening, right?"


    When I went to sell the information about the spirit altar, I made a promise that I would bring her to the altar on the next tree day. Finally, the day has come. Today is the 12th, Tree Day. It''s the day when the Spirit descends to the altar. But we agreed to go at night to avoid being seen by other people.


    "That''s fine, but we can do it before the sun comes up too. On the 12th day, as long as it''s dark enough that no one else can see us."


    I see. Since she said after dark, I thought it would be after 8pm on the 12th day. Now that she mentions it, I guess it''s okay if it''s before the sun comes up.


    I don''t have any urgent plans, so that''s fine too.


    "I can go now if you want."


    "Really?¡¡Then, can I ask you to go now? I want to inspect it as soon as possible. Also, do you mind if I take another clan member with me? The more data we have on the offering, the better."


    "I don''t mind."


    "Thank you. Then two more people will join us."


    "Sure. We''ll meet at Alyssa''s stall, is that OK?"


    "OK. No problem."


    Therefore, I am going to Alyssa-san''s stall.


    "Rick and Kumama follow me."


    "Kyu!"


    "Kuma!""


    Where the hell did you kids learn how to salute?

 CH 47

    Chapter 47: Reunion with Spirit-sama


    I am going to the city square to meet Alyssa-san and the others...


    "Hebu!"


    My foot caught on something, and I fell. My face hit the ground hard!¡¡If this is the real world, my nose will bleed for sure.


    "Ouch. Sakura, what are you doing?"


    Sakura''s whip was wrapped around my leg.


    "What are you doing?"


    "She''s making some kind of gesture and then pointing at herself."


    "What?¡¡ Sakura, do you want to go too?"


    " ¨D¨D?."


    Sakura folds her hands in front of her breasts and nods her head. When I think about it, Spirit-sama maybe like a mother to Sakura.


    "Do you want to meet Spirit-sama?"


    "¨D¨D??."


    I was right. Since she really wants to go, I''ll take Sakura with me. So Kumama will stay at home. This time, Kumama looks depressed, but she gets cheered up when Sakura pats her head. Oh, you''re acting like a big sister, aren''t you?


    It''s good that my monsters are getting along so well.


    "Good evening."


    "Welcome. We''ve been waiting for you."


    "So when you said more people will be coming, did you mean Ruin-san and Maple-san?"


    Ruin the weapon shop owner and Maple the farming shop owner are the Sharp Ears Cat members. They were waiting for me with Alyssa-san.


    "Ou, I''ll count on you."


    "I''ll be in your care."


    "Now, let''s form a party right away, OK?


    "No, wait a minute. I want to see if we can get in without forming a party, so let''s go like this."


    I see so that''s where you want to start the verification.


    The altar is not far. We soon reach the bridge where the entrance is located. However, to avoid being seen by other players, we wait for an opportunity. Though I feel it would be more suspicious if we standstill on the bridge.


    After waiting for 20 minutes, finally, an opportunity came.


    "No one will see us now."


    Alyssa-san''s scouting skill confirm that the area is clear, and we start to move.


    "OK, let''s go!"


    "We''re really going into the canal, aren''t we?"


    "Are we going on foot?"


    I see Ruin''s face is tense as he looks at the canal. Is he afraid of water?


    "It''s OK. The deepest part is only up to my waist."


    "It''s OK then..."


    "But just because you''re a dwarf doesn''t mean you can''t swim, right?"


    Fantasy novels often say dwarves can''t swim, but LJO surely doesn''t have such a setting.


    "Maybe, but I''m a hopeless swimmer in real life. I don''t even know if I can swim here."


    "Ah, I see. If you have no swimming skill and can''t swim in real life, there''s a possibility you can''t swim in LJO."


    "I can swim lightly without swimming skill, so I guess real-life skills do have some effect."


    "Maybe it''s a good thing I didn''t bring Kumama."


    He looks like a moving stuffed animal. He might absorb water and sink. No, I think he''ll be fine. Rick is fine because he is wrapped around my neck.


    "This way."


    "I''m so excited."


    "Oh, there''s a door."


    After ensuring that everyone is already under the bridge, I insert the key into the hidden door. The door opened without any problem.


    But to Alyssa-san and the others, the door looks like it''s still closed. It looks like I''m moving my hand on an empty space. Hmmm, I look like a fool.


    "Looks like it''s impossible."


    "Then let''s form a party."


    Then the door also appears to have opened for Alyssa-san and the others. It seems that we have to form a party.


    "There are stairs."


    "Is there any light?"


    "Yes, but it''s dimly lit, so watch your step."


    We walk down the stairs to the altar on the right side of the stairs. Alyssa-san is looking into the left corridor curiously.


    "I wonder what''s over there."


    "There are stairs that go further down. I haven''t gone any further, so I don''t know what''s there."


    "Maybe it leads to the guild."


    "But I''m curious because there might be some changes since the beta."


    "So after we get to the altar, do you want to go down those stairs?"


    "Is that OK?"


    "It''s not like I have any plans. Just don''t rely on my battle power."


    "We are all beta testers, you know. Leave that to us."


    I thought they were always in town, but it seems that Alyssa-san and the others are taking turns with the clan members and also are making good progress in their adventure. When I ask their base levels, as expected, their level is higher than mine.


    Soon, we arrived in front of the altar room.


    "This is the altar room?"


    "OK. I''ll open it."


    As I expected, the door easily opened. There is an altar surrounded by the huge roots of the Great Water Guardian Tree, just as I had seen before.


    "Eeto, is Spirit-sama here?"


    "Yes. It''s been a while, adventurer."


    "Ah, hello. It''s been a week."


    "Oh, a spirit."


    "She''s beautiful."


    "We can see it, too."


    Alyssa-san and the others are so impressed, but they immediately remember their purpose and ask if they can make an offering too.


    "Apparently, it''s fine."


    "Then I will make this as an offering."


    Alyssa-san''s offering at the altar is something that looks like leather. When I appraised it, it turned out to be the leather of a Lesser Rex.


    It''s one of the best demon materials you can get right now. After all, it''s a rare drop from the field boss in the 3rd area.


    "Eeh?¡¡Are you sure?¡¡That''s such a great item."


    "This is for the sake of verification."


    "Then I will give you my blessing. Here, take this."


    "This is... iron ingot?"


    Name: Iron Ingot


    Rarity: 3 Quality: ¡ï 6


    Effect: An ingot made of iron


    Isn''t it kind of a loss?¡¡The leather of a powerful monster has turned into an iron ingot.


    But apparently, I am the only one who thinks that''s a loss.


    "Aa, amazing!"


    "Eh?¡¡Why?"


    "Listen! Even among the top blacksmiths, only a few can make iron ingots. And the qualities are low! That''s a ¡ï6? Anyone wants it!"


    "Oh! This is going to be fun!"


    The quiet Ruin is shouting in excitement. Apparently, it''s really amazing.


    Right now, bronze and copper are still the most popular. Iron is still rare.


    Many people will want to come here when they know they can get iron ingots here.


    It''s not something you can get just by piling up money!


    When I ask him for more details, he says that leather is more suitable for making armor and items with special effects. However, if you simply look at the performance, iron equipment is much better. However, the iron ore used as the raw material seems to be a rare drop from the rare monsters in the 3rd area, so even if you want it, you can''t get it.


    While the two of us are still excited, Maple-san approaches the altar. She''s a very easy-going person, isn''t she?


    "Then, next is me. This is mine."


    What Maple-san put on the altar is high-grade fertilizer, the same as my previous offering. Apparently, they want to see what they can get by offering the same thing.


    And the item that Maple-san received was not the fruit of the Water Guardian Tree, but instead a beautiful pink flower.


    Name: Flower of Water Guardian Tree


    Rarity: 3 Quality: ¡ï7


    Effect: When used for mixing, it increases the quality of the original material by 1. The maximum quality is ¡ï7. Increases mutation rate.


    "Hee, very interesting."


    It certainly looks interesting. It will be interesting to see how the mixing product''s quality increases as the material''s quality increases. I also want it. But why was the blessing different?


    When I asked Spirit-sama, she didn''t answer. Alyssa-san and the others guessed that it was some kind of first-time bonus.


    "So I''m the last one. I''ll offer this."


    Ruin put ordinary copper ore there. He probably brought it straight from the mine. Isn''t there any better way to make an offering?


    "Eh?¡¡Are you really going to give that?"


    "Why don''t you target to get the iron ingot?"


    "Because we need to find out what we can get with the least valuable offering."


    So it''s just for verification. I''m curious to see what he''ll get.


    However, Ruin didn''t receive an item. He received a buff that prevented his fullness from decreasing for 12 hours.


    "Well, it seems that garbage items don''t give much in return."


    After coming to the altar, which can only be used once every eight weeks, this buff is not a good result. Thank goodness I got the fruit of the water guardian tree. If I didn''t have the high-grade fertilizer at that time, I would have ended up taking Ruin course.


    "Oh, right. I''ve wanted to try something too."


    It''s an experiment to see if my monster can make an offering. I thought it might be possible since the enlist monster is also a party member.


    It didn''t work. Apparently, I was too greedy.


    "I''m not sure what to say. You should greet the spirit."


    "---?."


    "Ara. You''re my family. To be able to raise spirits, well done. Fufu, come here."


    "---??."


    I wonder if she''s happy.¡¡Sakura is also smiling as Spirit-sama pats her on the head. She''s the older sister among my monsters, but now she looks like a little girl.


    "Please bring this child to visit me again."


    "Yes."


    "You must visit me again, OK?"


    "Oh, OK."


    That''s it. No special events, no quests. It seems Sakura really just wanted to meet Spirit-sama. Well, she looks happy, so that''s fine.


    Alyssa-san asks a question to Spirit-sama, who is playing with Sakura.


    "Excuse me, I have a question. Does this mean that anyone can come here if they ask Yuuto-kun who has the key?"


    The Spirit-sama answer Alyssa-san''s question with a nod.


    "Yes, that''s right."


    "Isn''t that great?¡¡Maybe you can make money by taking people here?"


    Alyssa-san is a real businesswoman. Her idea is amazing. However, I don''t think I can do that kind of business... My character is not suitable for that, and that will probably take a lot of time.


    However, Spirit-sama''s next words clarified that Alyssa-san''s idea is impossible.


    "However, each key can only be registered to up to 5 people other than the key holder."


    "Eh?¡¡Registration?"


    "Yes."


    After I hear Spirit-sama''s words, I check the key. I take out the key and appraise it. After the holder name: Yuuto, there are 3 more names: Alyssa, Ruin, and Maple.


    "Is there any way to cancel this registration?"


    "No, that is not possible. However, you can register your name to multiple keys, though it won''t increase the number of blessings you get."


    Does this mean I can only register two more names in this key?


    "I''m sorry, Yuuto-kun."


    "I never thought this would happen..."


    Alyssa-san and the others apologize, but to be honest, I have very few friends and no guesses that I can bring with me. I''m not that sorry.


    "I''ll give you some compensation."


    "No, you don''t have to do that."


    "No, I can''t do that. It would be damaging to my reputation as an information broker if I made you suffer any loss."


    "But I''ve already received 4,000 G''s for the information."


    "That''s far from enough!"


    As a result of our discussion, they gave me the Water Guardian Tree flower and the Iron Ingot.


    Well, it''s not like I don''t want them. I decided to take what I could get, though I felt like I was getting something for free.

 CH 48

    Chapter 48: Underground Exploration


    After leaving the altar, we explore the underground corridor leading to the guild.


    As a dwarf with night vision, Ruin leads the way. Alyssa-san is a scout and a merchant, so she is right behind him...


    The production workers (me and Maple) are in the middle. Sakura is on the rear. I let Rick roam as he pleases.


    As we turn the corner for the 2nd time, Alyssa-san whispers to me.


    "It''s a little different from the beta version."


    "What was it like in the beta version?"


    "It was a straight path."


    Alyssa-san told me that it was a straight path in the beta version, no monsters appeared, and there were no items to collect. However, we had already turned the corner twice. And there''s one more difference from the beta version.


    "Kyu."


    "Rick, did you find something?"


    That''s right. Rick has been gathering materials for me.


    It''s not a lot, but it''s all the same material that can be found around the beginning town: Red Tengu Mushrooms, edible Cruz mushrooms, and Shiiri Mushrooms.


    And there is one other thing that is different from the beta version.


    "Wait, there''s a monster."


    Ruin in the lead stops everyone. He has night vision, so he can see beyond the darkness.


    Just as he had told us, many shadows appeared at the end of the underground corridor. As we observe the monsters moving in the darkness, we immediately see the whole thing.


    "Rock Ant?"


    I had never encountered these monsters before, but they appear in the southern forests and eastern plains.


    Their attack power is not so great, but their defense is quite high, making them a troublesome opponent. In fact, these monsters are the second most deadly monsters after Wild Dogs. It''s probably the strongest of the enemies that appear around the beginning town.


    However, their magic defense is low, so you won''t have much trouble if you can use magic.


    This might be the first time I will play an active role!


    That''s what I was thinking, but...


    "Nuruyaa!"


    "Rock Ball!"


    "Wind ball!"


    The three Sharp Ears Cats finished them off in a blink of an eye. It''s good that Maple and Alyssa-san can use magic. I heard a theory that says that a warrior should be able to use at least one type of magic, so it''s only natural that these girls have learned magic.


    But what the hell is Ruin''s attack power?¡¡He defeated a supposedly hard Rock Ant with just one blow of his mace, which is supposed to be resistant to physical attack.


    I was so surprised that Ruin must have understood my reaction. He shows me his weapon and says.


    "This is my masterpiece, the Mace of Great Fire. It has fire attribute."


    I see. It has attribute damage, which means it can be used against Rock Ant.


    Name: Mace of Great Fire


    Rarity: 3 Quality: ¡ï8 Durability: 233


    Effect: Attack Strength +41, Fire Attribute -4, Agility -4


    Weight: 22


    A red stone is embedded in the center of the copper mace. It is completely brainless equipment. I can''t lift it. This is a weapon that is suitable for the dwarves.


    After that, I just waited for my chance to come, and it came quickly.


    Ruin''s attack didn''t hit the Rock Ant coming from behind.


    It seems that only Rock Ants appear in this underground corridor. They occasionally come sneaking up from the ceiling, so we can''t underestimate them. Well, thanks to Rick''s vigilance skill, I won''t be taken by surprise.


    While we are moving forward like this, Rick has picked up an interesting item.


    "Kyukyu!"


    "White mushroom?¡¡I''ve never seen it before."


    When I appraised it, it turned out to be a Red Tengu Mushroom. But it is the white variant.


    Name: Red Tengu Mushroom


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: Slight chance of poisoning or paralysis to the user.


    Name: Red Tengu Mushroom, White Variant


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: Slight chance of poison and paralysis to the user. Increases mutation rate.


    "Oh, is that the white variant?"


    "Alyssa-san, do you know about this?"


    "Yes, they are sometimes found in caves. It''s like white asparagus. They say it grows in places without sunlight. Well, I don''t know the details."


    "I see. What is this mutation rate? The Water Guardian Tree''s flower also has this effect."


    "Oh, that''s--."


    When mixing or cultivating, there is a possibility that the item will turn into a special item that is completely different from the original item. It''s called a mutation.


    This is not always a good thing, as it may turn into a higher-ranked item, or it may not be what you are expecting.


    If you use these white and Red Tengu Mushrooms in your mix, you will have a high probability of mutation.


