Welcome to Hell!

Chapter 283: Search and Harvest

While Mika handled the giant snake with brilliant skill and properly processed the meat, we decided to split up and search for something specific. Accompanying me were Chirik, Lappy, Acht, and Woodsorrel.

Ideally, only Chiriks presence was necessary, but Lappy decided to tag along out of boredom. Acht who was always perched on Lappys hair as an ornament naturally ended up joining us. Although I had never witnessed their verbal exchanges, Acht seemed to share a close bond with Lappy.

Gardenia also said that she wanted to come along when she heard Chirik was going, but unfortunately for her we couldnt take her with us. The reason was her fur, which made her susceptible to the high heat in the desert.

Pupupu! Im so glad to be able to use transformation technique!

Dont tease her like that. She must have been genuinely upset.

Woodsorrel who was also a member of the demon fox race like Gardenia had long since transformed into a human form using her transformation technique. This effectively rid her of her fur and allowed her a certain level of comfort even in the scorching desert heat.

Well, a significant factor was that I had conjured a canopy of sand above us to shield us from the sunlight. Without it, even Woodsorrel wouldnt have said that she wanted to accompany us. Such is the intense heat of this desert.

What are we doing, big brother?

Yes, tell us.

Hey, hey, did you follow without knowing?

Mhmm.

Lappy and Woodsorrel simultaneously nodded their heads at my question. It seemed that, seeing the adults gathered and doing something, the relatively lively Lappy and Woodsorrel decided on a whim to follow. Im glad they became good friends, but they were overly energetic. There were many children suffering from the heat.

As I sighed in exasperation, Chirik too let out a sigh at the exact same moment. I guess because hes such a smart kid that he can understand my feelings Im really sorry for putting you through so much trouble.

Chirik, explain it to them.

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Yes, teacher. We came here to investigate whether theres an underground water vein in this area.

Since we settled in the desert, the first thing we had to secure was a water source. While it was possible to procure water through spiritual art, relying solely on those skilled in water spiritual arts, like Chris, wasnt a good thing. Finding a water source capable of sustaining our many comrades was an absolute necessity.

To do this, we would check for underground water veins in several directions from where we first landed. Chirik and I could analyze the ground with our sand spiritual arts, and Mika could detect the presence of water through sound. Others in the group also had their own means of investigation.

Water, huh? There really isnt any around here.

Yeah, water is important.

It seems you understand. Now, Chirik, give it a try.

Yes!

Once they understood, I encouraged Chirik to use his spiritual arts. After responding energetically, he thrust his staff into the ground and channeled his spiritual power into it. The power flowed straight down and penetrated deep into the earth.

Chirik was indeed a child prodigy. In terms of skill and detailed control, he had already surpassed me, although his young age meant that his power output was still a weakness. However, he was gradually overcoming this limitation. The diligent training bore fruit, and his growth rate was beyond what anyone could have expected.

But Chiriks expression became worried and I understood why only too well. This was because I also lightly tapped the ground with my foot, using the sound to probe the earth beneath.

Teacher theres absolutely no water here.

True to Chiriks words, within the range of my vibrational sensing, there was not even a trace of flowing water. I had never encountered a place so devoid of water. How did the plants growing in this region get their moisture from?

With our objective to locate water effectively concluded, I thought it best to head back. Thats when I noticed Lappy crouched at my feet while intently examining a plant. Then, she slowly grabbed the leaf and pulled it out with great force.

Hey, what are you doing?

Look. This is a sweet potato.

The plant Lappy had pulled out was indeed a sweet potato. It was black on the surface and shaped like a distorted ball. Clusters of them hung together, with around twenty in total.

Each was about the size of Chiriks fist, not particularly large, but their quantity meant that a single plant could easily fill a stomach. Whether they were edible remained to be seen, but finding potential food was indeed an achievement. I patted Lappy on the head and praised her for her find.

Youve done well to notice. Good job.

Hmm. The leaves looked similar.

Lappys expression remained the same as usual, but her voice carried a hint of pride. It seemed she was pleased to be praised. This trait of hers hadnt changed since we first met.

