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 65

Episode 65: A Little Obsession

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Plautia has a small obsession—she insists on gathering plants by their individual parts.

Plants consist of various tissues, and each part has subtle differences in properties, ease of handling, and perishability. While breaking them down can sometimes be beneficial, most adventurers don’t pay much attention to plant structures since guild requests usually specify the required form for delivery.

However, Plautia has honed a skill in Gathering plants part by part. There was no clear reason behind it—she simply enjoyed doing so.

One day, she decided to experiment by making medicine using only specific plant parts. If her personal preference could serve a purpose, it would give her a valid justification for it.

Since Plautia could perform simple concoctions, she tested every material she had.

As a result, she discovered that gathering only the anthers and filaments of a certain plant while maintaining their freshness significantly enhanced the potency of antidotes.

In this method, maintaining “freshness” was crucial. By using her skill to harvest, she could obtain materials in their best possible state.

When she consulted an acquaintance who was an apothecary about her findings, he turned pale and exclaimed:

“Plautia-chan, you should thoroughly investigate this and report it to the guild.”

The plant she had improved the effectiveness of was a widely used antidote ingredient. If a more potent antidote could be made from a common material, it would greatly impact apothecaries.

Following this, Plautia worked on a technique to collect the plant’s anthers while keeping them fresh, even without using a skill, and reported it to the guild.

This method later became known as the famous “Plautia’s Anther Gathering Technique.”

An action that once had no meaning now held significance.

Plautia, delighted, continued her meticulous plant Gathering.

Meaning could be created after the fact. That realization took root within her.

After asking Maior for tips on leveling up, Plautia let her imagination run wild.

How much finer could she extract plant parts once she reached level 2?

With that thought in mind, she formulated her plans.

Plautia’s skill provided benefits such as an expanded Gathering range, quality improvement, and freshness preservation. However, she had no intention of enhancing those aspects.

Maior’s story about training to narrow her search range and obtain more detailed information only reinforced her resolve.

“Yep, precision is great. Details are wonderful,” she thought with an inexplicable sense of conviction and pressed forward.

Thus, she continued training—extracting plant parts with her skill and then refining them even further. Since she liked citrus fruits, she also practiced using her skill to separate peel from pulp.

Now, two Radish Onions stood before her.

Plautia used 【Plant Gathering】 to remove only the outermost skin of a Radish Onion.

The creature remained aggressive, attempting to attack her.

She peeled off another layer.

It still showed no signs of stopping.

Finding it fun, Plautia kept stripping the Radish Onion’s outer skin, one layer at a time. Since Radish Onions were abundant in the forest, she could seemingly continue indefinitely.

That day, Plautia kept peeling the onion-like monster’s skin until Maior, who had accompanied her, was utterly exhausted.

The next day, the six members of “Moonlit Oath,” now joined by Nina and Fabius, ventured deep into the forest.

The deeper they went, the stronger the monsters became. However, none posed a real threat in one-on-one combat.

For this party of six, defeating them was easy—the only real issue was their sheer numbers.

Today was an exploration mission, so they weren’t using any monster-attracting tools. Yet, monsters kept attacking one after another. At times, the creatures would call upon others, throwing everything into chaos, but the six of them managed to push forward into the depths.

As they ventured further, the types of monsters changed.

A large-beaked bird called an Anahori Oohashi would burst from the ground, launching itself at them. Ugly-faced but weak Jack Rats swarmed in groups, attempting to surround them. Still, the battles remained stable.

As they handled the attacking enemies, a distant “Paoooon” echoed through the forest.

“Maior!”

Hearing Plautia’s call, Maior, who had already sensed the monster’s presence, nodded.

“Everyone! Three Elephant Trees are approaching, but don’t engage! Plautia will fight all three!”

“Got it!”
“Hooi.”
“Mekee~.”

Various responses came in return.

Plautia gripped her dagger and leaped forward.

Approaching them were massive tree-like monsters. From either side of their long trunks, sharp fangs jutted out.

