Chapter 17

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 17

Chapter Title: Melting Shampoo (6)

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I stared down at the water boiling vigorously on the stove for a moment.

‘This should be enough, right?’

After completing all five tests listed in the community to check if the water was safe for humans to drink.

Following the advice that if you were still anxious about it, you should boil it furiously—and after boiling it for a full hour.

I figured it was safe enough to drink now. I let the thoroughly boiled water cool slowly and took a sip.

‘The water's drinkable.’

I didn't have the confidence to crack open the canned food in the fridge yet.

But I wasn't starving to the point of desperation, so for now, I'd just fill up on water.

I turned my head back to the leather I'd been sewing.

‘That's almost done too.’

This morning, after a deep sleep.

With nothing much to do in this place, the only task I'd taken on was making leather armor using the sewing kit I'd found in the house.

Of course, it wouldn't be as effective as the leather armor you see in games.

But it was better than nothing—decent impact absorption and tough enough to roughly block certain types of attacks.

‘Gotta finish it.’

After adequately quenching my thirst.

I sat back down on the floor to continue making the armor, focusing intently on the sewing for a solid three hours.

‘Oh...’

Just like that, the upper and lower pieces of leather armor I'd worked on for half the day were complete.

‘Not bad.’

The joints like knees and wrists weren't properly protected to allow free movement.

But with the inner layers of doubled-up leather containing bits of metal plates from computer parts, it should hold up against monster attacks to some degree.

‘Yes!’

With such a gratifying result in hand, what else was there to do?

‘Time to show it off!’

Naturally, bragging was the only option.

I snapped a photo of my hard-earned Leather Armor Prototype No. 1 and posted it to show off my masterpiece to the community.

(Photo)

Leather armor!

With this on?! Even a knife stab and you won't die!

Metal plates inside too—might even block piercing attacks?!

[Comments - 41]

The memes flying everywhere just proved how well I'd made it, right?

With that proud feeling, it was time to execute the plan I'd come up with last night.

I gently picked up the Melting Shampoo I'd left on the living room table.

‘Now it's time to experiment.’

Wearing the leather armor now, I felt confident I could withstand monster attacks to some extent.

(Photo)

I'm gonna rub some Melting Shampoo on cut hair strands.

From the customer service logs on the computer, I guessed 'black threads' referred to hair.

Now, checking what reaction the Melting Shampoo has on hair.

With my handmade leather armor, I can tank most attacks.

If it looks bad, I'll hit the return button right away.

Alright... Experiment start.

[Comments - 7]

I posted the experiment log to the community, then squeezed a tiny bit of Melting Shampoo onto the pre-cut hair strands on the table.

Plop...

The clear shampoo liquid dripped onto the hair.

I'd stepped back a bit and was watching for changes on the table.

‘Now it evolves into a monster...?’

Ten minutes after starting the experiment, there was no change in the hair.

I was about to call the first test a failure.

‘...Huh?’

The hair strands on the table... they looked a bit thicker than before.

What to call it.

About 30 strands had merged into 10 thicker ones?

‘Is this why they said the hair got stiff?’

From the first experiment, I concluded the Melting Shampoo melted and fused hair together.

‘Can't use this on my head, ever.’

Recalling the customer service inquiries, it didn't seem like the shampoo could melt skin.

If it melted scalps, the complainer wouldn't have had time to write a review full of curses.

‘At least it doesn't turn into a monster right away.’

Another relief.

The shampoo touching hair didn't turn it into a monster.

Personally, my biggest fear was the hair turning into a monster.

That would've kicked off a desperate fight for survival, and if it was even a little strong, I'd have hit return immediately.

‘Learned a lot.’

I gained plenty from the first experiment.

I shared every detail with the community.

One Gallery user suggested that the Melting Shampoo itself wasn't a monster.

Instead, those who used it became prey for monsters.

‘Becomes bait?’

Curious why they thought that, I waited a bit.

True to their word, Anonymous 5 posted, so I clicked it.

Checking Newbie's Melting Shampoo inquiries, on June 18th:

"The shampoo's scent lasts 2 weeks, so be cautious."

I focused on "scent".

Don't wash hair for 2 weeks, avoid going out.

Reason not to get it wet: the "scent" amplifies with water.

I think monsters smell it and come hunting.

[Comments - 16]

I'd gained unexpected info.

Melting Shampoo might just be simple bait?

‘Could I lure monsters with this?’

Meaning.

Monsters can't enter houses, so if I leave the front door open.

Sprinkle it on hair strands to lure them in?

‘If this works...?’

Perfectly timed—after sleeping a night, my Status Window showed crafting uses back to 1.

If I could catch a monster...

I could craft more awl-like weapons from their corpses.

‘Make more Sanity-boosting items?’

Time to try humanity's oldest weapon, fire, for hunting.

Gather a few materials that came to mind—

‘...Huh?’

(Photo)

This guy's making items over there?

Making items possible for Newbie??

For real??

Really???

[Comments - 11]

Uh... busted.

"..."

Thirty minutes had passed without me posting anything to the Gallery.

People who wouldn't even DM before, fearing I might be a monster...

Now bombarding me with pics at insane speed... courtship...? Anyway, that kind of stuff.

I set all DMs to blocked temporarily and placed the shampoo-soaked hair in front of the front door.

Now...

‘Phew... hope fire works.’

All I had to do was wait for a monster drawn by the Melting Shampoo scent to come.

Beep- Beep-

It's here.