Chapter 26

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 26

Chapter Title: Fog Mine (1)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Cheisi stepped into Megranapitt.

Everything she laid eyes on was a nonstop source of awe.

"...It's massive."

As if there were some unwritten rule that everything had to be gigantic, the stone buildings of Megranapitt towered so high that Cheisi couldn't even dream of looking up at them without craning her neck.

And etched into their walls were intricate patterns that amplified the majestic, mystical atmosphere.

Flames, all sorts of sharp, pointed metals and minerals. Mostly motifs that resembled misty shapes. Things she had hardly ever seen in Azelchen.

Cheisi's eyes sparkled endlessly as she began exploring every corner of Megranapitt amid the colossal structures.

The map of Megranapitt gradually lit up.

"I wonder where the job guild is~."

Cheisi's main goal in exploring was the job guild. The biggest reason she'd decided to head to a new region in the first place was to find a job guild for something other than priest.

As Cheisi wandered aimlessly around the city, she stopped in front of a towering lava waterfall.

The lava waterfall, which served as a city decoration, radiated such intense heat that you could feel it even from a short distance away.

"Lava's flowing like a waterfall here."

Lava was slowly cascading down from the top.

Cheisi watched the sight in fascination before opening her map.

The entire city on the map was now brightly illuminated.

She'd explored all of Megranapitt without realizing it.

This spot with the lava waterfall was the last uncharted area.

"Did I miss it...?"

But even after touring the whole city, no job guild in sight.

After double-checking with her big-data viewers, Cheisi grew even more confused.

'No job guild to change classes here?'

Cheisi grabbed a passing NPC and asked.

"Do you know where the job guild is?"

The NPC gave her a puzzled look in response.

"It's right behind you."

Cheisi turned around.

There was the lava waterfall.

"......This is lava."

"That's where you go in."

"...Pardon?"

But the NPC had already walked off, leaving only that bewildering advice.

Cheisi stared at the lava waterfall. It did seem like there might be space behind it—not impossible.

"...Still, going into lava?"

"I-It'S A GaMe, so my hands won't melt, right?"

Cheisi swallowed hard and approached the lava waterfall.

Up close, it looked less like a waterfall and more like a flowing wall.

The game wouldn't have gruesome depictions of body parts melting, but stepping into lava wide awake was still mentally taxing.

"Here I go...!"

But she had to. So Cheisi closed her eyes and threw herself in.

"...Whoa."

The moment she emerged on the other side, Cheisi stumbled and lost her balance.

She barely steadied herself and looked ahead. A gorgeously decorated cave interior came into view.

Nothing like the priest guild she'd seen in Azelchen.

Hammer strikes echoed from all around, and the sweltering heat made people shimmer like mirages.

No one seemed to pay much mind to Cheisi, who had just burst out of the lava.

Cheisi looked around the guild and realized.

"Yeah. Production job again."

It wasn't the job she'd hoped for. Not combat—a production one. Cheisi felt disappointed.

"Guess I have to find another region to change to a different job...?"

"No way that'll happen."

Cheisi surveyed the blacksmith guild interior.

The guild was sweltering hot.

The stone floor bore countless scratches from years of use, and the walls proudly displayed ancient weapons and armor.

As she looked around, Cheisi also realized the lava flowing at the entrance wasn't real lava.

"I got all worked up for nothing."

Checking now, her HP hadn't dropped at all. Fake—no damage.

"Anyway, time to find another region..."

Cheisi trailed off.

A delicious smell was wafting from somewhere.

Drawn by the aroma, Cheisi spotted a translucent stone aquarium in the blacksmith guild.

Inside it, a stone fish was swimming around.

"Adventurer, mind not staring so close?"

"...Looks tasty."

"Pardon?"

As a guild member pushed Cheisi away from the tank with a dangerous glint in his eye, she was convinced.

That thing is definitely delicious.

Cheisi sneaked a peek at the fish's info while watching the guild member warily.

"I-I want to buy this!"

The guild member's face turned troubled at Cheisi's words.

"...This is an ornamental fish."

But faced with Cheisi's persistent sparkling eyes, he sighed deeply and quoted the price.

"2,440 Megranapitt coins..."

"...What's that?"

A unit she'd never heard of.

She learned that Megranapitt coins were the local currency used only in this city.

The gold she'd collected so far couldn't be used here; she had to exchange it at Megranapitt's exchange office.

Cheisi took all her saved gold to the exchange and converted it to Megranapitt coins.

While she was at it, she sold off all the loot from her hunts so far for cash.

That was the total in her hands now.

"After the fish, I'd have... 2,340 coins left..."

Not even close.

"Yeah... "

Cheisi shook her head vigorously.

It wasn't just hunger for the fish—there were other reasons too.

"Listen up. This fish has an underwater breathing effect. That means I could go to the flooded area in Azelchen."

Azelchen had a flooded path besides the one to Megranapitt. She'd given up on it before, but with underwater breathing, she could take that route.

"Right? But it's so expensive..."

As Cheisi's ears drooped in dejection, a donation popped up.

"...Haven't checked it yet?"

Come to think of it, yeah.

Cheisi checked her title effect.

"Marks Kallium dust locations on the map?"

An unknown effect.

"No idea either. Let me check the map."

She realized that opening the map during stream let all viewers see it—someone must've asked if sharing was okay.

"No problem."

It really wasn't. She wasn't some hardcore rank 1 chaser; she was a streamer.

'Or am I hardcore, passing out after all-day gaming and logging back in...?'

Anyway, sharing info with viewers and chatting together beat hoarding it solo.

Cheisi opened the map.

"Why the fuss? It's obvious for a streamer. I like learning stuff together with you all way more."

"Nooo... "

Cheisi replied to chat while scanning the map.

Outside Megranapitt, on the foggy zone's map, blue mineral markers appeared.

Five spots.

Those must be the Kallium dust.

"But what does it even mean...?"

As Cheisi wondered what good knowing Kallium dust locations was, a booming shout cut her off.

The exchange clerk in the corner drew everyone's attention with a resounding voice.

"Buying ingots made from collected Kallium dust for 1,520 Megranapitt coins each!"

Coins: 1,520.

Kallium ingot.

Per ingot.

Every word rang heavily in Cheisi's ears.

"...Might actually mean something."

Fog Mine.

The term was self-explanatory.

Cheisi got off the mine cart and entered the fog.

Dense, dry fog thick enough to obscure vision.

No, not fog.

Cheisi reached into the mist and scooped up a handful.

Opening her hand revealed fine white powder.

"So this 'fog' is all ore dust."

These metal particles could be gathered and reformed into ingots. That's what Megranapitt specialized in.

Among this dust was Kallium dust. It could be turned into pricey blue ingots sold high at the exchange.

"Monsters in here too, right?"

Fog Mine.

The area visible after riding Megranapitt's mine cart out.

A mine for gathering ore dust—and a dungeon where you fought specters in the fog.

"Let's check it out."

In other words, a honey spot for farming coins and EXP at once.