WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Got a Gallery in the Wild ◈

Chapter 129: Click (1)

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After setting up every last Signpost perfectly, I returned to the shelter.

It felt a little strange to say this about something I'd made, but I'd built it so people could clearly tell someone lived there.

I'd basically advertised it(?) on the Gallery already, so everyone should recognize it.

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

I'd taken every measure I could, but I didn't have high hopes.

The Forest of Four Seasons was a region as large as a small country.

More importantly, the terrain changed by the moment, so nobody could know how they might meet.

With luck, I could meet them soon. Without it, I might never meet them for the rest of my life.

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

In the worst case, they might already be dead. That was what worried me most.

Could the investigation group really make it here safely? There was no way to know.

At least the Head Mod's location tracking could give me some idea of their chances.

'I just need to keep an eye on Ludwig's location.'

He was the registered user who had announced that he would enter the Forest of Four Seasons. I planned to keep track of him.

The Head Mod seemed worried about him too, so I could probably ask often.

If there was no way to track his location, that would be really depressing.

'Not that I'm safe either.'

Even if I had my own problems, I had reliable allies.

Fast Sloth, who had apparently gone toe-to-toe with the Chief Gorilla.

And Wonmo, the baby Owlbear whose presence did wonders for my mental health.

The investigation group had nothing.

Whether they had a companion who could provide overwhelming muscle like Fast Sloth would make a huge difference.

'I really managed to survive back when I was weak.'

Now, I had the strength to endure even when a crisis struck. That wasn't true on day one.

When Mad Dog bit me, I thought I was completely screwed. When I faced the Saber-Toothed Tiger, I really nearly died.

Feeling grateful that I was still alive, I arrived at the shelter.

'I should get to work.'

I'd given Ludwig my sword, so I didn't have a spare. I needed to make a new one.

I'd just made a huge batch of charcoal, so crafting one wouldn't be difficult.

I also had extra materials, so I could use them without hesitation.

'I should keep collecting Mithril and Orichalcum.'

I never knew when, where, or to whom I might end up giving a sword.

Making two swords, including one to give someone else, should do it.

Still, I planned to discuss it with the dwarf first. It wouldn't be polite to just send them over without asking.

[You]: Hey.

[You]: I'm gonna send over another sword in a bit. Can you sharpen it for me?

[Passing Dwarf]: I don't mind, but did you really give away the sword?

[You]: Yeah. They were entering the Forest of Four Seasons, so I figured I should give them something.

[You]: It's better for me if they survive somehow.

[Passing Dwarf]: You really don't know how the world works, do you?

[Passing Dwarf]: What if that registered user killed everyone else and ran off with it?

[Passing Dwarf]: That sword's scary as fuck already.

I understood what the dwarf was worried about. A grab-and-run.

Even Heavenly Demon had said the sword was too powerful to be a good thing.

So the dwarf was imagining Ludwig getting greedy, abandoning the investigation group, and running off.

[You]: Everyone says he's a good person, though?

[You]: The Head Mod says they know him too.

[Passing Dwarf]: Good lord. You just trusted what other people said?;;

[Passing Dwarf]: Huh. It's already too late to take it back.

[Passing Dwarf]: But did you know this?

[Passing Dwarf]: Know what?

[You]: Honestly, this has nothing to do with me lol

[Passing Dwarf]: You bastard lmao

[Passing Dwarf]: You're enjoying all the fun without any responsibility lmao

I was only saying that, though. Really, the Head Mod's request had played a big part. Without it, I would've hesitated.

I'd already learned through the Gallery that someone named Ludwig was part of the investigation group.

Still, Ludwig's verification, combined with the Head Mod's request, made me feel like it would be okay to give him one.

'I need to raise their chances of escaping, even if only a little.'

The more attention people outside paid to the Forest of Four Seasons, the better my odds of survival would be.

I'd do my best(?) to attract some attention too.

The simplest way was to spread Mislicon around.

But if I handled it wrong, a war might break out just as the dwarf said.

It was a metal people couldn't buy even if they had money.

Everyone was already desperate to get their hands on it.

