Chapter 151: Building a Hideout Deep in the Forest
The forest stretching to the northeast of Port Town Reburos is vast, extending all the way to the commercial nation of the neighboring country. Since the MP consumption for Teleport increases exponentially with distance, we decided to walk after teleporting to a spot near the entrance of the forest.
“Hey, isn’t it about time we take a break?”
As the four of us and one beast walked along, Ivan’s voice called out from behind, urging us to stop. When I turned around, I saw Phonia panting heavily.
“Ah, sorry, I might have pushed Phonia a bit too hard.”
“I’m sorry, Phonia-chan.”
“No, it’s… okay… really…”
Seeing her bent over with her hands on her knees, looking up at us with those determined eyes filled me with guilt. I hadn’t considered her pace at all. There were no signs of other people around, so it might be a good idea to settle down here.
“Let’s take a little break.”
I pulled out chairs and a table from the Dimensional Box and began preparing some tea.
“…We’ve really got everything, haven’t we?”
I hoped Ivan would soon get used to this lifestyle as he gazed off into the distance.
“Phonia-chan, you can sit over here.”
Rio took out a small wooden box and placed a cushion on it, inviting Phonia to sit down. Since we didn’t have a child-sized chair, this would have to do. I might need to gather some proper supplies for children in the future.
“Here you go.”
I poured tea into a cup, added ice with magic, and handed it to Phonia.
“Thank you!”
She took it with her small hands and brought the cup to her lips, making soft slurping sounds as she drank.
“It’s cold and delicious!”
“This one is tasty too.”
Rio handed Phonia some baked sweets. After placing the remaining treats on the table, she settled into her chair. Unfortunately, Phonia was just short enough that she could barely see over the table.
“It’s so sweet!”
Phonia kicked her legs excitedly, her large ears twitching as she happily munched on the treats.
“Ah, this is refreshing.”
Ivan seemed to relax as well, sinking deep into his chair while tilting his cup.
“Still… it’s surprisingly comfortable here, even in the forest.”
As Ivan reached for the baked goods on the table, I noticed that the paths around us had completely vanished, and the terrain had become quite rugged. The leaves above were thick, casting a dim light despite it being just before noon.
“If we have ways to live comfortably, we won’t compromise.”
“Haha…”
I gave him a thumbs-up, and he responded with a wry smile. Phonia, perhaps caught up in the moment, also raised her thumb with a bright smile.
“Well then, I’ll take a quick look around the area.”
I decided to scout for a suitable campsite while we still had plenty of energy. Phonia, however, was not as fortunate.
“Take care!”
The three of them waved me off as I left the spot.
“Wow, what a beautiful view. This might be the perfect spot.”
After running for a few minutes, I arrived at a scenic overlook. It seemed I had reached the edge of a cliff, where I could see the landscape spread out before me. However, with the treetops visible right at my feet, it didn’t quite feel like a cliff. Looking left and right, it appeared the view continued endlessly, and I couldn’t find a path down from here.
Returning to the resting spot, I suggested we all head down to the base of the cliff. I carefully carried Ivan as we descended through the air, and thankfully, no one commented on it this time.
“If we set up here, we might be hidden from view even from above.”
“True. Since we’re in the forest, as long as we have a base, we should be able to procure food.”
Ah, right. Food procurement. I hadn’t thought much about it since we had a lot stored in the Dimensional Box, but normally, we’d need to gather supplies daily.
“I’ve spotted a few edible fruits along the way, so we should be fine.”
It seemed Rio had been keeping an eye out during our journey. We would contribute some food as well, so it wasn’t something to worry about too much.
“Alright, let’s clear a bit of land and start building our home.”
It had been a while since I’d constructed a camping house. Time to put some effort into it.
“I’ll prepare lunch.”
“I’ll help too.”
“Me too!”
Ivan rolled up his sleeves, and Phonia raised her hand enthusiastically.
“Then you two help Rio.”
“Eh?”
Ivan looked surprised, perhaps not expecting that, but when I explained that I would be using magic to create the house, his expression turned serious.
“Ahaha!”
As I heard Phonia’s laughter behind me, I made my way to the base of the cliff. The area was covered by trees overhead, but there was enough space on the ground. The cliff rose about five or six meters high. If I built a two-story house, it would be about the same height as the roof.
The ground in the forest was uneven due to tree roots, so I decided to go with a Raised Floor Style. Using Earth Magic, I created a foundation about fifty centimeters high. I made the dirt floor spacious and began partitioning it off from the living room. Since trees grew immediately after moving away from the cliff, I decided to make the house long and narrow along the cliff’s edge. I also constructed proper walls for the bathroom and washroom.
This was starting to get fun.
“What the heck is this?!”
As I became engrossed in my work, I heard a shout while connecting the second floor to the top of the cliff. Curious, I leaned over to see Ivan calling me to let me know lunch was ready.
I wouldn’t compromise on what I was secretly crafting.