「ツルハシは持ったかな?」
「インベントリ一杯に持ったぞ!」
「ハインド君、例の物は?」
「作って持ってきました。準備は万全です」
「じゃあ、出発しようか」
セレーネさんの号令の元、俺とユーミルはラクダに乗り込んだ。
リィズは宣言通り、モンスターの経験値を調べに行ってくれるとのこと。
無理せず、孤立しているモンスターだけを狙うようにお願いしておいた。
一人で行かせるのは少し心配だが......。
俺よりもずっと頭の出来が良いので、引き際を誤るようなことはないだろう。
『王都ワーハ』の街を出て、炎天下の『ルキヤ砂漠』を三人で北へ向かって進んで行く。
「それにしてもセレーネさん、よく採掘場の情報なんて入手できましたね。NPCからですよね? 誰か、街の人間と親しくなれたんですか?」
「......私が街の人達と和やかに話して、自然に情報を聞き出せたと思う?」
「違うのか? 言われてみれば、セッちゃんのそんな姿は想像はできないが」
「あー、もしかしてアレですか? 掲示板で話題になってた、大都市に必ず一人は居るっていう情報屋」
「やっぱりハインド君は知ってたんだ。お金は必要だったけど、得られる情報は正確だって話だから」
前に、店員の様な通り一遍の対応には緊張しなくて済むと言っていたからな。
プレイヤーが増えれば情報の共有が進み、情報屋という存在自体がいずれ必要なくなるかもしれないが。
プレイヤーが少ない今の砂漠の状況だと重宝する存在だな。
他の地域でも、攻略のトップを走るようなプレイヤーはこの情報屋というものを利用しているそうだ。
今回のような素材の採取場所なんかの情報は特に有用とのこと。
「ちなみに、採掘場の情報料はおいくらでした?」
「ん? えっと、100,000Gだったかな」
「――高くはないか!? 情報料の相場とやらは分からんが、ラクダ一頭分もするじゃないか!」
「そんなことないよ。鉱物系の素材が沢山手に入れば、これくらいは直ぐに取り返せるよ」
「ユーミル、諦めろ。一流の生産職人の金銭感覚は、一般プレイヤーとは大きく違う」
「そ、そのようだな......」
「ええ? 変かなぁ? そんなことないと思うんだけど......」
セレーネさんはそう言うが、多少のドロップ品を得るだけで消費するばかりの戦闘型のプレイヤーとは埋めがたい溝があるのだ。
そういうプレイヤーの主な収入源は、各街に常備されている討伐クエストだろうし。
俺は中間、というかどちらに関しても半端者なので、両方の感覚が分かるのだが。
特殊な装備品は酷い時にはあのエルフ耳のように、素材の何倍もの値段で売れてしまう。
セレーネさんの場合は腕の良さもあって、並の職人が作る装備に比べて単価が著しく高い。
その上、一本を作り上げるまでの仕事のペースもとんでもなく早い。
各プレイヤーがイベントで装備を入れ替えている、今の時期などは一瞬で稼げる額なのだろう。
「それならユーミルも、何か生産に手を出してみたらどうだ? リィズも俺と一緒に回復薬を作るって言ってるし、上手くやれば懐がかなり潤うぞ」
「構わんが、私に難しいことはできんぞ? 楽しむためのゲームで複雑なことなど、やりたくもないし」
「あ、だったら農地開発とかどうかな。アイテムに使う薬草とか、料理に使う食材とかを作るの。慣れれば単純な作業の繰り返しになるから、いいかもしれないよ?」
引き換えに根気は要求されそうだが、恐らくゲームで現実の農業ほど厳しい要求はされないだろう。
こいつは途中で投げ出すようないい加減な性格はしていないので、合っているという気がしないこともない。
ユーミルはラクダの手綱を引きながら、セレーネさんの提案にうんうんと頷いた。
「もしハインドが監督してくれるのであれば、私にも出来そうだな。一緒にやってくれるか?」
「ああ、全然いいぞ。砂漠の土壌改良の案は前からあるから、今のPvPイベントが終わったら始めてみようか?」
「うむ、そうしよう。となると、トビにも何か担当させたいところだな」
「そうだなあ......」
トビに向いているものか、何だろう?