If it spread too widely, tragedy might follow.

Thankfully, it couldn't even be processed without a special blast furnace.

I planned to use the fact that only I could make it.

Some weird people might cling to me, but I'd ignore them if possible and try to create some deterrence.

[You]: I'm done.

[You]: Sharpen the blade for me.

[Passing Dwarf]: The more I think about it, the more ridiculous this is.

[Passing Dwarf]: It's metal some people might never touch in their entire lives, but you've got it lying all over your house and yard lmao

[You]: Jealous? Too bad, you lose. Lmao

[Passing Dwarf]: Fuck off lol

From the dwarf's point of view, it must seem like a one-click job. Honestly, it was for me too.

The incredible heat was hard to deal with, but the process itself wasn't that difficult.

Even if I failed, I had endless chances, so I could craft with peace of mind.

I looked over the newly returned sword from every angle, then leaned it against the cave wall.

[You]: I made another one.

[You]: Sharpen this too.

[Passing Dwarf]: Fuck, how long has it even been since you made the last one?

[You]: You just put them in together, melt them down, and pour them out. That's it.

[Passing Dwarf]: Lmao, this is seriously ridiculous.

[Passing Dwarf]: Hey. Do you know that's still a fuuuuucking difficult job?

[You]: No?

[You]: It worked because I did what you told me.

[You]: Hammering is the hardest part, isn't it?

[Passing Dwarf]: You're not wrong, but... sigh.

[Passing Dwarf]: I don't even know anymore.

[Passing Dwarf]: I'll take the sword for now.

Then I made one more sword. A spare for my spare.

Part of me wanted to make another, but I was short on both time and materials.

Besides, I wanted to make tools other than swords now. A pickaxe, for example.

I did have the pickaxe the dwarf gave me, but I wanted to mine Mithril more easily.

Since I'd made a new metal anyway, I wanted something new for myself too.

'I should make the pickaxe directly instead of casting it.'

That was how I'd improve little by little.

While I was at it, I could give the dwarf something nice and get advice in return.

Without a teacher, it was impossible for my skills to improve by leaps and bounds, but as I'd said before, I had plenty of chances.

'It's already evening.'

As I worked, the sun slowly sank and darkness began to fall.

I should start preparing dinner and browse the Gallery while I was at it.

Of those two, browsing the Gallery was more important. Important posts might have gotten buried while I was working.

'I wonder if Ludwig hasn't made it in yet?'

I kept in mind that, as the dwarf feared, he might have grabbed the loot and run.

This world wasn't as kind as I liked to think.

There were lots of good people, but there were also plenty with rotten hearts.

[Post title] The investigation group apparently got scattered?

I had finished dinner and worked through my cultivation method, then started browsing the Gallery.

So many new posts had gone up that I was checking mostly featured posts when one caught my eye.

A post said that the investigation group dispatched by El Dorado had scattered.

I couldn't possibly pass it by, so I opened it right away.

[Post title] The investigation group apparently got scattered?

[Post] My priest friend who just got back told me. Apparently the investigation group got scattered at the entrance to the Forest of Four Seasons.

[Post] My friend says the investigation commander rebelled and escaped, but I don't know much. Anyway, it's true that the investigation group ran away.

[Post] It's going to be in the papers soon anyway, but I'm spoiling it early so you Gallery folks don't get shocked lol

└ Fuck, you just spoiled this huge news.

└ Then become a priest too if you're mad.

└ I'd rather be a rich unemployed guy than a priest lol

└ Honestly, I want to be rich and unemployed too. This place is too scary T_T

└ But doesn't that mean all of Grylls's friends are gone?

└ Lmao, that's true too lmao

└ What will Grylls do when he gets lonely... He even made Signposts.

└ Better to rebel than die.

└ They practically forced them inside. I'd fight too lol

└ Didn't Grylls give them a sword too?

└ Yeah, apparently it looked like it held a green galaxy inside it? Hearing that made me wonder if this guy was bullshitting us lol

└ What kind of sword glows green? Lmao

It was pretty shocking. The investigation group had scattered.

My heart dropped when I wondered if the dwarf's concern had become reality.

