With all the signposts properly installed, I headed back to the shelter. It felt a little odd saying so when I was the one who had made them, but they really gave the impression that someone lived here. Besides, I had already advertised(?) them on the forum, so everyone should recognize them.

'Not that I expect to meet anyone anytime soon.'

I had taken every measure available to me, but I wasn't getting my hopes up. The Forest of Four Seasons covered an area comparable to a small country. More importantly, space itself constantly shifted here, so no one could say how we might meet. With good luck, we could find each other right away. With bad luck, we might never meet at all.

'Or they might settle down somewhere else...'

In the worst case, they might already be dead. That worried me most. Could the investigation team actually make it here in one piece? I had no way of knowing. At least the admin's location tracking could give me some idea of their chances of survival.

'I'll just have to keep a close eye on Ludwig's location.'

He was the registered user who had announced that he would enter the Forest of Four Seasons, and I planned to monitor his movements. The admin seemed worried about him too, so I could ask for updates regularly. If his location became untraceable, I would be genuinely sad.

'Not that I'm safe myself.'

I might have enough trouble of my own, but I had dependable allies: the speed-sloth, who I suspected had fought the gorilla chief, and Roundfur, the baby owlbear who did wonders for my peace of mind.

The investigation team had nothing. Having a companion with tremendous fighting power, like the speed-sloth, would make a particularly huge difference.

'I really did well to survive back when I was weak.'

These days, I had the strength to hold out when danger struck, but that hadn't been true on day one. When the mad dog bit me, I'd thought I was screwed, and the saber-toothed tiger had very nearly killed me. Feeling grateful that I was still alive, I arrived at the shelter.

'Time to get to work.'

After giving Ludwig a sword, I no longer had a spare. I needed to make a new one. Luckily, I had just made a large batch of charcoal, so that wouldn't be difficult. I also had materials to spare and could use them without hesitation.

'I'll need to keep gathering mithril and orichalcum.'

Who knew when, where, or to whom I might end up giving another sword? Two swords in total should do, including one to give away. I would discuss it with the dwarf first, though. Sending them over without warning would be rude.

Hey.

I'm going to send you another sword in a bit. Can you sharpen it?

Passing Dwarf

Sure, but did you seriously give that sword away?

Yep. He's coming into the Forest of Four Seasons, so I figured I should give him something.

It's better for me if he manages to survive somehow.

Passing Dwarf

You poor, clueless fool.

What if that user killed everyone else and ran away?

That sword's fucking terrifying as it is.

I understood what the dwarf was worried about: taking the goods and running. Even Heavenly Demon had criticized the sword for being too powerful. The dwarf was suggesting that greed might have driven Ludwig to desert the investigation team.

Everyone said he was a good guy, though?

The admin said they knew him too.

Passing Dwarf

Oh, good grief. You did that just on other people's word? Seriously?

Well, what's done is done. You can't take it back now.

But you know what?

Passing Dwarf

What?

Honestly, it doesn't affect me at all lol.

Passing Dwarf

You little shit lmaooo.

All the fun, none of the responsibility, huh? lol.

That was just talk. In truth, the admin's request had played a big part. Without it, I would have hesitated. I had already learned through the forum that a man named Ludwig was part of the investigation team. But something about that middle-aged-dad-style verification post, combined with the admin's request, had made me feel it would be all right to give it to him.

'This should improve my chances of escaping, even if only a little.'

The more attention the outside world paid to the Forest of Four Seasons, the better my chances of survival. I intended to do my best(?) to draw attention to myself too. The simplest way was to distribute Mithricon. But if I wasn't careful, it could start a war, just as the dwarf had warned.

This was a metal people couldn't buy because there simply wasn't any available. Everyone was already desperate to get their hands on it. If too much of it spread, tragedy would follow.

Fortunately, it couldn't even be worked without a special furnace. I intended to take advantage of the fact that I was the only one who could make it. Some strange people might latch onto me, but I would ignore them as much as possible and try to establish a deterrent.

All done.

Sharpen it for me, please.

Passing Dwarf

The more I think about this, the more ridiculous it gets.

Some people might never touch that metal in their entire lives, and you've got it all over your house and front yard lol.

Jealous? You know what to do lol.

Passing Dwarf

Piss off lol.

From the dwarf's perspective, it must look like all I had to do was click a button. And that wasn't far from the truth. The incredible heat made it hard, but the process itself wasn't particularly difficult. Even if I failed, I had unlimited chances to try again, so I could work without a care.

I examined the newly returned sword from various angles, then leaned it against the cave wall.

Made another one.

Sharpen this too.

Passing Dwarf

Fuck, you just made the last one!

You just put the stuff in together, melt it, and pour. That's it.

Passing Dwarf

Lmao this is seriously ridiculous.

Dude. You realize even that is reeeeally fucking hard?

Can't say I do?

I just followed your instructions and it worked.

The hammering's the hardest part, isn't it?

Passing Dwarf

Well, yes, but... haah.

I don't even know anymore.

Send the sword over.

And that was another sword made—a backup for my backup. I would have liked to make one more, but aside from the time it would take, I was running short on materials.

Besides, I wanted to make tools other than swords now. A pickaxe, for instance. I had the one the dwarf gave me, but I wanted to mine mithril more easily. And since I had created a new metal, I wanted something new made from it.

'I should forge the pickaxe myself instead of casting it.'

