After using three Water Storms to defeat the Neet Ant and four Fireballs to sink the Needlewood Level 9, it seems that using only fire magic would have taken six shots, so three Water Storms are equivalent to two Fireballs. Considering that it only took five spells up to Level 8, it's likely that three Water Storms deal about 1.5 Fireballs' worth of damage. Water magic seems to do half the damage.
In the ninth floor of the Kulara Labyrinth, about half of the monsters are Neet Ants, and Needlewoods, which are from the eighth floor, appear frequently after ants. Neet Ants are weak to water magic, while Needlewoods are resistant to it. It doesn't seem to work out well.
Still, it's better that Neet Ants are the main monsters on the ninth floor. If it were the other way around, it would be a big problem. If three Needlewoods and one Neet Ant appear, even if you use three Water Storms to kill the Neet Ant, three Needlewoods will still remain. On the ninth floor of the Kulara Labyrinth, Neet Ants are more likely to appear in large numbers.
Neet Ants apparently use poison attacks, so they should be taken out first. Using water magic, you can defeat them in three shots before they attack. At the moment, it's unlikely that you'll be poisoned by Neet Ants.
As for Needlewoods, with their increased level and longer battle time, it wouldn't be strange if they used more spells, but the total number of battles has decreased compared to the eighth floor, so they don't cast spells as often. It seems that you can still fight properly on the ninth floor of the Kulara Labyrinth.
After returning from the labyrinth, I make breakfast. Today's breakfast is not fried noodles but fried macaroni. I stir-fry rabbit meat and vegetables in olive oil, add boiled short pasta, pour wine, and season with fish sauce. I tried this as a dish for dinner the other day and confirmed that the taste was fine.
There don't seem to be forks in this world. Roxane and Cery can skillfully use knives and wooden spoons. I have my own chopsticks, but I wonder how Roxane and Cery will eat fried macaroni.
Incidentally, there are also long pastas like spaghetti. The people here eat it by grabbing it with their hands.
It's fine to cut meat and vegetables with a knife, but I don't want Roxane and Cery to eat fried macaroni with their hands. That's why I use short pasta. Short pasta can be scooped with a spoon.
While I'm making breakfast, Roxane is doing the laundry, and Cery is cleaning. There are no washing machines or vacuum cleaners, so it's a big burden. I should at least make breakfast.
I bring the fried macaroni to the table. The sweet and savory smell of the cooked fish sauce stimulates the appetite. Both of them are already there.
"Did you wait long?"
"No, it's fine."
Cery sits down, and Roxane is brushing her hair from behind. It's the brush we bought on our last day off. But something seems to be missing. Roxane puts down the brush and sits in the chair opposite me.
"Thank you, Roxane."
"Then let's eat."
"Yes, let's eat."
Putting aside the sense of discomfort, I distribute the plates of fried macaroni.
The taste of the fried macaroni is good, but it still feels a bit lacking. Is it because it's macaroni instead of noodles? No, it's probably because there's no green nori. I couldn't get green nori and red ginger.
Well, that can't be helped. Roxane and Cery are eating it with relish. I shouldn't think in terms of Earth standards and should be satisfied with this.
While thinking about what's lacking, I also realized what was missing earlier. It's a mirror. Roxane and Cery were brushing their hair without a mirror. I don't need a mirror, but it might be necessary.
It's been about a month since I came to this world. My hair has grown a bit and is starting to become a nuisance. I'll probably ask Roxane to cut it soon. It would be better to have a mirror than not.
"Is a mirror really necessary?"
I ask while chewing the macaroni.
"It would be better to have one, but it's not absolutely necessary."
"The mirrors here don't reflect well."
The mirrors in this world are just polished metal surfaces. They don't reflect clearly. I saw one in a general store, but it was expensive and of poor quality.
"I think all mirrors are the same. By the way, did you have a mirror from Permask?"
"Permask?"
"A city between the Empire and Cassim. I heard from Roxane that you're from farther away than Cassim."
Hmm, I think I had a conversation like that with Roxane. I don't remember exactly what I said, but it was something similar. If I came from Cassim, it wouldn't be strange to know about Permask, which is between the Empire and Cassim.
"Since I'm from farther away than Cassim, I don't know much about it."
I try to bluff. Is this okay? If I keep saying vague things, I might get into trouble.
"Is that so? Permask is famous for its glass products. Mirrors made of glass are said to reflect very well. They are high-end items, often exchanged as gifts among nobles and the wealthy."
It seems that this world has mirrors made of glass. It's quite advanced. I wonder if I can find them in the capital.
"They sound expensive. Maybe I'll look for them someday."
"Permask is far away, so they are expensive."
"Master, can't you go to Permask directly?"
Roxane points out. Indeed, I could go to Permask directly. If I buy it there, it would be cheaper.
"Permask is not a place you can fly to directly. That's why they are expensive."
"True. I see."
If it were a distance that adventurers could easily fly, the specialty items wouldn't be expensive. For larger items, it might be different, but hand mirrors or stand mirrors could be transported by field walking. If it were an easy distance, anyone would buy them cheaply, and if there were a significant price difference, they could resell them for profit.
