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What is the most valuable thing for an early adventurer?

Money and time? Magic tools? Equipment? Potions?

Everyone has different answers, but as one ascends, the answers converge to a single point.

The body.

Even a slight cold can interfere with making money. Ultimately, it costs money to treat it. If the illness worsens, one’s life can be at risk before even taking on a quest.

Even if one isn’t ill, if fingers or toes get chopped off, it starts to hinder quest completion.

Thus, adventurers who have a bit of leeway always find some secret means to protect their bodies.

Rest is also an essential means of self-care.

The human body seems oddly resilient yet incredibly inconvenient; if one doesn’t rest periodically, their condition deteriorates immediately.

Therefore, while the frequency may vary, adventurers who grasp the importance of health always make sure to take breaks.

Of course, if free money suddenly appears, the story changes.

“Wow, it’s fascinating every time I see it. I never expected to see these pesky flies here.”

Aindelf clapped his hands together, catching the fairy’s material and chuckling as he tossed it into his pocket.

“Now that we’re at it, how about we gather some fairy materials while we wait a bit longer?”

The party agreed in unison.

It had been over a week since their last escort quest, and the reason they lingered in Arms Town was straightforward.

The rewards were exceptionally sweet compared to the difficulty level.

The previous escort quest was for Catherine. The former S-Class adventurer, now a sage-level Grand Wizard, proved her worth as much as her age, allowing them to take a hefty reward.

Hence, the party’s brain, Jurin, pondered.

What if we try to join in on the way back?

There were two options: hire a completely unknown adventurer party to return or hire the adventurer party they employed on their first visit. Catherine was likely to choose the latter over the former, especially since they had some familiarity with the latter.

Days passed, three, a week, ten days. They knocked on the village chief’s door many times, but not a single related quest came in.

Just as they thought the party might break up and head home, an unexpected Twinkle Tide burst forth!

“Indeed, Aindelf. True to a dwarf, you remain brazen. I believe he’s right—everyone seems to agree with him.”

“Of course. The rest period is long overdue, and we can’t just lose money… right?”

Klink hurled a dagger, piercing the fairy that was approaching the party, causing it to explode and scatter its materials everywhere.

“When it comes to making money, we see things quite differently.”

“These barbarians only see money! Can you believe they’re part of the same party?”

Aindelf, who heard Jerika’s scolding, turned back with an expression saying ‘What do you think?’ while sheathed his axe.

“Hey, pointer ears. Why don’t you drop that Tree Spirit fruit you’re lugging around?”

“Hah! Only greedy little dwarfs love shiny gold trinkets!”

Jerika, snorting, lifted her chin, adjusting her massive bag that looked ready to burst at any moment.

“Earth Apples can be sold to any wizard. Are you calling me to discard such valuable goods?”

“But, Jerika, haven’t you already eaten all the Earth Apples you collected day after day?”

With that fact, Jerika’s once arrogant eyes wavered as Lumiere chimed in.

“You bought oil to make Seophone Fry from Karem, and that was all your earnings—”

“Who uses all of it!”

“Except for the rent money, it’s practically all the same, isn’t it?”

“Ugh, right…!”

If it had been any other man in the party, it might have been different; however, even Jerika found it hard to dismiss the words of her fellow woman, the naive fanatic Lumiere.

“Karem once mentioned: Seophone Fry can cause weight gain very easily, so be careful when eating it.”

Klink openly laughed at that scene. Jerika, feeling an ominous feeling, said to Aindelf, who was still trying to contain his laughter.

“You seem to have gained some weight?”

Klink stirred up Jerika’s feelings.

“Weight gain? What do you mean—!?”

“No, seriously. The tunic is screaming between your leather armor and body, you know?”

“You’re just as dim as a petty little thief! This is just my clothes riding up!”

“Riding up? If you were an elf, just a month ago—”

Just as Aindelf’s sharp words made Jerika’s temper flare, the quiet Lumiere inched closer to her and poked at the gap between Jerika’s tunic and pants.

Pooof—

With a funny sound effect, the cute, protruding belly squished in response to the poke. Then she pulled the hem of the tunic.

The tunic reclaimed its peace.

The brutal reality struck hard.

Lumiere passed judgment on Jerika, who froze in place. It was the truth she had been trying to ignore.

“I need to lose weight.”

“Look, even the fanatic is saying that!”

“Still, can’t you just refrain from that frying for a few days?”

Unlike Aindelf and Klink, Lumiere’s words were solely based on facts, hitting Jerika mercilessly. A few jabs were thrown in for good measure, but that was fitting.

Meanwhile, lunch hour was just around the corner. Jurin and the crew slowly made their way back toward Arms Town, shaking their heads at their party member’s newfound reality.

“What is this situation? I don’t even understand.”

Jurin muttered while stroking his beard.

Their destination was the largest inn in the village. Not for any specific reason, but because it had the best cooking and facilities in the area.

“This is a blessing from Baron Bolton!”

