Chapter 69
“…Um, Mister Dioscorides. I think you accidentally added an extra zero.”
“No. It’s one million vine.”
I tried to deny it, but cold reality didn’t change.
Even if I emptied my entire inventory, I didn’t have anywhere near that much money.
“But—Catterci are all over the Aither Desert…!”
I tried to haggle, but—
“That’s what transportation costs are like. This is Midisyle, not Aither.”
Dioscorides only shrugged once and brushed it off.
Nothing ever went smoothly.
A mountain after another mountain—and past that mountain, an even bigger one waiting.
Am I doing this for fun? Huh? This is all for saving the world…!
He really had to be this uncooperative, didn’t he?
My resentment toward the Goddess steadily accumulated yet again today.
Of course, I couldn’t resent Dioscorides.
Even if I was his regular, practically his apprentice(?)—
he couldn’t do business at a loss.
“Um, maybe… a trade? Bartering? I could… bring you something in exchange…”
At this point all I could do was cling to his pants leg metaphorically.
“Hmmm, let me think for a bit.”
With sleepy eyes, Dioscorides stared off into space, clearly calculating what he could make me fetch that would be worth one million vine.
After quite a long silence, he finally spoke.
“You said you have mining rights to Silvagrove Forest.”
“Yes, yes!”
I nodded vigorously.
“There’s a river running through Silvagrove. You can get something called Mist Crystal there. Bring me some. Then I’ll give you the fruit.”
It was not an offer I could refuse—of course I accepted the request.
Time to head back to Silvagrove Forest.
Diving suit—check.
Underwater breathing potion—check.
Lunch—check…
I reviewed my preparations one by one and let out a long sigh.
It felt a little embarrassing to visit Silvagrove again so soon after the last time.
“Oh, and I should bring a robe.”
Every time the residents of Silvagrove City recognized me, they praised me as a hero—it was embarrassingly overwhelming.
So I packed a large robe with a hood that could cover my face.
With my face hidden under a brown cloak, I walked toward the fountain plaza and cast teleportation—already familiar by now.
The scenery changed instantly, and the scent of trees tickled my nose.
I’ve come here so often it feels homey.
Thinking silly thoughts, I headed toward my destination: Ferdia’s house.
Dioscorides’s request showed up on my minimap, giving me a rough location, but—
I needed to dive in a river today.
Not the coastal waters I’d gotten used to back on Midisyle Island, but an unfamiliar riverbed.
Going in blind made me nervous, so I hoped she could guide me again.
Unfortunately—
“Our daughter? She went to work today.”
Father and daughter both out; only her mother was home.
“If you need her, try the Forest Guild.”
A cheerful woman—she looked a lot like Ferdia—smiled kindly as she spoke.
Right, Ferdia wasn’t a half-unemployed person like me; she had an actual job.
It was silly of me to assume I’d find her at home.
Following her mother’s suggestion, I went to the Forest Guild—but I was told she’d already gone out into the forest.
Why do we keep missing each other…
Thankfully, they said she’d be back soon.
I sat blankly in the corner of the guild office, waiting, munching on snacks Ferdia’s father had given me.
Eventually—
“The Hero’s looking for me? What fun thing did you bring this time?”
Her lively voice filled the previously quiet office as she strode in, waving with a big grin.
She was such a welcome sight.
“Wow, you really do visit often. Not that I’m complaining—I like seeing you. So, what’s the job today?”
“Ah, well… I came to gather Mist Crystals. Could you guide me? I’ll compensate you, of course.”
At my sheepish smile, Ferdia’s playful expression vanished and grew serious.
“Mist Crystals… You came to mine something dangerous.”
“D-dangerous? Is it poisonous or something…?”
Seeing her suddenly serious expression frightened me, and my voice trembled.
What kind of thing was Mist Crystal for her to say it was dangerous?
“Oh, no, the crystal itself isn’t dangerous. The place you get it from is. Marti River is famous for its strong current, and the spot where Mist Crystals appear is even narrower, so the current gets much faster.”
As Ferdia explained, I had to suppress the urge to cry.
Right. Something worth one million vine wouldn’t be easy to obtain.
My dream of leisurely swimming through clear water to pluck a single crystal shattered into dust.
Of course it was expensive—if you had to risk your life wrestling with the rapids to get it.
“What is that old man even planning to do with something so dangerous…?”
My resentment slipped out of my mouth before I realized, and Ferdia chuckled.
“You came without even knowing what it’s used for?”
“It just kind of ended up that way… So, what is it for? The name makes it sound like some kind of gemstone.”
I grumbled as I asked—it really was time to know.
“Well, nobles use it a lot as a decorative item. It glows softly at night… and it absorbs moisture, then releases it back into dry air. Keeps humidity comfortable.”
A natural glowing humidifier.
Even that alone made it seem valuable, and I nodded—
but Ferdia wasn’t finished.
“And if you refine it into a potion and feed it to plants, they grow amazingly well. They say it can revive dying plants. Lots of uses, but supply’s low, so it’s pricey.”
Hmm, a potion that revives dying plants…
Dioscorides likely wanted it for potion-making, not interior decoration.
“Anyway, even if I tell you it’s dangerous, you’re still going, right?”
“I have a really important reason…”
I laughed awkwardly, looking away.
This old man… despite appearances, he was surprisingly calculating.
“Then let’s go. If our Guardian needs it, how could I say no?”
So, like trudging to work early on a Monday morning, I reluctantly followed her—and before long we reached the Marti River.
The sound of the fast-flowing water thundered in my ears; Ferdia hadn’t exaggerated.
I… I really had to dive into that?
For a second, I seriously considered turning back.
But Ferdia seemed prepared to help fully.
“Tada! I even brought a lifeline.”
She held up a sturdy rope, pulling it taut between her hands.
“Wow, thank you! I didn’t even think of that.”
“No problem. If we tie you up properly, at least we can retrieve your corpse.”
“H-How can you joke like that?!”
When I pouted in distress, she laughed loudly and slapped my back.
“You looked too tense. Thought a joke would help loosen you up.”
…That joke did the opposite, honestly.
Still, I downed the underwater breathing potion and plunged into the river.
Visibility was awful thanks to the strong current, but I kicked hard and headed downward.
After who knows how long, my hands finally touched solid riverbed.
The cave entrance should be around here…
I felt around the bottom for a long while despite the rapid currents.
Oh—there it is!
A small entrance, just barely big enough for one person, came into view.
Finding it didn’t mean the work was over.
I crawled through the narrow underwater tunnel, inch by inch, until eventually—
The tunnel ended.
And there, densely clustered, were glowing spherical crystals emitting a soft light.
Wow… beautiful.
I stared, entranced, until I shook myself back to reality and took out my pickaxe to start gathering.
Mining underwater… truly something I never thought I’d experience.
Carefully, delicately—I worked so the crystals wouldn’t break.
Even underwater, the effort made me feel like I was sweating.
And then—
After all the trouble I went through getting here… no way I’m taking just one. That’d be infuriating.
Natural glowing humidifier?
Yeah, I wanted one too.
So, after indulging my small personal desire, I finally crawled out of the cave and battled the current back upward.
Breaking the surface, I gasped for air.
“Puhah!”
“Oh! Hero! You’re alive!”
Ferdia waved at me from afar, grinning widely.
“Don’t just stand there—pull me up! I’m exhausted!”
When I complained, she finally pulled the rope tied to a big tree and hauled me onto dry land.
