Chapter 5 …
To explain how I ended up picking up a complete lunatic, I need to rewind to four days ago.
It was Saturday, under a sky heavy with dark clouds.
‘Purify.’
Fwaaaash!
As usual, I was purifying the contaminated land near the cabin when the system popped up a message.
Boom—bang!
With a loud firework-like sound.
Purification Skill Level Up!
Lv. 2 → Lv. 3
You can now use it up to 2 times per day.
Remaining purification uses: 2
(※ As a level-up reward, the number of available purification uses has been reset.)
“Oh….”
Finally, the number of times I could purify had increased.
If I could use it twice a day, I could make even more fields than before…!
“Let’s see, how many garden plots do I have now….”
One, two, three, four… and since I purified once earlier, that makes five in total.
I already had five plots, but since I was short on coins, I’d planted nothing but the cheapest potatoes everywhere.
‘I want to plant strawberries… and cherry tomatoes too….’
But strawberries and cherry tomatoes were ridiculously expensive.
Strawberry seedlings: 500 coins each
Cherry tomato seedlings: 350 coins each
‘They could at least give a discount… or give me more quests to earn coins.’
I was grumbling internally when, as if the system had peeked into my thoughts, it suddenly butted in.
Sudden Quest Occurred!!!!!!!!!
“Ah—! You scared me!”
I thought my heart was going to stop!
〈Let’s Explore the Forest!〉 Quest ♡
The forest near the cabin is full of various useful resources.
Explore the forest and gather resources!
Forest exploration (0/1)
Reward for success: 850 coins
Failure penalty: None
“Forest exploration…?”
A quest that sounded kind of fun had appeared.
I lifted my head and glanced toward the dark forest behind the cabin.
‘It doesn’t seem that dangerous….’
I hadn’t heard of wolves or bears living there, and even if animals were contaminated, most of them were herbivores. Instead of attacking me, they’d probably run away.
Though if I went deeper into the forest, monsters might appear. There were quite a few such sightings in the original story.
‘I still have two purification uses left….’
Maybe I could go into the forest and pick up some eggs or mushrooms?
Honestly, eating nothing but potatoes was getting old….
And if I cleared the quest, I’d get 850 coins.
“Hm.”
Alright, let’s go.
Having decided to explore the forest, I tied my hair tightly and grabbed my only tool—a hoe.
I couldn’t expect much attack power from it, but it was better than going in empty-handed.
‘It’s scary to go alone… so I’ll bring my No. 1 slave too.’
“Ninabel! Come here!”
—Yeees~! Master!
Ninabel, who had been hanging around the spring for a moment, hurried over at my call.
Still in the form of a hamster-shaped water droplet, the spirit spun around me in circles.
“You’re making me dizzy.”
“Hing….”
When Ninabel was far away, her voice didn’t reach my ears but echoed directly in my head.
I didn’t really understand how it worked, but apparently it was because I’d formed a contract with her.
‘Though I seriously don’t remember when that contract happened.’
This affection-starved masochist spirit must have signed herself into a contract with me without permission.
I grabbed the water-droplet rice cake and tucked her under my arm.
“No. 1 slave, today we’re exploring the forest.”
“The forest? Monsters might appear! But of course, Nini will go anywhere with Master!”
“If monsters show up, I’ll use you as a shield and run.”
“T-that’s impossible…! B-but if I can be Master’s shield, Nini would gladly die…!”
What a crazy spirit….
Shaking my head, I strode toward the forest.
The thought of exploring the unknown made my heart pound pleasantly.
About ten minutes after entering the forest—
“A mushroom!”
I found an incredibly delicious-looking mushroom!
It was bright red, beautifully shaped like deer antlers, a truly splendid mushroom.
“This looks really tasty, right?”
“It looks like a poisonous mushroom, Master!!”
“No way, it can’t be…!”
That was when—
Mushroom Appraisal (D) Skill Awakened!
You can appraise all mushrooms in the world.
Appraised mushrooms will be added to the 〈Encyclopedia〉.
※ This skill has a unique rank and cannot be upgraded.
Whoa, jackpot.
I can appraise mushrooms too.
I’m totally competent!
〈Tip〉
If you want to use the skill, stare at the mushroom while thinking “appraise” for at least 3 seconds.
Following the system’s instructions, I stared intently at the red, elongated mushroom in front of me, thinking of appraising it.
A moment later, a pop-up appeared.
Red Deer Antler Mushroom
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Gomphaceae
A bright red, deer-antler-shaped highly poisonous mushroom.
Consuming it may cause diarrhea, fever, and loss of consciousness.
Even touching it can cause skin inflammation, so be careful.
“…….”
So it was a deadly mushroom….
It even kindly noted—in bold, no less—that touching it was dangerous. Wow, system, you’re really serious.
‘It looked so tasty….’
All the anticipation about what it might taste like vanished instantly. I quietly backed away from the red mushroom.
“Edible mushrooms… let’s find edible mushrooms….”
For the next thirty minutes, I wandered around the forest like a zombie searching for mushrooms.
But the only mushrooms around were those same red poisonous ones…!
“What the heck…!”
“Please give up already, Master~!”
“I’m sick of eating potatoes…!”
After wandering around, completely drained, I flopped down on the ground without a care.
That’s when the water-droplet rice cake jumped up and started making a fuss.
“Master~! You can’t just lie down anywhere! At least lie on me instead!”
“Lie on you…? Oh….”
