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: ★6

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 ★1, 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?"