Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: Rolling Gourd (1)
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"...So, what do we do now?"
"Hmm..."
The party including Harley was now huddled inside an underground burrow, ears perked up at the vibrations coming from above.
"That presence is seriously intimidating. We almost got in big trouble if we'd been even a little slower."
Knight Robin let out a groan as he gauged the monster's aura.
If not for the barrier blocking all presences within, they wouldn't be casually chatting like this.
"Whew—it's got a usage limit, so I couldn't use it many times. This expedition's a huge loss! Well, better than dying, I guess."
Zaonik grumbled nonstop but busily refined and expanded the burrow's interior.
A magic tool capable of instantly deploying a barrier to fool that sensitive monster's senses wasn't exactly common.
Still, thanks to it, he'd survived this long, and now their party had escaped danger unscathed, so it had more than paid for itself.
"...It's got insane mass. Bipedal, too. Kinda like an ogre, but way bigger, so I'm not sure."
"Right now... it's eating those corpses up top? Makes sense—with that size, ordinary food wouldn't cut it."
"We served it up a feast, huh. Good thing Zaonik buried Bordeaux quick."
The guides and rangers pressed their ears to the dirt wall side by side, analyzing the beast.
They'd avoided a fight for now, but sizing up the enemy properly was essential.
And Harley—
'That pickaxe...'
The monster prowling above was already out of his mind.
His sparkling eyes were fixed solely on the extraordinary pickaxe silently expanding the underground space in Zaonik's hands.
The day they'd first met the dwarf Zaonik, Harley had heard the full story of how he'd survived such dangerous places.
It was just like what they'd done: burrow underground in a flash and activate the barrier. And the star of that tale alongside the barrier magic tool was that pickaxe.
'I just glossed over it back then.'
But the moment he laid eyes on the pickaxe Zaonik pulled from his subspace, he realized it instantly.
That thing... the tool infused with Dwarf Zaonik Steilstone's soul and sweat... it's the perfect medium for 'Customization'!
I thought it had to be something symbolic like the World Tree branch, but personal items like that work too... This changes the plan.
He'd originally planned to hide the party here safely and deal with the monster above alone...
But not anymore.
'I've gotta get my hands on that.'
When would he get another shot like this?
Opportunities like these needed to be seized while they lasted.
But perhaps his greedy gaze was too obvious—Zaonik, swinging the pickaxe to expand the space, turned and met his eyes.
"...Something you want to say?"
"Oh—no, just... it's an amazing pickaxe, so I couldn't help staring. I'm pretty good with a shovel myself, but digging a burrow this deep in minutes? Incredible!"
Zaonik's slightly wary expression softened at Harley's sincere praise.
Naturally—he'd be thrilled to have his handiwork complimented.
"Ho ho, you've got a good eye! You look more warrior than anyone, yet you recognize a tool over weapons!"
That was his thought, but... it went beyond that.
"Everyone's always gushing over fancy weapons, but I believe artisans need the best gear to bring out their peak skill. That's why even my hammers and anvils back at the forge are my masterpieces. I only brought this 'Elinne' here, but..."
Harley's praise must've flipped some switch, because Zaonik launched into a lengthy rant about his pickaxe 'Elinne'.
Forged by combining rare metals, hammered for days on end, and finally reborn as a magic tool infused with a dwarf's secret 'soul of the artisan'.
This earth-attuned tool could pierce any rock like tofu.
It boosted work speed, reduced vibrations and noise, assisted stamina—fully equipped for the user.
A divine tool of pickaxes, truly.
"When making my best work, I even mine the iron ore myself! Ore quality depends on how you extract it, and it absorbs the artisan's breath better..."
Zaonik went on like he was bragging about a lover, extolling Elinne's virtues before diving into its origin story.
Settling in Aonia County to mine the northern mountains' rare ores properly, and needing a reliable pickaxe for dangerous spots.
"Made it back under the previous lord—been together over twenty years now! We've conquered countless perils exploring these mountains. Nothing on this scale before, though..."
But this time too, he and Elinne would prevail, Zaonik declared, gripping the pickaxe with resolve.
'I see...'
That pickaxe wasn't just something he'd made with passion.
It embodied twenty years of his history, forged in his hands and weathered through trials together.
Harley, listening quietly, followed Zaonik's proud gaze to Elinne.
But unlike Zaonik's affectionate look, his eyes were darkly obsessive...
