Today is a training day.
It is the day I train together with the beautiful female doctor, Jisrare-san, who will accompany me on the world trip.
「It’s a little cold」
「Yeah」
As part of our training, we discussed where to go today, and the two of us came hiking to the 『World Tree Labyrinth』 5-1 Mount Takao area.
It was nice that we came, but it is a bit cold.
「It can’t be helped. We are at the summit」
「That’s true… hmm?」
Now that I think about it again, that is also a little strange.
Even if it is Mount Takao, the summit is cold. That part I understand. But the dungeon itself is underground.
This place is technically the fifth underground floor, yet the higher we climb, the colder it gets. Somehow the situation makes no sense.
「Something wrong?」
「No, it’s nothing. More importantly, Jisrare-san, look over there」
「Yeah. A treasure chest」
Ahead of us, I can see a somewhat fancy wooden box placed on the ground. A treasure chest.
At the top of Mount Takao, a treasure chest has been placed.
Well, placed is the right word. I was the one who placed it there.
Of course, most of the time the chest does not contain anything amazing, but opening one is still exciting.
「Well then, Jisrare-san, please go ahead」
「Are you sure?」
「Go ahead, go ahead」
「Thank you」
In fact, Jisrare-san is someone who loves opening treasure chests in the dungeon.
Seeing her happily open them every time makes me want to add even more treasure chests to the dungeon.
「I wonder what it is」
「What could it be」
「This is… meat. Toad meat, maybe?」
「Hmm. That seems fairly good, doesn’t it? It’s edible」
It is meat that can actually be used as food. That should count as a decent reward.
Also, in this dungeon, toads usually drop their skin. Considering that, toad meat might actually be a fairly rare item.
「Let’s split it between us」
「Sounds good. …Ah, if you like, we could grill some right here and eat it」
「Hmm, that sounds nice」
Jisrare-san seems interested as well.
Alright then. A BBQ for the two of us. Surrounded by the great outdoors, let’s enjoy a relaxing BBQ.
…Well, since we are surrounded by nature, open flames are still prohibited.
Even though it is a dungeon, that rule does not change. So we will cook using the usual 『IH magic tool』 and a pot.
That part is a little disappointing.
「Ah, during the trip, will meals mostly be like this?」
「Yeah. Catch monsters, grill them, and eat them. That’s the basic idea」
「I see」
The BBQ style really seems to be the basic way of eating.
If that is the case, this BBQ could also be called a rehearsal for the world trip.
Well, this is unexpected. I never thought my training with Jisrare-san would actually become preparation for the journey.
「Then I’ll cut it」
「Thank you. The meat looks quite fresh」
「Yeah. It seems freshly obtained」
「I see, I see」
Well, I have also heard that meat tastes better when it is aged, so I am not really sure whether extremely fresh meat is a good thing or not… hmm? Extremely fresh?
「Ah, if that’s the case, then the treasure chest in the dungeon doesn’t keep its contents inside the whole time」
「Hm? Ah, that’s true」
I do not know how long that treasure chest had been sitting there, but the toad meat inside was fresh. It was not spoiled or rotten at all.
…Actually, a treasure chest containing rotten frog meat should definitely not exist.
Anyway, if that is the case, then it is hard to imagine that the toad meat had been sitting inside the chest the entire time.
So what exactly is happening?
「Maybe the contents are created at the moment it is opened?」
「That seems likely」
In other words, it is like Schrödinger’s cat. Probably something like that.
「Next time we find a treasure chest, let’s open the lid just a little and peek inside」
「I see. Let’s try it」
If we open it only a little, the treasure chest might not notice. We might be able to peek inside a chest before its contents are generated. I will try it next time.
「Alright, while we were talking, the preparations are done」
Jisrare-san cut the toad meat, and I finished preparing the IH magic tool and the pot. All that remains is to sprinkle some salt and grill it.
「Jisrare-san, do you usually cook?」
「Not really」
「I see」
It does not really feel like she cooks much. Well, just a feeling.
「What about you, Alec?」
「I don’t cook either. At home, Mother and Nana-san enthusiastically handle the cooking」
「Ah, right. Miriam. If Miriam cooked it, this toad meat would probably taste much better」
「That’s probably true」
I am sure that is the case. If Mother cooked it, even something as simple as cutting it, salting it, and grilling it would turn into a much tastier dish thanks to the effect of the 『Cooking』 skill. That is a little unfair.
That said, this toad meat is not bad either.
After all, the one grilling it is the beautiful female doctor, Jisrare-san. It is meat we are grilling and eating together at a BBQ with a beautiful lady doctor.
Just thinking about it gives this toad meat value. A value that goes beyond taste or anything like that.
At least, that is how I see it.
◇
The BBQ was delicious and fun. As expected of Jisrare-san.
After we finished eating the meat, the treasure chest that Jisrare-san had opened was still there, so we tossed the trash from the BBQ into it.
After a treasure chest is opened, it eventually gets absorbed into the ground along with the chest itself. When that happens, if you put trash inside it, the chest will take that along as well.
In other words, after opening it, the treasure chest also works as a trash can.
Well, sometimes you see treasure chests that already look like trash cans from the start, with nothing inside except things that could only be called garbage.
When the contents are like that, we simply leave them there and let the chest get collected as it is.
「By the way, Alec」
「Yes? What is it?」
「In two more months, Diana will have her birthday. After that, we finally depart」
「Ah, that’s right. It’s coming soon」
It has been more than a year since I defeated the Wild Boar and it was decided that I would go on a world trip.
It felt like it passed quickly, but at the same time a lot happened during that year.
Actually, I have a feeling that many things will still happen during these remaining two months before departure.
「When two people travel together, there is one thing that becomes a problem」
「A problem…? Hmm, what could it be?」
「That is mobility」
「Mobility?」
「Alec doesn’t have much」
「…………」
「Ah, well, compared to me… Compared to me, Alec doesn’t have much mobility」
「…That’s true」
While carefully choosing her words, Jisrare-san still managed to point out that I am pathetically weak.
「To solve Alec’s lack of mobility, I thought of one idea」
「A way to solve my lack of mobility…?」
My lack of mobility has been brought up as a problem for a long time.
To be honest, I had almost given up on it, but it seems Jisrare-san tried to find a solution.
Now then, what kind of solution could it be?
…It’s not that carrier frame thing she mentioned before, right?
next chapter: Training Part 4
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