Chapter 84, Field Deployment

Translator: Barnnn

 

Wailie moved to the longer wall of the container house and unfolded a concealed panel just like before, then slotted in the support legs beneath it.

These beds were larger than the one meant for Ize, so several spring mechanisms had been built into the joints — designed to make assembly and storage easier. Once he finished setting up one bed, she moved to the opposite wall and repeated the process.

 

“Ooh, looks like you could cuddle up in here,” Ize quipped.

“No, you couldn’t,” Hal shot back. “There’s room for someone to walk between them.”

“Barely. Turn sideways and it’s a tight squeeze.”

“Forget cuddling. Erase that thought from your mind,” Fieda grumbled.

“Would the two of you like to try the beds yourselves?” Wailie offered, beaming.

“Yeah, probably a good idea. Which one’s mine?”

“I call right side!” Hal declared without hesitation.

 

The two climbed onto their respective bunks, shifting their weight, changing positions, leaning against the walls — and eventually rolling around like Ize had, testing for creaks or instability.

Well, Hal rolled. Fieda preferred to kneel and shuffle along like a soldier inspecting trenches.

 

“Seems solid. Once there’s a mattress on top, I doubt we’ll notice the seams,” Fieda said.

“Add a mattress and it’s practically a snuggle — ow, ow, okay, point taken!” Ize yelped as simultaneous jabs of “affectionate correction” shut her up.

 

Wailie kept his face diplomatically blank and forged on.

 

“Next, let’s step outside and examine the base again.”

 

They each tried folding their beds back up to get a feel for the process. No snags, no trouble — it all worked smoothly. Then they stepped outside.

Now that they were looking more closely, they noticed something unusual near the base of the container.

 

“There’s some kind of device embedded in it?” Hal asked, squinting.

“Oh, you’re right. What is that?” Ize leaned in.

“This was installed at Master Fieda’s request — a magical tool for stabilizing the foundation. When camping, the ground is often uneven or damp, so this device uses a refined form of earth magic to level and harden the terrain,” Wailie explained.

“Wow. I didn’t even know something like that existed,” Hal said.

“I wouldn’t have thought of that either,” Ize admitted. “Very seasoned of you, Fieda.”

“There’s nothing worse than trying to sleep on wet, slanted ground,” Fieda replied with a shrug. “Since we had the chance, I figured we might as well include it.”

“This tool is typically used by field workers who don’t possess construction skills,” Wailie explained. “It’s not widely available. I heard even Master Zoddoa had never used one before. He was apparently quite taken with the idea of incorporating it into a mobile lodging unit.”

 

Mobile lodging unit. That was what they were calling it, apparently.

Ize made a face and muttered under her breath as she counted syllables on her fingers. “Ugh, that’s way too long,” she muttered.

 

“Hasn’t anyone come up with a proper name yet?” Hal asked.

 

“Not yet, unfortunately. Ideas like The Sage’s Retreat or The Sage’s Tent have been tossed around, but using ‘Sage’ without a license complicates the evaluation process. We’re still brainstorming. If any of you happened to be descendants of the Sage, that would certainly make things easier!”

 

Wailie’s cheerful laugh rang out. Hal and Ize responded with tight smiles.

 

[Technically, we’re Sage-adjacent. Sort of.]

 

Looking for a way to steer the conversation elsewhere, Hal asked, “So, who exactly are you planning to sell these to?”

“Most likely nobles or wealthy merchants,” Wailie said. “We asked some adventurers, but they told us there’s no way they’d deploy something this size in a dangerous area.”

“Well,” Hal mused, “maybe don’t limit the design to just sleeping accommodations.”

Wailie tilted his head. “Then what would you suggest?”

“Think of it like a mobile base. It could be used for meetings on a construction site, or as a dry place to rest during bad weather. Maybe even in military training — if a noble’s serving as the commander on an expedition or something. I’m just spitballing here.”

“No, no, you’re absolutely right! I was so fixated on the lodging aspect, I didn’t think of other functions. A portable shelter for any scenario — a gathering place, a rest stop, a command tent. Brilliant! If we replace the beds with collapsible desks, it could even serve as a mobile war room!”

