Chapter 87 - Chapter 78: Suddenly Spicy
While chatting idly with Mion, I was crafting a leather armor—no, a composite armor.
Lupi, as usual, hunted two Bicobit, came back, had a snack, and entered nap mode.
That spot in the Ancient Ruins where ore appears, it was very similar to our mine here.
“That’s right. But monsters were regularly spawning there, so I wonder if they’ll start spawning here too.”
That would be… unpleasant if we were attacked while mining.
“Exactly.”
I want to clear my inventory as much as possible, unequip everything to increase my carrying capacity before mining, but getting attacked then would be disastrous.
I can’t rely solely on Lupi, either.
That door at the back of the second floor, is it some kind of level restriction after all?
“Probably? Bell-buchou’s tower only went up to the 10th floor before, so it might be the same thing.”
It might be that it’s impossible even at the current level cap, or in reality, it’s just not implemented yet.
“But still, we can get Iron Ore from just the first and second floors, so development around there is probably going to accelerate.”
Seth-chan was happy about it.
“Apparently, the Kingdom hasn’t found many mines and imports what’s lacking from the Republic. But now, with travel to the Republic difficult, it’ll be a godsend for the Kingdom.”
Speaking of which, the merchant Seth-chan helped dealt in Weapons and Armor, didn’t he?
Ancient Ruins, or rather, a dungeon. If adventurers could hunt monsters and mine ore, that would be great.
If that happens, I have a feeling it’ll quickly develop into a mining town.
“Alright, it’s done!”
`[Sewing Skill has leveled up!]`
Congratulations!
“Thanks.”
With this, my [Sewing] skill is also Lv.5, so I guess I’m average now.
And so, I immediately appraised the finished armor.
`[Composite Leather and Iron Armor]`
A composite armor combining Ranziboa leather and iron plates. Defense +25.
“Ooh! Defense went up by 20 instantly!”
It was an armor recreated using Ranziboa leather, based on the beginner’s leather armor, with thick iron plates attached to the chest, stomach, back, and shoulders.
I just used the one Nat was wearing as a reference, but it seems I made it better than expected.
Please try it on!
“Okay.”
Appraisal results aside, I need to check how it feels to wear.
“Hmm, it’s heavy after all, but I can handle this much.”
Probably thanks to raising my STR quite a bit.
I rotated both shoulders, but felt no particular discomfort. I twisted my body left and right, and did some bending exercises, but nothing felt like it was interfering.
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
“Woof?”
Perhaps because I stood up and started exercising, Lupi woke up and gave me an expectant look, as if asking, “Are we going for a walk?”
You’ve been working this whole time, how about going for a little walk?
“Hmm, I guess I will. Still plenty of time, so I’ll head out to the Western Forest.”
Yes!
“Woof!”
*
Since I was out, I decided to wander through the Western Forest, combining it with gathering.
“Woof woof.”
“Oh?”
Lupi seemed to have found something and was pawing at the dirt with her front paws.
What is it?
“This is…”
`[Rudish]`
A vegetable with a thick root.
Cooking: Both leaves and root are edible. The root has a spicy flavor, but it disappears when heated.
“Yep, this is definitely a daikon radish.”
You did it! What kind of dish will you make?
“For now, grated daikon? It would probably go well with yesterday’s Flower Trout. Also, daikon leaves are delicious stir-fried.”
As I dug around with the shovel I brought, a short, thick root emerged, a little different from the daikon radishes I usually see in supermarkets.
It looks different from what you usually see.
“Yeah. Maybe I’ll taste a bit.”
Eh?
Mion was surprised, but daikon radish can be eaten raw, you know?
After lightly washing it with [Purification] magic, I took a small bite…
“Mmm… Spicy! Whoa! It’s super spicy!”
“Woof…”
Shou-kun…
Crap, she’s probably exasperated, but I’m too busy with the spiciness.
Real daikon spiciness would subside after a while, but this felt twice as spicy.
“Haa, that was spicy. But I feel like it’ll be normally delicious if I simmer it.”
Is that so?
“Because daikon in oden, for example, is delicious.”
That’s true, but…
Well, oden would need soy sauce and sugar, so maybe I’ll simmer it with rabbit meat… Huh?
I suddenly looked up and saw Lupi tensing her limbs, glaring beyond the trees.
`[Presence Detection Skill has leveled up!]`
Ah, this is bad…
“Grrrraaa!”
Kya!
An Armor Bear suddenly appeared from beyond the thicket.
Mion, startled, let out a genuine scream.
“Hey, hey, spawning right next to us, seriously, give me a break…”
“Woof!”
Lupi was already in full combat mode, and at this distance, it didn’t look like we could escape.
Guess we have no choice but to fight…
I held my axe in my right hand, keeping my left hand free for my trump card.
That, of course, being that thing tucked into my belt’s knife sheath.
“Grraaa!”
I dodged the huge downward swing from its right arm by stepping back.
If there was an opening, I thought about bringing my axe down on that arm, but I refrained, realizing I could only attack armored parts.
“Bow!”
Lupi’s right foreleg swept at the Armor Bear’s left hind leg, but it seemed to hit an armored part of the shin, only producing a hard clanging sound.
“Lupi, if you’re aiming, go for its knee or the inside of its thigh.”
“Woof.”
After re-watching the video a few times, it seems there’s no armor on its joints or the less exposed sides.
“Gaah!”
Perhaps because I’d poked its leg, its aggro shifted, and the Armor Bear now swung both arms down at Lupi.
With its wild swings, there was no way it could catch the current Lupi, who swiftly dodged, making the arms slam into the ground.
“Lupi, get back!”
“Woof!”
“Fireball!”
A tennis ball-sized [Fireball] directly hit the Armor Bear’s right side of its face and exploded.
“Gyaaah!”
As the Armor Bear instinctively screamed and recoiled, Lupi launched a follow-up attack.
A little above the previous spot, three deep gashes appeared on its left hind knee. It was probably in a lacerated state—taking small amounts of damage with every movement.
“Lupi, come back! …Stone Projectile!”
I launched [Stone Projectile] again, aiming for its face.
The Armor Bear instinctively raised its arms to cover its face as small stones flew at it like buckshot.
Chance!
“Knife Throwing! Vitals Attack!”
The knife, firmly embedded in its throat, was, of course, coated with [Paralytic Venom] extracted from a Saloon Lizard’s [Poison Gland].
If only it lasts for 30 seconds…
`[Armor Bear: Morphing in progress]`
No way!?