Chapter 9 – Single Aristocrat Relaxes Outside

　To finish the collection request from the Adventurers’ Guild, I arrive at the forest east of the Royal Capital. 

　An unpopular spot, there are only lush green trees and the faint sounds of plants and animals.

　Taking a deep breath, I could smell the earth and grass.

“……The air is so good.”

　I feel as if my whole body is getting quality oxygen and my blood can circulate well.

　The sky peeking through the gap in the trees is perfectly clear and its contrast with the green is really beautiful.

　People have been living amongst nature since ancient times. So, it’s innate that my heart feels at peace when I come out to a natural place like this.

　I feel liberated from the commotion of the city. Nature is indeed good because it doesn’t make loud noises like humans. 

　As I enjoyed the natural sights while walking, I spotted a plant with oval-shaped leaves at the base of a tree.

“Kirkweed.”

　Kirkweed is a wild grass that grows in the forest. When cooked with meat or fish, it has the effect of reducing the smell, and it also has antibacterial properties. It’s like the leaves of sasa in my previous life, a material that never stops being in demand.  

　I snap it off at its base to collect it. 

　However, as I continued to collect, they began to bunch up in my hands.

　In such times, you’d usually store them in a pouch or something similar, but I have something useful.

　It is a treasure tool called a magic bag.

　Treasure tools refer to mysterious items found mainly in dungeons.

　A robe that makes you disappear, a ring that allows you to teleport, a mantle that lets you fly, a bracelet that allows you breathe underwater — such kinds of various things with effects that transcend what civilization can achieve. This magic bag, which can hold objects regardless of its mass, is one of those treasure tools. 

　Unlike magic tools, treasure tools cannot be reproduced with modern magical technology.

　Therefore, treasure tools sell at high prices, and there are adventurers who aim to get rich quick by diving into dungeons.

“Though, no matter how many times I use it, I can’t get used to it.”  

　It looks like an ordinary shoulder bag. However, it can store an amount of material that clearly exceeds its capacity. 

　According to one theory, it’s said to be a magic tool created by an ancient wizard, but I think it is fundamentally different because even I, who had received knowledge of magic tools from the Solitary God, cannot understand it’s structure. 

　But precisely because of that……

“Treasure tools have a certain mystique.”

　Treasure tools are filled with technology that cannot be reproduced by magic tools.

　This goes for the magic bag. If you asked me to make such a a magic tool, I wouldn’t even know where to start.

　The magic bag can’t hold an infinite amount, but it still is very convenient and helpful.

　I’m extremely fond of this convenient treasure tool that plugs a hole that can’t be filled with magic tools. 

“Here are the button mushrooms huh.”

　As I continue to collect kirkweed, I find a yellow mushroom growing on the tree bark in the shade.

　As the name suggests, they are called button mushrooms because of their round, button-like shape.

　An ingredient good when boiled or grilled and grows throughout the year. They are also in high demand and always requested on the noticeboard. 

　To be honest, these items don’t bring in much money, but I can always take the excess home as ingredients. So picking as many as I can doesn’t cause me any loss. 

　While I was absorbed in plucking button mushrooms from the tree bark, I heard the rustling of bushes from behind me.

　It was a faint sound, but I knew that it obviously was not a sound made by the wind.

　I immediately turned around and saw a monster with black fur and white fangs.

“Black boar huh…..”

　It was probably hostile toward me because I’d entered its territory, and it let out a rough snort as it directed a sharp gaze at me. 

　The black boar is an omnivore, but it especially likes to eat mushrooms.

　Seeing me gathering button mushrooms, it probably judged me as an enemy that was stealing its favourite food. 

“I haven’t been getting much exercise lately, so this is just nice.”

　At the level of a demonic beast like a black boar, I’ll have no problems dealing with it.

　I draw my sword that was attached to my waist, and the black boar kicked the ground with its hind legs as it dashed. 

　A wonderful starting dash. Though the opponent’s body was smaller than me, I won’t stand a chance if those curved, raised, heaven-piercing tusks stab me. 

　But that’s only if it can hit.

