CH 54

Forest Experiment

I returned to the Adventurers’ Guild and promptly submitted the ores I had gathered today to the Guild’s assessment window.

Since I couldn’t take them directly out of the ball, I borrowed a cart and took them inside.

“Oi oi. What…is that…?”

“Wait a moment. Loaded up over there is…silver ore…!? No, isn’t there gold ore too!?”

Hmm.

As expected, with just this much ore, it was impossible to avoid gathering attention.

I personally didn’t want to do things that stood out, but in this case there was nothing I could do.

“I apologize. Even though Souta-san brought these ores…we don’t have a set purchase price for them.”

2 hours after that.

Chloe-chan said something unexpected to me, who had been waiting at the reception counter.

“…Yes? Umm, that means…these ores I brought aren’t worth even 1 col?”

“N-not at all! Rather, it’s the opposite. The ores that Souta-san brought are too expensive, so we couldn’t decide on a good price to purchase them!”

“Ah.”

It was a situation where I was worried about their decision, about whether to be happy or sad.

Like Sheryl said, the value of the ores that I brought was estimated at over 400 million col.

As I expected, it was impossible for the guild to suddenly pay out such a sum.

“Thanks to Souta-san[1], our guild’s assessment division has fallen into the biggest panic they’ve ever had. Since platinum ore in particular is a rare item that is hard to come by…it seems they’re worried that the economy may collapse at this rate.”

Guha!

So the ores I brought back had so much value!

I understand why the guild was in such an uproar.

“As such, the guild would like a little more time for assessment. If it is alright with Souta-san, may we have more time?”

“How much more time would you need?”

“Hmm…. Based on what I heard, we should be able to reach a conclusion within one week.”

“In that case, please go ahead.”

If even an establishment like the guild fell into such a panic…I couldn’t imagine that there was a shop that could buy them at an appropriate price.

It’s too bad that we couldn’t get cash, but let’s wait here patiently.

～～～～～～～～～～～～

Having finished the procedures at the guild, I was in the forest outside of Saint Bell.

This forest was a place I had had my eye on as a space to combine monsters and verify skills.

“We ended up giving all the ores that we brought to the guild’s assessment division, but…I guess it was actually a good thing?”

“Yes. Gold and silver ores are not suited for weaponz. The ores I want are a bit different.”

“I see. It’s difficult….”

I had planned to get the “tough and malleable ores necessary for creating weapons” that Sheryl had requested during this expedition, but we didn’t get anything good.

(Summon…Iron Golem)

And so today, I summoned the Iron Golem I just caught.

“Ohh—. It really is huge….”

I was shocked by the Iron Golem’s size when I looked at it.

The Iron Golem’s large body, the head of which stuck out above the surrounding trees, was the highlight of the whole thing.

While I was at it, I finished my preparations by summoning two Golems that I had made by combining multiple Mud Puppets.

“Souta. What are you doing with these summoned Golems?”

“Well. Just wait and see.”

System Message

(Please choose the base creature)

Aphrodite

Carolina Burton

Sheryl O’Telrod

Werewolf

Goblin Knight

Wolf

Light Marsh

Mad Marsh

Iron Golem

Golem

Using the Monster Combination skill, I selected Golem without looking.

I had decided on Golem as the material.

System Message

(Can combine with the following monsters. Synthesize?”

→Yes

No

Iron Golem

Reference NO: 761

Race: Rock Family

Rank: C

Level: 1

Vitality: 80

Attack Power: 180

Magic Power: 10

Mana: 8

Skill

Rock Bullet

An average monster of the rock family.

Its strong point is its ability to shoot parts of its body at long distances at high speeds.

Can combine with other monsters of the same name to evolve into a stronger monster.

A Golem could combine with a Golem to evolve into an Iron Golem.

I had looked this up to confirm it beforehand.

After I pressed “Yes”.

The two Golems were wrapped in a pale light.

Appearing from within the light was of course…the second Iron Golem.

“Fu~n. So when two Golems are combined, they become an Iron Golem. In that case, can two Iron Golems be combined?”

Mumu!

I said something unusually sharp, didn’t I?”

“Ah. I’ll verify that now.”

I wanted to confirm if the newly created monster was the real thing without going through the ball.[2]

Because it was impossible to confirm the Golem group in the inn.

(Can combine with the following the monsters. Synthesize?)

→Yes

No

Adamite Golem

Reference NO: 762

Race: Rock Family

Rank: B

Level: 1

Vitality: 105

Attack Power: 350

Magic Power: 35

Mana: 30

Skill

Rock Bullet

Immunity to Fire Type Attacks

An average monster of the rock family.

Due to the effect of its skill, it is extraordinarily strong against monsters that specialize in fire attacks.

Has the highest class of combat ability of the Golem-type monsters.

The result of the verification—.

The monster born from combining Iron Golems was the Adamite Golem.

Taking the explanation as is, this seems to be the limit to the combination evolutions of monsters beginning all the way back at the Mud Puppet.

This isn’t a reason to not combine!

I pressed “Yes” and the two Iron Golems in front of me were wrapped in a pale light.

Appearing from within the light was an Adamite Golem.

“Ohh!”

The surprising thing was that the Adamite Golem’s body was smaller all around than the Iron Golems’.

To put it simply, the relationship is Golem<Adamite<Iron.

However.

I could feel from the Adamite Golem, whose entire body was composed of gems that glowed red, a power that no monster until now had.

“S-souta-zan! What the heck is this monster!?”

“Ah. This guy is called an Adamite Golem…and it seems to be the final evolved form of a Golem.”

“Adamite Golem!? Such a thing…so it’s entire body iz made of adamite ore!?”

“…Is it that kind of thing?”

It can’t be helped that Sheryl has been strange for a while now.

Her breathing has been rough ever since she looked at the Adamite Golem.

“Souta-zan! I’ve alwayz longed for adamite ore! If it’s alright, might I shave off a bit of the Golem’s body?”

“Hm? So I can clear your conditions for the ore that you wanted with adamite?”

“Naturally! It’s like a dream just to be close enough to see adamite ore!”

This is a happy coincidence, huh?

The monster I caught in the mine would end up being related to obtaining the item Sheryl wanted.

“Hey. Caro. Sheryl asked that, but can we break part of its body and harvest the ore?”

“I don’t think it will be a problem. Golems have strong regenerative abilities. Even if we break off part of its body, it will return to normal before long.”

“I see. In that case, I’ll leave management of the Adamite Golem to you, Sheryl. Please make weapons to your heart’s content.”

Since we obtained the necessary ores for free, everything worked out as well as I could have hoped.

“Souta-zan! Thank you very much! I…am very glad to accompany youuuuu!”

“Geez…you exaggerate—.”

She seemed quite happy that we acquired adamite ore.

Overcome with emotion, Sheryl jumped at me with all her heart.

Hoho.

This is quite….

In contrast to her small stature, Sheryl’s chest was large.

So this was the so-called big-breasted loli.

Sheryl, who had a childish body, also had an enthusiastic charm.

““……….””

Why?

Depending on the point of view, this was a very moving scene, and yet Aphrodite and Carolina directed cold gazes at me.