Chapter 191: Ore Collection
The next morning, we arrived at a mine tunnel located halfway up the slope of the valley to gather ores as part of our E-rank ongoing quest. This side of the slope was opposite to the one we had come from when we first visited Fairy Valley. We crossed the river at the bottom of the valley and made our way through the bustling streets of the Blacksmith District to get here.
Since the ore collection quest is an E-rank ongoing request, Ivan can undertake it at any time without needing anyone’s permission.
“Is this the place…?”
Ivan gazed at the entrance of the mine tunnel with a serious expression. There didn’t seem to be any lights inside, and darkness stretched out as soon as we stepped in. In the distance, a faint glow could be seen, but that was all.
“It’s pitch black, isn’t it?”
“Well, there’s a light further in, so it’s not too bad, right?”
“Seriously?”
The last mine we entered was completely dark, so this one might actually be considered quite accommodating. Ivan looked a bit disheartened, but I chose to ignore it.
“I heard that compared to other mines, the magic power density here is relatively high, so we might find some rare ores.”
“That sounds promising.”
“We could stay here for a while, right?”
“Seriously?”
According to the Guild staff, this tunnel is known for producing Mithril quite frequently. They mentioned that if we go deeper, we might even find Adamantite. Although Taur Steel doesn’t appear here, the staff informed us that Adamantite is rarer. Ivan shivered slightly, but I decided to overlook it again.
“It’s really dark.”
On the other hand, Phonia seemed utterly fascinated and was practically bouncing with excitement to get inside.
“Are you looking forward to it, Phonia-chan?”
“Yeah! This is my first time in such a dark place. I wonder what we’ll find!”
“I’m sure we’ll discover something interesting.”
“Hehe, I hope so!”
“Seriously?”
Seeing Phonia’s enthusiasm, it seemed Ivan finally resigned himself to the situation. He slumped his shoulders and lost his usual expression.
“I don’t know what you’re scared of, but don’t worry. If we get separated, I’ll come find you.”
I gave Ivan a light pat on the back, and he turned to face me with a mechanical creak.
“…”
“Well then, shall we go?”
He seemed to want to say something, but I ignored it and led the way. As Rio and I conjured light with our magic, Ivan’s expression softened.
“Thank goodness…”
“Did you really think we were going to charge in here completely blind?”
“Yeah. I’m relieved there’s light.”
“Of course.”
Still, it might be a good idea to practice sudden changes in lighting. My Night Vision works to some extent, but usually, we rely on light. I want to avoid blinding myself or other adventurers with sudden brightness when we cross paths.
Lost in thought, I stepped into the tunnel with Phonia, who was still cradling the small Nil.
“Over there, Iron Ore.”
“Got it!”
I pointed to an unremarkable bump in the corner of the passage and relayed the appraisal results to Ivan. He seemed a bit confused at first, but quickly got the hang of it and swung the pickaxe I handed him.
“Wow, so this is how you collect stones?”
“Exactly. Then we extract iron or Mithril from the ores we gather.”
“Is that so…?”
Phonia tilted her head as she listened to the explanation, but it was hard to tell if she truly understood. She then pointed to the ground where the Iron Ore was located.
“Then, can’t we just extract Mithril directly from the ground?”
“Pfft.”
“What?”
“Hmm?”
Phonia’s struggle with the word “extract” was quite endearing, but the idea of extracting directly from the ground… Upon reflection, it might not be necessary to dig it up after all.
“…extraction.”
“Hahaha!”
“Hehehe.”
Ivan burst into laughter, but Phonia might not be entirely wrong in her thinking. It might consume a bit of magic power, but we could manage it with sheer force.
I placed my hands on the ground and extended my Magic Power through Earth Magic. Hmm, this must be the iron component. I pulled it out from between the soil…
“Whoa…”
A dull-colored iron emerged from the ground. This was surprisingly easy. There was no need to dig at all.
…Oh?
I discovered Mithril! It’s a bit deeper, but I think I can reach it.
Meanwhile, I could hear Phonia practicing her pronunciation of “extraction” in the distance, but I focused on my own task.
It seems the rumor about Taur Steel being absent here is true. Even when I extended my magic to search, there was no response. I wondered what kind of reaction Adamantite would give. For now, I should extract anything that shows a unique response and appraise it afterward.
“Shuu! We should get going soon!”
“Huh?”
Before I knew it, I was surrounded by the three of them and one little creature.
“Finished with your pronunciation practice?”
“…What’s that?”
“We weren’t practicing anything.”
“Big brother, that’s mean! I can say ‘extraction’ properly!”
Everyone denied it, but judging by her struggle, it seemed she hadn’t practiced much at all.
“Haha, sorry, sorry. Let’s get going.”
I picked up some metal lying at my feet, and together, we ventured deeper into the mine tunnel.