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Collecting Totsutotsu
We come to the forest in the northwest from the royal capital with Space magic.
There are plenty of tall trees towering over the surroundings.
As autumn deepens, the leaves of the trees are turning red.
「Can you collect totsutotsu here?」
「That’s right. At the same time, we can exterminate the Akariris that live in around the Totsutotsu trees」
The request this time is to collect totsutotsu and also to subjugate the monsters that live in the surrounding area.
「What kind of monster is this Akariris?」
「……it’s a quick squirrel monster. Their combat power is not that high, but you have to be careful of the totsutotsu thrown by them from above」
Apparently, it is a monster that gets in the way of collecting totsutotsu.
「Then, it’s better to wear a hat, right」
It is dangerous to have the Akariris throwing totsutotsu on your head but naturally, it was also possible for totsutotsu to drop by itself. It can cause a serious injury if it falls on your head and stabs you.
「……I’ll protect you with magic if necessary but wear a hat just in case」
Looking at the others, Helena is wearing a hat, Reid is wearing the hood of his robe, and Rox is wearing his helmet, they are all completely prepared.
I took out a hat from my subspace in a hurry and put it on.
Arna seemed to be confident in her magic as she didn’t seem to put on her hood.
Helena, Reid, Rox, me, and Arna proceeded through the forest in turn.
The ground was strewn with fallen leaves and branches, but Helena and the others did not carelessly crush them. They walked while trying to make as little noise as possible.
I can feel the status as adventurers by being able to do this as if it's natural.
I just kept on crushing fallen leaves and dried branches underfoot. Occasionally, I would almost trip over tree roots hidden under fallen leaves. Next time, I’m gonna ask Andre to teach me how to walk in the forest.
「Umm, it was certainly around here, right?」
「……over there」
As I walked at the back while thinking like that, Arna pointed to a place diagonally to the left.
The trees lined up over there are chestnut trees.
When I got closer and observed the things falling on the ground, there are plump brown nuts inside husks cracked wide open. It had chestnuts in it.
「So this is totsutotsu」
I knew it, it looks like totsutotsu are chestnuts.
I can’t make chestnut rice since there’s no rice, but there are all sorts of methods to enjoy them, such as boiling them in salt, deep-frying, or roasting them. Just thinking about chestnut dishes makes me hungry.
「……collect them, quick」
Putting on gloves and carrying a basket on her back, Arna starts picking up the chestnuts while the fire tongs in her hand make a clicking noise.
「Arna-san looked extremely active today for some reason, huh」
She looked sleepy, usually, and didn’t look to have an ounce of motivation to do anything. Of course, she is fulfilling her role properly and contributed to the party, but I can feel an unusual motivation from her today. Seeing her being active like this is the first time for me.
「Arna loves totsutotsu after all」
「I see」
「Though, I’d be happy if she were this active in normal times」
I nodded in agreement with Rox, who is smiling wryly.
Reid - who is in the position as the mediator of the party - looked like he had a headache.
Following Arna’s lead, we also put on gloves and a basket on our backs, and then picked up the fire tong for collecting totsutotsu.
「Do you know how to collect totsutotsu?」
「Please teach me」
I asked Reid to teach me how to collect them just in case, and it turned out to be the same as collecting chestnuts in my previous world.
Pin the burr by stepping down on both sides of its edges with the edge of your shoes.
Then take out the chestnut from the opened burr.
That’s all. It is not a particularly difficult task, so I can imitate it immediately with just one look, and Reid gave me his approval.
Each person took a fire tong and started to collect the fallen chestnuts.
As we are working silently like that, there's a sudden metallic sound echoing through the air kotsun.
「Gahahaha! Looks like a totsutotsu fell on my head!」
Rox heartily laughed while opening his face guard.
The ripe totsutotsu seemed to have hit Rox’s helmet as it fell.
It's times like these that it is advisable to properly wear a helmet when picking chestnuts.