    The mutation rate and the rarity are low, so I shouldn''t expect too much. You have to use items, tools, and skills that increase the mutation rate to get a mutation. You have to mix rare items many times before you finally get a mutation. That''s true. I haven''t had any mutation so far.


    No, wait a minute.¡¡ The microflame grass I got earlier. Maybe that''s a mutated medicinal herb?


    I asked Alyssa-san about it. It seems to be a mutation of a medicinal herb. It''s not a special species like the white variant but a normal mutation that mutates into the same species with a higher rarity.


    "Hmm. It''s not very useful."


    "Well, it''s a microflame grass."


    Instead, the light walnuts got a better response. They never heard of any player who could harvest these on the farm yet.


    By the way, if you try to harvest walnuts in real life, you have to remove the shell that covers them, which is quite troublesome.


    But in this game, walnuts without shells grow on trees. Well, as expected, planting the walnuts in the ground and removing the shells would take too much time and effort... Well, this is probably an adult consideration.


    There are other adult considerations as well. I mean, when you''ve just defeated a monster, and you have fur and meat in your inventory without dismantling it, that''s also an adult consideration.


    "Is it possible to grow the white variant?¡¡If I grow them in a place with no sunlight, will they turn white?"


    I ask Maple-san about it, but she says she has no idea. It seems that some people have tried, but no one ever succeeds.


    I asked Maple-san to tell me about the growing methods they have tried. Well, it''s not difficult. All I have to do is dig a hole, block out the sunlight, and grow it there.


    "I''ll ask Orto when I get back."


    "If you find a way to grow it, please sell me the information."


    "Well, the professional farmers are struggling, right?¡¡I doubt I can do it."


    "No, no. I''m sure you can find a way."


    "Well, I''ll let you know if I find it."


    When I promised that, I got one good piece of information. She told me that water is very important when growing mushrooms. Just by improving water quality, the number of mushrooms grown will increase. If I use purified water to grow them, I can harvest at least two.


    That was a blind spot. Once I get home, I''ll give the purified water to Orto.


    I also learned how to change my inventory settings. I guess she gets frustrated when she sees me receiving items from Rick one by one.


    It seems that by adding my monsters to my inventory settings, I can automatically store the materials they collect in my inventory. Besides, items collected within four hours will be marked as new in the inventory, so they won''t get mixed up. That''s convenient.


    While chatting with Maple-san and Alyssa-san, we reached the end of the corridor. Ruin is a very quiet person, so he mostly just nods or shakes his head.


    "That''s a big door."


    "Yeah, it''s supposed to lead to the adventurer''s guild basement."


    "Well, it won''t open now."


    No matter what Ruin did, he could not open the door. My key can''t open this door either. It must be made to open only from the adventurer''s guild side. In the end, we have to turn back.


    "Then, is this the end for today?"


    "I think so."


    "Thank you for your help."


    "Wait, wait a minute. Take this with you."


    It seems that Alyssa-san and the others are still bothered about the key, and they forced me to take the Rock Ant materials. I don''t want to argue with them, so I take it without saying anything.


    But even without that, I already got many things. Information about the white variant, Rock Ant materials, and experience points. I''m pretty happy with the results.


    "Maybe I''ll buy some logs from the Farming Guild before I go back to my farm."

 CH 49

    Chapter 49: Unattended shop


    I go to the Farming Guild to buy some logs to grow the white variant. I buy 3 logs and some high-grade fertilizer.


    While I''m here, I might as well check the requests. When I look at the board, there are several requests that I can complete.


    The first one is a request to supply 3 kinds of mushrooms. I have several pieces of each mushroom kind, so I can complete this request now.


    Besides that, there is a special quest to show a mutated variant. It''s similar to the Beastmaster Guild''s request to show Barbara-san a unique monster.


    For now, I showed the white variant of the Red Tengu Mushroom. There is also a request to show a mutated plant on my farm. Unfortunately, I''ve already converted my microflame grass into seeds.


    That was a mistake. I''ll come back to show the mutated plant next time.


    Apparently, I''ve fulfilled the requirement to raise my guild rank by completing two requests.


    "Would you like to take a rank-up quest to raise your guild rank?"


    Next is rank 5. To raise my rank, I''ll have to do a quest. For the Beastmaster''s Guild, I have to bring 3 kinds of lvl 10 monsters to complete the quest. It looks quite difficult...


    I wonder how about the Farming guild.


    Special Quests


    Description: Deliver 4 kinds of crops of ¡ï3 or higher harvested from your farm.


    Reward: Raise your guild rank to Rank 5


    Deadline: None


    Are?¡¡That''s so easy. In fact, I''m able to achieve it now. But is it really that hard if I grow it in the normal way?¡¡Thanks to Orto, I can harvest ¡ï5 crops regularly. I don''t really understand the difficulty level.


    So I completed the quest on the spot and successfully raised my guild rank to 5. As I thought, my rank in the farming guild would increase faster than the Beastmaster guild.


    "If my rank rises, will I be able to buy more things?"


    "Of course. You''ll be able to buy higher-ranked farming tools and more seedlings and seeds."


    When I ask to see the catalog, there are more seeds of medicinal herbs, paralysis plants, and other farm products. Also, I can buy ¡ï3 edible grass. Previously, I only can buy ¡ï1 edible grass.


    Moreover, the number of high-grade fertilizers that can be bought in one week has increased to 5.


    "And now you can set up your own unattended shop."


    "Unattended shop?"


    "Yeah."


    I asked about the details and found out that the system allows people to sell their harvests from their farms and products made from them.


    The difference between this and the street stalls is that you can only sell products that you have registered. The unattended shop allows you to sell up to 5 goods if your guild rank is 5.


    Although you can replace them, you can''t sell as many items as you want, like in a stall. Also, since you can only sell goods related to farming, you can''t sell armor or monster materials.


    However, you can sell potions made from herbs harvested from the farm and wooden products made from wood harvested from trees grown on your farm.


    "Is there any fee to use it?"


    "No, there are no fees. All you have to do is set up a shop in front of your farm."


    That''s a good deal. And it sounds interesting.


    So I decided to sign up for the unattended shop. Well, it was quite simple. It''s already set up in front of my farm, just like my barn.


    I quickly return to my field and see a stall-like shop in front of my first farm. It looks like the vegetable stalls I often see in real life.


    "Hee. This way... oh, I can change various settings by touching it."


    It allows me to choose what to sell and set the price. So, what should I sell?


    My most surplus goods are portable food and vegetables. I don''t think these will sell to the ordinary players.


    Maybe medicines would be the best sellers?¡¡Well, I can sell the medicines that I sell to Alyssa-san here, but...


    I can prepare ¡ï5 lower-level potions, poisons, paralysis pills, bleeding pills, and Severe attack medicines. I''m sure there''s a demand for them, but what should I do?


    Yeah, maybe I should ask someone for their opinion.¡¡I look at my friend list and see that Ashihana is still online. Let''s discuss this with her for now.


    I made a friend call to Ashihana.


    "Hello?¡¡What''s up, Yuuto-san? Please wait a little longer for the beekeeping box."


    "No, it''s not about the beekeeping box. I just want to discuss something with you."


    I told her about my unattended shop. Then, I got some advice, which was much better than expected.


    "Medicine might be difficult to sell?"


    "Why?"


    "They''re ¡ï5, right? Not many people in the beginning town will buy them. Most of the people in the beginning town are production workers or beginners who started late."


    "I see."


    "I''m sure you can sell as much as you want in the 3rd city."


    "So it''s better to sell vegetables?"


    "I think you should sell the herbal tea leaves!"


    "I am not sure if they can sell well."


    "I want some!¡¡I drank all the tea you gave me yesterday."


    "Eeh?¡¡Didn''t I give you 5 bags?"


    "I can''t help it. It is so delicious. It''s perfect for drinking while working. It would be great if you could sell the cookies too!"


    Herbal tea, hmm. I don''t mind selling them, but I can''t expect much profit from them.


    I can only sell herbal tea leaves for around 200 G. The reason is that the price set for unattended shops is limited to five times the basic price of the goods. The basic price is the price set by the system, which is calculated based on the material''s value and quality. No matter how much the demand is, the unattended shop is only allowed to sell goods five times the basic price.


    In the first place, herbs are treated as weeds, so they are only worth about 10 G to 40 G. That''s because they''re just dried. The value is mostly the material cost.


    If it''s a mixed product, it''s treated as a multi-ingredient product and can be worth 400-600 G. Still, I think that price is too high for a luxury item without any effect.


    "No, wait a minute. Since Ashihana and Sawyer-kun have plants knowledge, why don''t you make your own? Sawyer-kun is an alchemist, so he can dry them, right?"


    "That didn''t work!"


    Ashihana also has alchemy skill. It seems she has already tried it.


    But Ashihana and Sawyer-kun couldn''t dry the herbs.


    It seems that no matter how they try, the herbs always turn into garbage.


    "Why?"


    "I am not sure. Maybe it requires cooking skill."


    I see, that might be true.


    "Then why don''t you take the cooking skill?


    "I want to make herbal tea, but I don''t want to spend my bonus points for that..."


    Therefore, she wants to buy herbal tea from me.


    "I get it. OK, I''ll register the herbal tea leaves for now."


    "Thank you!"


    "But I can''t make enough cookies for sale, you know?"


    "Hmm, it can''t be helped ~."


    "Instead, I''ll prepare five kinds of herbal teas."


    If I change the ingredients, the taste will change considerably. Some are very simple.


    When I register the products, I can change the name, so I''ve registered them as herbal teas 1~5. I will set the price to 100 G.


    "Please tell me which number you liked later."


    "OK. Roger that!"

 CH 50

    Chapter 50: Wish for breed improvement


    After setting up the unattended shop, I give Orto the logs and high-grade fertilizer I bought from the Farming Guild. I will use the high-grade fertilizer on the green peaches and walnuts. Though, I don''t plan to use it all.


    After Orto finishes preparing the mushrooms'' logs, I ask him to dig holes to plant the mushrooms. He slaps his chest and nod confidently.


    "Mumu!"


    Oh no, you''re so dependable. Orto starts digging holes with his hoe and earth magic.


    "Mummumummu."


    "Do your best."


    "Mu!"


    In the meantime, I will check on the treasure I got from the underground passage. I''ll use the table in the barn.


    The Red Tengu Mushroom, Cruz Mushroom, and Siiri Mushroom are all materials that can be bought in the beginning town. Although Red Tengu Mushrooms weren''t sold at all in the very beginning, they''re now easy to find in the market.


    Name: Cruz Mushroom


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: Restores the user''s fullness by 3%.


    Name: Siiri Mushroom


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: Restores the user''s fullness by 3%.


    Cruz mushrooms. Siiri mushrooms don''t have much effect when raw, but they can greatly restore fullness after being cooked.


    "Let''s try to grill them a bit."


    I''ll try to grill them in a frying pan.


    Name: Grilled Cruz Mushrooms


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: Restores the user''s fullness by 8%.


    Name: Grilled Siiri Mushroom


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï1


    Effect: Restores the user''s fullness by 8%.


    Just by grilling them, I increased their effectiveness by 5%. The Cruz mushroom tastes like Shimeji mushrooms, and the Shiiri Mushroom tastes like Shiitake Mushrooms. They would taste great in soup.


    While chewing on the grilled mushrooms, I put the other materials on the table. I also got some Rock Ant materials. Mostly shells, then jaws, and Formic Acid. Formic Acid was the only rare drop I got.


    I thought I had no way to use them, but I heard they can be combined with woodcraft skill. Since they''re the most suitable material for armor in the area around the beginning town, I can sell them for a reasonable price.


    For now, I''ll let Sakura use it for her woodwork. If there''s any leftover, I''ll sell it.


    "Sakura, can you use them?"


    "¨D¨D ?."


    Looks like she can use them. Sakura examines Rock Ant''s jaws from various angles with a curious expression on her face.


    Then it is time for the two new items: the white variant of the Red Tengu Mushroom and the light moss. I had no idea when I got it, but I found it in my inventory. Perhaps Rick had collected it for me.


    Name: Light moss


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï3


    Effect: None. Ornamental.


    I wondered what kind of great stuff it is, but it turned out to be a weed. No effect. Well, the light is quite strong, so maybe I can use it as a lamp?


    "Then...... maybe a moss ball?¡¡It would be beautiful if I made a moss ball from it."


    "---?."


    "Sakura, do you think so?"


    Sakura nods her head in agreement. Is it possible that her aesthetic sense is similar to humans? Well, I''d like to grow more of these if possible. Once the holes have been dug, I will give Orto these and the white variant.


    An hour later, while working in the field, Orto came to me. He says the holes are ready.


    When I got there, I found that the holes had been dug deeper than I had imagined. It is quite long to prevent sunlight from entering and looks like an air-raid shelter. As expected of a game, to be able to dig such a hole in an hour.


    The logs were installed easily. Furthermore, it seems that growing light moss is not a problem. I convert the plants into seeds and bury them in the holes.


    But not everything was good. First of all, it took 9 plot of land (3x3) to dig the hole. However, the area inside the hole is only about 3 plots. Moreover, we couldn''t plant crops in the upper part of the hole. 9 plots consumed and only 3 plots available for planting is just too inefficient. I decided not to dig any more holes.


    After that, we split up to finish the farm work and harvest. I need more wood for Sakura and more nuts for cookies.


    Today I am going to try the southern forest. I heard that it is more difficult than the western forest, but I should gain some experience there. Maybe I can get some new materials too.


    "Well, it will be my first time in the southern forest. Let''s go."


    "Mu!"


    "---!"


    "Kyukyu!"


    "Kuumaa!"


    Orto and Sakura are clenching their fists while the animal group is jumping up and down. They are full of motivation. They look very confident.


    With that momentum, we march into the southern forest. The entrance is not so different from the western forest. But suddenly, a wild dog appeared. As expected, the difficulty level is high. We went through a few battles and got some weeds, nuts, and wood.


    Ping-pong.


    Oh, it''s a notification from the management. Well, if it''s coming at noon, it must be the usual notification mail.


    Every day, I get some sort of notification, whether it''s a skill fix or a system bug fix. I''ve never read the notices since the updates or fixes rarely concern me. But I think I''d better read them today.


    [Changes and corrections to Selective breeding skill.]


    Selective breeding is a secondary skill that can be learned by raising your farming skill to level 10. It allows you to combine crops with other crops to create a new crop.


    It used to be a secondary skill, but it seems that it will be treated as art related to farming. Furthermore, it seems that there will be some changes to the skill specifications.


    Previously, the selective breeding skill was used in this way.


    1. Plant the crop and burry items you want to combine next to each other.


    2. Use your selective breeding skill on them.


    3. Wait for a few days.


    4. If you succeed, new crop sprouts will grow. If you fail, the buried items will disappear.


    From now on, you will know your success or failure immediately. If it succeeds, it will produce new seeds, and if it fails, it will produce garbage. But the difficulty of growing the new breed has increased too.


    It''s much easier to use now. The benefits of this modification are very large. One of the biggest advantages is that you don''t have to raise your selective breeding skill level. Your farming skill level reflects your selective breeding skill level. And if you use selective breeding all the time, your farming skill will also improve. It''s going to be easier to level up your skills.


    And since success or failure can be known immediately, it is easier to experiment with selective breeding. I''m sure many farmers will try many different combinations. I can''t lose, too!


    I haven''t acquired it yet, but I should be able to level up soon. Then I can try various combinations.