 

Wailie drifted into a muttering spiral of ideas and possibilities. Hal, seeing an opening, quietly sidled away and took up position next to Ize.

The two nudged elbows playfully — until Fieda’s hand descended on their heads with ominous precision.

 

“Gah! Ow — okay, okay, that’s the good kind of pain!”

“Oh no, we’re already dead!” Ize gasped.

“You two are hopeless,” Fieda muttered.

 

Eventually, after coaxing Wailie back from his invention-high, they completed the paperwork and officially took possession of the unit.

The moment Hal stowed the container in his Magic Bag, a ripple of gasps rose from the nearby workers. Hal pretended not to notice.

 

◆

 

“We’ve got the mattress, futon, pillows, blankets, spare sheets, and slippers. All set on my end,” Fieda reported.

“Cups are ready, dishes too. We stocked up on skewers, and we’ve got plenty of snacks,” Hal added.

“I’ve made up a bed for Sato. Basket and cushion — looks like it likes them.”

“Kekyo!”

“Looking good, Sato,” Fieda chuckled. “Do we need anything else?”

“Not me,” Hal said, giving his head a shake.

“As long as we pick up those four breakfast sets from Miss Etta tomorrow, we’re good,” Ize said.

“All right then. That’s everything for today. Starting tomorrow, five days of Dungeon exploration. Let’s take it slow and enjoy ourselves.”

“”Yeah!””

 

Now that they had a proper place to stay, it would’ve been a waste to just come and go in two days. The bath and toilet were already set up, and food wasn’t a problem thanks to their Magic Bags.

Duris had contacted them, too — said he needed at least ten days to test harvesting methods. So they figured, why not try staying down for a full week? Two days of preparation later, they were ready.

Most of their new supplies were bedding — things they could use not only in the Dungeon but while traveling, too. Everyone took their time and picked out items they truly liked. No compromises.

The only thing the three of them still lacked… were cooking gear and the skills to use them.

 

“Maybe we really should learn to cook,” Ize mused aloud.

“…Do we, though?” Hal said, with a glance toward their supplies. “I mean, look at Odelya.”

“I can grill meat,” Fieda offered.

“Same here. I can boil potatoes, too,” Hal said.

“Um… I can peel fruit!” Ize added, sounding as optimistic as she could.

 

Not much difference between them. It was like rabbits comparing horns.

The decision to keep leaning heavily on their Magic Bags was unanimous.

The occasional steak, a few boiled potatoes, or a fruit feast sounded nice — occasionally.

The plan was to start from the twenty-fifth floor and work their way down, ending at the fiftieth. There were a few low-traffic zones along the way where they could practice large-scale magic — something they didn’t usually get the chance to do.

 

“I’m THIS CLOSE to calling lightning,” Hal said, holding his fingers a hair’s breadth apart.

“Hope that orb Joe gave you actually works,” Ize replied.

“The idea is to draw lightning to it, right? Blast it there with wind or water, and boom. Think I can pull it off?”

“Hal! Now’s the time to unleash your inner edgelord! Awaken, Hal’s almighty Imaginatiiiion!”

“Gwah! WRYYYYYY!”

 

Ize struck a dramatic pose like a spoon-bending magician from a stage show, while Hal clutched his head and arched his back as if consumed by a terrible ancient power.

Watching the two of them with deadpan eyes, Fieda silently rubbed Sato’s soft belly.

 

“Kekyokyokyo!”

“Ticklish? Right here?”

“Kekekekekeke!”

“You’re a funny one. I wonder… would this belly of yours be Hiro and Take’s emergency rations someday?”

“Kehyo!?”

“Fieda! Don’t scare it like that!”

 

Startled, Ize scooped Sato up in her arms and turned her away from Fieda’s teasing stare.

 

“What? It’s a nutrient source, right? Might be helpful if the horses ever get weak.”

“…That’s true. Hey, Sato? Could we maybe have just a little bit of that belly?”

“Ke-hyooo! …Kekyokyo.”

“Huh? That’s a yes? Oh, wait — your bath?”

“Kekyokyo.”

“You mean… the bathwater? You’re saying the nutrients work even through water?”

“Interesting. In that case, we should probably start saving Sato’s bathwater. Could come in handy if Hiro or Take ever gets worn out.”

