Chapter Prologue

Prologue - Crafting Guild and Insect Repelling Incense

"——And so, I've managed to obtain some petals of the Wisteria Peach tree."

"What's that 'wisteria' tree you're talking about?"

"Didn't you hear from Miu-chan before? That they have passed through the Horror Cave and reached the Wisteria Peach tree."

I had no idea. I shook my head.

"There's just a single Wisteria Peach tree growing on a hill, it's always in full bloom and has pink petals."

"Hee〜. Sounds perfect for flower viewing."

Drinking a cup of sake in the moonlight night. Could be nice. Oops, if I think that I'll start thinking about cooking, and so I have discarded those thoughts.

"Ahh, that's impossible. Mobs in there spawn really fast so there's no opportunity for flower viewing. If anything, rather than a rain of petals, I'm guessing rain of blood would be more likely?"

"That's not something I want to hear during a meal."

A lunch break in school. Among a great number of students eating their lunch we were no exception and ate our lunches while having a disturbing conversation.

"After wiping out the spawning mobs, everyone gets a single petal of the Wisteria Peach tree."

"Is it some kind of quest item?"

"No, it's an inferior revival item that revives you at just 1 HP. By the way, Shun. As usual, your boxed lunch really is nutritiously balanced isn't it."

"Don't change the topic. But, you know what's going to happen if I leave lunch to Miu, don't you."

"Ah, well, we're the same after all. I can't really talk about others like this..."

My best friend Takumi who was right in front of me stared at my boxed lunch enviously and hurriedly ate the bread he bought, then washed it all down with juice.

I scowled at that poor nutritional balance, as Takumi's childhood friend, I knew why he would buy such a thing.

"Good grief, I wonder, where do you find time to play other games despite playing OSO."

"I have to squeeze out some time for that."

Squeeze out, you... I spat a tired sigh. That's right, Takumi saves up money from his lunch to buy games he wants to play.

On top of that, he continues to play a VRMMO, he's a really broken gamer.

Also, my little sister Miu is a broken gamer as well. If she were to be given money for lunch, the fact that it would turn out the same way could be easily understood by watching this childhood friend of mine. That's why, I make lunch boxes for two people every morning.

"You talk about others, but I know that you're doing quite well yourself."

"...what's that about?"

"I've heard from Miu-chan, but it seems like you're always logged in whenever you have some free time."

Takumi turned towards me smiling broadly.

As we faced each other, a shadow has appeared between us and a girl's voice has called out from over our heads.

"Let's see. Having free time would suggest you finished what you had to do. Takumi-kun."

When I looked up towards the source of the voice, I saw a female student stand there.

"Geh, Endo."

"If Endo-san has come, it means the due date has come again huh."

Her long hair was braided into a single plait that was hung over her shoulder, and there were strong-looking eyes behind her lower-rim glasses. Her expression was soft, but she left a strong impression and had a straightforward, serious personality. The girl was Endo-san from class committee.

"Indeed. Today's the due date for classics homework submission. You still haven't hande

d it in have you, I came to check up on it."

"Shun, help me out!"

"...Takumi. Geez, I have submitted my homework already so I can't show you, but I'll teach you."

"All right! I'll submit it on the next break."

"Why then."

"If I deliver it to the staff room after school, I'll lose that much of my gaming time."

"Geez, you really are..."

When I sighed hearing Takumi's answer, Endo-san laughed quietly and said "Thank you for the work Shun-kun" to me.

"Really. How can you two be best friends despite having completely different personalities."

"Ah, I think it's strange as well."

"Well, despite what he says, it's 'cause Shun's caring."

"I don't want to hear that from you."

I complained to Takumi who relied on me, and Endo-san agreed with him, saying "You're right".

"It's great to have Shun-kun. If not for him, I would have to watch over Takumi-kun until he finishes his homework."

In those cases, as long as I tell Shun-kun, he'll make sure it's done even if he has to use force, it's a great help. She said, but I could only respond with a wry laughter.

"Come on, Shun. We've finished eating so teach me!"

"Yes yes, wait a moment."

I looked as Takumi has pulled out his homework. I checked what he didn't know and what did he have trouble with, I intended to have him solve as much as possible on his own. I casually taught him what he didn't know. And, what suddenly entered my line of sight was Endo-san who watched over Takumi.

Her eyes behind the pair of glasses were narrowed as she made a serious expression. Except for the sound of Takumi writing notes, the place was very silent and the ambient sounds felt very distant.

"............"

"...Endo-san?"

"Seems like he started on it properly. Now then, I leave the rest to you."

