Chapter Seventy-one: Solving A Puzzle (Physical One) is Our Forte!
“Gwahhh! Another one's done!”
While easily swinging a two-handed greatsword with one hand, the party leader let out a roar. The creature he cleaved in two was a giant hedgehog the size of a cow. Ms. Aria had bound its head with thread, blinding it, allowing Mr. Ville to strike it down. Another one appeared, but Mr. Xenon put it to sleep with magic, and Mr. Ed finished it off by roasting it.
…Compared to being permanently put to sleep without ever waking, or being struck down blind in sheer terror, perhaps being swiftly roasted was the kinder fate?
The first obstacle was a trap with autonomous robots. Next, plants firing seeds and leaves like air guns or boomerangs. And now, giant hedgehogs… there doesn’t seem to be any consistency in the monsters that appear at each mana spring.
Are they just spawned randomly?
The gloomy bluish light swirling on the ground vanished just as the hedgehogs disappeared. When I stepped out of the Camping Car, the barrier-like walls crumbled, allowing us to exit.
“…Huh? The surroundings look… different?”
“Well, we are destroying the mana springs. The illusions are probably failing to be maintained.”
Once outside, I suddenly realized the formerly pristine scenery had grown quite ragged. The borders were jagged and messy, like anti-aliasing was turned off during rendering… Or maybe the resolution of the scenery itself has dropped?
Compared to the high-res beauties and handsome lads of the Gourmands like Ms. Aria and Mr. Xenon, the scenery’s roughness is starkly apparent.
Touching some nearby grass, the realism I’d felt before is completely gone—just rigid polygons. Mr. Ed’s laughing explanation left me with no choice but to accept it.
As I watch Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon gather drop items, I glance at my watch.
…Oh! About four hours had passed since breakfast… It’s a good time to distribute some rations.
“It’s time to replenish some calories! Here are some trout rice sandwiches and savory cakes!”
“Much appreciated! I was starting to feel peckish.”
“Thank you! Smells wonderful!”
Travel rations are so convenient, letting us refuel with just a short break like this.
I handed out the nori-wrapped rice sandwiches and paper-wrapped savory cakes to the members approaching with bright smiles. For normal people, either one would probably suffice, but considering everyone’s activity level and appetite, I wonder if even both will be enough…
Watching everyone eat their rations while standing, I also took a bite of the slightly smaller sandwich I had made.
The crispy browned exterior giving way to a fluffy interior. The rich oils seeping out but harmoniously balanced by the distinctly sweet grains of rice, preventing any cloying richness. Using soy sauce instead of just salt and pepper also made the seasoning even more perfectly compatible with the rice! Ah, why do grilled fish, rice, and soy sauce just pair so incredibly well?
…Come to think of it, using an English muffin or baguette base instead of rice, swapping the soy sauce for Hollandaise sauce, and topping it with a poached egg—that would make eggs Benedict!
Not that I’ve ever actually tried it!
Hmm… As for the savory cake, I think the flavor is quite nice too. Salty-sweet, or sweet-salty… Some will like it, some won’t, that kind of flavor. But I’m a fan of that savory-protein saltiness combined with sugary sweetness.
“Tummy full! Thanks, Rin!”
“The cheese-filled cakes you made before were also delicious.”
“The rice one’s yummy too! Catching that fish with Aria was worth it!”
“Thanks to you, Rin, our stomachs are settled. Let’s go destroy the other two. They shouldn’t be far from here.”
“I still have plenty of energy reserves, so no problem! Plus, with the illusions degrading so much, I feel we really must press on while the sense of urgency is high!”
As everyone swiftly polished off the tasty travel rations, I collected the wraps and stuffed them in my pocket.
Mr. Ville turned his gaze my way, but I’m absolutely brimming with motivation right now!
If there was no reaction, my mood would drop, but the visible decline in the illusion’s quality makes me feel like we need to move forward, so we should hurry while we can.
After all, there’s no telling how much longer I can keep up this pace! And while I think we’re close to conquering this dungeon, we can’t let our guard down…
Flanked by the vanguard and rear guard, I resumed the dungeon assault with everyone while fully utilizing Survival.
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