Isekai Nonbiri Sozai Saishu Seikatsu - Chapter 149

Lavender, cypress, peppermint, jasmine, patchouli, orange, grapefruit, and more. I gathered as many Aromashrooms as I could find.

“Hmm? Is this Aromashroom inside the tree?”

As I collected the Aromashroom using the detect skill, I could see it faintly inside the tree.

Moreover, the grade of the material was the second highest, orange. This meant it was a fairly rare Aromashroom.

Just to be sure, I checked the back, but there was no Aromashroom there.

“It really does look like it’s inside the tree, doesn’t it?”

I never expected to find a mushroom growing in such a place.

But how do I harvest this one? Should I break the bark to collect it?

I felt guilty about damaging the tree bark, but as a collector, I couldn’t bear to just stand by and do nothing when faced with a rare material.

“Shock Ball.”

For now, I decided to use a basic non-magic spell.

The spell that caused light shocks and strikes successfully broke only the bark.

Inside the broken bark was a strange Aromashroom with a black, net-like cap.

A spicy scent wafted from it.

…What was this scent? It was very familiar, something I had smelled often in my daily life.

Specifically, it was a type of condiment used in cooking. But was there really an Aromashroom that smelled like this?

As I reached for the black, mysterious Aromashroom, I heard a creepy buzzing sound.

When I turned around, I saw a ladybug, a stag beetle, and a butterfly monster, each about a meter long, approaching me.

【Gagalfon – Danger Level D】

【Atlantus – Danger Level C】

【Tentacruel – Danger Level D】

They were the first monsters I encountered when I entered this area.

“Wow! Weren’t you guys flying in a completely different area just now!?”

Before starting the collection, I had used monster stone detection to locate the monsters.

They didn’t seem to have spotted me in their line of sight, and they seemed to be flying around aimlessly.

Despite that, it was unexpected for them to suddenly change direction and attack.

They had arrived the moment I broke the tree bark and found this mushroom, so perhaps the scent was particularly appealing to insect-type monsters.

I couldn’t just run away now that I had found this rare Aromashroom.

“Freeze!”

Since fire magic was not suitable for use in the forest, I chose ice magic, which I was relatively familiar with.

The monsters that had been flying straight towards me froze and fell to the ground.

“Phew, that was close.”

Only the three monsters were frozen, and none of the surrounding trees were affected.

At first, I had struggled to control my magic power, but after using it extensively at Mount Ladeo, I had become quite adept at handling it.

After confirming that the three monsters had frozen to death, I stored them in my magic bag.

I decided to take them to the guild later and have them dismantled.

“Now, let’s continue the collection before any other monsters show up.”

I couldn’t afford to be attacked by monsters again.

【Aromashroom (Black Pepper)】

An Aromashroom with the scent of black pepper.

It helps restore sharp senses by stimulating the body. Effective when one has become indifferent or unemotional towards things. Caution: It attracts insect-type monsters.

A rare find, as it has not been discovered in Grantel.

“Black pepper!? So, there’s even a scent like that…”

I cautiously appraised it, and sure enough, it had the scent I expected.

I never imagined there would be such a variety, and it was quite unexpected.

Moreover, it was a valuable find, as it hadn’t been discovered in this area before.

“…Aromashroom is truly fascinating.”

The variety of Aromashroom far exceeded my imagination, with each one having a unique color, shape, and scent.

I wondered just how many different scents of Aromashroom existed.

Although I had already collected the four types requested in the quest, I was completely captivated by the diversity and effects of Aromashrooms, and I couldn’t help but search for new varieties.

With such a rich variety and useful effects, it was impossible for a collector like me to resist.

♦ ♦ ♦

“I guess it’s about time to head back…”

I had been so engrossed in collecting that I hadn’t even stopped for lunch, and before I knew it, the sun hanging in the sky had passed its zenith long ago.

It was still far from evening, but considering that I had to return to Grantel and deliver the quest items directly to the client, it was a good time to leave.

Thanks to spending almost the entire day collecting, my magic bag was now full of Aromashrooms.

There were probably over forty different varieties.

If it were a regular bag, they wouldn’t have fit, and even if they did, the mixture of scents would have created a chaotic mess inside.

Well, thankfully, it’s a magic bag, so I don’t have to worry about that.

I had more than enough of the four specified types of Aromashroom, and I had also collected many other varieties.

With this much, the client should be satisfied, even if they were as strict as Klaus.

However, deep down, I wasn’t entirely satisfied. It was because I had a hunch that there were even more varieties of Aromashroom scents out there.

But it would be dangerous to continue searching until nightfall, and I did have a quest to complete.

I decided to call it a day.

So, I decided to wrap up the Aromashroom collection and head back to Grantel.

Upon returning to Grantel, I headed to the client’s store to deliver the materials.

Following the map provided in the quest details, I found that the location was quite close to Klaus’ store.

‘Aroma Forêt’

The two-story shop had a cream-colored wall and a black roof, with the name written on the signboard.

At the reception desk near the entrance, a woman with purple hair was busy with paperwork, blocking the view of the interior of the store.

Even standing near the entrance, I could smell a pleasant fragrance coming from inside.

It was clearly a beauty salon for women, and I felt a bit hesitant to enter as a lone man.

The woman at the reception seemed to notice my hesitation and smiled gently.

I wasn’t here for anything suspicious. I had come for legitimate work.

There was no need for me, as a man, to be intimidated.

If I turned back just because the staff was staring at me, I would look even more suspicious. Mustering my courage, I stepped into the store.

“Welcome, do you have a reservation?”

“No, my name is Shuu, an adventurer who accepted a direct request from the Adventurer’s Guild. I’m here to deliver the Aromashrooms today.”

“Oh! Thank you so much for accepting my request. I’m the requester, Sashiela.”

When I mentioned that I had come for a direct request, Cecilia, as she introduced herself, smiled brightly.

Apparently, she was the one who had put out the direct request and was also the manager of this store.

She was incredibly beautiful, with a great figure, and her smile was enchanting.

“It’s a bit awkward to talk at the reception, so please follow me to the back.”

Led by Cecilia, I proceeded further into the store.

The interior was dimly lit with a soft orange glow.

The room was a private room, and through the open door, I could see what looked like a bed.

I guessed that customers would lie down there to receive massages.

The closed doors probably meant that the staff was in the middle of a treatment.

Passing by those private rooms, I was guided to a calm, wooden-themed reception room.

I felt relieved that this room had a more relaxed and ordinary atmosphere.

As I sat down in the dark brown chair, reassured by the familiar setting, I noticed a case on the table containing an Aromashroom with a light orange color.

“Oh, Aromashroom.”

“Yes, this one has a sweet orange scent.”

There must have been small holes in the case.

A slightly sweet citrus fragrance wafted from it.

“…It has a slightly lighter citrus flavor and delicate scent than orange aromashroom.”

“That’s right. Compared to orange, sweet orange has a softer fragrance, and even those who don’t usually like citrus scents tend to enjoy it. It’s effective in dispelling tension and stress.”

“I think my friend who works at the guild would love it.”

“Hehe, you’re quite amusing, Shuu-san.”

Cecilia laughed gracefully at my lighthearted comment.

…I felt a sense of calmness while talking with Cecilia.

Perhaps for men, conversing with a beautiful woman had a relaxing effect in itself.

I felt like I had stumbled upon a different kind of truth, separate from the effects of aromas.