もし本人が戦闘しかしたくないと言うなら無理強いする気は無いが......。
「俺のアクセ作りとか、投擲武器作りに参加させればいいんじゃないか? 忍者的なアイテムも結構作ってるし、後は......各自、生産の手が足りない時に呼ぶとか。ただ、言い換えると――」
雑用係だ。
五人だけのギルドなので、時には一箇所で人数が必要という場面も多々あるだろうし、俺だってほぼ全てに関わっているのだからそれほど立場は変わらない。
格好良く言い直せば遊軍だから大丈夫だ、多分。
「あ、そろそろ目的地に着くみたいだよ」
セレーネさんの言葉に目を凝らすと、砂漠の砂山の向こうにごつごつとした岩肌が見え始めた。
バジリスクが岩だらけにした、あの地形とはまた違った感じがする。
他の地域のように、ここルキヤ砂漠では山から鉱石を採る訳ではないらしい。
元は採石場だったそうだ、この岩石地帯は。
最初に建材用の石を採っていた上層部には、実はそれほど有用鉱物は含まれていなかったとのこと。
しかし低い位置まで採石が進む内に、徐々に充分な密度を有する鉱石が出現。
更に地中まで掘り下げていったところ......それなりの量の鉱脈が存在していると確認された。
岩盤の硬さに加え街からやや遠いことからそれほど採掘は進んでいないそうで、言い換えればまだまだ大量の鉱石が取れるということだ。
ゲームだからなのか、こういうものはプレイヤーが勝手に取っても基本的に怒られない。
現実だったら国や領地の大事な資源だと思うんだけど、その辺は気にしてはいけないお約束だとか。
どうせ採取ポイントは時間経過で地形ごと復活するしな......。
俺達は表層にある採取ポイントでツルハシを振り終わり、今は更に地下に向かって掘り進める準備をしている。
表層部分の入手素材はほとんどが『石ころ』ばかりで、良くて微量の『鉄鉱石』のみだった。微妙。
「セレーネさん、セット完了しました」
「じゃあ、火を点けて離れよっか」
セレーネさんが火打石を構えると、ユーミルがワクワクした顔で何かを言いたそうにそれを見ている。
......一瞬だけ眉を困ったように寄せた後、セレーネさんがユーミルに火打石を渡した。
「ユーミルさん。火、点けてくれるかな?」
「いいのか!?」
「うん、お願いね」
すみませんね、派手好きな奴で。
こういうのは自分の手でやりたくて仕方ないのだ、こいつは。
カチカチと石を打ち合わせて手製の『巨大焙烙玉』の導火線に火が点いたのを確認すると、俺達は急いでその場から離れた。
ラクダの待つ岩陰に隠れ、念の為に耳を両手で塞ぐ。
ドッ――というくぐもった音と共に粉塵と煙が舞い、充分な距離を取ったにも関わらずパラパラとこの場にまで砕けた岩の欠片が降り注ぐ。
相変わらず意味の分からない威力だ......大量に使用したとはいえ、本当に黒色火薬のそれとは思えない。
真っ先に立ち上がって岩陰から飛び出したユーミルが、歓声を上げる。
「おおーっ! 岩が粉々だ! これは気持ちいい!」
「は、ハインド君、思ったよりも威力が......」
しかし岩盤を貫いたのは間違いないので、結果オーライである。
鉱石は主に地下にあるらしいのだが、地盤が硬いという情報を事前に訊いていたのでこういう手段に至ったわけで。
北のベリ連邦にある鉱山でも、プレイヤーが自力で掘り進めないと到達不可能な、埋まっている採取ポイントが存在するのだそうな。
粉塵が完全に収まるのを待ち、爆破地点の近くまで慎重に進むと......。
「おお、崩れた場所から採取ポイントの光がポコポコと湧いてます! これは成功ですかね」
「うんうん、良かった良かった。じゃあ、早速作業に取り掛かろうか」
「了解した! よし、採るぞー!」
光を放っている採取ポイントにそれぞれ散り、ツルハシをひたすら光に向かって振り下ろす。
振る度に視界の中に『鉄鉱石を入手しました』というメッセージが表示され、取得したアイテムがインベントリに自動で送られていく。
『鉄鉱石』『鉄鉱石』『鉄鉱石』『コバルト』......ん!?
その表示に急いでインベントリ内を確認すると、どうやら見間違いではなかった。
「せ、セレーネさんセレーネさん!」
「どうしたのハインド君? 何かあった?」
「今、コバルトが出ました! 確か、コバルトっていうと――」
「!? それってレアメタルじゃない! ハインド君、どんどん集めて! 早く早く!」
「は、はい!」
「ここは!? ここでは出ないの!? ああもう、鉄ばっかり! どうして!?」
セレーネさんが見た事がないくらいに鼻息を荒くしている。
そして自分の採取ポイントの上で、物凄い勢いでガツンガツンとツルハシを振り始めた。
は、速い......。
「おーい、こっちではクロム? とかいう素材が出たぞ。良い物なのか?」
「きゃあああああ! ユーミルさん、全部! あるだけ全部採って! 私も直ぐにそっちに行くから、お願い! お願いします!!」
「お、おう。一体どうしたのだ、セッちゃん......」
その後も作業は続き、全ての採取ポイントの光が消えるまでひたすらツルハシを振った。
結果、大興奮のセレーネさんの様子に少し驚きつつも、俺達は大量の鉄鉱石を含む『コバルト』と『クロム』を少量だが入手することができた。
[Did you bring the pickaxe?]  (Selene)
[I've got one in my inventory!]  (Yumir)
[Hind-kun, what about that thing?]  (Selene)
[I've made it and brought it. I'm completely prepared.]  (Hind)
[Well then, shall we head out?]  (Selene)
Hearing Selene-san's command, Yumir and I got on top of our camels.
