Isekai Nonbiri Sozai Saishu Seikatsu - Chapter 167

“Hey, there are mushrooms here!”

As I gazed at the silver crystal I received from Leilushka, Lumia’s voice came from above.

I glanced up to see her perched on a wall of the cave.

“Huh? How did you climb up there?”

“There was ivy growing on the side, so I used that.”

Upon hearing Lumia’s explanation, I moved to the wall and looked at the side where ivy was indeed growing.

It seemed somewhat thin, but when I pulled on it, it was surprisingly sturdy.

“I didn’t know you could climb up from here. Good find.”

“Hehe, I was curious about the space up here.”

It seemed even Leilushka, who had been living here for years, didn’t know you could climb up.

“By the way, what kind of mushrooms are growing?”

“They’re gray mushrooms. They seem quite damp.”

“Damp gray mushrooms? I don’t have any idea.”

“Do you think Shuu would know?”

“Let’s look into it.”

Even in investigating, there’s a possibility of toxic materials. It’s safer and more reliable for me, who has an appraisal skill, to examine it rather than casually touching it.

I was about to climb the ivy after agreeing when I suddenly noticed something.

The angle of Lumia’s skirt as she waited impatiently directly above was rather precarious.

However, as a man, it was difficult for me to point that out. It might lead to accusations of harassment.

“Shuu…?”

Lumia tilted her head as she watched me hesitating to climb.

“Lumia, Shuu will find it difficult to climb if you stay in that spot for too long, don’t you think?”

“Oh, yes. I’m sorry.”

Upon Leilushka’s suggestion, Lumia obediently moved further back.

From her reaction, it seemed she hadn’t noticed anything about the angle of her skirt and had simply moved aside out of innocence.

If she hadn’t noticed, there was no need to awkwardly point it out and spoil the atmosphere.

I gave a thankful glance to Leilushka and started climbing the ivy.

After climbing about four meters, I reached a spacious area between the wall and the ceiling, where lots of gray mushrooms were growing.

Most of them seemed to be soaking in the water dripping from the ceiling. Is it safe?

【Marsh Mushrooms】

Mushrooms that grow abundantly in the Terra Phios Marshes.

They are always moist and not particularly tasty when eaten raw.

Drying them enhances their flavor more than traditional mushrooms.

Appraisal says they are edible.

“These are edible mushrooms called Marsh Mushrooms. They are not poisonous, and it seems there is no issue with handling them.”

“Even the ones not submerged in water are still quite moist.”

They seemed to be soaked with moisture to the point where water would likely come out if squeezed.

Indeed, they seemed like they would be more delicious if dried before consumption.

“What! Edible mushrooms?”

Upon hearing my explanation, Leilushka quickly climbed up the ivy.

Bounding up with agility, she examined the Swamp Mushrooms.

“Are these tasty when eaten raw?”

“No, they’re not tasty raw. They become delicious after being dried once.”

“Really!? Around here, it’s difficult to dry things due to the rain and humidity, but even if it’s just for a brief sunny spell, drying them could make them valuable preserved food.”

Leilushka looked excited as she gazed at the Marsh Mushrooms.

“You seem very happy.”

“In the marshes, there are few edible ingredients. It’s a joy to have even a few more things to eat. It will enrich the village’s life.”

The monsters and animals living around here all have their quirks, and there are many poisonous materials as well.

It must be quite a challenge to find new edible ingredients.

“I have the Appraisal skill, so if there’s anything you’re curious about, feel free to ask. I’ll be of help.”

“Thank you, Shuu. Your appraisals are quite accurate, so I’ll gladly rely on them.”

“I’ve been wondering, how much information does an appraisal from someone else provide?”

I’ve been curious about this from my experiences living here.

It’s about the amount of information provided by the typical Appraisal skill.

It seems like my Appraisal skill can extract more information, but what about others?

“Among the appraisers in the village, not much detailed information comes out compared to Shuu. At most, they can tell if it’s named and if it’s poisonous or not.”

“According to my mentor, the amount of information varies depending on the mastery level of the skill…”

“I see, so that’s how it is.”

In my case, since I’ve been actively appraising materials, I might be more skilled than others, but the most significant factor would be that it was given to me by the gods.

“If it’s a suspicious material, it’s best not to collect it if you’re not confident in your skill, but with Shuu, it should be fine.”

“That’s right.”

“Thank you.”

At any rate, I’m genuinely happy to be trusted by both of them.

Come to think of it, Rabis, who is a guild employee, also has the Appraisal skill.

Next time, it might be interesting to appraise the same material and compare how much information we each get.

♦ ♦ ♦

We collected materials in the cave and continued forward while I appraised materials Leilushka brought. After a while, we saw the exit of the cave.

Perhaps because we had been in the dim cave for a while, the light streaming in from outside felt dazzling.

“Ah! The rain has stopped!”

As we approached the exit with squinted eyes, it was clear outside.

The gloomy rain clouds had dispersed, revealing a beautiful blue sky.

“The weather here is unpredictable, so I can’t guarantee anything, but it seems like we’ll be able to walk a bit more comfortably in this condition.”

According to Leilushka’s assessment, the likelihood of rain soon was low.

“Then shall we explore outside?”

“Yes, Tarantos should be inhabiting just ahead.”

Since it seemed the rain had let up while we were exploring the cave, we decided to go outside as originally planned to search for Tarantos.

Considering the heavy rain, the ground was quite muddy.

With every step, there was a splashing sound as water was repelled.

If we weren’t wearing slime boots, our feet would have been soaked and stuck in no time.

There’s only one more poisonous material that Klaus and Saffy requested.

If we can collect the poison thorns of the Taranto, we can consider the request fulfilled for now.

We’re almost there, but we need to stay focused.

To assess the surroundings, I activated magic stone detection.

Within a radius of fifty meters, I could see several silhouettes resembling marsh toads and what seemed like Scissors.

What caught my attention, however, was the magic stone reaction coming from what appeared to be bushes ahead.

I recall hearing that Tarantos are plant-type monsters.

Perhaps that could be the Tarantos.

“Leilushka, that bush over there…”

“Oh, it’s a Tarantos! Well spotted!”

As Leilushka focused on the bushes I pointed out, she declared decisively.

It seems that was indeed the Tarantos.

“It just looks like an ordinary bush from afar, doesn’t it?”

Indeed, that’s usually the case. Without my skill, it would be difficult to identify it quickly.

We cautiously approached together, keeping an eye on our surroundings.

【Tarantos – Danger Level: C】

A plant-type monster that inhabits the Terra Phios Marshes.

It camouflages itself as trees or bushes and ensnares prey when they approach.

Although it has a slow movement speed, it can move slightly.

Its branches have poisonous thorns, causing those who consume them to faint for three days.

It’s extremely weak against alcohol, becoming extremely sluggish when intoxicated.

Detailed information about the Tarantos is revealed with appraisal.

It seems to be a vicious monster that lures prey with its camouflage and then attacks with poisonous thorns.

If one were to approach without realizing it, it would be terrifying, but if noticed, it doesn’t seem to be much of a threat.