After confirming Takumi had started to do his homework, with a light feeling Endo-san moved away from their seats. Because of the serious expression she made as she stared at Takumi, I was confused by the change.

"Shun. Teach me this next."

"Y-yeah..."

Embracing a hazy feeling for some reason, I helped Takumi do his homework. Just as he declared, he submitted his homework by the end of the afternoon break and hurried back home.

"Good grief, leaving his best friend behind huh. Well, it can't be helped since I have to do some shopping for dinner. What should I make tonight?"

As I bought ingredients in the supermarket, Endo-san's serious expression crossed through my mind.

She calls out to Takumi a lot and often takes care of him. Although that's the role of a class committee member, it can't be that——

"It can't be that Endo-san..."

Likes Takumi? No, no way. Nope. Smiling wryly to myself I finished shopping and went home.

I put away the ingredients and headed towards my room without hesitation.

I put on the VR Gear placed next to the bed, laid down on the bed, closed my eyes and logged in.

●

"Thanks to everyone's efforts, we have safely completed the 【Crafting Guild】's guild hall. The guild has been established as well and all that's left is to start its operations, but before that, let's make it grand! ——Cheers!"

" " "——Cheers!" " "

Currently, I was in the interior of a building with an open hall and lined up counters, there were a lot of tables available and on them, were arranged a variety of dishes and sweets.

This place was the base of the 【Crafting Guild】, called Guild Hall. It's appearance was that of a three-story building that had more than twice the size of the buildings surrounding it. Pillars and signs were painted red and stood out. But the reason it attracted attention was the inside of it.

The guild room's subspace extended to the maximum, and it was twice as big as it appeared to be, currently, this place has attracted a considerable amount of crafters.

"Among them there are working NPCs trading materials, aren't there."

It still hasn't started to run in earnest, but it already allows easy purchasing of items and two-way distribution of materials, it acts as a proxy agency for selling items from crafters——that's the 【Crafting Guild】.

Other than that, there are plans to provide support to those without any crafting facilities, encouraging joint crafting, and crafting experience corner.

And right now, I was looking down on the happily-chatting players from the terrace on the second floor.

"Yun-kun, how was it? My leading there, that is."

When I turned around from the terrace towards the source of the voice, I saw a familiar person there.

"I saw it perfectly fine, Magi-san. It was quite dignified. Still, is it really fine to invite me? I'm an outsider."

"It's all right. Most of the people here are outsiders. But, if there is a common point between us... then it would be that you're also the co-founder."

I listened to what Magi-san said and responded with "I see, I'll be at ease then". Today, I was invited to the party in the evening hours, "participate by all means", for which in exchange I presented with these words.

"Thank you very much for inviting me today. And——for establishment of the【Crafting Guild】 and your inauguration as the guild master, congratulations."

"Thanks, Yun-kun. But really, how did this happen? Cloude is the submaster, I'll push all the work on him anyway."

Magi-san laughed, in response I said "Isn't that fine?", agreeing.

"Yahoo, Yuncchi. I greeted everyone and came."

Seeing me and Magi-san talk, Lyly has approached us.

"Oh, you came too, Lyly. What about Cloude?"

"Kurocchi is going around greeting and listening to reports of other crafters. It was planned that we talk about the event during the party. So after we did our rounds, we came over to you, Yuncchi."

Cloude sure is doing well, I muttered. As I thought, Cloude seemed to be more capable as a guild master. I felt that way but——

"Well, rather than someone arrogant like Cloude, someone striking and bright like Magi-san makes it easier to accept."

"Ahh, I get it. Kurocchi is the shadow ruler, something like a chief of staff."

"Indeed indeed. 'Just as planned' or 'in the end Magi is merely a puppet', 'I'm the true ruler of this guild!'. That's something he'd say. In the end, I'm just a puppet huh."

Magi-san muttered that strangely serious. In response to that joke, Lyly and I let out a small sigh. It was way too easy to imagine Cloude take a theatrical pose and say that.

"Well, let's leave it at this for introductions."

"Then, you must have errands to do other than introductions don't you."

"Ah, you can tell huh."

When I said that, the two got onto the main topic immediately.

"I think it must have reached your ears already, Yun-kun. The talk about the event."

"Yes. You mean the event organized by the 【Crafting Guild】 that's supposed to take two days, right."

It serves as a promotion and anniversary event for the 【Crafting Guild】, a grand-scale scheduled event.

Offering various items, holding an auction in the guild hall and so on. Other than that there's supposed to be a stage show and a PvP event.

"Yup yup. So, in order to liven up the event, we thought of asking Yuncchi if there are any interesting items to use."

