Chapter 677 - Eating Is Top Priority
Friday.
Friday. It had been raining since morning, so I ate lunch in the classroom. An autumn rain front was coming, and the forecast said it would rain all weekend, which was annoying.
"I heard they found a Kobold nest beyond the Forest of Confusion."
"Wait, really?"
Natto himself had already returned to their base in the Kingdom, but he'd gotten the information from Reaper-san, whom he'd exchanged info with before. Apparently, they were able to get through the Forest of Confusion without any Wither Lacys appearing.
"I wonder if they're gone?"
"They'll probably respawn. Common ones respawn in about two weeks, and if it's fast, it doesn't even take a week."
"Huh."
Area Bosses that appeared on the mainland, like the Armor Bears I knew, or Uruks, or the large black dog monsters called Varghests that I didn't know... they all apparently respawned in about that much time.
"Hmm, was the Red Armor Bear I defeated special?"
"I hear they rarely appear. Well, your island is probably special."
When he put it that way, I didn't know how to respond. Well, there were parts of it that were bugs, so it might have been special in that sense.
"By the way, is the hut you were building during the stream finished?"
"I decided it was finished for now yesterday. Oh, that reminds me, there was something I wanted to ask. Are there any players who have gotten the Architecture Skill?"
"The Architecture Skill, huh. We've been wanting to get it too, but we haven't at all. I'm counting on you to pull something off."
Natto's guild had people who had broken the Carpentry limit, but the highest Civil Engineering level was only 7. Everyone was looking for the other conditions but hadn't found them. There was even talk that a book might be required. A book...
"Shou-kun. Why don't we ask Azure-san about the book?"
"Shall we? But is it okay to just get it like that?"
"Is it not?"
"I mean, is it okay to get items from the Dragon Capital that hasn't been unlocked yet?"
I nodded at Natto, who had picked up on my concern. But then again, the same could be said for Grimoires like Spatial Magic...
...
"No, no one in our group has the Architecture Skill. It is a skill we want, considering the development we are doing..."
Bell-bucho lamented. At the Silver Manor, Bacchus-san had broken the Carpentry limit and had Civil Engineering at level 8. He was aiming for the Architecture Skill but hadn't been able to get it.
"Brother probably has a better chance of getting it."
"I wonder. There might be a prerequisite skill I don't have."
I answered that way, but Bell-bucho just gave a wry smile. Bacchus-san's remaining skills were Woodcraft and Fine Work, which supposedly overlapped with the skills I had.
"Is it a book, then?"
"Could be. Are there no architecture-related books on the mainland?"
"We have put in a request to the 'Library of Knowledge,' but they said no such books have been found."
So it seemed. There weren't even books on existing structures. If there were, they would essentially be Books describing the internal structures of Ancient Ruins.
"I had Argenta-san look into the Ancient Ruins on the island before..."
"Ah, right. That ended up being no information in the end too."
I guess raid information wasn't something given out easily.
"By the way, are you starting the Tower of the North End today?"
"Yes, I plan to start tonight."
"Hoho. So the full picture of the island will finally be revealed."
"I hope it finishes quickly."
If it did, I could finally relax. I wondered if Sabana-san would be settled by then. I'd be happy if I could get Haku (rice) through the Remote Island Mutual Aid Association...
...
Since the main event was tonight, I went to set up the Transfer Magic Circle after school. That was fine, but...
"Eh? Mion, are you planning to come along for the exploration too?"
"Yes. ...Is that not okay?"
I had been thinking of just me, Lupi, Leda, Roy, Raz, and Rigel first. If Mion came too, I'd want to have Shal's group as guards, and if that happened, I wasn't sure if we could reach the Tower of the North End in one go. However, if the Black Hyenas I'd driven off before came in a pack, a small group might have more trouble...
"Okay. Then let's call Shal and Kuro's group too."
"Yes!"
"Lupi. Shal and Kuro..."
"Woof!" ""Bow!""
Before I could even finish my sentence, Leda ran toward Kuro's forest and Roy ran toward the church where Shal's group was, following Lupi's command.
"I'll have me, Lupi, Leda, Roy, and Rigel in the lead. Mion, Shal, and Kuro's group will follow behind, I guess."
"What about Sweee-chan?"
"~~~!"
Sweee beat her chest, as if to say Of course! I was worried, but since she said the Fairies would be staying behind, I gave her the okay.
"May I come along as well?"
El-san asked. She said Emeraldia-san would be with the White Dragon Princess.
"Then if you could guard Mion..."
"Understood."
With El-san on guard duty, I'd have Shal's group join the lead unit. That should allow us to handle even a large number of enemies. Just then, Roy returned with Shal's group.
"Nya!" """Nya!"""
Shal's group looked as if they were asking if they'd been called. After I patted them, I told them about going to the north forest tonight, and they immediately began preparations. While that was happening, Leda returned with Kuro's group, so I had Mion explain things to them.
"Uu. Uu?"
"Yes. Please do."
Kuro asked if he could leave things to Rake, considering the future. The fairies were thinking about a lot of things too. Come to think of it, the forest where I met Rigel connected to the plains on the east side of the island, so I'd have to go there eventually. I'd seen a horse other than Rigel there.
"Okay, I'm going to go place the Transfer Magic Circle over there, and then let's prepare the pre-departure meal."
"Yes."