LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 24
“Are you okay?!”
“I’m fine.”
My body feels light. The Saint’s Healing Magic lived up to its title with its undeniable effectiveness. It seems like I was out for an hour or two, but now I feel refreshed. If only I could have that kind of healing magic every night before bed. Of course, such luxuries are out of the question.
Karina’s magic is finite, so I need to use it wisely when necessary.
If I were to splash that Hydra brat with Sacred Magic right away, I’d need to conserve my magic as much as possible.
“What kind of creature acts on its own after losing its head…?”
Leni’s voice, sounding incredulous, tickles my ears. My eardrums may have regenerated, but are they not fully healed? Or is it because of the aftermath of tearing and recovering? I’m not sure which, but should I ask for a bit more healing?
…No, this should be enough to recover quickly.
I lifted my body. The damp leather clings to my upper body. After wrestling with that mini Hydra, it seems all my sweat soaked the leather through. Without hesitation, I tossed away the damp, unpleasant armor.
Phew, now I feel a bit better.
I tossed my sweat-soaked hair back, which, since I hadn’t cut it in a while, had grown down to my shoulder blades, resisting my touch and falling back into place.
Maybe I should cut it soon. Shaving it all off wouldn’t be such a bad idea either. In the wild, long hair doesn’t mean much anyway. It’s also a hassle to manage.
“Karina, how much magic do you have left?”
“Huh? About two-thirds left…”
That should be enough… right? Reality and games are different, and it’s better to be fully prepared, but how much time do we have left? I need to deal with that Hydra which must have grown at least eight heads by now, so I should get ready as quickly as possible. I shook off the dust and stood up.
“You should rest a bit more…”
“I’ll rest when I get home.”
Technically, it wasn’t a successful scouting mission, but I did gather important information, so it was time to prepare for war. That meant I need to hurry home.
…Of course, after dismantling that snake first.
Leni, who had been poking at the mini Hydra, stepped back as I approached the snake with a shovel in hand. It seemed she had a rough idea of what I was about to do. I turned to Karina, who was behind me.
“Turn around so it won’t be a shock. You can also go home with Leni if you want.”
“…I’ll turn around.”
As soon as I heard Karina’s answer, I looked at Leni. She scratched her cheek and shrugged.
“Just let me know when you’re done. I can carry your stuff.”
“Got it.”
I reached my hand into the mouth of the mini Hydra I had already torn apart.
——————————–
The next day, after sleeping in, I dragged my still tired body to the already set up workshop. It was a temporary workshop I had crafted with my skills last night, but I took care to make it comfortable to work in. Originally, I worked randomly in the house, but since more people were around, it was becoming bothersome…
I gazed at the snake leather resting on the workbench occupying one side of the workshop wall.
That was yesterday’s haul.
The venom extracted from its body was sealed and stored separately, and I planned to make a suitable work knife from its fangs. And the leather? I would use it to make armor against corrosive poison.
Though I wasn’t thrilled about wearing Hydra leather, in this harsh world, sometimes you have to accept what you dislike with an open heart. I gently caressed the Hydra’s leather with delicate fingers. This is not the time to be picky; I need to make good use of leather that can cover two people comfortably.
I would also actively utilize the bear chief leather, bones, and tree bark I had brought home to make three sets.
The parts that must not melt would be made of snake leather, while the rest would utilize the existing materials.
As for the design… I’ll change it a bit.
Even I think that’s a bit off.
I began drafting a design on a board I had prepared. To be honest, given my skills, it might look more like a primitive cave drawing, but as long as I understand it, that’s all that matters. I set aside the roughly sketched drafts and reached for the leather.
First, I need to make the most important boots and gloves.
…But before that, I should measure the size of my hands and feet.
I stepped out of the workshop and entered the house. Leni was cleaning a sword with a cloth next to the brazier, while Karina was preparing a meal. They turned their heads at the sound of the creaky hinges.
“Oh, Johann! Didn’t you say you’d be working?”