It would let me improve my skills little by little, at least. I could give the dwarf some nice things along the way and get his advice in return. Without a teacher at hand, I couldn't improve by leaps and bounds, but as I had said, I had plenty of chances.

'Evening already.'

While I worked, the sun had begun sinking and the light was fading. It was about time to prepare dinner and browse the forum. Of the two, browsing was the important one. An important post might have gotten buried while I was busy.

'Has Ludwig still not come in?'

I kept in mind the possibility that he had taken the sword and run, just as the dwarf feared. This world wasn't as kind as I might think. There were plenty of good people, but plenty of rotten ones too.

Apparently the investigation team's scattered?

After dinner and practicing my cultivation method, I was browsing the forum. With so many new posts coming in, I was mostly looking through the top posts when one caught my eye. It said the investigation team dispatched by Eldorado had scattered. I couldn't possibly pass that up, so I opened it immediately.

Apparently the investigation team's scattered?

My priest friend just got back and told me. Apparently the investigation team scattered at the entrance to the Forest of Four Seasons.

He says the commander rebelled and they escaped, but I don't know about that. Anyway, it's true that the investigation team ran away.

It'll be in the papers soon enough, but here's a spoiler so you forum nerds won't be too shocked. Yep.

└Ah, fuck. Spoiling major news like that.

└If you've got a problem with it, become a priest yourself.

└I'd rather be rich and unemployed lol.

└Honestly, I want to be rich and unemployed too. It's scary as hell here, sob.

└Wait, does that mean all Grylls's friends are gone?

└Lmaooo you're right lol.

└Poor lonely Grylls... He even made signposts.

└Rebelling beats dying.

└They were practically forcing them in. I'd fight too lmao.

└Didn't he have the sword Grylls gave him too?

└Yeah, from the description, it looked like it had a green galaxy inside? Hearing that made me wonder if the bastard was bullshitting me lol.

└What kind of sword glows green? lmao.

The news that the investigation team had scattered was quite a shock. My heart sank at the thought that the dwarf's fears might have come true. Most users weren't sure whether to believe it, but I had no choice. The description of the sword matched the one I'd given him exactly.

'Th-then where is this Ludwig guy now?'

I immediately messaged the admin. Surely they had read the post too. Just as I expected, the reply came right away, suggesting they had seen it.

Don't Abandon the Hero

Just so you know, Ludwig isn't the sort of person to take advantage of someone's kindness and run!

He's always praying to the goddess and doing good deeds!

Never mind that.

Do you know where he is right now?

I wanted his location, not a defense of his character. After reading that post, his current whereabouts were what mattered.

Don't Abandon the Hero

Um... I'm sorry, but...

I can't determine his current location...!

What's that supposed to mean now? Seriously?

Don't Abandon the Hero

It's true!

The message says he's somewhere his current location can't be determined!

Then what about me?

That didn't add up. For a moment, I wondered if the admin was lying. They had located me perfectly well before—right in the middle of the Forest of Four Seasons. Yet they couldn't locate Ludwig? That was a flat-out contradiction.

Don't Abandon the Hero

I swear by the goddess!

I can't locate him, but I can still send him messages!

What does that have to do with anything?

Don't Abandon the Hero

If a registered user dies, you get a message saying the user doesn't exist!

So there's a good chance he's entered the Forest of Four Seasons!

Even so, it's a little strange that you can't locate him...

Don't Abandon the Hero

But you've been able to use the forum from the very start, Grylls!

It's more likely that you're the exception!

That's very convincing.

I wasn't being sarcastic. It was better to treat me as an exception. How many times had my actions astonished people already? It would be strange to judge everything I'd experienced solely by this world's standards.

'Anyway, that means he's probably entered the Forest of Four Seasons...'

In that case, there was nothing I could do right now. Without real-time location tracking, I had no choice but to sit tight and wait.

I guess we'll just have to wait.

Don't Abandon the Hero

Um...!

I know things are difficult for you, but could you possibly look for Ludwig?!

I might be able to guide him toward my place, but actually finding him would be difficult.

Don't Abandon the Hero

That would be more than enough!

I'll help you as much as I can!

How?

Don't Abandon the Hero

:

Hmm...!

After thinking it over for a while, the admin sent a tentative reply.

Don't Abandon the Hero

Ask the goddess to help you find Ludwig whenever I pray to her?

She grants your requests if you pray?

Don't Abandon the Hero

Yes!

That confidence left me speechless. Did the goddess really answer prayers? If so, that was the true definition of getting things done with one click.

'If that's really how it works, I'm willing to close my eyes and pray.'

Of course...

SHHHHHHH!

"Oh, come on. Again?"

I would like her to stop this damned rain first.

* * *

Rain fell frequently in the forest, as was natural for such a region, restricting Grylls's activities. The grasslands, however, were different, with distinct wet and dry seasons. During the dry season, there were no such restrictions, and animals could move freely. It was currently the dry season.

"..."

The same freedom applied to Ludwig, who had recently entered the Forest of Four Seasons. He stood quietly looking at a cave. Ordinarily, he would have gone inside to explore, but his current situation gave him pause.

The powerful mana outside his body made using his own nearly impossible. Fortunately, given his level of skill, he could still use a very small amount.

SHHHH...

Even with that tiny amount, the sword gave off a green light. Ludwig glanced between the sword and the cave entrance, then nodded.

'I should explore it.'

If he was lucky, the cave might be empty. With that thought in mind, he went inside.

A short while later...

ROAAAAAAR!!!

"..."

Ludwig began running from a three-headed lion.