Vol. 9 - Chapter 454 - Let’s start our 3 nights and 4 days camping trip!
" "Aye-aye!" "
Hannah and Alulu followed after my excited announcement with the same wavelength. Both of them were burning in enthusiasm like never before after they heard they could secure ingredients for their stall from here.
They seemed really looking forward to it, throwing their hands in the air. That was enough to take the mood to another level!
We\'re currently in our guild room. It was cloudless weather, the blueness of sky stretching far and wide.
Starting today, we were going to start on our first summer plan. The first step in our plan was the rehearsal of ‹Food-Dun›.
Summer camp, if you ask me, I would like to hold for the 2nd or even 3rd time. (Whether it\'s possible is another thing.)
The plan was to keep it a day trip for today but I wouldn\'t mind turning it into a full-fledged summer camp if everything goes alright. This would become a reference for the later guild activities as well.
So I couldn\'t take this easy. Yes, I must make this plan a success. That\'s why I was raising everyone\'s excitement metre from the get-go.
"Are you sure you can save your stamina if you keep wasting your breath getting all pepped up when we haven\'t even left yet?" (Kairi)
The one to retort---and also a straightforward opinion was Kairi.
"I know right. Best way to spend stamina is to conserve as much as you can, spend as little as possible, and come back with some in the tank." (Nico)
"That\'s the philosophy of lazy bum!" (Alulu)
I couldn\'t believe such un-student like words were coming from Nico\'s mouth. Wouldn\'t a typical student look for some exhaustive games!?
It seemed like I wasn\'t alone in thinking that, as Alulu retorted.
"Kairi is right. Can you not be such a child when we haven\'t even begun, Zephyr?" (Sierra)
"I guess so."
My overwhelming spirit died down when Sierra spoke. I wonder why I couldn\'t go against her words. Ahem, no way right. Right, we still were waiting for other members so this was just a bit of a cooldown.
But at least everyone\'s feeling over this camping trip was the same. They all had been talking about what they wanted to gather, what they wanted to eat etc.
While everyone was excitedly talking, rest of the members joined in one after another. Last one to arrive was Celestine, though he was---
"Everything is ready. We can leave now."
He had just come back from completing all the procedures to enter into Extra-Dungeon. It seemed like at least half of the usual students had started to explore Extra-Dungeon.
As we gradually approached our location, the colours of excitement had started gradually appearing on everyone\'s face.
"‹Food-Dun›!"
The first to react, almost like a reflex, was Hannah who shouted immediately after we entered ‹Food-Dun›.
"It\'s truly a treasure trove of food ingredients."
Sierra also slipped her murmur as she looked around.
"Woah~, the gathering area is so packed~. Is this the so-called farm harvest area?"
"Indeed, it\'s the super important spot that supports humanity\'s food resource. I should have expected it, but the amount is truly incredible."
"Everything in sight is a harvest area. I detect no trap or enemy presence. Just what would you expect from Extra-Dungeon said to be a treasure trove of food."
I know right. Well, anyone visiting her usually looked similarly surprised.
Alulu was curiously looking around, Nico\'s eyes were glinting with golden sparkle while Kairi was properly checking for signs or monster of trap using ‹Search Enemy›, ‹Trap Detection›. But seeing a no monster harvest zone seemed to have impressed her.
In the meantime, Celestine, Aegis-senpai and I started preparing ‹Carriage›. Once everyone had their share of sightseeing, I called out to everyone and told them our next action.
"Just as you\'d been briefed, our goal this time is the final floor. However the road is long and ‹Carriage› also can\'t fit everyone so we have to separate into groups, so we\'ll be targeting the last floor tomorrow. For now, our target is the 12th floor.
We will start with the first trip. Remaining one can do anything they like---harvest, explanation or adventuring. Fear not, this place is devoid of monsters. Well then, first group, take your seat in the carriage."
A one-way trip to the final floor was 4 hours. Return trip would take 8 hours. We would need at least 12 hours to carry the second group together which is impossible to do in just one day.
