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Chapter 10. The Daily Life of an Eight Year Old – Leknod Forest
“Hey, if you were fighting with real weapons, you'd be in trouble, wouldn't you?”
Valerie poked Markant with her elbow, teasing him.
That's not true, I argue in my mind. First of all, it would be rude to lump him in with the goblins, no matter how brainy they are.
Five goblins lay dead at my feet.
The heads of the goblins I had chopped off were looking up at me with downcast eyes.
I don't feel any kind of emotion for them.
In my first real battle, I cut off the head of humanoid monsters. Even though I could still feel it in my hands, it felt as natural as if it was just another day in the life of the world.
When the battle was over and I came back to myself, I realized how abnormal it was. I had never killed a living thing properly in my previous life or in this life. I've only killed vermin that have invaded my room. Even though I had killed a humanoid creature as tall as myself, I felt a slight sense of rejection and discomfort. This was not normal.
Eight years ago, I had died two times back to back. I wondered if this was harming me, but there was nothing to worry about. It was because of "Mental Resistance 3". No, in this case, it was because of it. Since I was born as Alter, I've never been in a situation where my mind was violently shaken. It seems that my mind has always been protected by "Mental Resistance 3". It is possible to stop the activation, so it is possible to find out how upset I really am. However, it would be suicidal to test it in the dangerous forest. I would be taken care of until I returned.
It was somewhat disappointing that I had achieved my small goal of being ready to kill so easily, but my goal was to gain actual combat experience. There was still a long way to go.
I took out a cloth from my pocket and wiped the bloodstains from my sword.
This sword was a small sword that I had just purchased. My favorite stiletto hangs behind my waist. He had purchased it at Roland's suggestion, as the stabbing weapon would limit his means of attack.
The "Battle Axe of Destruction" split up and cut off the right ear of the goblin they were trying to kill, and searched through its belongings.
We were less than a hundred meters into the forest of Leknod. I was surprised to come across goblins in such a shallow area, but everyone agreed that it was not unusual. In fact, they often come out to the grasslands, targeting travelers and villages.
None of us panicked at the unexpected encounter, and when Roland and Marchant took the initiative by charging, the others quickly spread out and skillfully brought one goblin face to face with me. I was impressed by their brilliant coordination, and carefully killed one of them first. I then attacked the other distracted goblin from behind and chopped off its head. The remaining goblins tried to run away, but Valerie and Ose pursued and destroyed every last one of them.
Thus, our first battle was easily won.
“It seems that we don't need to use the usual words. I can't believe it was your first real battle.”
"I'm surprised, too. Maybe it's a good thing they’re goblins. They're an annoying monster."
The goblins and orcs of this world do not attack humans differently.
To them, humans, elves, and other human species are food. Even if you are reincarnated as a beautiful elf, you don't have to worry about your chastity. In that sense, humans are probably more dangerous.
Still, they are annoying because they are quite bad eaters and ravenous. The damage caused by them eating away the fields of the village occurs every year, and many villagers suffer. If left unchecked, it could lead to the destruction of the village. My father puts a bounty on harmful demons and encourages adventurers to kill them first, and regularly sends out death squads to eradicate them from the territory. It is through these death squads that my brother has gained practical experience.
Markant and Valerie are from a mountain village and have suffered a lot from goblins. I was afraid to ask if they were from our territory, but they told me that they were from Viscount Ezdor's territory in the west. I'm sorry, but I'm a little relieved. Anyway, their anger and hatred for goblins were strong, which was probably the reason why Valerie was the first to jump out of the way during the chase.
"Alter, you want to try it?"
Markant asked, showing his bloody knife.
The reason why he called me by my name was that I suggested that he didn't need to honor me. Markant was the only one on board, and others haven't stopped thinking he's dumb.
"Recovering the demon stone?"
"Goblins are usually out of the way, and when they are, they're small. Goblins are usually out of the way, and when they are, they're small, but they're still worth some money. The first time you become an adventurer, you don't want to take them, but soon you'll have trouble making a living and you'll start collecting them even if you don't want to. That's what happened to me, you know!"
When Markant laughed, Valerie gave him a blank stare, and Danil chuckled. I'm not sure if Ose is interested or not, but he's busy retrieving it without a care in the world.