It's a simple task of collecting chestnuts, but opening the burr is surprisingly fun.
They came in various sizes, and it's interesting to see chestnuts of different sizes inside whenever you open each one.
Just as I am opening the burrs as if pulling gacha, a slightly shriveled chestnut came out.
「……that totsutotsu had its moisture lost and it’s old. It’s better to stop」
Just as I am staring unblinkingly at it, Arna came over beside me without me knowing and said that.
Since she loves totsutotsu, it seemed like she knew full well of their quality.
「I see. You know the characteristics of delicious totsutotsu?」
「……you want one with its surface completely browned, and has a glossy sheen and firmness. It’s also important that the nuts inside are fully filled, you can try pressing it with your finger to see if it feels firm and dense」
She gave me much more detailed advice than I imagined when I tried asking her.
As I stare unblinkingly at her, Arna’s sleepy eyes turn toward me.
「……what?」
「No, it was the first time Arna-san became so talkative in front of me, so I was surprised」
「…………I see」
I guess she is a little embarrassed by that. Arna’s cheeks are slightly flushed.
「……ah, Akariris」
Arna turned away and muttered so.
Following her gaze, I saw a large squirrel with brown and red fur on the totsutotsu tree.
Its curled tail is bigger than its own body, and its fur also looks surprisingly thick.
I guess that guy also realized we noticed it.
The Akariris hit the totsutotsu tree strongly with its tail.
It's the kind of power you didn’t think possible from such a small body.
The totsutotsus that had been on the tree came falling down one after another from the impact. As expected with this number, a hat alone would make one worry about protecting one’s head.
「『Wind Barrier』」
Just as I am about to retreat using Teleport, Arna raised her staff and shouted.
Immediately after, a gentle wind blew above our heads and perfectly stopped the falling totsutotsu.
This is probably what she meant by protecting us with her magic. What an excellent method of using magic.
Just when I am being impressed with it, a ray of light flashed.
「Che, I missed!」
It seemed that Helena threw her knife, but the Akariris dodged it by moving to the back of the tree.
Reid fired an Earth Spear following that, but the Akariris dodged it by moving to another branch.
It seems to have a larger tail than its body, but it has a nimble movement as if it doesn’t feel the weight at all.
It is indeed a nimble monster.
Helena’s third knife pierced the tree.
The Akaririris seemed to be thoroughly enjoying dodging the attacks. It darted about from branch to branch, as if provoking Helena.
「This little jerk, don’t get carried away!」
「Please calm down. Chase after it calmly」
Reid advised Helena - who had veins bulging on her forehead -, but it looked as if even he's somewhat annoyed by the monster.
They would be able to bring it down immediately if they used strong magic over a wide area, but there would be a chance of a secondary disaster if they did that, so it's probably best not to use them.
Somehow, this vividly reminds me of the time when I encountered the Enbira monkey back in Howling Village’s forest.
It must be remembered that my job this time is to teleport them, but I am also accompanying them, collecting totstutotsu this time, so it might be okay to help them a little bit.
「Spatial Distortion」
Thinking so, I cast Space magic.
The branch that the Akariris uses as footing is crushed, and it falls.
「『Water Prison Ball』」
Arna cast a Water magic before the Akariris fell to the ground and wrapped it up in a water ball.
The Akariris flails its limbs inside the water, but no matter how much it paddles, it can't escape.
After some time, the Akariris stopped moving completely.
「As expected of you, Arna-san」
「……it’s thanks to Kureto’s magic」
Water magic is often underestimated due to its low lethality, but depending on its use, it can show terrifying results.
「Oi oi, what was that magic just now!?」
「I used my magic to slightly disturb its foothold」
Facing those kinds of quick monsters, messing with their footing is the best move. I learned it from fighting with the Enbira Monkey.
Once we confirmed there are no Akariris in the surroundings, we resumed collecting totsutotsu again. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
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