Since Permask is far away, it means it's not a place you can easily go to. Field walking seems to be more difficult the farther you go.
"Master, can't you go there?"
I wonder how impressive I am in Roxane's eyes. But it's different. I'm supposed to have come from a place even farther than Cassim. Permask should be a short hop for me. It would be strange if it weren't.
I shouldn't have said such vague things.
"Can I, really?"
"Maybe you can go in a few days, but you might not be able to fly directly."
That's right. As Cery says, it can be done in a few days. I didn't come from beyond Cassim in one day. If the continents are connected, I could walk from Cassim to here. It might take years, but it's possible.
"Well, it's worth a try."
"There's a city called Dohona on the other side of the capital. Have you heard of it?"
"I haven't been there."
"Dohona, then Dobra, then Sabojya, and then Aiena, and so on."
Cery lists several city names. Of course, I wouldn't know them. If I came from Cassim, I should know at least one of them.
Sorry, but I came from beyond Cassim in one go. I didn't come in stages.
"I don't know any of them."
"That's fine. You probably came by a different route."
Right, a different route. There's not just one path.
"That's probably it."
"Adventurers from any guild can't go to Permask in one go. They have to connect the cities I mentioned in small steps."
I'll try going step by step.
After breakfast, I had Cery make more bracelets. I'm gradually increasing the number of bracelets she makes.
Bracelet - Accessory
Skill - Empty
The third bracelet with an empty skill slot is complete.
I think this is enough for now. Three bracelets should be enough for three people. If one breaks and is needed, I can have her make more.
"What will the next item the blacksmith makes be after the bracelet?"
"After practicing with the bracelet, the next item is a dagger."
"A dagger, huh?"
Even though it's a short sword, it feels like a real blacksmith's work.
"Apparently, some people practice making bracelets for a minimum of half a year to a year, and some for more than two years."
"Practicing to make bracelets morning and evening, right?"
"Yes."
"Since Cery can already make several, it's not strange to move on to the next item."
"…Yes, that's true."
The sense of blacksmith training still hasn't left her.
"It's okay. If you can't, you can't."
"When making a dagger, you use a branch. Whether you succeed or fail, the branch is used up."
I see. There's a penalty for failure.
"Are there any other disadvantages if you fail?"
"No."
"A branch is no problem. It's fine."
"Understood. To make a dagger, you need two jackknives left by kobolds, one branch, and one piece of leather."
It's quite complex. Will it be okay?
"No, it's not that difficult to use multiple materials. There are items that require even more materials."
"Is that so? The two jackknives and the branch are fine, but what's the leather for?"
The jackknives are used as materials. It feels like evolving a completed item. It doesn't seem very blacksmith-like.
Since the jackknives are made of metal, which can also be used as a raw material for copper coins, the branch is probably necessary for metalworking.
The remaining material is leather.
"To make a sheath."
"That's convenient."
It seems that when making an item, the sheath is also made. It would be a hassle to make a sword and then prepare a sheath separately. It seems I don't have to worry about that.
During the afternoon exploration, we also hunt on the third floor of Vale, where kobolds appear. Kobolds don't just drop jackknives, so it's a hassle. I ended up hunting ten of them. In the end, the last two kobolds both dropped jackknives.
Should I buy them from the guild? No, I don't really need a dagger. I'll have her make one and then move on to the next item.
I don't know if the blacksmith's level or MP capacity is needed to make the next item, but it should be possible. Maybe actual experience is required. Well, it should work out.
"Then I'll make it."
Before dinner, I gave Cery two jackknives, a branch, and a piece of leather. Cery casts the skill spell. Her hands glow.
The glow lasts for a while. Because of the glow, I can't tell what she's doing. Her hands are moving, probably to pick up the materials on the table. It feels like the difficulty has increased.
Dagger - One-handed Sword
Eventually, the glow fades, and a sword remains. A single item, sheathed in leather.
"Wow, it's a success."
"I did it."
Cery seems to be doing well.
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Yes, I'm still fine. I think I can make another one."
"Well, don't push yourself. It's probably more tiring than making bracelets."
"Yes, I think so. I was told that making daggers is more tiring than making bracelets, and the next item, leather equipment, is less tiring. But I don't feel that tired. Maybe the person who taught me about blacksmithing was lying."
It seems Cery's distrust of the person who taught her about blacksmithing is growing. This might not be a good direction.
In addition to her level, there's also the effect of my hero, which increases MP. Some discrepancies are inevitable.
"Well, there are individual differences, so it might not be a lie. It just means Cery is excellent."
"Thank you. Yes, daggers are difficult to mass-produce and are expensive, so it makes sense. It's a strange story, but it's not a lie."
"The daggers are expensive. Maybe I'll have you make a lot of them."
I change the subject. Sometimes it's better not to think too deeply about things.
"Yes, I'll work hard."
"The next item after the dagger is leather equipment?"
"Leather mittens, leather hat, and leather shoes. All can be made with one piece of leather."
I see. If it can be made with one piece of leather, the difficulty level doesn't change.
"Since there's plenty of leather, I'll have you make the next item."
"Yes, if I don't use a branch, it should be fine even if I fail."
Because there's no penalty for failure, Cery responds enthusiastically.