    Well, for now, my priority is to explore the southern forest. I can fight consecutively around the entrance without any difficulty. Once Rick and Kumama''s levels rise a bit more, we can go deeper into the forest.


    The best part is that I got a lot of nuts and a lot of mushrooms. Mostly thanks to Rick. Before I knew it, he had gathered more than 20 of them for me.


    I can''t lose too. I keep hitting the logging points I see with my ax. Most of them are small trees, but sometimes I find walnuts. I got some Biggini walnut and Biggini lumber with Blue Acorns growing on it, but the quality was poor. I''d better get a new ax for logging this one. Even if my skill level rises, the quality of the wood I can harvest won''t improve if the ax is for beginners.


    When I think about this, I hear a cracking sound, like something shattering. What is that?


    When I look around, Orto pulls my robe as he sniffs around.


    "What''s up, Orto?"


    "Mumu."


    Orto is pointing at something in my hand.


    "Eh?¡¡For real?"


    When I look over there, I know exactly what Orto was talking about. The logging ax is cracked, and the blade is broken. When I appraised it, I noticed that the durability value had dropped to zero.


    I got carried away. I didn''t pay attention to the durability value. Because I didn''t do many battles until now, I''ve never experienced a crisis with my equipment''s durability. Also, I''ve never checked my equipment''s durability.


    I feel bad for Sawyer-kun, who gave me this. But I''m glad it was just an ax that broke. I''ll check my equipment''s durability more often from now on.


    Now that my logging ax is broken, I must return to town today. I also want to find a new ax.

 CH 51

    Chapter 51: The Value of Luxury Item


    Once I reached the town, I immediately went to Ruin''s store to replace my broken logging ax.


    However, Ruin''s store didn''t have a logging ax that I could use. He did have a logging ax, but it was too heavy for me to use.


    "Maybe I should just buy a new beginner''s ax."


    The beginner equipment has no particular restrictions, so anyone can use it. But the performance isn''t good.


    "I could also make a new one. I can make it less heavy by sacrificing some of its attack power and other special effects."


    "I see. ....... But it''s expensive, aren''t they?"


    "...... I am not the one who will buy it."


    "You''re a bad comedian."


    "Hmm. If it''s an ax you can equip, I don''t need much material and not that expensive. I''m sure you''ve been out gathering a bit, right? If you bring in some material that could be used, then you can get a discount."


    Materials I could use. I searched through my inventory and decided to give Ruin some of my materials. Water ore, copper ore, Rock Ant shells, and jaws. Other than that, he could use the green peach wood.


    I was going to give him the iron ingot, but he said the rank was too high, and I might not be able to use it. No choice, I''ll leave it for now.


    After I order the ax, I''m going to focus on farming. I''ll get the selective breeding by the end of the day.


    That''s what I was thinking, but...


    "Ah, there you are!¡¡Yuuto-san!¡¡Yuuto-san!"


    "Ashihana?"


    Ashihana is standing outside my field. Oioi, is she here to buy herbal tea?


    "So early."


    "Of course, it''s for the herbal tea!"


    There is no addictive ingredient in the herbs, right?¡¡I''m fine, so I think it should be fine.


    I''m glad you like it, but please leave some for Sawyer-kun. I''m glad you like it, but make sure you save some for Sawyer, OK?


    "No problem, but... What''s with this price?"


    "Eh?¡¡Is it too expensive?"


    "It''s just dried weeds. Is 100 G too expensive?"


    I thought so, but apparently, that''s not what Ashihana was trying to say.


    "It''s too cheap!"


    "What?¡¡But it''s made from weeds.¡¡And it has no effect."


    "Still, 100 Gs is way too cheap."


    "Hmm?¡¡Then I''ll make it 150 G."


    "Haah....."


    Apparently, it is still too cheap. Even though it is an item that is not necessary for the game, it is a luxury item, if I may say so.


    There may be people who want it, like Ashihana and Sawyer-kun, but can I sell it at such a high price?


    When I said that, Ashihana came at me with a scary face.


    "It''ll sell!¡¡Absolutely.""


    "I, I get it. Too close, you''re too close!"


    "In the meantime, you should set the highest price. Also, if you can set the limit purchases, you should limit 3 or 5 units per person.


    Otherwise, they''ll be sold out in no time."


    "What?¡¡That''s impossible, right? In the first place, I can''t imagine that many players would come to such a deserted place."


    "Don''t underestimate the players'' information network."


    Hmm. Then, I''ll do as she suggested. The main reason why I chose to sell herbal tea was because Ashihana asked me to.


    After adjusting the settings of the unattended shop, I managed to put some limitations on purchases. The player''s data will be scanned at the time of purchase, so the same person can''t buy more than once a day.


    Every additional type of herb in the mix would increase the price by 100 G or more. Maybe I should do more research on cheaper combinations.


    If I''m going to sell it at a high price, I need to make sure that the taste is worth it. I''m going to register my best products.


    "Then the most expensive one is 500 G, the others are 400 G, and only one is 300 G."


    "That''s good."


    "Oh, but before that, Ashihana should buy it. After you buy it, I''ll change the prices."


    "No, no. I''m the one who told you to raise the price, and I can''t buy it cheap!"


    Ashihana insists as she clenches her fists.


    "But, but..."


    "No!¡¡Absolutely no!"


    Hmm, I don''t think she will buy it no matter what I say.


    I re-set the price and purchase limit. Then, Ashihana bought all of them, one by one.


    Apparently, she wants to try different flavors. Then why didn''t she just buy them in bulk before I re-set the price? I''m not sure if she''s righteous or stubborn.


    But even if I gave it to her for free, she probably wouldn''t accept it. What should I do?.... Do I have to make up an excuse?


    "Then I should give you consultation fees."


    "Eh?¡¡What?"


    "Well, you gave me a lot of advice.¡¡That''s the consultation fee."


    "No, I don''t need that."


    "Don''t do that."


    "But..."


    "It''s fine, it''s fine. Besides, it''s not money."


    I ask Ashihana to accept the items. The contents are, of course, an assortment of ten kinds of herbal tea leaves. She''s my friend, so I should at least give her this.


    "Eh, but..."


    Although she said that, Ashihana''s face is smiling. Kukuku, even if your mouth says you don''t want it, your body seems to want it.


    ...... Yup, I got carried away. I''m sure the old man in me throb when I see Ashihana''s dishonest reaction. But it''s OK to tease her a bit, right?


    "If Ashihana doesn''t want it, then I''ll stop."


    "Eh?"


    "I''ll drink it myself."


    "Ah, wait!"


    "What did you say?"


    "I, I didn''t say I don''t want it! If you''re gonna give it to me, I''ll take it!"


    Her reaction is just as I expected, so I can''t stop grinning inwardly. I do my best to keep it from showing on my face, and I reopen the trade screen.


    "Then, please take it."


    "Thanks."


    "I also have a few cookies. Do you want them?"


    "I can''t take those!"


    "But I don''t have that many ingredients on hand, so it will be difficult to sell them in the future."


    "Really?"


    I have enough edible grass in stock and can buy it at the farming guild. The problem is honey and nuts. I''ll harvest the nuts in a little while, and I can also gather them. They are also sold in the player''s store. But honey is rare.


    Processed goods like honey dumplings are sold everywhere, but honey is rare in the beginning town. Even at Alyssa-san''s store, it is often out of stock.


    If I left some for ourselves, I wouldn''t have enough to sell.


    I could have made cookies with just the nuts, but they taste better with honey. I gave the acorn cookies to Ashihana as a test.


    "Mogumogu...... Delicious. it''s delicious, but!"


    "So it''s not good enough."


    "At least it doesn''t make me want to buy these cookies?"


    "I see."


    I explain to her that it is difficult to get large quantities of honey. Then Ashihana''s eyes glitter.


    "Honey is all you need, right?"


    "Ah, yes."


    "I understand!¡¡Wait here, I''ll drop my other work and start making beekeeping boxes right away!"


    "No, you don''t have to hurry."


    "Just wait for me!"


    She''s not listening!¡¡Ashihana waves her hand at us and leaves with the speed of the wind.


    "...... Looks like I''ll get my beekeeping box sooner than I expected."

 CH 52

    Chapter 52: A new egg


    After Ashihana left.


    I decided to train my farming skill to get selective breeding skill......


    About two minutes after I started watering, I heard the level-up announcement. Apparently, I had accumulated enough proficiency to level up.


    But with this, I got the selective breeding skill!"


    "Fufufu. Finally, it''s time for.... experiments!"


    First, I decided what new crop to target. It''s the Cure carrots that I saw in the street market before. I heard that it was made with selective breeding skill. Even if the skill specification has changed, there won''t be any major changes in the crops produced. Maybe.


    Vegetables with recovery effects are useful for many things, and I really wanted to have them. If I make a salad, maybe I can make an item that restores both HP and MP.


    "The ingredients--well, carrot is fixed."


    I take out a green carrot. I''m going to add a recovery effect to this. Then maybe medicinal herbs?¡¡Both are in stock, so let''s give it a try.


    "Eeto, the arts certainly have been added. Then -- selective breeding!"


    The carrot and medicinal herbs are enveloped in light and merge, creating a whirlpool. Maybe this will be successful?


    No, suddenly it doesn''t work.


    Gradually, the light fades to black. There''s a puff of smoke, and all that''s left is garbage that looks like black charcoal. A failure. No, there is no way I can succeed right away.


    Next would be carrot and potion. But that didn''t work either. After that, I tried combining wound potion, wound herb, and any other recovery materials I could think of, but no success.


    No choice, maybe I should check the bulletin board..... I''ll do some research.


    Then I find out my mistake. Apparently, the cure carrot can be created by mixing carrot with Cure Potion, which is sold at the NPC store in the 3rd area.


    "Hmm, I can''t make it now."


    What a waste of material. But it was fun, so that''s fine.


    Let''s give up on the carrot and try some other combinations.


    I tried combining some of the nuts and weeds, but no luck. I tried about 30 patterns with no success at all.


    But at the last minute, my final attempt to combine was miraculously successful. It was a combination of spinach and weed water.


    After the light disappears, a mysterious seed remains. To be honest, it''s not a promising combination at all, but it''s my first successful selective breeding. I''ll take good care of it.


    Now that I''m in the mood let''s continue the experiment. This time it''s a cooking experiment. Well, I''m just going to see what happens to the blue acorns I left in the water yesterday.


    I take out the blue acorns that I put in the bucket. The appraisal result shows no change.


    I made some cookies from them. As expected, the quality has improved by 1. Tough, to be honest, the taste didn''t change much. Or maybe my sense of taste is just too poor. The important thing is that the quality increased after putting them in water.


    I think I can try this with other nuts. Should I change the water with purified water?


    For now, I''ll leave the blue acorns and walnuts in the purified water. I can''t wait to see what happens to these nuts tomorrow.


    Now that the experiment is over, I have some time left before my login limit. Should I help with the farm work and then go out to explore?


    That''s what I think as I walk out of the barn, but...


    "What is this?"


    There is a mysterious object sitting right in front of the barn.


    At first glance, the oval shape looks like a rugby ball. It is light green in color and shines brightly.


    "Is, is it be an egg?"


    The egg''s color is much different from the egg that Kumama was born from, but the shape is similar. I quickly appraise it.


    Enlist monster''s egg: parents: Orto, Sakura


    "Ooh!¡¡It''s Orto and Sakura''s egg!"


    The birth of the egg is a setting where if two compatible monsters are raised on the same farm or on the same house, their magic powers will mix and very occasionally produce an egg. Maybe they tried to avoid vulgar scenes as much as possible for kids. The fact that there was no reproductive scene was surprisingly impressive.


    Orto and Sakura are humanoid, and both are spirit-like species. They certainly seem to be a good match. Also, a monster can only transfer its soul once in its lifetime. So, Orto and Sakura won''t be able to transfer their souls again in the future.


    That is why it is more effective than Summoner''s unique system of monster synthesis....... What kind of child will be born?¡¡I''m looking forward to it. If a gnome is born, we can expand the field at once. If it''s a tree spirit, my party will become stronger. Either way is fine.


    There is a possibility that it will become a new species, but I''m not sure. Though there''s a good chance, it will be humanoid.


    "I''ll leave the farm to you all and go to the Beastmaster Guild.


    Because I need to get an incubator.


    "Welcome."


    Today, Barbara is the receptionist. This must be my lucky day. Anyway, there are a lot of people here today. There are 5 other players besides me.


    Usually, I''m the only guest. There are 4 women out of the 5, which shows the unique personality of tamers and summoners. Mofumofu is justice.


    A player is carrying a basket that looks familiar. Is she a beginner?¡¡I''m sure it''s a tough job, but good luck picking up the trash.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Ah, no, nothing is wrong."


    "Really? Then what brings you here today?"


    "My monster has laid an egg."


    "Well, congratulations. So you need an incubator?"


    "That''s right. Can you show me the personal incubator?"


    "Why don''t you report on your quest first?"


    "Eh?"


    Barbara-san shows me a list of quests. Then I see that there are 2 quests that I can complete.


    Special Quest


    Description: Show Barbara an egg produced by your monsters.


    Reward: 3000 G


    Deadline: None


    Special Quest


    Description: Show Barbara an egg produced by your unique monster.


    Reward£º30,000 G


    Deadline£º None


    Though the reward for the 2nd quest is awesome!¡¡I guess that must be quite difficult to complete. It''s hard enough to get 2 unique monsters, but now they also produce an egg.


    "Wow, this rare egg is really amazing."


    Even an egg is an object of love. Monster mania is scary. It''s so surreal to see a beautiful girl rubbing her cheeks on a big egg.


    Oh, the quest experience has raised Rick and Kumama''s levels.


    "Now, Yuuto-sama has accumulated the guild contribution required for rank up. Can you accept the quest to upgrade your rank?"


    Is this why Barbara-san told me to complete the quest first?


    "Excuse me, I need an incubator. Does that have something to do with it?"


    "Yes, it does. When your guild rank increases to 5, the number of incubators you can purchase will increase."


    "Eh, are you serious?"


    "Yes."


    Even though I couldn''t buy them, I got some information. Apparently, 3 types of incubators can be purchased as the rank rises.


    Besides the normal incubator and accelerated growth incubator, players will be able to purchase an ability-enhancing incubator, enhanced battle skill incubator, and enhanced production skill incubator.


    "Hmm. They''re expensive."


    Each of the 3 incubators costs more than twice the growth accelerator incubator. The ability-enhancing incubator costs 15,000 G, while the battle skill-enhancing incubator and the production skill-enhancing incubator cost 20,000 G. However, the effects are extraordinary.


    The ability-enhancing incubator will randomly increase the initial status by +8. The battle skill-enhancing incubator will increase the initial status by +3 and add a battle skill. The production skill-enhancing incubator will increase the initial status by +3 and, as the name suggests, add a production skill.


    Since it''s random, you can''t choose the skill, but the monster that will be born won''t get a useless skill.


    "This is definitely good stuff."


    I will keep the egg for a week. During that time, I can raise my rank. The requirement to complete the rank-up quest is to bring 3 monsters of level 10 or higher.


    So far, Orto and Sakura are over lvl 10, but Rick is lvl 7 and Kumama is lvl 6.


    "All right, let''s level up!"

 CH 53

    Chapter 53: An Encounter with the Predator


    We went to the northern plains to raise Rick and Kumama''s level to 10. The enemies are strong, but it''s the best place to gain experience.