“I have something to check first.”
“I’m feeling a bit uneasy about this.”
Ignoring Leni’s nonsensical remark with zest, I spoke to the two.
“Can I touch your hands and feet?”
“Huh?”
Why are they looking at me with such shocked expressions? I can’t tell what’s going through their minds, but it’s just to measure their sizes for gloves and shoes. Even if I make it using skills, the details are still my responsibility, so I need to pay attention to things like this.
“I just need to measure the sizes for gloves and shoes.”
“Oh, okay…”
Karina seemed to understand as she nodded her head. Leni also seemed convinced and took off her shoes alongside Karina.
I squatted down in front of Karina and started fiddling with her hands and feet. Soft and tender. It feels completely different compared to my hands, which are full of calluses and scars. Is this really the same person’s hand? How can a person’s hand be this soft?
“Um… Johann?”
“…What is it?”
“My hands hurt, so how long…?”
“Oh, sorry.”
I hurriedly pulled my hands away. For some reason, my cheeks were burning. A quick glance showed Leni watching me with a suspicious expression. Is she concerned about me fiddling with Karina’s hand? I soon shifted my gaze down to Karina’s foot.
A small, soft foot.
As expected, the soft texture tickled my palm. Hmm, this should be fine.
I pulled my hand away from her foot and looked at Leni. Leni gave me an ambiguous look as she extended her hand. I took her hand and checked the size. This one was a bit rough. That was to be expected, considering she had been holding swords for a long time. The back of her hand was also quite soft, though.
After checking her foot as well, I stood up.
I need to get back to work. Time isn’t on my side. Just as I was about to turn and leave, a voice like a siren’s call reached my ears.
“Johann, what about the meal…?”
“I’ll eat after I finish the work. You two can start eating.”
I left the two behind and returned to the workshop to start working. It’s not much, just using my skills…
“Crafting.”
After blinking a few times, the snake leather shoes were neatly placed on the workbench.
As expected, this is my lifeline skill.
It really is effective. Initially, I wondered why I was given such a cumbersome skill, but looking back, it feels like finding this skill was almost a miracle.
I accidentally stumbled upon this skill while rambling about my mental state while trying to light a fire. Without this skill, I would probably have become some scattered bones somewhere in this forest by now.
In that sense, the crafting skill is incredibly useful. If you know the crafting method, have materials, and have a clear image, you can create either an item or a building in just a few seconds. Although the process can be quite tedious.
I checked the perfectly completed snake leather shoes and immediately started making gloves. With this, I had the basic protective gear down. Now, I just needed the armor to protect my torso.
I promptly began crafting the torso piece.
Since I had already made it once, it was just a matter of matching the size, and the newly crafted armor was quickly placed on the workbench.
I wiped the beads of sweat from my forehead.
It feels like using my skills has worn me out a bit. Still, there’s no time to rest.
“If I eat, I’ll leave right away…”
The decisive battle is near.
I need to prepare to send that Hydra brat off for good and enter the dungeon.
After all, even a strong Hydra is just a step along the way.
Right, a step along the way.
My ultimate goal is… the dungeon.
——————-
“Can you move?”
“Y-yeah, I think I can move. Running might be tough though…”
Even though I deliberately made it lightweight, it seemed quite heavy for Karina.
“I can carry you, Karina.”
“No. Let’s start slowly. There’s no need to exert yourself yet.”
“It’s fine, Leni.”
“But, Karina…”
“Leni. It’s. Fine.”
With Karina’s firm voice, Leni nodded her head reluctantly. No matter how it goes, when Karina gets serious, Leni gets fidgety and hurriedly listens to her. Is it because she’s a bodyguard, or does she weaken when she’s in a tough spot? Either way, if it solves things smoothly, I have no complaints.
“Then I’ll start moving.”
Carrying the leather pouch filled with various materials slung over my shoulder, I led the way into the forest.
The destination was the Bears’ Territory. Specifically, a wide open space.
I decided that this would be the tomb of the Hydra.