142
Chapter 142
Scarecrow.
A monster in the shape of a scarecrow.
A monster that was clearly the Owner of the Gacha Field Dungeon had appeared.
I lied to him, saying I didn't know this place had an owner, apologized for trespassing, and then belatedly asked for permission to play here.
Then,
Mr. Scarecrow coolly gave his permission and left.
"Gom...?"
"Uwoong?"
Me and Tosuni.
And everyone watching us made puzzled expressions.
It was as if question marks had popped up above everyone's heads.
This was a completely unexpected situation.
To think we would get permission so easily....
Was it because my attitude was dripping with politeness?
Hmm, it certainly seemed so.
It looked like I had won Mr. Scarecrow's favor by acting like such a gentleman.
This is why manners are important.
Especially when meeting someone for the first time.
"Gyua? What was that just now?"
"I don't know! A weird guy showed up and vanished!"
Red Panda and Fox blinked for a moment before resuming their gacha pulls.
"Uwoom, the person who just came and went. From what they said, they seem like the Dungeon Master here, yong?"
"Yong yong. Seeing how they easily allowed the harvest, they seem like a kind owner, yong. And since we got permission, we can play to our heart's content now, yong."
Tosun's Mom and Little Yellow Dragon.
The others also harbored only brief doubts.
They all looked away from us and returned to the tournament as if nothing had happened.
I looked at Tosuni, who was sticking closely to my side.
Come to think of it, she had made a very surprised expression just now too.
It was a reaction as if she was seeing Mr. Scarecrow for the first time.
"Gom gom, gom gom gom."
Tosuni.
Are you also seeing the Mr. Scarecrow who just appeared for the first time?
"Uwoong? Uwoong, uwoooong."
Tosuni said it was her first time too.
She answered that she had never seen him before, and that today was her first time meeting him.
Our Phantom Thief Tosuni.
She really managed to steal crops without getting caught all this time.
What an amazing girl.
Unlike me, who had only been here once, I knew Tosuni frequently visited this Dungeon to get Carrots, yet she had never been caught until now.
So was she just unlucky to get caught today?
Or did we stand out too much because we came as a group?
The latter seemed correct.
However, the former did not.
Because through this opportunity, we had become acquainted with an incredible monster.
Moreover, since that monster showed a favorable attitude toward us, it was as good as making a great connection.
Therefore, it would be more accurate to view this not as bad luck, but rather as good luck.
Having acquainted ourselves and even given a good impression, if things went well, we might be able to build a friendly relationship with Mr. Scarecrow someday.
***
"Yong yong. Great-grandmother! Can you pull out these five Stems here with your physical strength, yong?"
"Uwom? You want me to pull them out with physical strength, yong? Why, yong?"
"I want to observe them closely, yong."
"Uwoom, understood, yong."
As if it wasn't a difficult request.
Plop- plop- plooop-!
Tosun's Mom pulled out the five Stems in a row using only physical strength.
And because she hadn't infused any Mana, gourds were pulled out of all of them.
"Yong yong! Thank you, yong!"
"Uhoohum!"
Little Yellow Dragon expressed his thanks.
He focused his eyes and began to observe the five gourds.
"Yooong... All five are the exact same size, yong."
I could guess what he was trying to observe.
He was likely trying to figure out if there were specific gourds designated to produce better items.
By comparing the appearances of the gourds.
Unfortunately, all five looked exactly the same.
Their sizes were also completely identical.
"This time, I should try flowing the exact same amount of Mana into them, yong."
"Uwoom? You're going to flow the exact same amount, yong? My granddaughter, have you already become able to control Mana that perfectly, yong?"
"Yong yong! It's possible if I concentrate, yong! I practiced hard, yong!"
"My granddaughter was a genius, yong...!"
Five gourds identical in shape and size.
Little Yellow Dragon infused Mana into them one by one.
According to their claim, they flowed perfectly identical amounts of Mana.
And the results.
One shriveled Carrot.
One pathetic-sized Mana Stone.
One thick and plump Carrot.
One appetizing Apple.
"Mandrake!!!"
One Mandragora.