Just as Riizu had announced, she had gone to investigate the amount of experience monsters give.
Without taking risks, I asked her to aim for isolated targets.
Though I'm a bit worried about having her go alone...
Since she's much smarter than me, I doubt that she'll misjudge the timing to make her retreat.
We left the town of {Royal Capital Waaha} , and we headed north under the blazing sun of the {Lukia desert} .
[It was from an NPC right? Did you get close to someone from town?]  (Hind)
[...Do you think I would be able to talk friendly with the people in town and naturally get information from them?]  (Selene)
[It wasn't that? Now that you said it, I can't imagine Secchan going around doing that.]  (Yumir)
[Ah, could it be that? That thing that's been getting popular in the BBS, that there will be an information shop for sure in every large city.]  (Hind)
[Just as I thought, Hind-kun knew about it. You need money for it, but the information is accurate.]  (Selene)
A while ago, she did say that she felt nervous speaking with people like vendors casually after all.
If the players that come here increases, the sharing of information will make progress, there might not be a need for the existence of information shops someday.
Now that there's few players in the desert, they are a valuable and convenient existence.
Even in other regions, the higher ups that run walkthrough sites seem to be using these information shops.
Like this time, getting information about where you can obtain materials is particularly useful.
[By the way, how much was the information about the mining place?]  (Hind)
[Hmm? Eh, I think it was 100.000G?]  (Selene)
[-Isn't that really expensive!? I don't know what the market price is for information, but isn't that the price of one camel!?]  (Yumir)
[Not really. If we can get lots of minerals, we can get that amount back right away.]  (Selene)
[Yumir, give it up. The sense for money of a first-class crafter is completely different from a normal player.]  (Hind)
[S-Seems like that's the case...]  (Yumir)
[Eh? Is it that weird? I don't think that's the case though...]  (Selene)
Selene-san said that but...for combat type players that rely more or less on getting drops and have to consume consumables, it's an amount that is hard to come by.
For those kind of players, their main source of income are the subjugation quests that are always available in each town after all.
I'm in the middle, or should I say I'm a blockhead regarding both sides, so I can understand both sides.
Especially like that time when I sold accessories unreasonably with the elven ears, I sold them for many times the price of the materials.
In Selene-san's case, there's the fact that she's skilled, the price of her gear is higher compared to the average crafter.
On top of that, the pace at which she finishes her work is unbelievably fast.
All players are replacing their gear for the event, during this time she'll probably be able to earn that amount in an instant.
[In that case, why don't you pick up a crafting skill too, Yumir? Riizu said that she would make restorative medicine with me, so if you did it well, you'll earn quite the profit.]  (Hind)
[I don't really mind, but I can't do anything difficult, you know? In order to enjoy the game, I don't want to do anything that's really complicated.]  (Yumir)
[Ah, in that case, how about agricultural development? You could grow medicinal herbs that can be used for items or ingredients for cooking.
On the other hand, I believe that requires patience, though it's most likely less strict that agriculture in real life.
She's not really the type to leave a job half done, so it's not that it doesn't fit her.
While she was pulling the reins of the camel, Yumir kept nodding while she was thinking about Selene-san's proposal.
[If Hind supervises me, I think I might be able to do it. Will you do it together with me?]  (Yumir)
[Ah, I don't mind. There was this proposal of improving the soil of the desert, shall we begin once this PvP event ends?]  (Hind)
[Umu, let's do it that way. In that case, Tobi should be in charge of something else then.]  (Yumir)
[You are right...]  (Hind)
What would be something that suits Tobi?
Though if the person himself says that he doesn't want to do anything other than fighting, I have no intention to force him...
[Shouldn't it be fine if he just helped me with making accessories and throwing weapons? I'm making quite a few ninja type items after all, other than that...you could call him if you need help crafting or anything.
Doing odd jobs.
We are a guild of only five people, there are probably a lot of times where we will need to have everyone in the same place, since I'm more or less concerned with all parties, my standing hasn't really changed.
It'd be fine to give it a cooler name and call it reserve corps or something like that.