I sprawled out on the spirit, who had abandoned her hamster shape and spread herself wide. It felt like lying on a hammock made of water.
“This is amazing…. Cool and comfy.”
“I’m so happy I can be of help to Master…!”
Yeah, you masochist….
While I was resting like that—
Rustle.
Something moved in the nearby bushes.
“…!”
I stiffened instinctively, then quickly jumped up and stared in that direction.
‘What is it?’
A wild animal…?
Or… a monster?
‘If it’s really a monster, I’m running faster than anyone!’
And finally, something jumped out of the bushes…!
“…?!”
…A rabbit?
I froze.
Two upright ears, short front paws, fluffy-looking fur—aside from the strange purple tint from contamination…
It was unmistakably a rabbit-like mammal.
“Master! It’s a rabbit! It looks tasty!”
Hey, how would you know what rabbit tastes like? You’re a spirit!
I lightly slapped the water-droplet rice cake to tell her to be quiet.
Then I lowered my body and observed the rabbit.
It looked like a wild rabbit, but it didn’t run away even after seeing me. It didn’t seem hostile either.
‘Is it… kind of dumb?’
It had zero sense of danger, which made it surprising that it had survived in the wild this long.
…Hmm, should I try purifying it?
If it worked, maybe I could raise a rabbit!
Ding!
〈Guide〉 Nutritious Rabbit Stew Recipe ♡
Ingredients: Tender, fresh rabbit meat, herbs (rosemary recommended), salt, pepper, tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, olive oil
Season the prepared rabbit meat with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a pan and sear the meat until golden on the outside.
Add chopped vegetables and stir-fry together with the meat.
Once the vegetables are well cooked, add water and……
‘Are you insane?’
I didn’t even finish reading and hurriedly closed it. Telling me to eat something this cute—are you a psychopath?
The rabbit just sat there, completely still.
…Yeah, it really might be lacking a few screws.
Careful not to startle it, I gently reached out my hand.
‘Purify.’
A bright, warm light softly wrapped around the rabbit’s body.
When the glow faded, standing there was—
A clean, uncontaminated rabbit with soft brown fur, gazing up at me with sparkling eyes.
And above its head…
A pink heart icon.
‘…Huh?’
The target’s affection toward you: 9♡
“…?”
What is this, some kind of dating sim? Why is there an affection meter?
As I stood there dumbfounded by the system’s endless functions, the rabbit suddenly hopped up into my arms.
“Ugh—!”
It happened so fast I almost dropped it.
The rabbit rubbed its face against my clothes and burrowed into my arms. It was warm, soft, and squishy….
‘So cute…!’
“Y-you! You rabbit brat! As mere food, how dare you make a move on Master! I won’t forgive youuu!!”
The spirit who was obsessed with me went berserk, but I ignored her and just kept petting the rabbit.
Then another guidance message popped up.
Animal Husbandry (Lv. 1) Skill Awakened!
Gentle herbivorous and omnivorous animals will follow you.
Sub-skill: Sacred Caretaker’s Touch (Lv. 1)
〈Tamed Beasts List〉
Brown Forest Rabbit (Lv. 1)
A common brown rabbit that lives in the forest. Its meat is tender and delicious.
“Oh….”
This could be really useful.
I might be able to raise chickens, goats, or sheep on the farm someday.
Not that I could afford to bring in animals like that yet, being completely broke and all.
‘Still, I got a cute rabbit…!’
I petted the rabbit enthusiastically, feeling deeply moved.
…Wait, what do rabbits even eat?
When I returned to the cabin with the rabbit, the quest completion notification appeared.
〈Let’s Explore the Forest!〉 Quest Complete!
You have received 850 coins as a success reward.
‘Yes!’
I’d been scraping together 10 coins, 30 coins, 50 coins at a time and losing my mind, so suddenly getting 850 coins felt like hitting the lottery.
Balance: 950 coins
“Hehehe.”
Now I could buy strawberries, cherry tomatoes, ah—and rabbit feed too….
“Maaaster…! You have cute and capable Nini, so why that stupid beast?!”
“If you don’t shut up, I’ll toss you into a pot and boil you.”
“Kyaaah! So cruel~!!”
Ninabel ran off crying, but came back in less than three minutes, saying it was lonely to be alone.
After dinner, it started to rain lightly.
As a bit of post-meal exercise, I built a rabbit hutch in the barn.
The materials—fencing, hay, and so on—were all bought from the coin shop.
The cutest rabbit in the universe seemed to like its new home, hopping around before flopping down on the hay.
‘So cute.’
Smiling contentedly as I watched the rabbit, I left the barn.
Outside, it was dark, and the rain was falling even harder.
‘It’s about time to sleep….’
“…?”
That was when it happened.
Sensing something strange at the edge of my vision, I froze mid-turn.
Something unidentified was… collapsed on top of my precious vegetable garden.
“W-what is that?”
A monster? A forest animal?
No….
Looking closer, it was a person.
And a fairly large one at that.
Why was someone lying in my field? This was a contaminated zone—no one should be coming through here….
‘Is it an emergency? Are they injured?’
I rushed over to take a closer look.
The face that had been blurry from afar made me gasp in admiration once I was close.
‘Wow… that face….’
Early twenties, maybe?
A man so unbelievably handsome—no, “pretty” fit him better—that I found myself staring without realizing it.
‘What is this…? This absolutely-certain idol center-face vibe?’