    I thought about going to the underground corridor to the altar, but only Rock Ant appeared there. With only me as the damage dealer, I''d run out of MP in no time. So, it''s better to go to a field where we can all fight together and gain more experience.


    "OK. Orto, that''s good!¡¡Hold him there! Sakura, restrain him!


    "Mumu!"


    "----!"


    "Kumama, Rick, finish him!"


    "Kyu!"


    "Kuumaa!"


    "Aqua ball!"


    Kumama and the others defeat Wild Dog, and the aqua ball I unleashed sends Rock Ant to his death. No matter how hard its skin, if its HP is reduced to this level, Kumama and Sakura''s physical attacks can defeat it.


    "OK, that went well."


    The exploration is going well. It''s not easy, but we can fight better than I thought.


    Come to think of it, my level is at the right level. Orto and Sakura are already above the right level. With this formation, there''s no way we could lose without being able to do anything. Though it won''t be an easy victory.


    Since I have one extra party slot, it will be easier if I tame one more monster. However, that would reduce the amount of experience for each member. Therefore, I won''t tame any monsters until Rick reaches level 10. Besides, if I fail, I''ll waste a lot of MP.


    We continued our exploration in the northern plains. We consumed a lot of wound medicine, but we didn''t have much trouble.


    Moreover, because the monsters'' levels are high, Rick and Orto''s levels have already increased by 1. If Rick''s level goes up 1 more, I''ll reach the rank-up condition.


    "All right, let''s continue to level up at once!"


    However, it''s already evening. If we go too far, we''ll end up moving at night. At night, the level of enemies increases, and their appearances also increase.


    No matter how well we are doing, I am not confident enough to think we can fight continuously at night. So we should probably go and level up somewhere near the town while we can.


    While I am thinking about that...


    Ping-pong!


    Oh?¡¡I heard an announcement.


    [The 4th area raid boss, Berserker Dog, has been defeated. A part of the system will be unlocked.]


    Oh, so the raid boss has been defeated!¡¡I heard the rumors, but it had nothing to do with me, so I didn''t pay much attention.


    The town in the 5th area has now been unlocked.


    In LJO, there are towns in odd-numbered areas, and even-numbered areas are just small villages with small stores and inns.


    In other words, if there is a big town in the 5th area, there is a high possibility that there will be new items and systems. This would make the bulletin board lively for a while.


    I''m sure there will be information on how to defeat the raid boss, and more raid parties will try the challenge. Not that it matters to me right now!


    "Mu?"


    "Oops, now is not the time to relax."


    The sun is starting to set, and we need to get back to the beginning town.


    When we walk toward the town, Rick suddenly gets restless and starts pulling my hair.


    "What''s wrong, Rick?"


    "Kyukyu!¡¡Kyukyu!"


    "What? What''s over there?"


    Rick nervously moves his tiny hand, pointing in one direction.


    Although it''s a field, it''s not just an endless empty field. There are hills, hollows, and bushes.


    Over there, the grass was too tall and thick. I couldn''t see what Rick was telling me. What is that?¡¡I am about to walk towards it, but he grabs my lips and pulls me as hard as possible.


    "Kyukyukyu!"


    Apparently, he meant the other way around. Does he want me to run away?


    "Oioi, what on earth--!¡¡Seriously!"


    This is no time to hesitate!¡¡Rick had been trying to warn me!


    "GYUOOOOOO!!"


    A loud roar echoed through the area as if to hurry me up.


    "Let''s get out of here!"


    What appeared through the bushes was a giant Rock Ant. Its size is probably more than three times the ordinary Rock Ant. The giant Rock Ant is surrounded by countless ordinary Rock Ants.


    I''d heard of it, but I never thought I''d see it at this moment.


    "Is that a Predator?"


    Predator Monster is a boss monster that roams around the field. Each field has one type of predator monster, but the encounter rate is low since they wander randomly around the vast area.


    However, they are extremely powerful. I heard a team of 12 players with an average level 18 couldn''t even stand up to the Predator in the 2nd area. Its strength is far greater than the boss, so it''s terrifying.


    The Predator on the northern plains is the giant Rock Ant. It only looks like a big Rock Ant, but that''s a trap. Beginners who underestimate it will be beaten to death.


    The frightening thing about this monster has a defense that far exceeds ordinary Rock Ant and will summon many Rock Ants to surround the player. If you are not careful, they will surround you, and you won''t be able to escape.


    Anyway, I run as fast as I can to get away from the Large Rock Ant. Since the Predator is a roaming monster, the bulletin board said I must not relax even if I could get away from it. I must keep running further away from it.


    So I keep running for a while, even after the Predator is out of sight.


    "Huff, huff.... are we OK now?¡¡Is everybody


    OK?"


    OK, everybody''s OK. That was scary!¡¡Just when I''m finally getting used to normal battle, I run into one of those things.


    "I didn''t pay any attention to the direction we were running. Where are we?"


    "Kyukyu!"


    "Rick, what''s wrong?"


    "Kyuukyuu!


    "Oioi, you gotta be kidding me."


    Rick''s reaction is exactly the same as before. Could it be that we couldn''t escape from the Large Rock Ant?


    I thought so, but I was wrong. A giant dog with jet-black fur and a body the size of an ox suddenly jumped out before us.


    "Gururururu"


    "Eh? Savage dog? Is, isn''t it a field boss!"


    I was so focused on escaping from the Predator that I''d stepped into the area where the field boss appeared!¡¡The scenery of the plains looks so similar, I didn''t even notice!


    "Da, damn it! Everyone, get ready for battle!"

 CH 54

    Chapter 54: Savage dog


    "Grrrrrrr...!"


    Savage Dog stares sharply at me.


    Scary!¡¡Even though I don''t hate dogs, this scares me!¡¡But we can''t escape from the boss. There is no choice but to win or lose.


    Predator monsters are also called wandering bosses by players, but they are rare monsters like unique monsters. That is why they were able to escape from Large Rock Ant.


    However, the one in front of me now is undoubtedly a field boss. There is no choice but to fight it.


    "Let''s fight like usual!"


    I am desperately trying to remember Savage Dog''s data I read on the bulletin board. At one point, I had studied all of the bosses in the four areas around the beginning town.


    But since I had initially planned to challenge the field boss in the western forest, I had not studied Savage Dog in detail.


    I remember it mentioned that we should not melee Savage Dog because it moves very fast. Instead, the tank should draw it away and attack it with arrows or magic.


    "Sakura, concentrate on holding it back rather than attacking! Kumama, Rick, come here."


    While I want to tell them not to push themselves too hard, I know we can''t beat it if we don''t push ourselves. While Orto and the others are holding it back, I take hunting poison from my inventory and sprinkle it on Rick and Kumama.


    Name£º Hunting poison


    Rarity: 2 Quality: ¡ï6


    Effect£º16 minutes. Grant the weapon a small poison effect and a small paralysis effect. Cool downtime: 30 minutes.


    Abnormal status also affects field bosses. Apparently, its resistance is not so high. Well, it''s the first area. We have to rely on the abnormal status effect to beat him since we don''t have many damage dealers.


    "I''m counting on you kids!"


    "Kyu!"


    "Kumaa!"


    The fierce battle has begun.


    Savage Dog''s main attacks are charging at us or swinging with its fangs and front paws. Since it is a first-stage boss, it doesn''t do anything special. Anyway, it is very fast.


    Even Orto and Sakura have taken almost 20% damage just by a single blow. One blow would cut off more than half of our HP if it were Rick or me.


    I keep attacking with aqua balls and moving carefully to avoid being targeted. After all, if I die, then we all die.


    In real life, he is like a martial arts fighter who could knock down a tamer just with a single hit, so I can''t take the risk by going forward.


    Kumama and Rick''s attacks focus more on inflicting abnormal status effects than damage. But that''s fine.


    I am waiting for the right moment to attack while healing my monsters using the medicine.


    Still, a moment''s carelessness could lead to a crisis. Perhaps because I had never fought this intensely for a long time, I made a mistake.


    I went forward too far and was blown away by Savage Dog''s body blow.


    "Gghh!"


    I feel heavy pressure in my abdomen and chest. I barely feel any pain, but the shock is enough to make me unable to move.


    "Gagau!"


    I''ll die!


    "Mumuu!"


    "Gah?"


    I was ready to die, but Orto jumped in front of me and protected me. He fights the demon dog much bigger than himself with nothing but a hoe.


    "Grrrr!"


    "Mumu!"


    While holding back Savage Dog with all his might, Orto looks back and says something. Maybe he is telling me to run away or recover while he is holding it back.


    No way! Orto-san, you''re so cool! So brave!


    "Sakura, now!"


    "¨D¨D ?"


    Before, he moved too fast, so Sakura couldn''t catch him. Finally, she caught him. Sakura has completely seized Savage Dog with her branch bind.


    Now, all we have to do is to attack all at once. I keep shooting aqua balls, Orto keeps slapping with his small hands, Sakura''s whip, Kumama''s claws, and Rick''s front teeth reduce Savage Dog''s HP.


    "Grrrrrrraaah!"


    But when Savage Dog''s HP is reduced to less than 10%, he goes berserk, rips off the binds, and unleashes his final attack.


    It''s a range attack called Roar Blow. It is a nasty attack that damages surrounding enemies and has a certain probability of paralyzing them.


    "Gaa!"


    Oh, no!¡¡I can''t move!¡¡I''m paralyzed!


    Moreover, since the damage inflicted by my aqua balls seems too great, I have become his target. The huge black mass rushed towards me.


    "Grrrrrrooo!"


    With his huge fangs, Savage Dog jumped at me.


    If he bites me, I won''t survive!¡¡But because of the paralysis, I can''t move at all.


    Orto and Sakura also seem to be paralyzed. With Kumama''s speed, he won''t be able to help me on time. I shout inwardly.


    "This time, I''ll die!"


    "Kyukyukyuu!"


    "Gauaa!"


    Rick jumped on Savage Dog from sideways. Yes, Rick''s red scarf is paralysis-resistant!


    Moreover, his attack seemed to be treated as a surprise attack. Savage Dog''s HP bar was reduced to zero and shattered.


    "Gauuu..."


    "Kyukyuu!"


    Rick''s tail stands up, and he screams heroically. So cute!¡¡Well done!¡¡I want to jump and praise him, but I am still paralyzed.

 CH 55

    Chapter 55: Bulletin Board 7


    [New Discovery] Discussing newly discovered things in LJO, part 4 [New discoveries are on the way].


    ? Even if it''s a small discovery, it''s okay.


    ? Don''t lie.


    ? Don''t assume people are lying.


    ? Please attach screenshots for evidence if possible.


    £º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º£º


    552: Heartman.


    So, regarding why people have started picking up trash? Are you saying it''s better to ask the Sharp Ear cats?


    553: Hiruma.


    That info seems to be selling so well. I''m sure it''ll be published on the Sharp Ear Cats bulletin board soon.


    If you don''t want to miss out, just buy the information.


    554: Fuka.


    Our party is actually starting to pick up weeds!


    555: Heartman.


    I''m curious why so many people pick up trash and clean sewage, so I''ll visit the Sharp Ear Cats later.


    556: Fuka.


    That''s good.


    And now it''s my turn!


    I''ve just found a new occupation!


    557: Hiruma


    That''s good news.


    So, Primary occupation?¡¡Second occupation?


    558: Fuka.


    Second occupation. Derived from Tamer.


    The name is Dark Tamer.


    Sounds like a cool occupation, right? I don''t have detailed information because I heard it from someone else.


    So, if anyone has more information, please let me know!


    559: Formaggio


    First of all, what kind of tamer class change has been introduced so far?


    600: Hiruma.


    For a normal class change, middle Tamer.


    There are also several branches depending on the composition of the monsters you are taming.


    If you have tamed 3 or more monsters of the beast family, you are a Beast Tamer.


    If you have 3 or more reptilian monsters, you can become a Scale Tamer.


    Insect Tamer for insects.


    Bird tamer for birds.


    Those are all that have been known so far.


    601: Hendricksen.


    558>> Just in case you''re wondering.


    I heard it from one of my acquaintances who became a Dark Tamer.


    It is the same as other occupations that you can change classes when your occupation level is 20.


    When you have become a dark tamer, you can only tame evil spirits, corpses, demons, and devil monsters. And the monsters you had previously tamed will disappear if they are not one of those four kinds.


    You''ll also unlock the negative scoring of your monsters'' favorability.


    602: Heartman


    The negative scoring of monsters'' favorability?


    603: Hendricksen.


    Suppose a tamer abuses his monsters or leaves them alone for long periods. In that case, they will start to hate their Tamer, stop listening to him, and attack him.


    Friendly fire will also be unlocked, and your mons'' attacks will be able to hurt you.


    604: Fuka.


    So favorability score exists, after all. I didn''t expect to find out about that here...


    Dark Tamer doesn''t have any good points at all, does it?¡¡Is it really a second occupation?


    605: Hendricksen


    Significant increase in the player''s own status.


    As for the four kinds mentioned above, the correction is quite significant.


    606: Fuka.


    What are the conditions for class change?¡¡Do we have to tame all the 4 kinds?


    607: Hendricksen.


    I don''t know the detailed conditions, but I can guess.


    Maybe the tamed monsters'' favorability has to be low.


    That Dark Tamer was well known among tamers as someone who abuses mons.


    His initial monster was piyoko, but he was seen kicking and punching it. That Piyoko really hates him.


    It seemed the tamed monster''s favorability score had something to do with it, seeing how he unlocked negative scores when he became a Dark Tamer.


    608: Hiruma.


    Anyway, are there any monsters that can be tamed by Dark Tamer?


    609: Heartman


    There is a monster called Poor Zombie in the 3rd area. It doesn''t look very good, and I don''t think it can be used as anything other than a meat shield.


    It would be tough to have a party only with this monster.


    610: Hiruma.


    Devil type ...... I don''t know.


    Demon type...... I don''t know.


    Evil spirit type..... I don''t know.


    Corpse type....... Poor Zombie is the only one I know.


    Like this?¡¡Dark Tamer, it''s too difficult.


    611: Formaggio.


    Not really. A while ago, someone posted on the Monster Bulletin Board about ghost sightings.


    612: Fuka.


    Hey, I can''t stand horror stories.


    I don''t want to see them if possible. Where are they appearing?


    I won''t approach that place!


    613: Formaggio.


    There are no details yet, but some people have seen them in the 2nd area.


    Physical attacks don''t work against them, and they can only be defeated by magic.


    614: Fuka.


    The entire 2nd area?¡¡No way!¡¡No way, no way!¡¡ I will quit playing this game!!


    Goodbye.


    615: Hiruma.


    Calm down, calm down, you can beat them with magic, so there''s nothing to be afraid of.


    More importantly, no ghosts ever appeared before, right?¡¡Did they suddenly start appearing?


    615: Heartman.


    Maybe the earlier announcement about a defeated raid boss was the trigger.


    It said a part of the game had been released.


    616: Hendricksen.


    That''s possible.


    Then maybe other systems have been released.


    617: Fuka.


    Oh, I have one thing in mind!


    I saw an unattended stall stand at the beginning town.


    I''ve never seen anything like that before.


    618: Heartman.


    I heard that you can get an unattended stall stand by raising your rank in the Farming Guild.


    There are a few of them in the 3rd area.


    Though I''ve never heard of one in the beginning town.


    619: Fuka.


    I see. So, do you think we can also get herbal tea leaves in the 3rd area?


    620: Hiruma


    Herbal tea?


    621: Fuka.