[Ah, we are about to arrive at our destination.]  (Selene)
Due to Selene-san's words I strained my eyes, I could start to see a rugged rock surface beyond the dunes of the desert.
It gave a different feeling to the areas the Basilisk turned into stone.
Unlike other regions, it seems like in Lukia desert you don't obtain minerals from the mountains.
It seems like this rocky area was originally a quarry.
The fact that the top brass used it to get stones to make buildings at first meant that in reality it didn't have that many useful minerals.
However, if you kept quarrying deeper, gradually, minerals with enough density would appear.
Furthermore, if you dug even deeper...it was revealed that there was quite the amount of ore veins.
Since the bedrock was quite far from town, the mining hadn't progressed that much, in other words, it means that there are still a large amount of minerals to be mined here.
It's probably because it's a game, they basically won't get mad at us if players arbitrarily took them.
If this was real life, it would be important resources for the country, it would be expected if they were bothered by it.
Anyhow, the mining points will just respawn as time passes anyway...
We finished swinging our pickaxes at the mining points in the outer layer and were now getting ready to dig further underground.
The materials we got in the outer layer were mostly {Pebbles} , even if it was something better it was only {Iron ore} . It wasn't great.
[Selene-san, I finished setting it up.]  (Hind)
[In that case, shall we light it up and take some distance?]  (Selene)
Once Selene-san took the flint on her hands, Yumir made a very excited face and looked like she wanted to say something.
...After she frowned her eyebrows in a troubled manner for a second, Selene-san handed the flint over to Yumir.
[Yumir-san. Can I leave lighting it up to you?]  (Selene)
[Is it fine!?]  (Yumir)
[Yup, please.]  (Selene)
I'm sorry, about her being so flamboyant.
She can't really help but want to do this kind of thing with her own hands.
Once we confirmed the clattering of the rocks lit a fire on the handmade {Gigantic Bo-hiya's}  fuse, we hurried up and took some distance from there.
The camels were hidden waiting in the shade of a rock and just to make sure, I covered my ears with both hands.
Along with a muffled sound, smoke and dust danced in the air, even when we took enough distance, shattered fragments of rock rained down on us.
As always, I can't understand this firepower...even though I had used a large amount, it makes you doubt that it was gunpowder.
The first one to jump from the shade of the rock was Yumir and she cheered in a loud voice.
[Oooh!! The boulder turned into little pieces! This feels so good!]  (Yumir)
[H-Hind-kun, it was more powerful than I expected...]  (Selene)
However, it doesn't change the fact that it went through the bedrock, so the result was good.
It seems like the ores are mainly underground, we got information that the ground was hard prior to this and came up with this measure.
Even in the mines in Beli confederation to the north, players can't get to the ores if they don't dig themselves, seems like mining points are buried.
We waited until the dust settled down and we carefully approached the place of the explosion...
[Ooh, from the crumbled area, mining points started shining here and there! Guess this makes it a success.]  (Hind)
[Yup, I'm glad. Well then, shall we get to work?]  (Selene)
[Understood! Alright, I'm going to start mining!]  (Yumir)
The mining points that were shining were scattered all over the place, we headed towards the light with the pickaxe and swung it down.
Each time I swung it down, a message saying {You have obtained iron ore}  appeared within my field of view, and the items I obtained were automatically sent to my inventory.
{Iron ore} , {Iron ore} , {Iron ore} , {Cobalt} ...Hmm!?
Once that showed up, I hurriedly verified my inventory, seems like it wasn't my mind playing tricks on me.
[S-Selene-san, Selene-san!]  (Hind)
[What's wrong, Hind-kun? Did something happen?]  (Selene)
[Right now, cobalt appeared! If I remember correctly, cobalt is-]  (Hind)
[!? Isn't that a minor metal!? Hind-kun, keep gathering them! Fast!]  (Selene)
[Y-Yes!]  (Hind)
[What about here!? Doesn't it appear here!? Ah geez, it's all iron!! Why!?]  (Selene)
Selene-san was getting excited and breathing roughly, a sight I haven't seen.
Then, she started swinging with scary vigor down on her own mining point.
S-So fast...
[Hey, this is chromium? A material called that appeared. Is this good?]  (Yumir)
[Kyaaaaaa!!! Yumir-san, get everything! Gather as much as you can!! I'll go there right now, so please!! I beg you!!]  (Selene)
[Y-Yeah. What's gotten into you, Secchan...]  (Yumir)
After that, we kept working, until all the lights of the mining points disappeared, we focused on swinging down our pickaxes.
As a result, while we were surprised by how excited Selene-san was, we managed to get a small amount of {Cobalt}  and {Chromium}  along with the large amount of iron ore.
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都