“Thanks, Sato.”

“Kekyo!”

 

Crisis averted — Sato had managed to dodge the fate of becoming the round-faced bread-headed hero. It even made a little show of wiping imaginary sweat from its nonexistent forehead. The creature had a surprisingly theatrical streak.

And just like that, it was part of the group, no questions asked.

 

◆

 

“All right, five days in the Dungeon starting today,” Fieda said, raising a hand. “We’re jumping to the twenty-fifth floor. All hail…”

“”The Portal Room!”” the others chorused, right on cue.

 

A split second of weightlessness followed — and when their vision cleared, they stood before the staircase leading down from the twenty-fifth to the twenty-sixth floor.

Their first target was the Mystic Plant Peppear, which grew on the twenty-eighth floor. Joe had said they could skip collecting the Nepenthes mucus on the twenty-ninth this time — Hal let out a quiet sigh of relief, which Ize didn’t miss.

They planned to rest on the thirty-first floor, where the Almandorn flowers bloomed. The blossoms had a sedative effect and could be dangerous if inhaled too much, but they were in high demand for treating insomnia and during surgeries.

The Almandorn fruit, on the other hand, had gone largely ignored — until recently. Naturally, it was these two foodies who discovered that the fruit, which resembled almonds, developed a lovely aroma and crunch when roasted.

They’d given some to Joe as a snack, and next thing they knew, half the bakeries in town were using them in cookies.

Just another testament to the reach of Joe’s network.

 

“Oh nooo, they’re coming, they’re cominggg — they’re totally comiiing!”

“Hal, you’re too loud. And so are the bugs. Cleanse!”

“Half of them are gone. Let’s move.”

 

They had barely stepped onto the twenty-sixth floor when a seething swarm of bugs had Hal ducking behind Ize, visibly unnerved.

Legs everywhere. Not quite a hundred, but far too many. Ize gave a sigh, then wiped out half the swarm with a blast of her magic.

Not wanting to look, Hal lowered his gaze and unleashed a net of razor-thin wind blades just above the ground, shredding the rest to bits.

 

“So gross…”

“You were fine with Arachne and the Ants, weren’t you?” Ize asked.

“Yeah, but those legs… the way they wriggle — doesn’t it make your skin crawl?”

“Not really.”

“Nope.”

“Ugh, you guys…”

“We got the loot. Let’s keep moving,” Fieda said, already turning. “Next stop: twenty-seventh floor.”

“”Yessir!””

 

They wrapped up the day’s gathering and battles early to get a head start on setting up their lodgings on the thirty-first floor.

This time, they’d brought all their new gear into the container house and needed a bit more time to get everything sorted.

 

“Container house goes here, bath’s over there, and toilet’s… here?”

“Let’s switch the bath and toilet,” Hal said. “I don’t want to step out of the house and see the toilet right in front of me.”

“Just pack up the bath when you’re done with it,” Fieda suggested. “Then we’ve got that space free again.”

“Good point,” Ize nodded. “We’re not using it right now, so I’ll stow it away.”

“I’ll start hauling things inside.”

“Oh, Hal — bring Sato with you and let her roam around inside. I gave it a bit of healing magic earlier.”

“Got it. Let’s go, Sato.”

“Kekyo!”

 

The little round creature waddled after Hal, the oversized leaf on its head bobbing with each step. Balanced on top of that leaf, somehow, was a tiny sake cup that swayed with every move.

 

“…What’s that?” Fieda asked, squinting.

“That’s Sato’s bath scoop,” Ize replied. “It likes to pour water over itself using that while it bathes.”

“Is that… really necessary to carry around?”

“Probably not. But it seems to like it.”

“Huh. I wonder if that’s just Sato being weird, or if all Sugar Mandragoras are like this.”

“Maybe we’ll find out if we ever raise another one. Speaking of, I wonder how Mister Duris’s wife and Mister Ivern’s group are doing.”

“Depends on how deep the healer had already gone in the past. If they set a ten-day schedule, they probably started from a pretty deep floor.”

“Hope they’re getting along with the Mandragoras.”

“…They probably will. They do love their healing magic…”

“Especially with that heart mark in their descriptions.”