Plautia could comfortably handle one on her own. But she knew it was time to take a bigger step forward. Feeling that way, she had asked Maior and Fabius in advance to let her take on these creatures. Fabius’ concerned expression had left an impression on her.

The leading Elephant Tree swung its trunk down at her, but Plautia deflected it with her dagger. At the same time, she activated her skill.

The Elephant Tree let out another “Paoooon” and pulled back slightly, tending to its damaged trunk.

Carefully positioning herself to avoid being surrounded, Plautia began whittling away at the Elephant Trees’ bodies, which were made of branches and leaves.

At the center of an Elephant Tree’s body, a bright red fruit grew. Plautia’s goal was to harvest that fruit. However, it was said that if the monster’s body was damaged too much, the fruit’s quality would deteriorate. That meant she had only two options: either defeat it instantly and take the fruit right away, or harvest it while the creature was still alive.

If it were just about attacking, things would be simple. But to extract a specific internal part, she needed to make direct contact and take time using her skill.

Plautia struggled to create an opening. However, to Seneca and the others, her movements looked stiff.

Plautia feared failure.

That’s why she had always chosen things she felt capable of handling.

There were times she faced problems beyond her ability. When that happened, she threw herself into the challenge with everything she had—if only to leave behind the fact that she had given it her all.

By fearing failure and striving to avoid it, she earned recognition for her work in plant Gathering.

She had even passed the Royal Adventurer Academy’s A-Class entrance exam.

“I’m so glad I didn’t fail.”

That thought alone often brought her relief.

However, as she continued to achieve remarkable results, she began attracting unkind words.

“Why’s that little shrimp getting all the recognition…?”
“She probably got in because of her family name.”
“She’s just lucky.”
“Total bookworm.”
“Miss Stamen.”

For the first time, Plautia faced direct jealousy and resentment.

Her timid, uncertain demeanor only made things worse, leading to even more whispers behind her back.

Hearing so many things said about her, Plautia’s fears expanded—not just fear of failure, but fear of success as well.

The more she became conscious of success, the stiffer her body became.

Fearing both success and failure, she no longer knew what to do.

Her hesitation disrupted her movements, narrowing her field of vision to an extreme degree.

She had chosen to face the Elephant Trees in an effort to overcome this.

Yet, here she was—unable to move properly, her legs trembling.

How many times had she blamed herself?

How many times had she choked up over her own shortcomings?

How many sleepless nights had she endured, waiting for morning to come?

Plautia struggled, desperate to overcome herself.

She was trying to move forward.

She had blamed herself countless times.

Worrying over the smallest mistakes, tensing up in hopes of getting it right the next time—only to fail again.

Repeating that cycle over and over, trapped in an endless torment of self-reproach.

But that was how she had always fought through.

Surely, it was enough now.

Plautia clenched her fists and told herself—

You’ve worked so hard. Maybe it’s time to forgive yourself?

Failure was terrifying, but so was success.

Yet, if she had to be afraid of something, wasn’t it better to fear success?

So, she would raise her head and take a step forward.

The time had come.

She wanted to overcome the trial before her and climb another step higher.

She wanted to acknowledge herself and conquer the fear of succeeding.

Now, step forward.

Plautia, you’ll be fine. You’re fine.

…

However, no matter how many times she repeated those words, no matter how firmly she resolved herself, the unease in her heart refused to fade.

Plautia felt utterly drained.

Not much time had passed, yet her mouth was dry, her breaths shallow—she wasn’t even sure what she was doing anymore.

She neither defeated nor fled from the three Elephant Trees, merely dodging and deflecting their relentless attacks.

She tried to assess her surroundings, but she couldn’t think clearly.

She feared that her pitiful performance would make her comrades lose faith in her.

Though to the others, it seemed as if Plautia was showcasing an impressive display of evasion against the Elephant Trees, in her own heart, there was only emptiness.