In the past, she would often coax me to carry her on my shoulder. Recently, however, this had stopped entirely. I understood the reason though. She wanted to appear more mature in front of Chirik.

Personally, I wouldnt mind her being more clingy, but the rest of our comrades seemed to think the current distance was just right. Perhaps I should be happy that she was growing, but I couldnt help but feel a bit lonely.

We then collected as many of the same type of sweet potatoes as we could before returning to our landing site. The other members of our group had already returned, so we were the last to arrive.

The reason we were the last to return was undoubtedly because we had been collecting sweet potatoes, but in doing so, we had acquired what might be an edible source of food. Upon sharing this reason, everyone was delighted, and it was quickly decided to cook and try them for lunch.

Interestingly enough, even Lorenz who was probably the most knowledgeable of us was unfamiliar with this type of sweet potato. It may be a variety not found in the northern regions of the Shumie Mountains, which means we wouldnt know if it was poisonous without tasting it.

Please, enjoy. Ive kept it simple. Just steamed and sprinkled with a bit of salt.

Hoo.

Doesnt it smell wonderful?

Mika had steamed half of the sweet potatoes we had brought. Since Im immune to poison and can safely eat raw food, and demons are generally resistant to poison, it seemed wed be fine. The real test, however, was whether it would be edible when cooked since thats how it would normally be consumed. Raw sweet potato wouldnt be a reliable indicator.

Still, considering the possibility of poison, I decided to be the first to taste it. Even though poison doesnt affect me, I can detect its presence by its unique unpleasant taste. I was essentially the perfect poison taster.

As the potato was served before me, I realized at that moment that it was a jackpot. The faintly sweet aroma wafting from the steam convinced me that I would eat it, poison or not. I was certain of it.

While entertaining thoughts that would probably earn me a silent punch from Chris sitting next to me, I decided to split the potato in two. Mika had steamed it with the skin on and he said that it tasted better that way, so its interior was still a mystery to me. I wondered what color it might be.

The skin of the potato was thick, and splitting it required more strength than I had anticipated. While someone as trained as Magna might find it easier, it seemed like a difficult task for a child.

However, what deserved special mention was the color of the split potato. To my surprise, the inside was a brilliant red. While the color was surprising, what mattered most was whether it was edible. Without hesitation, I took a bite of the potato.

Mmm, delicious. And it seems to be poison-free too.

Then Ill have some too! Munch Mmm~! Sweet and tasty~!

Having had experiences where something smelled wonderful but tasted bland, I was relieved to find that this was not the case. And since the most important part was the taste, it turned out to be quite pleasant.

While it wasnt as sweet as fruit, the moist and smooth texture was quite good. I was confident that everyone could eat it and gave my heartfelt approval.

Woodsorrel, who had been waiting for me to say it was good to eat, followed me and popped the potato into her mouth. She had picked the largest one from the stash she had dug up and insisted it be her share. Chris was amazed at how greedy she was.

Lets save the other half. If we find suitable land, it might be a good idea to cultivate it.

Its going to be more fun.

Chris smiled while eating the sweet potato. Apparently, she noticed that I quite liked this potato. Noticing this, I felt a bit embarrassed and quickly finished the rest of mine.

After the meal, we shared updates on the investigation of the water veins. The results were the same for everyone; there was hardly any sign of water. This meant that there were no water veins in the vicinity.

It could be due to the terrain, or perhaps the ancient battles of the gods weve heard about. Either way, settling in this vicinity seems impossible.

Right. So, what do we do?

We cant just wander aimlessly

If living here proved difficult, we needed to find another place. However, wandering blindly would only lead to exhaustion. There was a real risk of dehydrating while searching for a water vein.

Amidst this, there were those who seemed to have something to say but hesitated to voice it. I believed I knew what was on their minds and decided to speak up.

Well head south. Aim for the oasis we saw during our descent.

Haah~. Guess thats our only option.

While we were descending from the sky, my compound eyes caught sight of an oasis amidst the desert. However, when I recalled the view from above, I knew the distance to it was very big. The journey would surely be difficult.

But it was a safer option than wandering aimlessly across this dry land. So we decided to head south and brave the vast desert in search of a water source.