Like this, even with the exact same amount of Mana, the results were all different.
"Yooong. I flowed perfectly identical amounts of Mana without any mistakes, but the results are all different, yong. As expected, just because the amount of Mana is the same doesn't mean the results are the same, yong. Confirmation complete, yong."
The Mandragora, which attacked with a fierce roar, was turned into Gold by Little Yellow Dragon.
It was a monster that didn't even stand a chance.
"Now I need to check if an optimal amount of Mana exists... but I can't quite get a feel for how to check it, yong."
While Little Yellow Dragon was muttering like that and stroking their whiskers.
Whoooosh-
Suddenly, a cold Wind blew around me.
Hmm? Could this be?
"Ahem."
A voice was heard from the side.
Turning my head, I saw Mr. Scarecrow standing there naturally.
Why did he come back?
The moment I was wondering, Mr. Scarecrow threw out a question.
"I forgot to ask earlier, but what is that Portal over there?"
Ah, he came back to ask that.
I answered right away.
"Gom, gom gom gom gom, gom gom gom gom gom gom."
It's a special Portal connected to our Dungeon.
We came over here through that.
"You came in through that Portal?"
"Gom gom."
"How fascinating. I've never even heard of a Portal that connects a Dungeon to another Dungeon... I've truly lived long enough to see everything."
"Gom gom, gom gom gom gom gom."
When we leave after playing, we will get rid of the Portal, so don't worry.
"...No, there's no need to go through such trouble."
"Gom?"
"You can just leave the Portal open, and come play to your heart's content whenever you want. Polite individuals like you are always welcome to visit."
He seemed to view me more favorably than I thought.
But there was also the fact that I wanted to close it out of concern for our Dungeon's security....
"Then I shall take my leave. Have fun playing."
A cold Wind blew.
It seemed he was going to leave again since his business was done.
Wait a minute!
"Gom gom!"
"What is it?"
"Gom gom, gom gom gom gom."
"You also want to ask a question? Hmm... I shall answer if it's something I can answer. Since you also answered mine."
"Gom gom gom gom, gom gom gom gom?"
Is harvesting purely based on luck?
Or does flowing a specific optimal amount of Mana yield better items?
It was a question for Little Yellow Dragon.
"An optimal amount of Mana? There is no such thing. What gets harvested is determined purely by luck."
"Gom gom."
Mr. Scarecrow answered kindly, then vanished again along with the cold Wind.
I immediately shifted my gaze to Little Yellow Dragon.
Little Yellow Dragon was also looking at me.
You heard that, right?
"Yoooooong......."
They must have heard it.
They had a shocked expression on their face.
This kinda felt like telling a kid the truth that Santa Claus doesn't exist.
"...So that was it, yong, I completely misjudged it, yong. I need to reflect on this, yong!"
Fortunately, they weren't frustrated.
They looked sulky for a moment, but quickly regained their motivation.
***
"Hweeeeek!!!"
"Go, go! Gyuaa!"
"Hoeeeeek!!!"
"Gyuaaa!!!"
"Hoohing... I give up, I can't pull it without using Mana."
"Gyua...."
Star Fox attempted to harvest using only physical strength.
However, she failed.
Even though she possessed 500 Power, she couldn't pull out the Stem with strength alone.
Well, just because your Power is high doesn't necessarily mean you're physically strong.
Our Fox is a Buff-specialized monster, after all.
I kind of want to make Imugi, who has the same Power as Fox, try it too.
Maybe Imugi could do it.
Because having the same Power doesn't mean having the exact same physical strength.
Fox failed, but you never know with Imugi until you check.
It's a shame there's no way to bring him here since he's so huge.
"Uwoong! It's a success!"
"Uwoong, I succeeded too!"
"Uwoooong......."
The Luna Rabbits also attempted to pull them using only physical strength.
The first two who tried succeeded.
However, the last one to try failed.
It was the Luna Rabbit with the highest Power.
As expected, a high Power stat didn't necessarily equate to great physical strength.
While I was observing everyone like that.
Whoooosh-
A cold Wind blew.
What the, don't tell me again?
