Chapter 68: Building a Home While Camping
After taking a break and avoiding any troubles, we finally arrived at our camping site.
“We’re here!”
I stretched my body, trying to relieve the stiffness. Even though I had cushions, sitting in an unfamiliar carriage still left my backside sore. We had traveled straight through a grassy area dotted with rocky patches, and from here, I could see a forest a little further ahead. It seemed there was a clearing being used as a campsite. There was no one else around, so we could use the entire area without anyone complaining.
“Alright, everyone, please take care of your own arrangements. We’ll be departing shortly after dawn tomorrow, so please don’t be late.”
The coachman declared this and began tending to the horses hitched to the carriage.
“Ah, I’m starving!”
It was already evening. The sun hadn’t set yet, but it wouldn’t be long before darkness fell.
“Now then, it’s my turn. I have some ingredients prepared, so does anyone need anything?”
The merchant, who had been sitting at the back of the carriage, spread out a cloth and set up a street stall. He had a variety of single-use ingredients, making it hard to resist adding an extra dish for dinner.
“Oh, there’s a Heavenly Wolf Mushroom! Give me one!”
“Sure thing, that size is 500 Fron.”
Fron, the leader of the Bear Tribe adventurer party, purchased the expensive mushroom without hesitation. He was on the verge of becoming a veteran, nearing C Rank, so perhaps this price was nothing to him. Still, was this the mushroom I had heard about at the Guild? Among the displayed mushrooms, this one was relatively small. If this one costs 500 Fron, how much would the larger ones be? I had heard it was a specialty, but it certainly seemed like a luxury ingredient. My desire to taste it only grew.
“Is it really delicious?”
“Of course! It’s incredibly tasty! Great for grilling or simmering—perfect for anything!”
“Really? Then I’ll take two, please.”
“Hey, hey!”
As I reached for a larger one, Fron raised his voice.
“That size will be 4,000 Fron and 4,400 Fron. Are you sure about that?”
“Seriously!?”
The price for the larger size was ten times that of the smaller one. This was unexpected. However—
“No problem, I’ll take it.”
“Haha, you surprisingly have some money on you.”
I paid, ignoring Fron’s shrug. The mushroom looked just like a Matsutake. It didn’t have much of a smell, but I was eager to grill it.
“Alright, let’s grill it!”
“I’m looking forward to it!”
Everyone was busy preparing their dinners. The four members of the adventurer party took out their Magic Stoves from their Storage Bags and began cooking. The parent and child were munching on black bread stuffed with dried meat.
We used Earth Magic to create a hearth, then retrieved a grill from the Dimensional Box. As I tore the Heavenly Wolf Mushroom into suitable sizes, I placed them on the grill and activated Fire Magic.
“You’re quite skilled.”
The female mage from the adventurer party, Milka, a foxkin, remarked with a drawn-out voice as she watched us.
“Is that so? I use it regularly, so it’s become second nature.”
“Really? Is that how it is?”
I had heard that mages usually conserve their Magic Power for emergencies. My master used it frequently, but I wondered if that was the norm.
Still, a delightful aroma began to waft through the air. The rich, savory scent was irresistible. I wished I had some soy sauce, but there was no point in wishing for what I didn’t have.
“Is it about ready?”
“Should be good, right?”
Together with Rio, I picked up the Heavenly Wolf Mushroom and brought it to our mouths, tasting it plain first.
“Delicious!”
“So good!”
The umami burst in my mouth, melting away. Despite being a mushroom, its crunchy texture was intriguing.
“Right?”
Fron looked oddly proud, and Milka nodded in agreement.
“Did you come here just for the Heavenly Wolf Mushroom?”
Fron suddenly asked, seemingly curious.
“Well, yes. Ultimately, I want to reach the sea, but it’s not a rushed journey, so I’m taking the opportunity to sightsee.”
“I see. Well, make sure to fully enjoy the mushroom dishes. That’s the village’s only claim to fame.”
“Haha.”
I nodded while sprinkling salt on the mushrooms on the grill.
“Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a shared carriage running all the way out to this rural village.”
I glanced at the now darkened road, noticing it was indeed becoming narrower. It seemed there weren’t many travelers around.
After chatting for a while, we finished off the grilled mushrooms. Looking around, I noticed Fron and his party had already set up their tents and were preparing for bed. The parent and child, along with the merchant, were already resting inside the carriage, leaving no one outside.
“Maybe we’ve been a bit too leisurely.”
Rio looked around, tilting her head.
“That might be true. I’m not completely full yet, but we can wrap things up here.”
I pulled out some sandwiches from the Dimensional Box and handed one to Rio. As I took a bite of my own sandwich, Fron approached us.
“…Where are you two planning to sleep?”
He looked at us with a suspicious gaze, but we were definitely experienced campers. We were just taking our time because we didn’t need much preparation. However, if he was that concerned, maybe we should get ready.
“We’ll make something now.”
“Huh? …Make something?”
Fron gave me a puzzled look as I turned away from him and moved to a spot a little distance away. Focusing my Magic Power, I placed both hands on the ground and activated my spell.
The earth began to rise, forming sturdy walls. I shaped the floor and created a room. In another section, I set up a bath, formed a roof, and made small holes in the walls for windows. The interior of the bathtub was designed to retain heat, ensuring the water wouldn’t cool down quickly. Finally, I crafted a door for the entrance, using earth to create hinges and smoothing it out to minimize friction for easy opening and closing.
“Alright, done!”
““““Huhhhhh!?””””
In just about ten minutes, the house was complete, and the surprised shouts of Fron and his three companions echoed around us.