So we decided to simply travel to the 12th floor and make it our playground for today. 12th floor was a mountainous area and just the perfect place for exploring around. It was possible to harvest wheat, tomato, potatoes as well, and livestocks were just as abundant.
It was also the floor that had more frequent appearance of goblin\'s secret hideout, and it might also be hiding some place for rare items.
It was just a day trip last time, so we had made a straight beeline for the final floor. But it\'s also fun to search for interesting or hidden stuff. I mean, doesn\'t this give the real summer camp vibe?
With that, Aegis-senpai took the lead as she equipped ‹Thunder Javelin›, I took the passenger seat, followed by Celestine .
Since the total seating capacity of the two carriages was 16 people, three individuals would be designated as chauffeurs, shuttling groups of 10 members at a time, making a total of 23 members.
First, we started with ‹Eden› members while ‹Arc-Arcadia› and ‹Helper› groups would try their hand on harvest.
"Well then, Sierra. Take care of the rest and guide them."
"I will. You should look your way out and take care."
Sierra was going to be left behind. Having her had been reassuring.
"Sheesh, I\'m also one of the observer. And you don\'t have anything to say to me?"
"C-Cough. Sorry, Nico. Take care of everyone."
"Yes sir! Even if I can fight no more, I will protect everyone!"
"Huh, there\'s no monster on the first floor, remember? The only thing that moves here is the animals."
"I was joking. So please stop with a serious reply. I want to crawl into a hole."
...But I really feel like she was serious just now.Right, you say nothing, you hear nothing. But I am really grateful for her resolve, maybe that was truly just teasing.
Anyway, leaving the rest of the members in the hands of our two capable sub-guildmasters while we left for the 12th floor.
"Everyone! Do you all have your ‹Item Box›? Make sure to be careful of time, don\'t become the lost kid in your exploration. Except that, you\'re free to do anything!"
Each member immediately moved to take their own action after I was done with explaining what they needed to be careful of.
"Alright, let\'s go to that field, Mert-sama! We shall get the farm harvest experience first!"
"I want to check the rivers first. I heard we can catch fresh fish in the mountain stream."
"Geez, is calcium really that important? I guess this is the age huh, but alright. Let\'s get going!"
"Hoho...... It seems like someone is itching to get their ears squeezed."
Mert and Misato seemed to have decided to try fishing.
"I guess I shall try the livestock area? Karua-san, Rika-san. Will you accompany me?"
"Hn, of course. My steaks are waiting for me."
"Likewise. I didn\'t accompany Karua together last time, so I could only placate myself with her explanation."
Rina, Karua and Rika seemed to have decided on a livestock area.
"Lulu, we can\'t pet Mr. Animals here. It would be a tragic site, so let\'s check vegetable area ourservles."
"Nyu? If Celia onee-sama says so, then let\'s do that!"
"Would it be alright if I accompany you as well? I had always wanted to see harvesting on a farm."
"Maria-san is it? Of course, feel free."
Lulu, Celia and ‹Helper› Maria had settled on the farm area. Well, hunting livestock was also one of our tasks. Thinking about what would happen to the livestocks Lulu would be petting......yeah, all I could imagine was a scene out of a horror film left in her eyes. Celia was swift in her decision.
Maria hardly had any battle power, so she was joining in the harvest group.
"Lacritta-chan! Let\'s go on an adventure! I really want to see what lies beyond that hill."
"Wa-wa-wait, Noel-chan. You will get lost if you don\'t leave behind any signposts!?"
Noel and Lacritta had decided to become an adventuring duo. Though Lacritta was mostly led around by the whims of Noel. Was that how the two typically act? By the way, you can go all out. We have ‹Dragon\'s Miniature Garden› etc items precisely to search for the lost kids.
Seeing everyone deciding on their task, we returned back to the 1st floor. Speaking of, Hannah and Alulu were stopping at the 1st floor to gather the ingredients for the stall.