Chapter 105. Journey to the Capital (1)
Drawing upon the memories of my previous life, I compiled a complete list of the monsters possessing rare abilities that I intended to acquire through Predation [S+].
Before beginning the journey to the capital in earnest, I briefly stopped by Freche.
The recruits needed a continuous supply of provisions, the settlers needed raw materials, and the County needed a steady supply of daily necessities.
“Don’t you worry, sir!! This humble servant will manage everything without a single problem!!”
Edlen shouted confidently.
It was no exaggeration to say that he was as reliable as Kai and Bernard.
“Payment will be made through the Predator Restaurant.”
The amount of money stored in my Inventory was absurd, but the Predator Restaurant itself also generated an incredible profit.
Its average daily profit was approximately one hundred thousand gold.
That rivaled the monthly revenue of a small or medium-sized Merchant Guild.
‘Our inventory is beginning to run low, though.’
Supply could not keep up with demand.
After all, I was the only person capable of supplying monster meat.
‘The Ice Troll’s infinite supply of meat didn’t work.’
To remove the madness from monster meat, I had to use Predation [S+].
But what happened when I used Predation [S+]?
The Ice Troll’s Regeneration disappeared.
Ultimately, the structure of the ability made an infinite supply of monster meat impossible.
It made me realize once again just how outrageously powerful the authority of Infinite [M] was.
In any case,
‘Once I return from the capital, I should begin expanding the Predator Merchant Company in earnest.’
By then, the County’s settlers would also be producing goods of reasonable quality.
The Predator Merchant Company’s current size was insufficient to advertise, distribute, and sell those products throughout the continent.
With that in mind—
“Edlen, bring me the highest-quality wine currently stored in the warehouse.”
“Y-Yes, sir...?”
Edlen tilted his head from side to side before asking another question.
“Could you tell me what you intend to use it for, sir? The appropriate wine would differ depending on whether it is meant as a gift or for your personal consumption—”
“I have been invited to the royal social season.”
Strictly speaking, Seraphia was the one who had been invited, but that was beside the point.
“I intend to recommend your Merchant Company’s wine there.”
“....Wh-What?!”
Edlen abruptly froze.
For a moment, he appeared unable to comprehend my words.
“Have you forgotten who I am?”
“Ah......!”
Only then did Edlen’s eyes widen.
He seemed to have momentarily forgotten that I was the eldest legitimate son of House White Wolf.
In any case, the benefits a merchant could gain by entering noble high society were beyond description.
That was especially true for Edlen, whose primary customers came from the upper class.
And this was the royal social season, the pinnacle of high society.
“Th-Th-That...! That’s...!!”
“What are you doing? Hurry up and bring it.”
“I-I’ll bring it immediately, sir! Please wait just a moment! Only as long as it takes a sparrow to take a dump!!”
Edlen hurried into the warehouse.
I expected it to take some time, but he returned almost immediately.
It seemed he had hidden away a secret weapon in preparation for an occasion like this.
Unlike ordinary wine, the liquid possessed a deep brown color.
“This here is something called ‘Peanut Wine’, sir!”
“Peanut Wine?”
It was a type of alcohol I had never heard of. I had never encountered its name even in my previous life.
Wine was ordinarily produced by fermenting grapes, so what did peanuts have to do with it?
“I developed it myself, sir!”
“You made it?”
“That’s right, sir! It’s made by fermenting peanuts and honey together, allowing you to enjoy both a rich, nutty flavor and sweetness!”
....It sounded reasonably good.
“I can confidently say that its sweet and nutty flavor leads into a smooth finish, followed by a magnificent, heavy kick at the end!”
“Can I taste it?”
“Ah, well…. This is the only bottle I have, sir....”
Edlen scratched his head awkwardly before continuing.
“To tell you the truth, I used up all the money you gave me just to make this one bottle, sir....”
“All of it?”
“Hehe....”
Edlen was far more serious about wine than I had expected. In any case, if this was the only bottle, I could not drink it now.
“I’ll look forward to good results.”
The moment I accepted the Peanut Wine, Edlen prostrated himself on the floor.
◆Edlen’s Affinity toward you has reached its maximum value!
A translucent message appeared at the same time.
◆Error: Edlen is incapable of reaching the [Affection] stage.
◆Affinity obstructions—Same Sex, Savior
◆Edlen cannot reach the [Affection] stage unless the Affinity obstructions are removed.
◆Edlen’s Affinity toward you is at the [Trust] stage.
