The Novice Alchemist’s Store

It was only in the beginning when I started climbing the mountain that I was walking like before, Lorea, but when it became a high mountain with just the right health and winter mountains, and no decent paths for it, I seemed to be different on my own, and eventually I began to see a lack of memory in its footsteps.

The change wasn't just in footsteps, it was in breathing and complexion, but still I stopped on Lorea, who works hard without saying anything.

"Shall we put in a break? Lorea, it's time to be tough, right?

"... Huh! Excuse me."

To my inquiry, Lorea swallowed the words and leaned down and said an apology.

"You don't have to worry about that. Highly adaptable seems to have something to do with physical fitness and habit. But you can't make it impossible. I get sick sometimes."

When I poke my finger "meh," Lorea loosens her expression and smiles "yes".

I would just like to emphasise this because I hear that when you impose on a high mountain, you are no longer just 'tired' and in some cases you can lose your life.

"Mm-hmm. Plus it's not a bad thing to put a break in about this. It's not like we can afford it either."

"Yes, yes. If you're just walking, you can still do it to keep the fight going."

Those are the two of us who say that to follow Lorea, but in fact, we can also say that we can still afford it because it's progressing at Lorea's pace.

Anyway, Mr. Kate, who can attack with a bow without much movement if he engages in intense combat behavior here, Mr. Iris waving his sword in front could be pretty harsh.

If you can't move during battle, it's very dangerous, so you'll be right to climb a little bit more accustomed to your body.

"Mr. Iris, if there's any change in physical condition, please tell me, too? Like I said, it's not just about strength, it's about physical fitness."

"Oh, sure."

"Yep. And the manager, too?

After that, we put in a break quite often, sipped tea and sweets, and, depending on the situation, prepared the camp from when the sun was high and stayed overnight on the spot.

Slightly slowly we climbed the mountain.

And I started climbing for a few days or so.

Finally we crossed the ridge of the first mountain - and the view changed over there to the border.

"Ooh..."

It was Mr. Iris, who was leading the way with me, who leaked to the sight in front of me a voice that could take both admiration and awe.

The first thing that pops into my eyes is a slope completely covered in snow.

Down that slope, and beyond it, is the mountain of destination.

The mountain sank completely white, alluding to the difficulty to get there.

"I can't believe there's been a change so far..."

Lorea, who came next to me, rounds her eyes compared to the front and back.

"Yeah. When I crossed the mountain, I heard these things happen... but still awesome"

Dozens of steps at a distance. Situations where only one ridge has been crossed but there is more dirt ground behind it than snow, with deep snow on the front without gaps and snow mountain shoes (snow boots) likely to work great.

Pretty surprised, actually.

"Hang snow mountain glasses (snow glasses) securely from here and repaint the sunscreen as well. Because the snow is not insulting."

◇ ◇ ◇

About a few hours after I started going down the mountain.

Going down a snowy slope is extremely difficult for us to get used to - and I didn't think so.

"Lord Store Manager! These shoes perform amazing!!"

"Right. Actually, I've never used it before."

When it's a school internship, only minimal equipment is paid for.

Other than that, I'll have to prepare myself.

Naturally, I was saving money, and I couldn't possibly have a snow mountain shoe (snow boot) for luxury items.

But maybe I'm glad I couldn't prepare it.

Wearing snow mountain shoes (snow boots), even if you step into deep snow, your feet will only sink slightly.

I can walk normally without slipping and with as much effort as walking in the sand.

Had I had this experience during my internship, I might have started seeing Winter Mountain sweetly.

"Just for a moment, you're no better at stomping than you are on the ground"

"Really? I don't really care."

Lorea jumps on the spot with a pimp and tilts her little neck.

Although I'm not in any way uncomfortable with the move, Kate is right about this.

If you just walk normally. Still, if you step in as hard as you do in battle, you're slightly unreliable.

Around here is a trade-off between consuming magic and effects.

The effect of snow mountain shoes (snow boots) is also gradual, as it adjusts to an unaffordable extent in relation to wearing many smelters (artifacts).

Consciously putting magic into your legs would make it go away, but other than me, it might be a little difficult.

If your consciousness goes over there and the others are neglected, you will end up falling.

"You'll need to get used to it a little. In the meantime, I'm going to make sure you don't encounter demons until you get used to them, but don't fail to be vigilant, okay?

Because magical detection is pretty reliable, but not absolute.

"Of course. - I mean, if you can't do it and avoid it, I think you can fight for a little while?

"The purpose of this one is not to kill demons and get materials, but the roots of the Missanon. At least we will avoid fighting as much as possible on the outbound route"

"Hmm, right. Especially this time a request that cannot fail. If you can avoid it, you should."

"Yes, because they're royal. I'm a little scared of failure."

That's why we sometimes put in a break or go somewhat far to avoid suspicious reactions while moving on, but we don't act avoiding all creatures.

"Wow! Look, there's a rabbit!

Lorea points across the snowfield and speaks up low.

When I looked at the one pointing at it, there was a bright white raspberry that bounced over the snow.

Not that big a raven, but its body wrapped in fluffy hair is round.

"Hmm? Sautéed ravioli for dinner today?

If Mr. Iris, who saw it, responds somewhere happy, Lorea shakes her head like she panicked.

"Chi, no! It's white, right? Aren't they cute?!?"

Behind her asking for consent, there's a gentle bow down Kate.

Yeah, as a hunter, I'm not doing that wrong.

Exactly, 'Pretty!' In front of Lorea, who is delighted, though she didn't seem to have the strength of the heart to shoot.

"Lorea, is this the first time you've seen a white rabbit?

"Yes. What I see is brown or blackish. Because from time to time, Mr. Jasper comes hunting. - It's delicious."

That's what I said, I'm gonna lay my eyes down gently, Lorea.

Cute is cute, but meat is meat.

Does that mean I'm going to build a shelf around it in my heart?

"... Shall we hunt?

I was wondering if my turn had come again, Kate taking the bow in her hand, and Lorea worried.

So, the answer I gave after a while...

"I'll leave it to you... If I can hunt, I'll cook."

"Really? Well..."

Mr. Hunter Kate did not condone it.

The arrow released at that moment when Lorea turned that way will surely capture the raven and instantly prune its life.

Tosari and the rabbit falling into the snow and Kate heading to retrieve it.

If I scratched the neck of the picked up ravioli and drained the blood on the spot, the white snowfield stained red and almost all of it was swept away until just now.

"Ugh..."

"Garu."

With her eyes turned away, but subtly captured in the corner of her sight. If Lorea groans, she slaps her pompous and her shoulder so that the walnut sticking on its back comforts her.

Lorea hugged such a walnut like a healing or faint heart.

Seeing her like that gave her a subtle look was Kate, who quickly dismantled the ravioli and came back.

On both hands hangs a raven divided into fur and meat.

"... something makes me feel like I've done something wrong"

"No, it's not bad at all, Mr. Kate."

It looks array, but as a hunter, you look right.

I guess it's just the difference between Kate, who's been hunting for a long time, and Lorea, who just receives what she's been hunting for.

Though, just now, 'Pretty!' It's a little pathetic to call the animal you were looking at chopped up.

"Lorea, if it's hard to do, shall I cook?

To me that suggested, Lorea was slightly stuck in words but shook her head immediately.

"... no, because cooking is my job. Besides, I think it's polite to eat more delicious than you hunted."

Does that mean that when I cook, I can't eat it deliciously?

You can cook for once, right?

I don't usually do it at all.

- Well, that night, the ravioli cooked by Lorea was so delicious.