A humorous-robed man with a mustache flung greenish shimmering powder from his hooded robe, accompanied by a hooded woman.

Fairies flocked in like seagulls spotting food, gathering even on the ground like pigeons.

Indeed, it seemed that all the fairies near Arms Town were gathering in droves.

“”””Kiiiiiieeeeee-!!!””””

And with a deep sense of satisfaction echoing through the air, they exploded in the sky and on land, scattering Fairy Dust and, occasionally, other materials everywhere.

“Long live Baron, Your Grace! Free fairy materials forever!”

“At this rate, we’ve practically got all the fairies in this village, right?”

“Hey, grab a shovel! Hurry up and scoop it all up!”

“Let’s show the Arms Town gleaners how it’s done!!!”

People rushed toward the scattered Fairy Dust and materials, shoveling them into leather pouches. They looked like the pigeons they had just seen earlier.

“What are you spacing out for!? Come scoop it up!”

A sharp wake-up call snapped the dawdlers back to reality.

Aindelf, the keen dwarf, was the first to regain his senses, diving in to gather Fairy Dust.

The crew quickly joined in on the greedy spectacle before them.

“This situation is quite a spectacle, isn’t it?”

“It looks utterly horrific to me, though.”

“Didn’t expect you to be so sentimental?”

“No, it’s not even about sentiment.”

Something was amusingly developing, and Gordon, with Flora, scattered the green Fairy Dust like birdseed from the window, secretly praising himself.

“Fairy materials made from bait fed to fellow fairies are raining from the sky.”

“Oh please, Karem, what a dreadful description.”

Serving Catherine, Mary halted and shuddered, rubbing her arms as if she had the chills.

“It’s a never-ending cycle where fairies become materials from eating bait made from their brethren, and the materials once again become bait.”

“Oh… that sounds a bit horrific, doesn’t it?”

“Instead, I would recommend discussing other wholesome and practical topics.”

“Speaking of which, what about this?”

Karem fumbled around for an empty pie dish.

“Huh? Did you eat it all already?”

“I had the last piece.”

“Is that so? Anyway, can we really toss this around at will?”

Though there was no subject, the target was clearly visible.

The glimmering, green Fairy Dust.

‘Flora’s’ Fairy Dust.

Catherine speculated that it had potent enhancer properties and possibly some undisclosed effects.

An ambiguous feeling crept at the back of her mind, questioning whether it was wise to scatter such a potentially hazardous item so indiscriminately.

“The countermeasure is surprisingly simple.”

“Simple, you say?”

“Yeah. We sell it later under Baron Bolton’s name. As the family secret for luring and eliminating fairies.”

Catherine began rolling the scattered grains on the table with her thumb and index finger.

“Backed by a Duke, the perpetrator is a Swordmaster, and a sage-level Grand Wizard’s loyal subordinates. What’s more, only one person can currently produce it. Do you think it’ll cause trouble?”

“No.”

“Even if it does, it’ll just disappear.”

“True enough.”

They worried there might be hidden side effects due to undiscovered effects, but if such a thing had happened, it would’ve erupted the moment they ate Popping Star Ice Cream.

Just then, Karem shifted his gaze to the green Fairy Dust entering Catherine’s mouth.

“Mary. About that Fairy Dust.”

“Yes?”

“It’s not edible, is it?”

“That goes without saying, doesn’t it?”

“Like Alraune’s Tear?”

“Exactly. Um, um?”

Mary, who was nodding, tilted her head. Karem, catching her eye, silently served more ice cream into Catherine’s dish.

Meanwhile, Mary called out to Flora.

“Cloris. Could you sprinkle that over here?”

“Polo-roo-♪… Long? Poo-lon♩?”

“Yes. Please put it on the Contractor’s ice cream.”

“Polo-loon~♬”

Swish!

Karem placed the generous scoop of ice cream topped with green Fairy Dust right in front of Catherine.

“How about you try it directly, just like with Alraune’s Tear?”

“…Are you saying now?”

“Isn’t there enough justification?”

Both Alraune’s byproducts and Fairy Dust share the commonality of not being intended for human consumption.

After hearing Karem and Mary’s claims, Catherine nodded in agreement with a thoughtful expression.

“Indeed, they say Fairy Dust, like Alraune’s byproducts, has never been used as food, so the possibility exists.”

“So, why don’t you give it a shot?”

“Don’t rush me. Hoo.”

Catherine seemed a bit tense.

If she succeeded, it would be the second instance of overcoming the curse of drought.

Remembering that point, Catherine gingerly took a spoon and scooped a generous amount of ice cream.

The ice cream remained intact.

“…So this is the second time.”

“Congratulations.”

The scoop of ice cream remained perfectly fine.

With that result, Catherine’s tension subconsciously relaxed.

“…We should officially seek out such items—”

“Hey, wait a minute! Who decided that!”

Catherine cut off Karem’s words and returned to her previous tension.

 

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