◆An individual at the [Trust] stage believes in and depends upon you completely and will follow you in anything.
◆Edlen will willingly accept personal losses for your sake.
And with that—
“Lord Adrian comes first!! Money comes second!!! I pledge my loyalty to both, sir!!!”
I completed the Affinity grinding required to recruit Edlen as a branch manager of the Predator Merchant Company.
* * *
—Lady Seraphia, dinner is ready.
A voice suddenly called from outside the carriage.
“....Eek!”
Seraphia’s small shoulders flinched.
She hurriedly wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth and looked through the window.
The surroundings had already grown dark.
She straightened her disheveled clothing and lightly tidied her messy hair with her hands.
Then she opened the carriage door—
“We need to finish before the sun completely sets!”
The soldiers were driving stakes into the ground as they established the campsite.
“Everyone, come and eat!”
Elsewhere, the maids moved busily while carrying provisions and cooking utensils.
Warm meat stew and freshly baked bread were steaming over portable braziers and filling the air with delicious aromas.
The soldiers gathered one by one for their meal.
Seraphia called out to one of them.
“Excuse me...!”
“At your service! Did you call for me?”
The soldier immediately ran over and saluted.
Seraphia looked around before asking him,
“Is Big Brother inside his carriage?”
“If you mean Lord Adrian, he left the campsite quite some time ago to scout the surrounding area.”
“He went scouting?”
“That is correct. It has been quite a while, so he should return soon.”
“....Ah! Thank you for telling me.”
“Not at all! Please call me whenever you need anything!”
The soldier saluted again before running back to the dining area.
The maid who had awakened Seraphia then spoke.
“You should hurry and eat as well, Lady Seraphia.”
“I’ll eat a little later.”
Seraphia sat on the edge of the carriage.
She quietly watched the soldiers eating around the campfires.
They ravenously devoured the stew and bread.
“Whoa! How does it taste this good?!”
“It’s a hundred times better than what we ate in the County!”
The soldiers’ faces were filled with happiness as they ate and exchanged jokes.
‘I’ll wait and eat with Big Brother.’
That would naturally lead to a conversation between them.
Seraphia endlessly considered what subjects she could discuss with Adrian. Her imagination was filled with excitement.
“The bread is good, but this stew is absolutely insane.”
“You wouldn’t be able to eat food like this even in the capital.”
“I don’t think even a royal chef could make something this delicious.”
“Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?”
“....Maybe?”
The soldiers’ lively chatter beyond the campfire further heightened Seraphia’s anticipation and excitement.
* * *
The capital of the Kingdom of Vatenberg was located in the central region of the continent.
It possessed a temperate climate.
The distinct changes between its four seasons had created numerous natural environments.
In other words, genetic variations had accumulated as organisms adapted to the changing seasons, increasing the region’s biodiversity—
Deep within a dense mountain forest, a considerable distance from the campsite, the forest’s darkness obscured the light of the setting sun.
Tangled branches obstructed my vision.
I illuminated the darkness with a Glowstone and continued forward, cutting away the tangled branches with Dragon’s Claw [A].
“It should be somewhere around here…. Ah, is that it?”
In the distance, I discovered an enormous cave.
It was a deep and dark cavern.
Not even a single ray of light entered it, making it resemble the open maw of a colossal monster.
If my prediction was correct, this cave was the perfect habitat for that creature.
I placed the Glowstone inside my Inventory and entered the cave.
Darkness engulfed everything, as though the entire world had gone black.
It would have been possible to secure my vision if I could wield Aura or magical power, but I could use neither.
I proceeded deeper into the cave while relying upon the sensations in my fingertips.
‘This should be far enough.’
I removed the bait I had purchased in advance from Freche and placed it on the ground.
From this point onward, it was a battle of patience.
‘It’s been a long time since I last lay in ambush.’
Recalling my days with the Special Task Force, I concealed myself in the darkness.
* * *
How much time had passed?
Seraphia continued waiting endlessly for Adrian’s return.
However, no matter how much time passed, Adrian did not return.
Every time another soldier finished eating, Seraphia’s shoulders sank a little lower.
Every time the maids cleared away another set of dishes, Seraphia’s head drooped a little further.
“Lady Seraphia.”
A maid who had been watching her sympathetically approached with caution.
Delicious-looking food steamed in the maid’s hands, but—
“I’m not very hungry. Perhaps it’s because I ate a snack earlier.”
....For some reason, Seraphia had completely lost her appetite.
* * *
Something entered the range of my senses, which were now comparable to Extra Sensory Perception.