    Yup. It was sold at an unattended stall stand in the south district of the beginning town. It was a bit expensive, but it''s really delicious!


    622: Hiruma.


    Never heard of it. Is it sold in the beginning town, not in the 3rd area?


    623: Fuka.


    That''s right. Well, to be exact, it¡¯s sold in the unattended stall.


    I bought one to try, and then I went to buy more, but they were sold out.


    624: Heartman.


    What are the effects like?


    Does it have a great buff effect?


    625: Fuka.


    Nothing special!¡¡It''s completely a luxury drink! But it''s super delicious!


    Even though there was a purchase limit of 5 bags per person per day, they sold out so fast.....


    Too bad!¡¡I should have bought some!


    Stall manager-san!¡¡Please supply more herbal teas ASAP!!!


    626: Hendricksen.


    It has no buffs but to be so popular...


    Just how delicious does it taste?


    I''m curious.


    627: Heartman.


    I''m curious too. Since I''m in the beginning town, I''ll visit that unattended stall stand.


    628: Hiruma


    I''ll look for it too.


    629: Formaggio.


    You said it''s in the South District?


    630: Fuka.


    No, no!¡¡It wasn''t delicious at all!¡¡So it''s not worth looking for!


    631: Hendricksen.


    Unattended stall stand could be set up on the farm, right?¡¡They must be in the  farming area in the outskirts of the south district.


    632: Heartman.


    There.


    633: Hiruma.


    Yep, right there.


    634: Formaggio.


    For now, let''s check the place.


    635: Hendricksen.


    Super delicious herbal tea? Now that''s something to look forward to.


    636: Fuka.


    Aaah!!!¡¡My portion will decrease!

 CH 56

    Chapter 56: With all the momentum, the 2nd area.


    I ran out of recovery medicines, but we managed to beat the field boss. It was so close. My HP and my monsters'' HP were depleted by half, and our MP was almost empty.


    Our levels increased since we won the battle against a much stronger opponent. Thanks to this, Rick had reached level 10.


    Actually, my basic level and occupation level have reached 10. When one reaches basic Lv. 10, the number of skills one can acquire increases. Because my occupation level increased, I acquired a special "Breeding Boost" skill. It is said that having this skill makes it easier for a monster to lay eggs.


    Rick also acquired Runaway Foot skill when he reached lv 10. I also have this skill, which makes it easier to run away. Rick also acts alone when he is gathering. It will be useful for him.


    Name: Yuuto                     Race: Halfling                                  Basic Lv10


    Occupation: Tamer           Occupation Lv10


    HP: 35/35                           MP: 45/45


    Strength: 8                         Constitution: 4                                  Agility: 8


    Dexterity: 8                         Wisdom: 12                                       Spirit: 6


    Skills: Gathering: Lv8, Enlist: Lv9, Servant Magic: Lv11, Mixing: Lv16, Wand: Lv7, Taming: Lv3, Runaway Foot: Lv3, Farming: Lv10, Logging: Lv5, Water Magic: Lv9, Cooking: Lv13, Alchemy: Lv16, Plant Knowledge: Lv9, Mercy,


    (New) Breeding Boost


    Name: Orto                         Race: Gnome                                   Basic Lv11


    Contractor: Yuuto.


    HP: 35/35                           MP: 43/43


    Strength 8                          Constitution 7                                   Agility 6


    Dexterity 13                        Wisdom 14                                        Spirit 10


    Skills: Cultivating, seed breeding, Luck, Heavy Swing, Earth Magic, Farming, Mining, Night Vision, Growth Boost Ex


    Equipment: earth spirit hoe, earth spirit muffler, earth spirit clothing.


    Name: Sakura                   Race: Tree Spirit                              Basic Lv13


    Contractor: Yuuto


    HP: 42/42                           MP: 44/44


    Strength 10                        Constitution 12                                Agility 7


    Agility 8                               Wisdom 12                                        Spirit 15


    Skills: Cultivating, Tree Magic, Photosynthesis, Gathering, Regeneration, Endurance, Whip Art, Water Resistance, Enchanting, Woodcraft, Forest Protection


    Equipment: Whip of Tree Spirit, Robe of Tree Spirit


    Name: Rick                        Race: Grey Squirrel                                    Basic Lv10


    Contractor: Yuuto


    HP: 29/29                           MP: 23/23


    Strength 7                          Constitution 9                                   Agility 18


    Agility 8                               Wisdom 5                                          Spirit 8


    Skills: Vigilance, Gathering, Pruning, Jumping, Climbing, Cheek pouch, Front tooth strike, (New) Runaway Foot


    Equipment: Red Scarf


    Name: Kumama               Race: Honey Bear                                       Basic Lv9


    Contractor: Yuuto


    HP: 45/45 MP: 32/32


    Strength 15+3                  Constitution 11                                 Agility 8


    Dexterity 10                      Wisdom 6                                          Spirit 6


    Skills: Charm, Gluttony, Sense of smell, Cultivating, Claw Attack, Climbing, Poison resistance, Fragrance, beekeeping


    Equipment: Dog Jacket +, Dog Shirt +, Dog Ascot Tie +


    Now, what shall we do after this?"


    To be honest, I''m not sure if we can go back to the beginning town. We have no way to recover our HP.


    Moreover, night had already fallen. The level and number of monsters increased dramatically compared to the daytime. Could we survive through the northern plains now?


    Then, shall we go to the 2nd area?¡¡It is said that there is a safe zone just after entering the area. Let''s go there, log out and wait until morning?


    But what if we encounter a monster in the 2nd area at night?¡¡Would we be okay as we are exhausted now?


    "Okay, let''s take a vote! Who thinks it''s better to keep going!"


    "Mu!"


    "Kyu!"


    "Kuma!"


    Everyone raised their hands except Sakura. It''s decided.


    Let''s proceed to the safety zone in the 2nd area.


    Ten minutes later.


    "Damn!¡¡Though we''ve almost reached the safety zone!


    "Ooooooon."


    Floating in front of us are semi-transparent, faintly glowing, humanoid monsters. Well, to put it simply, they are ghosts.


    "What the hell are these creatures?"


    Even though I had no intention of coming here, I had already gathered information about the 2nd area. As a tamer, I had all the information about the monsters.


    No information mentioned monsters that looked like spirits or ghosts. Of course, there was no information about ghosts.


    "The name is Lesser Ghost?"


    I''ve never heard of it.


    "Uooooon!"


    It would be difficult to escape from here. Ghosts are not the only enemies.


    "Kururu."


    Two cute little bears are threatening us. They are surrounding us with 3 ghosts.


    We were too reckless because we were so close to the safety zone!¡¡I should have been more cautious and let Rick scout the area while proceeding carefully. When my presence detection skill detected them, the ghosts already got too close to us.


    We tried to escape, but the ghosts were too fast. And to make it worse, we also run into Little Bears on our way.


    We have no choice but to fight and win.


    "No choice, let''s fight them!"


    So we started to fight...


    "Kuma!¡¡Kuma?"


    "Kyuu?"


    Kumama and Rick jumped at the ghosts standing in front of them. But they couldn''t do any damage and went through them. Sakura''s whip also went through them.


    Tsk, so this kind of enemy can only be defeated with magic!


    I hurriedly started casting Aqua Ball. But in the meantime, the ghosts focused their attacks on me.


    My monsters'' attacks didn''t provoke them at all because their attacks went through them. And they are targeting me because I have started casting magic.


    I should instruct Sakura and Orto to cast magic, but I can''t send them instructions while casting magic. Everyone tried to cover me from the ghosts, but...


    "Mumu?"


    "---?"


    The ghost passes through Orto and the others, then attacks me.


    The ghost''s body hit me directly. But I didn''t feel any impact. I felt a chill run down my spine for a moment, and then the ghost passed through me.


    What was that?¡¡Did the attack miss?¡¡I thought so, but I was wrong. My HP bar is decreasing. Apparently, even though there was no impact, it still inflicted damage.


    Damn, if the ghost keeps attacking me like this, my HP will be drained!


    Just when I was preparing to die.


    "Allow me to help you!"


    I heard a girl''s voice from behind me. Then, I hear an alert asking if I want to accept her assistance.


    "Accept, I accept!"


    "Roger!¡¡Circle Edge!"


    With that shout, the three ghosts that have been surrounding me disappear.


    "Eh?"


    I didn''t expect the ghosts would be defeated so quickly, so I went blank for a moment.


    "This side is fine, but we should deal with Little Bears soon!"


    "Ah, yes."


    That''s right. We''re still in the middle of a battle. The ghosts are gone, but Little Bears are still here. I followed that female player''s advice and defeated the remaining monsters.


    "Are we safe...?"


    I can''t believe we''re still alive.


    "We almost didn''t make it!"


    "Thank you."


    I bowed deeply to my savior as she approached me. She is a girl with fiery red twin tails and light equipment. She looks like a high school student. Well, we can''t trust appearance in this game.


    No, we must help each other when we are in trouble. Besides, I wanted to play as a hero who just happened to be passing by.


    LJO allows players to intervene during battle, as long as it is not a special battle like a boss battle. They can¡¯t help or join a party without permission, but they can use skills, arts, and items to assist another party for one time only.


    There is no disadvantage to being helped. The only problem is that sometimes there are pushy people who demand an extravagant show of gratitude for their help.


    If you deliberately reduce your HP to level up your healing magic, you could simply refuse the other person''s offer. Furthermore, accepting their help doesn''t reduce the amount of XP or items you could gain.


    On the other hand, those who help cannot expect much profit. They will get 5% of the experience gained by the party they helped, but they won''t get any items or money.


    To be frank, it would be easier and quicker to defeat the monsters by yourself.


    This is supposedly a measure to prevent low-level parties from depending on stronger parties for assistance. If you depend on high-ranking players to help you each time you fight, you will be able to gain XP far too easily in the beginning areas. Intervening in a fight is considered a gesture of goodwill and nothing more.


    "I''m Yuuto the Tamer. Thanks for saving our lives."


    "I am Akari the Sword Ranger."


    "Was that a sword art?¡¡It looks like the Lesser Ghost suffered some damage."


    "Oh. It wasn''t an art effect but a sword effect. This morning mist claymore has water attribute."


    So it has the same effect as Ruin''s mace. That''s convenient.


    "Onii-san, what are you going to do now?"


    "I was planning to go to the safety zone because it seems impossible to go back to the town at night, and I don''t have any recovery items left."


    "Then, would you like me to accompany you to the safety zone?"


    ".....Is it okay?"


    "Yes, it''s okay. I was about to head back too."


    She''s an angel! The angel has descended!


    "I''ll be in your care."


    "Mu!"


    "¨D¨D ?."


    "Kyuu."


    "Kuma."


    Orto and the others bowed their heads in unison. Seeing this, Akari raises her shrill voice.


    "So, so cute!¡¡They''re so cute, Yuuto-san!"


    My kids are so popular among the female players! Akari tried to pat Orto''s head but was prevented by the harassment block, and she looked sad. But if I asked her to add me as a friend in this situation, wouldn''t that make me a parasite player or a playboy?¡¡So I decided to wait for her to ask me.


    "Well, shall we go?"


    "Oh, okay. Let''s go."

 CH 57

    Chapter 57: Akari''s Goal


    Ten minutes later.


    We reached the safety zone safely. The safety zone is around a big tree tied with shimenawa.


    We had already exchanged our friend codes.


    She couldn''t resist the cuteness of Orto and the others and asked me to add her as a friend because she wanted to pet my monsters.


    As for me, I don''t mind, because I can be friends with a strong player.


    "You really saved me. Thank you."


    "It''s okay. I''m also very happy interacting with these cute kids!"


    As Akari laughs, she is holding hands with Sakura. She puts Rick on her shoulder and smiles happily. She looks really satisfied.


    "Once again, I am Akari the Sword Ranger."


    "I''m Yuuto the Tamer. I was wondering earlier, was there an occupation called Sword Ranger?"


    I remember all the initial occupations, but I had never heard of Sword Ranger.


    Is it some kind of rare occupation that only appears randomly?


    She tells me it is a second occupation when I ask her that.


    I was told that when a ranger''s level reaches 20, one can change occupation.


    "In the normal case, I would be a Middle Ranger. But if one improves his sword skills, he can become a Sword Ranger. It is a second occupation."


    Does that mean that Tamer may also have multiple job options?¡¡Let''s check it out on the bulletin board. I''m still at level 10, so it''s still a long way before I can change jobs.


    It seems that Sword Ranger is a swordsman with a ranger''s searching ability. But they can''t wear heavy equipment like a swordsman, so it''s too risky for them to fight in front.


    "I''m quite famous even for this, you know?¡¡They called me the Ruby Explorer."


    "Eh?¡¡So, are you that titleholder?"


    "Yes."


    For real? Her title is one of the three secret titles, just like my Silver White Pioneer title.


    I''ve never met her before. Indeed, her hair is red. Akari is puffing out her chest as she grins.


    When I think about that, Akari puts her hand on her chin and ponders.


    "Silver-haired Tamer. With a gnome..."


    "Ah, could it be...?"


    "By any chance, are you the Silver White Pioneer?"


    "Why, why do you think so?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? You look exactly like the rumors."


    "Re, really?"


    "Yes!¡¡I''ve been dying to meet you!"


    "Eh?¡¡Why?"


    "Because there are only three people who have the secret titles. Don''t you want to know what kind of person they are?"


    But I wasn''t interested at all....... I thought they would make fun of me anyway. Well, I might have thought like Akari if my title wasn''t disgraceful.


    "So Yuuto-san, are you the Silver White Pioneer?"


    "......Well, yeah."


    "I knew it!¡¡I''m so happy!"


    She doesn''t seem to make fun of me. She is very happy. If she smiles at me like this, I''m also happy.


    "Fufu..."


    "What''s wrong?"


    "No, I wonder why everyone who received the three titles is a solo player.


    "By any chance, do you know the Purple-Haired Adventurer?"


    "Yes. He is Siegfried-san, who is role-playing as a knight."


    Playing as a knight sounds like another interesting person, isn''t he? I''m a bit interested too. But would he give out his personal information so easily?


    "Sieg-san plays as a hero who happens to be passing by all the time. When he leaves, he tells his name to his opponents. He''s very famous, you know?"


    So he is that type of person. Sounds interesting, but I don''t want to get too close to him.


    "Yuuto-san, what are you going to do after this?"


    "Eh?¡¡I''m going to log out and go back to town in the morning."


    "I see."


    "Well, for the time being, I will gather some medicinal herbs around this place to make potions."


    "Oh, you don''t have any potions left?"


    "I ran out of stock after fighting Savage Dog."


    "I see... I don''t have many either. It''s not that difficult to find them around here."


    It''s her second occupation, but she can move around the 2nd area alone. That''s amazing. I guess her skills are different from mine.


    "I wish I could go with you to town, but I haven''t accomplished my goal yet."


    "Goal?"


    "Yes. Actually, I''m farming Savage Dog to gather materials to make armor.


    "Did you say farming? Do you plan to equip your whole body with Savage Dog?"


    Head, body, legs, shields, underwear, accessories.


    It would take a lot of materials to make those things.


    But apparently, that''s not her goal.


    "I only want the leg equipment. It''s called Savage Dog Legs, and I need 4 rare drops called Savage Dog Tails to make it."


    "4 boss rare drops? That''s a very difficult task."


    "That''s right. I managed to collect 3 of them by buying them from other players. I only need one more. I''ve fought Savage Dog about 40 times already."