"Interesting items..."

"Yup. Yuncchi who has a 【Making Box】 seems like she'd have some unusual items."

Just as Lyly said, I had some materials and recipes that were lacking in practicality, but I couldn't tell whether they are interesting or not.

"Hmm, interesting materials or items huh. That'd be drugs causing abnormal status and poison. Also, from the recipes there is 【Insect Repelling Incense】, 【Cannibalistic Elixir】, 【Hair Growth Elixir】 and... 【Charm Fragrance】 I guess."

"Abnormal state drugs are quite generic aren't they. Hey, eh? Magicchi, your face is red."

"Ehh?! Ah, mm. It's nothing!"

As Magi-san blushed, knowing the reason I felt somewhat awkward.

It's about what happened the other day.

Together with Myu I have performed experiments with unknown materials. Unlike myself who is careful, I was actively encouraged by Myu, and during the experiment with the potion I made——

After using multiple potions, we couldn't see any effect strong enough to affect my consciousness, when I drank the last drug, a change has occurred.

——*ba-dump*. My heart started to beat incredibly strong. My entire body has started to heat up, and I have squatted down on spot.

"Onee-chan?!"

"Haa, haa... it's okay. But, something..."

As my consciousness became ambiguous, Myu grabbed my shoulder to support me. In the menu, the bad status 【Charmed】 was displayed. So the last drug, was a bad status inducing one... as I carefreely considered that, a change in Myu in front of me has occurred.

"O-Onee-chan. Somehow, I'm feeling strange! W-what is this!"

Myu's eyes were tinged with seriousness, she put some strength into the arms grabbing my shoulders and pushed me down on the floor.

"Wai... what?!"

"I wonder? I'm also... 【Charmed】? I can't stop."

As we were, Myu hunched over as if riding me and she repeatedly breathed shallowly. Somehow, I started to feel incredible danger.

I tried to push Myu away, but I was unable to resist because of the difference in our stats. "Helloo. Yun-kun, there's something I want to talk with you about... ah."

"Eh... Ma-Magi-san?"

"No, um, you're having some s-skinship with your little sister, right. Um, sorry to intrudee!"

And like that, we caused Magi-san to misunderstand, I resolved it on the next day. Probably, she still hadn't digested that memory well enough yet. I didn't want to recall it either, so I proceeded with the story.

"From the recipes I can use, it's just the two first ones."

The 【Insect Repelling Incense】, just as its name suggested repelled insect-type mobs and 【Cannibalistic Elixir】 was a mix of various foods that increased stats for about thirty minutes and increased the speed at which satiety was being depleted.

"And, that's about it."

"Is that so. 【Insect Repelling Incense】 sounds interesting."

"Does it? If 【Cannibalistic Elixir】's effect was adjusted it could be more hardcore."

Although her face was still slightly red, since Magi-san asked about it, I explained the effect of the 【Cannibalistic Elixir】.

The setting of the 【Cannibalistic Elixir】 was that it formulated a drug inside the user's body and turned the food into energy at high efficiency, explosively increasing strength.

Something like that.

Certainly it increased the stats. However, if the mixed ratio is wrong, the speed at which satiety is reduced increased to an unprecedented level, and unless the user continues to eat until the elixir's effect expires they will starve to death.

"In other words, if the satiety reduction effect is maximized, one would turn into an eating machine."

"Uwahh... that's nastier than poison. Yuncchi, what a horrible item you have there."

"Is it now. But, I really do want to avoid using it."

"I think so too. It's a dangerous item. It's too early to give ordinary players such a thing."

With our opinions matching, we have decided not to use the 【Cannibalistic Elixir】.

In that case, the only recipe I could reproduce was 【Insect Repelling Incense】. But Lyly seemed to have come up with an idea and he smiled joyfully.

"Still, with just 【Insect Repelling Incense】 we can prepare some interesting events. Yup, I'll go consult it with Kurocchi."

He said so, and without telling us what his idea was Lyly ran away. We looked at his back as he left.

"There he went, that Lyly."

"Indeed. Then, I'll excuse myself as well."

"Eh?! But the party has just started."

"I thought of coming and showing my face after being invited and congratulate you all. I have to prepare dinner now."

"Ah, I see. You're Myu-chan's onee-chan after all, aren't you."

I said, I'm a man. Is what I wanted to repeat like I usually did, but it can't be helped. I convinced myself.

"If that's the case, thank you for coming today."

"No, I'm glad I could talk to you."

After exchanging our greetings, Magi-san went back to greet other crafters. Seeing her off, I logged out.