I Will Be Unrivaled With The Skill [Sewing]! They Said It Was A Bad Skill, But With Effort, I will Make It A Hit~ - Chapter 25

Episode 25: As if Condensing the Despair of the World

Afterwards, Seneca and Maior received treatment.

Attalos said, “We’ll be heading out on the request in three days, so be prepared,” and then disappeared into a tavern with Naeus, humming along the way.

The next day, the two asked Naeus about Attalos, but he simply responded, “Master told me not to say anything,” and refused to engage further.

However, it seemed clear that Attalos was a trustworthy and capable adventurer, so they decided to accept the request without complaint. Thullia’s encouragement played a significant role in their decision.

The two listened to Thullia explain the details of the request and began preparing meticulously.

The current request involved an investigation into the depths of the Baet Forest.

In recent months, five cases of mutated monsters had been confirmed, including the Rampage Ape that Seneca and Maior had previously defeated.

Fortunately, there were no casualties, and none of the other creatures were as enhanced as the Rampage Ape, so the current damage was minimal. However, the situation could change at any moment.

Thus, Attalos was tasked with the investigation as part of Seneca and Maior’s trial.

The strongest adventurers Seneca had fought were her own and Lucius’ parents, who were also said to be silver rank.

Seneca had a good grasp of the abilities of copper-rank adventurers like the members of Oak Branch. She had come to believe that her own skills were approaching that level.

Compared to all those people, Attalos was exceptionally strong—perhaps too strong. He seemed even more powerful than Seneca’s parents in her memory, which implied that he possessed skills beyond gold rank.

Seneca believed that being with Attalos would bring her closer to becoming a gold-ranked adventurer. She felt grateful for this opportunity.

Additionally, Seneca felt a nostalgic emotion towards Attalos, though she couldn’t pinpoint why.

On the day of the request, the three gathered at the gate.

This time, they planned to camp in the Baet Forest and conduct the investigation over several days to a week, so each of them carried various supplies.

Today, their first task was to set up the campsite.

They would navigate around monsters to reach a hill often used for camping in the Baet Forest. It would take about half a day to get there.

As they walked, the three chatted.

“Maior, according to the report, you can detect magical power disturbances with your skill. During this mission, I want you to regularly scan a wide area,” Attalos said while examining the map.

“Understood. So, are magical power disturbances connected to this case?” Maior asked.

“Yes, that’s correct. While it’s not unusual for mutated species to emerge naturally within a group, the frequency is usually low. In cases like this, where it happens often, magical power disturbances are usually the cause.”

“But how do magical power disturbances form?” Seneca, looking puzzled, voiced her thoughts.

“Exactly. Generally, we don’t know. However, there are different types of magical power disturbance. If they appear sporadically, it’s not a big issue, but if a dense core cluster forms, it must be dealt with,” Attalos explained.

“Because stronger mutant species are born from them?” Maior inquired.

“That’s one reason, but there are even more troubling scenarios. For instance, a dense magical power cluster could lead to a stampede,” Attalos replied.

“A stampede!?” Seneca exclaimed, startled, followed by Maior.

“Yes. It’s not a commonly discussed topic to avoid causing panic. Normally, only adventurers who can sense magic are informed. The guild likely planned to tell you once you reached copper rank, but I’ve decided to explain it now,” Attalos said, continuing to stride briskly while carrying the heaviest load effortlessly.

“Is this request really important?” Seneca asked nervously.

“The investigation is significant in that overlooking signs of a potential stampede could be disastrous. However, we’re not the only ones conducting it. While it’s crucial to take this seriously, it’s equally important not to get overly invested,” Attalos advised.

“That’s valuable advice,” Maior remarked, feeling like he should jot it down but unable to spare the time.

Throughout the journey, Attalos shared various pieces of knowledge with them.

“See that pine tree over there? Can you differentiate the bark? Some have scales that run vertically and split. That type’s outer bark can be peeled off, and the white inner bark can be boiled and eaten. I’ve survived on that during four separate occasions. It’s common up in the north,” Attalos explained.

Both Seneca and Maior, who loved such practical knowledge, were internally thrilled.

Attalos taught them how to test if unfamiliar plants were edible, how to make a stone axe, dig without tools, and more. The topics seemed endless.

“In my estimation, you’ll soon face some kind of hardship—whether hunger, cold, or thirst. Listen to the elders’ advice, take it seriously, and verify it while you’re still safe. Adventurers who don’t test their knowledge don’t last long,” Attalos warned.

