Chapter 20

Knowing the importance of time

Now— what are the monsters eating here?

What are they drinking here?

At first, I thought there were food and water for the monsters .

But this is a different world .

There are things in this world that can’t be explained by my original world’s common sense .

What if…?

What if these monsters here are…

What if they don’t necessarily need food or water?

My last hope would then be lost .

For example, what if their purpose of killing people is not for predation?

Such as– a game .

What if killing people here is just a game?

It may be that it’s just for entertainment .

[…… . . ]

I stopped walking at once .

There was nowhere I could really go to now…

Should I go back to that area?

In that deserted area where there is literally nothing?

The transfer location…

It’s the direction where the minotaurs had fled to instead of the birdheads .

Should I go there instead?

No– fighting while I’m really hungry is dangerous .

I may not be able to activate my skills in time .

I have no power left to exert .

I have no power left within me .

I feel like my head is going crazy .

[Ah, that’s right…]

My leather bag .

I have to pick it up .

I blankly looked at the leather bag .

The shining magic item .

The unique item summoned at the same time as the E-Rank Hero .

[What the?]

The jewel in the leather bag .

It’s subtle, but… isn’t the color different?

The jewel certainly is colored yellow and green .

I think it was closer to having a tinge of yellow on an emerald color but…

There’s suddenly a bit of purple in it’s bottom part .

I rub my eyes .

Did I finally go crazy?

Or was this shade here from the beginning?

I remember that time when this is handed to me by that sh*tty goddess .

The yellowish green jewel comes to my mind .

At least, the bottom part shouldn’t have been discolored like this .

But the jewel now is clearly visible .

The bottom part is certainly purple .

What is this?

This purplish part…

Was the jewel poisoned?

…No, there’s no way .

[… . . ah . ]

The light in the leather bag is weakening .

It must have been lacking in magic energy and is slowly depleting…

Let’s put in some more magic energy .

I inject magic energy .

[What ‘s happening?]

Is the purple part increasing?

[…… . . ]

No way… Doesn’t this look like a gauge?

Does this purple part increase with the amount of magic energy injected?

……… . .

Anyway, I have a lot of MP thanks to my level .

It may be just absurdity .

It may be that I’m just a fool .

Anyway, I just want something to “change” .

Is it because I’ve went around a repeating scenery too much earlier?

I wanted to see something that changes .

There’s such a desire within me .

As for the skill usage, let’s see…

Should I set aside about a hundred shots?

I injected more magic energy into the jewel .

I want something to change .

Even if it’s just the color of this jewel, it’s extremely important to me .

A few minutes later, the color of the jewel have completely changed to purple .

A gauge filled with purple .

The jewel now also emits a stronger light .

It’s quite beautiful…

I felt some strange satisfaction even if nothing special have happened .

[Ku, kuku… fu, hahaha… . ]

I let out dry laughter .

My throat is already dry .

My laughter is dry, but it can’t be helped .

I mean .

How can someone not laugh in this kind of situation?

I stand up even if my legs were tired .

Should I go now?

To the direction where the minotaurs have fled .

My feet should be still be able to move .

[Let’s go . ]

I’ll move until I can’t .

Until I’m exhausted .

If even with all my might I still can’t move, then it can’t be helped .

After all, there’s still other things I can do .

In fact, I already did .

It was changing the color of the jewel by injecting it with magic energy .

I still have the power to change something .

I understand– this is a really dangerous place .

I have to struggle until the very end .

The disposed hero — Mimori Touka .

I have to struggle .

Until I can’t struggle anymore .

[It’s easier to let go and give up . ]

F*ck you .

I laughed as I’m walking .

[Fu, fuhahaha…]

It’s starting to get fun again .

Has my head finally became crazy because of hunger?

I advance and advance until I’ve walked a few meters from there–

[………heavy!?]

Eh!?

What’s this feeling?

This subtle feeling of heaviness?

Did my legs finally get numbed?

Or am I attacked by some kind of monster?

I check my surroundings .

There’s… nothing .

Then…

What is this feeling of heaviness?

[Ah…]

The leather bag?

Hmm?

The jewel has changed color again .

It’s now… gray?

Eh?

W- Why did it suddenly turn gray?

It seems though that the bag is still emitting light .

Wait .

Wait, wait .

There’s something else in there .

Is that heavy thing the dagger?

No, that’s not it .

I remember .

I left that dagger with its blade melted next to the mountain of corpses .

Then,

[What is it?]

What is in there?

Timidly, I turned my leather bag upside down .

Boto ~tsu

korokoro…

kasa ~tsu

[Ah–]

A familiar package .

So nostalgic, I used to be quite fond of these .

[Please give me a break…]

I would certainly feel nostalgic .

Because this is something not found in this kind of fantasy world .

It just came out of my bag .

[Have I finally began to hallucinate?]

A 500ml PET bottle of cola and a bag of beef jerky .

v

Right from the start, I haven’t thought of all the “why”s .

I could not afford to think about it .

There’s no reason to .

[Something… to drink—]

Liquid…

Liquid,

Liquid, liquid,

Liquid, liquid, liquid,

Liquid, liquid, liquid, liquid .

I immediately jump unto the PET bottle .

I could see the water droplets from the outside .

It’s cold .

It’s not a hallucination .

It’s a real liquid .

I twist the cap .

[—-Uooohh!?]

The power is now coming back to me .

Is it because of hunger and thirst?

Is it that the status correction is not working?

Or is the correction only applied to my grip strength?

Or is it that the correction value is ineffective to a weak person?

Sh*t—

[Ah wawawawwahhhh!!!]

Pushu ~tsu!

I opened it with vigor .