    "40 times?¡¡Solo?"


    "Yes. Thanks to that, I''m getting good at fighting Savage Dog."


    Incredible, you''ve fought it 40 times.


    "You can take down Savage Dog by yourself. That''s amazing. It is absolutely impossible for me."


    "But once you get used to it, it''s easy. The less HP it has, the faster it moves, but its defense also goes down. It''s quite dangerous after the roar blow, but you have a better chance if you take measures against the roar blow. If you hit it with a special move while it roars, you may be able to defeat it."


    "As expected of a fighter who has fought it 40 times."


    "Yuuto-san, you also defeated Savage Dog, didn''t you?¡¡Do you have Savage Dog¡¯s tail?"


    I realized after she mentioned it that I haven''t checked Savage Dog''s drop. I was only thinking about getting to the safety zone.


    Well, I don''t think I have it. If I got the rare drop on my first win, no one would have a hard time.


    "...... I have it."


    "Eh?¡¡You have it?"


    "Ye, yes."


    Akari asked me with a surprised look on her face. I was surprised too. I looked in my inventory and found a Savage Dog tail, two Savage Dog skins, a Savage Dog fang, and a Savage Dog claw.


    "Excuse me, could you give it to me......?"


    Hmmm. What should I do?


    "Of course, I''ll pay for it!"


    "Then, just pay me a reasonable price. Also, could you accompany me back to the beginning town?"


    "Do you mean to escort you back? Sure!"


    "Okay. With this, I should be able to go back to town."


    "Okay, so I''ll just log out and log in again at dawn?"


    "I don''t mind, but is the time okay for you?"


    "No problem!¡¡High school is on summer vacation."


    Apparently, she is a student.


    ====================


    Translator note:


    Shimenawa is rice straw or hemp rope used for ritual purification in Shinto religion.

 CH 58

    Chapter 58: Cooking Missionary


    I logged in at dawn. My HP and MP are fully restored.


    I logged in a little early, so it will probably take longer before Akari logs in.


    Even though I am with Akari, it doesn''t mean that there will be no more battles. I want to prepare some potions while I can. I can make two potions, and one wound medicine with what I have on hand, but that is not enough.


    I have monster heal, so I can heal Orto and the others, but if I spend MP on that, the number of times I can cast Aqua Ball will be reduced. It will be helpful to have wound medicines.


    Let''s appraise the area around the safety zone and look for medicinal herbs.


    "Rick, I''ll count on you."


    "Kyu!"


    With Rick and the others'' help, I managed to get the ingredients to make potions. However, I only get 1 Youmei herb, so I can only make 1 lower-grade potion.


    I got 3 wound medicinal herbs, so I''ll make it up with those.


    I sit down on the big tree''s root inside the safety zone and take out my mixing set. I have purified water. The mixing itself is not a problem.


    Orto and the others are playing by chasing each other. Come to think of it, I''ve never been away from the beginning town for such a long time. Is my farm going to be okay?


    I had already watered the farm yesterday. But I want to go back and check it as soon as possible.


    While I think about that, the shimenawa shines a light purple color.


    "Whoa!"


    That was a close one!¡¡I almost dropped my mixing bowl because I was surprised. I almost wasted the lower-grade potion ingredients.


    "What, what on earth?"


    "Yuuto-san. Good morning."


    When the light subsides, Akari is standing in front of me.


    Apparently, it was a sign that another player was about to log in. Come to think of it, this is the first time I''ve seen another player log in so closely.


    "Did I make you wait too long?"


    She saw my mixing set and thought she was late.


    "No, no, I just got here early, don''t worry about it."


    "Really?¡¡I''m glad to hear that."


    "I''ll be in your care today. Sorry to trouble you."


    "Don''t worry about it. You''ll let me buy the tail. Besides, I will go back to the beginning town to meet a friend. It''s not much trouble. Rather, is it really okay to make such a deal? I feel bad about it."


    Then it''s fine.


    "Are you in the middle of mixing?"


    "Yeah, I''m just finishing up."


    "No problem. I''ll eat while waiting for you."


    I planned to finish before Akari got here, but the gathering took too much time.


    "Sorry."


    "It''s okay, it''s okay."


    Let''s finish mixing the ingredients quickly.


    While I am working again, Akari sits beside me. She takes out something like Dango from her inventory and starts to eat it.


    I''ve never seen that kind of food before. When I appraised it, it was a portable Dango. Is it made from another portable food recipe?


    It looked delicious at first glance, but the look on Akari''s face showed that my guess was wrong. If anything, she looks as if she''s chewing a bitter bug?


    "Yuuto-san, what''s wrong?"


    Oops. Before I realized it, I was staring at her. A grown-up man watching a girl eating, isn''t that bad?


    "No, no. It''s just that I''ve never seen that food before!"


    I realized that my voice was sounding unnaturally rushed. Oh no, would she think I''m weird?


    But it seems my fears were unnecessary. Akari nodded her head as if she understood what I meant.


    "By the way, Yuuto-san just came to the 2nd area, right?"


    "Does that mean that food is not available here?"


    "Yes. This is usually sold in the 3rd area."


    "Oh, really? What''s the difference between that and a portable meal?


    ".... You''ll know once you try it. Here, try it."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes."


    Akari smiles and gives me a portable Dango. However, there was a hint of mischief in her smile.


    I bite the portable Dango.


    "... Guu! What the hell is this?!"


    "Ahahahaha. I got you!"


    "It''s no different than portable food!"


    It tasted the same as the portable food. It was a calorie bar without sweetness and was very bitter. The only difference is that this one is slightly moister than portable food.


    Maybe we can call it ''Sata Andagi without sweetness''.


    "It''s moister and only slightly better than portable food. The fullness recovery is only 5% higher. That''s why I eat it."


    "Where did you get the recipe?"


    "I buy this Dango at an NPC store, but I hear they sell the recipe in the 3rd area."


    It seems like she has no choice. I guess it''s better than eating portable food.


    "My mouth tastes bad."


    Because of the ridiculously realistic system, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth after eating it. Hmmm, let''s heal my mouth.


    I take out the herbal tea leaves and boil them with water. It would be ready when I finished the potion.


    I eat some cookies first to get rid of the bitterness. Phew, so sweet. Oh yeah, I should feed my kids too.


    I take their meals from my inventory and give them to each. Since Sakura is the only one photosynthesizing, she just sunbathes on her spot while drinking water.


    Akari looks at Rick and me as we eat the cookies with a wondering expression on her face.


    I give her the cookies and a cup of herbal tea as a trial.


    "As thanks for your portable Dango. Have some."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Sure. They are not expensive."


    "Then, I''ll gladly take the offer."


    Akari brings a cookie to her mouth with a puzzled look. Maybe she''s imagining the taste would be similar to portable food. Maybe she thinks I''m trying to trick her into eating something bad to get back at her.


    Then, as soon as she puts it in her mouth, her eyes widen in surprise.


    She stares at the cookie and then puts it in her mouth again. Then she nods a few times. Then she takes a sip of the herbal tea and looks astonished again.


    Her expression is so interesting. It''s fun because everyone always looks surprised when I serve these cookies and herbal tea. It''s worth the trouble.


    "Yu, Yuuto-san!¡¡Can I get these in the beginning town?"


    "These are my handmade foods."


    "Eh?¡¡These?"


    "If you have cooking skill, you can easily make cookies, you know?"


    Don''t Akari, Ashihana, and the others know about the existence of cookies in this game?


    Although I can understand why cooking isn''t popular.


    Apparently, cooking is not so popular. Well, it''s easy to get portable food, etc. And it seems that there were no outstanding cooking skill achievements during the beta test.


    I guess most people think that it is better to acquire magic or battle skills than to spend bonus points on this skill.


    "I''m sure as the game progresses further and players get more bonus points to spare, more players will take it."


    "You mean it''s not popular right now?"


    "Yes. I''m surprised that the food could taste this good. Maybe I''ll take cooking skill too."


    "The ingredients are edible grasses, honey, and nuts. I am sure Akari can get it right away."


    "With such cheap ingredients, could it taste this good?"


    This is surprising. Isn''t this a chance to show off my cooking skill?¡¡No, I''m not trying to promote cooking skill, but it''s frustrating when people assume my skill is a trash skill.


    Besides, if the goodness of the cooking skill is recognized, the number of people with cooking skill may increase. As for me, I want to try all kinds of delicious food, and I''d really like to see that happen.


    Let''s push here. I''m going to serve her something else.


    Although, the only things I can cook without failure are salad, grilled skewers, and soup.


    The next is grilled skewers. As the name suggests, it requires a skewer. I ask Sakura to make the skewer after giving her a wood piece. I heard that skewers are easy to make even with the lowest level of woodcraft.


    The meat used is monster-drop rat meat. This rat meat is sometimes dropped by Fang Rats and Gray Squirrels. Are squirrels treated as rats?¡¡That''s a mystery.


    Name: Vegetable Soup


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï 4


    Effect: Restores 23% of fullness. Restores 3% of HP.


    Name: Rat Meat Grilled Skewer


    Rarity: 1 Quality: ¡ï 3


    Effect: Restores 12% of fullness.


    The effect is subtle, but the problem is the taste. I bite into a grilled skewer. The meat is very chewy, and it pushes back against my teeth.


    "Hmmm, not bad?"


    Because portable food is the standard. Anything would taste better compared to that. When I think about it calmly, it tastes like lightly salted grilled chicken that has turned dry because it has been overcooked.


    The soup is a simple, lightly salted vegetable soup. In a better word, it has a gentle taste. So about that level.


    Did I fail on this?¡¡I don''t think this will show people the goodness of cooking skill. I thought so, but......


    Akari eats the food with great enthusiasm. Looks like even these simple foods taste like a treat because she has only been able to eat portable food for so long.


    "Delicious!"


    "That''s great."


    "I didn''t know such delicious dishes existed!"


    "Nah, anyone with any cooking skill can make these foods."


    "These?¡¡I''ll definitely take cooking skill!"


    It seems that there will be one more person with cooking skill.


    ==============================================


    Translator note:


    Sata Andagi are sweet deep fried buns of dough similar to doughnuts, native to Southern China then spread to the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa.

 CH 59

    Chapter 59: The beginning town, I have returned!


    "Aqua ball!"


    "Kyukyui!"


    Our attack takes down the rock ant. If it''s just one or two more, we can take care of them without any problem.


    By the way, we did not form a party at Akari''s suggestion. Because the experience would be shared with Akari if we did. Akari agreed to assist us by cutting down the enemies'' HP. She can kill all enemies in the daytime in this area with a single attack, except for the predator. She said this would not be a problem.


    Three hours later, we reached the beginning town.


    In the end, the escort wasn''t necessary.


    But Akari''s presence helped me to fight at ease. With Akari behind me, I could push myself to fight aggressively. As a result, I could defeat the enemies faster with less damage on my side.


    Even after hearing that explanation, Akari still looks unconvinced. She is not sure that the little work she has done gave her the right to accept my rare boss drop. She is just grateful that I am not trying to rip her off, even though I could have easily overcharged her if I wanted to.


    We had already settled on a price of 6,500 G. That is one of the most expensive items that could be obtained in the 1st area. However, suppose she buys the same item from other players or shops. In that case, chances are she''d be charged over 20,000 G. The price has increased since the Sharp Ear Cats started selling the Savage Dog leg equipment recipe. Once the group officially releases the details, it would only shoot higher.


    "It¡¯s fine if you can get them but they¡¯re usually out of stock."


    Akari sighed. It would only become harder to obtain the drops from here on out.


    "I¡¯m betting you that within the next few days this place is going to be teeming with players grinding for Savage Dogs."


    Aside from being lightweight and strong in defense, Savage Dog shin guards also boosted your Attack and Agility stats, reducing the damage you sustained. That description alone was already impressive. Their stats put them pretty high on any melee fighter''s wish list.


    "Savage Dog tails are a compound ingredient that can be used for other types of armor too. That¡¯s what makes them so highly sought after."


    "Compound ingredients?"


    "They¡¯re materials that, when added to the armor-making process, give bonuses to normal armor."


    Akari broke it down for me: the Wild Dog Shirt I am wearing, for example, is made from four Wild Dog pelts and one ore-type material. Under normal circumstances, you wouldn¡¯t be able to add any other materials to the mix. However, items called compound ingredients could be added during weapon- and armor-making processes even if they weren''t included in the recipe. In the case of Savage Dog tails, you could expect a boost in attack for weapons and a boost in Agility for armor. No wonder most people want them. I don''t see much use for them myself, however, since they apparently made things quite heavy.


    "Lots of people want to use them for Production, even if they don¡¯t intend on making the leg equipment."


    "So that¡¯s why the price has skyrocketed."


    "Exactly. So you see, 6,500 G is actually quite cheap."


    "But that¡¯s still nearly twice as much as if you sold it to an NPC shop, right?"


    "The lowest going rate if you sell it to other players is 10,000 G, though."


    That being said, I''d already kept her tied up for a while, not to mention she''d given me the bigger share of the items and monster drops we obtained on the way home. Honestly speaking, I felt terrible. It wasn''t as if I stood to lose anything by giving away the Savage Dog tail anyway.


    "Never mind that. After all, I insisted."


    "Hmm, if you say so."


    We completed our deal once we arrived at the entrance to town. I handed over the Savage Dog tail and Akari the 6,500 G payment. Then she''s petting my tamed monsters before setting off to see her friend.


    "Oh yeah...... Let''s go get some info on that Lesser Ghost before we head back to the Beastmaster''s Guild."


    Time to see the information broker. I headed to Alyssa-san''s stall with my monsters.


    "Good morning."


    "Welcome. What¡¯s new?"


    "I came across a new monster, actually."


    "You did? Where?"


    "Near the entrance to the 2nd area, in the forest at the end of the Northern Plains."


    "That¡¯ll be the Fanged Forest. Did you run into some Lesser Ghosts?"


    "Oh, you know them?"


    She already knew about them. Maybe they are rare monsters?


    When I asked them, she told me that she had already received several reports about them. Other players had already sold what I knew to Alyssa-san. Information such as that only magic attacks work against the ghosts and physical attacks don''t increase their hostility towards you.


    Fortunately, it was the first time she¡¯d heard of a sighting in the Fanged Forest, so she exchanged my info for details I didn¡¯t know yet.


    Lesser Ghosts have apparently begun spawning in the 2nd area in the last few hours, and their weakness was holy magic. According to her guess, the raid boss''s defeat had something to do with it.


    The new features that had been unlocked apparently referred to a wider variety of enemy monsters. The management seemed to have concluded that players were getting stronger with the game¡¯s progression and had decided to add more formidable opponents.


    "That¡¯s troublesome..."


    "It does mean new items will become available, though. As a production-type player, you¡¯ll probably be able to reap some benefits too."


    "Hope so."


    Pulling myself together, I headed to my next destination, the Beastmaster Guild, to buy an incubator. To begin with, that had been the whole point of my little adventure.

 CH 60

    Chapter 60: Field and incubator after a day away


    I am visiting the Beastmaster Guild to complete a rank-up quest.


    "Ara, Yuuto-san. Welcome."


    "Hello. I''m here to report a quest."


    I show Rick to Barbara.


    "Quest report, I see. Yes, I have confirmed it."


    [You''ve completed the rank-up quest. Your guild rank has been raised to 5.]


    I could finally buy a new incubator now. It had been a long and tough journey. After all, I had somehow ended up fighting a field boss.


    I checked the list of incubators, and sure enough, there are 3 more incubators available now.


