In the end, I received another branch from the World Tree.
I have not even used up the branch I got last time, and now I have another new one…
For now, on the third world journey next time, I will make sure to travel properly for two full years. Then, when I return, I will accept the branch of the World Tree with confidence…
After making that quiet vow to myself, I reported about this journey to Yggdrasil-san while chatting along the way.
「Hmm. It seems your journey was quite peaceful」
「Yes. Nothing particularly dangerous happened… rather, it was a journey where nothing really happened…」
We moved, ate, slept, then moved again, that was what the month felt like.
Even when strong-looking monsters appeared, Jisrare-san would say things like 『That is still too early for Alec』 and take care of them quickly with thrown arrows…
Well, I spent a whole month living together with Jisrare-san, so that alone made it enjoyable for me, and it was a rather nerve-wracking time in its own way…
「Now then, it is about time we go」
「Yes, let us. First, to Nana-san’s room」
「Hmm」
Once the talk about the journey settled down, we began preparing to head out.
We are planning to go to the dungeon now.
That was the original plan for today. I was going to the dungeon with Nana-san, but since Yggdrasil-san said she would come along, we decided to form a party and head in together.
So, Yggdrasil-san and I left the room and first headed to Nana-san’s room.
「Nana-saaan」
「Nanaa」
「Yees, come in」
「Excuse us」
「We are coming in」
After knocking and calling out, we received permission to enter, so we stepped inside.
And there, lying on her back in the middle of the room, was Nana-san.
「Um, what is wrong…? Are you not feeling well…?」
「No, I am not feeling unwell, nor am I sleepy」
「Then, what is it?」
「This is, yoga」
「Yoga…?」
Yoga again…
Looking closely, Nana-san had spread the hide of a giant rat under her body. It must be her version of a yoga mat.
「But Nana-san, you are just lying down, right? Is that still yoga?」
「It is the corpse pose」
「The corpse pose…?」
I see, so there is something like that…
It still just looks like lying down to me, but I guess that is a proper pose… Well, if it is called the corpse pose, I can kind of understand… or rather, that is quite a name.
「From what we discussed before, we concluded that yoga has no real meaning in a world with healing magic, but it is apparently good not just for health, but also for beauty. So for now, I am doing it for beauty」
「I see…」
Beauty, huh… Does it really have any effect?
Well, she can do whatever she wants in her own room…
「Since when have you been doing it?」
「Since today」
「…………」
Is it not more like you prepared this as a joke, knowing we were coming?
「So, are we heading out soon?」
「Hmm, it is about time we go」
「I see, then I should get ready as well」
「We can wait until you finish your yoga, you know?」
「Thank you, Yggdrasil-sama. But I am satisfied already. I feel like I have already achieved a beautiful body」
Saying that, Nana-san stood up and began rolling up her yoga mat.
「By the way, Master」
「Hm?」
「What will you do with the giant rat, Momo-chan this time?」
「Hm? Let me see… I guess we will take him along. Might as well」
Maybe I should have Nana-san ride him this time. Since it has been a while since his rider changed, Momo-chan might realize something new.
…Or maybe she will just think 『As expected, Nana-san with riding skill is better』.
Yeah, that would feel a bit awkward…
「So Momo-chan will come along. What about Mikoto-sama?」
「Right, let us call Mikoto-san too. It has been a month since I last summoned her, she might be getting tired of waiting」
「You have not summoned her even after returning to the village?」
「Yeah, well」
It is not like I had any particular reason to…
If there is no reason, it feels a bit awkward to call her.
Summoning her just because 『I am bored』 or 『I wanted someone to talk to』 feels a bit…
「Mikoto-sama seemed happy to be summoned, so maybe you can call her more casually?」
「Hmm, maybe…」
「You could just keep ordering deliveries more often」
「Let us not call it delivery」
Let us not. I mean, just somehow.
◇
And so, we arrived at the dungeon.
I entered with a rather unique party consisting of myself, Yggdrasil-san, Nana-san, Momo-chan, and Mikoto-san.