Taking his advice to heart, Seneca and Maior found a suitable pine tree, peeled its bark, and extracted the white inner layer.

It looked fibrous and filling, so they boiled it thoroughly during a break and seasoned it with salt before eating.

“Mugyuwaaーー!”

However, it was as bitter as if it had condensed the despair of the world.

“Ahahaha! I forgot to mention, you should let it soak for a night to remove the bitterness! Well, you’ve learned something new!”

Fuming, Seneca and Maior swung at Attalos with all their might, but they couldn’t catch him.

Under Attalos’s hands-on lecture, the two arrived at the campsite.

“Speed is of the essence when setting up camp,” Attalos urged, making the two scramble to prepare. Yet, even with their efforts, he remarked, “You’re still unbelievably slow,” making the two fall silent.

With preparations for the next day in mind, the two rested while Attalos took the first watch alone.

Seneca and Maior would wake at dawn, during which Attalos would catch a brief nap.

After enjoying a splendid meal prepared by Attalos using dried meat and local plants, the two fell asleep.

“Hey, you two, wake up. It’s morning.”

Hearing Attalos’s voice from outside the tent, Seneca stirred.

“Hoi~”

She replied and nudged Maior awake.

“Maior, it’s morning~. It’s a lovely morning~.”

Her wake-up call was rather laid-back. However, Maior groaned, then quickly opened her eyes and got up immediately.

The two emerged from the tent and greeted Attalos.

“Nothing unusual happened last night. Soon, monsters will start stirring, so stay alert.”

With that briefing, Maior focused on 【Detection】 while Seneca examined animal tracks, both keeping watch.

After waking Attalos, they resumed their activities, though progress on investigating the magic reservoir was slow.

“Watch and learn while you two fight.”

Attalos said this repeatedly.

For instance, the Mad Ox was a monster typically tackled by bronze-ranked parties. Though Seneca and Maior could likely handle it, the risk was usually too high. But with Attalos around, the situation was different.

It was a rare chance to safely battle a stronger enemy.

“Maior, your shield angle is wrong. You’ll end up hurting yourself that way.”

While Attalos generally refrained from commenting on their combat, he frequently corrected Maior’s shield technique.

“Maior, that’s a stance for blocking. You should be deflecting instead.”

The two found this peculiar.

They wondered if Attalos had a specific reason, yet he didn’t carry a shield himself.

Curious, Seneca decided to ask.

“Attalos-san, what’s your skill? If you don’t mind?”

She was practicing her polite speech.

“Ah, well, since we might fight together, I’ll show you in the next battle. My skill is 【Magic Swordsmanship】.”

“Uhyoo!”

“What’s the matter, Seneca? Jumping around like that.”

“【Magic Swordsmanship】 is the epitome of flashy skills. It’s something I’ve admired.”

Seneca’s sparkling eyes scrutinized Attalos, making her seem somewhat odd.

They patiently waited for Seneca to calm down.

Upon detecting a Thunder Boar nearby, the three approached.

Attalos drew his sword from its sheath and marched towards the Thunder Boar, walking noisily on purpose.

“【Magic Swordsmanship】 excels at mid to long-range magic but doesn’t rival professional mages. It’s also used for close-range feints, but its true power lies in the magic sword.”

His loud voice seemed intended to provoke the Thunder Boar. He even picked up a small stone.

Attalos flicked the stone, hitting the Thunder Boar on the forehead. Known for their short temper, it would soon charge.

“This sword is made from mithril, which has high magic affinity.”

Maior deduced it was an incredibly valuable sword, though Seneca seemed oblivious.

“You can infuse magic into the sword and alter its properties. Let’s stick with fire for simplicity.”

As Attalos manipulated the sword, magic naturally flowed into it and settled. The scene was so refined it seemed almost artistic, Maior thought. Seneca, with her mysterious perception, also felt the magic flow.

The sword’s magic briefly switched between ice, lightning, and water before finally settling on fire.

“Though it’s currently aflame for visibility, altering its properties only at the moment of impact is enough. Watch closely.”

The atmosphere around the sword grew silent.

The Thunder Boar charged at incredible speed.

Attalos remained motionless.

He carefully observed the enemy’s movements, slowly adjusting his stance.

As the monster entered his range, Attalos stepped forward and delivered a diagonal slash.

The stroke was graceful, aligning closely with Seneca’s ideal.

The Thunder Boar was split in two, consumed by flames, and reduced to ash within seconds, scattering in the wind.