    The Ability-Enhancing Incubator costs 15,000 G, while the Battle Skill Incubator and Production Skill Incubator each cost 20,000 G.


    The Ability-Enhancing Incubator gave you a +8 initial stat boost at random, making it the perfect incubator for raising your monster¡¯s baseline capabilities. It was also a safe choice for when you weren¡¯t sure what sort of monster you¡¯d be getting.


    The Battle Skill Incubator granted you a +3 initial stat boost and a fighting skill. The Production Skill Incubator granted your monster a random Production skill in addition to the +3 initial stat boosts.


    "Ummm... Since this incubator is for Orto and Sakura''s egg."


    Therefore, it was highly likely that I¡¯d get a humanoid-type monster¡ªeither a gnome, a tree nymph, or something else entirely.


    In the case of a gnome, though, I wasn''t sure if getting a Battle Skill Incubator would be wise. Would it obtain fighting abilities and become a gnome that could actually fight? Or would it only gain an initial stat boost due to its peaceful temperament?


    While I was undeniably curious, I didn''t want to take any chances with this egg. Even if it wasn''t a unique specimen, I''d be more than happy to have a gnome specializing in production.


    I decided to go with the safest option, the Production Skill Incubator.


    I intended to incubate the egg as soon as I arrived. Unfortunately, my plan is ruined by a player waiting in front of my farm.


    "H-Hey! A-Are you the owner of this farm?"


    "Eeh?"


    After successfully purchasing the incubator, l finally returned to my farm after a half day away from it. I''d better finish harvesting quickly and plant seeds for tomorrow.


    But my plans were thwarted by a player waiting in front of my farm.


    "Hey, hey!¡¡Are you the owner of this farm?"


    "Are you the one in charge of this unattended sales stand?"


    "When do you restock the herbal teas?"


    "Please sell us your herbal teas!"


    "It''s really delicious, right?"


    When I stop, the crowd surrounds me with great enthusiasm.


    "Eh? Eh?"


    After asking them for the details, I learned they wanted to buy the herbal tea leaves I sell at the unattended sales stand.


    "Go ahead, help yourselves,"


    "They¡¯re all sold out,"


    "Eh?¡¡Sold out?"


    "That''s right."


    "That''s why, please restock!"


    I hurriedly check the unattended sales stand. Indeed, all items are sold out, and I got 8,700 G.


    Just as Ashihana had said. Could it be that the rumor is really spreading?


    Well, they want them. I''ll just restock my goods for now. But I don''t have that many on hand right now, so I''ll have to make some more.


    "Well, I''ll restock them, so can you wait about 30 minutes?"


    "I understand!"


    "Okay, thank you."


    "I''ll wait!"


    Are they just going to wait here? I stared as the players began queuing up in front of my stand. While I appreciate their patience, the pressure to deliver is high.


    First, I need to harvest some weeds, so I ask Orto and the others to go pick some herbs for me.


    In the meantime, I head inside the barn to set up my incubator.


    "Wait... Maybe I should check my Alchemy recipes first. Now that I have an incubator, chances are I might¡¯ve unlocked a new recipe."


    Players should be able to make an incubator with alchemy. If I''m lucky, I can improve the effect. With that in mind, I check my alchemy recipes list...


    "Huh... What should I do?"


    I found not one but four recipes that used an incubator. However, the problem is the other ingredients.


    Each recipe required a Production Skill Incubator and an iron ingot, plus a fire, water, earth, or wind crystal, depending on what you wanted to make. Yes, those crystals¡ªthe ones Alyssa-san was willing to buy for 30,000 G apiece.


    Thirty thousand is a lot of money, not to mention iron ingots were extremely valuable too.


    However, I have four crystals; perhaps it wouldn¡¯t hurt to spare one. After all, considering the required ingredients, the incubator is bound to turn out amazing.


    Okay, let''s use it. After all, this is Orto and Sakura¡¯s child! I want to give my best.


    That said, it would likely take a while to prepare everything. I still had to select which attribute crystals to use.


    Might as well restock the herbal tea leaves first.


    While I check the recipes, Orto and the others are harvesting the herbs for me. My inventory is increasing.


    I quickly take the herbs and dry them to make tea leaves. Once I have made some, I mix them together.


    Should I use the same ingredients as before?¡¡No, wait. I want to use wild strawberries for cookies, so I''ll use a different herb.


    I continued mixing in the barn and made about 50 packs of herbal tea leaves. It''s almost half an hour before my promised time, so let''s restock for the time being.


    "Sorry to keep you waiting---. Eeeh?"


    "Ah. Hello, Shirogane-san."


    "Eh?¡¡Is he Shirogane-san?"


    "Yes, that''s him. He is with a gnome, right?"


    "I see!"


    I am not surprised that my cover had been blown. I am used to this sort of reaction already. What surprised me was the number of people lining up before my stand.


    There had been 5 people when I last looked, but 3 more people had joined the queue. Things were starting to get out of hand. Is someone spreading rumors again? Nah, that can''t be true. It is because Japanese people love to join the line. I bet they joined the queue out of curiosity. Yes, that must be the reason.


    "Eeto... Okay, I¡¯ll restock the stand now. It¡¯s 5 packs per person, so please don¡¯t take any more than that."


    "Okay."


    The crowd replied in unison. It seems they will sell out in no time.


    I only have a few herbal teas left!¡¡This is a serious problem. Should I increase my production?


    "All right. Once I¡¯ve tried out the incubator recipe, I¡¯ll go buy some more land."


    Before that, I have an alchemy experiment to do. I double-checked the recipe, which listed an incubator, iron ingot, and attributes crystal as ingredients.


    The question is, which crystal to use? Typically speaking, the crystal would likely give the soon-to-be-born monster an attribute or a skill of said attribute.


    Currently, my party lacks wind- and fire types.


    "Hmm. Think I¡¯ll go with a fire crystal. Seems like it¡¯ll be more useful for farm work than wind,"


    Like, slash and burn agriculture or greenhouses.


    Once I use the new incubator, the monster won''t be able to learn a production skill, but....... Since I''m using such valuable items, the incubator made with alchemy should be better. I''m sure of that.


    "I''ll make the best incubator ever. Just wait!"


    "Mu?"


    "--?"


    Time for alchemy. That''s what I thought, but......


    [Your equipment¡¯s level is not high enough.]


    What?¡¡Do you mean a simple alchemy set is not good enough?¡¡Do I have to buy a new alchemy set?¡¡Well, it''s a beginner''s alchemy set.


    I guess it can''t be helped. My alchemy has grown to a certain level, so I think it''s time to move on to the next stage. I might also get a new set for mixing and cooking.


    "Maybe I should go to Alyssa-san¡¯s place later."


    And I have a week to set the eggs in the incubator. In the meantime, maybe she can introduce me to a skilled alchemist.


    I also want to buy a farm, so let''s go immediately. First, we head for the nearest farming guild.


    I have about 56,000 G. No problem. I might as well buy 5 plots of land anyway.¡¡But my ambition is quickly shattered.


    "Unfortunately, your guild rank wasn¡¯t high enough. You can only own up to 20 plots of land in one town."


    Surprisingly, the number of farms that can be owned is limited. At rank 4, the maximum number of farms that can be owned is 20 plots in one city. The maximum number of farms that can be owned in a city double once your rank is raised to 5.


    "The next increase is at rank 10."


    Once my rank is raised to 10, I can own up to 60 plots of land. It looks like I can own up to 30 fields in one town. Right now, I have 18 plots of land. So I could only buy 2 plots of land.


    Now I have 9 plots for weeds. I don''t want to grow weeds by destroying ordinary farms because Potions and vegetables are also useful.


    "Hmmm, I guess that''s the only thing I can do for now."


    Does this mean it''s time to move on to the next town?


    I''ve heard players can transfer from one city to another town for a small fee.


    It is possible to buy and manage a farm in another town simultaneously.


    "Then I need to have the right equipment. I need to get a new alchemy set, so let''s go to the stores. First, let''s visit Alyssa-san."

 CH 61

    Chapter 61: Production Skill Incubator with a Fire Attribute


    My first stop is supposed to be Alyssa-san¡¯s shop, but her stall isn¡¯t in the usual place in the square.


    "Hmm. Is it her day off?"


    I supposed I shouldn¡¯t expect her to be in the same place all the time. When I check my friend list, I find that she is offline. I cursed myself for not doing so before heading out.


    Hmm, what should I do now? Although I can buy what I need at the Alchemy Guild, I don¡¯t feel like registering for membership just for that purpose.


    "I know! I can ask Sawyer."


    Since Sawyer is an Alchemist, there is a good possibility he knows where I can buy an Alchemy kit. Or maybe I can ask him to make an incubator for me. This time, I will check my friend list before moving to avoid the same mistake.


    Looks like he¡¯s online. I call him first to see what he is doing.


    "Hi. What¡¯s up?"


    "Are you free right now?"


    "Yes. I don¡¯t have any customers at the moment,"


    "I¡¯m actually looking for a new Alchemy set. I think I¡¯ve outgrown the beginner Alchemy set. I need the next one up. Do you know where I can buy one?"


    "Eh!? You are still using the beginner set."


    "Well, as you know, I¡¯m not an Alchemist."


    "Still, people usually choose to replace it immediately..."


    Eh? Really? According to Sawyer, anyone can buy the beginner''s set, the level above the simple Alchemy set, at any NPC stall specializing in such equipment. Regular production-type players usually replace their set within the first few days.


    I had never visited an NPC-run Alchemy shop before. Especially since the ingredients that other production-type players usually bought I tended to gather on my own. Items like water pumice are cheaper at Alyssa¡¯s stall.


    For similar reasons, I had never bothered using other NPC shops. I should probably check out the NPC shop offerings sometime.


    "Why the sudden interest, though?"


    "Thing is, I want to make an incubator."


    "Really? Did you get a recipe for it?"


    "I sure did."


    "If you bring me the necessary ingredients, I can make it for you."


    "Seriously? For how much?"


    "Depends on what it¡¯s worth, but... I know, how about a trade?"


    "A trade?"


    "Yeah. I collected quite a few herbs with the intention of making herbal tea myself. But I can¡¯t unless I have Cooking skills, right? As a result, I have loads left over now."


    "Could you dry those herbs for me? In exchange, I¡¯ll make the incubator for you."


    I''m sure Sawyer can make a better incubator, so I entrust him with the task. Besides, making herbal tea leaves is easy.


    "Sure, that works. Are you at your shop now?"


    "Yes."


    "Be right there."


    I hung up and immediately headed to his shop. As usual, there are no customers.


    "Hi again."


    "Welcome. So, you want an incubator?"


    "That¡¯s right."


    I explained the contents of the recipe to him.


    "I didn¡¯t know we needed an incubator in the first place. No wonder I couldn¡¯t obtain the recipe for one."


    "Besides the incubator, you¡¯ll need this and this."


    "Hmm."


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Just nervous since they¡¯re all very valuable ingredients."


    Both materials are incredibly rare at the moment, not to mention the incubator itself is an expensive item too.


    But there is no chance of failure as long as he makes it in Auto Mode. That''s why I am not worried about him accidentally wasting my ingredients.


    "What do you think?¡¡Can you make it?"


    ''Let''s see....... Oh, I got the recipe. It looks like it can be made with the beginner''s set."


    Good. Now we just need to see how good a quality product we can make with auto production.


    Then, I''ll count on you.


    "Okay. Here are the herbs."


    "Okay."


    I received 15 herbs.


    "It''s going to take me about 30 minutes to prepare the herbs.¡¡What will you do in the meantime?"


    "Preparation?"


    "The crystal needs polishing, and ingots can be heated and hammered to improve the quality."


    Making herbal tea for Sawyer would take me less than ten minutes. That still left me with plenty of time.


    "That¡¯s a long wait... In that case, I¡¯ll check out the Alchemy shop once I¡¯ve dried your herbs. Can you tell me where it is?"


    "Of course. It¡¯s right nearby."


    10 minutes later.


    After drying all of Sawyer¡¯s herbal tea leaves, I arrived at the Alchemy shop.


    "Welcome."


    "Hi, I¡¯d like to buy a beginner¡¯s Alchemy set. Do you have any?"


    "Sure do. That¡¯ll be 2,000 G per set."


    Well, that was easy enough. I paid the wizened shop owner 2,000 G in exchange for my new Alchemy set.


    According to them, I''d need to register at the Alchemy Guild and raise my guild rank if I wanted a more advanced set than this.


    Apparently, Ashihana had only just acquired the production set above this; Sawyer had yet to obtain one and was still using the beginner''s set. With that in mind, it''d likely be ages before I could purchase a more advanced kit myself.


    Since I still had plenty of time left, I also decided to check out the Mixing shop and cooking shop. Sure enough, they sold beginner''s mixing and cooking sets. I purchased one of each without hesitation.


    "Now all my production sets have been renewed."


    I can''t wait to start production activities. Now that I have accomplished my goal let''s go back to Sawyer-kun''s store.


    "Oh, Yuuto-san. Got what you needed?"


    "Yep, all thanks to you."


    "I¡¯m all done too."


    "Whoa! The rarity is 4?! But, the name is long."


    Name: Production Skill Incubator with a Fire Attribute


    Rarity: 4 / Quality: 5¡ï


    Effect: An incubator that grants a +4 initial stat boost at random to the monster that hatches from it. Also gives a random production skill to its initial skill set, as well as a fire attribute skill and fire resistance.


    The incubator¡¯s effects are truly impressive. Its initial stat boost has increased from +3 to +4, perhaps owing to its five-star quality. Plus, the skills it grants are ridiculous. If the statement is true, my monster will gain a production skill, fire attribute skill, and fire resistance to boot. The original incubator had cost me 20,000 G and the crystal 30,000 G. Because iron ingots are also precious, I expected the result would be this impressive. I am also glad that the production skill bonus has remained.


    Investing all those precious materials had been absolutely worth it.


    "Hey, Sawyer. It doesn¡¯t feel right to not pay you for this astounding piece of work."


    "Don¡¯t mention it. I should be the one thanking you. I gained a ton of XP from working with these high-quality ingredients. My Alchemy level went up two levels while I was making this! I was surprised."


    That was impressive. There was no way I could turn him down now.


    "Well, if you insist, I gladly accept."


    "It¡¯s all yours. Thanks for giving me a fun project to work on."


    I couldn¡¯t wait to return to my barn and set up the incubator. Sorry to keep you waiting, little egg!

 CH 62

    Lupus-sensei9-12 minutes 23.04.2023


    Chapter 62: Tagosack


    I returned to my farm to set up the incubator.


    It has a sci-fi look with red as its base color. The shape is slightly rounded, like an oxygen capsule. I can''t wait to see what kind of monsters will be born.


    When I am looking at the incubator, Orto and Sakura approach me. They are petting the egg.


    They seem to know that the egg is theirs. I left the barn, leaving Orto and Sakura with their egg.


    Oh yeah, what happened to the light moss?¡¡Let''s check my inventory.


    The usual medicinal and poisonous herbs. I found the Light Moss name among them. Looks like it grew without any problems.


    Unfortunately, I didn''t see red tengu mushrooms or white variants. Well, it can''t be that easy. Let''s wait and see.


    ''Should I try mixing with Light Moss?''


    Light Moss is a weed, so I don''t expect much.


    When I am pondering in front of the barn, I think I hear someone call out to me.


    "Huh?¡¡Did someone call me?"


    "Kyu?"