"Ahem."
Mr. Scarecrow appeared in front of us again.
He really came back again.
What's your business this time?
"Come to think of it, we haven't introduced ourselves."
"Gom?"
"I am Scarecrow."
"Gom gom, gom gom gom gom."
I am Teddy Bear.
And this here next to me is Tosuni.
I briefly introduced us.
"I see. Then have fun playing."
Whoooosh-
Mr. Scarecrow left along with the cold Wind.
It seems that was all his business was about.
***
It was when a little time had passed.
Whooooosh-
A cold Wind, which I was now used to, blew in.
"Ahem."
Mr. Scarecrow came to visit again.
Just what could his business be this time?
"I came to see if the harvesting is going well."
"Gom gom, gom gom."
It's going well.
"Understood. Pull out lots of good things."
"Gom gom."
Whoooosh-
Mr. Scarecrow left again.
***
When about 10 minutes had passed.
Whoooosh-
A cold Wind blew.
Ah man, why does he keep coming?
"Ahem."
"Gom...."
"I came to see if you are enjoying yourselves."
"Gom gom, gom gom gom gom."
No, just stay here at this point.
Don't keep coming and going.
"You don't want me to leave? If you wish for it that much, I can't help it. I shall stay by your side."
"Gom?"
I didn't say all that.
By the looks of it, he must be very lonely.
It seems he is interested in us, too.
Well, there was nothing bad about it for us.
I was going to take my time and slowly get close to him, but since he is approaching us first like this, I might as well just get super close to him now.
Mr. Scarecrow naturally took a seat right next to me.
And taking in the sight of everyone harvesting, he asked us.
"By the way, why have you two just been sitting still and doing nothing this whole time?"
"Uwoong, uwoong, uwoooong."
Tosuni answered.
That we are the Judges.
That our role is to score who pulled the best item.
"Ah, so that was it."
Mr. Scarecrow muttered like that.
Glance, glance.
He continued to glance at us out of the corner of his eye.
It looks like he wants something.
"Gom... gom gom, gom gom gom?"
Um, if it's alright with you.
Would Mr. Scarecrow like to judge together with us?
"...You want me to judge with you? I am busy, but since you are asking with such earnest eyes, I have no choice."
Busy my foot.
He looks more free than anyone else.
"Understood, I shall judge alongside you."
Just like that, unexpectedly, one Judge was added.
Afterwards.
I subtly checked Mr. Scarecrow's expression, and for some reason, he had a joyful look on his face.
He actually just wanted to hang out with us.
He's a Scarecrow who can't be honest.
***
When the tournament was in full swing at the Gacha Field.
Outside the Dungeon, above the hole where the Portal leading to the Gacha Field was located.
"Oh my...? What are you doing not coming along...?"
"Hoyaaa......."
"I asked what you are doing not coming along...."
"Come over here for a second, it!"
"Why...? What's there...?"
"Look down here, it!"
"Huh? A hole? What about this hole...?"
"I feel the aura of a Portal down here, it! It seems to be a Portal leading to a Dungeon, it!"
"So what about it...."
"Hoyait? Aren't you curious what kind of Dungeon it is, it?"
"I'm not curious, so just come here...."
"Let's just go in and take a look around once, it! Please, it!"
"Phew... Let's just ignore it and go...."
"No, it! I want to go in, it! How can you ignore it when there is a Dungeon in a place like this, it! Do you have no curiosity, it!"
Two monsters who happened to be passing by.
One of those monsters showed interest in the Dungeon down the hole.
However, the other monster reacted as if they had no interest.
Let's enter the Dungeon.
Let's just ignore it and leave.
Their opinions diverged, and an argument began.
"You are really being annoying... Do you think we are just hanging around right now? Let's just go...."
[Fantastic Spider lv.77]
└ Pw.770
└ Rnk.Unique
[Domain: Chaos]
└ Grade - Mythical
"Weren't we just hanging around, it! Let's just go in for a moment and come out, it!"
[Fantastic Fox lv.55]
└ Pw.825
└ Rnk.Epic
[Domain: Chaos]
└ Grade - Mythical