When one of the monsters lashed out with its trunk, she parried it with her dagger.

If she sensed she couldn’t avoid an attack completely, she would slip away at the last moment, never pushing herself recklessly.

She tracked the movements of all three creatures, ensuring she wouldn’t be surrounded. If pressured, she swiftly repositioned herself.

The more she repeated these actions, the more refined and optimized her movements became.

Fatigue was setting in, but her body felt sharper.

And as a bit of composure returned, a pleasant thought crossed Plautia’s mind—

Once this is over, I want to tell everyone how amazing they are.

They’re all so strange, completely abnormal, but they’re comrades I truly respect.

She wasn’t sure why that thought had surfaced.

Maybe it was the exhilaration of battle making her feel this way.

Since coming to Nishiro, everyone has been incredible.

They had grown so much.

And Plautia was grateful to be able to fight alongside such remarkable people.

She had been saved by all of them.

By Seneca, by Maior, by Gaia, by Nina, and…

“Fabius-kun.”

She whispered his name in a hoarse voice.

At that moment, she saw the Elephant Tree before her rear back its trunk, preparing to strike.

She wouldn’t be able to dodge in time.

Plautia braced herself to take the hit. It wouldn’t be fatal, but it would definitely hurt.

The Elephant Tree whipped its trunk down at her.

Here it comes!

Plautia tensed—

But just as the attack was about to land, someone leapt in front of her.

“Did you call me?”

A loud crack echoed.

Right before her eyes, Fabius stood firm, intercepting the Elephant Tree’s strike.

“…Fabius-kun!”

Fabius deflected the monster’s trunk and, glancing back at Plautia, spoke.

“Hey, Plautia-san. I’ve been thinking this for a while, but—”

She could see the Elephant Tree gathering strength for its next attack.

“You’re really hardworking, you know.”

—Ping.

A high, clear sound, like metal being struck, rang in Plautia’s mind.

Fabius raised his shield, preparing to receive the attack.

Seeing that, Plautia mumbled under her breath.

“Fabius-kun, you’re really cool.”

“Huh? What!?”

—Boom!

Fabius braced himself as the Elephant Tree slammed into him.

Before it turned into a contest of raw strength, he subtly shifted the position of his shield, throwing the Elephant Tree off balance.

As the creature stumbled, Plautia and Fabius quickly created some distance. The other two Elephant Trees were also momentarily far away—it was safe for now.

With her face flushed bright red, Plautia called out in a loud voice.

“I-I’m fine now! Let me handle the rest on my own!”

“O-Okay. Sorry if I overstepped.”

Fabius hurried back to where Seneca and the others were.

Plautia tightened her grip on her dagger and fixed her gaze ahead.

She realized something—her mindset was completely different from before.

There was someone who acknowledged her.

Fabius might have said those words casually, without thinking much of them, but to Plautia, they were exactly what she needed to hear.

Thanks to that, her mind felt clear.

Now, step forward.

Plautia charged toward the Elephant Trees.

As she closed in, two of them swung their trunks wildly.

She ducked low, dodging them, and slashed at one of the creatures’ legs. The wound wasn’t deep, but it was enough to momentarily halt its movement.

Then, she dashed toward the other Elephant Tree, leaped high, and landed on its back.

Plautia drove her dagger into its hide to steady herself, preventing it from shaking her off.

The Elephant Tree thrashed in resistance, but it was already too late.

“【Plant Gathering】.”

With those words, she extracted a red fruit from the creature’s body.

Then, with a swift motion, she plunged her dagger into the core on its head—bringing it down.

She used the same method to defeat the second and then the third Elephant Tree.

As soon as the battle ended, a voice echoed in her mind.

【Level increased to 2. 【Plant Gathering II】 unlocked. Physical ability and interference power increased. Sub-skill 【Selection】 acquired.】

After the fight, Nina and Maior relentlessly teased Plautia and Fabius, both of whom were blushing furiously.

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 Check the other title that I translate here Trio Idiot