I looked down at the goblin, its body slashed open and its guts exposed.
It was a grotesque sight. However, I don't feel so uncomfortable because my "Mental Resistance" is in effect. I think I can do it. Besides, my experience in dismantling goblins will not go to waste.
"Okay. Let's give it a try.”
"Oh, you're going to do it? You're an aristocrat.”
"Don't be surprised I invited you. So, tell me, how do I do it?"
Markant kicked another goblin in the stomach and turned him over on his back.
"The subhuman monster has a magic stone in the middle of its body. Other monsters have them in the same place, in the head, or even in the heart. I'm sure you'll be able to find it if you just go through them in order.”
“Understood.”
“Be careful not to destroy them with the knife. It won't hurt you easily, but if you're not careful, you'll lose value.”
I took out my own knife and slowly ripped open its stomach.
It has a different feeling than slashing with a sword. The blood poured out as the blade moved forward. It was surprisingly hard to do it myself, unlike watching it. Even with the "Mental Resistance 3" activated, the discomfort was only diminished.
I managed to maintain my composure and cut open the thin flesh to expose the ribs. He then peered at the underside of the dovetail. It was small, but I wondered how small it was. I'm not sure I could find a grain of sand.
As I struggled with my hands covered in blood, Markant reached out to me.
“I think this one's off.”
He dig his fingertips into the back of the dove's tail and probed for a moment, then shook his head and withdrew his fingers.
“Nope. This is what goblins are all about. They don't make much money, but no matter how many you kill, they keep popping up.”
I invoked Pure Water, washed my hands, and wiped the knife with a cloth.
During this time, I was trapped in an emotion that was hard to describe.
Its body and blood were still warm. The traces of life were rapidly disappearing.
What am I thinking about now, after having done it directly?
I suddenly realized.
Could it be this, too?
It's not just the moment you put your hands on it. But also the reality that you killed it, that you are prepared to kill it.
I looked down at the goblin again. Even though it was an easy opponent, just a moment ago, I was in a position to kill or be killed. Now it was different. I had killed it.
I felt no fear or nausea at that fact. It was just that the uncertain feeling had turned into a feeling of helplessness.
I kept my eyes on the goblin and opened my mouth.
“Don't say that. If you look at it from a broader perspective, goblins have a role to play.”
"Do they?"
“Maybe they're scavengers. Maybe they're forest cleaners.”
"A field is not a forest.”
"Not every goblin destroys a field. Not all goblins raid fields, most live like scavengers.”
"Are you trying to tell me not to kill too many ......?"
Markant raised his eyebrows and showed his displeasure.
It seems that you had a lot of trouble when you were a farmer. This was a miscommunication.
In my previous life, I lived in a peaceful country and took it easy. Maybe that was a bad thing. On the brink of life or death, there is no such thing as peace. You have to take up the sword to protect yourself from starvation, from being killed, and to protect yourself. It was not an uncommon sight in a different country.
I looked again at the corpses of the goblins.
After all, the memory of more than a decade of peace could not tolerate unilateral slaughter. So I tried to find value in the goblins and feel better about myself.
This is not good.
Good and evil are difficult to define. Even more so in a world overrun with creatures that prey on humans. If you misdirect your kindness and goodness to the wrong person, you will kill not only yourself but also those around you.
I stood up and looked straight up at Markant.
"No, I'm going to kill it."
Markant looked back at me with a puzzled expression.
"The story is about the whole world. Each has a different role. If the goblins are cleaners, I'm the son of an aristocrat. I must protect my people. There are people to protect. I can't afford to be spoiled. If I think something or somewhere will interfere with my role, I’ll kill it no matter how beneficial it is to the world, and dye this hand with blood as much as I want. "
"So that's it. Then I'm an adventurer. Goblins or no goblins, I'll just blow them up.”
Markant slapped me on the shoulder happily.
It hurts. Don't underestimate the frailty of an eight-year-old.
◇◇◇◇
After that, we saw some animals and birds, but there was no fighting and lunch was served.
As it was our first day, we didn't seem to be planning to go deep into the forest.
Soon after, we took Markant's suggestion of taking a short break and decided to take a rest in a clearing.
I took out a bag of water from my backpack and drank it while looking out at the summer forest.
