Isekai Nonbiri Sozai Saishu Seikatsu - Chapter 127

“Hmm? What’s that? A slime?”

As I proceeded deeper into the cave, there was an olive-colored slime ahead.

【Oil Slime Danger Level F】

A slime made of oil. It feels quite oily to the touch with 100% oil content.

Popular even in households due to its high-quality oil.

Appraisal tells me it is a low-danger monster.

It is my first time encountering a Danger Level F monster in the Ladeo Volcano.

The Oil Slime noticed me and started bouncing forward.

While its adorable appearance almost softened my cheeks, I noticed magma in the direction the Oil Slime was heading, and my spine froze.

“Blizzard!”

I hastily used ice magic to freeze the Oil Slime and the magma together.

The Oil Slime turned into an ice statue the moment it was about to leap into the magma.

“That was close, I almost let my guard down.”

A slime made entirely of oil leaping into magma would undoubtedly lead to a bad outcome. Even if it only scattered flames upon entry, there was a potential for a small explosion.

Although its individual danger level was low, in this environment, it was an extremely hazardous creature as it seemed to be a self-destructive type monster.

While being careful of monsters appearing in the cave, I smoothly made my way through and reached the vicinity of the summit.

The top wasn’t as enclosed as the cave; it was a wide-open plateau. Unlike inside the cave, there was sunlight here, so the visibility was clear. Though there was still heat due to the flowing magma around, it wasn’t as stifling as being in the cave, so it was bearable.

However, near the mountainous area where Volkanos’s nest supposedly lay, I could see intense sparks rising, akin to fiery dust.

The heat around there must be extraordinary. It’s probably close to the crater.

“According to the information I gathered, that’s likely Volkanos’s nest.”

I had heard about the general habitat from the lord, and I confirmed it by asking Drogan and Baris at the tavern, so there’s no doubt there’s a nest around there.

I’d like to head straight there, but upon using detection, I could see a large amount of ore embedded in the surroundings.

“Magic iron, detection.”

Upon searching for the magic iron on Lumia’s wish list, I could see a large quantity of high-quality ore embedded underground and within the walls.

“Oh, the quality of the magic iron here is good. I should gather some for Lumia.”

If I were to collect the Volkanos eggs first, mining would become difficult.

I should do it while I have the chance.

Wearing the heat-resistant gloves I bought from Eld’s shop and gripping the hard magic stone pickaxe, I set to work.

Despite the hot environment, it seemed that the pickaxe didn’t get too hot to handle, likely thanks to the gloves. I’m glad I bought them for the reassurance of mining.

I vigorously chipped away at the wall, aiming for the magic iron glowing in red and orange.

The magic iron that emerged was silver with a hint of black, indicating its high purity with a predominantly silver hue.

The quality of the magic iron found here was vastly different from what’s found in the lower levels. It seems the veins around here have good quality ores.

“Oh? What’s this?”

To gather more magic iron, I dug towards the visible points, and along the way, I encountered unfamiliar red ore.

It’s tempting to reach out, but it seems to emit quite a high heat.

I’ll appraise it first.

【Heatstone – High Quality】

A stone that emits high temperatures.

Its temperature exceeds two hundred degrees, and it must be stored carefully.

It seems to be a stone with considerable heat. It’s a good thing I didn’t touch it recklessly.

“This was something Lumia wanted, right?”

The name of this material rings a bell.

Opening the note given to me by Lumia, I confirm that indeed it was written as heatstone. The characteristics of the material matched the heatstone in front of me.

If that’s the case, I should collect this too.

Despite having heat-resistant gloves, relying on just one layer feels a bit uneasy.

I’ll layer a sturdy glove I bought in Grantel underneath for extra protection.

With this, it should be fine.

I carefully remove the stones around the heatstone with the double layered gloves.

Even with the double layer, I still feel a bit of heat, but it’s not too hot to touch.

I put it in a heat-resistant bottle and store it in my magic bag.

Now, I can retrieve it with peace of mind when needed.

♦  ♦  ♦

Having finished mining magic iron and heatstones, I had arrived at the mountainous area where Volkanos’s nest was located.

I hid in a steep slope and used the magic stone detection.

There were eight responses, but they were merely silhouettes that couldn’t be called small magic stones.

These are probably Volkanos eggs.

Peeking into the nest from the slope, there were about eight large eggs in the center.

Faint responses were emanating from them.

There were no signs of Volkanos or other creatures in the vicinity.

Whether they were out for food or not, luckily, the biggest obstacle, Volkanos, seemed to be absent.

“All right, this is my chance!”

I felt like dancing with joy at such luck.

I immediately emerged from the slope and approached the eggs.

【Volkenos Egg】

Eggs of Volkenos inhabiting the Ladeo Volcano.

Designated as a delicacy by gourmets.

The rich flavor of the yolk is captivating.

Even in the appraisal, it’s identified as Volkanos eggs. There’s no mistake that this is the sought-after material.

Skin-colored with red polka dots. It’s an egg with an unusual color scheme.

Is its taste really deserving of being called a delicacy? It’s hard to imagine just from its appearance.

I’m really curious about the taste of the yolk that captivates gourmets.

“I can’t afford to be so carefree right now.”

I need to hurry and transport the eggs before Volkanos returns.

I’m not up for carrying eggs while being chased around like in a game if it comes back.

As I cradle one of the Volkanos eggs in both hands, it feels impressively heavy. It feels like it weighs around ten kilograms or so.

Perhaps because it’s filled with life inside, I can feel warmth emanating from the egg. When I examined it during detection, I couldn’t see any embryos, so they must have been laid recently.

For now, it’s crucial to see if it fits in the magic bag.

I try to put the egg into the bag.

“…Yeah, I thought so. It won’t fit.”

I couldn’t fit the Volkanos egg into the magic bag.

Why could I store chicken eggs but not this?

Perhaps it’s recognized not as an egg, but as a life form.

Honestly, I’m not sure what qualifies as a life form. Is it because it’s a monster?

Or perhaps it’s because it’s slightly slower to come into existence, so it’s classified as a life form.

I try other eggs, but none of them fit.

“What exactly is life…”

I find myself pondering such philosophical questions, quite out of character.

Alright, I need to focus on this material that I’ll be offering as a delicacy. Let’s not dwell on deep thoughts.

Shaking off the tendency to sink into strange thoughts, I readjust my grip on the eggs and gather my focus.

Then, I run while holding it tightly, eager to leave this place behind.

Because of the considerable weight I’m carrying, I can only manage a brisk jog at best.

Back when I played games and struggled with carrying items, I used to get frustrated wondering why I couldn’t run faster. But now, with my hands full and burdened by something this heavy, I keenly feel the limitations. I’m sorry for getting irritated back then. My game avatar was doing its best to carry those things.

It was a moment of strange realization when I came to understand that in this world.

I mustn’t drop the Volkanos egg. But I hurry down the slope of the mountain as fast as I can.