Chapter 60 - Iron Ingot = ? Iron Ore
“Woof!”
“Morning, Lupi.”
I picked up Lupi, who had jumped at me, and settled her into my lap. I opened my settings and started streaming, and immediately got a notification that Mion had started watching.
Shou-kun, Lupi-chan, hello.
“Welcome, Mion.”
“Woof.”
How’s the weather outside?
“Ah, I’ll go take a look. I don’t hear rain, though.”
When I left the cave, the torrential rain from yesterday had completely stopped, and the weather was beautiful.
Only a few large puddles remained in the plaza, and everything else was completely dry. The stone kiln was also thoroughly dry, so I could probably make food with it.
“Shall we eat?”
“Woof.”
I cut up some rabbit meat for Lupi. As for my own portion... I was still fine, so I’d eat it tonight.
My rabbit meat stock was almost depleted, but there was something else I wanted to do first today.
“About an hour until club activities end?”
Yes, about 35 minutes.
After that, Yata-sensei had given me a bit of a lecture, saying, “You really need to study too, you know?”
Well, it was Bell-buchou who was mainly getting scolded, but I need to make sure I don’t end up in the same situation...
“Let’s divide and conquer. Lupi, after you finish eating, can you hunt two Bicobits?”
“Woof!”
She gave me a smug look that said, Leave it to me.
I don’t think there are any dangerous opponents for Lupi in this Dense Forest area anymore, but I still worry a little.
“Be careful of Saloon Lizards. I’ll be in the back digging for stones, so you can do whatever you like after that.”
“Woof.”
I watched Lupi finish her rabbit meat, full of motivation, and head out.
I re-watched some videos the other day, and she looks about two sizes bigger than when I first found her.
“Alright, I’ll go dig for ore.”
Finally, Blacksmithing, huh?
“Yeah, I need to plan the order and do it efficiently.”
First, I’ll make a pickaxe so I can mine Iron Ore more efficiently.
Next, I want to make an axe so I can chop down trees. After that, if I make carpentry tools, I’ll get closer to building a Log House.
Even if a Log House isn’t immediately possible, if I can at least make wooden boxes, many things should become easier.
If I can get all sorts of tools, I should be able to repair my bow...
I cautiously proceeded deeper into the Ancient Ruins, paying attention to any strange presences.
The passage and the Blacksmithing area were unchanged, and the door at the very end was still closed.
“The scariest thing would be if this opened from the other side.”
It might open?!
“Ah, no, looking at the decorations and all, I think it’s a door that only players can open, but it’s just a feeling?”
It’s a common trope in horror games, or rather... it feels like a flag, so I should stop thinking that.
When I went down the stairs to the mining area, the Luminous Moss had grown more than before, making it quite bright.
I had left the entrance door open, and it had rained, so perhaps the humidity reached all the way here.
“Alright, I’ll dig up as much as I can carry.”
I pounded away at the mining points with a rusty knife and hammer. Several Iron Ores could be obtained from one mining point, and I pounded them one by one...
.........
...
...
“Woof!”
“Oh, Lupi, welcome back. You already hunted? Good girl!”
Lupi proudly sat with her chest puffed out, placing two Bicobits at my feet. I made sure to pet her thoroughly, following a policy of praise and encouragement.
After praising her for a while, I Dismantled the Bicobits and put them in my inventory. I cut off a little meat as a treat and snack for Lupi.
“First, I’ll carry the ore to the Blacksmithing area. Can I put all of this in at once?”
Wouldn’t it be better to do a trial run first?
“Ah, you’re right...”
I was going to dump all the Iron Ore in at once, but I need to figure out how much MP it consumes first.
“Ugh, heavy!”
Perhaps because of the weight of a single Iron Ore, it felt heavy on my body.
The inventory system itself is conveniently game-like, but weight still applies a proper burden, huh...? I wonder if I can carry more if my STR increases.
I dumped the mined Iron Ore next to the Ancient Magic Furnace in the Blacksmithing area. It would be better if I had wooden boxes or something, but for now, it can’t be helped.
“Um, so I put them in here?”
I don’t know how to make ingots from raw ore in real life, but I opened the door on the front of the Ancient Magic Furnace and threw in the Iron Ore. I threw in five for now, closed the door, placed my hand on the furnace, and tried pouring mana into it...
Does it seem okay?
“Probably? It took about 20% of my MP, I think. Is it actually running with this?”
How about appraising it?
Ah, yeah, that’s right.
[Ancient Magic Furnace: Operating: Approx. 15 minutes until completion]
“Yes! It’s working!”
You did it!
It’s helpful that this also finishes in 15 minutes. I don’t know what the result will be, but for now, I just have to leave it.
“Now, the question is how many ingots this will make.”
How much do you need to make a pickaxe?
“Hmm, how big is a typical pickaxe head?”
I spread my hands about shoulder-width apart. Was it a bit bigger than that?
You might not have enough with all the ore you collected.
“Right? Raw ore like this often has non-iron parts mixed in, so I bet it’ll be less than half once it becomes ingots.”
But well, if that’s the case, I’ll just go dig for it a few more times. The digging spot is close by, anyway.
“Do I have about 30 minutes until club activities end?”
Yes, you have about 35 minutes.
“Okay. I think I’ll go take a look at the river while I’m out for a walk.”
“Woof woof.”
Lupi urged me on at the mention of a walk.
By the time I go and come back, the ingots should be ready, right?
When I left the cave and headed towards the river, the riverbed that was there before was completely submerged. The water level had risen considerably from yesterday’s downpour.
The water, which used to be clear enough to see fish, was now murky to the point of being a deep green and completely opaque.
Honestly, I’m amazed the game goes this far...
“Ah, no fish today then.”
“Whine.”
Lupi was also dejected, perhaps wanting to bathe.
However, there was nothing to be done, so I explored the forest, gathered some Papu Fruits and vines, and returned home.
“Alright, is it done?”
[Ancient Magic Furnace: Refining Complete]
It’s finished!
“Alright, alright. The door... It’s not hot, is it?”
I cautiously put my hand on the handle and opened it, and there, a single iron bar was sitting inside.
A little heat escaped, but the inside of the furnace seemed to have cooled down sufficiently.
“Um, judging by the result of 5 ore for 1 bar, it must have been 3, 4, or 5 ore for 1 bar.
So, if I tried 60 ore, it should be 12 bars for 5 ore, 15 bars for 4 ore, or 20 bars for 3 ore, right...?”
Um, Shou-kun. Shall I go look it up?
“Ah, yeah, please...”