It was easier to walk than I had imagined. The space between the trees was wide, and the grass and shrubs were not overgrown. However, there were steps and fallen trees that could cause you to fall if you were not careful, and there was also the danger of something lurking around.
Still, it was a beautiful and natural sight to see. Moss grew densely like a carpet, and there were some spectacularly large trees towering above us. The creatures described in the stories actually live here, and there are even adventurers around who look like they've stepped out of a movie.
It was the strongest feeling I'd had in eight years that I was in another world.
I took a breath, stretched lightly, and looked around.
Roland was resting beside me with his sword in hand. Markant was sitting on his haunches, chewing on some dried meat, and Danil was leaning on his water bag. Valerie and Ose are resting at a distance from each other. It's not that they don't get along. It's not that they don't get along, it's just that as scouts they are looking out for different directions.
These two are working hard. It's thanks to them that I can rest without worrying about surprise attacks. Ose in particular seems to be excellent, and his opinion was respected along the way. I wonder if he can learn the skills of a scout. I'd like to learn it at some point.
A sudden thought occurred to me, and I stood up.
It had nothing to do with scouting, but it reminded me of something that had been bothering me for a while.
It was "Appraisal". While this skill was useful in many ways, it was also a bit of a bomb. Five hundred years ago, there was an alchemist named Adelina. She was the only one in history who possessed the higher level appraisal skill "Analysis", but she ran away from the unified kingdom of Hazel in the north and died somewhere in the wild. Some say she was assassinated, but whatever the reason, she was caught up in a power struggle.
A mid-ranking "appraiser" would not have caused that much confusion. In fact, there are three confirmed holders of the appraisal: one is a court magician in the service of the Arsis Empire, one is a famous adventurer, and the last one is an executive of a commercial guild. As you can see, all of them are either powerful, under their patronage, or have high war potential. This proves that the higher the position and ability, the more beneficial it is, but I also think that they maintain their position of power because they are wary of disturbances. Incidentally, the lower appraisal skill "Basic Appraisal" is not very "visible". Even so, it is so useful that its holder is said to have no trouble in life for a lifetime.
Now, that troubling skill, "Appraisal," had only increased by 1 for eight years. This was even though it had been activated quite often. After much deliberation, the conclusion I came to was quite simple. Perhaps, once you've "appraised" something, it doesn't become an experience. If that's true, there's no better time than now. The whole area was unknown.
As soon as I saw the yellow flower swaying beneath my feet, I tried to "appraise" it.
Name: General Grass
Features: A perennial plant about 60 cm tall. It is a perennial plant, about 60 cm tall, that is resistant to the environment and is distributed throughout the country.
Characteristics: Unknown
The name of this Shogun Grass sounds so magnificent. It's probably going to jump into the pool in its briefs.
As usual, its characteristics are unknown. I wonder if a higher-level "analysis" will reveal its characteristics. There are no confirmed cases except for Adelina, and if it's this hard to grow, it's going to be tough to learn even if you have "Increased Growth Value".
"Are you interested in plants?"
I noticed that Danil was standing near me.
I was staring down at the grass, so he was curious.
"I'm not really interested. I'm just taking a look around since I’ve come to the forest. I've heard that adventurers take requests to collect plants, are you familiar with plants?”
“I'm actually the fourth son of a merchant.”
"Really?"
I raised my voice in surprise. Yes, you guessed it.
“Are you familiar with the town of Ilkenek?”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“No, it's a small town, that's all. It's located far west of Riedewald, along a small but busy road, so it's quite busy. My parents had a wide range of products, from materials and herbs to miscellaneous goods. But it's not a big store. As the fourth son, I was not needed. When I decided to leave home, my father gave me a spellbook as a parting gift.”
It's a story I can relate to. It's a story I can relate to. I guess we all face similar situations, regardless of our status or world.
"You have a good father. I hear spell books are expensive.”
“Exactly. It was a beginner's level, so it wasn't that expensive, but I don't think it was something you could give to someone who was going away. It was a great opportunity for me to learn new magic, and I can't thank him enough.”
Danil smiled shyly.
"I'm sorry, I'm getting off track here. That's why I learned about herbs before I became an adventurer.”