Most users weren't sure whether to believe it, but I had no choice but to believe it.

The description of the sword was exactly the same as the one I'd given Ludwig.

'T-Then where is Ludwig now?'

I immediately sent the Head Mod a message. They must have read the post too.

Just as I'd expected, the Head Mod had read it and replied right away.

[DontAbandonTheHero]: Just in case you're wondering, Ludwig isn't the kind of person to take someone's kindness and run away!

[DontAbandonTheHero]: He's someone who always prays to the goddess and does good deeds!

[You]: Forget that.

[You]: Do you know where he is right now?

I wanted his location, not a defense of his character.

After seeing that post, his current location was what mattered.

[DontAbandonTheHero]: Um... I'm sorry, but

[DontAbandonTheHero]: I can't determine his current location...!

[You]: What do you mean by that?;;

[DontAbandonTheHero]: It's true!

[DontAbandonTheHero]: A message says he's somewhere whose location can't be determined!

[You]: Then what am I?

That didn't make any sense.

For a moment, I wondered if the Head Mod was lying.

The Head Mod had tracked my location perfectly before. The exact center of the Forest of Four Seasons.

But Ludwig's location couldn't be determined? It was a complete contradiction.

[DontAbandonTheHero]: I swear it to the goddess!

[DontAbandonTheHero]: I can't determine his location, but I can still send him messages!

[You]: What does that have to do with anything?

[DontAbandonTheHero]: If a registered user dies, a message says that the user doesn't exist!

[DontAbandonTheHero]: So there's a high chance that he entered the Forest of Four Seasons!

[You]: Even so, isn't it a little strange that his location can't be tracked?;;

[DontAbandonTheHero]: Grylls, you could access the Gallery from the beginning!

[DontAbandonTheHero]: There's a higher chance that you're the exceptional case!

That was very convincing.

I wasn't being sarcastic. I really should consider myself the exception.

How many times had everyone been shocked by my every action so far?

It would be strange to judge everything I'd experienced by this world's standards alone.

'Anyway, there's a high chance he entered the Forest of Four Seasons...'

There was nothing I could do right now.

I couldn't track his location in real time, so all I could do was wait quietly.

[You]: I guess all we can do is wait.

[DontAbandonTheHero]: Um...!

[DontAbandonTheHero]: I know this is a difficult situation, but could you please find Ludwig?!

[You]: I think I can guide him to where I am, but finding him would be difficult.

[DontAbandonTheHero]: That's enough!

[DontAbandonTheHero]: I'll help as much as I can!

[You]: How?

[DontAbandonTheHero]: :

[DontAbandonTheHero]: Umm...!

The Head Mod thought for a while before cautiously replying.

[DontAbandonTheHero]: Whenever I pray to the goddess, I can ask her to help Grylls find Ludwig?

[You]: Does she grant requests just because you pray?

[DontAbandonTheHero]: Yes!

They sounded so confident that I had nothing to say. Did the goddess really answer prayers?

If that was true, that would be the real one-click solution.

'If that's really how it works, I might shut my eyes and pray too.'

Of course.

Whoooooosh!

"Ah, seriously. Again?"

I wished this damn rain would stop first.

* * *

Because it was a forest, rain fell often.

That rain restricted Grylls's movements.

The grasslands were different from the forest because they had rainy and dry seasons.

During the dry season, there were no restrictions on movement, and animals could roam freely.

It was the dry season now.

"..."

Ludwig, who had just entered the Forest of Four Seasons, was likewise free to move about. He stood still, staring at a cave.

Normally, he would enter the cave and explore it, but his current situation made him hesitate.

The powerful ambient mana made it almost impossible to use mana.

Fortunately, given his skill, he could still use a tiny amount of it.

Shaaa-

Even with that small amount, his sword gave off a green light.

Ludwig looked back and forth between the sword and the cave entrance, then nodded.

'It would be best to investigate.'

With the thought that it might be an empty cave if he was lucky, he entered.

A little while later.

"Roooaaaar!!!"

"..."

Ludwig began fleeing from a three-headed lion.

Footnotes:

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