Although an accident? occurred where I was petted by Naza from the morning, fortunately, after that, it returned to a normal routine without any other incidents.
'I've completed the gun, so now all that's left is the ammunition...'
Thanks to the skill I received as a gift from the administrator's senior, the rifling for the barrel, which I thought would take days to make, was solved in just two hours, so the only remaining hurdle was the ammunition to use with the gun.
'What did they say on the internet back then... I'm sure they said you could make gunpowder with just nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur...'
Charcoal was something you could get by just wandering around the market street a bit, but nitrate and sulfur were harder to obtain than I thought.
'Sulfur sometimes comes in as an import, so I can manage that somehow... but nitrate is the problem...'
Nitrate? How do you make that?
'I think they said you could make it from white crystals found in places where corpses are buried, but... if I search hard enough, I should find a substitute.'
Having finished that thought, I left my room and headed straight to the kitchen.
'The ingredients that need to be used quickly are the bread and eggs I bought yesterday... I should make a simple egg mayo sandwich for breakfast...'
Looking at the ingredient storage with no refrigeration, I let out a sigh as always.
'Isn't there a magic tool related to cold somewhere...'
I've heard rumors that medium-sized or larger Familias store ingredients with magic tools, but since magic tools are expensive items that can't be bought with a modest amount of money, for now, it's just a pie in the sky.
'Sigh... let's just make food.'
The egg mayo sandwich, as the name suggests, is just egg mayo sandwiched between bread... I'm not sure if it's right to call it cooking, but for now, it's cooking.
'First, boil the eggs.'
Put plenty of water in a pot, add half a spoonful of salt, and bring it to a boil.
'When the water shows signs of boiling, add the eggs and boil for about 10 minutes.'
The important things for making egg mayo are hard-boiled eggs and mayonnaise.
'Originally, I'd need mustard along with mayonnaise, but... unfortunately, I don't have mustard sauce, so I'll have to add similar spices.'
Once all the eggs are boiled, mash them finely, then mix with the prepared mayonnaise, a little mustard, a bit of honey and fruit juice, add vinegar, sprinkle pepper, and mix evenly again.
'The egg mayo is done, so now I need to find something to eat with it... there's only bacon and sausage.'
There's not even a refrigerator, let alone a freezer, so what could possibly be in the ingredient storage?
'I should be satisfied that at least there are vegetables... then now, spread the finished egg mayo on bread, add sausage or bacon to taste, put in thinly sliced lettuce, and that's it, so I should take it to the table.'
Originally, it's standard to eat it in morning bread, but unfortunately, I haven't found a bakery that sells morning bread yet.
'Everyone, breakfast is ready!!'
So, I moved the finished food to the table, called Miach and Naza, and finished breakfast.
'Is there a powder that explodes if it catches fire or receives an impact?'
To find a substitute material for gunpowder, I asked Miach and Naza for help, but
'...What are you going to use that for?'
'Well... I plan to use it as a weapon for now...?'
Somehow, both of them looked a bit strange.
'Ahaha... this really makes me wonder what kind of accident I almost caused again...'
'...Huh?'
'I don't really know how you plan to use it, but listen carefully...'
So, Naza and the god's explanation went on for a while, but
'There's no problem at all with that, though?'
When I explained to the two that I wasn't trying to make a bomb, they relaxed and their expressions softened, but as if they still had curiosity, they started asking about its use.
'That's a relief then... so where on earth are you going to use it...?'
'Did you see what I was making this morning?'
'Ah... that weird-looking thing?'
'Weird... anyway, I'm looking for it to use with that.'
'Can you show me what it looks like?'
Come to think of it, I hadn't shown the gun to the god yet.
'Just a moment, I'll bring it from my room now.'
So, I briefly explained the gun I made to the god, showed Naza the bullet model, and explained why I was looking for something explosive.
'If you put the mixture inside a body shaped like this and close it with this bullet head...'
'Indeed... it's a form that uses the pressure from explosion rather than tension to fire...'
'I can get charcoal and sulfur, but I can't get the other one, so I was looking for a substitute.'
'What's the other one...?'
'It's called nitrate... I heard you can get it from white crystals that sometimes appear in places where human or animal corpses are buried, but how am I supposed to get something like that.'
'That... never mind...'
Naza, who had been listening intently, made a somewhat disgusted expression and went straight to the counter.
'Kai... if you complete it, let us know first...'
Seeing the god looking somewhat tired, I just quietly nodded.
'I hope the god council doesn't open...'
...I heard nothing.
'Then... should I go get a fire stone?'
There were other candidates, but since the first priority was a fire stone, I took my wallet and went outside.
'It's expensive, but I have some money saved up, so I don't need to worry too much.'
'...Damn.'
I failed beautifully.
'What the hell, how can one fire stone cost millions?!'
Since it was the first time using such an item, to make gunpowder with the right ratio, I needed to experiment multiple times, so I tried to buy as much as possible, but it turned out to be a drop item only obtainable from the deep 44th floor, so the price was astronomical.
'If only I could get even the powder...'
So, I couldn't get the fire stone, which was the original goal, but I could get sulfur, charcoal, and cartridge cases.
'At least it was fortunate that I had leftover drop items from slaughtering Killer Ants.'