　The black boar’s charge is very direct and not difficult to avoid. If you catch its habit of using its hind legs to kick the ground as it prepares to move, you can easily read the timing. 

　I side-stepped to avoid the charge, and quickly prepared for the black boar to turn around.

“Fu, fugii!”

　But that turned out to be unnecessary.

“You got your fangs stuck, huh?” 

　Somehow, its tusks got stuck in the tree where the button mushrooms were growing.

　The sharp fangs it boasted off apparently ended up as its downfall. 

　In front of me, I could see the rear of the black boar pointing out as it struggled to somehow get its tusks out. 

“It wasn’t even a light workout, but I don’t have an obligation to let you go.”

　I swung my sword at the immobile black boar.

　◆

　After dismantling the black boar and sorting it into its fur, tusks, meat, and magic stone, I store it in the magic bag and start walking again.

　As I headed onwards, the distance between the trees gradually became wider, and I could faintly hear the sound of water.

　Walking straight ahead, the dense vegetation faded away, and a lake spread out in front of my eyes.

　An unexpected large lake in the middle of the forest. There were no trees surrounding the lake, and the transparent water was calmly asserting its presence.

　This is my favourite place.

　Whenever I visit the eastern forest, I always spend a relaxing time here.

　The view is excellent, and I can see the sky and the mountains in the distance.

　Ducks were swimming happily in the lake and many colorful birds were resting their wings on fallen trees.

　There was no sign of any ferocious demonic beasts, and all in all, a relaxed air flowed.

　As I was thinking about spending a leisurely time here, diagonally to the right, I saw a tent was set up, and a figure that looked like a man slouched down deeply into a chair beside it. 

　I couldn’t make out his face as he had placed a book in front of his face.

“Someone came before me, huh.”

　I was uncomfortable with there being someone I didn’t know because I thought this was a spot that only I was interested in. 

　However, this is not my private property and anyone can enter the forest. I can’t complain.

　From their point of view, it’s me that’s unusual.

　Though even if I wanted to change my location, this was my only favourite lake,

　Besides, it would be annoying to return to the Royal Capital just because someone else was already here

　Since I had already decided to spend the day relaxing here, I didn’t want to change my plans. 

　If the other party was a large group making a huge commotion, I would have left without arguing, but since that wasn’t the case and it only looked like there was one person, surely there would be no problems. 

　With that in consideration, I took out the outdoor goods I had prepared from my magic bag.

　I put up a pole and spread out a wind-proof tent, and quickly fixed it up. 

　Then I set up a foldable chair on a flat surface and sat down.

　I’d like to just sit back, relax and read an interesting book, but since I’m here, I want to get ready for lunch.

　I reached into my magic bag and pulled out a long, thin, black tube.

　This is a magic tool for smoking that I made.

　I love smoked food, and even in my previous life, I used to make smoked food outdoors whenever I camped or went mountain climbing.

　Back then, I often used a portable smoker, so I’ve recreated it.

　The principle is simple. Put chips inside the cylinder and light them with an ignition magic tool.

　Then, all you have to do is press a button, and the wind magic stone inside will activate and send the smoke from the burned chips out from the tube.

　Finally, you just have to appropriately arrange your ingredients and put them in a box with a lid to trap the smoke. 

　That’s enough to smoke the food. 

　Of course, the ingredients to be smoked have been prepared in advance.

　Standardly seasoned eggs, cheese, bacon, nuts, and peanuts.

　Cutting each into just the right size, I place them on a flat plate and in a box.

　Once the tube is in, next is to activate the magic tool.

　With the ignition magic tool, I light the chips. With that, the apple wood chips burn red and release an aromatic fragrance.

　That smoke drifts around in the smoker, and the wind magic stone sends wind to carry the smoke to the tube.

　The smoke then shoots out of the tube and covers the ingredients that are arranged on the flat plate. 

　After confirming that the smoke was reaching the food properly, I closed the lid of the box.

　When a good amount of time passes, the food will be smoked.

　Having checked that the magic tool was working properly, I sat deep in my chair and read a book.