While advancing through the dungeon, we let Mikoto-san and Momo-chan handle the monsters for a while, and we simply watched from a safe distance, but, once we reached Area 2-3, I also took up my sword.
There was something I wanted to try against the boars that appear in this area.
「Then, please leave that one to me. I would like to try using 『Parry』 on that boar」
My goal is to use 『Parry』 on a boar.
Here, I intend to test 『Parry』 in actual combat.
It should be just the right level of difficulty. Not too easy, not too hard. Anything weaker would not be worth it, and anything stronger would be a bit too dangerous.
So, my opponent is a boar. My weapon is the magic sword Balmung.
This time, instead of using the World Tree sword, I am deliberately using a simple wooden sword, to properly gauge the pure performance of 『Parry』.
「Alright, I am going」
「Hmm. There should be no problem」
「Do your best, Alec-kun」
「Kii」
「Please do your best. I will collect your bones」
With everyone’s encouragement behind me, well, some of that encouragement sounded a bit strange, but I decided not to think about it and faced the boar.
「Now then…」
「Bumo」
As I approached with my sword, the boar let out a growl and tried to intimidate me.
「Come on」
「Bumo」
When I ignored the threat and moved closer, the boar raised its voice even louder and charged straight at me.
「Alright, I will time this…」
「Bumo」
「『Parry』」
「Bumo!」
At the moment the charging boar tried to slam into me with its head, I activated 『Parry』.
Thanks to the effect of 『Parry』, the boar was launched upward.
「Oh… it actually lifted a little…」
「Bumo! Bumo!」
It did not fly over ten meters like Yggdrasil-san did, but I managed to lift the boar about one meter into the air.
Watching it flail its legs in surprise midair was a bit amusing.
Maybe I managed to grasp the basics of 『Parry』 from this morning’s training.
I did not even put much force into lifting from below, but by adjusting the angle of the sword and the timing of the art, I succeeded in launching the boar.
Yes, this is good. Someday, I want to try launching Father with this art. Tripping him is fun, but launching him sounds fun too.
Since 『Parry』 is not an attack art, I can use it casually. Starting from tomorrow’s early morning training, I will actively aim for it.
◇
While I was absentmindedly watching the launched boar, after that, it landed normally and charged at me again.
Well, since it is not an attack art and does no damage, that is only natural…
I was startled for a moment, but a boar is no longer a match for me. I struck it repeatedly with Balmung and finished it off.
「Alright then, we will move ahead, but…」
「Hmm. Leave Mikoto to me」
After passing through Area 2-3 where the boars are, we arrived at Area 2-4 with the warp device, but from here, we will split up.
Nana-san, Momo-chan, and I will proceed to the next area, while Yggdrasil-san and Mikoto-san will remain around this floor.
「Sorry, Yggdrasil-san. Thank you for going along with my selfish request」
「No, it is fine」
「Thank you. As fellow gods, let us get along」
「Hmm」
Mikoto-san wants to do some leveling, so Yggdrasil-san decided to accompany her.
And so, a divine tag team is formed.
「Well, if you are talking about levels, I think it would be better to raise Momo’s level too…」
「No, wait, Yggdrasil-san. Let the two of us go. As for Momo-chan… well, he has gone through a harsh journey for a whole month, so I want her to rest today」
「Hmm…」
Mikoto-san seems to see Momo-chan as a bit of a rival, and perhaps feels she has fallen behind over the past month, so she is desperately trying to catch up.
She is trying to catch up no matter what.
Momo-chan, who likely understands this, remains silent and says nothing.
「Then, we will warp to 1-4 for now」
「Yes, please do your best, Mikoto-san」
「Well then, Alec-kun, and Momo-chan too, please make sure to take it easy and get plenty of rest」
「…………」
Mikoto-san…
It feels like after not seeing her for a while, her useless goddess tendencies have only gotten stronger…
Anyway, after watching Mikoto-san and Yggdrasil-san warp away, we also begin moving.
「Shall we go too」
「Yes….Well, after being told that much, we might as well take it easy and enjoy ourselves」
「Let us do that」
Alright, time to head out. Our destination is Area 6-1, the snow area.
next chapter: To the igloo
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