    "Kuma?"


    "---Yi!¡¡Oii!"


    It wasn''t my monsters.


    I look out of the farm and see someone waving at me. Obviously, that person is waving at me, right?


    "Eeto, what do you need from me?"


    "Oh yeah. You''re the owner of this place, right?"


    "Yes, I am."


    "I''m Tagosack. I just wanted to say hello to my neighbor."


    "Neighbor?"


    "Yeah. That''s my farm."


    Tagosack pointed to a farm next to my field. It is the farm with the mysterious crops that appeared out of nowhere.


    So she is my neighbor.


    "Eeto, Tagosack-san?"


    "Just call me Tagosack.¡¡And no need for honorifics!"


    "You''re a woman, right?"


    "That''s right.¡¡Oh, my name makes you wonder, isn''t it?¡¡Never mind. It''s my hobby!"


    So she is really a woman.


    She is much taller than me, at least 170 centimeters. I took a step towards her and found myself having to crane my neck to look her in the eye. She has long, straight, black hair and a pretty face and wears some type of jumpsuit. Her looks and her gruff way of speaking make me want to call her Nee-san (older sister).


    I am not sure if she is talking like this as some kind of role-play or if it is just her usual way of speaking, but judging from how the words rolled off her tongue, it is likely the latter. It didn''t really bother me, so I set the question aside.


    "Oops, sorry I didn''t introduce myself. I''m Yuuto."


    "Nice to meet you. I''m glad to meet you, because fellow farmers are very precious to me."


    "I guess there aren''t that many of us, right?"


    "Yeah. And not many farmers can keep a farm this big."


    "In my case, I''m a tamer, so it''s not exactly my full-time job."


    "I see. You''re Shirogane-san, right?"


    "Mm."


    "Oh, I''m sorry. Didn''t I mention it?"


    It seems that Tagosack knows about me.


    "...How did you find out?"


    "It¡¯s actually a well-known fact among Farmers that this farm belongs to you. Everyone¡¯s dying to know how you do it despite not actually a Farmer."


    I supposed it made sense that people who work as Farmers would be interested in my farm. Alyssa mentioned that plant growing skill is a rare skill, and no doubt all these trees made my farm stick out a mile. Anyone who heard about me most likely can guess who owns this place by looking at Orto.


    "Since you happened to be around, I thought I¡¯d say hi and ask you a few questions. Like how you grow trees, for example."


    "I don¡¯t mind, but I doubt you¡¯ll be able to copy me."


    After all, he has to start by finding and taming a gnome.


    "So it''s the gnome."


    "Oh, you already know the answer."


    "No, there might be another reason. One of the possibilities that were mentioned on the bulletin board was that you might be hiring an NPC with plants growing skill."


    "Is it possible to hire an NPC?"


    "It''s possible once your guild rank reaches 6."


    I had only just raised my rank to 5 recently. Tagosack¡¯s remark piqued my interest, though. I didn''t know hiring NPCs was an option.


    "That being said, the NPCs you can hire at the beginning only have the bare minimum skills, so they aren¡¯t very useful."


    "Then why¡¯d you think I had an NPC working for me?"


    "Come on, you¡¯re Shirogane-san. How could I be so sure you hadn¡¯t hired a high-level NPC through some kind of secret method? Course I don¡¯t buy that theory anymore after observing this place for the past few days."


    "What sort of person do you think I am, anyway?"


    "Good question. Maybe someone who enjoys playing differently than others and makes lots of interesting discoveries along the way."


    Oh? That wasn¡¯t too bad. I¡¯d expected something much worse, like being considered a weirdo for farming despite being a Tamer.


    Upon voicing my thoughts, Tagosack burst out laughing.


    "Dahahahaha! Quit being paranoid. Most Farmers have positive opinions about you."


    That''s nice to hear. Well, maybe they feel a sense of comradeship being in the same line of work.


    "That reminds me. Can I ask you one more thing?"


    "Go ahead."


    "About that tree over there. Never seen it before. Is it a special type of tree?"


    Tagosack pointed to the water guardian tree. I remember that appraisal doesn''t work inside other people''s homes. Indeed, it would be difficult to identify it without appraisal skill.


    "That¡¯s a water guardian tree."


    "What? Water guardian tree as in the great water guardian tree?"


    "Yup. I happened to obtain a water guardian fruit in an event a while back. Orto convert it into seed for me, so I¡¯ve been growing it ever since."


    "Th-That¡¯s amazing, dude. You manage to harvest anything from it?"


    "No, not yet."


    "Gotcha. By the way, how much do you think it¡¯ll grow?"


    Tagosack asked. We are apparently thinking the same thing.


    "...It won¡¯t grow that big, right?"


    "Who knows? I sure don¡¯t. Anyway, you should continue taking good care of it and let me know how things turn out."


    "Figured as much."


    I hope it doesn''t get too big.


    "I guess I''ll have to improve my farming skills to get plants growing skill."


    "Good luck with that."


    "Thanks for the valuable information. This is as a thank-you for the information. Please take it."


    "Seedlings?¡¡This is... magic power plant!¡¡And this is the antidote plant?¡¡Are you sure?"


    The magic power plant is the ingredient for the mana potion I''ve been looking for. I am really happy to receive it.


    "Yep. Those are both crops I grow on a regular basis. Is that okay? I don¡¯t think you have them yet, do you?"


    "I¡¯m more than happy to have these! Was that information really worth it, though?"


    "Consider them a sign of our new friendship. Besides, I got to see your interesting farm too."


    I didn''t expect a farmer like Tagosack to be interested in me.


    "My farm isn''t so bad, right?"


    "Decent? That¡¯s an understatement, especially for someone who¡¯s not even a real Farmer. It¡¯s freaking impressive, man."


    Hearing that made me feel a bit unworthy. None of this was due to my own efforts.


    "It is all thanks to my gnome,  Orto. He has plants growing skill from the beginning. Thanks to his initial bonus. It lets him grow green peaches and walnuts too. It¡¯s all him, not me."


    That¡¯s why I don¡¯t deserve that kind of praise, I explained to her. To my surprise, Tagosack looked a bit annoyed.


    "Bull. Sure, you have your gnome to thank for. But you¡¯re the one who chose how to use his powers."


    "Maybe, but..."


    "It probably took you a lot of courage to buy a farm despite not being a Farmer, am I right?"


    "You¡¯re the one who decided to plow the fields and plant all these trees. The reason you¡¯re the person you are today is because of your own efforts. You may have earned titles and made new discoveries along the way, but it wasn''t all by chance. It¡¯s because you took the road less traveled, and that¡¯s something to be proud of."


    She seems to know a lot about me. It is unsurprising because my name has popped up a few times on the bulletin boards. She also seems to be aware that I have more than one title.


    I have to say, encouraging words from an older sister-type character like Tagosack carry a lot of weight. I am starting to feel a little more confident about myself.


    Although I had failed to get a head start and got off on the wrong foot, I am now satisfied with how things have turned out. I am doing pretty well as a Farmer. Maybe not the best farmer, but certainly one-of-a-kind.


    "Well, thank you. I''m feeling a little more confident now."


    "Oh. You should be more proud of yourself. You may not be the best, but your play is interesting enough! We''re playing a game. That''s the most important thing, right?"


    "Yeah, that''s right."


    "Did I sound cheesy?"


    "No, it was cool."


    "Cool is not the right word when praising a woman, right?"


    "What else can I say?"


    "Hahaha. You''re right."


    After laughing, Tagosack sent me her friend code.


    "Hey, how about we exchange friend codes? If we have any interesting information, we''ll share it with each other."


    "Thanks, that¡¯d be great."


    Tagosack is a far more experienced Farmer than I am and most likely more knowledgeable in every other area except trees. I now have an excellent companion to turn to for advice. She is a good person.


    After Tagosack leaves, I give Orto the magic power plant and the antidote plant and ask him to convert them into seeds.


    "With this I can make mana potion!"

 CH 63

    Lupus-sensei8-10 minutes 23.04.2023


    Chapter 63: As a tamer


    When I saw Orto planting the magic power plant, which is the mana potion''s main ingredient, I suddenly got an idea.


    I already gave him juice today. Can''t I give him a second glass?¡¡As I recall, it stated that tame monsters must be fed once a day, but no statement said I must not give them more than once a day.


    If I give him a meal once an hour, would he keep working at double speed?


    "Let''s try to give him more. Orto, here."


    "Mu?"


    "Oh, yeah. You can have it."


    "Mumu!"


    When I offer him a glass of juice, he drinks it happily. It seems I can feed him as many times as I want. This is a great discovery.


    "Kuma."


    "Kyu."


    "Ki, Kids. Don''t look at me like that. Of course I didn''t forget about you kids. Here, your portions are here."


    "Kumaa!"


    "Kyukkyuu!"


    That was close. I completely forgot about them.


    "Mumumu~!"


    "What, what''s up Orto?"


    What''s now?¡¡Orto stands there while looking down, clenching his fists and groaning. His body is glowing slightly.


    It feels as if he is going to shout, "You mean Krillin!" (*refer to Dragon Ball manga famous scene)


    "Mumuu...... Mu!!"


    "Uwaa!¡¡What''s wrong!"


    Orto suddenly raises his right arm toward the sky. An even stronger light gathered in Orto''s palm.


    "I, I seriously think you''re going to fire something!"


    Orto extended his right hand towards me and slowly opened his fist to reveal a beautiful stone in his palm. It is a white, translucent gem that resembled the beam of light that had just radiated from his hand, crystallized.


    "What, what the hell is that?"


    "Mu."


    As I sit back in amazement, Orto hands me the gemstone in his hand.


    "For me?"


    "Muu."


    Name: Tamed Monster¡¯s Heart (Orto)


    Rarity: 1 / Quality: 10¡ï


    Effect: A tamed monster''s heart in crystallized form. It can''t be sold or given away.


    Hou. What''s this?¡¡I''ve never heard of this item. The fact that the quality is 10¡ï is also amazing. It cannot be sold or transferred, meaning it is only for self-use, right? What a meaningful name.


    "Hmmm, let''s check the recipe."


    Then, among the alchemy recipes, I found one that uses a tamed monster''s heart.


    "The material is gemstone with the tamed monster''s heart......."


    The tamed monster''s heart is non-transferable. That means I can''t give it to Sawyer-kun and have him process it for me.


    "Do I have any gems?"


    Crystals are not gems but in the category of magic stones. Would I have to buy them somewhere else?


    "No, wait. I''m pretty sure there''s one ......"


    I remember something and look in my inventory. Then I discover only one item in the gems category.


    Name: Marble


    Rarity: 2 / Quality: 1¡ï


    Effect: Ingredient. For decorative purposes.


    It is the drop of the Lesser Ghosts. They dropped it along with an ingredient called soul powder, whose purpose remains unknown.


    "All right, I¡¯ve got both ingredients now. Just need to put them together... Are?"


    For some reason, even though I have all the necessary ingredients, the ''????'' column didn¡¯t turn white, nor could I select it in Auto Mode.


    Does that mean I can make this recipe with the beginner''s Alchemy set? No, that couldn''t be the issue. Although my equipment''s level was not high enough when I attempted to make the incubator, the item was written in white letters, which showed that it was possible to make.


    There has to be some other requirement that I haven''t unlocked yet.


    Alyssa¡¯s stall is closed today, though...


    "Hmm, who else can I ask?"


    I list several possibilities off the top of my head: Sawyer, Tagosack, Akari, other Tamers, and the Magical Beasts Guild. I decided to ask at the guild first, then log out and scour the forums if that doesn¡¯t yield any results. Having settled my course of action, I headed to the Magical Beasts Guild, where Barbara greeted me with a cheerful smile.


    "Hi there."


    "Welcome. What brings you here today?"


    "I''d like you to take a look at this."


    "Why, that¡¯s a tamed monster¡¯s heart."


    As I expected, Barbara seems to know what it is.


    "I¡¯d like to know more about this item. Care to enlighten me?"


    "Very well. Before that, though, how about completing this quest?"


    A quest window popped up at Barbara''s suggestion, accompanied by the sound of a notification bell.


    Special Quest


    Requirement: Show Barbara a Tamed Monster¡¯s Heart.


    Reward: 2,000 G, one randomly selected gem.


    Time Limit: None


    "Didn¡¯t know there was a quest like this. Of course, I¡¯ll accept."


    "Excellent. Here¡¯s your reward for completing the quest."


    As I have already shown Barbara my tamed monster¡¯s heart, the quest is completed the moment I accept it.


    "You have received 2,000 G and a Green Jade."


    Name: Green Jade


    Rarity: 4 / Quality: 5¡ï


    Effect: Ingredient. For decorative purposes.


    Four stars, eh? That was pretty dang good! This is the perfect item to pair with Orto¡¯s tamed monster¡¯s heart.


    "So, how exactly do I use this tamed monster¡¯s heart?"


    "Sorry. I can¡¯t tell you the details."


    Eeh! After I came this far, that''s not fair!¡¡Well, it seems to be a very important item.


    "But I''ll give you a hint."


    "Eh, are you serious?"


    "Try raising your rank in the Beastmaster''s Guild to 7."


    "... Is that all?"


    "Yes."


    Hmm, it doesn''t seem like she will reveal any further details. However, she did make it very clear to raise my guild rank, so I supposed I might as well put in the effort.


    To raise my rank, I must complete as many quests as possible. Unfortunately, there aren''t many I can complete at the moment. It is probably best to take on persistent quests.


    While persistent quests only give you one contribution point, they can be attempted as often as you like. Once completed, regular quests disappear or grant you zero contribution points from the next time onwards. Still, persistent quests give you contribution points each time.


    The persistent quest for Tamers entailed taming specific monsters and delivering them to the guild.


    There was some debate in the forums about whether attempting this quest too many times came with any penalties, especially since it involved selling your tamed monsters.


    That is a valid concern. If you think about it, selling the monsters you tamed seems like a pretty crappy thing to do. People are concerned that doing so would be considered mistreating tamed monsters or affect their favorability score with their own monsters. However, I don''t think there are any downsides to this quest. To begin with, the persistent quests for other jobs rarely have any disadvantages, as they mostly involve gathering specific items. If the quest for Tamers alone has a critical downside, the game balance would be very bad.


    Additionally, you obviously have to use the skill repeatedly to raise your taming skill level. As a result, many Tamers complain about having too many tamed monsters. That will cause issues down the road, as you have to give up the tamed monsters you actually wanted because your monster slot is not enough.


    As harsh as it may sound, you could say that selling unnecessary monsters at the guild is the basic MO for Tamers. If your favorability score goes down every time you sell a monster, no one would be able to level up their Taming skill.


    Some players attempted leveling up by taming untameable bosses, although that was unusual.


    At the very least, I could never do that. Also, taming will always fail when your monster slots are full. While you can continue to use Tame as long as your MP lasts, the overall XP you would receive would be reduced by half.


    "Considering my Taming skill level is still pretty low, I might as well grind it."


    With a single quest, I could get contribution points, XP for my Taming skill, and money from selling monsters. It is like killing three birds with one stone.


    The only downside is that the reward is pretty small.


    ''Well, today''s target is..... Lucky!¡¡It''s a gray squirrel!"


    In the beginning, it was a super strong enemy that I could not win, but now I have no problem with it.


    "All right!¡¡Today we are hunting squirrels!"


    Because this novel translation project did not receive enough backing, I am forced to put it on hold.


    Thank you so much for your comments and encouragement so far. Please read and support my other novel translations.