Chapter 101: Explosion
“Th-This…!?”
Before him stretched a forest of Adamantite ore sprouting in countless clusters from the ground, and Wide’s eyes shone like twin beacons of excitement.
“No mistake about it! This is Adamantite ore! And that gleam… the purity must be extraordinary! And the sheer quantity…! C-Could I really be allowed to use this much!?”
“Yes. You can use as much as you like. There’s no limit,” I said, a mix of resignation and pragmatism in my voice.
I had cultivated the Adamantite myself, begrudgingly, just to prevent Wide from acting recklessly.
…Well, honestly, since I can make as much as I want, it doesn’t really matter.
“Ohhh, my kindred spirit!”
“I-It hurts…!? I told you, stop hugging me!”
If Io saw this, she might get the wrong idea.
Stepping back, Wide raised his fists to the sky, letting out a triumphant roar.
“Uwaaaah! Creativity is surging through me! There’s no doubt I can create the greatest masterpiece in history right now! Let’s do this!”
And with that, he plunged headfirst into the Adamantite forest.
“…Uh, I’ve built a small house over there, so you can use that however you like. And feel free to harvest food from around the area,” I added, hoping to be practical.
“Art is EXPLOSION!”
“…You didn’t hear a word I said.”
Several hours later.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I went to check on Wide.
“Ugh… what is this…?”
Before me stood his latest creation.
A gorilla. With many faces.
There was no other way to describe it.
Even stranger, each gorilla’s face expressed a different emotion—anger, sorrow, joy—so vividly human-like that I could hardly tell whether these were gorillas at all… or just human faces sculpted into gorilla forms.
As always, his work made no sense to me.
And how on earth was he shaping Adamantite like this…?
“Ah, Geo-sama!”
“…Wide,” I replied, trying to mask my bewilderment.
“So, what do you think of this piece?”
“Impressive. To finish it so quickly…”
I had nothing to praise but his speed.
“Right? Right?! But alas… this is still not the greatest masterpiece humanity has ever seen…”
I really wasn’t feeling “alas” at all.
“I-Is that so? By the way, you must be tired. I have some alcohol here, if you want,” I offered.
I had heard that dwarves were fond of drinking, and not just fond—legendary for it. They could drink as if soaked in spirits and barely feel a thing.
“I do not drink such things,” he said.
“Eh? You don’t?”
“It is impossible to create art of this magnitude while intoxicated,” he explained.
I had a sneaking suspicion staying sober was actually harder than drinking…
“Instead, I want tea. Truth be told, after art, tea is my greatest pleasure.”
I nodded, noting the curious combination: a dwarf who preferred art over smithing, and tea over alcohol.
And just like that, a new eccentric had settled into the second garden plot of my home.
…Well, Io was still normal. Right?
That day, Shifa, Anii, and Sarassa came to visit.
“Geo, we need to talk,” Shifa said, her face suddenly serious.
I straightened instinctively.
C-Could this… be a confession?
No… that can’t be it. If it were, Anii and Sarassa wouldn’t be here too.
“With Sena joining us, and Sarassa returning, we’ve become the perfect party. We conquered every dungeon area, and even completed the highest-difficulty commissions this city has to offer,” Shifa explained.
“I could stay content here and continue adventuring in this city, and that wouldn’t be so bad. But… I want to aim higher as an adventurer,” she continued.
“So… you mean…”
“I’m planning to leave the city,” she said firmly.
I felt my breath catch.
I’d always known this day might come. My father had been the same—adventurers rarely stay in one place for long. They chase the unknown, endlessly traveling in pursuit of adventure.
But Arcel was different. There were dungeons, yes, but many adventurers could stay semi-permanent, gradually strengthening themselves. The varying difficulty of areas made it friendly for beginners.
I’d expected Shifa to train here for a while… I hadn’t imagined this day would come so soon.
“I-I see… it must be hard, but… I-I hope you succeed,” I said, my words betraying my shock and helplessness.
Shifa added another line, cutting even deeper.
“Of course, Sena will come with me.”
…So it’s not just Shifa leaving… but Sena too…
Sena was my only family, the one I’d lived with all my life.
The thought of being separated from my little sister was even harder than the thought of losing Shifa.
Imagining myself alone in this house made my eyes sting.
No, but I still have Milk, Pippi, and even Lala and Nana.
So I’m not lonely.
…Not at all.
I repeated it to myself, clinging to the reassurance.
Then, Shifa said something I did not expect.
“That’s why I want you to come too, Geo.”
…Wait, what did she just say?