8-10 minutes 14.01.2023

After walking for a while from there, there was a reaction to the [Magi Location]. It was probably an Acid Frog, judging from its size and shape.

I slowly approached it, and after seeing it, I cast a spell.

“Sacred light, unleash a white blade [Holy Ray].” (Rook)

The rainbow-colored white blade from my right hand flew like a ray of light and pierced the Acid Frog’s side.

“Ribbit!” (Acid Frog)

The Acid Frog was struggling to get to its feet, and I dashed up to it and slammed my Mithril Alloy Cudgel into its head, killing it.

The Acid Frog twitched and twitched, then stopped moving.

“Phew……” (Rook)

A mysterious blood-colored liquid flowed out of the hole in the Acid Frog’s side and spread out on the ground with a thud. A bad smell, different from the smell of blood, wafted through the air around.

I think I read that Acid Frogs have a weak poison, but that might be it.

“…so gross.” (Rook)

It stinks, but it’s better than those rotten corpses.

But maybe it was a mistake to take them down with [Holy Ray]. I shouldn’t have wounded it in a way that would have damaged its guts.

There are no documents on how to kill or dismantle these special monsters, even in Adventurers’ Guilds. The only way to find out how to kill and dismantle monsters is to ask those adventurers who know how to do it, and since the types of monsters differ from region to region, it is necessary to gather information for each region.

So, since there is no point in thinking about it, we turn the Acid Frog upside down, belly side up, and cut a slit in its belly with a knife.

I think the basic dismantling method should be the same as the Mud Toad, but the skin is more elastic and harder to cut than the Mud Toad. If I’m going to be dealing with high-ranking monsters from now on, I might as well change my knife for dismantling to something made of mithril or something. The knife I used on goblins, and I am now using might be too much for this.

As I used the tip of the knife to probe the magic stone in the Acid Frog’s belly, I felt a hard reaction on the knife. When I pulled out the knife to take out the magic stone, the tip of the knife turned black.

“Water, pour into this hand, [Water Drop].” (Rook)

I hurriedly washed the tip of the knife with water magic.

“…I can now use [Water Drop] consistently.” (Rook)

It seems that thanks to all the recent level ups, Life Magic could be used even without the Orichalcum ring.

“…I should wash it with water for now.” (Rook)

The magic of [Water Drop] is sent into the Acid Frog’s body to dilute the poison, and then the magic stone is taken out. Then my hands and the magic stone are washed with water.

“This is a big deal……” (Rook)

Then I walked through the dungeon for several hours, going through the forest, bypassing mossy rocky areas, and walking near the lake again.

“I see.” (Rook)

Climbing up on a large rock by the lake, I looked around to get a general idea of where I was in relation to the distant village of Fifth Floor Village.

It was only a rough estimate, but it seemed I am about 40% of the way around. However, if I go any further, I may not be able to return while there is still daylight. Of course, if I could make it around the lake, I would be able to return to the village, but if something irregular happened somewhere and I waste time, I might fail to get back.

“I think I’ll return for the day…” (Rook)

As I was thinking this, there was a reaction in my [Magi Location]. The response was moving in my direction through the forest.

I quickly readied myself for battle and got down on the rock to see what was going on, and at last it appeared from the forest.

“…an Ogre huh?” (Rook)

It was over two meters tall and muscular. It had a slightly darker green skin and a horn on its forehead than the ogres that had attacked the Fifth Floor Village before.

The ogre did not seem to notice me, but walked to the side of the lake, looked around, and then waded its way into the lake. It stopped at knee-deep water, grabbed its large club with both hands, and held it high in the air.

“…What is that thing doing?” (Rook)

I forget to attack the ogre and just watched it.

As far as the eye can see, there are only lakes and rocks around. I can’t imagine what it is doing in a place like that.

As I watched for a while, the ogre suddenly swung its club into the lake.

A loud thump echoed around me.

The club seems to have hit a rock at the bottom of the lake.

The sound was so loud that it seemed to vibrate even the big rock I was on.

“…That’s an ogre, huh?” (Rook)

Did the ogre look that strong? Can I beat that thing? I feel like I don’t want to fight that thing right now.

While I was thinking that, the ogre raised its club again and slammed it into the water again.

There is a splash and a loud boom.

But nothing happens.

Then the ogre suddenly gets angry, and with a roar, starts slamming its club into the water again and again, in rapid succession.

“Waaaaaargh!” (Ogre)

The strange behavior made my back sweat.

What the hell is that thing doing? I don’t understand…

The ogre continues to rampage in the lake, as if it is raging like it lost something, or that the lake has killed its parents.

My will to fight has already dropped to zero, and only the fear of the unknown is increasing.

Then, the ogre returned to the land and jumped into the lake with a great leap. At the moment of landing, it slammed its club on the surface of the water.

With a loud thud, the water splashes down and the ogre lets out a roar. At the same time, there was something floating on the surface of the water.

Is that… a fish?” (Rook)

It was about 30 or 40 centimeters in diameter. I can’t see it from here, but I’m pretty sure that is a fish.

“Wow!” (Rook)

The ogre let out a loud yell, grabbed the fish floating on the surface of the water, and bit off the head. Then he put the tail part in his mouth, chewed it up and swallowed it too.

Satisfied, the ogre left the lake and returned nosily to the forest.

“…maybe it was catching fish?” (Rook)

Come to think of it, there was such a type of fishing on earth… I can’t recall it clearly.

However, I had noticed the reaction of the fish-like creatures in the lake in the Magi Location, but are fish edible…? No, it is not impossible that the ogre could eat them but not humans.

I mean, when I think about it, why don’t the people of the Fifth Floor Village use the fish in this lake as food? Perhaps because they can’t eat them?

“Master. I saw a lot of fish swimming in the lake. Can’t those fish be eaten?” (Rook)

After that, I returned to the village, got my usual lodging, and asked the master over dinner at my usual bar.

“…Well, I’ve never eaten fish before, so I don’t know.” (Old Man)

“Does that mean no one has ever caught fish before?” (Rook)

“Well, if we were in trouble because we ran out of food, I think I’d try to eat them.” (Old Man)

The master of the bar continued, “I heard that people in towns near the sea catch fish and eat them, but around here we don’t have such tools and don’t know how to catch fish.”

In other words, they don’t have the custom of eating fish, so they don’t have the awareness to actively catch and eat fish. Since they have never eaten fish, they don’t know what it tastes like, they don’t know if it tastes good, and they don’t consider it as food.

I see. …Even on Earth, there is a culture of eating fish along the seashore, but not so much in the inland areas. Besides, in this world, there is a “meat that springs up endlessly” called “monsters”. It is also possible that there is less demand to catch fish, which is time-consuming and can only be kept in small quantities, unlike on Earth.

“Hmmm…” (Rook)

I think back to the port town of Ruda, where I once stopped by.

As I recall, the fishing industry was thriving in that town, and fish dishes were served at the inn. I briefly observed fishing at the harbor, and I believe that they set out a boat and caught fish with a net. In other words, there are areas where the culture of eating fish exists, and there are areas where people know how to catch fish, but thanks to monsters, there is little human traffic and cultural exchange, so I guess I feel that information and culture are not being passed on.

“So…” (Rook)

This might be a bit interesting.

The price of getting information from adventurers. Something of value that money can’t buy. It is said that it is dark under the lamp, so it might have been lying nearby.

“Maybe I should try fishing?” (Rook)