Well, it’s obvious,

It’s a matter of life and death .

I forcibly twist it open .

I can’t wait to fully open it .

It smells delicious .

Cola…

I jump right to it .

Drinking this .

[~ammuu! NNnn-ggoku~! Gokun~! Gokyun~!]

I know .

It is not good for my throat to suddenly drink something when you’re extremely thirsty .

However, it’s impossible .

A human’s instinct can’t be suppressed .

I can’t be patient!

[~uu– ge hook!? Go hyook! Keehook!]

I choked .

I can feel a burp coming out .

[~uurrrppphh…]

Sniff…

It suddenly appeared .

My tears .

It’s too delicious .

I wonder if I’ve had such a good cola in my whole life .

It’s the oasis the drenched my parched throat .

It’s rich sweetness soak into the core of my body .

Even its Carbon Dioxide stimulates my throat .

My whole body is very delighted with the absorption of sugar .

It’s spreading inside me .

At last, I checked the remaining amount I have left .

I have about a third left?

I reseal the cap .

The next thing that caught the attention of my glittering eyes is this .

Peri~ (T/N: sound of tearing)

Beef jerky .

I sometimes see this at convenience stores .

My stomach might have been stimulated by the cola, and now my stomach is aching .

I need to eat this meat soon .

[Whham, ~mmuu! Guchiii— kucha, kucha! Gokunn!]

That’s one filthy way of eating .

Not like I care .

It’s not like there’s anything here besides me and monsters .

No one would care for some sh*tty manners .

[Hagu~! Gutcha, Gutcha! Gatsu, Gatsu~!]

The feeling of biting through a fairly hard meat in the back of my teeth .

It’s comfortable .

The saltiness is quite emphasized .

Though, there’s still the subtle sweetness that can be felt behind the meat .

A bit of jerky is about to pass my throat .

Pushu ~tsu

I remove the cap of the cola again .

[Just a little bit more– kokuu… gokyuu!]

The piece of salty jerky is dancing with the carbonated drink in my mouth .

The sweetness of the cola is passing through my tongue .

It’s mixing with complete harmony .

Saltiness and sweetness .

I had never eaten them together like this before .

It’s the best .

[Kutcha, kutcha~…]

Delicious .

It’s too delicious .

What the heck is this .

To think cola and beef jerky could–

[Gokuunn . ]

This is deliciousness at its finest .

[Fuu…]

I wipe my mouth with my sleeves .

[………]

I have 3 bags of jerky left .

Should I save it?

I slowly extend my trembling hand .

But I put it back away .

I would endure .

I’m afraid of the proceeding days to come where there would be no food .

And so I stopped,

This swelling desire of mine .

[—alright . ]

I did my best enduring…

I only have less than half of it, but I still have some cola .

It’s especially dangerous when I became dehydrated .

Nice .

My sense of reason .

I casually take a bag of jerky and checked it .

“A really, really large serving for everyone as large as everyone’s expectations towards us . ” was printed on it .

Well this is a different world, so I feel like I’d only be able to sleep on my feet, especially not in this sh*tty dungeon .

Anyway,

[Fuuu~]

I could finally take a break .

Nevertheless, I wish I ain’t stuck in such a lame situation .

Well, there is no other way .

It would be unreasonable to ask for me to behave modestly in that kind of situation .

Anyway– is it thanks to the sugar?

My brain feels like it works properly now .

Strength has also returned to my body .

As for the correction value, fatigue and hunger may reduce the correction effect .

I’m quite surprised .

I quickly look around the surroundings .

This is bad .

The sudden appearance of food and drinks temporarily relieved the alarm .

For now… I’m glad I wasn’t attacked by monsters .

I sit down with the wall behind my back so that I wouldn’t have any blind spots .

I place the PET bottle aside .

I checked the leather bag again .

There’s nothing inside it .

I felt the surface of the jewel with my thumb .

[The jewel has turned gray…]

At first, it was “yellowish green” .

When I injected it with magic energy, it became “purple” .

And when the cola and jerky came out, it became “gray” .

The appearance of the cola and jerky .

It seems obvious that this leather bag is related to the jewel .

That is to say, if I put magic energy in this bag, I’ll get “something” .

It will be transported from somewhere .

Did they transfer this from a certain place or person?

Or are these just duplicates?

I don’t think I’d understand it now .

So, this question can be considered abandoned .

Is the condition to have a certain amount of magic energy accumulated in the jewel?

Most of all,

[Is this jewel ever going to return to that of the yellowish green color of it?]

The possibility of being able to use this only once can’t be denied .

I’ll try to inject the magic energy .

The leather bag began to glow a faint light .

But the color of the jewel remains unchanged .

It’s still gray .

I hope it will be reusable after some time .

And also,

[I hope it’s not just limited to food and drinks next time . ]

The leather bag seems to need a little more inspection .

[………… . . ]

It’s quite ironic .

This is the leather bag that held the “mercy” of the goddess .

A unique item of the worst E-Rank Hero .

Thanks to this, I’ve managed to survive .

[Well even if she calls it “mercy”– that goddess have only just returned the things that she has seized, and this was originally my unique item… now then—]

I stand up .

The PET bottle and bag of jerky .

I put these two inside my leather bag,

[All things set . Rather than that–]

I scratch my head .

[The times I’m speaking to myself have obviously increased . ]

Well, it can’t be helped .

It may seem funny to speak silently in this cave .

So, it should be allowed to at least talk to myself .

Well, there’s no one here to ask permission .

Okay .

For the time being, the problem of thirst and hunger has been solved .

There’s still some food and water left .

Then without delay, I’m going to head on .

I looked at the top of the cave .

[Above ground . ]