I didn't know, but I heard that drop items can be processed to make weapons or armor, so just in case, I showed the cartridge case model to the shop where I always went to buy materials, and they said it's possible if they make a mold, so I hurriedly collected the drop items I had and placed an order, and as a result, I could solve the cartridge case and bullet head at once.
'If fire stones don't work, I need to find another substitute...'
So, I was sitting on a bench worrying for a while when
'You are...'
A somewhat familiar voice was heard, so I turned around and saw familiar faces.
'...Loki Familia?'
'Well, this is an unexpected person to meet.'
'Ah! It's Kai!'
'The human who poured a drink on Bete's head back then?!'
'Ah, no wonder it looked familiar, so it's that kid from back then?'
'Ah...'
Riveria, Finn, Loki, Lübearia, and Ais were all walking down the street with their weapons.
'It's not the season for an expedition, so are you all going to the dungeon lightly as a group?'
Since they were who they were, it would look a bit strange if I talked while sitting on the bench, so I got up from the bench and continued the conversation normally.
'Yes, you guessed exactly right.'
'I felt it last time too, but you don't seem particularly surprised or anything.'
Somehow, the reactions of the two executives were strange.
'...? Is there a need to be surprised when talking to people?'
What should I say... it's like feeling something obvious that you hadn't felt for a long time, and when you receive it just as you're about to forget, it's joyful but also feels somewhat peculiar?
'Haha... there aren't many people who can answer like this even when facing us right in front.'
'Given our positions, seeing such a reaction is somewhat rare for us.'
'Ah... I understand.'
I'm not sure if it's right to call this a meeting, but since the first meeting was an accident due to the Minotaur they missed because of their mistake, and the second meeting was also an accident at the bar, I had come to think of them as just people like us, with strong power.
'Come to think of it, originally, people like me wouldn't even be able to talk to them...'
Feeling awkward at the words of the two top executives, I quickly tried to break the atmosphere by talking to Tiona, who happened to come into view.
'Come to think of it, you never came to the store in the end.'
It felt a bit abrupt, but since I couldn't think of anything better to say, I brought up the casual remark I made in the dungeon.
'Ah, that... I wanted to go, but you know...'
'No, after such an incident, do you want to go?'
Fortunately, it was successful.
'If you didn't come because of that incident at the store, it's fine. I received an apology right there, and I'm not the type to hold onto past events.'
'R, really?'
'That's a relief! I can finally go buy bath bombs again!!'
'Tiona, aren't you speaking too loudly...'
Seeing Tiona smiling innocently, I couldn't help but smile too.
'Sorry for showing such immature behavior.'
'Ahaha... as I said just now, I'm fine. Besides...'
'...Besides?'
'If a customer who always buys in bulk suddenly stops coming... that's a problem in itself...'
'...Pfft! Yeah, that's definitely a problem.'
So, while chatting for a while, I noticed Ais alone, hesitating to join the conversation, so I spoke to her first.
'Sword Princess... ma'am? Miss? Anyway, do you have something you want to say?'
'Ah... well...'
So, the question that came from Ais was somewhat unexpected.
'...So, you want to apologize to that kid, but you don't know how to meet him, you said?'
'Yes...'
I'm not sure if it's right for me to help, but since I asked first, it would be awkward not to answer, so I only told her information that wouldn't be a problem to share.
'First, his name is Bell Cranel, and his advisor is Eina Tulle, so look into it later when you have time.'
'...Thank you.'
As I was lost in thought wondering if it's okay to receive thanks for just this, this time, Lübearia's expression became strange.
'Of all people, it had to be that child...'
...Yeah, I didn't hear anything this time either.
'By the way... was that half-elf employee, the elf princess, connected to such a person?'
Maybe because it's a world with a protagonist, even the people around the protagonist are all extraordinary.
'That aside... what are you doing here?'
'Ah, I was trying to make a weapon to use as a sub, but the material I had in mind was too expensive, so I was looking for a substitute.'
'...Are you an item maker?'
'It's not at that grand level, just making it as a hobby.'
Since Naza often says that with that level of knowledge, I should just become an item maker, it was a familiar question by now.
'Expensive, huh... what exactly were you trying to get that made you say that?'
'Fire stone.'
'...You're trying to use a quite dangerous item.'
'...Is it a bit like that?'
When I asked with an awkward smile, Lübearia seemed to be thinking about how to answer, but
'If you want, we can get it for you right away?'
Suddenly, Finn cut in and offered to get fire stones for me.
'Finn?! What's with the sudden offer!?'
'C, captain?!'
'...Suddenly?'
Amid the surprise of the others at the sudden offer, Finn approached me with a smile as if it was nothing.
'As a gesture of apology for the Minotaur incident and what happened at the store?'
'You don't have to go that far...'
'Unfortunately, we're in a position where we have to do this.'
I simply realized the intention hidden behind his smile.
'It's about status and image, isn't it... there seems to be more to it, but it's not polite to pry further here, so I should just let it slide this time...'
'...I understand.'
The moment I accepted the offer, Finn asked Tione to go buy a fire stone, and
'Captain~'
She brought back a fire stone the size of a fist in an instant.
'Wow... how much is that thing worth...'
It was a part that made me realize once again that Loki Familia has immense wealth as well as power.
'Here, as a gesture of apology for the previous incident.'
'Haha... I'll accept it gratefully.'
So, I was able to get the fire stone I wanted.
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