After Nasuo and the others ran off crying and screaming, my stomach growled.
"Come to think of it, I haven't eaten anything since morning. Time to find some lunch."
At the Royal Pioneer Academy, everything was self-sufficient, so you had to gather your own food.
"In that sense, having my house in the forest, which is a treasure trove of food, might actually be pretty convenient."
I muttered to myself as I headed deeper into the woods.
Soon I spotted a tree loaded with nuts.
"All right, good start."
As a ninja now, my body felt as light as a monkey's, so climbing trees was easy.
I plucked the nuts from the branches and stuffed them into the pockets of my uniform.
--------------------------------------------------
**Mashibai Nut**
**Quantity:** 1
**Quality Level:** 2 (Material Level 2)
The fruit of the Mashibai tree. Hard but edible with the shell.
High in nutrition and keeps well, making it suitable as preserved food.
--------------------------------------------------
I continued farther into the forest and found mushrooms growing in the shady area beneath thick trees.
"These look edible."
Thanks to the Ranger skill "Survival Techniques," I could tell whether they were poisonous or not.
Still, to be extra sure, I used the Appraiser skill "Appraise."
--------------------------------------------------
**Rushroom**
**Quantity:** 1
**Quality Level:** 2 (Material Level 2)
A mushroom that grows under rush trees.
Non-toxic. Fresh ones can be eaten raw.
When used in a salad, it provides a cooking bonus.
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"Huh, so they can be eaten raw."
I popped a freshly picked Rushroom into my mouth with a quick bite.
It made a crisp, crunchy sound with every chew.
"Yeah, nice texture. It would be even better with some seasoning."
While munching away, I scanned the dim forest and spotted mushrooms growing here and there.
That settled what I would have for lunch today.
"All right, let's gather some mushrooms and have a mushroom party."
I tore off a large leaf from a plant by the path, folded it into a bag shape, and attached a handle made from vine.
--------------------------------------------------
**Ooruha Bag**
**Quantity:** 1
**Quality Level:** 13 (Material Level 4 + Dexterity Bonus 9)
A bag made from high-quality Ooruha leaves.
Thanks to various bonuses, it can hold up to 50 kilograms of items.
--------------------------------------------------
I carried the bag on my arm like a shopping basket and walked through the forest as if browsing a market.
Whenever I saw a promising mushroom, I used "Appraise" on it. If it was edible, I tossed it into the bag.
Along the way, I came across an incredible mushroom.
--------------------------------------------------
**Tatsumake**
**Quantity:** 1
**Quality Level:** 30 (Material Level 30)
A mushroom known as the "King of Mushrooms" for its exceptional flavor.
It normally mimics the highly poisonous "Tabeshinu Mushroom," but reveals its true delicious form for just one minute on the night of a full moon.
Even if eaten, its true nature can be identified, but accidentally consuming the "Tabeshinu Mushroom" results in instant death.
--------------------------------------------------
"Quality level 30!? That's a super rare item, isn't it!?
All right, let's see if there are more!"
That discovery got me completely hooked on "mushroom hunting."
Suddenly, in a sun-dappled corner of the forest, I spotted a patch of mushrooms growing thick like a field.
A group of students stood on what looked like a carpet of red and blue.
At the center was a female student in a purple robe, tilting her head while holding a mushroom.
"Hmm, these mushrooms look exactly the same shape, but the colors are completely different... Are they edible?"
A short boy from the group poked his head out.
"Akemi-san! The red ones are poisonous, yans!
Red mushrooms have always been known to be poisonous, yans!"
"Is that so, Shibusu-kun?"
"Hehe, this Shibusu is a thief, yans! Please trust a thief's intuition, yans!"
"Hmm, is that right? Then shall we pick the blue ones and head back?"
"Wait a second."
I couldn't stand by and spoke up. The whole group turned to look at me.
"Oh... You're... Leopin-kun, right?"
The girl called Akemi had an adult allure that made her seem older than the rest of us.
Purple hair, skin like fresh snow, long lashes, and moist lips.
Just a single sidelong glance from her teary mole-adorned eyes was enough to make my chest feel warm.
Her sweet, breathy voice sent a shiver through me as if she were whispering directly into my ear.
"The blue ones are poisonous mushrooms called 'Harakudashi Mushrooms.' Eating them causes severe stomach pain and hallucinations.
The red ones are edible mushrooms called 'Haranobori Mushrooms.'"
Shibusu immediately butted in angrily.
"Akemi-san, don't believe what that dropout Leopin says, yans!
He's just making stuff up to ruin your reputation, yans!
Since he's at the bottom himself, all he thinks about is dragging others down, yans!"
"Shibusu, the one making stuff up is you.
Relying on intuition to pick wild mushrooms is completely reckless."
"Shut up, yans! Akemi-san, this guy has been a liar since middle school, yans!
Please trust this Shibusu, yans!"
Shibusu had been in my old class, Class 1-20. He was a show-off who sucked up to everyone.
Akemi let out a thoughtful "Hmm..." and after pretending to ponder for a moment,
"Hehe, in that case, I'll...
Since it's a special occasion, I'll go with the red mushrooms."
She gave me a playful wink.
Shibusu's eyes widened in protest.
"Eh, whaaat!? You're actually believing a dropout like him...!?"
"Hehe, I thought Leopin-kun's eyes didn't look like they were lying."
"Then... then, Akemi-san! I'll take all the blue mushrooms back, yans!?
Don't come crying to me later if you regret it, yans!"
"Hehe... I guess it can't be helped. It's the 'fate' I chose.
Everyone, could you gather the red mushrooms for me?"
At Akemi's words, the boys around her sprang into action like worker bees.
They were probably her entourage, completely captivated by her charm.
Akemi didn't help with the work at all. Instead, she approached me with a seductive smile.
"Fufu, I'm Akemi Railruluvalance from Class 1-6. It's a long name, so everyone just calls me 'Akemi.'"
Talking to such a stunning beauty made me feel a little nervous.
"I see. From that robe, you're a production-type magician?"
"Hehe, I'm an 'Alchemist.' Alchemy often uses mushrooms, so I ended up in charge of gathering them for lunch.
But while I use them for medicine, I've never actually eaten them, so I wasn't sure which ones were safe.
Thank you for telling me, Leopin-kun. As thanks, I can offer you..."
"I don't need any thanks. I couldn't just let a classmate eat poisonous mushrooms."
"My, you're a strange one.
Normally, students would lie to people from other classes to raise their own class ranking..."
"I'm in the 'Special Development Class,' so rankings don't matter to me."
"Oh, that's right. Well then, which would you like?"
"Huh?"
Akemi pulled a small pouch from inside her robe.
The pouch was labeled "Salt."
"You can have this, or..."
She pointed at her own ripe-fruit-like lips with a manicured fingertip while saying "Or this."
"I don't really get it, but if I can choose, I'll take this one."
Without hesitation, I pointed at the small pouch.
I had just been thinking that I could use some seasoning.
Akemi looked slightly surprised, then let out a soft chuckle.
"Hehe, you really are an interesting person.
All the other boys change color in their eyes and beg for my lips, becoming completely obedient to me...
You're the first one who didn't want them.
...Here you go then."
She stepped closer and placed the salt-filled pouch in my hand.
Then she leaned in even nearer, bringing a faint sweet scent with her, and...
...Chu.
She kissed me on the cheek.