"Frost Marigold, Icemint, Arctic Lavender, Snow Sage, Snowbloom...." Nathan murmured, reading through the note Yudan had given him.

"Frost Marigold has white and purple petals with a yellow center and so on...." He sighed. "Yudan said just one of these herbs would be enough to increase any resistance to cold. But, how am I supposed to find these things in a blizzard on a dark night with this much snow? "

Nathan glanced at Luna, and she smiled in response. "Do you need my help, Master?"

"Ah!" Nathan exclaimed. "I just remembered that I have a divine cheat: you, Luna! Let's go, Luna, tell me where I can find these things."

"Alright, let's begin with Snowbloom then. It's easier to cultivate in this icy climate. Snowbloom is native to cold climates and high altitudes, such as mountain ranges or regions. If we take a look at the geography of this pocket dimension..." Luna paused and pointed to the end of a plateau, a small mountain near them. "There."

Nathan looked in the direction that Luna was pointing, but he couldn't see anything in the darkness. "That's too far, Luna," he said.

"If I had to make it to that place tonight and be back before morning," Nathan realized it would be challenging to make it through this intense blizzard. He groaned in exhaustion and threw himself onto the snow-covered ground.

"I don't think I can do it," Nathan groaned. "I'm not even used to using my golem body yet. I wish I could just rest for a while... I'm so worn out..."

Silver stepped closer to Nathan's golem and wiped away the powdery flakes that had settled on its body.

"I'm just too tired to do this, Luna," he complained.

Luna chuckled at Nathan's behavior. "Having Sloth Sin sure gives you plenty of incentives to be lazy, doesn't it, Master?"

"You can't complain, Luna. As it has its own benefits. For instance, someone who is lazy will have to think hard to get what they want without having to work hard. That's what I call working smarter, not harder." Nathan replied.

He then sat up and glanced at Silver. He beckoned for the golem to sit down.

Silver swiftly followed his request and sat opposite him.

"Silver, please go with Night in that direction," Nathan said, gesturing in the same direction Luna had pointed out. "Look for a flower with white and purple petals and a yellow center. Don't forget to take the time to defeat any monsters you encounter. Understand?"

Silver nodded in understanding at Nathan's instructions.

"I'm very proud," Nathan said with satisfaction, "to have a golem with such impressive combat capabilities and Silver, who can take commands and guide other golems as well."

Nathan then shut his eyes and was instantly back in his own body.

***

Nathan slowly opened his eyes. The light in the room was brighter than outside, especially in his golem body. He felt an unusual warmth all over his body. As he fully opened his eyes, he saw three pairs of eyes looking at him with peculiar expressions – Linda, Muramoto, and Yudan.

"Hi Oppa..." Linda beamed and waved at him. She was seated beside him, even sharing the same bear-skin blanket with him.

"Hi," Nathan replied slowly. Glancing to the right, he noticed Meriel fast asleep, her arms tightly wrapped around his right arm.

Nathan was in a sitting position, barely conscious of Meriel being cocooned in the same blanket as him. Yet, the sensation of being embraced by an elven girl was still vivid to him.

historical

He raised his left hand and gingerly touched the side of his neck, feeling a slight wound there. "What is this?"

"That's..." Muramoto began. "Quite an effective way of transferring Stamina, Nathan-san."

"Don't let your imagination run wild, Muramoto," Linda said playfully, sticking out her tongue. "Meriel wouldn't do that to just anyone. You'd better keep your hopes in check that she'll do the same for you..." Linda chuckled.

"I'm sure it's nothing serious, Nathan," Yudan said. "Meriel needs to bite you in order to share her stamina with you. She does this by biting your neck, but it shouldn't leave a mark for some time."

Nathan shook his head slowly and smiled. "No, it's alright. I'm not bothered by it."

Nathan gently released Meriel's arms, ensuring her body remained upright. He carefully adjusted her posture. Her face looked exhausted.

He glanced at the clock on his left; it was 1am. He then turned to the others and asked, "Are you all doing okay here? My golems are out looking for the herbs Yudan needs."

Everyone nodded to his question.

Yudan took a bowl of frozen soup and placed it in the smoldering cylinder between them. He quickly melted the soup. "Take it, Nathan," he said. "It will help keep your body temperature up and give you some relief from the cold."

Nathan eagerly grabbed the soup and gulped it down. "This is good.... I'm even more doubtful now," he said with a satisfied look. "Are you a true alchemist or a chef, Yudan?"

Yudan stayed quiet as Nathan praised him.

"The conditions outside are terrible. The snow is heavy and mountainous. I'm not even sure the other participant can get through this easily." Nathan said while shivering.

"Isn't it great that we'll easily rise to the top of the rankings with this advantage?" Muramoto said, grinning.

"I don't think so," Nathan replied. "It's not a good idea to be too flashy at the start – we'll become a target for a lot of people. We must do our best to stay competitive and stay afloat, while still having a strategy to hit back."

Linda chuckled at Nathan's explanation. "You're adapting quickly to becoming a leader, Oppa. I like it."

[You've killed Snow Skeletal Bear Lv. 55]

[You've killed Snow Skeletal Bear Lv. 65]

As Nathan was chatting with the others, several notifications popped up in front of him. "Isn't this too easy?" He couldn't contain his excitement. "I can do AFK farming. All I need is to make more golems," he thought.

[You've killed Snow Skeletal Bear Lv. 65]

[You received 1,314 experience]

[Level Up]

[You received 6 stat points]

[You received 100 skill points]

[Level: Beginner Lv. 55]

[Exp: 329/16,101]

Nathan looked around. "I've killed a few monsters outside and my golems are currently doing the same. I gained all the experience myself since you guys didn't help, but the scores I get still benefit the team."

"That's great, Oppa," Linda said.

"Well then, maybe we should take turns staying awake and sleeping, and plan out what we'll do next tomorrow morning."

Nathan lay down next to Meriel, ensuring she wouldn't be disturbed as they had already shared a blanket.

Linda also lay down next to Nathan, very close to him.

"Are you supposed to sleep right next to me, Linda?" Nathan asked.

Linda nodded with a sweet smile, "We have to sleep next to each other, Oppa, to reduce the cold effect."

She then pushed Muramoto away with her foot. "Don't come near me, Muramoto!" she said sternly.

Muramoto looked hurt, "No.... I'm not.... Linda-chan.... How dare I do that....." he said, tears welling up in his eyes.

He then drew closer to Yudan. "Should we sleep close together too, Yudan?" Yudan shook his head.

"No, thanks, I can still survive this temperature," he said.