Because I was in a lightless space, I could not see its appearance.
However, when I activated Predatory Instinct [S], information regarding the creature appeared neatly before my eyes.
==<Creature Information>==
Creature: Cave Fisher
Classification: Kingdom Monstria, Class Gastropoda, Order Mucophora, Family Snail
Sex: Hermaphrodite (Male)
Age: 6 years
Trait: Slime Cell [B-]
How much time had passed?
My sense of time was beginning to fade within the pitch-black darkness.
Then, at that moment—
‘It’s here.’
Its name was Cave Fisher.
It was the creature I had been searching for.
A literal translation of its name meant “a fisherman that lives in a cave”.
However, it was not an actual fisherman.
As its classification under the snail family suggested, it was a rare monster created by a mutated snail.
Ultimately, however, it was still a snail.
The Cave Fisher was also slow.
Consequently, Cave Fishers inhabited underground environments or caves like this one, where almost no light could enter. They ambushed and devoured prey that came inside to avoid the rain or rest.
Because its hunting method resembled that of a fisherman, it had been named the fisherman that lived within caves—
Cave Fisher.
Its ability was Slime Cell [B-].
◆Slime Cell [B-] : When this skill is activated, the player consumes [10 Kcal] per second to coat their cells in mucus possessing powerful chemical properties. The coated cells reduce bodily friction, increasing the range of motion of the joints by [+8,380%], increasing resistance to pressure by [+1,350%], and accelerating the division of damaged cells to increase recovery ability by [+15%].
<This skill can be switched [On/Off].>
Slime was the first thing that came to mind when one thought of a snail.
The Cave Fisher was a creature that had evolved its slime. Perhaps because of that, the Cave Fisher’s slime was not sticky.
It was moist, smooth, and odorless. It was also highly effective as an ingredient for recovery potions. Its effects on skincare were particularly outstanding.
Furthermore, coating armor in its slime dramatically improved both waterproofing and durability.
‘There was a reason the emperor captured every last one of them.’
The emperor raised Cave Fishers within an underground laboratory beneath the imperial palace.
He mass-produced armor coated in Cave Fisher slime and used it to mercilessly crush the Coalition Forces.
....In any case, by coating my cells “directly” in the Cave Fisher’s slime, I could increase the range of motion of my joints.
The range of motion referred to the extent to which the joints could move while the muscles exerted force.
In other words, I would acquire a body capable of performing optimal movements under any circumstances or environmental conditions.
The drawback was the high calorie consumption.
However, I could overcome that through its synergy with Regeneration [B+].
An increase of [+15%] in recovery ability was effectively the same as reducing the calories required by Regeneration [B+] by [-15%].
◆Activating the derivative skill, ‘Find Weakness [U]’!
The winner becomes the male, while the loser becomes the female.
—Isn’t that incredibly unusual?
....That was something Iliana had once taught me.
Therefore, being classified as a hermaphrodite acting as the male meant that this was a powerful individual.
Moreover, a biologically six-year-old hermaphrodite acting as the male was the strongest individual, possessing an “undefeated six-year record”, but—
Crunch!
The moment I used Find Weakness [U], the Cave Fisher’s vulnerability became apparent at a glance.
At the same time, its most distinctive anatomical feature was highlighted.
It possessed two reproductive organs.
Cave Fishers were hermaphrodites. Each individual could act as either the male or the female.
The interesting part was that a “fight” determined their respective sexes.
When two individuals encountered each other, they first fought before mating.
◆You have defeated the Cave Fisher!
◆You have gained 150 combat experience!
To the current me, it was merely an excellent source of Genetic Factors.
“Haa....”
* * *
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and a week went by.
They had already traveled well beyond “half” of the journey to the capital.
‘Again today....’
As expected, Adrian was nowhere to be seen.
Whether it was mealtime, a rest period, or even the briefest moment of free time, Adrian was invariably absent.
This had continued for an entire week.
‘I haven’t seen Big Brother’s face even once.’
Somehow, seeing him was even more difficult than it had been in the County.
Far from becoming closer to Adrian, she felt as though she was growing even more distant from him.
The journey to the capital was completely different from what she had expected.
Seraphia sat alone inside her carriage in silence. A sigh escaped her lips, and her gaze fell toward her lap.
At that moment, she noticed a shadow slowly descending over her head.
But what could possibly cast a shadow inside the carriage?
The moment she cautiously raised her eyes—
“Eek—Mmph...!”
Seraphia’s scream caught in her throat before it could escape.
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