Chapter 43
If I could only find those creatures...
Our metal problem would disappear instantly.
I knew the easiest method of obtaining metal in this barren north.
More importantly...
It was basically an infinite supply.
A ridiculously broken resource method.
There was just one small problem.
“The entrance is very deep.”
I explained.
“There are lots of gray rocks around it.”
Then...
“And there’s an extremely thick old tree beside the entrance.”
I looked toward Zakan.
“Do you remember any place like that?”
Zakan crossed his arms.
Then answered in his usual flat voice.
“Izak.”
“Yes?”
“There are more than dozens of caves like that in the northern forest.”
“...”
I couldn’t answer.
When I thought about it...
Of course.
In the original L.O.C...
The Northern Frontier was only a short tutorial region near the beginning.
You simply followed the arrow on the minimap.
There was no need to memorize the terrain.
I had been a fan of the game.
I remembered quests.
Routes.
Important information.
But...
I hadn’t memorized every rock formation inside a huge forest that had now become real.
Then...
“I know!”
Malko raised his hand.
My eyes brightened.
Wow.
There are times when Malko is actually useful!
“Amazing, Malko!”
I praised him.
“As expected of the great Warehouse Leader and Guardian of the Potato personally appointed by me!”
Malko puffed out his chest.
“Of course.”
Then...
“Follow me.”
I noticed Zakan’s thick eyebrow twitch.
But today...
Ugly Malko looked more lovable than our S-Rank Chief.
We followed him.
Malko walked confidently.
His steps never hesitated.
Then...
After a short while...
“Here!”
He stopped proudly.
“...”
We were standing beside the village.
At a very familiar place.
Malko pointed.
“Deep entrance.”
Then...
“Many gray rocks.”
He pointed again.
“And tree.”
Zakan rubbed his chin.
“This is... the cave where we store potatoes.”
Of course.
My mistake was trusting Malko.
Technically...
He wasn’t wrong.
It had a deep entrance.
Gray rocks.
And a tree.
Malko stood proudly with no idea what was wrong.
I ignored him.
Then turned toward Zakan.
“We don’t have another choice.”
I sighed.
“Let’s search directly.”
Then...
“If we wander through the forest, maybe we’ll find traces.”
Zakan nodded.
“Agreed.”
So...
We prepared properly.
Then headed into the forest to blindly search for the Pink Smilers.
The children waved from the wall.
“We won’t open the gate for anyone!”
“We won’t go outside either!”
Then...
“We’ll protect the village like last time until Zakan and Izak return!”
I waved back.
They had protected the village properly during our last trip.
They should be fine again.
Jack stood beside them with a reliable expression.
I nodded toward him.
Thank goodness we have Jack.
If I had left the village with only those muscle-brained barbarian children inside...
I would have been extremely nervous.
Still...
Even though we had no clear destination...
Our steps felt surprisingly light.
The little black furball walked beside my feet.
Our baby Divine Beast.
As long as the Wolf of the North was with us...
Most ordinary monsters wouldn’t even dare approach.
“POTATO!”
Gamjadori grabbed my hair from my shoulder.
It shook angrily.
I had been looking at the wolf pup too happily.
Jealous little thing.
Of course Gamjadori was even more useful.
It made potatoes delicious.
It made normally inedible monsters edible.
It had the subspace Piggy Bank.
I leaned closer.
Then whispered,
“This is a secret.”
Gamjadori listened.
“You’re the best, Gamjadori.”
Its angry face immediately melted.
A huge smile appeared.
Simple little creature.
That was why it was cute.
Anyway...
Naturally...
We became lost in the enormous forest.
We couldn’t find the cave.
We couldn’t even find similar rocky terrain most of the time.
After wandering all day...
Darkness finally settled over the forest.
Malko immediately started a fire in an empty clearing.
“Izak!”
He looked hungry.
“Fire ready. I’m hungry. Give meat!”
I took meat and potatoes from Gamjadori.
Then cut them into a pot.
Soon...
A thick stew slowly began cooking.
Crackle. Crackle.
The sound of burning firewood filled the quiet forest.
While waiting for dinner...
I stared at the red flames.
For some reason...
It felt peaceful.
...This isn’t so bad sometimes.
We had accomplished nothing.
We had spent the entire day wandering through the forest.
Yet...
I didn’t feel frustrated.
In my previous life as Kang Jinho in South Korea...
My world had always been confined.
The heat of a busy kitchen.
A tiny goshiwon room.
And endless loan repayments.
I spent every day cutting ingredients.
Carrying heavy supplies.
Working without proper days off.
I couldn’t remember the last time I had looked up at the stars.
There are so many.
Now...
There was no fine dust.
No walls of buildings blocking the sky.
A dense river of stars filled the darkness.
I looked sideways.
Zakan sat beside me.
He was staring at the stars in exactly the same posture.
Malko...
Was staring at the stew while drooling.
“Pfft...”
Zakan turned.
“Why are you laughing?”
I smiled.
“No reason.”
Then...
“I just like this.”
Zakan looked back at the sky.
“I see.”
I wasn’t lying.
It felt like camping somewhere far away with close friends.
The savory stew bubbling.
The stars.
The quiet forest.
People I had somehow become comfortable with.
We didn’t even need to talk.
This moment...
Made me happier than I could explain.
I have to survive.
That thought suddenly appeared.
I wanted to build stronger homes with these people.
Cook better food.
Live happily.
To do that...
We had to survive the coming Red Moon disaster.
And the Great Famine.
That means I absolutely need to find the Pink Smilers.
Then...
Rustle.
A sound came from the bushes behind us.
Again?
I was developing trauma from that rustling sound.
Zakan grabbed his greatsword.
I turned immediately.
Then...
“...?”
Two glowing eyes stared back from between the dark bushes.
A body about the size of a human child.
Messy hair.
Something pointed rose between the strands.
Animal ears?
Wait...
Is that a tail?
The creature stared blankly at us.
No.
Not us.
The boiling stew.
When our eyes met...
It jumped in shock.
Then immediately disappeared into the forest.
“What was that?”
I frowned.
“A monster?”
Zakan lowered his greatsword.
“A beastkin.”
Then...
“I thought they had all disappeared.”
He watched the bushes.
“It appears some still live deep in the forest.”
I looked toward him.
Zakan continued calmly.
“They are not a hostile race.”
Then...
“There is no need to pursue it.”
The baby Divine Beast apparently agreed.
It remained lying beside the fire.
Its tail swayed once.
So it wasn’t dangerous?
Maybe that was why the wolf hadn’t reacted.
Still...
