A Gatherer's Adventure in Isekai (素材採取家の異世界旅行記)

Easy there, Bee! I'm drooling just looking at that thing!

Man, that's fresh enough to eat raw! Straight sashimi!

Woo-hoo!

Takeru! Now's not the time to celebrate!

Watch out!

Huh?!

Takeru! That's a Trango Crab!

A ferocious Rank-A monster!

We'll need everyone to take this thing down!

It's a perfect main course, if you ask me.

Bee, cover me. But no fire or lightning, got it?

Quick, Reduction, activate!

Harden on both hands and feet, activate!

Takeru!

Huh? It's tougher than it looks...

Like that's gonna stop me!

Nice one, Bee!

Scan!

There. That's the weak point.

Ice Needle!

Perfect! All right, time to finish this!

Rest in peace, Mr. Crab.

A-Amazing...

Indeed! That took only an instant!

Takeru, Bee. Why did you two fight it alone?

I kinda got carried away...

I just thought... if we used weapons all covered in mud and blood,

it might ruin the edible parts, y'know?

You're planning to eat it?!

No, that's fine. But Takeru, what am I?

Huh?

I'm your bodyguard!

Well, I mean... I'm a bit more used to fighting these, so...

I'll give you that. Your magic is off the charts. But still...

In moments like that, you need to stay calm, trust your allies, and fight together!

Neither Brolite or I would ever ignore your judgment,

so rely on us a little more, will you?

Yeah. Sorry.

All right. Let's haul this beast outta here.

Roger that!

We've pretty much mined out everything around here,

but I'm still picking up strong readings up ahead.

If we dig deeper, there's a good chance we'll hit an even larger amount.

You took down that damn demon and found this whole mineral deposit for us.

Thank you! Thank you so much!

Earthquakes, distortions across the land, monsters awakened by magical essence...

Maybe purifying Vol-san's magic essence had a bigger impact than I thought.

Acting in places affected by all that...

That must be what he meant by "a single drop that can change the world."

Takeru, let's head back.

Yeah, let's go.

I've done things my own way this whole time...

but maybe, just maybe, I really am changing this world bit by bit.

If so, then I hope it's a positive change for everyone I've met along the way.

The investigation inside the mineshaft is complete.

We also took down the biggest threat, so you can rest easy, Your Majesty.

Is that true, Zambo?

Yes, Your Majesty! I, Zambo, saw it all with my very own eyes. Didn't blink once!

Sir Takeru! Please, you must show His Majesty that fearsome demon!

As you wish.

Hmm. Such a dreadful presence!

You have done well to vanquish this terrifying creature.

A worthy deed, one that demands a reward!

In that case...

Mind if I take this demon as my reward?

What?!

Three million rave each! That's quite the haul, Takeru!

First up, sashimi, obviously. Then grilled...

Maybe hot pot like last time...

What in the world are you thinking?

Its hard shell could make great material for harvesting scissors...

Yeah, plenty to look forward to.

The Next Day

What a magnificent steed! A true pegasus of legend!

We received word from His Majesty.

We were ordered to prepare your reward right away.

Such a fine build... and that glossy coat! Truly magnificent!

Oh, and we've fixed up your spear too, sir.

Remarkable. Absolutely splendid.

I must return home. This pegasus is meant for my sister.

Already heading out?

I owe you a great debt, Takeru.

One so big, I could spend my whole life and still not repay it.

Don't worry about it. I got a crab out of the deal, so we're square.

Takeru, our carriage is here.

Guess this is goodbye for now, Brolite.

Take care of yourself.

Takeru, Clayston, Bee. We shall meet again.

Until then... keep your necks clean and ready for me!

Uh... Pretty sure that's what you say to an enemy, not a friend...

Welcome back, Takeru-san!

Hey there, Arianna.

Oh? Sir Clayston's with you too?

Wait, don't tell me... You two formed a team?!

Nah, Clay just kinda started tagging al—

That's right.

It's temporary, but indefinite, for now.

Wow, that's amazing! I've gotta report this to Wade right away!

Clay.

What? It's fine, isn't it?

I'm just a drifter with no particular destination.

Yeah, but still...

I already know you're something more than ordinary humans.

Having someone to keep an eye on your eccentric tendencies isn't such a bad idea.

That's kind of insulting, don't you think?

A team with Clay, huh...

He's a bit preachy, but traveling together might not be so bad.

After some discussion,

we decided on a name with Clay's suggestion: The Azure-Black Brigade.

The Azure-Black Brigade

Here's what you asked for.

How's it look?

Huh? I figured high-purity Ildrite would be perfect for forging a sword...

Wait, could it actually be harder to work with when it's too pure?

I-I...

...Ii?

I-I-I...

Ildrite!

Takeru! I'm so glad we asked you to do this job!

This shine... this density... it's perfect!

Ribl, c'mon, pull yourself together!

You're crying too, boss!

I'm just glad you're both happy with it.

In a hundred and twenty years, I've never seen this much Ildrite in one place!

I knew the quality was high, but I didn't expect them to be this moved...

Even if the scan results say it's perfect,

you never really know if it's what the client's looking for.

In the end, what matters more than market value... is giving them exactly what they need.

Guess I'm finally starting to take some pride in being a gatherer.

Ildrite

A crystallized form of Ildra Ore. Used to create arms and armor, dwarves are skilled in its use. Its shape and strength can be changed using special magic energy. Contains trace amounts of magic element.

But with this many stones, there's no way we can pay you enough!

I told you before, I want you to make a custom pair of scissors just for me.

We'll settle that part later.

For now, I just want you to use these stones

and forge a sword so good it wins first prize at the showcase!

You got it!

Half A Month Later

Moment of Bliss

Ahh, nothing beats this!

Hey, Takeru!

Wade?

Been lookin' all over for you.

You've got a summons from someone important.

A summons?

Judging from the wax seal, that's the crest of House Lusellevach.

Wait, don't tell me... from the lord of Belkaim?

Close. It's from the lord of the Lusellevach territory, where Belkaim sits.

A territorial lord, huh? This sounds like trouble waiting to happen.

Ugh. Suddenly I feel a stomachache coming on tomorrow.

Spare me your pathetic excuses.

Relax. Lord Belminant may be a noble, but he's not the unpleasant type.

If you say so...