Danil looked around and pointed to the base of a large, mossy tree.
Danil looked around and pointed to the base of a large mossy tree, "That's Pharael grass growing there.”
"Yeah.”
But no matter how hard he looked, he could only find thick roots and moss.
Danil moved closer and looked under his feet. If you look closely, you can see a thin, light brown stick growing straight up. It's not just dead grass, it's a single dead stem. Is this a medicinal herb? Anyway, let's try to "appraise" it.
Name: Falafel Grass
Features: A perennial plant about 60 cm tall. It is resistant to the environment and is distributed throughout the country.
Characteristics: Unknown
It's true. But I can't tell from the description if it's a medicinal herb, and it's the same word for word as the general herb. Is it cut out?
"It's all dried up.”
"That's all right. It is said to be most effective when it withers naturally. It has a sedative effect when taken in decoction, and alchemists add it to healing potions. It is the roots that are particularly medicinal. When asked to collect it, it is recommended to collect it with the soil so as not to damage the roots.”
As far as the effects are concerned, this is a herb that doesn't seem to be in that much demand. It's a good thing he knows what he’s talking about. I've never been able to fully grasp "appraisal". Some of the weapons used for training were even labeled with their properties, but occasionally some items were unknown. Most of the time, it's an item that has no known purpose or a piece of armor that a knight is holding onto for dear life. Sometimes it's weeds, such as the Millim Grass, which is still unknown. If your life is monotone, you don't need to appraise much. I didn't really think about it as such and put it off until now.
I'll take the opportunity to examine it.
I bent down and stared at the Falafel grass. There was no change. I smelled it, but it was just dead leaves. I snapped off the tip of the stem, but still no change.
"Is the Falafel Grass poisonous?
"No, it is not. As long as you don't take too much of it, it's not a problem.”
I nodded and tossed the stem into my mouth.
Danil was taken aback by this action, but I chewed it without caring. Yes, it's dead grass.
"What a surprise. What's the big deal? If you're going to roast it and drink it, why not do the same?”
He shed his strong, half-smiling Danil and invoked the "Appraisal" once again.
What will happen with this?
Name: Falafel Grass
Features: A perennial plant about 60 cm tall. White flowers bloom at the beginning of summer. The best time to harvest is from the end of summer to the beginning of autumn. The rhizome and stems have a strong sedative effect and are widely used as a supplement. Requires a minimum of “Mixing Skill 1” to add to potions. It does not interfere with any medicinal effects and is expected to have synergistic effects.
Seriously, that's a lot more than I expected.
Also, I'm starting to understand how this works. Characteristics are complemented when you gain knowledge, and properties are indicated when you use them. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get the same results if I equip my weapons, or if I just contact them. Does that also require verification?
“By the way, the plant that Alter was looking at earlier is also a medicinal herb.”
“What, the Shogun!?”
“Shogun?”
“No, never mind. What kind of herb is it?”
After learning from Danil, I threw the General's leaves into my mouth.
Name: General Grass
Features: A perennial plant about 60 cm tall. Yellow flowers bloom during the summer. There is no fixed harvest time, and it can be collected throughout the year. Decoction of dried leaves and stems is expected to have an antipyretic effect. However, the medicinal effect is weak and small. The medicinal effect does not change much even if it is prepared differently.
Mr. Shogun, you are being disrespected in the appraisal. It's so subtle that you can't help but treat it like crap.
"Did you also deal in Shog-- General Grass?"
"There are no buyers.”
"That's true.”
I plucked the General Grass.
Which Danil watched with interest.
“Are you collecting it? There are other herbs of value.”
“I’ll leave that for the adventurers. If it's neither valuable nor poisonous, it's good for testing things.”
As I said this, I thought of something else.
A strong astringent taste lingered in my mouth. I knew a similar taste.
"Have you ever had it Danil?"
"No, I have not. No, I haven't. Other herbs are more commonly used for fever reduction.
I nodded and looked down at the General Grass in my hand.
It is a medicinal tea. No one picks it, and it's not poisonous. I won't know until I try it, but it's probably okay. Considering how easy it is to collect, it could turn into a casual treat on a long trip.
While learning from Danil how to collect it, I secured a large amount of General Grass and a small amount of Falafel Grass as well.
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