Slurp—
'Ah, my mouth keeps watering.'
A muscular brute with tattoos covering his bare torso licked his lips with lewd eyes—a sight criminal enough on its own. Luckily, everyone was busy, so no one noticed.
They held their breath in tension, resting briefly.
"Huh?"
"The monster..."
Something changed with the beast after its meal above.
It flopped down, belly full and satisfied.
"What now? Ambush while it's off guard?"
"How about digging out and slipping away?"
Neither was great.
The barrier wasn't mobile, and it'd sense them leaving and attack instantly.
"We can't stay holed up forever. Wait till it leaves?"
"How many monster corpses are up there? Why else would it camp here?"
Of course, given its size, that amount wouldn't last long.
But time wasn't on their side...
"The longer we wait, stronger things than that will show up."
Waiting wouldn't improve things.
It'd likely worsen.
As everyone pondered, Harley thought differently.
'Chance!'
Only he could turn this around.
Maybe brainstorming would help, but not now.
Which meant...
"Ahem! I've got a good idea."
He could steer things his way.
"The problem's that thing squatting up top. Lure it far away, and we're golden, right?"
"Sure, but how?"
"I'll handle it."
Harley stepped forward with a confident smile, shoulders squared.
"It's not that fast. I'll taunt it, lead it opposite our direction, then hide. Easy!"
"...You personally? That detection range seemed nuts. Can you shake it?"
"Pfft! Don't worry. I can fool it no problem!"
Having seen his feats, the party nodded without dissent.
"Harley could..."
"Still, is it safe? Better to fight together..."
Opinions split on risking one person and if it was feasible.
Harley pressed on.
"Well, even I can't guarantee escaping clean. So... a little help?"
His subtle gaze drifted to Zaonik.
Precisely, to the pickaxe 'Elinne' in his hand.
Gulp—
He swallowed carefully, then politely asked Zaonik.
"Zaonik, that digging power of your amazing pickaxe would really help wrap this up safely!"
"Uh... Elinne?!"
All eyes on him, Zaonik sensed trouble and clutched the pickaxe to his chest in alarm.
Harley pushed harder at the obvious reluctance.
With it, he'd succeed safely, and they'd all escape the mountains.
'So give it here!'
Zaonik sweated and averted his eyes from Harley's insistent stare.
"S... size won't match?"
True, the dwarf's height barely reached Harley's waist, so the pickaxe would be like a sickle to him.
But Harley shook his head firmly.
"No! Elinne, the continent's strongest pickaxe, won't have issues like that. Right?"
"W-well, sure! B-but..."
Zaonik knew he couldn't refuse.
Harley was volunteering for everyone's sake, risking himself. Essential for his safety—how to say no?
It was his cherished tool, but gear was gear.
Even with premium materials and maintenance, tools wore out.
And it wasn't his most treasured forge hammer...
'No, that's not right! Sorry, Elinne... No favoritism. You're all precious to me.'
After brief turmoil, Zaonik squeezed his eyes shut and tremblingly handed it over.
"J-just... bring it back, even damaged. I'll reward you with better gear later."
"Mm! I'll try. But no promises—anything could happen!"
He was heading into peril, after all.
It could break or get lost in combat.
"...Forget it. Bad call. Your life matters more than gear. If push comes to shove, ditch it, no hard feeli—khk!"
Harley took the pickaxe, but Zaonik stared lovingly, reluctant to let go.
Instinct told him this was farewell.
Harley waited patiently at first, but as it dragged, he tensed his arm and lifted gently.
Zaonik dangled, swinging like a pendulum when shaken.
Thud—
Unable to cling forever, he let go and dropped.
His dazed stare at the pickaxe was like losing a lover—uncomfortably guilty.
'Feels like the bad guy.'
'Well, I am. No plans to return it.'
His heartbroken look pricked his conscience, but he ignored it and hooked the pickaxe to his belt.
'Sorry, but it'll save your life? We'd all be dead without me. Call it even.'
Seeing pitiful Zaonik reignited his mania, but he desperately suppressed it.
'Not in front of him—licking it mockingly while looking down? Too much!'
'Madness' fueled an unprecedented urge, but crossing that line would ruin his heroic image.
Save that for private.
Anyway, not the point now.
The real deal: incidents piling up, karma points enough for a new avatar.
Perfect. So what to name it?
In the end, it was his.
Elinne... no.
The dwarf.