Volume 4, Prologue - Crafting Guild and Insect Repelling Incense
"——And so, I've managed to obtain some petals of the Wisteria Peach tree."
"What's that 'wisteria' tree you're talking about?"
"Didn't you hear from Miu-chan before? That they have passed through the Horror Cave and reached the Wisteria Peach tree."
I had no idea. I shook my head.
"There's just a single Wisteria Peach tree growing on a hill, it's always in full bloom and has pink petals."
"Hee?. Sounds perfect for flower viewing."
Drinking a cup of sake in the moonlight night. Could be nice. Oops, if I think that I'll start thinking about cooking, and so I have discarded those thoughts.
"Ahh, that's impossible. Mobs in there spawn really fast so there's no opportunity for flower viewing. If anything, rather than a rain of petals, I'm guessing rain of blood would be more likely?"
"That's not something I want to hear during a meal."
A lunch break in school. Among a great number of students eating their lunch we were no exception and ate our lunches while having a disturbing conversation.
"After wiping out the spawning mobs, everyone gets a single petal of the Wisteria Peach tree."
"Is it some kind of quest item?"
"No, it's an inferior revival item that revives you at just 1 HP. By the way, Shun. As usual, your boxed lunch really is nutritiously balanced isn't it."
"Don't change the topic. But, you know what's going to happen if I leave lunch to Miu, don't you."
"Ah, well, we're the same after all. I can't really talk about others like this…"
My best friend Takumi who was right in front of me stared at my boxed lunch enviously and hurriedly ate the bread he bought, then washed it all down with juice.
I scowled at that poor nutritional balance, as Takumi's childhood friend, I knew why he would buy such a thing.
"Good grief, I wonder, where do you find time to play other games despite playing OSO."
"I have to squeeze out some time for that."
Squeeze out, you… I spat a tired sigh. That's right, Takumi saves up money from his lunch to buy games he wants to play.
On top of that, he continues to play a VRMMO, he's a really broken gamer.
Also, my little sister Miu is a broken gamer as well. If she were to be given money for lunch, the fact that it would turn out the same way could be easily understood by watching this childhood friend of mine. That's why, I make lunch boxes for two people every morning.
"You talk about others, but I know that you're doing quite well yourself."
"…what's that about?"
"I've heard from Miu-chan, but it seems like you're always logged in whenever you have some free time."
Takumi turned towards me smiling broadly.
As we faced each other, a shadow has appeared between us and a girl's voice has called out from over our heads.
"Let's see. Having free time would suggest you finished what you had to do. Takumi-kun."
When I looked up towards the source of the voice, I saw a female student stand there.
"Geh, Endo."
"If Endo-san has come, it means the due date has come again huh."
Her long hair was braided into a single plait that was hung over her shoulder, and there were strong-looking eyes behind her lower-rim glasses. Her expression was soft, but she left a strong impression and had a straightforward, serious personality. The girl was Endo-san from class committee.
"Indeed. Today's the due date for classics homework submission. You still haven't handed it in have you, I came to check up on it."
"Shun, help me out!"
"…Takumi. Geez, I have submitted my homework already so I can't show you, but I'll teach you."
"All right! I'll submit it on the next break."
"Why then."
"If I deliver it to the staff room after school, I'll lose that much of my gaming time."
"Geez, you really are…"
When I sighed hearing Takumi's answer, Endo-san laughed quietly and said "Thank you for the work Shun-kun" to me.
"Really. How can you two be best friends despite having completely different personalities."
"Ah, I think it's strange as well."
"Well, despite what he says, it's 'cause Shun's caring."
"I don't want to hear that from you."
I complained to Takumi who relied on me, and Endo-san agreed with him, saying "You're right".
"It's great to have Shun-kun. If not for him, I would have to watch over Takumi-kun until he finishes his homework."
In those cases, as long as I tell Shun-kun, he'll make sure it's done even if he has to use force, it's a great help. She said, but I could only respond with a wry laughter.
"Come on, Shun. We've finished eating so teach me!"
"Yes yes, wait a moment."
I looked as Takumi has pulled out his homework. I checked what he didn't know and what did he have trouble with, I intended to have him solve as much as possible on his own. I casually taught him what he didn't know. And, what suddenly entered my line of sight was Endo-san who watched over Takumi.
Her eyes behind the pair of glasses were narrowed as she made a serious expression. Except for the sound of Takumi writing notes, the place was very silent and the ambient sounds felt very distant.
"…………"
"…Endo-san?"
"Seems like he started on it properly. Now then, I leave the rest to you."
After confirming Takumi had started to do his homework, with a light feeling Endo-san moved away from their seats. Because of the serious expression she made as she stared at Takumi, I was confused by the change.
"Shun. Teach me this next."
"Y-yeah…"
Embracing a hazy feeling for some reason, I helped Takumi do his homework. Just as he declared, he submitted his homework by the end of the afternoon break and hurried back home.
"Good grief, leaving his best friend behind huh. Well, it can't be helped since I have to do some shopping for dinner. What should I make tonight?"
As I bought ingredients in the supermarket, Endo-san's serious expression crossed through my mind.
She calls out to Takumi a lot and often takes care of him. Although that's the role of a class committee member, it can't be that——
"It can't be that Endo-san…"
Likes Takumi? No, no way. Nope. Smiling wryly to myself I finished shopping and went home.
I put away the ingredients and headed towards my room without hesitation.
I put on the VR Gear placed next to the bed, laid down on the bed, closed my eyes and logged in.
●
"Thanks to everyone's efforts, we have safely completed the 【Crafting Guild】's guild hall. The guild has been established as well and all that's left is to start its operations, but before that, let's make it grand! ——Cheers!"
" " "——Cheers!" " "
Currently, I was in the interior of a building with an open hall and lined up counters, there were a lot of tables available and on them, were arranged a variety of dishes and sweets.
This place was the base of the 【Crafting Guild】, called Guild Hall. It's appearance was that of a three-story building that had more than twice the size of the buildings surrounding it. Pillars and signs were painted red and stood out. But the reason it attracted attention was the inside of it.
The guild room's subspace extended to the maximum, and it was twice as big as it appeared to be, currently, this place has attracted a considerable amount of crafters.
"Among them there are working NPCs trading materials, aren't there."
It still hasn't started to run in earnest, but it already allows easy purchasing of items and two-way distribution of materials, it acts as a proxy agency for selling items from crafters——that's the 【Crafting Guild】.
Other than that, there are plans to provide support to those without any crafting facilities, encouraging joint crafting, and crafting experience corner.
And right now, I was looking down on the happily-chatting players from the terrace on the second floor.
"Yun-kun, how was it? My leading there, that is."
When I turned around from the terrace towards the source of the voice, I saw a familiar person there.
"I saw it perfectly fine, Magi-san. It was quite dignified. Still, is it really fine to invite me? I'm an outsider."
"It's all right. Most of the people here are outsiders. But, if there is a common point between us… then it would be that you're also the co-founder."
I listened to what Magi-san said and responded with "I see, I'll be at ease then". Today, I was invited to the party in the evening hours, "participate by all means
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