Chapter 58 - Sudden Rain and My Home
“Um, did you find anything about the other Ancient Ruins that were discovered?”
Yes. Apparently, a dungeon was found deep in the forest south of the Marsis Republic.
It didn’t quite click for me, but the south of the Republic was a mountain range, right?
So, because Ancient Ruins were found in both countries, a World Quest was triggered? Hmm...
By the way, it seems the Game Dolls found it, and they said they’d be live streaming a dungeon raid tomorrow too.
“Oh dear. Bell-buchou must be having a tough time...”
On the same day, probably around the same time.
That would inevitably lead to comparisons, but those people are practically professional gamers.
It has nothing to do with us or this island, does it?
“Yeah. And there’s nothing I can do to help Bell-buchou, anyway.”
As I was talking and weaving rope, suddenly...
Rumble rumble rumble...
“Hm? Thunder?”
Isn’t it getting a bit dark?
“Crap. It’d be bad if they got wet after all that drying. Lupi, it might rain, so get inside.”
“Woof...”
I brought in the remaining dried bark and herded the sleepy Lupi into the cave.
As I watched the outside from near the entrance...
“Whoa! It’s pouring!”
Shou-kun, isn’t water coming into the cave?
“Ah! Uh, uh...
I blocked the cave entrance with an Earth Wall about knee-high. That would do for now. If it got worse, I’d make it taller.
“Ah, darn, the stone kiln is outside, so I can’t do any cooking or pottery...”
Starting a fire inside would probably kill me, so it can’t be helped. Maybe it would be fine in the Blacksmithing room of the Ancient Ruins, but I have to try Blacksmithing there first.
The plaza outside, visible from the entrance, had two or three large puddles forming due to the torrential rain.
There was no point in just staring outside, so I returned to the main hall of the cave. Lupi had already stretched out on the bed and was taking a nap. She really does seem to have grown a bit larger.
“For now, I guess I’ll finish making this rope.”
As I sat down next to Lupi,
[Acquired Residence: Acquired 1 SP!]
[My Home setting available. Would you like to set it?]
“Huh? Residence?”
Does that mean this cave is a residence?
“Hmm, I guess so, but to call it a residence...”
Just because there’s a sleeping space? There’s pretty much nothing else.
“Doesn’t this game ask too many sudden, incomprehensible questions?”
About that, you can apparently bring up help text for questions and announcement wording.
“Oh...!”
I’ve been playing this game without knowing any of that. Next time, when things calm down, I’ll reread those explanations.
I ignored the My Home setting for now and touched ‘Acquired Residence,’ and an explanation appeared. Uh...
[Acquired Residence]
A reward gained when a Blessed One owns a space where humans conduct their lives.
It seems that was correct. So, this cave is now considered mine.
“I wonder why at this exact moment, though? Maybe it’s because of that
I see. But then, which one is the Ancient Ruins?
“Hmm, which one indeed. For now, I’ll check the explanation for this too...”
When I touched the other option, ‘My Home setting,’
[My Home Setting]
A location set as one’s home among the residences owned by a Blessed One. Allows selection between the nearest Safe Zone or My Home as a Respawn Point.
“Well, it’s probably convenient for people playing the game normally.”
The option to choose between the nearest Safe Zone or your home as a Respawn Point seems like it would be used quite often.
I might use it too once I start operating in a wider area of this island.
Shou-kun, how about walking around with that display open? I feel like the display will disappear when you go beyond what’s considered a residence.
“I see!”
So, I immediately started wandering around.
This Safe Zone is also considered part of the house. No, normally the whole city is a Safe Zone, so it’s not strange.
“Seems the inside of the ruins isn’t counted.”
Even though it’s connected, it doesn’t count, huh?
“I wonder if it would be different if that door in the middle was open? Well, it wouldn’t really matter if it was that wide, and since I’m the only one on the island anyway, it’s all the same.”
It’s less a ‘My Home’ and more ‘my own country,’ isn’t it?
“Then, once I’ve got a grasp of the whole island, I’ll think about a country name.”
While exchanging such remarks, I passed just beyond the Earth Wall at the cave’s entrance, and the ‘My Home setting~’ display disappeared.
“Yep, it only goes up to this Earth Wall.”
It’s hard to tell what the criteria are.
“Normally, you buy land and build a house, so it’s straightforward, but this is a cave. Well, it doesn’t seem inconvenient, so I guess I’ll set it as My Home.”
Eventually, when I build a proper house, I’ll set that as My Home. Surely, it’s not something you can’t change.
So, when I chose “Yes,”
[Nation Founding Declaration possible. Declare now?]
“...”
I was just kidding...
“Players can found nations? How much support does this game actually provide...?”
I quietly closed the display.
Aren’t you going to do it?
“I have a feeling that if I do, it’ll cause various problems, or rather, a lot of trouble.”
A World Announcement would almost certainly go out. And I’d probably get a lot of SP.
But then, wouldn’t the location of this island be revealed on the map screen? Perhaps this island would even become selectable as a starting point?
Well, even if that didn’t happen, NPCs suddenly appearing just because it became a nation would feel... off, somehow.
I explained to Mion that I wanted to stick to solo play, as alone as possible, within the game.
Absolutely no one else can come here!
“Right. So, when you make the video, I’d like you to cut that part, if you could...”
Of course!
And I probably need to inform Bell-buchou about this, too.
As the World Quest for ‘Expansion of Living Space’ and ‘Development of New Towns’ progresses, I’m sure someone else will end up in the same situation as me.
“Is Bell-buchou in IRO?”
Yes.
“Then I’ll talk to her during club activities tomorrow.”
I don’t think talking about it will necessarily fix anything, but at least to prevent the people around Bell-buchou from getting into trouble.
Is it okay not to rush?
“Yeah. I think nation founding will only become relevant once the World Quest progresses.”
It would be an exciting development if users could actually found nations, though...